Gibraltar 1941- Crazy!!!

[predavolk]

So I get sent out in late December 1940 to patrol Casablanca. Nothing happening (anyone know the date of Torch? too lazy to check). So I go to the happy hunting grounds of the Gibraltar passage, on the West side. Long story short, besides a dueling gun battle with a British sub (I won of course), the BIG story here is that the place is SWARMING with British airplanes! It's a matter of minutes after engaging a British merchant that airplanes appear. And in my new IX-B, crash diving is a little slow. So far, I've been attacked 6 times! (spotted 12-15x) I drove one attacker off, at the cost of my flak gunner's life (several others wounded). I've taken to running at 6-7m after my initial attack, if I'm not already submerged. That lets me crash dive in time to avoid most of the damage. And I've noticed that the Brits will continue to send our reinforcements to protect a damaged ship, as well as to attack old torpedo launch locations. It's like a hornet's nest has been put there!!

I don't remember the Brits having that much airpower, historically, in place by January 1941. Is that true? Man, I was hoping to get a sweet warship or two for their renown, but at this pace, I'll be lucky if I live. But seeing as most of the damage is from strafing attacks, and I still have lots of torps, I'm staying out to do as much damage as I can before going back to port. I'm just very nervous about making any deep dives after all that strafing! :o Man, combined with the rapid arming of just about all the bigger merchants, and some of the smaller ones, the happy times are quickly fading! :down: (GWX 2.0, 100% realism)

[Brag]

Yup, decks awash is the only way to survive in that area.

[Pablo]

So I get sent out in late December 1940 to patrol Casablanca. Nothing happening (anyone know the date of Torch? too lazy to check).
Hi!

Operation Torch was in November 1942.

Pablo

[Hartmann]

gibraltar a madness ..... a madness ? no IT´S SPARTA!!!!

:hmm:

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z226/yaulh/pixelraves/070312_300_movie.jpg

[Kaleun Volk]

in response to the sparta comment ^^^^^^^

TONIGHT, WE DINE, IN MALTA!!!!!!!



THIS, IS, GWX!!!!!!!!!

http://www.qarl.com/qLab/pile/300/SPARTA.jpg

[magicsub]

ha, watch this,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZBA0SKmQy8!!!!!!!!!

[Kaleun Volk]

oh... oh god... too much sparta is a bad thing,

But there is no such thing as too much GWX!!! :arrgh!:

[jpm1]

don't know if they had a powerful air force but in any case they had pretty efficient carriers especially in the Mediterranean

[TrooperCooper]

Funny... must be bad luck on your end. I am in the same area around christmas 1940. Sank about 66,000 BRT of single merchants and out of one convoy (which also had a Fidji class cruiser... but my two last torps on that one didnt go off. :( ). I didnt see a single enemy aircraft all the time while I stayed there for like 3 weeks...

GWX 2.0 that is.

[Flamingboat]

TONIGHT, WE DINE, IN MALTA!!!!!!!


ha ha :sunny:

[bigboywooly]

Aircover in 2.0 is the same as 2.1
Apart from the Biscay

You should rightly see aircover there
Gib was the only British base in the region and as such was heavily defended

The Gib straits are a natural bottleneck to and from the Med
Any Italian\German or any other Axis unit HAS to go through there so yes was heavily patrolled
Either by air or sea

The type of aircraft you see will also narrow down as to whether was a land or carrier based aircraft
Again the Brits HAD to go through the Gib straits to and from the Med so you can expect to see carrier borne aircraft as well as land based due to the fleet movements

[Myxale]

TONIGHT, WE DINE, IN MALTA!!!!!!!


ha ha :sunny:

If you make it past the Strait!:rotfl:

[Tessa]

At least early in the war you don't have to worry so much about night attacks from planes. There's equally juicy targets in the actual Gibraltor dock, can usally snag a BB, LC, and an assortment of tankers.

[predavolk]

Well, I just finished that patrol. A grand total of EIGHT air attacks on my boat! This isn't supposed to happen until 1944! :o Fortunately, my tough IXB made it back with 35% hull integrity. Unfortunately, when I attacked a convoy, my computer crashed (which sucked hard because it had a Southhampton-class cruiser that I was itching for).

The good news is that I reloaded from a save, attacked the same convoy (that now was missing the cruiser?), and ended up with 49.9K on my way home. I spotted a coastal merchant heading across the Atlantic (:o ) and with two stern torps left, I pressed the attack. Now here's the strange thing. I'm about 200 km from the Straight of Gibraltar. Earlier in the day, I had been attacked by an airplane (09:30). After running West all day at 4-5 knts submerged, I encountered this ship at 15:30. Immediately upon surfacing, I was attacked by single-engine airplane! I looked around with my observation scope, but saw nothing. Fortunately, I got down just in time to take relatively minor damage to my rear from the second bomb. I then followed the boat underwater until night when I surfaced, got in front of it, and sank it. Has anyone experienced a boat being escorted by a plane? Was this just really bad luck? Do coastal merchants warrant an escort in Jan 1941?!?

