Tell us what you are upto in your current campaign [Archive] - Page 10

VonApist

03-09-11, 07:45 AM

Restarted carrer - Back to the basics now commanding a Type II from Wilhelmshaven.After an uneventful patrol i decided to try my luck in Portsmouth Harbor. Still 1939 so I thought I could make a try for it - and i was right. Running submerged during the day while crossing the channel, I "moored" 5 Kms away from the mouth of the harbour, submerged and all stopped at 30m depth (shallow waters made all of the crew quite edgy). At 22:00, surfaced the boat, recharged batteries and got some fresh O2. 01:30 made my way, surfaced, to the "mouth" checking depth under keel every 10 mins to get a feeling of the "legspace" i might need. Suprisingly, no destroyers around! The moment i passed the "mouth" of the harbour, day is breaking i again submerge (17m with harbour depth at 20m) and wait the day out. At 23:00 we make the surface , replenish oxygen and head towards the docks. Nothing spectacular. 1 tanker + 1 Merchant. 3 torpedoes later, they are down in flames and i make my way ahead full towards the "mouth". An armed trawler is shooting at me, but i have no deck gun not the will to engage in the harbor. Luckily i make it to the mouth without serious damage (hull integrity 98%). I keep my boat on the surface ahead full. Its after midnight and now a destroyer is after me. Depth under keel 35m - no point in submerging and i have no aft torpedo tubes:x. Well not many options here, as the destroyer is now close enough and starts shelling. I try to zig zag as much as possible - depth under keel now at 50 so i crash dive at 45m full rudder right. 1 torpedo has been reloaded so im not completely naked. I order silent running. Destroyer is almost above me so full ahead and rudder full left - i hear the charges splashing but at 45m it wont take much time. Bang Bang Bang... No damage, but very close. Full ahead, i have a some mins until the destroyer's sonar man recalibrates after the explosion - turning my boat towards the destroyer - at 45m she wont ram me. I dont want to shoot as the angle is tight and if i miss she will spot me in a moment. I make a pass beneath her and order silent running again.Now she is bearing 170 making circles - distance 750m. I keep my running silent and try to put more distance. I get pinged again. I decide to engage as if i hold the hide and seek , another destroyer will appear and in 50m depth i will have no chance. When I surface she is at 600m and the angle is acceptable. I fire tube 1 (slow speed, depth 7m, magnetic) - make or break. Thank God its make and the destroyer gets it. Periscope down, depth 45 full ahead. Im lucky enough to hit probably the engines. She's not down but moving very slow (slower than me which is a feat!). Putting distance now, i've been very lucky. Surfacing, its 02.30 full ahead to deeper waters. Job done with a great amount of luck... The crew probably thinks I am the "iron coffin guru" but we were very lucky that its 1939, there was only one destroyer and that it was night. Back to port...:arrgh!:

Snestorm

03-10-11, 08:53 AM

How is this possible? I would love to start in 1939 in a IX type.

The simplest way to do it, without altering "a million" files is to do one patrol in whatever boat SH3 gives you.

After returning to port reboot your computer.
Go into the "patrols_0" file in your Documents.
Find your next patrol (It's there).
Change the uboat type to 2.
Change the uboat version to 0.
Change the Uboat number to whatever you like.
That's a IXB.

It is a bit more historical to start with a IX(A).
((Just use a IXB without stern reloads. And G7A torpedoes in the stern tubes because, they were external tubes with no way to reload at sea. Same for the VII(A).)

Reboot again before playing.

Snestorm

03-10-11, 09:15 AM

Underway from Willy on 1.nov.39.
Patrol Grid is AN13 (Just west of the shortcut above Scapa Flow).
U28 went the long way, north of The Shetlands.
2 merchants and 1 auxilary (Ocean Going Tug) were sunk for 9.923 GRT.

The Ocean Going Tug was sunk with stern shot, during a pre-sunrise submerged attack 10 miles outside the western entrance to Scapa Flow for 1.141 GRT in AN15.
Prior to that the RN had been keeping a low profile.
We remained undetected and crawled towards the deeper water of our assigned grid.

U28 returned to Willy on 23.nov.39
Her track record thus far is:
2 patrols. 9 vessels sunk for 31.526 GRT.

VONHARRIS

03-11-11, 11:30 AM

Thank you Snestorm.
I will do this in my next career.

Sailor Steve

03-11-11, 12:16 PM

((Just use a IXB without stern reloads. And G7A torpedoes in the stern tubes because, they were external tubes with no way to reload at sea. Same for the VII(A).)
I use Wreford-Brown's Type VIIa mod, which not only removes the stern reload but also the forward externals, and changes the engine speeds and range.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/downloads.php?do=file&id=1872

Snestorm

03-11-11, 03:31 PM

Thank you Snestorm.
I will do this in my next career.

You're very welcome.
Enjoy.

flag4

03-11-11, 04:06 PM

...where is Paul Riley?

Snestorm

03-11-11, 04:19 PM

I use Wreford-Brown's Type VIIa mod, which not only removes the stern reload but also the forward externals, and changes the engine speeds and range.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/downloads.php?do=file&id=1872

Hmmm. "Ain't" we thinking alike?
That's neat.
I usualy work the whole crew on our way out of port getting rid of the excess torpedoes.

I've got all the Engine Telegraph settings reset on all my boats.
Same top speed and range, just more realistic and functional settings on the telegraph.
VIIB
Slow: 4,128 / 1,92 Knots (For silent speed submerged).
One Third: 6,88 / 3,2 Knots (Most economical surface speed).
Standard: 11,532 / 5,28 Knots (Perfect).
Full: 16,656 / 7,84 Knots
Flank: 17,2 / 8 Knots

IXB
Slow: 4,914 / 1,971 Knots
One Third: 7,28 / 2,92 Knots
Standard: 10,012 / 4,818 Knots
Full: 17,836 / 7,154 Knots
Flank: 18,2 / 7,3

Slow, One Third, and Standard are all slower than stock.
Full is a-little faster, and less economical, than stock.
Flank is unchanged

No more having to man the CE's station to get my submerged speed right. Slow.
And One Third is now, as it should be, the most commonly used surface speed.

What thinks Steve?

Snestorm

03-11-11, 05:21 PM

Departed Willy on 21.dec.39.

24.dec.39 AN28 (100 miles WSW of Bergen).
0843 Ship sighted in the predawn light. Periscope depth.
0900 C2 Cargo sunk for 6446 GRT.
Course 050. Speed 9 knots.
Submerged attack. 3 T2 torpedoes. 2 hits.

26.dec.39 AF78 (25 miles N of The Shetlands).
2100 Ship sighted. Medium range. - Dive!
2102 Sound reports a merchant moving slow. - Periscope depth.
2140 Coastal Merchant sunk for 2042 GRT.
Course 076. Speed 6 knots.
Surface attack. 3 T2 torpedoes. 2 hits.

27.dec.39 AN12
1559 Fishing Boat sighted in storm. - Dive, and await his passing.

28.dec.39 AM34
2100 U28 is on station. (7 days in transit).

1.jan.40 AM51
2348 Radio Report.
Enemy task force. AM51. SSW. 27 knots. - Dive, listen, and wait. Nothing.

2.jan40 AM01
1800 Radio Report.
Convoy. AM29. E. 6 knots. - Full Ahead!
We found nothing and laid a course through AM53 for AM64.
Plan: East on the surface by night. West submerged by day.

4.jan.40 AM53 (Depth under Keel 64 meters).
0223 Armed Trawler sighted astern at medium range.
We dived to 25 meters hoping we were not seen.
Sound reported "no contact" as he was in our baffles.
0303 U-turn and listen.
0724 Sound reports slow merchant closing. 304T.
0820 Coastal Merchant sunk for 1987 GRT.
Course 110. Speed 5 knots.
Surface attack. 3 T1 torpedoes. 1 hit
1650 Single torpedo attack on Trawler.
Course 060. Speed 8 knots. Wrong! Miss.
1748 Sound reports medium speed merchant closing at 260T.
1845 Last torpedo. Stern shot fired at a C2 Cargo.
1846 Torpedo impact. In the nose.
Course 090. Speed 9 knots.
Target slowed to under 8 knots. No sinking.

16.jan.40 AN98
1130 Docked at Willy.

Patrol Results: 3 merchants sunk for 10.465 GRT

U28's record to date:
3 patrols. 12 vessels sunk for 42.091 GRT.

Snestorm

03-11-11, 05:24 PM

...where is Paul Riley?

He was on my mind too.
Hope he's OK.

gazpode_l

03-11-11, 08:08 PM

Well Patrol five is under-way.

Left Brest on July 24th after one month in port for repairs etc following my last patrol.

DT24 is my alloted grid right down near africa I think....so a long slog ahead. Just abrest western coast of spain on 26/27th July I change my plan slighly and am going to meander around near casablanca for a bit as I know large convoys often frequent the area.

CG28 July 28th
"Ship Spotted" was reported by the crew in the early hours. Skipper W Suhr had only been :yawn: an hr or so but crew decides to wake him, with a mug of tea...

"Well what we got, what you woke me for this time?" I ask my crew....(yes me the skipper as W Suhr)

1XO: We got a large merchant sir, was thinking u might want to see....

"well yeh I suppose....Ahead FLANK! Open tubes two & three for salvo firing"

in my slumber I had forgotten to ask my weps to set the spread angle to minimum given the distances involved.

LOS was ordered and no detonation is heard. Five mins later I give up and order the crew to "MAN DECK GUN!"

We put around 15 shells into her and I then ordered us to periscope depth as she is returning fire in some way with a small cannon of some description :o

Up the scope, properly set the tubes this time....

"Open Tube one please"
Tube 1 duly is opened and fired....without further ado & before long....detonation!!!!

A hit is scored.

The process is repeated by using the now re-loaded tube two and she is now sliding below....:arrgh!:

That's where we are upto ATM

R/L: food & Bedtime calls.

VONHARRIS

03-12-11, 02:05 PM

The simplest way to do it, without altering "a million" files is to do one patrol in whatever boat SH3 gives you.

After returning to port reboot your computer.
Go into the "patrols_0" file in your Documents.
Find your next patrol (It's there).
Change the uboat type to 2.
Change the uboat version to 0.
Change the Uboat number to whatever you like.
That's a IXB.

It is a bit more historical to start with a IX(A).
((Just use a IXB without stern reloads. And G7A torpedoes in the stern tubes because, they were external tubes with no way to reload at sea. Same for the VII(A).)

Reboot again before playing.

Ok I followed the above procedure and I now have a IXB hull with the normal torpedo layout with a type VIIB conning tower and a 8,8 cm deck gun.
This is it:
http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/784/ixbwithviibconning.jpg

Is it normal?

Snestorm

03-12-11, 07:42 PM

Ok I followed the above procedure and I now have a IXB hull with the normal torpedo layout with a type VIIB conning tower and a 8,8 cm deck gun.

Is it normal?

No.
Can you live with it?

What about buying the tower & 105 mm with renown when available?
Not a perfect solution, but hopefuly a simple one.

oldstyle

03-12-11, 07:50 PM

August 42, just leaving St Nazaire, we spotted an english submarine on surface and decided to attack him with gun. Of course he replied and hit me twice but was hit also.
As I was closer, he decided to submerge! Not really, but enough to send my gunners ineffective. I never thought and read here that a AI sub (english or german) can dive ! He was almost at 9 or 10 meters underwater and we could see his top structures.
I was at a good position so I decided to attack him with torpedo but impossible to check his distance with the uzo (no sub in the recognized book...) and of course his speed. I estimated distance, speed, course and deph and shoot a speed gaz torpedo. I saw the torp going to the target direction but the sub change course and it was clear that the torp will passed a few at his back. Fortunatly, it was a magnetic torp and as I was ready to shoot another one, sure to have missed with the first, I heard an explosion and saw debris and after a lifeboat. It was sunk.
Only 727 tons for one torp but a good begining for this mission.

Snestorm

03-12-11, 08:20 PM

Underway from Willy on 13.feb.40, bound for BE26.

We never got there as BDU decided to dispatch us into a convoy battle.

26.feb.40 AM16
0312: Radio message: Convoy. AM16. ENE. 7 knots.
0413: Radio message: Convoy. AM16. ENE. 7 knots.
So we dived for a listen and, Bingo!
Overcast. Medium fog. 15 m/s wind.

Our first attack was a night surface attack (too dark for periscope work).
Close. Realy close. A freighter was aproaching from 308R, 1000 meters as the last second ticked off before 3 torpedoes could be loosed on a T2 Tanker. We turnrd onto the convoys course as we dove to 100 meters. Although no escorts were seen, 2 were heard responding to our attack, by the sound man.

The battle continued into the next night. There would be 2 submerged attacks, and an additional surface attack (for the stern tube), before closing the battle.

In all 3 ships were sunk for 20.838 GRT. (My Repair PO will finaly see his Iron Cross 2.).

On recieving our final status report, BDU ordered us to return to base.

1.mar.40 AE93 (N of Færøerne)
1530: Alarm! First, and last, aircraft encounter of the patrol.
No depth charges were dropped.

U28 docked at Willy on 9.mar.40

U28 to date:
4 war patrols completed.
15 ships sunk for 62.929 GRT.

VONHARRIS

03-13-11, 01:28 AM

No.
Can you live with it?

What about buying the tower & 105 mm with renown when available?
Not a perfect solution, but hopefuly a simple one.

Yeah , I have no problem with that.
In fact I have here a hybrid Uboat.
I am proud that I am testing new techologies! :D

ediko

03-13-11, 04:26 AM

Yeah , I have no problem with that.
In fact I have here a hybrid Uboat.
I am proud that I am testing new techologies! :D
You do know that the new technologies that you are testing are just old decommissioned submarine parts welded together? They simply lacked a IX submarine so they made you one from whats was available at the local junkyard. :)

VONHARRIS

03-13-11, 05:43 AM

Snestorm

03-13-11, 04:09 PM

Yeah , I have no problem with that.
In fact I have here a hybrid Uboat.
I am proud that I am testing new techologies! :D

You sir, are cool.

We are in agreement. What-ever it takes to get our IXs, as soon as possible is quite OK.

Snestorm

03-13-11, 04:31 PM

Patrol 5. The Norwegian Campaign.
AN23, with a jaunt into AN24 (The coastal Bergen grid).

Left Willy on 6.apr.40, and returned on 17.apr.40.
0 ships sunk for 0 GRT.

We shadowed a small merchant out of the fjord above Bergen.
He was on course 285 at 8 knots, and flying Norway's colors.
Started doing an end around, and when he cleared the restricted waters, he turned to course 355. He was bound for Trondheim or Narvik, not Hartlepool so, we let him go.

We encountered no enemy task forces or invasion forces.
We were forced down once by aircraft, but no DCs were dropped.

Gargamel

03-13-11, 05:39 PM

You do know that the new technologies that you are testing are just old decommissioned submarine parts welded together? They simply lacked a IX submarine so they made you one from whats was available at the local junkyard. :)

SHhhhhhhhhh! Don't tell him...

We slapped them things together... added some chrome... a littel wax and polish.... and He said "Shiny!" and started drooling.....

It's like you're telling him there's no Easter Bunny!

STEED

03-13-11, 06:51 PM

IXC in March 1943 and it sucks. Sunk one ship in the Russian convoys and rec'd a good pounding for my efforts, bloody escorts pinging like mad. :nope:

In port with a thumping headache from all that pinging.

VONHARRIS

03-14-11, 01:11 AM

SHhhhhhhhhh! Don't tell him...

It's like you're telling him there's no Easter Bunny!

Boo Hoo Hoo :wah::wah:
Does that mean that there is no Santa Claus either?:hmmm:

Gereke

03-14-11, 02:28 AM

Now, now. There's no crying in the Kriegsmarine!

Keep your chin up and be a good boy. Perhaps the U-boot Fairy will leave you a chocolate torpedo under your pillow.

ediko

03-14-11, 11:30 AM

Now, now. There's no crying in the Kriegsmarine!

Keep your chin up and be a good boy. Perhaps the U-boot Fairy will leave you a chocolate torpedo under your pillow.
Must be one hell of a pillow.

VONHARRIS as long as you like it ;).
Don't go to deep though, that rust starts to show itself.

Gargamel

03-14-11, 12:26 PM

Must be one hell of a pillow.

Nah... it's just a Belgian Torpedo.

frau kaleun

03-14-11, 03:44 PM

Now, now. There's no crying in the Kriegsmarine!

Keep your chin up and be a good boy. Perhaps the U-boot Fairy will leave you a chocolate torpedo under your pillow.

Unfortunately, for every chocolate torpedo you get from the KM's Fairy Godmother Department, the Practical Joke Department sends you two Bernards. :wah:

Snestorm

03-14-11, 07:14 PM

Left Willy on 15.maj.40.
Bound for AM19. A dream grid (Rockall Bank), but again, we never got there.

AM17
28.maj.40
2127 "Ship Sighted . . .". Destroyer!
He can't be alone all the way out here. Nope. Convoy!
Course 108. Speed 7 knots.

Attack 1.
Daylight submerged.
3 T2 topedoes fired at 1 target.
T2 Tanker sunk for 10.871 GRT

Attack 2.
Night surface.
3 T2 torpedoes fired at 1 taget. (C2 Cargo).
1 impact on her stern. Nothing sunk.

Attack 3. (Entering the shallow section).
Daylight submerged.
3 T1 torpedoes fired at 1 target.
1 T2 torpedo fired at a second target.
T2 Tanker sunk for 11.673 GRT.
The sigle torpedo shot impacted, but nothing sunk.

Attack 4. (The external stern tube).
Daylight submerged.
"Closest sound contact. Merchant. Stationary".
1 T1 torpdo fired at 1 target.
Coastal Merchant sunk for 2.046 GRT.
(He was the recipient of the lone torpedo in attack 3).

U28 docked at Willy on 12.jun.40 flying 3 penants worth 24.590 GRT.

U28's history to date:
6 patrols completed.
18 ships sunk for 87.519 GRT.

Gereke

03-14-11, 10:39 PM

Unfortunately, for every chocolate torpedo you get from the KM's Fairy Godmother Department, the Practical Joke Department sends you two Bernards. :wah:

Not that simply isn't fair!

Now, to cease with my silly derailment of the purpose of the thread...

U-108
Oblt.zS Johann Voss

Left Wilhelmshaven 24 Feb 1940.
Orders: Patrol Grid BE37

Patrol Log as follows:

24.2.40. 2142 Patrol 3
U-108, 2nd Flotilla
Left at: February 24, 1940, 21:42
From: Wilhelmshaven
Mission Orders: Patrol grid BE37

3.3.40. 2322 Grid AM 43 Ship sunk! SS Sacramento Valley (Granville-type Freighter), 4709 tons. Cargo: Bauxite. Crew: 76. Crew lost: 65

4.3.40. 0047 Grid AM 43 Ship sunk! HMS Amethyst (Black Swan class), 1250 tons. Crew: 229. Crew lost: 100

16.3.40. 0704 Grid AM 51 Ship sunk! SS Nagara (Large Merchant), 8678 tons. Cargo: Aircraft. Crew: 94. Crew lost: 38

0717 Grid AM 51 Ship sunk! SS Santa Elisa II (Medium Cargo), 3917 tons. Cargo: Sugar. Crew: 48. Crew lost: 47

1152 Grid AM 51 Ship sunk! SS Victoria City (Granville-type Freighter), 4752 tons. Cargo: Military Vehicles. Crew: 78. Crew lost: 69

19.3.40. 1447 Grid AF 77 Ship sunk! SS Glenapp (Large Merchant), 8679 tons. Cargo: Textiles. Crew: 105. Crew lost: 53

21.3.40. 1530 Grid AN 28 Ship sunk! SS New England (Large Cargo), 7548 tons. Cargo: Timber. Crew: 65. Crew lost: 28

23.3.40.
0946: Moored at Wilhelmshaven.

Spent 1 week on station BE37, poor weather prevented any operation against the enemy.

Patrol results
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 7
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonnage: 39533 tons

gazpode_l

03-15-11, 03:41 PM

Loving the stuff bout the chocolate torpedo...I WANT ONE!!! :up:

Played 1.5hrs (R/L time) on sunday night lasting around four days of gaming...was about to save (as didnt save before; due to being sub-merged and in contact with aircraft) THEN i get a C.t.D!!!! :damn:

was around the area of western gibraltar (CG grids)

was gonna nose around the GIB straight for convoys before going to my alloted grid in DT24...Don't think I will now! :shifty::nope:

Missing Name

03-15-11, 09:04 PM

Kicking my computer to keep it running for more than an hour. If only it were built like those diesel engines... nope, it's designed after a lunchbox. No joke.

Leutnant77

03-15-11, 11:09 PM

Just found my first carrier, the HMS Illustrious in Loch Ewe AT ANCHOR! Going to need a prayer to get in there with the right angles due to the pier she is on.

Leutnant77

03-16-11, 12:01 AM

C2 Cargo 6446 tons + Hunt I x2 2000 tons + V&W Dest. 1188 tons + C Class Dest. 1375 + Hunt III 1050 tons + Illustrious Fleet Carrier 23000 tons + Bogue Class Carrier 14055 tons = 49,114 ton patrol. Fuhrer better be satisfied.

VONHARRIS

03-16-11, 12:42 AM

U-103 in action after major ctd and total reinstall.
The first patrol was a shakedown to test the boat and the crew.
The second patrol was a major success.
CAPTAIN'S LOG
Date and Time
Location
Occurrences
21.12.39. 1623 Patrol 2
U-103, U-Flotilla Saltzwedel
Left at: December 21, 1939, 16:23
From: Wilhelmshaven
Mission Orders: Patrol grid AM77
25.12.39.07 34Grid AN 41Ship sunk! HMS Southampton (Southampton class), 10725 tons. Crew: 875. Crew lost: 568
07 43Grid AN 41Ship sunk! HMS Ramillies (Revenge class), 31000 tons. Crew: 1199. Crew lost: 251
22 27Grid AN 14Ship sunk! SS Defiance (Medium Cargo), 5081 tons. Cargo: Sugar. Crew: 36. Crew lost:14
26.12.39.0037Grid AN 14Ship sunk! HMS Jervis (J&K classes), 1690 tons. Crew: 205. Crew lost: 118
0425Grid AN 14Ship sunk! SS Robert L. Holt (Small Merchant), 2396 tons. Cargo: Sugar. Crew: 33. Crew lost: 8
30.12.39 .0948Grid AM 52Ship sunk! HMS Kashmir (J&K classes), 1690 tons. Crew: 226. Crew lost: 54
1.1.40. 0323Grid AM 52Ship sunk! MV Glengarth (Large Tugboat), 422 tons. Crew: 33. Crew lost: 26
6.1.40. 1121Grid AM 54Ship sunk! MV Pine (Pelagic Trawler), 888 tons. Crew: 22. Crew lost: 12
7.1.40. 1741Grid AM 53Ship sunk! SS Caribou (Passenger/Cargo), 2245 tons. Cargo: Passengers. Crew: 92. Crew lost: 13
12.1.40. 0909Grid AN 14Ship sunk! SS Philoctetes (Ore Carrier), 8083 tons. Cargo: Phosphates. Crew: 80. Crew lost: 1
13.1.40. 0641Grid AN 12Ship sunk! MV Joffre (Large Tugboat), 423 tons. Crew: 40. Crew lost: 15
18.1.40. 1530Grid AN 11Ship sunk! HMS Somali (Tribal class), 1850 tons. Crew: 198. Crew lost: 79
19.1.40. 0035Grid AN 11Ship sunk! SS Agility (Coastal Freighter), 1869 tons. Cargo: Iron Ore. Crew: 26. Crew lost: 24
31.1.40. 0535Grid AN 58Ship sunk! SS Kronviken (Small Merchant), 2399 tons. Cargo: Military Stores. Crew: 20. Crew lost: 10
1.2.40. 2320 Patrol results
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 14
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonnage: 70761 tons

Leutnant77

03-16-11, 12:55 AM

I'd better download some mods, you have ship classes I've never heard of. Great job though!

gazpode_l

03-16-11, 11:11 AM

LT77: if you install SH3 commander you can get these ship names similar to those mentioned in this topic and the same sort of detail too.

The game doesn't put this detail in the "skipper's log" mid patrol - however it does once you review your patrol log again in commander after you've finished your patrol & saved & exited ur game.

Mustang01

03-16-11, 03:37 PM

Just getting used to this great simulator. I'm learning at 100% full realism with manual targeting and charting, GWX 3.0 Gold. I've got myself a replica attack disk and all is well. I decided to start in Aug '39 so I could make my mistakes against a less capable foe. I feel pretty confident in my abilities so far, although I still need to perfect my submerged techniques as all of my sinkings have been night-surface affairs. Currently in my 3rd patrol in a VIIB (U-51) with about 50K tons to my credit. Most recent encounter was a fishing boat which I sunk with my AA guns in rough weather, lots of fun! I couldn't get Commander to work on my machine, so I'm going to allow 5-7 patrols for each Kaleun before switching off, since this seems to be the average that folks are reporting. I plan on fighting throughout the war and I'm itching to get into a Type IX and head for some of the "backwaters". Just discovered this forum a little while back and am blown away.

frau kaleun

03-16-11, 04:00 PM

I couldn't get Commander to work on my machine,

Really? What kind of problem did you have with it? It's such a great add-on I hate to see anyone do without it. :hmmm:

Just discovered this forum a little while back and am blown away.

Yep, it's a pretty nice spot. :sunny:

Exakt

03-16-11, 08:46 PM

February 1 1940:

Very early in the morning, we have received a contact report about a large convoy, in grid AM75, heading NE at 4kts. I was glad when I received the report after the decryption, for we were on the East side of the grid and by all estimations, the convy would probably be about 30NM out. I plotted an interception course due West and went to periscope depth for a hydrophone check, since the visibility was poor at night. To my surprise I could hear multiple screws, too many to distinguish if it was a merchant or a warship at the moment. Then inched ever closer and closer and found out that it was escorted. Sneaked by them and entered a firing solution on a passenger/cargo, a british one. Fired 2 eels at it and they both impacted. dived to 80 meters, started reloading the two tubes that were fired. Escort ping me once so far, the passenger/cargo is still floating but is taking in water and has fires raging onboard. Currently shadowing the convoy and the escort still hasn't found me yet.

Gereke

03-16-11, 10:17 PM

Another career comes to an end.

May 1940, U-108. BdU sends me to patrol in shallow waters near England. In low visibility weather I got surprised by a Destroyer, and only had 30m of depth to work with. :-?

U-108 sank with all hands. :wah:

Snestorm

03-17-11, 08:17 PM

Snestorm

03-17-11, 08:33 PM

Underway from Willy on 10.jul.40 bound for AM53.
Yes! Got my favorite grid.
Returned on 4.aug.40
2 convoy engagements.
3 ships sunk for 12.934 GRT.
Both attacks were daylight submerged, on 2 separate convoys.
Convoy 1 had a large escort.
Convoy 2 was escorted by a lone destroyer.
Took a shot at a lone corvette and missed, but lived to tell the tale.

U28's record to date:
7 war patrols completed.
21 ships sunk for 100.453 GRT.

BDU is undecided as to whether U28 will, at this time, be retired from front line service into schoolboat status.

Gereke

03-17-11, 08:52 PM

What grid, or general area?

AN84, approximately 60km east of Lowestoft.

Snestorm

03-17-11, 09:15 PM

AN84, approximately 60km east of Lowestoft.

He sent you THERE in a IXB?!?!
That area is even a nightmare Type IIs!

Gereke

03-17-11, 09:24 PM

Yep, BdU must have had it in for me for some reason. Maybe it had to do with the drunken party and the 2. Flotilla Commandant's wife.

When I saw my assigned grid I couldn't believe my eyes. But, was not mine to question why and all that. Like any good Kaleun I left port to do my duty. I was down in my nook having a cup of coffee when I was called to the bridge due to a ship emerging from the fog. Came up top and about throttled the incompetent lookout when I saw it was a Destroyer. Happened in the early morning hours just before I was going to order a dive. Had been staying under during the day due to my grid being a very bad place to be spotted....

I think Frau was slightly prophetic when she made mention of having a Bernard assigned to my boat by the practical joke department.

Snestorm

03-19-11, 01:14 AM

Departed Willy on 2.sep.40

Assignment: Recon grid AN26 (South of The Shetlands), continue patrol towards The Western North Atlantic. Conclude patrol in Lorient.

19.sep.40. Grid AM17 (Rockall Bank). Time 2251.
"Ship sighted 000R". Destroyer!
We were also at his 000R. Who saw who first?
As we were diving sound picked up a convoy behind the DD.
Didn't make a difference, as the lone escort realy knew his stuff, and had the weather on his side. Clear & Calm, with a half moon.

Although he kept our repair crew busy pumping and fixing things in the boat, they realy had a job once we hit the surface. Topside was not looking good at all. And to top it all off the flak gun, radio antena, and both periscopes were destroyed.

Time to head for our new homeport, hopefuly, without having to dive.
Surfacing blind is not a good habit to get into.

24.sep.40. Grid BE38 (SW of Ireland). Time 1420.
"Ship sighted 021R". Destroyer!
Dive to 100 meters.
This time the weather was on our side.
Safe, but unable to attack his convoy.

25.sep.40. Grid BE63 (SSW of Ireland). Time 0031.
"Ship sighted". Merchant. Many merchants! (And escorts).

Time 0033. Real fast solution.
3 T2 torpedoes at a C2 Cargo.
1 T1 torpedo at a distant tanker. And Dive!
2 impacts on the freighter. Missed the tanker. No sinkings.

Sound has picked up a straggler.

Time 0242. It took 2 more torpedoes to sink her but, the C2 went down.
Onward.

26.sep.40. Grid BF51. Time 0845.
Welcome to The Bay. A L A R M !

27.sep.40. Grid BF61. Time 0900.
Docked at Lorient.

Patrol results & history to date.
1 war patrol.
1 ship sunk for 6.454 GRT.

STEED

03-20-11, 02:12 PM

June 1943 was a better month for me in the Caribbean, sunk two large tankers and one medium tanker along with a whale factory ship.

Pedrelare

03-20-11, 05:02 PM

I recently started my new Career in October, 2th of 1940. I was patroling the designated area and didn't find nothing, not even a fish.

Started heading to Scapa Flow to know how things were there and for my surprise there WAS! After I sank a Medium Cargo I found the damm HMS Hood. 50% of battery charge, about 25% of CO2 and lots of torpedos to sink the bastard. Fired a 4 torpedo salvo at him, 1 failed and 3 hitted. Started flooding but not sinking. Made a U-turn and fired more 2, only 1 hitted. He flooded even more but weren't going to sink and there was 2 V&W destroyers looking for me.

I went to east, wait until night (to don't get spoted by the coastal gun) passed through the net and the 4 sunk ships. Made a circle surfaced to recharge battery, reload torpedos and refill the O2 in the sub.

Then I went back and fired more 4 torpedos at the Hood, 2 missed and 2 hit. She exploded and started burning.

Escaped by the same way that I came in and headed back to Lorient. On the way I sank 2 more medium cargos.

And for my ****ing surprise: I got promoted, about 800 Renown and no medals neither for me or my crew.

Now I'm going to try to load my last save, because this must be very wrong. :damn::nope::damn::nope::damn::nope::damn:

gazpode_l

03-20-11, 06:57 PM

Previous post for this patrol: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=1617518&postcount=2265

W Suhr abord u-93 contined his patrol #5 over the last few days. Following the destruction of a large merchant, he set a course for DT23 a patrol grid located north west of africa. Skirting past gibraltar he ran into some severe storms and at some stages seas ranging over ten meters in wave height! :o

Continuing on through the storms, Suhr repeatedly had u-93 diving at random stages to use the hydrophones, although it would appear that they were alone in the great ocean as no contacts were detected..

They eventually reach the patrol grid where they would hang out as ordered for 24hrs.

Upon completing the prescribed period within the alloted DT23, U-93 sets a course for familiar waters of Biscay and the United Kingdom and makes a course north-east..

Snestorm

03-20-11, 07:30 PM

Departed Lorient on 25.okt.40.

Reached our assigned grid (CF98, Between Gibralter & The Azores) on 2.nov.40.
Hung out for a few days, and were redispatched to the area east of Canada.

Radio dispatch recieved on 2.dec.40, at 1127. Grid BC51.
Enemy convoy. Grid BC54 (one grid south of us). Course ENE. Speed 6 knots.

At 1600 we were in BC54, and recieved a repeat of rhe original transmission.

At 1720 we found the lead escort, without being detected.
5 attacks would follow over the next 2 days. All 14 torpedoes expended.
Escort consisted of an ex-USN Clemson Class destroyer, and a Flower Class corvette.

2 tankers, and 2 freighters were sunk for 30.236 GRT.
3 additional ships are spewing thick black smoke.
The VII drivers around Rockall shan't have any problems finding this one.
Happy Birthday, guys. Big convoy, with plenty left.

U124 returned to Lorient without incident, and docked on 20.dec.40.

U124's record to date:
2 war patrols.
5 ships sunk for 36.690 GRT.

STEED

03-21-11, 06:30 PM

September 1943 in my IXD2 U-200 attacking the Arctic convoy I could not believe my luck, twice two escorts went right over me and minimum damage was inflicted on me. I wonder the rough sea had anything to do with it, any way thanks to my T4 ells they saved my bacon and sent those two escorts to the bottom. Also bagged a large merchant and medium tanker, I've be glad when I get to move down under helping our Japanese Allies out and less planes over head.

Gereke

03-21-11, 08:23 PM

U-97
September 1941

Left Brest with orders to proceed through the Straight of Gibraltar and join the 23rd Flotilla in Salamis, Greece.

At 0430, while transiting along the Spanish coast at a heading of 180, one of my lookouts reports spotting shadows on the horizon. Turned out to be a medium sized convoy with light escort. Through some good luck, I was already in a prime position for attack. Due to the fact that it would be dawn soon I opted to commence with a submerged attack. I ordered flank speed ahead to close the distance, and then down to 14m.

Maneuvered my way into the middle of the convoy, and with my first salvo of torpedoes I took down a 9,000t Tanker, a 7,000t tanker and a 6,000t Freighter. I ordered the tubes reloaded, and then fired a second salvo that did not yield very good results. 1 hit which only caused damage to a large freighter, the others were misses or duds.

I noticed that the escorts were starting to get hot on my trail so I decided it was time to hit the cellar and run silent. I'd let other U-boats have their turn with the convoy, as I had radioed it's position before commencing my attack. I also wanted to save some eels for my transit through the Mediterranean.

My transit through the STROG went without incident. I was lucky enough to have some thick fog on my side, and made the entire trip on the surface.

Thirty two days after leaving Brest, U-97 moored at Salamis. After some refitting and crew rest we'll be ready for our next patrol.

Exakt

03-21-11, 08:45 PM

U-46, August 3, 1939.

It has been two days that we have set sail from Wilhelmshaven, as per orders from BdU, to perform a shakedown patrol. So far, every bootsmen are getting familiar with U-46, a type VIIB boat, a nice upgrade from a type IIA, on which they all trained on. Weather is nice this time of the year, so the crew is enjoying some of the sun when we are surfaced. There has been some gossip over a Wilhelmshaven about a coming war with the British. Also heard rumors of an attack being planned on Scapa Flow. It seems suicide, trying to attack the base of the British Home Fleet. Only time will tell but for now, we are enjoying the moment of peace while it lasts.

Lt z. See Jakob Bock

NB: As stated in the post title, this is my first 100% realism career, wish me luck... :arrgh!:

kapuhy

03-22-11, 02:10 AM

I've lost a sailor in a scene somewhat similar to "Das Boot" ending - Stabsoberbootsmann Marks has been killed by shrapnel from bomb explosion when a squadron of Hurricanes jumped me just before entering La Baule sub pens. He has sold his life dearly though, managing to shoot down one attacker and damage another.

unterseemann

03-22-11, 12:35 PM

Patrol 10
Kptlt R.Eickmeyer
U-2541 type XXI

05JAN45: Left Bergen
Orders to patrol coastal waters between north of scotland and faeroes islands.

11JAN45: Heavy sea with good visibility. Sank lone destroyer in AF77 with 1 GNAT
HMAS Quiberon (Q&R classes) 1.690 tons

14JAN45 06:45 AN15 sank lone british merchant with 3 torpedoes salvo 2 impacts. 07:01 coup de grace.
SS Tyndareus ( Ore carrier ) 8.753 tons

15JAN45 00:02 AM32 2 ships convoy detected by lookouts. no escorts. Fired two torpedoes to each ship in simultaneous attack
01:02 SS Port Denison ( Ore carrier) 8.754 tons
01:03 SS Empire Bruce ( Empire type Freighter) 8.622 tons

18JAN45 Docked at Bergen.

4 ships sunk for 27.819 tons
HI 98.5%

Total carrier: 22 ships (20/2) for 119.583 tons (116463/3120)

VONHARRIS

03-22-11, 02:00 PM

Snestorm

03-22-11, 06:20 PM

U-46, August 3, 1939.

NB: As stated in the post title, this is my first 100% realism career, wish me luck... :arrgh!:

Welcome to the club.
Congradulations on going 100%, and good luck.

Your tonnage should see a drop,
while your satisfaction with your own achievements should get a big boost.

Snestorm

03-22-11, 07:32 PM

Departed Lorient on 17.jan.41 bound for grid AD88 (SW of Island).

Date 21.jan.41. Time 0931. Grid BF17 (SW corner of the shallows below Ireland).
2 stern torpedoes fired at a C2 Cargo.
1 impact (right in the nose). No sinkings.

Date 27.jan.41. Time 0447. Grid AL29 (W of Rockall Bank).
A Coastal Merchant was encounter at medium range.
As our tracks were too close for a torpedo attack, the deck gun was brought to bear.
1.977 GRT, that didn't get to run us over. A big thanks to my gunner.

Date 27.jan.41 (still). Time 2243. Grid AL14.
From BDU.
To U124.
Convoy. Grid AL18. Course E. Speed 7 knots.

Date 28.jan.41. Time 0204. Grid AL18.
Dived to avoid a corvette.
We are apparently aft the convoys beam, on the port side.
(We don't get contacts on the chart so finding these convoys is neither guaranteed, nor artful in approach.)

Time 0359.
D E S T R O Y E R ! ! !
Signal lights and guns blazing, coming head on!
Dive to 100 meters.
There are 4+ escorts counted on the hydrophone.
We were down for quite some time.

Time 0751.
Fire 1, 2, 4. (T2 torpedoes).

Time 0752.
Impact! And P I N G !

Time 0753.
T2 Tanker sunk for 10.872 GRT

Following this we were rocked by DC at 100 meters.
The sea is calm, and the escorts are sharp.
New depth of 150 meters is ordered.
It's a long, slow, low crawl away from the convoy, at a 45 degree angle, but we finaly broke free.

Time 1407. Grid AL27.
Again ahead of the convoy, and submerging for another go.
Weather has changed to Medium Fog & 15 m/s winds.
We could only make 15 knots during the overhaul.

Time 1437.
Fired 1,2, and 4 (T2 torpedoes) at a C2 Cargo, resulting in her sinking for 6.452 GRT.
Weather conditions prevented the escorts from having a repeat performance of our earlier encounter.

Time 2108.
While again overtaking the convoy D E S T R O Y E R ! 2400 meters.
We did get under in time.
We did evade the DD.
And, we did eventualy manage another attack on a C3 Cargo.
Fired 1, 2, and 4 (T1 torpedoes - best for last!)
2 impacts.

Target eventualy went Dead In Water, and ate 3 more torpedoes before sinking for 7.923 GRT.

All torpedoes expended.

Date 12.feb.41. Time 0859. Grid BF51.
A L A R M ! Our RAF welcoming committee to The Bay.
Aircraft beat the heck out us.

Date 13.feb.41. Time 0900. Grid BF61.
Home in Lorient, after running the whole night at Full Ahead.

Patrol results:
4 ships sunk for 27.224 GRT.
Hull Integrity 45%.
My gunner will be getting a new 105, as his old one was destroyed.
All promotions will go to Damage Control party members.

U124's record to date:
3 war patrols.
9 ships sunk for 63.914 GRT.

VONHARRIS

03-23-11, 12:53 AM

New career started
U-110 IXB
Patrol No1
Date and Time
Location
Occurrences
1.12.39.0407Patrol 1
U-110, U-Flotilla Saltzwedel
Left at: December 1, 1939, 04:07
From: Wilhelmshaven
Mission Orders: Patrol grid BE94
4.12.39. 20:36 Grid AN 41 Ship sunk! HMCS Skeena (A&B classes), 1350 tons. Crew: 158. Crew lost: 102
5.12.39.17:01 Grid AN 14 Ship sunk! USS Sphinx (Convoy repair ship), 5397 tons. Crew: 198. Crew lost: 196
21:02 Grid AN 14 Ship sunk! SS Augvald (Granville-type Freighter), 4707 tons. Cargo: Bauxite. Crew: 110. Crew lost: 33
9.12.39.08:53 Grid AM 53 Ship sunk! HMS Kelvin (J&K classes), 1690 tons. Crew: 208. Crew lost: 70
13:52 Grid AM 53 Ship sunk! SS Stal (Tramp Steamer), 1964 tons. Cargo: Iron Ore. Crew: 32. Crew lost: 18
20:20 Grid AM 53 Ship sunk! MV La Cordillera (Medium Merchant 30), 6936 tons. Cargo: Military Vehicles. Crew: 67. Crew lost: 51
22:24 Grid AM 53 Ship sunk! SS Penthievre (Small Merchant), 2396 tons. Cargo: Military Vehicles. Crew: 23. Crew lost: 4
11.12.39.10:24 Grid AM 53 Ship sunk! SS Banderas (Small Freighter), 2228 tons. Cargo: Steel. Crew: 22. Crew lost: 17
13.12.39.17:51 Grid AM 76 Ship sunk! USS Chloris (Convoy repair ship), 5398 tons. Crew: 162. Crew lost: 53
17:56 Grid AM 76 Ship sunk! USS Romulus (Convoy repair ship), 5399 tons. Crew: 196. Crew lost: 56
18:02 Grid AM 76 Ship sunk! SS Chelwood (Small Merchant), 2391 tons. Cargo: Military Vehicles. Crew: 30. Crew lost: 24
18:03 Grid AM 76 Ship sunk! SS Empire Lynx (Medium Merchant 20), 6161 tons. Cargo: Sugar. Crew: 40. Crew lost: 1
18.12.39.10:52 Grid BE 94 Ship sunk! HMS Birmingham (Southampton class), 10725 tons. Crew: 916. Crew lost: 384
10:58 Grid BE 94 Ship sunk! Q Ship USS Atik (Small Coastal Freighter), 2367 tons. Crew: 79. Crew lost: 50
20.12.39.20:57 Grid BE 62 Ship sunk! USS Chicopee (Naval oiler 1), 11824 tons. Cargo: Aviation Fuel. Crew: 74. Crew lost: 27
21.12.39.14:26 Grid BE 38 Ship sunk! USS Megara (Convoy repair ship), 5400 tons. Crew: 156. Crew lost: 123
28.12.39.12:57 Patrol results
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 16
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonnage: 76333 tons
Days at sea : 28

Patrol No2
Date and Time
Location
Occurrences
17.1.40.06:38 Patrol 2
U-110, U-Flotilla Saltzwedel
Left at: January 17, 1940, 06:38
From: Wilhelmshaven
Mission Orders: Patrol grid BD99
21.1.40.09:37 Grid AN 14 Ship sunk! SS Alwaki (Granville-type Freighter), 4707 tons. Cargo: Foodstuffs. Crew: 79. Crew lost: 22
12.2.40.02:17 Grid AM 53 Ship sunk! MV Greta Force (Coastal Tanker), 1241 tons. Cargo: Gasoline. Crew: 21. Crew lost: 0
13.2.40.22:47 Grid AM 52 Ship sunk! SS Algerian (Tramp Steamer), 1964 tons. Cargo: Phosphates. Crew: 31. Crew lost: 9
14.2.40.08:28 Grid AM 52 Ship sunk! MV Poelau Bras (Heavy Merchant 01), 9444 tons. Cargo: Steel. Crew: 74. Crew lost: 5
16:40 Grid AM 2 Ship sunk! USS Jason (Cyclops)-type Collier, 10959 tons. Cargo: Coal
18:25 Grid AM 2 Ship sunk! USS Caloosahatchee (Naval oiler 1), 11824 tons. Cargo: Crude Oil. Crew: 68. Crew lost: 58
15.2.40.15:53 Grid AM 52 Ship sunk! SS Empire Clough (Medium Merchant 20), 6160 tons. Cargo: Explosives. Crew: 76. Crew lost: 7
15:54 Grid AM 52 Ship sunk! SS Jewell Seam (Ore Freighter 02), 8403 tons. Cargo: Iron Ore. Crew: 72. Crew lost: 1
16:23 Grid AM 52 Ship sunk! SS Venore (Ore Freighter 02), 8404 tons. Cargo: Copper Ore. Crew: 88. Crew lost: 53
16.2.40. 00:29 Grid AM 52 Ship sunk! SS City of Hartlepool (Large Merchant), 10615 tons. Cargo: Iron Ore. Crew: 55. Crew lost: 31
20.2.40.00:31 Patrol results
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 10
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonnage: 73721 tons
Days at sea : 35

don1reed

03-24-11, 01:07 PM

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/2226/scan0003mt.th.jpg (http://img269.imageshack.us/i/scan0003mt.jpg/)
http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/7965/scan0004vy.th.jpg (http://img832.imageshack.us/i/scan0004vy.jpg/)
http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/29/scan0005.th.jpg (http://img853.imageshack.us/i/scan0005.jpg/)http://img852.imageshack.us/img852/281/u482ndpatrol.th.jpg (http://img852.imageshack.us/i/u482ndpatrol.jpg/) The Chart shows U-48's voyage to date.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

Snestorm

03-24-11, 02:33 PM

Departed Lorient on 22.mar.41.

Assigned Grid: ES69 (West of Freetown) (Dull)

Returned to Lorient on 15.maj.41.

Patrol Results:
3 ships sunk for 19.353 GRT.
9 of 14 torpedoes expended.
Boat and crew in good health.

U124's history to date:
4 patrols completed.
12 ships sunk for 83.267 GRT.

Grey pilgrim

03-24-11, 04:08 PM

Well, let's put it straight.
My first step in my current campaigne will be to buy a better machine to play on as I have got the laptop.
To make matters worse not very new one :D.

Howard313

03-26-11, 01:22 AM

Patrol #17
Year 1941
Patrol Grid EJ58
Ships sunk - 2
Total Tonnage this Patrol - 9786

Having a bit of bad luck as is obvious from what is stated above. While on previous patrols I made it a mandatory act to bag no less than 30,000 tons per patrol, we were not given any golden opportunities like we have received in the past. While we did move in to intercept a large convoy, there was a heavy fog and we never caught sight of them before we had to return to base for fuel-related issues.

On a more happy note, I have just been given permission to fire upon targets flying under the flag of the United States, thanks to Japan's recent attack of Pearl Harbor. Another nation at war with us merely means more targets for my torpedoes, and if The U.S. Military thinks it can turn the tide of this war they are sadly mistaken.

Tonight, me and my men will drink in the hopes of a more fruitful patrol #18

*** U-107
Type: IXB
Current Tonnage - 268,000

STEED

03-26-11, 09:35 AM

October 1943 IXD2 U-200 now based at Penang, and what a field day I'm having! Tanker after Tanker after Tanker...WOOHOO.

Happy times are here again. :DL

17 Tankers so far. :D

Gerald

03-26-11, 10:04 AM

October 1943 IXD2 U-200 now based at Penang, and what a field day I'm having! Tanker after Tanker after Tanker...WOOHOO.

Happy times are here again. :DL

17 Tankers so far. :D There are tankers around 2000 GRT, and it then becomes approx.34.000 GRT :O: well done

BogdaNz

03-26-11, 02:47 PM

STEED

03-26-11, 03:09 PM

January 1944 IXD2 U-200 having a great time down under, another four large tankers and four medium tankers gone up in smoke.

THIS IS NOT WAR...THIS IS SPORT. :DL :DL :D :yeah:

Snestorm

03-26-11, 09:23 PM

Patrol 5.
12.jun.41 til 27.jun.41 (Only 15 days!).

U124 pulled out of Lorient bound for DT34 (Freetown routes), but never arrived there.

Date 19.jun.41.
Grid CF32 (West of Spain).
Time 0452.

"Ship spotted. Medium rangs".
Good morning, Mr Destroyer. Dive to 100 meters.
We managed to entertain him, and his friends, for a time.

Slow Convoy, with 7 escorts!
This was just too big to pass up.
We even tailed them when Heavy Fog showed up, via the hydrophone.

We harrassed this convoy for the next 2 days, and 236 miles, finaly ending the chase when our last torpedo left it's tube (14 torpedoes - no externals carried).

Date 21.jun.41.
Grid BE67 (SW of Ireland).
Time 0003.

Our last torpedo has been spent, and our last target rests on the bottom.
4 attacks were made on the convoy proper, and 1 additional attack on a DIW ship from an earlier attack.

U124's shortest, and best patrol, thus far:
5 ships sunk for 30.689 GRT.

U124's history to date:
5 war patrols.
17 ships sunk for 113.956 GRT.

Snestorm

03-30-11, 07:10 PM

25.jul.41 til 19.sep.41.

Convoy beyond approach:
Grid BC27. (East of Canada).
Date 22.jul.41.
Time 1753
Dived to avoid an Armed Trawler, and got a convoy on the hydrophones.
I don't listen myself, and the soundman's reports were wild.
Took a chance, and surfaced for a visual. No good! Bad idé!

Involuntarily went down and followed the convoy with hydrophones.
Did an end-around.
Submerged for a daylight attack.

Here is what sound had to say.
Merchant. Medium speed. Moving away.
Merchant. Moving fast. Closing.
Merchant Moving slow. Closing.
Merchant. Moving slow moving away.
And on it went. Fast, medium, and slow merchants.
Some closing. Others moving away. All mixed together.
No choice but to ignore the highly unrealistic convoy.

Made one attack on a more realistic convoy.
4 torpedoes fired at 2 targets (3 & 1).
3 hits. No sinkings. (Better than that last mess).

Patrol results: 3 ships sunk for 16.749 GRT.
Hull integrity 96%.
Promotion to Lt.Cdr.

U124's history to date:
6 war patrols.
20 ships sunk for 130.705 GRT.

Anybody know how to make the merchants in convoys HOLD STATION, as they should?

Tom

03-31-11, 01:37 PM

Kapitänleutnant Josef Ochner, U-93, reporting, February 10th, 1941, DT56.

So far, this has been the worst patrol ever.

We left St. Nazaire on Jan 18th, with orders to patrol DT56. We chose a route following the Portuguese coast southwards in hope of sighting lone merchants travelling between Gibraltar and England. No ships sighted, had to dive once because of airplane.

After passing Portugal we headed southwest between Madeira and the Canary Islands and then turned SSW towards DT56. Sighted one lone merchant and received radio reports for another one and a small tanker and a merchant together. Maneuvered to attack position each time, only to find out all four ships were Brazilian.

Patrolled DT56 for 14 days, leaving the patrol area twice to intercept ships reported by radio. Both ships turned out to be Brazilian.

23 days at sea, weather has been good except for a three day storm at the patrol area. Sighted one airplane and six Brazilian merchants so far, 14 torpedoes remaining, about one half of fuel remaining. Crew morale not too high.

Decision: Setting course north following the Freetown - England convoy route, hoping to run into a convoy either on this route or at the southern edge of the western approaches. Should have enough fuel remaining to operate in that area for a week or two.

Salvadoreno

03-31-11, 02:16 PM

Duck IID's commander decided to try the boats luck and sneak into Dover.

After 4 succesful patrols and a refit it was July 1940. 25.500 GRT sunk for about 6 ships, not a bad score fo a duck.

Very carefully under a huge storm IIA U-12 snuck within 2000m of Dover port. A quick check on the hydophones KorvetteKpt Sauer lifted the ob scope to see what was at the port. Couple of juicy tagerts, Sauer picked a small tanker, small merchant, and another small merchant for his targets. A quick turn with the ob and.. O my god...

"Dive quick DIVE!!!!"

"Kapitan Depth only 10 meters under our keel"

"BOTTOM HER OUT! FAST"

The boat hurled out of control at 4 knots into the seafloor. Minor damage. The crew listened to the trawler as she passed over, hurled over a few charges, and BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!!!

"WASEERRRBUNG!!!!!"

"Batteries damaged Sir!"

"COnning tower took major damage sir!"

"Keep her bottomed out! They have not pinged us and may believe we are trying to get away, lay doggo! SILENCE!!!"

Tense moments passed...

NO pinging.

"Franz! Where is she"

"Passing at 180 sir behind us"

"Keep her bottomed out, we will sit until darkness"

One hour passed..two.. The crew began to cheer up. Sauer went to his bunk and dry heaved, letting nobody see..

"Screws! SCREWS! Coming Fast! Approaching! Long Distance!"

The boat remained, Sauer was determined to sink those boats at dover.

"Medium range"....

"Short range KALUEN!!!!"

"WASSSEERBUUUNNG!!!"

The charges had sealed the fate of U-12.

Sauer gathered everybody in the command room, told them he was honored to serve with them, and passed out a bottle of Vodka he had hid under his bunk. The men all looked at each other, not knowing what would await them when they blew the ballast...

Tense moments passed, the 3-4 destroyers seemed to be toying with U-12. Sauer gazed at the ceiling of his boat...

"Blow ballast"...

U-12 rose only 23 feet.

End result. 12 Dead (including Sauer and 2 officers).

It was a preetty intense couple of hours RT!

I am in process of doing a fresh install of SH3 to do more mods. Was running NYGM and MaGUI F..

VONHARRIS

03-31-11, 04:31 PM

Our 1st combat patrol with U-110 begun on December 1st 1939 when we left Wilhelmshaven with orders to patrol Grid BF44.

We found our first target on December 5 1939 at 17:45 hours
A cosstal freighter at AN14. U-110 dived and took an attack position to fire tube No5. Calulactions were made and torpedo los. Our very first torpedo attack and it was a dud. This was not a good sign for the patrol. Immediately No6 was fired and this time the target ship blew up.

December 6 1939 00:46 a medium merchant was spotted by the IWO. The weather favored a surface attack and two TIs were fired. BOOM down she went.

December 7 1939 00:05 a passenger/cargo ship was spotted. My XO said to leave her alone reminding me the legend of the unsinkable passenger/cargo. I refused. A submerged attack with tubes 5 and 6 was set up. The result busted the myth.
We hadn't finished cheering and the soundman went crazy: Multiple contacts all warships bearing 180 closing.
We dived at 80m and waited for at least 3 hours. As no sound contacts were heard and a quick periscope swap showed nothing we surfaced and continued.

December 15 1939 22:20 hours a coastal freighter crossed our path as she came out of nowhere at 2000m. A surface attack was prepared and launched. At that time a watchman shouted: SCHIFF GESICHTED. It was a small tanker tailing the freighter. The torpedo hit the freighter but she went on. Two more TIs were fired at the tanker setting her on fire. An explosion and ...
The other ship was still moving with her bow in the water.
She sunk 45 minutes later

December 26 1939 15:15 (a day after Christmas) We found our first convoy in 15 m/s winds rain and heavy fog. All six tubes fired using only hydrophones and we were lucky. 5 hits were scored and two ships sunk.
It was then that the LI noticed the fuel level,it was lower than it should have been. All this cruising in bad weather has costed us enormous quantity of fuel.
After the convoy was well away we surfaced and set course for home.

The return passage was uneventful and we docked on January 3 1940 at 11:31 hours having celebreted New Years Eve at sea.
We had sunk 7 ships for 17430grt.
Now it was time to rest and run a diagostics on both diesels.

Snestorm

04-01-11, 02:00 AM

Patrol 7.
Left Lorient on 17.okt.41 at 2259.
The hour of departure would allow us maximum use of darkness in crossing The Bay.
(Sunrise 0640. Sunset 1720.)

Patrol Grid is CG89. WSW of Gibralter, at the wide end of the bottle.
BDU gave us a Local this time.

Coming around the SW corner of Spain (CG82), things started happening on 24.okt.41.

0340: Coastal Merchant sighted at medium range.
0347: Fire 5 & 6. (T1 Torps). Course 309. Speed 7 knots. Surface attack.
0348: Target sunk for 2.043 GRT. Dive to reload tubes & avoid the coming days air threat.

1050: Sound contact. Slow merchant. UK to Gibralter.
1118: Surface.
1138: Where is he? Hydrophone check.
1143: Surface. Light fog & low visibility.
1159: Fire 1, 2, 4 (T2 Torps). C3 Cargo with gun mount. Course 104. Speed 6 knots. Range 2500 meters.
1202: All 3 torps impact sinking the target for 7.909 GRT.

1242: Sound contact. Slow merchant. 2 more tubes to finish reloading.
1318: All tubes loaded. Periscope depth.
1356: Fire 1,2, 4 (T2 Torps). Small Merchant. Course 234. Speed 5 knots. Submerged attack.
1357: Target struck by 2 topedoes, and sunk for 2.343 GRT.
(Wasn't 100% confident in the speed guesstimation, so I fired one just ahead of him to cover 6 knots. That's the one that missed. Better too many, than not enough.)

Status: 3 ships sunk. 6 of 14 torpedoes remaining. (4 bow. 2 stern.)

On 25.okt.41 we arrived on station at 1710.
We did our time & zig zag before moving towards Gibralter.
Our target area is the bottle neck.

The action picks up again on the evening of 28.okt.41, in CG95.
60 miles W of Gibralter. 2 night surface attacks come in short time.
(Sorry. There was no time to write the details. They were armed and required my full attention.)

1924: C3 Cargo. 7.949 GRT. Course 264. Speed 9 knots. Sunk. Tubes 1, 3, 4. (T1 Torps).

2130: C2 Cargo. 6.448 GRT. Course 264 & speed 9 knots again. Sunk at 1700 meters. Tubes 5 & 6. (Last of the dependable T1s)

Returned to Lorient without incident, and docked on 5.nov.41.

Patrol results: 5 ships sunk for 26.692 GRT. Healthy crew and boat.

U124's record to date:
7 war patrols.
25 ships sunk for 163.397 GRT.

STEED

04-01-11, 10:05 AM

June 1944 IXD2 U-200 still alive and fighting down under but for me what I called the third happy times is over as more and more tankers now have escorts. Last two operations West of Australia sunk two US Balao class subs and got lucky with a small convoy with one escort, sunk the the escort and sent a Large and small tanker to the bottom along with a victory ship.

Johnfb

04-01-11, 10:27 AM

Just added the "malfunction" to my latest campaign...waiting to see what happens..:)

Tom

04-02-11, 12:38 PM

Kapitänleutnant Josef Ochner, U-93, reporting, February 26th, 1941, Bay of Biscay.

After 34 days at sea and only seeing one airplane and six Brazilian merchants we finally got a contact report for an inbound convoy in BF12. Decided to try a submerged day attack and chose a tanker and a large merchant as the targets, two torpedoes each.

When maneuvering to firing position we suddenly heard pinging. The side escort had either seen our periscope or heard us. I had just enough time to turn the periscope and see the destroyer heading straight towards us from behind, at a range of less than 500 meters, when shells started landing around us.

The first depth charge attack caught us at a depth of 30-40 meters, and destroyed both our periscopes, our deck gun and our flak gun, as well as caused minor flooding and knocked out the hydrophones, radio, main pump and some other equipment.

With only 120 meters of water to work with and two destroyers attacking us, we tried to head towards deeper water. Luckily further depth charge attacks caused no additional damage, and we finally, after 6 hours, managed to lose the enemy at a depth of 135 meters.

With no periscopes and guns and already low on fuel and provisions, U-93 heads back to St. Nazaire with all 14 torpedoes remaining and 0 tons sunk.

Kapitänleutnant Joseph Ochner requesting transfer to an instructor position in a training flotilla after 13 combat patrols and 316 000 tons sunk.

VONHARRIS

04-03-11, 02:09 AM

January 23 1940 20:28 hours
After repairing the diesels and loading full provisions we left Wilhelmshaven. Orders were to patrol grid DT 85

January 30 1940 14:30 hours Grid AM37
IWO spoted a medium merchant in poor visibility and 13m/s winds. The didn't see us so two TIs fired and the target was sunk.

In the next 24 days it seemed as we were alone in the Atlantic. We had completed our mission's objectives and requested new ordres. The Bdu sent us to patrol the entrance of the Gibraltar strait. Sink anything that goes in or out they said.

February 24 1940 13:29 hours Grid CG97
The watch crew spoted an unarmed medium merchant which was sunk with gunfire.

February 25 1940
06:49 hours Grid CG95 Another medium merchant was detected during a hydrophone search. She was a British ship. One TI was launched but the target remained seaworthy though doing only 2kts . A stern shot was set up and launched. She went down.

07:08 hours Grid CG95. We were still submerged when a new contact appeared. A fast moving destroyer was seen through the attack scope. I decided to shoot him. The sun hadn't risen yet so I launched a TI set at 2m. The torpedo sunk him dead center. He exploded and sunk in seconds.

18:59 hours Grid CG95 An empire-type freighter was sunk with gunfire.

21:01 hours Grid CG95. A tramp steamer was spotted and engaged with the deck gun. But this time she fired back. I ordered periscope depth with shells flying around us but luckily not on us. It was one of the Q-ships Bdienst had warned us about.
By now she was zigzaging doing 6kts. I came to 800m and fired two TIs. Bye bye Q-ship. She won't bother any other Kaleun.

February 26 1940 07:41 Grid CG95
A two ship French convoy was seen. A large merchant and a medium cargo were sunk with torpedoes and gunfire. When we approached to help the men in the life rafts , we were surprised. They told us to take onboard two of the floating crates. They contained some first quality French champange.
We gave them food and some cigarretes and directed them to the nearest land.

10:10 hours Grid CG95
British ore carrier sunk with two torpedoes

17:30 hours Grid CG95
French medium cargo sunk with gunfire.

February 27 1940 00:30 hours Grid CG95
Hydrophone search revealed an enemy convoy in a perfect position to attack.
After gaining visual contact I decided ta attack. All bow tubes were fired and started turning to fire and the stern ones.
01:14 hours Breakup noises. We had sunk one
01:43 hours Another one was going down
01:45 hours One more was added to the list
After we were clear of the convoy , it was time to hand that champange out and so it was done. A small award for such hard work.

February 28 1940 02:08 hours GridCG95
Two ships were spotted while we were on the surface. As they seemed to be unarmed I decided to close the range. Two TI fired. They hit their targets but the ships didn't sink. We finished them off with the deck gun.

02:41 hours Grid CG95
British small merchant sunk with gunfire

20:26 hours Grid CG86
Britsh coastal freighter sunk with two torpedoes.

February 29 1940 14:57 hours Grid CG81
British medium merchant sunk with torpeodoes and gun fire.

By now we were out of ammo: No torpedoes , no deckgun rounds.
So , I didn;t want to risk a voyage to Wilhelmshaven and radioed Bdu. I was ordered to put into Cadiz and find the SS Thalia. The Spanish don't like us , they just put up with us.

March 1 1940 15:40 Cadiz harbour.
In an act of fooliness , we surfaced next to the SS Thalia in middle of the day. 18 ships sunk for 81979 tons.
We have some 48 hours to load ammo and food. I didn't of course mentiom anything for the crates. Our next patrol area is AE87.

Snestorm

04-03-11, 04:47 AM

Patrol 8. Grid ES63 (SW of Freetown).
1.dec.41 til 29.jan.42.
2 ships sunk for 14.395 GRT

U124's record to date:
8 war patrols.
27 ships sunk for 177.792 GRT

Patrol 9. Grid CA85 (E of Norfolk Naval Base, USA).

Depatred Lorient on 26.feb.42 with our newly installed batteries.

Grid BD89 (250 miles N of The Azores).
Date 9.mar.42. Time of completion 1300.
Encountered 2 fast tankers running 14 knots.
Three T2 torpedoes fired at the first, resulting in his sinking for 11.673 GRT.
One T1 torpedo at the second, resulting in his slowing to under 7 knots.
My Gunnersmate finished the job for an additional 11.674 GRT.
(Twin T3 Tankers. I had mistook them for T2 Tankers. Nice surprise.)

Present situation. Grid = CA81. Date = 2.mar.42. Time = 0250 (Zone Time).
With our grid assignment complete, I decided to (as The Uboat Commander's Handbook expresses it) "go further", and set up a patrol line 100 miles E of Norfolk, along the shallows. I think there are Gibralter convoys that originate here, but haven't seen any indication of this thus far.

One aircraft encounter, well S of Sydney.

VONHARRIS

04-03-11, 05:52 AM

March 2 1940 20:49 hours
After we finished with refueling and rearming we set course for AE87

30 days later: We had finished our mission as ordered with 0 tonnage sunk and we had met two US tankers on the way. As a tempting target they were we let them pass since they had their navigation lights on and their flag was well insight.
I decided to move closer to the nothern Canadian coast.

April 2 1940 04:20 hours grid BC77
The weather was not good. Hydrophones showed a merchant closing.A British coastal freighter was sunk with 3 torpedoes.

April 3 1940 07:30 hours grid BB92
Reloading process was finished. We had stayed on the surface for some fresh air and again dived. A convoy was spotted. 6 escorts and some 30 - 35 merchants. I fired all bow tubes and turned to fire the stern ones(my standard method of attack)
Two hits were heard

08:07 hours : Breakup noises: an empire freighter went down
I was already moving away from the convoy when it suddenly changed course giving me the opportunity for a second submerged attack

09:47 A second attack began in the usual pattern. This time 4 hits were scored
09:53 Breakup noises Enemy Granville type freighter
09:57 Breakup noises Enemy Ore carrier

We disengaged safely at 120m depth.

April 4 1940 12:50 hours grid BB86
Enemy ore carrier sunk with 3 torpedoes

April 6 1940 13:10 hours
Enemy warship spotted: An armed British tugboat. I fired 3 times against him : 2 duds 1 missed.
I ordered dive at 60m. The tugboat didn't have ASDIC so we escaped.

April 10 1940 17:12 hours
We found the SS Belchen supply ship to rearm and refuel.
5 ships sunk for 29529 tons
Orders came in : Patrol Grid AM52 and then return home.
This was a relief, We were at sea for 79 days

STEED

04-03-11, 09:44 AM

The war is over, me and the boys have a long trip from down under back to Germany.

Fish In The Water

04-03-11, 10:04 AM

The war is over, me and the boys have a long trip from down under back to Germany.

Congrats on going the distance... :salute:

Tom

04-03-11, 11:38 AM

Leutnant zur See Helmut Ziehn, U-124 (IX B), 1st combat patrol.

Left Wilhelmshaven on Aug 4th, 1940, orders to patrol DT73.

Aug 7th, AF 78, north of the Shetland Islands, sank medium merchant (3200 tons). Ship had hull markings identifying it as Irish, but flew no flag and was darkened. Torpedoed without warning due to location and behavior. Allowed crew to leave ship before finishing it with the deck gun.

Aug 13th, southwest of Ireland, saw large tanker. Flew American flag and had lights on, so let it go.

Aug 14th, BE 56, still southwest of Ireland, saw a 12100 ton tanker, this time British. Surface attack with two torpedoes, ship stopped but didn't sink. After three hours finished it with a third torpedo, because weather didn't permit use of deck gun.

Aug 16th, CF 23, west of Portugal, radio report turned out to be another British tanker, 6500 tons. Submerged attack, 1 torpedo under the engine room, sank almost immediately.

Aug 18th, CF 57, east of the Azores, saw another 6500 ton British tanker. Night surface attack, one torpedo into the engine room. Finished with the deck gun an hour later.

Aug 19th, CF 79, southeast of the Azores, saw 3900 ton British medium merchant, one torpedo, sank in 20 minutes.

Aug 20th, northwest of Canary Islands, received radio report for convoy in DH48, some 50 miles southeast of us, heading north west. Caught up with convoy just after nightfall. 5 columns, 3 rows each, with an additional 2 ships forming 4th row. 3 escorts, a Black Swan in front and Flower corvettes at the rear corners. 10600 ton merchant in the middle of the first row, auxiliary cruiser in 4th row. All other ships medium merchants or smaller. Weather: good visibility, partial clouds, 3 m/s wind, no rain, no fog.

1st convoy attack, Aug 20th, 23.00: submerged attack from within the convoy, 3 torpedoes at the auxiliary cruiser and 1 torpedo at the merchant beside it in the 4th row. Dive to 190 meters turning towards rear of the convoy. 3 detonations, both ships sunk, 2 sets of depth charges well behind us. Reloaded front tubes, surfaced and went around for second attack.

2nd convoy attack, Aug 21st, 3.50: surface attack with stern tubes against large merchant in the middle of the front row. Range 3500-4000 meters, about 2000 meters outside the outmost column. Noticed that the stern tubes are ideal for this kind of attack, because they allow leaving the site of attack without the need to turn first. Both torpedoes hit, merchant sunk. Escaped on surface without being seen.

3rd convoy attack, Aug 21st, 6.00: submerged attack against four ships in the 2nd row. Two front tubes fired at a 5800 ton merchant, the other two at two smaller merchants. One rear tube fired at the merchant behind us. Dive to 180 meters and turn towards rear of convoy. Five detonations, two ships sunk immediately and a third one later. Again, depth charges behind us, but nowhere nearby. Reloaded two front tubes and headed back to periscope depth. Noticed the last ship we hit was smoking heavily and couldn't keep up with the convoy.

Waited for the convoy to disappear behind the horizon before surfacing and approaching the straggler. Opened fire with deck gun at a range of 3000 meters. After 4 shells, the ship rapidly sank at 9 am. Left area at flank speed on surface. Saw the two Flower corvettes at the sight of sinking before leaving the area. Was not detected by them.

Reloaded last external reload, now heading towards DT73 with 4 remaining torpedoes loaded in tubes 1, 2, 3 and 6. 80900 tons sunk so far.

Leutnant zur See Helmut Ziehn, U-124, end report.

Edit: Seems like I too am suffering from the corrupt save games bug. Pity, was a fine start for a new career.

Snestorm

04-04-11, 12:44 PM

The war is over, me and the boys have a long trip from down under back to Germany.

Outstanding! Congradulations.

Snestorm

04-04-11, 02:24 PM

Patrol 9. Grid CA85 (E of Norfolk Naval Base, USA).

Depatred Lorient on 26.feb.42 with our newly installed batteries.

Grid BD89 (250 miles N of The Azores).
Date 9.mar.42. Time of completion 1300.
Encountered 2 fast tankers running 14 knots.
Three T2 torpedoes fired at the first, resulting in his sinking for 11.673 GRT.
One T1 torpedo at the second, resulting in his slowing to under 7 knots.
My Gunnersmate finished the job for an additional 11.674 GRT.
(Twin T3 Tankers. I had mistook them for T2 Tankers. Nice surprise.)

Present situation. Grid = CA81. Date = 2.mar.42. Time = 0250 (Zone Time).
With our grid assignment complete, I decided to (as The Uboat Commander's Handbook expresses it) "go further", and set up a patrol line 100 miles E of Norfolk, along the shallows. I think there are Gibralter convoys that originate here, but haven't seen any indication of this thus far.

One aircraft encounter, well S of Sydney.

Date = 2.apr.42. Grid = CA81.
12.51 = Sound reports merchant closing at medium speed. 101 T.
13.34 = Target = C3 Cargo. Course = 270 (for Norfolk). Speed = 9 knots.
Submerged daylight attack.
Target at 290 R. Medium range. Shot will be under 1000 meters.
19.45 = Fire 1, 2, 4. (T2 electrics).
19.46 = Impact x 3 heard.
19.47 = Target sunk for 7.909 GRT. 7 of 14 torpedoes remaining (3 bow & 4 stern).

Date = 4.apr.42.
No further merchant traffik detected since last sinking but, warship patrols have become a regular occurance. Departing the area via a northerly route for Lorient.

Date = 20.apr.42. Grid = BC92 (East of Canada). (These times are GMT. ZT is -4 or -5).
19.40 = Ship spotted. Long range. Small Merchant moving west to east. Periscope depth.
19.43 = Target moving eastward at medium speed.
20.03 = Target course 091. Target speed 9 knots.
20.10 = Surface & begin end around for a daylight submerged attack with stern tubes.
21.23 = Diving 8 degrees off the targets bow. (Could only make 15½ knots at Flank).
21.26 = Crossing targets bow at low speed.
21.45 = Fire 5 at midships. Fire 6 astern, to cover a reduced speed. (T1 Steamers).
21.47 = Tube fire hits, sinking target for 2.428 GRT. 3 bow & 2 stern torpedoes remaining.

From here we continued north in hopes of an encounter or dispatch, to the limits of the BC grids. Neither occurrred, and we turned our bow towards Lorient.

Date = 5.maj.42. Grid = BE63 (SW of Ireland)
15.08 = "Aircraft spotted! Long range!" A L A R M !
Thanks to good lookouts we avoided damages this time, and were safely below the carpet bombing that folloowed. Many, many bangs over an extended time. Tommy is quite serious about killing us.

Date = 7.maj.42. Grid = BF42 (South of Ireland, and just below the shallows).
04.25 = "Ship spotted! Bearing 023! Long range!"
Dive! Flank! 100 meters!
Sound - "Contact! Warship! Closing! Moving fast! Long rang! over and over again.
My BM and his lookouts saved our skin again. Hunter Killer Group. Many warships!
We presented a narrow enough profile to avoid detection by the nearest vessel. They maintained a high speed surface search towards the south, and never detected us. Thanks Boats!

Date = 10.maj.42. Grid = BF61 (Right outside Lorient!!!)
06.21 = A L A R M ! Crash dive for aircraft.
Tommy didn't kill us, but he sure came close. 54% Hull Integrity on docking at 22.35.

Patrol results:
4 ships sunk for 33.684 GRT.
9 of 14 torpedoes expended.
Crew healthy.
Hull Integrity 54%.

U124's history to date:
9 war patrols completed between 2.sep.40 and 10.maj.42.
31 ships sunk for 211.476 GRT.

Snestorm

04-08-11, 05:37 AM

Departed Lorient on 25.jun.42.
Bound for patrol grid CB16. (South of Halifax. East of New York.)

Date = 13.jul.42. Grid = BD84.
0704 = "Ship spotted." Go to periscope depth. 2 ships!
0731 = Course 267. Speed 6 knots. UK to Halifax.
0740 = Surface and begin end-around.
0836 = Diving ahead of target.
0856 = Track is too close. Turning for stern shot.
0906 = Turning again for bow shot. Have they slowed?
0921 = Fire 1, 2, 4 (T2 torpedoes) at the C3 Cargo. Small Merchant passed up.
0922 = Impact x 2. Target sunk for 7949 GRT.

1131 = Surface in persuit of the Small Merchant.
1226 = Target sighted.
1411 = Fire 5, 6.
1412 = Impact x 2. Target sunk for 2335 GRT. 9 of 14 torpedoes remaining. 7 bow & 2 stern.

Date = 16.jul.42. Grid = BC98.
1923 = Small Merchant spotted. Go to periscope depth.
1958 = Fire 3 (T1 Torpedo). Daylight submerged attack. Course 090 at 7 knots. Impact.
2010 = Target settled and sunk for 2336 GRT. 8 torpedoes remaining (6 bow & 2 stern).

Date = 21.jul.42. Grid = CC22.
2128 = Ship spotted at 2800 meters. Perscope depth. (It's daylight).
2136 = Course 090 at 9 knots (hopefuly). C2 Cargo.
2137 = Fire 1, 2, 4 (T2 torpedoes).
2138 = Impact x 2.
Date = 22.jul.42.
0108 = Surface in heavy fog. Unable to locate target.

Date = 23.jul.42. Grid = CB36. (350 miles SW of Halifax).
1322 = A L A R M ! Crash dive for aircraft! (Our protective heavy fog vanished).

Date = 26.jul.42. Grid = CB25.
2055 = Sound contact. Fast merchant. Surfaced and gave chase, but he was too fast to even catch sight of.

Date = 28.jul.42. Grid = CB16.
2050 = On station in patrol grid.
2204 = "We're under attack!" Crash dive for what turned out to be a fighter. No casualties.

Date = 30.jul.42. Grid = Still CB16.
0427 = Sound contact. Slow merchant.
0446 = 10 minute surface sprint.
0516 = Submerged daylight attack. Coastal Merchant. Course 270 at 4 knots.
0518 = Fire 1 (T2 torpedo) point blank. Target sunk for 2044 GRT. 2 bow & 2 stern torpedoes remaining. All T1 torpedoes. (Best for last). Eastbound.

Date = 31.jul.42. Grid = CB24.
1503 = Sound contact. Warship. Medium speed. closing. 1½ hours evading.

Date = 5.aug.42. Grid = BB87/BB88 border. HEAVY FOG. 160 miles S of Sydney.
0609 = Westbound convoy, at medium speed, detected on hydrophone. Will close, against my better judgement.
0626 = Approx convoy course? 259 for New York? Or 284 for Halifax?
0634 = Lining up for New York option. Coming to 169. This is nuts!
0659 = Fire 2, 3 at unknown type of shadow. Course 262 at 9 knots. Impact x 2!
Diving to 100 meters with a new heading of 127.
0747 = DIW merchant located by sound man.
0759 = Fire 5. Stern on 300+ meters. Dud torpedo. Lost sight. Around for a new approach.
0824 = Fire 6. Angled shot, angled at 90 degrees. I M P A C T, and showered with debris!
C2 Cargo sunk for 6446 GRT. Luckily, he didn't take us with him. Super close.

All 14 torpedoes expended. Heading for Lorient.

Date = 21.aug.42. Grid = BD91.
1348 = "Ship spotted." Dive to avoid detection by a merchant.

Date = 4.sep.42. Grid = BF61.
0300 = Docked safely at Lorient. Healthy crew and boat.

Patrol results: 5 ships sunk for 21.110 GRT.

U124's record to date:
10 war patrols completed.
36 ships sunk for 232.586 GRT.

VONHARRIS

04-08-11, 10:41 AM

April 12 1940 13:00
U-110 departed from the SS Belchen to Germany.

April 14 1940 19:22
Grid AM 52
Following a radio contact from BdU U-110 changed her course to intercept enemy convoy.
20:00 Visual contact made in medium fog. U-110 dived to attack.
20:20 Four TIs fired against enemy Revenge class BB in the middle of the convoy.
20:30 U-110 was sunk with all hands by an escort who came out at bearing 180 and he was not spotted until the depth charges fell. U-110 was at periscope depth to confirm the sinking of the BB. (Huge mistake)

April 14 1940
23:30
From: Bdu
To all uboats: No contact is possible with U-110. Boat persumed sunk. Last known position Grid AM52 reporting attack
on enemy large convoy.

VONHARRIS

04-08-11, 11:03 AM

January 1 1940 08:00
Wilhemshaven Deutschland
Ltnt Von Harris was called to report asap to HQ

09:00
Von Harris enters the office of the Flottila commander.
Several blueprints are laying on the table and 4 high ranked naval officers are already present.
The commander shows the blueprints to von Harris
-Herr Ltnt what type of uboat is that?
-It looks like an IXB but it is larger, what is that sir ?
-Well it is a prototype IXC a new type and you are about to test it in battle conditions. She was build in absolute secrecy , the British have no idea. She is ready and the crew has already completed the usual sea trials. Your mission is to take the boat to her limits and bring her home. Alles klar Herr Ltnt?
- Jawohl mein Herr.
- Sehr gut You sail at midnight.
- Jawohl.
Von Harris salutes and leaves the room.

22:00 U-505 IXC prototype
The IWO salutes von Harris as he is closing to the sub. They are old friends
IWO : Alles fertig gemacht Herr Kaleun
von : Sehr gut we sail at 00:00 hours.
Von Harris enters the sub via the conning tower.....

Snestorm

04-09-11, 01:13 AM

Snestorm

04-09-11, 02:19 AM

Underway from Lorient for CB16, again, on 2.okt.42.

Made our way across The Bay, and a good distance out to sea, without insident.

Grid BE69. 9.okt.42.
At 0332 a freighter is sighted, which turned out to be a Coastal Merchant running wide open at 9 knot in a NNEerly direction. Almost 4 hours later a single T1 torpedo is released from Tube 6, sinking the freighter for 2.016 GRT.

This guy I felt bad about sinking. He foiled the first planned attack with a course change, and he's running that little ship of his for all she's worth. Had he a bigger and faster ship, I think he'd of survived the war.

Grid BE58. 10.okt.42.
At 0459 we recieved a radio dispatch to attempt interception of a Freetown - UK convoy.
"Convoy. Grid BE86. NNE. 6 knots". BE59 would be our only hope of getting there first, and locating the convoy. It happenned at 1643, during a last ditch sound check.

The lead escort was a Flower Class Corvette. We managed to keep our nose pointed at him while maintaining silent speed (just under 2 knots), at periscope depth. At completion of the cat (destroyer) and mouse (us) stress test, we were right in the center of the convoys track.

Three T2 torpedoes were fired at a distant C2 Cargo, to give us time to avoid being run over by a merchant, and give us more time to evade. Two minutes later 2 impacts were heard.

Escorts came from all directions. The boat was by that time at 100 meters, and pointed at a 45 degree angle toward the rear corner of the convoy. The weather was Calm & Clear, and the pinging began almost instantly. Distant at first, but eventualy quite "gripping".

They must have gotten new equipment, as 100 meters was no longer cutting it.
Down to 120 meters with a fast 90 degree turn for the other rear corner.
No good. Depth charges rained down and ruined our day.
Flooding in Forward Berthing was finaly brought under control, and other repairs followed.

Deeper yet, as 120 meters was still insufficiant.
Down to 147 meters, and that's when it happenned.

Bang! Bang! Boom! . . .
The forward torpedo compartment turned red, as did all hands therein.

Very shortly after that, the world went black for the rest of us.

All hands lost. 55 dead. No survivors.

U124's final tally:
11 war patrols.
37 ships sunk for 234.602 GRT.

Johnfb

04-09-11, 05:35 AM

Left Lorient and began to make our way to grid DS. A long journey so had the gramophone blasting out and TC at 512. A long journey and a boring one too...or so I thought.
Hit the top of Spain and ship sighted, there was a storm and it was dead of night...couldn't see a thing save for the little green triangle when those flippin waves weren't bashing against the ob telescope.
Couldn't get a proper read so decided to follow on her heels and do constant checks.
Then another ship appears on the screen...both about 2500 meters away, then a red line showing the escort.
I followed for about 10 minutes real time right on the last ships heels, she is at a steady 0 degree bearing for all that time.

I never fire at more than 1000 meters but the are running to fast for me to catch up submerged.

Damn it I'll try. I fire 2 torps at the last ship and drop to 100 meters and turn to resume course as I know I will never hit them but you gotta try, right?

3 mins on the stopwatch pass and nothing, the second hand goes past the red line...nothing...ahh well it was worth a couple of torps just to see if I would get lucky.

Then bang..fitrst hits, bang second hits...I couldn't believe it, dead of night no eye sighting to speak of, 1500 mtrs more than I have ever shot at and a hit...cool

I turn back to see if I can track it and finish her off in the morning.

The escort comes after me full speed.

Depth charges, tracking me for what seems like an age...then joy....the little red sunken ship appears on the nav map.

I drop to 130 and go silent. The escort tracks me again but has no luck.

Back on course with a nice catch under my belt.

Somebody is in for a medal when we get back to port that's for sure.

A great start to patrol 6.

VONHARRIS

04-09-11, 02:04 PM

Fellow IXaholic, we have much in common.
U124 is also . . . . gone. (Post to follow).
Will we be meeting "again" in '39?

A salute for a brave Kaleun :salute:

Yes my friend , this time I will be testing a secret weapon :IXC in January 1940!

VONHARRIS

04-09-11, 02:44 PM

Patrol 1.
January 1 1940 22:10 hours
Left Wilhelmshaven ahead of schedule.
Crew morale is very high.

February 9 1940 03:12 hours
Docked at SS Thalia Cadiz Spain.
14 enemy ships sunk 68396 tons 489 men lost
All ammunition used up.

Patrol 2
February 10 1940 10:56 hours
Left Cadiz for Germany

February 26 1940 04:15 hours
Docked at Wilhelmshaven.
9 enemy ships sunk (1 corvette) 48472 tons 126 men lost
3 torpedoes remained.
No problems with ensmy ASW forces.

VONHARRIS

04-10-11, 10:43 AM

Patrol No3
March 17 1940 07:37
U-505 left Wilhelmshaven with orders to patrol Grid DH37

March 20 1940 Grid AN45 03:04 hours
Enemy small merchant spotted. Sunk by gunfire

March 21 1940 Grid AN13
16:19 hours Enemy medium cargo spotted SUnk by gunfire

16:27 ALARM ememy planes bearing 176 closing fast. No time to dive. Engage the enemy planes (Swordfish)

16:29 Aircraft shot down
16:30 Aircraft shot down
16:31 Aircraft shot down
Promotion and medals for the flak gunner

March 22 1940 Grid AN13
19:00 Enemy warships show on hydrophone One destroyer an aux cruiser and an armed merchant cruiser bearing 85 heading north. No window to shoot.

March 24 1940 Grid AM53
15:57 Enemy tugboat. Crew open fire with small arms Enemy vessel sunk with gunfire. No casualties.

17:03 Enemy medium merchant 30 sunk with gunfire. Ship was carrying aircrafts.

March 25 1940 Grid AM55
07:00 intercept convoy after Bdu message
6 torpedoes fired 5 hits
07:37 medium merchant 15 sunk
07:38 heavy merchant 01 sunk
Hydrophone detects enemy ships dead in the water while convoy moves away. No DC attack no pinging

10:38 Surfaced and gunned down enemy ship. Empire type freighter

March 27 1940 Grid BF14 10:51 hours
Enemy large cargo spotted. Sunk with gunfire

March 29 1940 Grid BE99 20:53 hours
Enemy small freighter sunk with 2 torpedoes in bad weather

April 1 1940 Grid CG75
convoy attack
Usual attack pattern followed : 6 TIs fired and started reloading aft tubes while moving away at 1 kt.
19:32 Enemy medium merchant 28 sunk
19:34 Enemy medium merchant 03 sunk
19:44 Enemy medium merchant 28 sunk
No DC attack no pinging
Fired both stern tubes again at a heavy merchant but failed to sink target ship (1 missed 1 dud)

April 3 1940 Grid CG75
convoy attack
Total failure since convoy changed course and avoided all 6 torpedoes. Escaped unharmed

April 7 1940 Grid DJ11
09:23 hours enemy medium merchant 15 sunk with 4 torpedoes

April 9 1940 Grid BE93
12:28 hours enemy medium merchant 04 sunk with torpedoes and gunfire

April 17 1940 01:14
Docked at Wilhelmshaven under heavy rain.
14 enemy ships sunk 75730 tons 294 men killed
3 aircrafts shot down.

Snestorm

04-11-11, 04:11 AM

1.sep.39.
Left kiel at 0130 with orders to recon Grid AF87 (NW of Bergen).

3.sep.39.
Radio message recieved to commence hostilities against England.

8.sep.39
On station.

18.sep.39
Docked at Kiel.
In spite of investigating many contacts, no enemy shipping was encountered.

unterseemann

04-11-11, 06:34 AM

BERGEN- 14FEB45
07:53 U2541 (Kptlt Eickmeyer) is back from patrol n°11.

21JAN45
20:47 U2541 leaves Bergen. Patrol zone: North atlantic

28JAN45
0:21 Lone british coastal tanker in AE79. 2 torpedoes fired, two impacts and fast sinking. MV Ellen M 1.471 tons

15:02 Radio report, task force heading west in the vicinity, weather awful, no visibility rain, fog and big waves. Try to intercept.
17:14 Sound contact , we are ahead of them and try to stay in front of them. Silent running periscop depth.
18:19 One of the greatest moment i have ever lived in SH3... Task force is coming right at us and sound contact is now very loud on my 0-5°. Suddenly the main sound in the task force starts to slip quickly at the hydrophon: 5° 10° 15°... This can means only one thing! He's very close now. We quickly put at 90° from his supposed course and prepare a full 6 torpedoes salvo (4 gnat and 2 T3). Few seconds later we fired our eels. 30 seconds later we heard 1,2,3,4,5 and eventually 6 impacts! ( I was not surprised for the acoustic torpedoes but the 2 T3 impacts were a big surprise, with no map contacts nothing appears on my map, it was all estimation via hydrophon...)
We never know what we hit but it sank very fast. Escorts never detected us thanks to the storm outside.
2 days later BdU told us that we sank the USS Core, an american Bogue class aircraft carrier of 15.390 tons

01FEB45
13:44 AM27 As the storm is still raging we try to get close to the british isles. Encounter a medium convoy and send again a six torpedoes salvo. Two impacts on one ship.
SS Philoctetes Ore Carrier 7.559 tons

04FEB45
Weather slightly improved so we headed west.
09:21 Radio report convoy heading west near our position.
17:44 Convoy sighted in AL37. Again we fired 6 torpedoes to it resulting in three impacts after 3min12 3min20 and 3min24 on the same ship followed by another impact after 4min30
17:48 SS Thaltybius Ore carrier 9.916 tons
17:51 SS Mormacmoon Large Cargo 7.297 tons

Detected and depth charged for almost 2 hours. Leveled at -276m no damages no casualties. With two torpedoes left we started our way back to Bergen

06FEB45
21:12 Detected a damaged british tanker ( Uboot former attack??)
Fired our two last torpedoes but both misfunctionned...Hydrophon operator clearly heard two impacts on the ship's hull without explosion... We reported its position and left the scene

07FEB45
08:15 Encountered a small british passenger cargo heading ESE. Reported its position too...

14FEB45
07:53 Docked at Bergen. Uboot damaged in the channel north of Bergen. HI 88%.

Patrol results: 5 ships for 41.633 tons
Total carreer: 27 ships for 161.216 tons ( 184 days at sea).

After repairs, U2541 may go on its last war patrol as the war comes to an end...

Snestorm

04-12-11, 06:08 AM

BERGEN- 14FEB45
07:53 U2541 (Kptlt Eickmeyer) is back from patrol n°11.

14FEB45
07:53 Docked at Bergen. Uboot damaged in the channel north of Bergen. HI 88%.

Patrol results: 5 ships for 41.633 tons
Total carreer: 27 ships for 161.216 tons ( 184 days at sea).

After repairs, U2541 may go on its last war patrol as the war comes to an end...

Outstanding!

Well done.

Snestorm

04-12-11, 06:44 AM

Underway from Kiel on 13.nov.39.

Assigned patrol grid AN47.

Arived on station 22.nov.39

On 24.nov.39 a great deal of time and battery power, in addition to a high risk surface sprint in close proximity to enemy air bases, was spent preparing for an attack on a medium speed "merchant". The target turned out to be a trawler, which was out of reach..

27.nov.39
After achieving no results in our assigned grid for five day, we elected to go farther north, and closer to the coast.

In AN18 we conducted a daylight submerged attack on, and subsequently sunk, a Small Merchant for 2.343 GRT. Target was 24 miles offshore, on course 155, making 6 knots. Two T2 torpedos were expended.

In AN44, after a long chase, we conducted a night surface attack upon, and sunk, a Coastal Merchant for 2.046 GRT. We again struck 25 miles offshore. A single T2 torpedo was fired at the target, which was on a course of 200 and making 9 knots. U6 could only manage 10½ knots throughout the chase.

On 30.nov.39 the diesel reserves fell to 50%, and on 7.dec.39 they reached 25%.

U6 docked at Kiel on 8.dec.39, at 0135, in Heavy Fog.
Just south of Store Bælt a collision with a KM Destroyer was avoided at under 300 meters.
(In this instance, having all warships manned by Elite Crews saved our tails.)

Patrol results: 2 ships sunk for 4.389 GRT.

U6's history to date:
2 war patrols.
2 ships sunk for 4.389 GRT.

Fish In The Water

04-12-11, 08:57 AM

14FEB45
07:53 Docked at Bergen. Uboot damaged in the channel north of Bergen. HI 88%.

Patrol results: 5 ships for 41.633 tons
Total carreer: 27 ships for 161.216 tons ( 184 days at sea).

After repairs, U2541 may go on its last war patrol as the war comes to an end...

Very good, congratulations on a job well done! :salute:

VONHARRIS

04-13-11, 12:00 AM

Patrol No4
May 7 1940 04:37
U 505 laft Germany with orders to patrol Grid AN29.
Before departure , vonHarris had received a sealed envelope with orders to open it only after direct order from BdU.

May 13 1940 Grid AN14
15:16 Enemy coastal freighter sunk with 1 torpedo. Ship was already listing due to bad weather.

May 15 1940 00:01 hours
A message is received : Commander only OPEN
Von Harris opened the sealed envelope and read:
"Ignore all previous orders Proceed to Grid BB98 and attack convoys there"

May 23 1940 Grid AE 47
11:27 hours Medium merchant 39 sunk with 2 torpedoes. She was escorted by an ASW trawler

June 16 1940 Grid BB98
Convoy attack
6 torpedoes launched + 1 more stern 5 hits scored
04:50 Revenge class battleship sunk
04:51 Tanker 01 sunk
04:54 Converted whale factory ship sunk

June 20 1940 Grid BB99
Convoy attack
Usual procedure followed
6 torpedoes launched 3 hits scored
22:45 Large troop ship sunk

Under DC attack for 3 hours Slight damages Dived to 160m and escaped at 1 kt.

July 3 1940 Grid AJ59
08:53 Enemy coastal freighter sunk with 2 torpedoes

July 4 1940 21:02 hours
Docked at SS Belchen
Ships sunk : 7
Tonnage : 82594
Men killed: 977
Requested new orders
Orders came through: Continue as instructed.

VONHARRIS

04-13-11, 12:46 AM

Patrol No5
July 5 1940 23:04 hours
U-505 left the SS Belchen to attack convoys at Grid BB98

July 14 1940 Grid BB98
Convoy attack
Usual pattern of approach and attack
6 torpedoes fired 4 hits scored
10:05 Nelson class battleship sunk
10:07 Emprire type freighter sunk

July 15 1940 Grid BB99
Convoy attack in bad weather
6 torpedoes fired 3 hits scored
15:24 Passenger ship SS Arandors Star sunk

July 17 1940 Grid BB99
Convoy attack
6 torpedoes fired 4 hits scored
No ship sunk
two tankers damaged

July 20 1940 Grid BB99
Convoy attack
All torpedoes fired 4 hits scored
05:32 heavy merchant 01 sunk
05:40 heavy merchant 01 sunk

July 24 1940 14:11 hours
Returned to SS Belchen
Ships sunk :5
Tonnage : 76052
Men killed : 893
Crew is tired after so many days at sea.
Requsted orders and stated the situation.
Orders came through: Attack convoys at BB98 - 99 and return to Germany

Snestorm

04-13-11, 05:06 AM

Assigned grid AN18 (Coastal grid south of Scapa Flow. More land than sea.)

Patrol dates: 2.feb.40 til 7.mar.40.

12 days lost to Heavy Fog. U6 waited out the storm in the central North Sea.

Contacts this patrol:
Sound: Warship close by, following our pre-dawn dive. Medium speed.

Visual: Fishing boat. 9+ knots.

Visual: Destroyer. Medium speed.

Sound: Merchant. 10½ knots. Course 148.
We chased him all night without ever getting a sighting.

No ships sunk this patrol.

U6's history to date:
3 war patrols.
2 ships sunk for 4.389 GRT.

Commander to be transferred to a IXB.

When the AI is good, these IIAs are no picnic.
Realy lets one appreciate the bigger boats.
Even if it's "only" to a IID.

Just may start off with a IIA more often, but not always as I enjoy the IX(A)s so.

VONHARRIS

04-14-11, 02:35 AM

Patrol No6
July 25 1940 14:53 hours
After rearming and refueling procedures have been completed U-505 sailed off form the SS Belchen to Grid BB98

August 1 1940 Grid BC44
Two unescorted enemy tankers spotted. Weather was very bad.
Approached submerged and fired all 4 bow torps.
09:09 hours Tanker 16 sunk
Fired both stern torpedoes to finish off the second target
09:20 hours Large tanker sunk

August 6 1940 Grid BB92
Convoy attack in foggy weather
6 torpedoes fired 5 hits scored
07:12 hours Medium merchant 38 sunk
07:17 hours Medium merchant 04 sunk
Damaged medium merchant 39 that survived

August 16 1940 Grid BB92
Convoy attack in 15m/s winds but no rain.
Day submerged attack
6 torpedoes fired 4 hits scored
08:05 Tanker 07 sunk (huge explosion)
08:05 Coastal freighter sunk
08:08 Tanker 07 sunk (exploded)
08:22 Large merchant sunk

Relaoaded 2 bow tubes convoy still in sight. Escotrs in complete disarray dropping charges all over the ocean

09:10 fired two shots at ammunition ship Both hit but target survived!

August 17 1940 : Decided to start return passage

August 25 1940 Grid AK15
Two coastal freighters (!!) unescorted and unarmed.
05:24 Coastal freighter sunk with gunfire
05:28 Coastal freighter sunk with gunfire

September 1 1940 00:01 hours
The BdU has changed our base to Lorient France.

September 5 1940 18:17 hours
Docked at Lorient France.
10 ships sunk
61346 tons
319 men killed
No damages to the boat.
Enemy ASW increased in numbers and stregth.
At least 5 escorts with each convoy.
A 20-days refit and rest period to follow.

Johnfb

04-14-11, 02:42 PM

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/9566/sh32.png

You can see my little U mark just beside the merchant I hit. I found a convoy and followed submerged all day and then rose at night to fire from the surface. One torp struck the prop and she stalled. 3 warships chased me for an age and I finally snuck under the merchant and lay there for over an hour real time, as I reckoned they wouldn't fire on their own just to get me.
The boats didn't move off as I thought they would... and then the merchant began to sink, so I dropped to 180 and crept outta there, finally managing to steal away. The boat sank and I didn't get a credit for it, no little sunken ship sign...I was furious after all that time and evading...nothing to go down in my log. Damn.

Snestorm

04-15-11, 12:16 AM

2.maj.40
Late starter for The Norwegian Campaign, so BDU put us on guard duty against any threat comming north from The Channel. Temporarily assigned AN68 (NW of Nederland), before being the first boat to re-enter the commerce war in The Atlantic.

Remained on station from 4.maj til 6.maj. then proceeded northward scouting for enemy activity enroute to The Atlantic.

15.maj.40
Grid AM52
At 0840 a freighter was sighted in bad weather. Three torpedoes were fired at what was mistaken for a much larger target. Two impacts immediately followed, sinking a Small Merchant for 2.389 GRT. 11 of 14 torpedoes remaining (7 bow & 4 stern).

16.maj.40
Grid AM29
At 0903 we dove to avoid Heavy Fog, and found a convoy to be rather close.

At 0920 I decided to risk 1 torpedo on any target that came into periscope view.
We had taken up what was best estimated to be the convoy's course, and were JUST outside the formation. An angled shot, at a 90 degree angle set for 7 knots, and 300 meters. Should anything show itself, at least the range would be set right.

Impact! Closest warship reported to be at medium range. Down we went.
The gamble paid off well as a DIW merchant was reported by Sound at 0948.

At 1129 tube 5 was fired at close range, resulting in the sinking of a C2 Cargo for 6.449 GRT. With 9 torpedoes remaining (6 bow & 3 stern) the torpedo tally sheet is looking much better.

18.maj.40
Grid AM19
At 0800 what turned out to be the lead escort of a convoy was sighted.
At 0909 3 T2 torpedoes were fired at a T2 Tanker at short range. Although 2 explosions were heard, no impacts were reported, and the third "missed". Was I too close? Unknown for the moment, as U124 was going deep.

In a second approach the tanker was again our target. 3 T1 torpedoes (time for the good stuff) were fired at the target. 2 hit home sinking her for 10.872 GRT. All bow torpedoes have now been expended, leaving 3 T1s in the stern.

A night surface attack would follow. 2 torpedoes fired at 1 target. 2 vessels struck. No vessels sunk, slowed, or stopped.

The final attack was a return to daylight submerged. A C2 Cargo was selected for our final target. Target was struck, but apparently not greatly hampered.

U122 docked at Willy on 31.maj.40, with 1 Tanker & 2 Freighter penants flying for 19.710 GRT.

Missing Name

04-15-11, 03:43 PM

Restarted my campaign (modwork screwed up my last one :shifty:). I am now Wolfgang Grimm, commander of U-127. The war has just started.

VONHARRIS

04-16-11, 01:28 PM

Patrol No 7
September 25 1940 09:55 hours
U-505 left Germany with orders to patrol grid CF84

October 3 1940 18:57 hours
Grid CF84 Granville type freighter sunk by gunfire

October 12 1940 04:38 hours
Grid CG95 Tramp steamer sunk by gunfire

October 13 1940 Grid CG95
05:32 hours Medium merchant 03 sunk with torpedoes
06:51 hours Coastal freighter sunk with gunfire
21:58 hours Medium merchant sunk with torpedoes

October 14 1940 Grid CG95
02:11 hours Passenger/cargo sunk with torpedoes and gunfire
14:39 hours Medium merchant 04 sunk with gunfire

Grid CG94
18:34 hours Coastal freighter sunk with gunfire

October 24 1940 09:20 hours Grid BF15
Coastal freighter sunk with gunfire

October 26 1940 Grid BF18
Convoy attack
6 torpedoes fired 2 hits scored (by luck since the convoy changed its course after the torpedoes were launched)
09:20 hours Black Swan class frigate sunk

October 28 1940 Grid BF18
05:07 hours V&W class DD sunk She was part of an ASW patrol group
U-505 escaped unharmed at 130m doing 1 Kt

November 2 1940 Grid BF15
04:48 hours Small merchant sunk with torpedoes
05:20 hours Convoy repair ship sunk with torpedoes
05:41 hours Heavy merchant 01 sunk with torpedoes
U-505 was submerged and in battle stations from 04:20 until 05:50

November 7 1940 Grid BF43
17:18 hours Small coal tender sunk with one 105mm shell

November 8 1940
16:02 hours Docked at Lorient France.
45 days at sea
15 ships sunk for 49744 tons
584 men killed

Missing Name

04-16-11, 02:12 PM

Missing Name

04-18-11, 12:33 AM

December 1939.
Lt. z S. Wolfgang Grimm.
U-127, a Type IXB out of Wilhelmshaven.

Our maiden voyage did not end as well as expected, yet was extremely successful at the same time. We were given orders to patrol grid BE68. We never made it that far.

The North Sea brought plenty of targets. Five merchants were sunk with torpedoes and shells.

It was east of Loch Ewe where we ran into trouble. We had just torpedoed and damaged another merchant in heavy seas. Visibility was low, and we had thought we were alone. Apparently not. We were shelled from fairly close range. Emergency diving revealed that a patrol craft had been lying with its engines off. Depth charges followed, but bottoming on the seabed threw off the sizable ASW group that assembled.

Three torpedo tubes for'd, most of the tower and the FlaK guns were destroyed. The deck gun, propellers, rudders, rear torpedo tubes and all engines were damaged. A good deal of flooding occurred after hitting the bottom, bow first. Communications from BdU were cut off and the decision was made to return home.

Despite our damage, we sank three more ships. Torpedo attacks were carried out on the surface, with the one remaining good tube.

We limped back in disgrace, but were surprised to be commended for our actions. We had sunk eight ships for a total of about 24570 tons, with slightly less than half of that tonnage despite having severe damage.

We are in for repairs, and I have just gotten my orders for my next patrol.

"Please attempt to patrol BE68.'

Snestorm

04-18-11, 09:50 PM

Gorrammit! Twice I've attempted to complete this patrol.

1st time: Sank 2 auxiliary cruisers and the destroyer escorting them. Bunch of other merchants... and then Windows auto updates shut down my computer.

2nd time: Some small fry, and then a large convoy. Sneaking away from the second run... BSOD. :I

Advice:
Turn off Windows (and all other) Automatic Updates, and scans.

Pull the plug on the internet before firing up SH3.

If possible, set your firewall to Game Mode (Deny access of all programs).

Use the firewall to stop Windows Error Reporting from running, at all.

Grant SH3 immunity from Windows Defender.

Hope there is something helpful here. I used to be plagued by the same problems, constantly.

Snestorm

04-18-11, 10:11 PM

Departed Willy on 26.jul.40.
Arrived at Lorient on 10.sep.40
We were enroute back to Willy, and got turned around by a Base Change Message.

2 Freighters & 2 Tankers were sunk for 37.666 GRT.
This, for me, was a "Wow!" patrol.

Both tankers, and one freighter, were sunk from a Freetown to UK convy.

The remaining freighter was the only independently sailed merchant we encountered through the entire patrol.

On two occasions we encountered RN destroyers along our track into The Bay.

U122's history to date:
2 war patrols completed between 2.maj.40 and 11.sep.40.
7 ships sunk for 57.376 GRT.

9emini

04-19-11, 04:01 AM

My current career began in December 2010. The following protocols are observed:

no time compression, pausing 'frowned upon'
if u-boat destroyed, restart patrol
GWX3.0, 100% realism
begin with renown = 0
1st flotilla @ Kiel

I hope to have the 2500 renown needed for a better boat by the end of this patrol. This will require sending ~20kt of British steel to the sea floor (which I think is what I managed during patrol 6). Sadly, I can't seem to get past patrol 7, which invariably ends with my death at the hands of the escorts of a certain predictable convoy that makes its way down the east coast of Britain about 4 days after I leave Kiel. I'm currently attempting once again to intercept this convoy, having just entered the NW quadrant of AN73 from the North. Earlier today I took out both an ASW trawler and a coastal freighter with my flak cannon. (Having only 5 torps, I like to pick off the wee boats with the cannon. I'd rather have avoided the trawler, but thanks to 'periscope depth' often leaving the top of my bridge exposed, I was spotted despite the darkness of night. And I've learned that when faced with a single depth charge-spewing ASW trawler, it's better to surface and go toe-to-toe with it than try to survived its DCs).

Missing Name

04-19-11, 11:13 AM

January 1940.
Lt. z S. Wolfgang Grimm.
U-127, a Type IXB out of Wilhelmshaven.

Without going into much detail, we did not make it to BE68 for patrol 2.

March 1940.
Oblt. z S. Wolfgang Grimm.
U-127, a Type IXB out of Wilhelmshaven.

After dispatching a single merchant north of Ireland, we came across a large convoy. On the first strike, four ships were sent to the bottom. The escorts spat in the wrong direction.

The weather calmed down considerably. Under the cover of darkness, we surfaced and took out the two escorts in short order. Both were crippled by a torpedo each and then shelled. After that, the convoy was open.

Or so we thought. An enemy submarine had gone undetected, a guardian angel. We took heavy damage from shells and machine guns. Our gunnery officer was killed. We dove, put two torpedoes into the enemy and ran back to the convoy. The enemy sub probably sank.

From here on, it was a turkey shoot. A further ten merchants were sunk. We ran out of torpedoes, deck gun ammunition and FlaK. Our estimates were about 100,000 tons of shipping

Our return was slow due to engine troubles. A funeral at sea was held for Metzger.

Advice:
Turn off Windows (and all other) Automatic Updates, and scans.

Pull the plug on the internet before firing up SH3.

If possible, set your firewall to Game Mode (Deny access of all programs).

Use the firewall to stop Windows Error Reporting from running, at all.

Grant SH3 immunity from Windows Defender.

Hope there is something helpful here. I used to be plagued by the same problems, constantly.

I will try these things. Thanks!

VONHARRIS

04-20-11, 03:26 AM

Patrol No 8
November 28 1940 15:13 hours
Left Lorient France with ordrers to patrol AE87 in Iceland

December 10 1940 Grid AD59
Convoy attack in bad weather
6 torpedoes fired 4 hits scored
22:32 hours Q ship sunk by luck as the torpedo was aimed at a whale factory ship
22:38 hours Medium merchant 38 sunk
Hydrophone showed one more ship hit and stopped
The escorts did not find us.

December 11 1940 Grid AD59
Came to periscope depth after reloading at 120m at 1kt.
00:30 hours Tanker 07 sunk with 2 torpedoes. The convoy has long gone.

December 17 1940 Grid AD59
05:00 hours Lone tanker 16 sunk with 2 stern shots

December 30 1940 Grid AM53
05:42 hours Enemy sloop sunk with the flak gun. Crew was allowed to abandon ship and given provisions and cigarettes.

December 31 1940 Grid AM53
02:39 hours Tugboat sunk by gunfire. Crew was agin allowed toabandon ship
05:12 hours Coastal freighter sunk by torpedoes. She was armed with a stern mounted heavy AA gun

January 1 1941 Grid AM52
Convoy attack
Starndard method of approach and attack followed
6 torpedoes fired 5 hits scored
19:52 hours Heavy merchant 01 sunk after huge explosion
19:52 hours Medium merchant 17 sunk (cut in half)
19:56 hours Heavy merchant 01 sunk after two hits

January 12 1941 some 300kms west of Lorient
15:37 hours heavy rain
U-505 surprised on the surface by a British Town class DD. Hiw first shells fell short only to raise water form the surface.
U-505 crash dived under fire.
The DD steamed on U-505 position. The first DC attack was well aft of the Uboat.
Hydrophones showed two more contacts: The DD was escoting two merchants.
The DD lost contact after his attack so U-505 dared to go to periscope depth to attack. A small merchant and a medium cargo were zigzagging at slow speed. 2 TIs fired , one at each ship but both missed. The DD was looking at the wrong place and U-505 had two more torpedoes left. Both were fired at the medium cargo , hit and exploded but she went on.
The DD was in the dark and U-505 dived to 100m and escaped.

January 14 1941 19:37 hours
Docked at Lorient France
48 days at sea
10 ships sunk
49762 tons sent to the bottom
223 men killed
1 narrow escape.

NoGoodLandLubber

04-20-11, 08:48 AM

07 OCT 39

I'm currently in grid AM 51. The weather has been complete crap for a couple of days now. The seas are terrible and the rain is coming down in sheets.

I'm doing paperwork while keeping an eye on my Nav screen when all of the sudden I hear, "Ship spotted!" I look up at the screen and she's right on top of me! Holy Crap!! I jump to the periscope and raise it to see a British large merchant filling a good portion of the viewing area. Range...250m! :arrgh!: directly behind it.

So I slam on the breaks so to speak and wait for her to get to 300m. I quickly launch three eels running at 9m. All three find their mark and she's dead in the water; but she's not sinking...just sitting there.

I come up alongside and turn 90 degrees. At 300m I launch a 4th eel. This one from the stern tubes. An easy hit and at this point she definitely starts listing and taking on water.

I order "All Stop!" and go to the bridge so I can watch her go down. I would have thought that with four holes in her she'd go down pretty easy; but it was still almost a half hour (game time) for her to go into her death throes. 10600+ tons that won't make it to England. :yeah:

VONHARRIS

04-21-11, 12:10 AM

Patrol No 9
February 3 1941 00:28 hours
Left Lorient with orders to patrol CG 73

February 11 1941 Grid CG94
04:30 hours Aircraft spotted. U-505 crash dived and avoided any damage
06:51 hours Aircraft spotted at medium range. No time to crash dive. Target engaged with the flak guns. 1 flak gunner died of mashine gun fire. A kingfisher was shot down. Damages to hull and engines from a close bomb hit.
10:03 hours Aircraft spotted U-505 crash dived but took damage from gunfire and bombs. Propeler damaged as well flooding in radio room. More hull damage.
12:55 hours Surprised by aircraft after surfacing. No time to dive. Target was engaged with flak gun. A kingfisher was shot down

February 12 1941 Grid CG95
10:30 hours Aircraft spotted once again. U-505 crash dived and escaped.
12:10 hours While at 30m sound contact is enabled. Two merchant at slow speed closing.
12:20 hours U-505 came to periscope depth to visualy identify targets. Both ships are armed.
12:48 hours All 4 bow tubes fired.
12:49 hours Medium merchant 28 sunk
13:09 hours Empire type freighter sunk after two more hits (stern shots)

20:00 hours Coastal freighter (armed)sunk by torpedoes
23:47 hours Passenger/cargo (armed) hit by torpedoes and finished off by gunfire

February 13 1941 Grid CG95
08:20 hours Aircraft spotted. U-505 crash dived but took some damage by 20mm cannon fire
09:48 hours Empire type freighter (armed) by 3 torpedoes

12:53 hours Aircraft attack. Two bombs fell really close despite manouvering at 15kts. Massive flooding and damages.
The Hurricanes did not make a second pass. It is tiem to return.

19:20 hours Aircraft spotted U-505 dived at flank speed to 40m and avoided damage. Not safe to go any deeper since various cracking noises were heard.

19:40 hours Multiple sound contacts. Convoy attack. Torpedoes were fired from 4500m and turned away.

20:23 hours Small freighter sunk
20:26 hours Dido class light cruiser sunk

21:00 hours Decided to return to Lorient running close to the coastline

February 15 1941 Grid CG58
18:13 hours Unarmed small merchant sunk by gunfire

February 17 1941 22:14 hours
Docked at Lorient
Damages to hull were almost critical, we were lucky to survive
Hull intergrity : 25%
Enemy airforce always present.
Where are our planes Herr Georing?
2 aircrafts shot down
1 crew member dead
8 ships sunk
34225 tons to the bottom
246 men killed
15 days at sea.
A long repair and resting period is ahead of us.

Snestorm

04-21-11, 01:33 AM

Departed Lorient on 5.nov.40.
Assigned Grid DH32, thence southward along the Freetown lanes.

Remained on station for 2 days (13.nov.40 - 15.nov.40), without sightings.

On 20.nov.40, while transiting DU47, U122 recieved a radio dispatch:
"Convoy. DT38. N. 6 knots". And off we went to play catch up.

On 21.nov.40, while rushing north through DT35, we recieved a second dispatch on the same convoy:
"Convoy. DT35. N. 6 knots"
BDU was finaly relieved that we did establish contact.
(General location was W of The Canaries).

Hr VONHARRIS must have sent the original contact report as, half the merchants seemed to be missing. It was later established that there were 4 destroyers for escorts. At least 2 were of the Hunt Class.

This convoy was our only contact throughout the patrol.
(Clouds: None. Fog: None. Wind: 0 m/s. Moon: Two thirds. And yes, the moonlight was used for night submerged attacks. Was there any other option with these conditions, and all Elite escorts?)
Over the next 48 hours we made 6 attacks on the convoy itself, and 2 additional attacks on previousely damaged stragglers.

U122 docked at Lorient on 4.dec.40.
2 Tanker, and 4 Freighter penants were hung from the periscope.
Crew & boat healthy. (Only because of early war DCs, this time.)

Patrol results:
6 ships sunk for 40.874 GRT.
All 14 torpedoes expended.

U122's history to date:
3 war patrols between 2.maj.40 and 4.dec.40.
13 ships sunk for 98.250 GRT.

VONHARRIS

04-21-11, 02:11 AM

Departed Lorient on 5.nov.40.
Assigned Grid DH32, thence southward along the Freetown lanes.

.

Thanks !!!:D

My next patrol area is DH41 some time in March-April 1941 depending on how much time repairs will take.

I am looking forward to meeting U-122 and her brave captain Kaleun Snestorm to unleash hell in the Limies convoys.
A wolfpack is starting to form!

sublynx

04-21-11, 03:45 AM

Snestorm

04-21-11, 03:59 AM

November 1941
Lt. z S. Erich Scheide
U-456 ("die Elster"), VIIC, 7.th Flotilla, St.Nazaire
Sunny, wind 1m/s
BF58
Orders: Patrol ET54 / report weather

Just began our third patrol, cleared the shallow part of the Bay of Biscay. No ASW groups, no airplane sightings and no enemy shipping to report.

ET54? In a VIIC?!
Ever think of getting a IXB or IXC?

Can't imagine how you pulled a Freetown grid with a VIIC, but good hunting.

sublynx

04-21-11, 04:58 AM

ET54? In a VIIC?!
Ever think of getting a IXB or IXC?

Can't imagine how you pulled a Freetown grid with a VIIC, but good hunting.

We'll stop by Corrientes in Las Palmas, if need be, but we've been to Freetown before without refueling. I think we'll be able to make it. It's fuel saving RPM's all the way, though. No 150 km flank speed chases after convoys!

I've been toying with the idea of getting an IXC, but I have trouble sneaking away from the escorts as it is, so it's probably safer to stay with the smaller boat for now.

Thx for the good luck wishes, I think we'll need it!

VONHARRIS

04-21-11, 11:41 PM

Patrol No 10
May 4 1941 19:17 hours
After a long repair period U-505 left Lorient for Grid DH41

May 10 1941
18:03 hours Small convoy spotted @stern torpedoes fired against medium cargo. Both hit but the ship survived. Disengaged with no problems

May 12 1941
08:00 hours Aircraft spotted U-505 crash dived but took some damage by near miss bomb.

May 23 1941 Grid CG97
19:30 hours Multiple hydrophone contacts of warships closing fast.
19:35 hours Periscope depth Enemy task force: HMS Glorious 2 Fiji class cruisers several destroyers. U-505 took attack position
19:50 hours All 4 bow tubes flooded and fired: 3 at the carrier 1 at a cruiser
20:00 hours Swung around and fired both stern tubes at the other cruiser
20:17 hours Fiji class light cruiser sunk
20:47 hours Fiji class light cruiser sunk
The carrier escaped despited being hit 3 times

May 26 1941 Grid CG95
15:26 hours Aircraft attack , minor damage to conning tower. The aircraft was driven away by AA fire

June 4 1941 Grid BF15
13:05 hours Lone Flower class frigate engaged and sunk.

June 11 1941 Grid AM52
02:15 hours Bdu radio message of enemy convoy
03:16 hours Large merchant sunk with torpedoes and gunfire.
04:20 hours U-122 Kaleun Snestorm updated the convoy position
06:11 hours Coastal freighter sunk
15:00 hours Convoy attack in bad weather , no other contact with U-122 made.
15:37 hours Ore carrier sunk
15:44 hours Medium merchant 15 sunk

June 14 1941 Grid BF42
02:11 hours Small freighter sunk

June 15 1941
14:56 hours Docked at Lorient
Ships sunk :8
Tonnage: 51270
Men killed: 591
43 days at sea
Hull intergity : 87%
Transferred to 11th flotilla , Kiel Germany

VONHARRIS

04-22-11, 12:17 PM

Patrol No11
July 5 1941 10:10 hours
U-505 left Kiel setting course for the North sea through the Kiel canal

July 24 1941 Grid CF93
Small convoy encountered
12:35 hours Tramp steamer sunk by torpedoes
12:42 hours Medium merchant 38 sunk by torpedoes

July 28 1941 Grid CG97
06:54 hours Aircraft attack FAA Kingfisher shot down
07:21 hours Aircraft attack FAA Kingfisher shot down

08:02 hours Aircraft attack RAF Hurricane driven off by AA fire. Flak gunner killed by strafing fire. Crash dive and escaped with minor damages

August 3 1941 Grid BF17
Convoy attack with nice weather
06:35 hours Heavy merchant 01 sunk (exploded after secondary damages)
06:35 hours Motor tanker 02 sunk after direct hit
07:45 hours Whale factory ship sunk after being hit twice
at 06:42 hours

August 14 1941 Grid AM76
20:47 hours Coastal freighter sunk with torpedoes

August 15 1941 Grid AM54
22:50 hours Crash dive to avoid incoming destroyer.
Convoy spotted with hydrophones

23:06 hours Town class destroyer sunk
The convoy kept the same course (strange?)
5 torpedoes fired 4 hits scored
23:26 hours Medium merchant 39 sunk
23:31 hours Medium merchant 30 sunk
Spotted by the escorts , at least 7 warships
3 of them engaged , the rest followed the convoy
DC dropped like rain for 3 hours but U-505 laid silent at 160m and took little damage and a lot of shaking

August 16 1941 Grid AM54
03:56 hours Returned to periscope depth and found Empire-tyoe freighter dead in the water. Ship was finished off with 1 torpedo and gunfire
U-505 set course for Kiel

August 22 1941 16:18 hours
Docked at Kiel
1 crew member killed
Hull intergrity : 77%
10 ships sunk
55634 tons sent to the bottom
2 aircrafts shot down
49 days at sea
484 men killed
Request for transfer back to Lorient : APPROVED

Snestorm

04-22-11, 09:44 PM

This boat is hot!

Departed Lorient on 29.jan.41 with orders to proceed toward grid AJ38 (S of Greenland).

2.feb.41
Grid BF41
During daylight hours, we got a sound contact, for a medium speed merchant.
The whole attack went like clockwork.
Daylight submerged attack.
3 torpedoes fired. 3 hits scored.
1 C2 Cargo sunk for 6.418 GRT . . . of neutral tonnage.
Uh oh. Not such a great start after all.

13.feb.41
Grid AK54 (Neighborhood S of Greenland).
At 0148, on a clear & calm night came "Ship spotted!".
With 1 strike against me, I closed for a good flag check.
By the time we could tell that he was a brit, our tracks were too close for a torpedo attack.
At just under 2 knots, and almost in his path, I ordered the deck gun manned.
My gunnersmate did a "smashing" job.
We didn't get run over, and we did sink an ENEMY (this time) C2 for 6.446 GRT.

At 1446, of the same day, while transiting AM46, we recieved a radio dispatch:
"Convoy. AK43 (1 grid north). ENE. 7 knots."
At 2012 we made contact.
We later learned of 2 Destroyers & 4 Corvettes, as escorts.

13.feb.41 - 1852 - AK43 - T2 Tanker - 10.871 GRT

13.feb.41 - 2210 - AK43 - Surface after long hard Escape & Evasion.
14.feb.41 - 0142 - AK01 - Fast dive for a too close DD. Undetected.

14.feb.41 - 0210 - AK01 - Surface for a wider end-around.
14.feb.41 - 0217 - AK01 - Wind up from 0 m/s to 9 m/s. Clear & moonlit.
14.feb.41 - 0435 - AK01 - Submerge along convoy's expected track.
14.feb.41 - 0456 - AK01 - Destroyer & Corvette sighted in periscope.
14.feb.41 - 0458 - AK01 - Sound: 2 DDs in lead. 4+ Corvettes.
14.feb.41 - 0516 - AK01 - Fire 1, 3, 4. New depth 150m. 5 degrees right rudder. (T1 torps).
14.feb.41 - 0518 - AK01 - C2 Cargo, 6.453 GRT, sunk. (Was not targeted) (Romper)!
14.feb.41 - 0519 - AK01 - T2 Tanker, 10.872 GRT, sunk. (HE was targeted). P I N G !

14.feb.41 - 0640 - AK01 - Surface. 1 bow & 4 stern torps remaining.
14.feb.41 - 0818 - AK01 - Corvette sighted. Evade on surface.
14.feb.41 - 0937 - AK01 - Diving on convoy's expected track.
14.feb.41 - 1030 - AK01 - Fire 5, 6, at C2 Cargo. 2 impacts followed.
14.feb.41 - 1232 - AK01 - Fire 2, at DIW C2 Cargo w/stern gun. Impact!
14.feb.41 - 1237 - AK01 - C2 Cargo finaly sinks for 6.448 GRT.

14.feb.41 - 1400 - AK01 - Surface for final attack.
14.feb.41 - 1730 - AK01?- Sound check reveals us to be behind. Surface.
14.feb.41 - 1907 - AK29 - Dive on convoys expected track. Nose to Noise.
14.feb.41 - 2208 - AK29 - Fire 5, 6, at first (and farthest) target.
14.feb.41 - 2210 - AK29 - 1 hit, sinking a Coastal Merchant for 2.042 GRT.

15.feb.41 - 0039 - AK29 (while submerged at TC x 64)
"Enemy is pinging us , sir". What?!
Kaleun VONHARRIS must have been conducting torpedo instruction, again.
3 sunk and/or sinking Corvettes surrounded us.
So that's why they weren't heard from on our last attack.
Thanks U505. Life is good.

The last message recieved, regarding this convoy, was:
"Warship. AK29. NNE. 7 knots".
Kaleun VONHARRIS must have been very busy, 'cause it wasn't us.

U122 docked at Lorient on 7.mar.41 in good condition.

Patrol results:
7 ships sunk for 49.550 GRT.
14 of 14 torpedoes expended.

U122's history to date:
4 war patrols between 31.maj.40 and 7.mar.41.
20 ships sunk for 147.800 GRT.

Only once, have I had a boat that scored like this.
Oddly enough, it was U48 VIIB.
(Still my highest scorer, by a long shot).

reignofdeath

04-22-11, 09:54 PM

Snestorm

04-22-11, 10:18 PM

May I ask how you guys keep such detaild reports?? I mean do you jot everything down that happens then type it up here later or what?? When I give mine in here they're more like stories :X

Guilty as charged.
I try to write down "the big stuff".

This time was even worse, as I was testing my IXB speed mod at Silent Speed.
(Now Slow Ahead = Silent Speed. Got tired of having to always manualy find the setting.)

VONHARRIS

04-23-11, 01:36 AM

From : U-505
To :BdU and every Uboot at grid AM51
URGENT --- URGENT
08:26 hours
Both diesels destroyed. Periscopes destroyed. Flak gun heavily damaged.
Attacked by Flower corvette with gunfire and DCs
Battery down to 10%

After that I gave my 3 years old daughter to roll a dice. If a 6 came up (chances 16%) then I would be saved , otherwise the war would end for U-505.
Guess what : The dice rolled 6. Hurah I am saved.

09:00 hours
Incoming message
From : U-122
To : U-505 BdU

vonHarris , I am coming at flank speed. Hold on. Will contact later. ETA: 3 hours

09:30 hours
From : U-505
To : U-122

Message received. Please hurry. Injured crewmen

13:00 hours
U-122 docks alongside U-505 in foggy weather. Spare parts for the diesels and periscopes were given. Kaleuns Snestorm and vonHarris had a discusion to decide further actions. It was decided that U-122 would take the wounded men and sail to Brest while U-505 would try to repair her engines and return to Lorient.

Finally everything worked fine for both Ubooten.

Since I am playing at 100% realism I can not teleport to base so I will continue this patrol from my last save point. What do you think?

sublynx

04-23-11, 01:58 AM

December 24th 1941
Ob.Lt. z S. Erich Scheide
U-451 ("die Elster"), VIIC, 7.th Flotilla, St.Nazaire
Orders: Patrol ET54 / report weather

Back in St.Nazaire after a long trip to Freetown and back. The crew is happy to get a leave just for Christmas and New Year.

The patrol was a month of rotten weather, no escorts seen, 18000 GRT, 35 % fuel left.

On the 5th of December at grid ET54 we met an escortless convoy with 2 American, one Mexican and one British ship. The only armed ship on the convoy was an American Liberty frachter with 2 heavy guns and 4 Flak Guns. One G7a shot against the British Alter Passagiersschiff and eventually sunk by gunfire. I was afraid that the American ship would fire at us when we surfaced just 3500 meters from them to finish the Alter Passagiersschiff, but they decided to follow their orders and stay neutral while we sunk the British ship. After a couple of days we got a radio message informing about war between us and the Americans. Next time we meet there'll be no hesitations - it's us or them.

One airplane sighted near Freetown, we dived to 50 meters and there was a sound of bombs hitting water, nowhere close to us.

VONHARRIS

04-23-11, 03:49 AM

Patrol No 12
September 22 1941
09:01 hours
Left Lorient to patrol Grid BE86

October 8 1941 Grid AM52
02:19 hours Medium merchant 30 sunk with 2 torpedoes

October 9 1941 Grid AM1
convoy attack
10:30 hours Tanker 07 sunk direct hit and explosion
12:40 hours Tanker 07 sunk direct hit and explosion
14:12 hours Tanker CAM ship sunk with 4 torpedoes

October 10 1941 Grid AM51
U-505 is badly damaged by a Flower corvette. Both engines destroyed , periscopes destroyed.
Thanks to the assistance of U-122 (Kaleun Snestorm) U-505 managed to patch her engines and returned to Lorient.

October 12 1941 16:24 hours
Lorient
U-505 was declared a total loss and scuttled.
Kptltn vonHarris and all of his crew took the U-524 IXC Uboot.

Snestorm

04-24-11, 07:07 AM

Departed Lorient on 2.maj.41 for EJ84, and the Freetown - UK shipping lanes.
Returned to same on 6.jul.41.

Patrol results:
1 ship sunk for 2.343 GRT.

U122's history to date:
5 war patrols between 2.maj.40 and 6.jul.41.
21 ships sunk for 150.143 GRT.

VONHARRIS

04-25-11, 03:57 AM

Patrol No13 (contniue from U-505 same crew)

November 1 1941 00:40 hours
U-524 lest Lorient with orders to patrol grid DU41

December 3 1941 Grid BF14
Convoy attack
6 torpedoes fired 2 hits scored
03:53 hours Empire type freighter sunk
DCed for 1,5 hours. Light damages

December 4 1941 Grid BF11
03:29 hours Unescorted and unarmed coastal freighter sunk by gunfire

11:46 hours Medium merchant 04 sunk by 3 torpedoes

December 10 1941 Grid AM52
01:41 hours Empire-type freighter sunk by 2 torpedoes

December 17 1941 Grid BE36
13:23 hours Medium cargo sunk by 2 torpedoes

December 21 1941 Grid BE36
19:16 hours Large troop ship sunk by 4 torpedoes

December 22 1941 Grid BE36
00:31 hours Engaged by enemy plane on the surface in bad weather. Direct bomb hit aft. Damages to engines and propellers. Possible hull breech.
02:16 hours Damages repaired and started return passage to Lorient on the surface. Unable to dive

December 24 1941 05:25 hours
Docked at Lorient
6 ships sunk
50474 tons
538 men killed
54 days at sea

IX2 turm installed
Alberich sonar coating installed

December 25 1941
Lorient
At a city bar
Kaleuns Snestorm and vonHarris have a friendly talk over a couple of fine german beers
It is now well known that the USA have joined the war.
vonHarris has requested to take part in Operation Drumbeat and this request has been approved: Next patrol grid CA73.

Osmium Steele

04-25-11, 12:14 PM

U-505 was declared a total loss and scuttled.

Boy, is the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry going to be disappointed. :wah:

fo3

04-25-11, 12:22 PM

Gave up on my career on a type II, not that great a shot, looking at 0 tons in patrol 10, (only normally got 4-10T in most missions), so did a suicide mission going into dundee on patrol 10 as I was sick of Keil and the type II and was going to go home empty handed for the second time.

Restarted in a VII, just finished first patrol and got 27000T, didn't get a chance to use the deck gun due to weather.
Found a convoy in the irish sea and had a few good shots and a hell of a time getting out being depth charged the entire way, then used the last two eels from the aft torpedo tube on a tanker off aberdeen on the way home.
Way more fun and opportunity in the VII, which is what I used last time I played SH3 four years ago.
Still rusty, and now have an inexperienced crew with not much qualification.

Snestorm

04-25-11, 08:56 PM

Next patrol grid CA73.[/COLOR][/FONT]

Chesapeake Bay???
Better you than me.

Missing Name

04-25-11, 09:12 PM

Reinstalling after a tragic modding accident.

Snestorm

04-25-11, 09:52 PM

Departed Lorient for the Freetown - UK shipping lanes on 31.aug.41.

19.sep.41
Grid DH18
At 2359 we recieved a radio dispatch:
"Convoy. DH42. NNE. 6 knots."
1 grid to the south. Go boat! Go!

4 hours and 33 minutes later we recieved a second dispatch, prior to exiting DH18:
"Convoy. DH19. NNE. 6 knots."
Easy find. Has to be DH197.
New course 090!

On 20 & 21 september numerious attack were carried out, resulting in the sinking of 4 ships, including 2 tankers.

The weather eventualy turned bad, and sunk more merchants and escorts than U122.
U122 vacated the area submerged, with the sounds of many sinking ships filling the hydrophone.

On 24.sep.41 U122 made a night surface attack, with her last 2 torpedoes on a C2 Cargo. After scoring 2 impacts the deck gun was immediatly employed. 3 hits were scored before our fire was answered with like. Crash dive! He had an open mount on the stern, believed to be a 6 inch gun. Within minutes of reaching 70 meters the ship was heard breaking up.

The patrol concluded with docking at Lorient, on 10.okt.41.
The Bay was transited submerged by day, and Ahead Standard by night.
No enemy surface or air assets were encountered, nor were any merchants, on the return trip.

Patrol results:
5 ships sunk for 44.152 GRT.
14 of 14 torpedoes expended.
Boat and crew healthy.

U122's history to date:
6 war patrols between 2.maj.40 and 10.okt.41.
26 ships sunk for 194.295 GRT.

U122 may be retired to a schoolboat status following her next patrol, should she survive.

This boats tonnage is way above my norm, and my expectations.
As much as I don't wish to climb into a IXC (I wanted to try for war's end in a IXB), she deserves to be retired in one piece if possible.

Oh well. One more patrol in my favorite, one way or the other, then on to a IXC.
BDU has spoken, and the matter is closed.

Snestorm

04-25-11, 09:54 PM

Reinstalling after a tragic modding accident.

Ouch!
That's got to hurt.

Fish In The Water

04-25-11, 11:01 PM

Reinstalling after a tragic modding accident.

Doesn't sound good, hope the re-install goes well! :sunny:

VONHARRIS

04-26-11, 02:09 AM

Fish In The Water

04-26-11, 02:50 AM

From today January 20 1942 U-524 is assumed lost with all hands.

Gone but not forgotten... :salute:

Snestorm

04-26-11, 02:55 AM

sublynx

04-26-11, 03:32 AM

March 1st 1942
Ob.Lt. z S. Erich Scheide
U-451 ("die Elster"), VIIC, 7.th Flotilla, St.Nazaire
Orders: Patrol AL15
Location: Grid AL1
Weather: 15m/s, mittlere sicht

We just received a message saying that Vonharris's U-524 is presumed lost after attacking a heavily escorted convoy. A gloomy mood in the boat.

We are at Grid AL1 shadowing a large convoy, but luckily there's only one Black Swan defending it. Still I managed to waste five torpedoes with only one Empire frachter sunk. Our next attack will be in day time so it will be easier to estimate TDC data. Very rough seas though.

We have a FuMo-29 on board now. Seems to be a very experimental thing, not much use and I think the radiomen are'nt too sure about how the machine works and will they be able to find anything with it. It would be better if it revolved and the range is only about 5 - 7 kilometers. Maybe we can use it as a range finder in fog. But only in airplane and destroyer free areas. And it doesn't seem to like waves hitting it, so we can't depend on it in rough weather. BDU must tell Speer and his scientists to make a much better version and fast.

fo3

04-26-11, 08:36 AM

From : Bdu
To : All uboots

From today January 20 1942 U-524 is assumed lost with all hands.
No contact was made for 2 days now
Last position was grid BE66
Last report was about attacking a heavily escorted convoy

A message from the future!?
But how?
It seems like it's going all "the final countdown" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Final_Countdown_(film)) out here, all going crazy.

VONHARRIS

04-26-11, 12:55 PM

Patrol No1 Shakedown
August 1 1939
07:37 hours
U-64 set out for her maiden voyage
Trials were carried out , crash dives simulated attacks on enemy ships and even a live torpedo launch(to the empty ocean) to check reloading times.

August 16 1939
10:19 U-64 docked to her home port in Wilhelmshaven after 16 days at sea.

Patrol No2
September 5 1939
15:19 hours
U-64 set for her first combat patrol to grid BF18

September 17 1939
12:30 hours Grid BF18
Coastal freighter sunk with torpedoes

September 23 1939
17:28 hours Grid BF18
Medium merchant 04 sunk by gunfire

September 26 1939
05:30 hours Grid BF18
Medium merchant 30 hit by 2 torpedoes and finished off by gunfire

September 28 1939
16:17 hours Grid BF14
Medium merchant 39 sunk by 3 torpedoes

October 1 1939
Grid BF17
Convoy attack
02:11 hours Medium merchant 17 sunk by 2 stern torpedoes
02:15 hours Armed merchant cruiser sunk by 2 bow torpedoes
02:16 hours Heavy merchant sunk by 2 bow torpedoes
Escorts pinged the boat twicw but no DCs were dropped.
Escaped at 120m at 1kt
Started return passage

October 4 1939
16:16 hours Grid AM52
Medium merchant 04 sunk with 3 bow torpedoes. 1 stern torpedo fired but it was a dud.

October 6 1939
07:52 hours. Enemy aircraft spotted. Crash dived and escaped unharmed.

October 11 1939
06:23 hours
U-64 docked at Wilhelmshaven
37 days at sea
9 ships sunk
53283 tons

VONHARRIS

04-26-11, 12:58 PM

A message from the future!?
But how?
It seems like it's going all "the final countdown" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Final_Countdown_(film)) out here, all going crazy.

What a target: the USS Nimitz!

Game: U-524 was lost during her 2nd (14th for the crew) patrol

Fish In The Water

04-26-11, 03:26 PM

We have a FuMo-29 on board now. Seems to be a very experimental thing... BDU must tell Speer and his scientists to make a much better version and fast.

Love the critique...

Very nice touch of realism. :up:

Salvadoreno

04-26-11, 06:06 PM

To: BdU
From: U-84
June 17th 1942

9002 Attacked konvoi SC-101 just northwest of Ireland. 2 premature, 1 miss, and 1 hit on a large tanker which blew up in a massive explosion. Avoided attempts at counter-attack

1030 Clinging to konvoi, going to reengage at night.

1530 Forced down by a very tenacious DD who has taken a position far west of the konvoi in an effort to detect and force me down

1620 Lost contact with konvoi. DD still in area. Forced us down twice. Saw us from incredible ranges of 12000ms and farther. Request further investigation when return to base

1800 Regained contact with convoy northeast of Ireland. Going to risk an attack close to British mainland at night.

2320 Sunk another tanker and small merchant from the convoy. Escorts were taken completely by suprise and no counter-attack was established. Broke off contact in fear of fighter support

To: BdU
From: U-84

June 19th 1942
200kms west of Ireland

Status Report: Weather fair, moderate visibility. Crew in high spirits. Continuing to patrol konvoi routes as per BdU request. 2 Bow and 2 Stern torpedoes left. 2 Tankers and 2 Merchants sunk for a total of 27.000 tons. 3 confirmed from convoy SC-101.

To: BdU
From: U-84

June 20th 1942
600kms west of Ireland

2132 Southbound konvoi spotted// Light Escort and very large konvoi// Request additional boats// Will Shadow until further boats brought up// 2 Stragglers falling behind// 1 ship sinking on an even keel// Additional boats may already be in support//

sublynx

04-27-11, 12:46 AM

20.3.1942, 20:02
Ob.Lt. z S. Erich Scheide
U-451 ("die Elster"), VIIC, 7.th Flotilla, St.Nazaire
Orders: Patrol AL15
Location: Grid BF 41
Weather: 15m/s, cloudy, no rain, visibility 4 - 5 kilometers

In about five to six hours we'll be in position to intercept a reported inbound convoy in grid BF17. Even if we find it with no problems we only get one chance of attacking before the water starts getting shallower and the airplanes flying from England become a factor too. Ten torpedoes left, so I might risk attacking it multiple times anyway.

Yesterday we had a very encouraging success using the FuMo 29 in 4 - 5 kilometer visibility, 8m/s wind conditions. We found a contact with hydrophones and then located two ships with radar. We shadowed them out of sight in the fog for 15 minutes keeping radar contact. During that time we established their course with the radar and measured their speed (7 knots) by changing our speed so that the range shown on FuMo 29 didn't change. The 3:15 method was difficult to use, because there were two contacts to follow and the radar kept switching off now and then (waves kept hitting the radar). The ships were duly sunk and were kleiner frachters, about 2200 GRT both. Even though the ships were quite small the signature in the radar was absolutely clear.

With FuMo 29 onboard we managed to establish the enemy's course and speed reasonably fast and accurate. In this case there was no need for time consuming and often a bit inaccurate hydrophone bearings. With some practice I think the radiomen will be able to do the necessary range and speed finding in 5 - 10 minutes, maybe even less.The radiomen were happily informing me about contacts on the radar and are now on a jubilant mood! With the FuMo 29 they can really add to the punching power our boat carries, at least in these kind of conditions (foggy, not too stormy, no airplane risk, area checked by hydrophone).

gazpode_l

04-27-11, 03:47 AM

My current patrol - started on 24/7/1941
Ships sunk thus far: 3

Mission: Left new harbour of brest in July 1941. Patrol grid alloted was a distant grid somwhere within the NW quadrant of the "DT" grids west of africa.

A peaceful journey down was only interupted by an encounter with a small, solo merchant, which was despatched using 2 torpedoes (1 missed)

No further activity was to be the norm for the next week or so as I patrolled my grid and then headed away from my grid.

I briefly toyed with temptation to experiment with an operation around gibraltar, but was driven away by numerous air-attacks, one of which resulted in light damage to my pressure hull which was soon repaired.

The journey back to familiar waters around the UK was eventful and in squally seas I was able to dispatch a medium sized frieghter, although I was quite wasteful with my torpedoes and expended more than I had bargained for!

I later THOUGHT I had discovered a convoy, and was plotting my firing position quite nicely, but then as I got to within firing range, a quick look through the periscope had me cursing as I spotted the glaring navigation lights too-ing and fro-ing in the heavy sea!!!

deciding not to fire on a convoy which could possibly be neautral/friendly, I left them be and carried on northwards.

I then encountered a small steamer just SW of longships which I made a right meal of taking another two value-able torpedoes to sink it!

Onwards north still and into the bristol channel. We motored eastwards towards SW wales where I am plotting a look into a couple of the small harbours dotted along the south coast of wales.

Have thus far come under numerous air attacks and have been forced under on three separate occasions.

During one dive my hydroman managed to pickup a fient contact, more in the general direction of ireland. Course was changed and we headed towards the contact.

Soon the merchant contact was no longer being heard but a warship was spotted on the horizon heading in our general direction. Silent speed was ordered and we descended to a depth of 25m hoping the HUNT Class would pass over us without incident.....it DIDNT!!!!

We are now in a battle of cat & mouse and I am trying to evade the clutches of a very good adversary...currently sitting at around 100m trying to dodge the D/C he is throwing my way!

Thankfully no damages thus far from him.

W SUhr
Commander
U-93 (VIIc)
Essex Division
Based: Brest, France

VONHARRIS

04-27-11, 12:12 PM

Patrol No3
November 10 1939
06:03 hours U-64 set off for her 2nd war patrol

November 14 1939 Grid AN14
13:10 hours Large merchant sunk by 2 torpedoes

November 26 1939 Grid BF17
22:20 hours Medium merchant 38 sunk by gunfire in clear weather

November 27 1939 Grid BF17
00:51 hours Medium merchant 17 sunk by gunfire
01:21 hours Medium merchant 38 sunk by torpedoes

December 3 1939 Grid BE39
convoy attack
6 torpedoes fired 4 hits scored
00:09 hours Q ship sunk
00:10 hours Medium cargo sunk
00:10 hours Medium merchant 15 sunk
00:15 hours Ammunition ship missed
Escorts never knew what hit the convoy.

December 8 1939 Grid AM51
02:25 hours Tramp steamer sunk by gunfire in clear weather and calm seas

December 11 1939 Grid AM52
02:28 hours Small merchant sunk by torpedo

December 13 1939 Grid AM52
06:49 hours Small freighter sunk by torpedoes in heavy seas

December 15 1939 Grid AN11
01:37 hours Convoy repair ship sunk by 4 torpedeos

December 16 1939 Grid AN61
21:01 hours Medium merchant 39 sunk by gunfire - all torpedoes expended

December 17 1939
22:07 hours U-64 docked at home port
38 days at sea
12 ships sunk
50908 tons

unterseemann

04-28-11, 05:07 PM

8MAY1945

11:01 U-2541 received a message while transiting along the brasilian coasts

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b161/gneisenau/SH3Img28-4-2011_222117_265.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b161/gneisenau/SH3Img28-4-2011_22298_359.jpg

The war is over... Quite a strange feeling after all those years of fighting...
Our decision is made, we will surender to a neutral country. Our choice is the port of Natal in Brasil...

12MAY1945

15:10 Kptlt Rudolf Eickmeyer leaves U-2541 and meets William C.Hugues the USS Somers's captain

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b161/gneisenau/SH3Img28-4-2011_224612_421.jpg

This was the last patrol... It was a good one though

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b161/gneisenau/SH3Img28-4-2011_23320_390.jpg

Carreer total: 33 ships for 192.536 tons in 10 active patrols +1 shakedown cruise (242 days at sea) between 1-1-1944 and 12-05-1945

Post war: After the war Rudolf Eickmeyer salvaged sunken ships in the Rhine river. Later he worked in the shipbuilding industry. He died on 2 May 1993.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b161/gneisenau/SH3Img11-4-2011_105336_593.jpg

Fish In The Water

04-28-11, 05:11 PM

The war is over... Quite a strange feeling after all those years of fighting...

Congratulations on making it to the bitter end. Well done!! :salute:

Salvadoreno

04-28-11, 10:46 PM

U-84's kapitan had a certain sense of dread come over him, though it had been a time for celebration.

The crew was in a relaxed state. They were headed home through the North Atlantic. Their small VIIB had sailed to American waters and scored 3 times. 2 Large american cargos and 1 medium canadian cargo. On their way to American waters they ran into a convoy and sunk another 2 merchants. Totaling 5 ships for 36,810 GDT. As usual there had been a few predetonations and a misfire. But still a good score for U-84s second patrol.

Still U-84 has not felt the shake of a depth charge nor the rattle of aircraft gunfire. Yet streams of reports were coming in from BdU. This is what had been worrying U-84s kapitan.

To: U-84
From: BdU
August 14th 1942

We regret to inform that....

To: U-84
From BdU
August 16th

...Has not checked in. It is assumed lost with all hands...

To: U-84
From: BdU
August 20th

...sunk by Aircraft and destroyers....

To: U-84
From: BdU
August 25th

...Presumed lost while attacking Konvoi...

More and more of these transmissions were being sent to boats at sea. More and more boats were being lost in the Atlantic. Why had U-84 been so lucky? It was still happy times according to U-84 and her crew. Attacking convoys at night surfaced, avoiding the incompetent british. What had changed since June, the U-84s first patrol?

It was still a long way home for U-84, still on transit back to Brest. Hopefully it would be uneventful..

To: BdU
From: U-84
September 1st 1942

1030//About 2 days out from Brest// Will communicate when in range of escort//

To: BdU
From: U-84

300// Heavy rains have led to a safe passage into Brest// Last Comminque// U-84 Patrol 2 status 5 Merchants for 36,810 GDT//

Onkel Donitz greeted the commander of U-84 and promoted him Ober z. See. The bands were playing and the nurses throwing their flowers. U-84 flew proudly its tonnage flags. Still as the commander walked away from his VIIB, something was just not right.

The VIIB would return to the North Atlantic, where all those casualties had been reported.

Salvadoreno

04-28-11, 11:16 PM

8MAY1945

12MAY1945

15:10 Kptlt Rudolf Eickmeyer leaves U-2541 and meets William C.Hugues the USS Somers's captain

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b161/gneisenau/SH3Img28-4-2011_224612_421.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b161/gneisenau/SH3Img11-4-2011_105336_593.jpg

Is it possible to surrender? Or did that **** just keep firing at you?

unterseemann

04-29-11, 12:38 AM

It's not possible to surrender but i played it as if it was. The american destroyer never shot at me as war was over ( 12th of may 1945)
Thanks 'fish in the water'!

sublynx

04-29-11, 12:57 AM

Thanks for the report Unterseemann. Very nice reading about the end of the war. I can't really imagine peacetime right now, I'm playing a career in 1942 and there's still dozens of patrols waiting for me.

VONHARRIS

04-29-11, 03:04 AM

Patrol No 4

January 16 1940 22:58 hours
After a 1 month refit period U-64 set out to sea

January 19 1940 Grid AN48
17:56 hours Large merchant sunk in clear weather with 42 105mm rounds

January 22 1940 Grid AN13
03:10 hours Medium merchant 39 sunk in bad weather submerged attack with 2 stern torpedoes

January 25 1940 Grid AM52
19:48 hours Large merchant sunk in clear weather with 35 105mm rounds

February 5 1940 Grid AM52
08:39 hours Convoy repair ship sunk in stormy weather submerged attack with 2 bow torpedoes

18:46 hours Medium merchant 04 sunk in rainy weather submerged attack with 2 bow torpedoes

February 6 1940 Grid AM52
19:54 hours Emprire type freighter sunk in bad weather submerged attack 3 bow torpedoes + 4 stern torpedoes
She took 4 hours (game time) to sink. A trully "die hard" ship

February 8 1940 Grid AM52
20:45 hours Heavy merchant 01 sunk in clear weather with 37 105mm rounds

February 16 1940 Grid AN16
08:24 hours Large merchant sunk in clear weather with 27 105mm rounds

February 17 1940 Grid AN14
14:56 hours Small trawler sunk in clear weather with 80 20mm rounds

February 29 1940 Grid AM52
17:20 hours Empire type freighter sunk in calm seas submerged attack 3 bow torpedoes , finished off with 34 105mm rounds

March 7 1940 Grid AF77
05:55 hours Tugboat sunk in heavy seas submerged attack with 1 bow torpedo

March 13 1940
05:52 hours Docked at Wilhelmshaven
58 days at sea
70166 tos sunk
11 ships sunk

Fish In The Water

04-29-11, 04:25 AM

Thanks 'fish in the water'!

You're very welcome! :sunny:

Besides, it was well deserved...

Missing Name

04-30-11, 11:11 AM

I've been experimenting with my modding. To do so, I made a simple shooting gallery of various targets.

I have made some discoveries:
- 40 rounds of 2cm FlaK will destroy a tugboat.
- 1960 rounds of 2cm FlaK had no effect on a small merchant.
- It takes about 200 rounds of 3.7 cm AP to finish off said merchant, aiming all along the waterline.
- 100 rounds is sufficient to destroy an intermediate tanker, again aiming along and below the waterline.
- 4 simultaneous torpedo hits on an ammunition ship lags my computer due to the number of explosions that follows.
- On a perfectly clear day, the HMS Hood destroyed 2 Hipper class and 1 Deutschland cruisers while sustaining one light hit. They were steaming towards each other at 10 knots from 20 km away. The two Revenge class battleships accompanying the Hood didn't even notice there was a fight going on.
- The VIIC/41 went to 262 meters before taking slight damage. By that, I mean it was at 99% integrity.

VONHARRIS

05-01-11, 05:03 AM

March 11 1940
Wilhelmshaven
Transfer order:
Kptltnt vonHarris and the crew of U-64 are to commision the U-518 IXC type Uboot.

April 12 1940
05:15 hours
U-518 set for her maiden patrol (5th for the crew)

April 30 1940 Grid CG87
Convoy attack in bad weather
6 torpedoes fired 4 hits scored
22:27 hours Southampton class CL sunk 2 bow torpedoes
22:41 hours Medium merchant 03 sunk 1 bow torpedo
22:41 hours Heavy merchant 01 sunk 1 bow torpedo

May 3 1940 Grid CG98
Two ship convoy no escorts clear weather calm seas
07:52 hours Armed convoy repair ship sunk 2 bow torpedoes
07:55 hours Medium merchant 39 with 23 105mm rounds

May 4 1940 Grid CG94
04:12 hours Medium merchant 04 sunk 15 105mm rounds
07:26 hours Qship sunk 11 105mm rounds No return fire

May 5 1940 Grid CG95
16:39 hours Small merchant sunk with 10 105mm rounds

May 7 1940 Grid CG95
Two ship convoy escorted by armed trawler clear weather calm seas
Spotted while on the surface closing in.
The trawler opened fire first
Submerged
09:08 hours Armed trawler sunk with 2 bow torpedoes
09:14 hours Tramp steamer sunk 17 105mm rounds
09:17 hours Medium cargo sunk 30 105mm rounds

May 8 1940 Grid CG95
Convoy attack bad weather rain medium visibility
6 torpedoes fired 5 hits scored no ships sunk
Reloaded stern tubes and attack again at stationary target when the rest of the convoy had gone
10:20 hours Heavy merchant 01 sunk 1 bow + 3 stern torpedoes

Two ship convoy escorted by armed trawler
Submerged attack
22:05 hours Tramp steamer sunk 1 bow torpedo
22:05 hours Small freighter sunk 1 bow torpedo
Escaped submerged

May 21 1940
13:27 hours
Docked at Wilhelmshaven
14 ships sunk
63282 tons
40 days at sea

sublynx

05-02-11, 02:35 AM

March 1942
Ob.Lt. z S. Erich Scheide
U-451 ("die Elster"), VIIC, 7.th Flotilla, St.Nazaire
New orders: Shadow/attack convoy
Location: Grid BF 41
Weather: 8m/s, clear, no rain, visibility 9 - 11 kilometers

Shadowing an outbound convoy of 5 - 6 escorts and 21 - 22 merchants. The convoy's course is 235, speed 8 knots. The convoy seems to have one escort in front, one in back, two on the left flank and at least one escort on the right flank. There are at least three 10 000 BRT ships on the convoy. The escorts haven't been leaving their guard sites. Either they don't have radar or they keep their posts even if they get a radar signal. The visibility is good, so we would have noticed if they had tried to chase us.

My two attacks at daytime at PD from the left flank were detected by the two flank guards and I had to evade. One depth charge attack shook the boat very violently but apparently there was no damage to the boat.

One daylight attack at PD from the front was successful. One 10 000 BRT grosses frachtschiff (AOB 90, 1100m), one 8990 BRT tanker (AOB 75, 1700m) and one kleiner frachter sunk. Only the first ship was a sure shot, the tanker I misidentied and the kleiner frachter was unlucky enough to hit an aft shot torpedo that missed it's intended target. Five G7e's and two G7a's left. Escaped amidst the convoy at A+70, making mostly 2 knots, mostly straight ahead and away from the convoy's body. It seems only one escort closed in to really try to hunt us. Avoiding the hunter we got 5 -6 pings from the rear guard, before turning slightly towards him. No DC's anywhere close.

Before spotting this convoy we hunted in grids BF 16, BF 24 and BF 19. These grids were patrolled by lone escorts and a group of 3 destroyers. No aircraft sightings. Managed to sunk a mittleres frachter by torpedoes and a trawler by FlaK guns.

In those grids it's better to leave sinking sites quickly, as the destroyers patrolling the area will come and try to find the attacker. Managed to evade at periscope depth, but had to be quick about it. Having two FlaK guns on our boat made the sinking of the trawler quicker but it is questionable if giving away the boat's presence and location for attacking such a small ship is worth it. The enemy will try to find you and might divert their shipping to a safer route.

Missing Name

05-02-11, 08:19 AM

September 1939.
Lt. z S. Wolfgang Grimm.
U-36, a Type VIIB out of Wilhelmshaven.

Within moments of war being declared, I started finding targets. Which was largely due to the fact that I was passing by Dover at the time and took a look.

At Dover:
- 3 small tankers, 5 smaller merchants, 1 Town class cruiser, 1 troop transport, 1 floating dock and 1 motor boat. Weather (and the harbor guard) were poor enough to permit surfacing and using the deck gun.

In the Channel, on my way to my patrol grid:
- 3 small merchants, 1 medium merchant and 1 large merchant.

A convoy I literally ran into in stormy weather:
- 1 ore carrier, 2 large merchants, 1 old Revenge-class battleship.

On the way back:
- 1 coal barge.

Discounting the dock, that's about 123k tons of various types there.

Snestorm

05-02-11, 06:32 PM

8MAY1945

11:01 U-2541 received a message while transiting along the brasilian coasts . . .

12MAY1945

15:10 Kptlt Rudolf Eickmeyer leaves U-2541 and meets William C.Hugues the USS Somers's captain

This was the last patrol... It was a good one though

Carreer total: 33 ships for 192.536 tons in 10 active patrols +1 shakedown cruise (242 days at sea) between 1-1-1944 and 12-05-1945

Outstanding! Well done.

Snestorm

05-02-11, 06:40 PM

I'm playing a career in 1942 and there's still dozens of patrols waiting for me.

We hope.

Snestorm

05-02-11, 07:54 PM

5.dec.41 to 20.feb.42

Began the patrol along the Freetown - UK shipping lanes (What else is new?).
Upon completion was redispatched to the NW Atlantic.

1 convoy engaged, consisting of CA 24 merchants, and 5 escorts.
4 attacks were made, resulting in the sinking of 3 merchants for 17.103 GRT.

Although the weather was Clear & Calm, and the escorts were all "Elite", U122 remained undetected. In the escorts favor, they did keep us from getting near "The Queen Of The Convoy" (A T2 Tanker).

With the completion of this patrol U122 will be retired as a front boat, and begin a school boat carreer. Her history to date is:
7 war patrols, with 29 merchants sunk, for 211.398 GRT.

(The final tonnage count would have been historicaly good, had it taken a few more patrols. Guess I'll have to make sinkings a-little harder in the next campaign's early years.)

U159 IXC will begin her maiden voyage, to Cape Haterus (USA), in april of '42.

sublynx

05-03-11, 01:04 AM

March 1942
Ob.Lt. z S. Erich Scheide
U-451 ("die Elster"), VIIC, 7.th Flotilla, St.Nazaire

A successful 44000 BRT patrol behind, most of the crew now on leave visiting their loved ones back in Germany.

I'm very happy that the boat is now being fitted with a launcher for small metal canisters filled with calcium hydride, nicknamed BOLD. The contraption is used to launch decoys when submerged. The escorts should start following the decoy and not our boat. We really need something to fool them, since the enemy's location capabilities seems to be getting better. The escorts detected our boat at periscope depth in two out of four attacks against our last target. My fellow Kaleuns have had good experiences with this new BOLD invention. Maybe with the help of it, we'll be alive to see the day this war ends.

On our last patrol, the enemy's escorts seemed to stay at a maximum distance of 2000 meters from the convoy in daytime and in good visibility. During nighttime we were twice forced to evade a lone destroyer. My estimation is that the destroyer was at least 5000 meters from the convoy. I am not sure of my estimation however. It might have been us being closer to the convoy than thought or the enemy sending one of the escorts to try to find us in worse visibility conditions. Thankfully the bridge crew were very vigilant, but we have to keep our eyes open when a convoy is near. After the sightings I changed the distance of following the convoy from about 10 kilometers to a distance of 20 kilometers and there were no sudden destroyer sightings after that.

Snestorm

05-04-11, 02:42 AM

Underway 17.apr.42.
BDU changed the patrol area from Cape Haterus, to the Freetown lanes.

Encountered 3 armed merchants.
3 torpedoes fired at lead ship (C2 Cargo).
2 hits scored with no apparent effect.
A fourth torpedo was wasted attempting to hit a second target. Miss.
Persuit was not possible, due to aircraft.

A convoy was encountered, and engaged via a moonlit submerged attack at dawn.
Weather was Calm & Clear.
A position was obtained just off the convoy's starboard side.
There initialy appeared to be only 2 destroyers as escorts (Fore and Aft).
3 G7E torpedoes were fired, scoring 2 hits, and sinking a T3 Tanker for 11.654 GRT.

U159 crawled down to 98 meters, at silent speed, evading detection for a prolonged period.

Then it happened!
3 more escorts showed up, from I don't know where, and detected us.
Ping, ping, ping. Tommy got his new ears, and they work well.
Down we crawled to 165 meters (max depth is unmodded).

For the next 2 hours we were haunted, taunted, kicked, and beaten.
Aft diving planes were destroyed, and the DC guys were kept busy throughout.
Decoys were eventualy depleted. I have no idé if they helped, but they sure didn't hurt.

U159 pulled into Lorient with the aft diving planes destroyed, and 2 piles of scrap that had been the flak and deck guns. Surprisingly the hull was not weakened through the ordeal. Guess we don't get any ekstra days off for repairs. 7 of 14 torpedoes were expended.

Things are getting rough now. Hope we make it.

sublynx

05-04-11, 03:53 AM

3 more escorts showed up, from I don't know where, and detected us. --- Things are getting rough now. Hope we make it.

This sounds really bad, more escorts (and apparently of a higher skill level) suddenly appearing and joining the fight. Thanks for the warning and I'm glad you escaped!

Snestorm

05-04-11, 04:19 AM

This sounds really bad, more escorts (and apparently of a higher skill level) suddenly appearing and joining the fight. Thanks for the warning and I'm glad you escaped!

I've got all the warships modded to CrewRating 4 ("Elite") right from war's start, but now they've got the equipment to match their skill.

Thanks for the kind words.
Checking the dates, your VIIC and my IXC seem to be in this thing together.
I hope we both make it to war's end this time. Could be realy interesting to watch the 2 types progress through the same time periods.

sublynx

05-04-11, 04:46 AM

Checking the dates, your VIIC and my IXC seem to be in this thing together.
I hope we both make it to war's end this time. Could be realy interesting to watch the 2 types progress through the same time periods.

I noticed that too and had the same idea in my mind:hmmm:. I seem to be one and a half month behind you so I'll use SH3Commander at a convenient point to fast forward a week or two, so we'll be even closer timewise.

I have realistic career length on, so my career as Erich Scheide probably ends in 7 - 8 patrols (or sooner, if the enemy gets me before :dead:). But I do intend to continue with a new career with a VII -type sub starting from the month Scheide's career ends.

It would be very cool to have another skipper facing the same kind of environment my current Kaleun is. We could change experiences in the bar room after the patrols, and one day maybe even having a drink to celebrate surviving the war :()1:

unterseemann

05-04-11, 07:05 AM

This is a little sum-up of my carreer.

From sep'39 to may'45 I played with 7 kaleuns ( realistic carreer length)

Sep 39 to May 40:
Kptlt Heinrich Stolz
U-15 (IIA): 4 patrols 62 days at sea, 7 ships for 26.855 tons
U-53 (VIIB): 2 patrols 49 days at sea, 9 ships for 45.620 tons

Dismissed for having sunk a KM commerce raider...

May 40 to May 40:
Kptlt Ernst Bachmann ( former 1st WO)
U-53 ( VIIB): 1 patrol 1 day at sea, 0 ship

Lost with all hands near Heligoland ( british minefield)

Jun 40 to Jun 40:
Kptlt Wilhelm Bauer
U-48 ( VIIB): 1 patrol 13 days at sea, 2 ships for 2410 tons

Forced to surrender after heavy damages in celtic sea. POW

Jul 40 to Feb 42:
Kptlt Konrad Tietz
U-46 ( VIIB): 7 patrols 167 days at sea, 39 ships for 233452 tons
U-125 (IXC): 3 patrols for 148 days at sea, 23 ships for 150428 tons

In March 42 Tietz became commander of the 2nd flotilla in Lorient.

Mar 42 to Nov 43:
Kptlt Dieter Haguenau ( former Tietz' 1st WO)
U-125 (IXC): 10 patrols 341 days at sea, 53 ships for 301379 tons

Forced to surrender after heavy damages on his last patrol. POW

Nov 43 to Dec 43:
Kptlt Karl Schenk
U-702 (VIIC): 2 patrols 37 days at sea, 8 ships for 43541 tons

Lost with all hands in BE35 by escorts from HX convoy.

Jan 44 to May 45:
Kptlt Rudolf Eickmeyer
U-151 (IID): 4 patrols 57 days at sea, 12 ships for 55672 tons
U-1193 (VIIC): 2 patrols 69 days at sea, 5 ships for 34026 tons
U-2541 (XXI): 4 patrols 113 days at sea, 16 ships for 102838 tons

Total:

2 kaleuns lost, 2 POW, 1 dismissed, 2 survived

174 ships sunk (161/13) for 996.221 tons
1041 days at sea

1939: 5 ships
1940: 36 ships
1941: 39 ships
1942: 33 ships
1943: 22 ships
1944: 18 ships
1945: 15 ships

VONHARRIS

05-05-11, 12:17 AM

Sep 39 to May 40:
Kptlt Heinrich Stolz
U-15 (IIA): 4 patrols 62 days at sea, 7 ships for 26.855 tons
U-53 (VIIB): 2 patrols 49 days at sea, 9 ships for 45.620 tons

Dismissed for having sunk a KM commerce raider...

Dismissed is an understatement in this case.
He should have been shot on sight or even better sent to the Eastern front to meet his doom there!

Congartulations on seeing the end of the war.

Salvadoreno

05-05-11, 12:31 AM

VONHARRIS

05-05-11, 12:39 AM

Patrol No 2 (6th for the crew)
June 20 1940
11:33 hours
U-518 set out to sea.
Destination : Grid AL 11

June 25 1940 Grid AN14
05:37 hours A swordfish poped out of nowhere and attacked. The 20mm flak took care of this "minor" issue.
08:08 hours A second one came to finish the job. Again my flak gunner shot it down. He is to be promoted and decorated after those succeses.

July 7 1940 Grid AL11
18:21 Twin engined bomber shot down (Hudson)
21:07 An other air attack. This time U-518 crash dived but a lucky bomb exploded next to the forward deck. Flooding and damages to the bow torpedo room ,quarters and batteries. Fortunately the plane did not return.
Flooding and damages were taken care of , but the LI estimated that U-518 couldn't dive below 90 - 100m.

July 18 1940 Grid AM52
Two ship convoy attack in very bad weather
19:47 hours Empire type freighter sunk 2 bow + 2 stern torpedoes
20:07 hours Ore carrier sunk in a huge explosion 2 bow torpedoes

July 20 1940 Grid AM51
10:25 hours Great lakes freighter sunk with 1 bow torpedo

July 23 1940 Grid AM29
Convoy attack 4 bow torpedoes fired 2 hits scored
14:47 Small merchant sunk by 1 bow torpedo

Finally we had a break in the storms that were hitting us from the beginning of the patrol.
External torpedeos moved in and loaded with no problem.

July 28 1940 Grid AL38
Convoy attack.
This time the standard procedure was ignored. U-518 managed to penetrate the destroyer screen and attacked at close range
6 torpedoes fired 6 hits scored
02:20 hours Turbine tanker T-2 sunk by 2 bow torpedoes
02:23 hours Medium merchant 04 sunk by 2 stern torpedoes
Whale factory ship hit by 2 bow torpedeos but she survived
The enemy pinged us twice but no DCs were dropped.

August 4 1940
16:42 hours U-518 docked at Wilhelmshaven Germany
Hull intergity was 70%
6 ships sunk
35803 tons
3 aircrafts shot down
46 days at sea.
New base : Lorient France.

sublynx

05-05-11, 02:22 AM

I have a weird problem. Ive been hunted by a single DD for over 10 1/2 hours gametime 3 hours realtime!!!! It ran out of depth charges, but consistently locks on me with pings and just passes overhead not dropping depth charges. I think its a bug because its running a pretty consistent pattern. I cannot get away because of the constant contact i have silent running, been doing EVERYTHING but still constant contacty. The damN DD needs to go back to the convoy it was protecting. Or at least call in another hunter killer group.

I guess you don't have any torpedoes left? If you have one left and he doesn't have depth charges, just sink the bastard.

Another trick might be just making your way away from the convoy at 1 knots. Given 12 hours or whatnot, it might eventually decide to join the convoy it should be protecting.

If it's a bug you're pretty much screwed, I think, so maybe you could even try saving when the other contacts are gone. If it happens to reload, the destroyer's routines are might be calculated again. But first I would really just keep on trying to lose him from your track until you absolutely need to surface.

sublynx

05-05-11, 02:41 AM

29.3.1942
Ob.Lt. z S. Erich Scheide
U-451 ("die Elster"), VIIC, 7.th Flotilla, St.Nazaire
Orders: Patrol AL15
Location: Grid BE66
Weather: 0m/s, clear, no rain, visibility 11-13 kilometers

Raid on St.Nazaire. The start of the patrol was peaceful, no ships or aircraft sighted. However we just got a radio message from BDU, that that the British have made a raid at St.Nazaire. We were very lucky we sailed just a couple of days before the raid. It would have been no good facing a destroyer screen and probably air cover as well, in the shallow waters near the port.

Testing BOLD. During the trip I made two test runs with the new Bold canister we now have in our boat. The canister is active for a period of five minutes and seems to sink about 13 meters during the time it’s active. The canister could be seen from the periscope quite nicely when launched at periscope depth. In five minutes of silent running at 2 knots I can only advance 300 meters, so I think it would be better to launch the canister at flank speed, then return to silent running, change course and dive about 20 meters deeper.

Action report. Tried to intercept a reported convoy, but estimated it’s position just out of reach of our G7e torpedoes. Course 235, speed 8 knots., BE66. Four escorts one on each side. Found a Black Swan trailing the convoy, making 2 knots, heavily damaged by something. Sunk it with one torpedo. The ship noticed our periscope and shot at it, but luckily they fired too soon and too inaccurate to make me pay for my mistake. Surfaced and noticed an inbound Liberty frachter. Simultaneously we noticed two ships making their way north. Estimated their course while simultaneously attacking the Liberty frachter. The first torpedo destroyed the engine room, stopped it, but didn’t sink it. Two next ones were duds (shot at a bad angle) The fourth one worked (AOB still 0, but torpedo set to magnetic and depth setting 10 meters). Raced to intercept the two unknown ships and managed to sink them – a walfabriksschiff and an alter kleiner frachter. An extremely busy day from about 0300 to 1200, contacts here and there. There were even some dolphin sounds on the hydrophone!

Situation report. We got another radio report informing us that the convoy we tried to attack is now heading south. There’s five torpedoes left and we are now chasing the convoy – I'd rather face a weakly defended convoy than patrolling our assigned grid AL15 which is protected by airplanes flying from Iceland.

Salvadoreno

05-05-11, 03:08 AM

I guess you don't have any torpedoes left? If you have one left and he doesn't have depth charges, just sink the bastard.

Another trick might be just making your way away from the convoy at 1 knots. Given 12 hours or whatnot, it might eventually decide to join the convoy it should be protecting.

If it's a bug you're pretty much screwed, I think, so maybe you could even try saving when the other contacts are gone. If it happens to reload, the destroyer's routines are might be calculated again. But first I would really just keep on trying to lose him from your track until you absolutely need to surface.

He damaged me pretty bad. All tubes destroyed, Hydrophones damaged and will take hours to fix. :(. THe convoy is long gone i have been trying to crawl to a shallow depth to sit and make repairs. All i wanna do is make it home. I reloaded but the pattern still persists. Never seen a bug like that.

However i will try 1 knot, see if he hears that.

I may have just ran into an "elite" destroyer. I keep thinking he is bringing up a hunter killer group, i hope not, because i am blind underwater! I did notice that numeours aircraft have arrived and patroled around the area. Dropping Depth charges (i am assuming where the DD directs them), then taking off. But i think if he called up a Killer group it would have came already. Maybe its the HMS Starling :ping:. :O: Lets hope not

sublynx

05-05-11, 03:27 AM

Maybe its the HMS Starling :ping:.

If it is, you might end up having to either join the list of sunken U-boats by HMS Starling or to surrender.

If it is a bug, another thing you could try would be to surface and dive again as soon as possible - in hope that the bug routine interrupts that way.

There's always the possibility of trying to hit in a gun battle with the deck gun. Maybe you get lucky and damage it's sound locating capabilities and manage to dive back to safety before he gets your boat too damaged.

Good luck to you!

P.S. Oh this came to my mind too, you had the game on time compression during the destroyer tracking you. I think this might be a factor in him reacquiring you pretty clearly. Try not using any time compression. He doesn't have any depth charges, so you can leave him circling for around you for some hours in real time, get a snack or a break, come back and try to shake him off again.

Hondo314

05-05-11, 08:05 AM

I'm at the end of 1940, trying to camp out in the western approaches and harass convoys as much as possible. I got pretty comfortable with manual TDC on single merchants before taking a break, now it's time to climb the learning curve again.:know:

VONHARRIS

05-05-11, 12:37 PM

Patrol No3 (7th for the crew)
August 5 1940
21:41 hours
U-518 set out to sea with orders to patrol grid AL22 and return to Lorient

August 10 1940 Grid AN14
04:45 hours Small merchant sunk by 5 105mm rounds
Before she went down she called for help and a V&W destroyer showed up. A misjudge in the DDs course put U-518 in danger.
The first two DC attacks either missed or were avoided.
In his third run the DD scored a hit may be direct but sure a very close miss. Bow planes destroyed , hydrophones out of action and the port propeller damaged beyond repair. Flooding was controlled and U-518 was able to maitain depth at 68m at 1 kts despite the attacks.
For 10-11 hours game time (I don't know in real time) U-518 was trying to shake the DD off. He must have run out of charges since no more attacks were pressed.
As we couldn't hear a thing we continued straight at 1kt maintaining depth.
At that point we blew ballast and came to the surface. He was gone. U-518 was unable to dive any more.
Desicion : Return to Wilhelmshaven

18:15 hours Small trawler sunk with 13 105mm rounds targeted at long range.

August 12 1940
14:38 Docked at Wilhelmshaven with 68% hull intergity.
2 ships sunk
2494 tons

We survived this time.

Fish In The Water

05-05-11, 05:37 PM

Took a long break, trying to kick the rust off

Welcome back kaleun, and good hunting! :arrgh!:

Gerald

05-05-11, 06:30 PM

Snestorm

05-05-11, 10:50 PM

Snestorm

05-05-11, 11:16 PM

I noticed that too and had the same idea in my mind:hmmm:. I seem to be one and a half month behind you so I'll use SH3Commander at a convenient point to fast forward a week or two, so we'll be even closer timewise.

I have realistic career length on, so my career as Erich Scheide probably ends in 7 - 8 patrols (or sooner, if the enemy gets me before :dead:). But I do intend to continue with a new career with a VII -type sub starting from the month Scheide's career ends.

It would be very cool to have another skipper facing the same kind of environment my current Kaleun is. We could change experiences in the bar room after the patrols, and one day maybe even having a drink to celebrate surviving the war :()1:

Hmmm. Guess they'll have to kill me first.
You won't be able to catch up to the dates any other way (unless we both survive). My IXC goes out for longer periods of time than your VIIC, and we consistently get 56 days in port between patrols.

Don't use Commander but, I run Boat Careers instead of Kaleun Careers. If one gets too many patrols, or has tonnage that's beginning to go beyond historicaly acceptable numbers, they get retired into school-boat status. (It only hurts when I have to retire a IXB, and climb into a IXC.)

Snestorm

05-05-11, 11:48 PM

Underway from Lorient on 28.jul.42.
Bound for patrol grid DC71, 150 miles W of Florida, USA.

Everything was going well until we got to DC67, on 27.aug.42.
It would seem that U159 is much more popular with american flyers, than with the RAF. They just couldn't wait to meet her, and shower her with gifts. By patrol's end the the Aircraft Alarm Game score will be USA 7 - England 1.

Did our grid without reward. No surface contacts, at all. We then worked our way northward, deciding on the scenic route, in search of targets.

U159 was finaly introduced to a whole convoy full of eligable merchants, BY ONE OF THE ESCORTS. He didn't make the introduction until after he tryed shooting her, and then drowning her. Both attemps failed, but not without "injuries" (damage).

U159 made her way home, and was again assaulted in The Bay, by an RAF pilot.

She docked on 17.okt.42 with 0 ships sunk, 20% Fuel Reserves, and 75% Hull Integrity.

U159's history to date:
2 war patrols completed between 11.apr.42 and 17.okt.42.
1 ship sunk for 11.654 GRT.

Snestorm

05-05-11, 11:58 PM

August 12 1940
14:38 Docked at Wilhelmshaven with 68% hull intergity.
2 ships sunk
2494 tons

We survived this time.

Glad you survived it.
They beat up my girl on her last patrol too.
She too headed for home, but empty handed.

sublynx

05-06-11, 12:00 AM

We survived this time.

Quite a patrol. It must have been a nervecracking experience. And then back to port with a sub that can't dive! Excellent:salute:

My IXC goes out for longer periods of time than your VIIC, and we consistently get 56 days in port between patrols.

Oh I see the problem. With different boats, you have really long patrols and rest periods and my patrols are often really short - on the last one I bumped into heavy traffic at BE66 and a convoy and was out of torpedoes in three days of action. The patrol lasted only something like 10 - 12 days. If the need arises, I'll adjust the time period when SH3Commander retires my current Kaleun.

Snestorm

05-06-11, 12:21 AM

Oh I see the problem. With different boats, you have really long patrols and rest periods and my patrols are often really short - on the last one I bumped into heavy traffic at BE66 and a convoy and was out of torpedoes in three days of action. The patrol lasted only something like 10 - 12 days. If the need arises, I'll adjust the time period when SH3Commander retires my current Kaleun.

Cool.
You'll probably score alot higher tonnage than I do.

sublynx

05-06-11, 01:33 AM

Cool.
You'll probably score alot higher tonnage than I do.

I think having GWX's 16 km visibility mod, Raduz's hydrophone mod and noticing glitches in the time compression makes it a little too easy finding ships. It would be nicer and more realistic to have longer patrols and less contacts. I think I might make some experiments with a schedule of regular checks with the hydrophone and just ignore the glitches in TC and only accept hydrophone contacs farther away than 20 kilometers if the sounds come from a convoy and not a single ship.

VONHARRIS

05-06-11, 07:09 AM

Patrol No 4 (8th for the crew)
September 15 1940
20:29 hours
U-518 left Wilhelmshaven with orders to patrol ET17 in Freetown and return to Lorient

September 25 1940 Grid AM76
13:05 hours Coastal freighter sunk with 1 stern torpedo

October 16 1940 Grid ET28
2 ship convoy
02:43 hours Q-ship sunk with 1 bow torpedo
03:05 hours Emprire type freighter sunk by 1 bow + 1 stern torpedoes

Convoy attack
Escorts : 1 Flower 1 Black swan 1 armed merchant cruiser
Penetrated escort screen (easily this time) and attacked at close range
6 torpedoes fired 3 hits scored
14:40 hours Small freighter sunk by 1 stern torpedo
14:42 hours Medium merchant 03 sunk by 1 bow torpedo
14:43 hours Heavy merchant 01 sunk by 1 bow torpedo after massive secondary explosions
Armed merchant cruiser missed twice by 2 bow torpedoes and 1 stern torpedo.
Escaped undamaged

November 8 1940 grid CG95
19:56 hours Armed convoy repair ship sunk with 2 bow + 2 stern torpedoes (1 stern torp was a dud)

November 9 1940 grid CG95
17:06 Aircraft attack, it came out of the sun and it was spotted when it was too late to dive. A duel begun in the calm seas: My flak gunner drove him away twice but round 3 was his : Very close miss on the std side with two bombs resulted in a destroyed diesel and the IWO and flak gunner dead by splinters. U-518 was unable to dive deep , only until periscope depth was safe.
But neither the pilot lived to tell the tale. His plane crashed due the AA fire.
Desicion : Return to Lorient following the coastline

November 10 1940 grid CG95
03:32 hours Spotted emprire type freighter : She was armed with a 3 inch stern mounted gun.
Submerged torpedo attack
The ***** took 4 torpedoes and sat on the water with no sign of listing or fire.
When tube No1 was reloaded (it looked like it took for ages staying submerged) it was fired against her. She was still there, so I decided to finish her off by gunfire - maybe not a wise move.
Range was 2500m and she took 17 105mm rounds to die. Her gunners managed to fire two rounds which led to the desicion never to engange am armed merchant again like this.

07:44 hours grid CG94
Granville type sunk by 27 105mm rounds

08:34 hours grid CG94
Medium merchant 04 sunk by 32 105mm rounds

20:38 hours grid CG85
Medium merchant 17 sunk by 19 105mm rounds
A full day of action for the the deck gun crew.

November 15 1940
06:36 hours U-518 reached Lorient with no more incidents.
62 days at sea
11 ships sunk
52498 tons
1 aircraft shot down

2 men dead

Osmium Steele

05-06-11, 09:15 AM

My dear Mr. and Mrs. Kreutz,

My name is Oberleutnant s. Z. Heinz Ehlers. I had the honor of serving eleven war patrols as your son Wilhelm's commanding officer aboard two ships, U-46 and U-109.

The Kreigsmarine has already informed you of the fact of your son's death, and I would not presume to tell you of exemplary young man you knew for 17 years, but if you will indulge me, I feel an obligation to tell you of one of the finest young sailors it has ever been my priviledge to know, and what I am able of the circumstances surrounding his loss.

I first met Wilhelm in July 1939, when he was assigned to my new command, U-46. On his very first patrol, it became apparent he knew more about the operation and repair of diesel engines; in fact, all things mechanical, than anyone aboard with the possible exception of his Chief Engineer. Skills, I understand, he acquired working alongside his father at the Dusseldorf Locomotive Works.

He was a young man of exemplary character, quick wit, and was well liked by his shipmates, and highly respected by his officers. He was promoted as quickly as I could manage, commensurate with his abilites.

When I was transferred to a new command, U-109, Willy and his closest friend, Waldemar Forster, whom I understand you have met, requested transfer to U-109 as well, by-passing a chance for promotion to Bootsman. I was honored to have them both. Please know that your son was instrumental in the training of the new, young crew of U-109. I relied heavily upon him, and he never once let me, or his crewmates down.

On the night of 13 February, 1941, we had just completed an attack very near the african coast during a violent storm, confident that we could escape the patrol boats in the reduced visibility as we had so many times before.

Thirty minutes after the attack, two British destroyers converged on our position and opened fire simultaneously. Wilhelm was at his station in the engine room, both engines running at their highest revolutions. The opening salvo struck the hull outside the engine room. From what I have learned, two of the starboard engine's mounts were severed, resulting in the destruction of the engine, and a considerable amount of shrapnel in the engine room. Wilhelm, his friend Waldemar, and a new shipmate Hugo Rausch were killed.

I assure you, Wilhem did not suffer.

We eventually evaded our pursuers. When we were able to surface, a brief service was held, and the bodies of our brothers were commended to the sea, as their souls were commended into the safekeeping of our Lord and Savior. I performed the service myself.

Wilhelm always carried in his trousers a silver pocket watch, a gift from his father he told me, as well as a picture of his mother in his front shirt pocket. These items, and his Saint Nicholas necklace, were buried with him. This letter should reach you with the remainder of his personal effects.

I was very fond of your son, and I feel his loss as a crippling blow, yet I know my feelings are but a pale, mooncast shadow to your own. Please accept the sympathies of the officers and crew of the U-109. The memory of this fine young man will be kept close in our hearts until the end of days.

Sincerely,

Heinz Ehlers
Oberleutnant z. S. Kreigsmarine
U-109 Commanding

VONHARRIS

05-06-11, 10:01 AM

The Kreigsmarine has already informed you of the fact of your son's death, and I would not presume to tell you of exemplary young man you knew for 17 years, but if you will indulge me, I feel an obligation to tell you of one of the finest young sailors it has ever been my priviledge to know, and what I am able of the circumstances surrounding his loss.

Kptlnt vonHarris and the crew of U-518 are sad about the loss of such a promising young man.

May his sacrifice won't be for nothing.

Fish In The Water

05-06-11, 07:12 PM

The memory of this fine young man will be kept close in our hearts until the end of days.

We are saddened to hear of this loss, but rest assured - though he may be gone he is not forgotten. Thank you for your outstanding service and great sacrifice. :salute:

sublynx

05-07-11, 02:10 AM

The Kreigsmarine has already informed you of the fact of your son's death

:salute:

___________________________________________
5.5.1942
Ob.Lt. z S. Erich Scheide
U-451 ("die Elster"), VIIC, 7.th Flotilla, St.Nazaire
Orders: Patrol AM77

29.4.1942, 05:17 hours. Clear, no rain, visibility 11-12 kilometers, wind 0m/s, BE35.
Spotted and sunk a 10000 BRT walfabrikschiff with two torpedoes. The ships course was 347 degrees, speed estimated to be 13 knots, but might actually have been 12 knots.
5.5.1942, 04:45 hours. Cloudy, no rain, visibility 8-9 kilometers, wind 12m/s, BE32.
Received a report of a ship sighted and sunk an American 26000 BRT passagierlinienschiff after a 150 kilometer interception run from our patrol grid at AM77. The ship was travelling behind a fully lighted hospitalship at a meager speed of 10 knots, course 92 degrees. The initial contact report was almost spot on. Decided to use a salvo of four torpedoes to make sure that the ship would not be able to use it's maximum speed of 31 knots. The ship was hit by at least 3 torpedoes, the fourth torpedo was not heard exploding nor was it's screws heard at the hydrophone. Possibly it was damaged by the explosions or it exploded simultaneously with the explosions on the ship. Since the ship was hit by so many torpedoes, it sunk in only six minutes, probably leading to a very great loss of life.

What the Americans were thinking by putting the ship in such danger, I cannot imagine. The hospital ship was lighted like a Christmas tree, so there was no trouble at spotting the passenger liner following it. And since the liner followed the hospitalship we had no hurry in estimating the liners course and speed quite precisely just by measuring the hospital ships speed and course. If the passenger liner had used even half of it's maximum speed in trying to make it to England, we would not have even been able to make the long interception run.

The crew's younger members seem to be very happy with the success, but one or two the crewmembers, who are familymen, seem to a bit shaken by the devastation we caused. That said, my estimation is that the moral on the ship is high.

5.5.1942, 08:13 hours. Cloudy, no rain, visibility 8-9 kilometers, wind 12m/s, BE32.
We are now heading back to our patrol grid with 8 torpedoes left.

Snestorm

05-07-11, 02:16 AM

Sincerely,

Heinz Ehlers
Oberleutnant z. S. Kreigsmarine
U-109 Commanding

Letter writing. Very difficult part of being a superior CO.
You did it well.

Snestorm

05-07-11, 02:33 AM

Snestorm

05-07-11, 02:38 AM

We are now heading back to our patrol grid with 8 torpedoes left.
[/INDENT]

Quite a haul!

sublynx

05-07-11, 04:17 AM

Left Lorient on 12.dec.42.
Destroyer! We dived and remained undected.
Our new Biscay Cross was silent.
---
U159 will again be taking the northern route back to Lorient.
Perhaps this time we can find a convoy, before it's escorts find us.

Gute Jagd!

I'm a bit worried about crossing the Bay of Biscay. I haven't encountered any ASW hunter groups there yet (May 1942), but it would be very dangerous to be attacked on the return trip, potentially in shallow water, maybe with a damaged sub and maybe out of torpedoes, as well.

Gerald

05-07-11, 04:17 AM

Snestorm

05-07-11, 05:01 AM

Gute Jagd!

I'm a bit worried about crossing the Bay of Biscay. I haven't encountered any ASW hunter groups there yet (May 1942), but it would be very dangerous to be attacked on the return trip, potentially in shallow water, maybe with a damaged sub and maybe out of torpedoes, as well.

Avoid BF42.

Snestorm

05-07-11, 05:05 AM

Good work my,friend!

Good to see you back on this side of the forum.

Snestorm

05-08-11, 05:52 AM

Left Lorient on 12.dec.42.

Our first contact of the patrol occurred 5 days after leaving port.
At 3 minutes til midnight the call rang "Ship spotted. 123. Long range."
Destroyer! We dived and remained undected.
Our new Biscay Cross was silent. Guess he wasn't running any radar on this moonlit, calm and clear night.

We reached our assigned grid on 12.jan.43.
DP77. Just outside the NW corner of the Carribean island chains.
No contacts, surface or air.

Present position is DP55. U159 will again be taking the northern route back to Lorient.
Perhaps this time we can find a convoy, before it's escorts find us.

23.jan.43
present position is grid DE53.

Encountered a lone fast merchant.
2 torpedoes fired. No hits.

More recently a slow convoy was encountered in DE28.
Origin determined to be New York.
Destination unknown, but presentæy headed toward Afrika on a course of 106, at 6 knots.
Escort is USN, consisting of a Fletcher Class DD, and 2 DEs.
4 attacks were made on the convoy, and 3 were succesful, resulting in the sinking of 3 tankers and 1 freighter for 40.723 GRT.
U159 suffered no damages through the engagements, and fuel reserves presently stand at 62%. Weather is presently calm & clear. 14 of 14 torpedoes expended.
Enroute to Lorient.

Gerald

05-08-11, 05:58 AM

23.jan.43
present position is grid DE53.

Encountered a lone fast merchant.
2 torpedoes fired. No hits.

More recently a slow convoy was encountered in DE28.
Origin determined to be New York.
Destination unknown, but presentæy headed toward Afrika on a course of 106, at 6 knots.
Escort is USN, consisting of a Fletcher Class DD, and 2 DEs.
4 attacks were made on the convoy, and 3 were succesful, resulting in the sinking of 3 tankers and 1 freighter for 40.723 GRT.
U159 suffered no damages through the engagements, and fuel reserves presently stand at 62%. Weather is presently calm & clear. 14 of 14 torpedoes expended.
Enroute to Lorient. Fletcher Class DD can be a definite threat, :yep:

Snestorm

05-08-11, 05:59 AM

Fletcher Class DD can be a definite threat, :yep:

Ja. My real world favorite ship class.

Gerald

05-08-11, 06:01 AM

Ja. My real world favorite ship class. Great...they must be kept short.

VONHARRIS

05-08-11, 07:54 AM

Patrol No5 (9th for the crew)
1. Changed the single 20mm for its twin version
2. Changed U-518 camouflage (IXC the wolf)
3. (U):unarmed ship

26 January 1941
06:02 hours
U-518 left Lorient for grid DT28

20 February 1941 grid CG95
16:12 hours Passenger/cargo sunk by 2 bow torpedoes

21 February 1941 grid CG95
02:21 hours Coastal freighter (U) sunk by 12 105mm rounds

05:56 hours Coastal freighter (U) sunk by 35 105mm rounds

08:09 hours Small merchant sunk by 1 bow torpedo

22 February 1941 Grid CG95
01:00 hours Emprire type freighter sunk by 1 bow + 2 stern torpedoes

09:20 hours Convoy repair ship sunk by 1 bow torpedo

14:40 hours Tramp steamer sunk by 1 bow torpedo

14:51 hours Medium cargo (U) sunk by 2 bow torpedoes and 19 105mm rounds

18:28 hours Leander class CL sunk by 3 bow torpedoes (1 missed astern)
Dido class CL missed (way off) by 2 stern torpedoes

23 February 1941 grid CG86
10:04 hours Small merchant (U) sunk by 34 105mm rounds

26 February 1941
05:18 hours
U-518 docked at Lorient
32 days at sea
10 ships sunk
37101 tons

VONHARRIS

05-08-11, 12:54 PM

Patrol 10
(u): Unarmed ship

March 3 1941
16:51 hours
U-518 left Lorient for grid CF66

April 20 1941 Grid BF17
After over a month wondering in the Atlantic contact was made with an enemy convoy
Low to medium visibility
4 bow + 2 stern torpedoes launched
11:31 hours Passenger/cargo sunk with one bow torpedo
11:32 hours Tramp steamer sunk with 1 bow torpedo
12:10 hours Small merchant sunk with 1 bow torpedo
1 bow + 2 stern torpedoes missed
Escaped with light damages from DCs

April 27 1941 Grid BF17
Convoy spotted after BdU radio report
Bad weather , medium visibility , rain
4 bow + 2 stern torpedoes launched
08:30 hours Medium merchant 38 sunk by 1 bow torpedo
All other 5 shots were either duds or missed

Late at night an other convoy was spotted
U-518 attacked with only 2 bow torpedoes left
The weather remained the same
22:27 hours Heavy merchant sunk with 1 bow torpedo
22:29 hours Medium merchant 03 sunk with 1 bow torpedo , which was inteded for the heavy merchant but missed her.

All internal torpedoes were expended
The weather was still awful no externals could be carried inside.
Return passage to Lorient

April 30 1941
06:15 hours
Docked at Lorient in 13 m/s winds and rain.
6 ships sunk
23048 tons
34 days at sea

sublynx

05-08-11, 03:51 PM

Ob.Lt. z S. Erich Scheide
U-451 ("die Elster"), VIIC, 7.th Flotilla, St.Nazaire
Orders: Patrol AM77

7.5.1942 02:08 hours. Clear, no rain, visibility 11 - 12 kilometers, wind 1m/s. AM77 BDU radioes in a message about a convoy on a southwesterly course in grid DE34 making 10 knots an hour, 250 kilometers away. Intercept course 208 degrees, GF, intercept expected after a run of 570 kilometers.

8.5.1942 04:03 hours. Clear, no rain, visibility 11 - 12 kilometers, wind 0m/s. BE59. No convoy in sight and no radio reports on the convoy's whereabouts. I decide to head towards Gibraltar in hope that the convoy changed it's course to south. Course 170 degrees, speed HF.

8.5.1942 07:58 hours. Clear, no rain, visibility 11 - 12 kilometers, wind 0m/s. BE83. Two merchants spotted and sunk by 08:40 with five torpedoes. Course was estimated to be 0 degrees, speed 10 knots. Because the estimated course was slightly wrong, the shots had to be made at a range of 1100 meters, instead of the planned 700 meters. Out of the first salvo at an 8000 BRT American grosses frachter, one missed altogether while the other luckily hit the rudder stopping the ship. The other salvo of two torpedoes at a 4000 BRT American mittlerer frachter hit were intended. The grosses frachter was sunk by an additional torpedo at a range of 1100 meters. AOB 95, speed 0. The Mittlerer frachter sank after 18 minutes, no additional torpedoes were necessary.

After the attacks only three torpedoes were left on the boat. One was in the front compartment, one in the aft compartment and one in the back external storage. I thought that the boat didn't have enough punch for a forceful convoy attack anymore, should we meet one. No salvo shooting capability. I decided to return to St.Nazaire hoping to meet some other single merchants on the way back.

13.5.1942 08:17 hours. Cloudy, no rain, visibility 8 - 9 kilometers, 13 m/s. Back in St.Nazaire. On the way back the only sightings were own ships and one U-boat. While having a drink at the Officers' club I heard that U-518 and U-519 have had excellent patrol successes as well!

Snestorm

05-08-11, 09:10 PM

U159 docked at Lorient on 14.feb.43. with 4 ships sunk for 40.723 GRT.
Boat and crew are deemed healthy.
14 of 14 torpedoes expended.

U159's history to date:
3 war patrols completed between 17.apr.42 and 14.feb.43.
5 ships sunk for 52.377 GRT.

Missing Name

05-09-11, 08:07 AM

Y'know, maybe I should just stop starting campaigns until I finish tweaking all of the game files...

Hotspur1337

05-09-11, 11:01 AM

sublynx

05-09-11, 02:49 PM

Oberleutnant z.s. Erich Scheide to report immediately to Kiel for reassignment to teaching duties.

Relinquish command of U-451 to your exec.

L. Buchheim
Kapitan z.s. und kommandant

sublynx

05-09-11, 03:21 PM

Salvadoreno

05-09-11, 04:27 PM

First patrol - June 1941

Lying off the east coast of Britain all lined up and waiting for a juicy Large Merchant to come into position. Just before it gets to me it gets dive bombed and sunk.

Damned Airdales.

I wish i could see that :(. In 1942 a HUGE convoy passed very close to French westcoast, i shadowed and sent reports for hours but no luftwaffles showed up :(.

Snestorm

05-09-11, 08:25 PM

Departed Lorient 11.apr.43. for grid GR82 and surrounding area.

2.jun.43
Present position is GR73. (about 150 - 200 miles from Capetown, South Afrika)
Light fog, wind 8 m/s. Fuel over 50%.
Only encounter to date was a warship sound contact.

If no contacts are made following the recon of our grid, U159 will proceed to a closer proximity to Capetown, fuel allowing (very tight).

Snestorm

05-09-11, 08:36 PM

Leutnant z.s. Helmut Unger
U-552, VIIC
11. Flotille, Bergen
Orders: Patrol AK13

7.6.1942
04:00 AF84 very cloudy, no rain, visibility 8-9 kilometers, 15m/s from 48 degrees.

Traveling submerged to keep my now literally green crew from getting seasick all over the boat.

Yesterday an enemy taskforce was reported 270 km SW making 18 knots SE. Too far away to intercept and I am continuing towards our patrol grid.

Unger

AK13 out of Bergen in 1942?

Looks much more interesting than the activities I would have imagined for that flotilla and time frame.

Very promising area for convoys. Good hunting!

VONHARRIS

05-09-11, 11:19 PM

Patrol No11
Start : 30 May 1941
End : 18 July 1941
Grid CF98
50 days at sea
9 ships sunk
33783 tons
75% hull integrity
1 man dead from air attack on July 17 1941 at grid BF58 inbound for Lorient

Patrol No12
Installed Alberich anti sonar coating
Start: 17 August 1941
End : 22 September 1941
Grid DT54
37 days at sea
3 ships sunk
15745 tons
Increasing number of enemy ASW ships and air patrols
Alberich coating not very promising.

Kptltn vonHarris refused a tranfer to Wilhelmshaven for an instructor post and a promotion to continue active service.

U159(Kaluen Snestorm) is bound for Capetown , a very long and hazzardous trip. We wish that they return safe and sound.

VONHARRIS

05-09-11, 11:52 PM

22 October 1941
U-518 left Lorient , heading out to sea fully loaded with provisions and weapons.
When she was clear of the harbor a radio message came in:

From : Bdu
To : U - 518

Commander only
Seal

Kptlnt vonHarris rushed into his cabin and opened a sealed envelope:
Disregard all previous orders
Proceed to grids BB98 - 99 and attack any convoys there
Extreme caution
Do not engage any American ships
Good luck

So U-518 was not on a western adventure!

sublynx

05-10-11, 12:54 AM

I wish i could see that :(. In 1942 a HUGE convoy passed very close to French westcoast, i shadowed and sent reports for hours but no luftwaffles showed up :(.

I've been reading the posts on this forum and it seems that the best chances of getting help from the Luftwaffe (or the Italians, Regio Aeronautica) is in the Mediaterranean theater. I haven't yet played there myself but that is a priority on my "to do" -list. I want to see air attacks, as well!

AK13 out of Bergen in 1942?

Looks much more interesting than the activities I would have imagined for that flotilla and time frame.

Very promising area for convoys. Good hunting!

Thanks! I'm hoping to see one of those PQ -convoys and it would be nice to see some Russian ships too. The short, light nights at summer are a nice change in the battle environment too. AK13 is a well picked patrol grid by the game engine, it should be just of reach from the airpatrols from Iceland and there should be convoys. In GWX there is also a milchkuch sub nearby. I won't use it though, unless in some kind of emergency - I think the milkcows were reserved for the subs that operated near the American coast.

Salvadoreno

05-10-11, 03:12 AM

I've been reading the posts on this forum and it seems that the best chances of getting help from the Luftwaffe (or the Italians, Regio Aeronautica) is in the Mediaterranean theater. I haven't yet played there myself but that is a priority on my "to do" -list. I want to see air attacks, as well!

.

O yah. I played in the MED and have had some awesome encounters with air attacks on both sides, and some small DD combat as well.
Ran into a small italian convoy on its way back from tripoli. Decided to join it for extra protection since 2 german destroyers were escorting it. Then some RAF planes come out of sky and bombed us, i dived but 1 italian merchant was hit. It was awesome.

Osmium Steele

05-10-11, 07:15 AM

Even though I am one by heritage, I am getting very upset with the Irish. They keep sending these small, juicy, undefended convoys through my op area.

OMG, large tanker at 16000 meters! No escorts!!

Grrrrr...... it is lit up like a Ramachanukwanzmas tree!

Stupid Irish...

Kmdt Kozhein

05-10-11, 08:27 AM

March 1940, Patrol 8.
Base: Wilhemlshaven

I finally have a VII, completed patrol somewhere in AN, North Sea, but encountered nothing. After patrol, sunk two coastal merchants. 10 Torpedoes left, so lying about close to Hartlepool.

Weather is abysmal, but other boats seem to be having fun. Twice I've been stalking a merchant, lining up, then suddenly they disappear. How other commanders manage it in this weather...

Hoping weather clears soon. Or, should I head south to the Dover? Lots of fuel, 10 torpedoes, what to do?

sublynx

05-10-11, 02:07 PM

U-552, 1st patrol
Leutnant z.s. Helmut Unger
U-552, VIIC
11. Flotille, Bergen
Orders: Patrol AK13

12.6.1942 17:30 hours. AF45, clear, no clouds, visibility 8-9 kilometers, wind 7m/s. We suddenly sighted five icebergs. Noticed that they show up on FuMo 29, but not on the hydrophones. I let the crew practice some Flak and 88 mm gunnery on the icebergs, then continued our journey. If some other U-boat happens to be in the vicinity maybe they can try to spot the icebergs too - they were at the west corner of AF45, at the northern border of the grid.

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/8139/sh3icebergs.jpg (http://img194.imageshack.us/i/sh3icebergs.jpg/)

18.6.1942 08:00 hours. AE68, cloudy, no rain, visibility 8 - 9 kilometers, wind 15m/s. The patrol has been advancing really slowly, because of horrendous weather most of the time. No contacts, friendly or enemy. The crew seems to be sea sick and bored. We have to stay alert, but it's difficult to keep your guard up, when nothing seems to be happening.

Unger

Snestorm

05-11-11, 04:54 AM

Snestorm

05-11-11, 05:10 AM

Snestorm

05-11-11, 05:40 AM

Still patrol 4.
24.jun.43
Present position GP36.
Diesel reserves under 50%. (Tight trip.)
4 bow & 4 stern torpedoes remaining.

On 5 & 6.jun.43, and between grids GR59 & GR83, U159 went on a diet loosing an unknown amount of fuel and 3 G7E torpedoes.
However the weight loss was offset by a gain in tonnage.
After a 4 hour chase, U159 sunk a C3 Cargo for 7.909 GRT.
The surface chase, and eventual sinking ended less that 100 miles south of the naval base & air station at Capetown.
Night surface attack. Target's course 126 at 9½ knots.
3 G7Es fired with a 7 degree spread, at under 1000 meters, for 3 hits.

Next came a daylight submerged attack on a Liberty Cargo.
3 G7Es fired with a 4 dgree spread, at 2000 meters, for 1 hit & no sinking.

Fuel limitations required U159 to begin a slow withdrawal from the area.

Will be on the lookout for Freetown - UK convoys on our return trip.
Although attacks will be severely limited by fuel, our abilty to send contact reports suffers no such limitation.

Our radio operator is also listening for any news from or about U518, which is usualy berthed beside us at Lorient.

Kmdt Kozhein

05-11-11, 01:45 PM

The other way. Go north, young man.
The southern portion of AN18 & AN44 is a goldmine, usualy reserved for IIs.
All the north-south traffic has to pass that peninsula.
Good hunting.

Damn, too late. I mucked about, managed only to damage a C2 and a Coastal Merchant, sunk a Coastal Merchant. With the former two, there were warships close by so I couldn't surface and chase them down. Weather was in any case too bad to use the deck gun. So I returned to base.

Now they've sent me to AF61. I have bad memories of the far northern reaches - weather, waste of fuel. Ugh. But at least we have good music and the tobacco is fresh!

Thanks for the tip, nevertheless; will keep those areas in mind.

Hotspur1337

05-11-11, 01:59 PM

I got sent to AM68. BdU doesn't like me.

VONHARRIS

05-11-11, 03:44 PM

Patrol No 13 (crew)

22 October 1941
00:31 hours
U-518 left Lorient with special mission to BB99

30 October 1941
Grid BD69
15:40 hours Large merchant sunk in bad weather with 2 bow torpedoes

6 November 1941
Grid BC67
20:18 hours Tanker CAM-ship sunk by 37 105mm rounds. She was falling back from a large convoy. Enemy destroyer rushed back and attacked by gunfire and DCs. Minor damages.

15 November 1941
Grid BB99
Convoy attack , 4 bow + 2 stern torpedoes
1 hit scored no ship sunk.
Attacked by escorts. U-518 dived to 220m to escape.

17 November 1941
Grid BB92
Convoy attack 4 bow torpedoes
06:44 hours Leander class CL sunk by 2 bow torpedoes
06:46 hours Tramp steamer sunk by 1 bow torpedo

24 November 1941
Grid BB96
12:37 hours Tanker CAM-ship sunk by 1 stern torpedo

28 November 1941
Grid BB95
Convoy attack 4 bow + 2 stern torpedoes
19:04 hours Ore carrier sunk by 1 bow torpedo
19:31 hours Motor tanker sunk by 1 bow torpedo

29 November 1941
Grid BB99
Convoy attack 2 bow torpedoes from 10Km range , total miss

15 December 1941
05:38 hours Docked at Lorient
55 days at sea
7 ships sunk
51614 tons
85% hull integrity

U-159 has not yet returned. We hope they are OK. Last message mentioned some fuel issues
No news from U-552 either

sublynx

05-11-11, 04:16 PM

Leutnant z.s. Helmut Unger
U-552, VIIC
11. Flotilla, Bergen
Orders: Patrol grid AK13

21.6.1942
0414 AE86, Clear, no rain, visibility 8 - 9 kilometers, wind 15 m/s. D/F contact 25 kilometers SW, course ESE.
0449 Some kind of a küstenmotorschiff spotted, range 8 - 9 kilometers, true bearing 251 degrees.
0520 Estimated course by sighting bearings as 109 degrees.
0526 Estimated speed by counting engine RPM's as 9 knots.
0601 One aft TIII G7e torpedo shot submerged at a 1100 BRT British Küstentanker. AOB estimated at 90 degrees stb, schüsswinkel 009, depth 2 meters, impact pistol, speed estimated at 9 knots, entfernung 550 meters.
0602 An explosion heard on the hydrophone. On raising the periscope again, I saw that the torpedo had hit a few meters ahead of the aiming point, blowing the bridge of the ship and it's front mast to kingdom come, flames and smoke covering the place where the bridge used to be. The speed of the ship was probably slower than I estimated.
0628 Explosions and metal twisting, sounds of a sinking ship heard on the hydrophone. On the periscope only a cloud of smoke can be seen. The ship is presumed sunk. It is questionable if my decision to attack such a small ship in 15m/s winds was correct. The waves might be able to direct the torpedo either too low or too high. The crew seems to be happy about the sinking, though.

25.6.1942
0000 AM13, clear, no rain, visibility 8 - 9 kilometers, wind 1 m/s. At last the high winds subsided and we were able to load the back external G7a torpedo. 13 torpedoes left. We radio a weather report to BDU and send thanks to the captain of U-159, who gave a hint about single merchants moving around the Faroes. A news report mentioned U-518's success in sinking a light cruiser. Our patrol has not been too successful, but we are continuing towards AK13, in hope of sighting a convoy.

Unger

Jimbuna

05-11-11, 04:22 PM

SINK EM ALL!! http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/pirate.gif

Salvadoreno

05-11-11, 06:38 PM

I am on patrol # 7, from 1-4 my patrols were fairly easy sinking 5-6 ships a patrol. I started in the earlier part of 1942. It is now early 1943 and i very rarely get convoy reports anymore, (last 2 patrols). All i ever do is run into 2 ship convoys sailing just west of the french bases. Doesnt seem realistic either, having these slow 2 ship convoys sailing on their own without escort so close to the french bases. By 1943 only very fast ships got to travel out of convoy. Anyway i never really enjoy sinking those ships, never much of a challenge. Any1 else run into these 2 ship convoys??

GWX 3.0

sublynx

05-12-11, 01:37 AM

Anyway i never really enjoy sinking those ships, never much of a challenge. Any1 else run into these 2 ship convoys??

Same problem (SH3 + GWX). I am thinking of trying to modify the convoys after I manage to play the game thru to 1945 once.

Salvadoreno

05-12-11, 01:56 AM

Same problem (SH3 + GWX). I am thinking of trying to modify the convoys after I manage to play the game thru to 1945 once.

Glad somebody else sees that, i was thinking it might have been a problem with my install or something. If i knew how to modify or even mod Sh3 i would do it myself! But if u get around to it let me kno sublynx!:salute:

Snestorm

05-12-11, 02:04 AM

I got sent to AM68. BdU doesn't like me.

Just "for the record":
What date?
And, what type boat?

Now, for my curiosity:
Which way in, and which way out, for you?

Good luck. It's a rough one.

Snestorm

05-12-11, 03:12 AM

Homeward bound from Capetown.

19.jul.43
Grid DU41
Diesel reserves at 25%.

25.jul.43
Grid CG79
Radio message from BDU to all available boats:
"Convoy. CG84. WNW. 8 knots. Gibralter - UK. U518 holding contact".

Time to stretch the fuel a bit further, and justify our existance.
Attack 1 was 3 G7Es fired on a T3 Tanker, and FAT (fired normaly) at a Liberty Cargo. 3 rapid detonations followed, but there was no indication of a sinking. The single FAT missed it's target entirely. All bow torpedoes expended.

Attack 2 was a classic breakout, after overhauling the convoy. A FAT torpedo (fired normaly) and a G7E were fired from the stern, at our old damaged friend the T3 Tanker. One hit was scored on the tanker, sinking her immediately. The remaining torpedo struck an unknown and unintended target 4 minutes later.

U159 attempted a third overhaul, but was unable to regain contact with the convoy.
Through both attacks U159 managed to remaine undetected.

Although fuel was tight throughout the voyage, enough remained for high speed runs across The Bay during the brief hours of darkness.
The high speed allowed for surprisingly efficiant crash dives. Three times the RAF forced her down.
The final attack occurred under 20 miles from her berth in Lorient. A real carpet bombing.

Kaleun VONHARRIS was already back from the convoy battle, and standing dockside with 2 bottles of Becks, for our arrival. A small pallet of same awaited the crew.

Patrol results:
12 of 14 torpedoes expended.
93% of diesel reserves expended.
4% of hull integrity expended (RAF).
2 ships sunk for 19.562 GRT.

U159's history to date:
4 war patrols completed between 17.apr.42 and 2.aug.43.
7 ships sunk for 71.939 GRT.
Kvt Kpt Snestorm commanding.

Snestorm

05-12-11, 03:20 AM

Hotspur1337

05-12-11, 12:05 PM

Just "for the record":
What date?

July 1941

And, what type boat?

VIIB

Now, for my curiosity:
Which way in, and which way out, for you?

I came in from the north and am exiting south. I'm still not out of the woods yet, but I had to save and exit to go to dinner last night.

I have sunk three ships in AM68 - small merchant, tramp steamer, and an empire. The weather is miserable, and visibility is nil, so all of my contacts are via hydrophone. I plot their heading then lie in wait. They have to get within 500 meters just to see them. There are sound contacts to warships constantly around but at this point of the war, they're not so good at finding me.

Good luck. It's a rough one.

Thanks. I'm not going back in there.

VONHARRIS

05-12-11, 01:16 PM

"Kaleun VONHARRIS was already back from the convoy battle, and standing dockside with 2 bottles of Becks, for our arrival. A small pallet of same awaited the crew."

Not only Becks but a case of the most expensive French champange was ordered at the officers club
And this is why:
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/9310/usslongisland.jpg

The USS Long Island.
But first thing first
Patrol No 14

14 January 1942
U-518 got new batteries that increased the underwater range
03:15 hours U-518 left Lorient for CA28 (New York)

16 January 1942
Grid BF47
12:58 hours , calm seas
Large merchant by 2 stern torpedoes and 1(one) 105mm round

30 January 1942
Grid CC31
13:00 hours calm seas
Liberty cargo sunk by 2 bow torpedoes

9 February 1942
Grid CA28
12:48 hours heavy seas - rain
Grnaville type freighter sunk by 2 bow torpedoes
U-518's first American victim

17 February 1942
Grid BB95
01:05 hours medium seas no rain
Q&R destroyer sunk by 2 stern torpedoes
She was part of an ASW group

26 February 1942
Grid CA54
Clemson DD damaged by 1 stern torpedo
Both the DD and U-518 withdrew from the battle

7 March 1942
Grid BB97
09:19 hours medium seas rain
Clemson class DD sunk by 1 bow torpedo
Caught him off guard and he paid it.

9 March 1942
Grid BB97
Convoy attack heavy seas no rain
4 bow torpedoes
16:49 hours Large cargo sunk by 1 bow torpedo
Medium cargo damaged

12 March 1942
Grid CC23
00:01 hours BdU informed us of a possible US TF in the area
00:30 hours Contact with 6 warships : CVE + 5 Clemson DDs
Only two torpedoes in bow tubes
01:22 hours 2 TIs on impact pistols fired on the CVE
01:24 hours 1 hit scored
Took a snapshot by the attack scope to confirm the hit with BdU and dived to 200m to escape.

06:49 hours Very fade breaking up noises. Was she sinking?

20 March 1942
03:52 hours Bdu confirmed the sinking of the USS Long Island escort carrier
Took a small detour to CG84 to use our 2 last torpedoes but no luck. Gave the convoy position to Bdu and U159 was in the right spot.

26 March 1942
17:45 hours Docked at Lorient
7 ships sunk
50286 tons
72 days at sea

U159 was right behind us after attacking that convoy
Now , off to the night club. Somebody has to drink all those drinks.
U-552 has not reported in yet.

VONHARRIS

05-13-11, 01:25 AM

5 May 1942
Grid .....
Convoy attack

Depth charged by lucky escort while at periscope depth
All engines destroyed both electric and diesels
Heavy flooding
Surface the boat to save the crew but ....
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/8514/asadend.jpg
This is a 16K ton converted whale factory ship ramming a IXC Uboat
All hands lost.

Snestorm

05-13-11, 02:47 AM

27.sep.43
Underway from Lorient, by the light of day, at 1032.

Assigned grid is GR51.
It would seem that U159 has impressed BDU as a good Capetown boat, and the result is that we're on our way back.

Captain and crew are saddened by the loss of U518.
And so shortly after her daring exploits in The Western Atlantic.

We managed to cross The Bay surfaced by night, and submerged by day, without incident.
U159 remained on the surface while hugging the coasts of Spain and Portugal.

Our problems began after leaving those shores behind.

CG76 - CG79 - DH39 A L A R M !
Gibralter got a fix on our position, and has been sending pilots to drop in for a visit.
Weather is calm and clear. Moon is full.
Have been reduced to remaining submerged, except to recharge batteries and freshen air.
This has become a very good area to avoid, if possible. (Not possible for us on this patrol.)

Present position is north of The Canaries on the DH65-DH62 border.
Report date: 12.okt.43
Report time: 0350 (Just prior to predawn dive).

Hopefuly the situation will improve on passage through The Canaries.
Would love to "add another gear", but can't afford the fuel.

Our 1943 torpedo loadout is 1 FAT in tube 3, and 9 G7Es to fill out the bow. 1 FAT in tube 6, and 3 G7Es to fill out the stern.

Snestorm

05-13-11, 03:15 AM

Thanks. I'm not going back in there.

Can't blame you for that.
Been there in both VIIB and IXB.

VIIB: I went in North, and out South.
Freshening the air was a major problem for me in the south, due to Elco Patrol Boats.

IXB: Took the northern route both ways, and was realy happy to reach the deep end of AM53.

They realy made you earn your paycheck this time.
Congradulations on completing the toughest grid.
Best of luck for a safe passage home.

Fish In The Water

05-13-11, 06:12 AM

Depth charged by lucky escort while at periscope depth
All engines destroyed both electric and diesels
Heavy flooding
Surface the boat to save the crew but ....
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/8514/asadend.jpg
All hands lost.

Ouch...

Pretty much the definition of how to make a bad day even worse! :damn:

sublynx

05-13-11, 04:21 PM

Leutnant z.s. Helmut Unger
U-552, VIIC
11. Flotilla, Bergen
Orders: Patrol grid AK13

23.6.1942
16:08 AL29. Clear, visibility 8 - 9 kilometers, wind 1m/s. BDU informs us that a large convoy with a course NE and speed 7 knots has been spotted at AL61, 250 kilometers from us. To intercept we have to cross an area that might be reachable by the air patrols from Iceland. Intercept course 70 degrees, speed GF.

24.6.1942
02:45 AL37. Cloudy, no rain, visibility 12 - 13 kilometers, wind 3 m/s. BDU informs us that the convoy is now in grid AL39, only 40 kilometers from us, estimated course 41 degrees.

BDU also informs that U-518 has sunk an escort carrier, but that unfortunately the boat and apparently all of the crew were lost on the next patrol they undertook. My crew seems nervous, hoping success against the convoy we are trying to intercept, while knowing that what happened to U-518 could happen to us too.

I have ordered the torpedoes to readied, partly because I expect them to be needed soon, partly because I want the crew to concentrate on their tasks, and not on the sad news about U-518.

We are now on the process of estimating our new intercept course. If the contact report is even remotely accurate, we will probably attack some time today or the next night.

Unger

Depesz

05-13-11, 10:53 PM

Her Kaleun M.Miklaszewski 3th November 1939, 3rd patrol, 7th flotilla, type VIIB, not much sunk from begining August 1st: a large Polish merchant and a British medium merchant for only about 14k tons. Went out near Gibraltar as main course, near the eastern coast of GB spotted the famous Battleship Roodney and 6 or more destroyers with him.Got myself close, periscope depth. Periscope is in line with waves.Range is 4000 meters and closing 10knots(makman and olc fantastic tools). The operation of killing Roodney and escape is surely on. :) Then I saved and went to a party ^^

Fish In The Water

05-14-11, 08:21 AM

Then I saved and went to a party ^^

Hope the party was as much fun as the game! :yep:

sublynx

05-14-11, 08:49 AM

Leutnant z.s. Helmut Unger
U-552, VIIC
11. Flotilla, Bergen
Orders: Patrol grid AK13

27.6.1942
Cloudy, raining, visibility 500 - 1000 meters. Getting in position to make a third attack on a large convoy now on grid AL38, west of Rockall. Convoy's speed 7 knots, course estimated 112 degrees.

Our first attack in good weather conditions didn't succeed, because the convoy made a hard turn eastwards just before I could get in range. The weather changed and the second attempt was made in lousy visibility. I managed to sneak submerged into the convoy, between two lines on the port side of the convoy. Two front torpedoes and one aft torpedoes shot. One torpedo wasted, because the weapons officer forgot to switch the AOB to starboard. One 2200 BRT frachter sunk and one 6800 BRT frachter damaged, but only slightly. Had to use another torpedo to finish the 2200 BRT frachter. Easy escape submerged, 2 knots silent running, 150 meters, no DC's dropped. The convoy is only guarded by a frigate on the front and a corvette on the back. There is a light cruiser inside the convoy. Nine torpedoes left.

I was thinking about trying to sink the escorts, but bad weather makes estimating courses and speeds uncertain, as well as potentially affecting torpedoes depth keeping. I was also hoping to attack from outside the convoy, but visibility is too low. I'm hoping that the weather clears, so I could get a decent opportunity to sink that cruiser and not just some unlucky small rustbucket that happens to wander to my sights in this awful visibility.

Unger

VONHARRIS

05-14-11, 09:22 AM

Patrol No 2 (No1 was the shakedown patrol)
U-36 was ordered to patrol BF19
No way to cross der Kanal so we had to make our way around England

8 September 1939
15:48 hours U-36 left Wilhelmshaven in clear weather

12 September 1939
Grid AN44
10:31 hours . An Anson attacked out of the sun. My flak gunner shot him down

13 September 1939
Grid AN14
07:46 hours. A second Anson decided to take us on. One more for my flak gunner

15 September 1939
Grid AM35
14:21 hours It looks like those Ansons wiil not let us alone. A third shot down. An Iron cross second class and a promotion for my flak gunner ASAP

16 September 1939
Grid AM53
Convoy attack 4 bow + 1 stern torpedoes fired
19:52 hours Coastal freighter sunk by 1 bow torpedo
19:53 hours Q ship sunk by 1 bow torpedo
19:54 hours Small merchant sunk by 1 bow torpedo

20 September 1939
Grid BF19
Convoy attack 4 bow + 1 stern torpedoes fired
19:24 hours V&W DD sunk by 1 bow torpedo aimed at a whale factory ship
Whale factory ship hit twice but escaped
The other escort of the convoy managed to get a fix on pur position but his attack didn't cause but minor damages

23 September 1939
Grid BF15
07:16 hours Coastal freighter sunk by 24 88mm rounds

25 September 1939
Grid AM55
01:30 hours Motor vesel sunk by 27 88mm rounds

03:50 hours Passenger/cargo hit by 2 bow torpedoes + 1 stern missed. She escaped as the the weather denied us the use of the deck gun

30 September 1939
18:45 hours U-36 docked at Wilhelmshaven
6 ships sunk
9810 tons
3 aircrafts shot down

Kmdt Kozhein

05-14-11, 02:25 PM

The other way. Go north, young man.
The southern portion of AN18 & AN44 is a goldmine, usualy reserved for IIs.
All the north-south traffic has to pass that peninsula.
Good hunting.

Snestorm, that was a great tip and your hunting wishes brought me luck. After a quick patrol north of Trondheim, I cruised west, had some bad weather, then wandered down south to check out AN18 & AN44. I struck good weather and, still on my way to your suggestions, in AN14, I sunk 4 ships! Among them a T2 tanker and a C2 cargo. All 4 sunk between 2.00 and 20.00 on the same day, the last 3 within an area of radius 17km.

Total so far, 26000t. 5 torps left (3 torps missed). Now off to finish them and head home. I hope by my next patrol, France has fallen. I want to get to the Atlantic and to the US.

BTW, which French bases do you guys favour. I don't know why, but I always choose Lorient. Brest is too close to the English Channel, and the other three... I dunno why I don't consider them.

Snestorm, I've never had a patrol assignment to Cape Town. Did you choose it via SH3Commander or is it due to a mod? (I live in Cape Town.)