Very strange. On the plus side, that put me over 50K, and on the way home, I ran into an unescorted large merchant. On the plus side, I managed to get in front of her, then land a point-blank hit on her bow with my final stern torp. On the downside, it had a hidden gun midships and scored yet another hit on my poor ship while I was waiting for her to sink. On the plus side again, I submerged, tracked her, watched her slow right down (from 9 to 2 kts), and then sink. Any tips for detecting hidden gun emplacements? Should I just assume that all enemy ships are armed now? And does having a skilled gunner make any difference when I do the aiming myself?

Now it's May 1941 and I'm seriously considering "cheating" by looking up the Hood vs. Bismark battle and adding my two torps.:p

[bigboywooly]

The cruiser being missing is because in a RND convoy ships have a percenatage of showing
As you loaded a save the game ran a new set of percentages for that convoy and this time no cruiser
Sometimes you get lucky and all ships previously in are there again
Sometimes not

Coastal mercs like all ships would be sent anywhere in the world if they could handle it
Someone posted some info a while back on the Great Lakes ships crossing the Atlantic
All hands to the pumps as far as shipping concerned

No the ship didnt have an air escort
More than likely a routine patrol

[STEED]

You would not catch me going in to Gibraltar even if Eva did a striptease, no way. ;)

[Stuart Galbraith]

I did Gibraltar in 1939, and it was a tad hairy. I sneaked past an ASW trawler, sank a 4000 ton cargo ship tied up, took out a 6000 ton troopship, then I sneaked further in to engage a Southampton class cruiser (10000 tons) at anchor. I was crawling just above the bottom in silent running (made reloading a problem) and toddled in at 2 knots (lucky the weather was quite bad, which I think it why the trawler didnt find me). 2nd torp I was putting into the cruiser, the trawler sailed in front of the torp (I assume it was an accident and SH3 doesnt model VC heros!) and put a hole in its bow. it sank, with its bottom above water, so Im optimistic the crew survived. Running in close to the cruiser (somehow Id missed a static target with one torp) I heard a bang and scraping sound. Id hit the antitorpedo net, and the wire cutter on the bow hadnt worked! Most worryingly the bow was hung up on the net, and I think slightly above water, just as another trawler came along. I fire my last torp over the net (this has to be some kind of record), sank the cruiser and sneaked out the way I came. Oh, except when after surfacing when passing through the straits of Gibraltar, an MTB came up and started firing at me. I eventually sank him, but took some damage from his efforts.

I was out of torps, my crew was tired, and Id finished up successfully what looked like an unpromising patrol, what with all the bad weather. Ive made a note in the ships log though, last time I ever go into Gibraltar. If its this bad in 39, whats it going to be like in 1945?:down:

[Philogogus]

I just did a harbor raid last night on the Gib.

It was quite... interesting. I was in my IXB (Feb. 1940... GWX 2.1 mod). I just put off near Cadiz after a looong patrol in which I was COMPLETELY OUT OF AMMUNITION (thats never happened before... :arrgh!: ; out of shells, 20mm and fish). I was of course given the mission to return to my own pens (Wilhemhavens).

However, I decide on a detour to see what riches lay in wait in the Gib. I set off, ahead standard, and see what happens.

I slipped through the straits without much difficulty (pair of Swans were there, but a quick dive and rigging for silent took care of it). After about 1 hour of submerged time, I resurfaced and continued.

About 10km off the harbor I went to periscope depth and to 1/3 speed (let my hydrophones do the looking...). My screen EXPLODED with sound contacts. I adjusted my course for the middle of the pack and rerigged to silent and AHEAD SLOW. Keeping my periscope down, I tracked completely through my hydrophones... every so often I would raise the scope and take a peek myself to see what was about.

About 30 minutes later (real time), I was a few clicks due west of the port. I was using T2's (I dont like T1's... especially for port raiding) so I had to get fairly close (2500m is what I like to be at). I was lining up for a very juicy tanker (modern tanker; 12500GST)... when I saw it. The unmistakable outline of a Nelson BB. My blood pressure went up a few points, and my pulse started racing. I swung my scope around a little more to check for escorts... and saw only a few ASW trawlers (who could not detect a man banging on a steel drum with a sledgehammer) and torpedo boats. As I was checking for escort forces... I saw another juicy target. A anchored Southhampton with a pair of Tribals.

If I were a smoking man, I would need a cigarette by this point. I lowered my scope (but not before marking on my map the exact location of the Nelson and the Southhampton), and lined up for a 4 torpedo spread on the Nelson. I adjusted my torpedoes for a 4 degree spread (at the distance I was it it would place one every 100 feet or so along the hull) and to explode at 14m (right underneath the ship... was hoping to avoid the torpedo belt and break her back) with magnetic triggers.

At 0325 game time, I raised my scope and quickly fired my four fish... secured from silent running and immediately began reloading my tubes for the Southhampton. I put my electrics on Flank and swung my stern towards one of the Tribal destroyers that were flanking the Southhampton and loosed a fish aimed right between the bridge and the first turret (I could not afford to miss, and needed to break the ship in two to get a clear shot at the Southhampton... a submarine net was obstructing my most obvious attack vector).

A few tense moments passed... I needed to quickly get into position for the Southampton kill shot... AND get my front tubes reloaded. This was precious time in which the escorts would very likely detect me (because I was at flank speed... and I was reloading torpedoes so I had to secure from silent running). Luckily, I had spent the previous 6 patrols I had been on racking some fairly serious tonnage so I had the renown to spend on making my torpedo crew the best in the fleet. In a little over 4 minutes, my first two tubes were reloaded (enough I figured for the cruiser).

By this time, I was eagerly awaiting the explosions from succesful torpedo strikes... and I was not let down. Each one of the torpedoes hit and exploded. The Nelson was destroyed by the second torpedo, and the destroyer did exactly what I needed it to do... break in half.

This cleared me for the Southampton shot. I was already lined up, and fired the two fish I had reloaded with a 5 degree spread (at that distance, one would hit to the fore of the bridge, one to the back). Once again, both torpedoes exploded and it broke the ship in half.

Deciding I needed to beat it out of there, I lowered my scope... set myself back to silent rigging... and sailed quietly out of the harbor. I dont think the escorts every figured out what happened. :arrgh!: :arrgh!:

[Tessa]

Gibraltor's a great port to raid, never fails to deliver. As the war goes on more and more warships get docked there; though the defenses tighten up a lot around and inside the harbour itself, plus getting through the channel can take quite awhile by itself.

[Red Heat]

Hiii

I just visit South of Spain a few days a go...including Gibraltar!
But the lack of time, it wasnt possible to make a "deep" visit to the city (The City its small town) as i wish to do, but anyaway i take a few pictures from the place...
but i have another problem how to upload the pictures to the forum?
I need some help please...

P.S. I promisse to my self to have a week of Hollidays in Gibraltar in short time, and visit the all thing before i die! :damn:

[Jimbuna]

Hiii

I just visit South of Spain a few days a go...including Gibraltar!
But the lack of time, it wasnt possible to make a "deep" visit to the city (The City its small town) as i wish to do, but anyaway i take a few pictures from the place...
but i have another problem how to upload the pictures to the forum?
I need some help please...

P.S. I promisse to my self to have a week of Hollidays in Gibraltar in short time, and visit the all thing before i die! :damn:

Have a look here:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=107399

[Red Heat]

Thanks a lot, jimbuna...

But in my case isnt it screeshots from the (Silent Hunter III) i want to upload here in the forum, but the true pics i take there, in Gibraltar (the real one, not Gibraltar represented in sh3 game as allied naval base).

Or the process to upload screenshots and pics its same???
Can you be more clear about this topic?

Thanks in advance,

[Myxale]

Had a good Career runnig over at W@W way back and somewhere in the middle of WWII i was ordered to go the "Verdammte Mittelmeer":damn:


Was the hardest thig i ever did! Pulled all tricks!
I made it, but almost didn't!
I'm not gonna delude myself; it was pure luck!
Running on what little power we had (LRT kicks Butt) and flooding all the way!
I still have the screen of my banged up boot!
Escaping on high RPM to keep the boot on even keel and from sinking more, in a pool full of DD's!:nope:

On a sidenote, the "Mittelmeer" was more Hell than the Atlantic! I always came badly banged up from every Patrol
Uff, there's a memory i want to sink!! :88)

[Jimbuna]

Thanks a lot, jimbuna...

But in my case isnt it screeshots from the (Silent Hunter III) i want to upload here in the forum, but the true pics i take there, in Gibraltar (the real one, not Gibraltar represented in sh3 game as allied naval base).

Or the process to upload screenshots and pics its same???
Can you be more clear about this topic?

Thanks in advance,

It is exactly the same http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

[Red Heat]

Oh! i see...
Thanks again, mate now what i need its some free time to do that! :D lol

[Jimbuna]

Yer welcome http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

[Red Heat]

:up: