Tell us what you are upto in your current campaign [Archive] - Page 19

Leandros

12-05-13, 12:43 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - April 291452 1943 - BE62 - Patrol 19

Departed Lorient April 051012. Back on the surface again after some hair-raising recent experiences. One diesel engine and one battery pack is out but thanks to the radar-signals from its escorts we still have track on the convoy we were just chased away from. Our radar is destroyed but that is not very important as its signals only show our position to the enemy in this situation. Still half the torpedo complement intact. Working to get ahead of it again which isn't very difficult using their radar-emitting signals as a quidance.

Things have really changed since our last patrol in these parts of the Atlantic. We have experienced our first hedgehog attacks, seemingly improved enemy sonar and radar-equipped air patrols all over the place. Our new radar warning receiver which actually makes it easier to find enemy convoys and approaching sub-hunting air patrols has saved us on several occasions. Reports on sunk U-boats are received regularly from the BDU. Not very good for morale but keeps us on our toes.

The last 5 patrols were spent on the Amerian East Coast - one long patrol actually, as we called on U-461 for resupply and repairs four times in the period lasting from June 5th '42 to Feb 7th '43. The combat results were not very impressive - 25 ships sunk, 16 of them naval. We had to call on U-461 three times for major repairs, twice both our scopes were destroyed. On Patrol 17 hull integrity was down to 46%. We sorely missed an RWR. Conditions worsened by time, on the three last patrols we sunk only 8 ships. B-24's, PBY's and TBM Avengers patrolled the area constantly. There was one positive event, though, on Patrol 17 we sunk the carrier HMS Searcher with all its 4 escorts.

Patrol 19 started relatively good with hitting a large convoy straight out from Lorient - sunk 7 ships. However, much of our resources were used for self-defense as 5 of these were escorts. The last one was particularly tiresome, a small Isles Patrol Boat. As soon as we were pushed under we were unable to sink it as we never got it outside the 400 meter arming zone of our torpedoes, it turned too narrowly. However, during this constant roundabout we were able approach an already slowed-down Granville merchant and give it a grazing shot.

Finally, we decided to make an effort to "lose" the Isles, and made it. As it retreated after having lost us we surfaced approx. 5 km. behind it and took up pursuit. It turned towards us and started fire on 4.000 meters, we reciprocated from 3.500 meters. In a running battle we were able to destroy it with only minimal damage to our own boat. Probably not a very wise decision but it was the only way to get past it to take on the rest of the convoy. As it turned out it was to little use as we soon were pushed under by constant air patrols. We lost the convoy.

After a long detour to North of the Rockalls with no results we are no back in the area we found the first convoy. Still 35% diesel left. The weather is lousy, 300-500 meters visibility - horizontal rain. Shall try to keep ahead of the convoy till we get som better weather. To easy to be jumped as it is now.

Fred

Leandros

12-05-13, 05:12 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - May2nd 1943 - Lorient - Patrol 19

Finally back in Lorient with one unspent torpedo. My birthday, too! We caught up with the convoy again and were able to position us just in the middle of its track. The advance escorts passed us one on each side as we let ourselves be run over by the convoy. Quite problematic to find the targets as visibility was generally 400-500 meters. Fired torps fore and aft. When the convoy had passed two small passenger liners and one whale factory was down. For good measure we knocked out the tail escort, too - a V & W destroyer.

Then the miss. As we eased away eastwards some new powerful sonar signals were registered. Going topside there were powerful radar emissions, too. This could be the task force which had been reported the day before. Again we were able to position our boat along its advance line. The front escorts passed, impossible to see what the strong sonar signal was due to the bad visibility.

Actually, the positioning had been a little too good because we were almost run over - by a carrier! Full speed ahead and we launched a TI magnetic from the aft. It hit but did not go off! In the meantime a turn had been started to line up the single remaining forward torpedo. As soon as it was aligned we fired, the carrier was the out of sight. The torp went went astray. Another crash dive to avoid the escorts. They gave up after a couple of passes due to the extremely high seas. I called it a day and went home.

Ooh, I long for the new homing torpedoes!

Fred

Leandros

12-06-13, 12:06 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Aug 29th 1943 - Biscaya - Patrol 21

Left Lorient this morning for square AM39 - southern point of the Hebrides. With the enemy's improved resources this seems like a suicide mission. Departing Lorient on a south-westerly course to avoid enemy air patrols it was only a few hours out that we were approached by one. Happily, our RWR discovered it in good time. Proceeding submerged for a couple of hours now.

Patrol 20 ended in a minor disaster. The assigned patrol area was on the American east coast - just south-east of Halifax. We slow-boated along the Atlantic to save fuel - found three small merchants with our radar along the way and finished them all off with the deck gun.

As soon as we entered the patrol area a large, fast, east-bound convoy was reported. I set up an intercepting course and soon we detected the radar-emission signals from its escorts. After having got up in front of it I decided to continue ahead to deeper water, and the dark, before attacking.

Then the miss. Among the many radar signals an approaching aircraft was not detected and we were jumped by a Hudson. Before we got under it hit close to us with several bombs. The boat survived but both periscopes, sonar and radar were destroyed. During the present conditions I saw no other possibility than to return to base.

We were lucky to receive some of the new Falke torpedoes for the present mission. That shall be interesting.

Fred

Leandros

12-06-13, 05:27 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Sep. 040442 1943 - Lorient - Patrol 21
Just arrived back in Lorient. As so often before we bumped into a convoy enroute to our mission area - just south-west of the Bristol Channel approaches. After having received a report on its approximate whereabouts we soon picked up the radar-emissions of its escorts and used the signals to work up ahead of it, its course was north-east.

With 4 Falke homing torpedoes we felt relatively safe and as usual after our first torpedo firing on a merchant it evolved into a self-defense fight. The Falkes are wonderful if you know how to use them. Within a short time 5 escorts were knocked out with 3 Falkes (the fourth and a couple of conventional ones went astray due to mishandling on my side) and 2 TI's.

After that there was a long chase after the convoy. On three occasions we were up to get ahead of it again and load down the spare torps. Twice we were forced under by approaching aircrafts. Thank you, RWR!

As can be seen by the attached patrol log we used a lot of torps but also saved a lot of time not having to go to the assigned patrol area which would probably have turned into a mousetrap.

Hope to get more Falkes for next trip. It was actually one of those which slowed down the Ceramic liner we sunk. It was my intention to fire a TIII on another far-out ship but fired the Falke in error. On its way it hooked up to the liner.

Fred

Leandros

12-06-13, 08:07 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Nov 111217 1943 - AK63 - Patrol 22
Left Lorient on Nov 3rd for the assigned mission area - somewhere south of a line between Greenland and Iceland. The area has been crawling with task forces - at one time four different were reported almost simultaneously.

Only one Falke was available for this mission.

This is probably not very wise but we are tracking a slow one west of us which is heading west. It obviously has a carrier in it as we have been overflown by Avengers and Wildcats on several occasions. Coastal Command is active, too. Were just overflown by a nasty-looking B-24 with Leigh light and air-to-surface rockets.

Pictures attached....The hunt goes on.

Fred

Leandros

12-06-13, 08:48 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Nov 121208 1943 - North Atlantic - Patrol 22
Large convoy approaching from west. Wish us luck!

Fred

VONHARRIS

12-07-13, 12:22 AM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Nov 121208 1943 - North Atlantic - Patrol 22
Large convoy approaching from west. Wish us luck!

Fred

Happy hunting Commander.
Sink them all!

Leandros

12-07-13, 11:54 AM

Happy hunting Commander.
Sink them all!
Thank you - Hals und Beinbruch für Führer und Vaterland and all that! Drei schnaps und ein bier and we're on to it.....!

Fred

Leandros

12-07-13, 05:50 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Jan. 3rd 1944 - North Atlantic - Patrol 23

Left Lorient yesterday morning on our way north to the AK grid again. Patrol 22 became another misere. We had a fat convoy nicely lined up but I fell for the temptation to take out the lead escort as it was passing us on a straight course on a distance of 1.000 meters. The TIII was a dud and the Buckley turned at us. In the following swirling match we fired a Falke on it, too, but it didn't catch on. In the meantime a River class escort arrived and eventually a Flower corvette snuck up on us from behind and dropped a couple of D/C's right on us. Took out both periscopes so that was that. Crash dived to 150 meters. The boat didn't like that so we had to go up a little. Due to the crash dive it was very difficult to keep at a constant depth on lowest speed. Had to boost the speed intermittingly to keep it steady. Don't know how many D/C's they dropped but they kept on for quite a while. Finally got outside the circle by going full speed and using the Bold 2 decoys.
This is getting difficult. Got 1 Falke and some of the new FAT torpedoes.

Fred

Leandros

12-08-13, 10:41 AM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Jan. 100910 1944 - AK18 - Patrol 23

Found a medium-sized westbound convoy. Used its radar-emissions to work up ahead of it but let it too close before diving so was discovered. 4 escorts converged on us. Decided to fight it out on periscope depth as very bad experience from the recent lucky deep escapes.

The three first ones approached us in nice order and we hit them one by one with forward deflection shots on 4-500 meter range using TIII II's on magnetic. Side-stepped the fourth one with a decoy and gave it a TI aft shot on magnetic. It stopped after being decoyed and let us get out beyond 400 meters - and a nice firing opportunity.

Have got the first merchant in sight now but also an escort on the convoy's port side. 4 torps left.

Fred

Leandros

12-08-13, 12:22 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Jan. 101455 1944 - AK18 - Patrol 23

Finally relatively safe. Fired one torp at a large merchant but could never confirm it sunk as a Flower corvette was already on us when I sent off the torp. Could have fired more torps on merchants but decided I needed what I had for self-defense. I was correct! First we were chased down but after having loaded what torps were ready I went up again. There were three escorts quite close and one approaching. Well, look at the score sheet when we are back in port - if we get there. This is getting tougher and tougher.

After we came loose from the convoy with no torps left we surfaced, but could soon see that another one was after us again - approx. 4 NM away, he had us on hos his radar, obviously. We had surfaced too soon! As we had nothing to defend ourselves with this time I right away went to periscope depth and snuck off on stealth speed perpendicular to our earlier course. As it came closer we stopped engines and lay still just below the surface. Luckily, it never discovered us but dropped a lot of things on the spot we had been when we dived, hedgehogs, too. After 6-7 passes, one quite close to us, it went back to the convoy. I gave it a few hours before we surfaced again.

Now the long way home. Filing a report again when, if, we get there.

Fred

P.S.: Ref. the status report a couple of escorts were also laying still (damaged) in the water when we left the area. Could not verify their destiny.

nataraj

12-08-13, 12:32 PM

the radio message sounded promising: "Large neutral convoy". 200+ km away: Nope, too far. But ... the convoy found me - hours later, early morning, same message but closer. Still on its course. I decided to lie low and take a peek, maybe shadow during the day and attack at night.

This is what the sonar officer told me when the convoy was about 8km away:

http://imageshack.us/a/img837/1656/u1cy.jpg

Large, indeed. But - four warships ? come on, this is only my fourth patrol. I can handle one destroyer with luck, but four?. While I waited for the convoy to pass, I took a peek:
http://imageshack.us/a/img21/6093/ybg8.jpg

A closer look at the "lead" ship (hm, first row, third from right. Why "lead" ship?)
http://imageshack.us/a/img196/1725/2n2i.jpg
Must have been the lead ship, because it has a Greek flag. The only other (hm, is carrying tanks compatible with neutral status?) "neutral" ship was another Small Merchant with a Norwegian flag way back in the convoy.

The juicy rest:
1 Large Merchant, 1 Ore Carrier, 1 Whale Factory, 3 Medium Cargo, 12 more medium merchants, and four warships (1 V&W, 1 A&B, 2 J&K destroyers) ... all of them British. "Neutral Convoy", my a**.

I'm beginning to see the point in "sink em all" ...

Leandros

12-08-13, 05:49 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Mar. 011329 1944 - DQ39 - Patrol 24

Left Lorient February 17th morning enroute for grid EE71 - south of Barbados.

As so often before we dumped into an enemy convoy outside the north-western corner of Spain. See attached Status Report. Included in that is also a tanker we hit - our radar detected it in mid-Atlantic.

On our way we have called on U-488 in grid DF67. They were almost exactly in our track and were very happy to receive mail and a few commodities and spares. We did not take on anything but expect to call on her for refuelling on our way back.

On return of Patrol 23 I was chastised by the deputy Befehlshaber U-boote for not being aggressive enough. I had used too many torps on self-defense and too few on enemy merchants!

As things have developed, in my opinion, the only hope is to establish combined units with special escort hunters with a full complement of homing torpedoes so that the other boats can do their "work" without too much interference. These units must be trained together and have short-wave communication even when submerged.

Anyway, the boss decided to send me across the Atlantic to the sunny Caribbean where I might make better use of my torpedoes. Suits me fine....:hmmm:....

Afraid I made some stupid decisions while in Lorient. A lot of new equipment was available, among them Schnorkel, the new 20 mm Vierling AA automatic cannon and an improved radar warning receiver. I was able to get these but used up all my goodwill in the process. Thinking about it now I should rather have gone for the new Tarnmatte, the Bold 3 decoy and a couple of more Falke or Zaunkønings. But, they were fed up with me by then. They thought I was very ungrateful, and expressed it.

The Schnorkel seems to be a nice device but has its obvious weaknesses. If you use it during day the trailing wave can be seen even better than a periscope's. It cannot be used in the vicinity of escorts as the diesels give off much more sound than the E-motors. If the enemy's radar development continues it won't be long before they can detect both the Schnorkel and the periscope in the dark. If you are discovered by radar-equipped aircraft they can see the wake even in the dark with their new powerful Leigh lights. Come to think of it, using the Schnorkel/diesels could be a fine way to attract escorts for the use of homing torpedoes. Staying below with a 12 knot speed possibility needs the escort to use enough power to attract the torpedo.

Around a convoy without an escort should be fine, though. At least in the dark.

Fred

the dark knight

12-08-13, 07:12 PM

U-123 Type IXB, July 5, 1940

Grid square AM-14. It is near dusk and a calm flat sea. We just weathered a 2 day storm that burned more fuel than we really wanted to. As we were on a heading of 270, my 1st WO cries 'warship spotted!'. I race to the conning tower and see a British Black swan in front of us, about 8000m dead ahead. I watch him for a bit, and notice it is heading north, then south, then north again. What are the odds of this being a lone ship? I linger longer than I felt comfortable, worrying we could be spotted in this glass smooth sea. Then, out of the haze, the first line of the convoy appears. I order a dive to 14m, rig for silent running, 100 rpm's on the electric motors. The hydrophone operator reports the 20 ship convoy is headed strait for us, with a heading of 090. I order a turn to port, to bearing 000. Once we reach this heading, I order all stop and men to man the torpedo rooms and damage control. I raise the periscope briefly, and pick out 2 medium tankers for the bow to get, and a whale factory ship for the stern tubes. We wait in silence as the black swan and her convoy pass over head. I raise the scope, we are dead center of the convoy. I quickly launch my forward tubes and stern tubes at their targets, and come out of silent running. 700m to the target...... and all 4 bow tubes miss. They fail to detonate. :/\\!! But, the whale factory ship has both a magnetic and contact torpedo's hit! I hold my breath, and keep the scope on a constant swivel checking for the escorts (there were 8, 4 swans, 4 hunt I's) and they are coming my way. 2 bow tubes were reloaded and one stern. I set all to contact and fire what I have. one at the whale factory, and both medium tankers. All 3 hit, and both tankers explode! The whale factory keeps plowing ahead though. Looks like she might get away...... I had one more torpedo load in the bow, so I fire it into a granville freighter. And.... impact! The granville starts sinking by the stern. The swans are closing fast..... Rig for silent running, 100 rpm's, dive to 100m, heading 300. after 15 minutes, we hear bulkheads groaning..... it was the whale factory ship! We creep away silently and clean without a single depth charge being dropped. The swans never detected us!

Headed for Brodeaux, as BDU says it is available for resupply. 1 granville, 2 medium tankers, and a whale factory ship. Not a bad haul (and yes, I alerted BDU to the presence of the convoy, but never was asked to shadow). Being low on fuel, I can not afford to follow the convoy for another attack.

Leandros

12-09-13, 07:59 AM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Mar. 071818lst 1944 - North Trinidad - Patrol 24

We just intercepted two tankers with our radar set. Turned out to be Colombian - neutrals. They were proceeding with full nav lights and were not armed. Just as we turned away to continue on our westbound course our RWR detected aircraft coming from the direction of Trinidad. Most probably warned by the tankers. Should have sunk them, anyway. They are not neutrals if they warn the enemy on our whereabouts. However, no radio traffic was intercepted. Maybe a lack in our equipment? Proceeding submerged. The Beaufighters had a good clue on where we dived, obviously radar-equipped, as we received some slight damage on the boat topside. Don't know how much untill we are up again. Soon now.

There is quite a lot of patrol boat activity - MTB's, too. They seemingly have both radar and sonar listening devices.

Getting the hang of the Schnorkel now. The clue is obviously to use it sparingly, not for regular cruise but just for charging batteries and circulating the air when necessary and cruise on the surface in daylight, if possible, for charging with radar switched on. Even if that can reveal our position we should have time to get under and sidestep any oncoming enemies.

Don't see the cost-effectiveness in sending us all the way over here.

Fred

Leandros

12-09-13, 02:54 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Mar. 120354 lst 1944 - SW EE61 - Patrol 24

What a total waste of time. Had to give up going into the Caribbean as too much air and sea patrols. Were bombed twice while submerged. Mystery....luckily only damage on the topside.

No activity so decided to look in at Bridgetown, Barbados. An ASW trawler was patrolling outside the harbour so torpedoed it to get a clean way in. Another ASW was anchored along the shore. Went in but nothing to see except some fires.

As we turned to leave the other ASW started up and followed us out. Considered this to be an easy match but this ASW was totally untouchable to magnetic torps. Wasted four on him before I was able to line him up for an aft shot with a TI on impact fuze. Hit him straight in the side at 500 meters. Used two torps on the first one, too. Now we are down to only two, one aft and one forward. The Bold 2's worked fine.

Have set course for U-488 - soon halfway now. We still have more than 50 % diesel but I want to top up with torps for the rest of the journey. Hopefully we find something to use the two remaining on. Out of deck gun shells, too. Full load of AA ammo. Weather is very nice.

Hals und Beinbruch!

Fred

Leandros

12-09-13, 04:21 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Apr. 261757 lst 1944 - NE CF86 - Patrol 25

Patrol 25 because one gets a new number after having visited a Milchkuhe for replenishment. Also the usual daft torpedo selection, mainly TIII's and a few TI's on deck. Well, we do have 1 Falke in one of the aft tubes. That's all.

Well, look here, here comes a little convoy....this gives me the creeps. It's going to run us right over and the weather is lousy with heavy snowshowers. Probably a dozen escorts, too, if the sonar operator is to be believed. He's usually right. I'll take this very easy. Not too much maneuvering but use what opportunities offer itself. The crux is to get away with it. Not much to defend oneself with, either.

Well, here we go...

Fred

Leandros

12-10-13, 03:35 AM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Apr. 270235 lst 1944 - NE CF83 - Patrol 25

Wow, we got away with it but not much to show for it. The convoy run us over very nicely but very little to see as visibility was down to 100-200 meters. Had to maneuver once to avoid collision with a tramp steamer. Fired half a dozen torps on sonar guidance and registered two hits. One was heard to go down.

Lay dead still on periscope depth after the convoy had passed completely. One escort was looking for us but never came closer than approx. 700 meters.

We have been on the surface for a few hours now and have reloaded tubes and spare torpedoes. Still have 15 torps left. We have been working ourselves ahead of the convoy again using the escort radar emissions. Hoping for better visibility, if not weather, this is a mess.

Fred

nionios

12-10-13, 04:57 AM

I don't know if this is the right topic but it does have some relation:I am in September 1939, patrolling off the Norwegian coast (AF87) and I encountered a Norwegian coastal tanker with no lights:hmmm:.From the first time i guessed it was an allied ship (not neutral) and i intended to attack it:up: but I confirmed its flag at a range of 900m :/\\!!.Is it possible for a neutral ship to travel without lights?

Leandros

12-10-13, 05:37 AM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Apr. 290231 lst 1944 - N CF36 - Patrol 25

We lost the convoy. It's mornings like this you want this thing to soon be over.

Planning to proceed to the north-eastern corner of Spain and use the rest of out torpedoes there - if we find any targets. Then a quick dash home.

Fred

Leandros

12-10-13, 07:05 AM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - May 030707 lst 1944 - W BE95 - Patrol 25
The new patrol area paid off. Discovered two large merchants by radar last night and cut them off. Beautiful weather and we are just laying still letting the radar do the work. No air patrols, no ASW patrols, but we have a sharp AA readiness - 8 20 mm barrels...!
Fred

Leandros

12-10-13, 11:37 AM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - May 112325 lst 1944 - Lorient Patrol 25

Just entered the U-boat-bunker in Lorient. What a relief! We left Lorient on February 17th, crossed the Atlantic to Barbados via U-488 in the mid-Atlantic. Returned via U-488, too, where we refuelled and replenished (therefore 2 patrols). Outside the north-western corner of Spain we hit on two different convoys. We were able to sink all the escorts of the last one, caught up with it again with our two remaining torps - and ended the day by emptying our deck gun ammo stores again. That took care of a couple of more merchants after dark.

There has been some problems with the torps, particularly four TI's on magnetic which we wasted on an ASW trawler outside Bridgetown. Either the ASW was perfectly degaussed or the torps were duds. There were a couple of others with problems. The sole Falke we brought with us tracked the target but never went off. The boat itself has behaved beautifully. Wonder how long they'll let me keep my very experienced crew....?

A lot of air activity north of Trinidad, otherwise very little untill we approached the outer Biscaya on the return trip - Sunderlands, Mosquitos and rocket-equipped B-24's. When we met those we knew there were some convoys close. Actually a Mossie pushed us under at which our sonar detected a convoy quite close. It had not shown up on our radar.

I have pondered a lot on how to tackle the large convoys with their extensive escort forces. To sink the merchants and not spend all torps on the escorts. It came to me when we were laying "under" that convoy with the extremely miserable weather above. Lined up inside the convoy, in the direction of the convoy's course, one could let off homing torpedoes with a few minutes spacing and a little spread using only the sonar and the manual aiming device. They would certainly hitch up to the several dozens of ships ahead of them.

Beautiful summer in France now, the whole crew is off to a small village in-country. There is a little too much attention by the Bomber Command around the harbour and bunker and much talk about the Allies coming over soon but I am sure they need another year before they dare take the leap. Then we shall certainly have our new super-boats and plenty of homing torps. I built up some goodwill again with this trip. Hopefully we shall get the new RWR and Bold 3 before we leave again. And a lot of homing torps.

Fred

GoldenRivet

12-10-13, 03:23 PM

What am I up to in my current Campaign???

I'm currently awaiting roll call and afternoon calisthenics, afterwards i will be scavenging the mess hall for any sort of implement that can be used for excavation and earth moving. The plan is to make a successful escape before Christmas. No place to go really, desert in ever direction as far as we could probably care to think about. Rumors of a river which can be rafted have circulated but i doubt it will lead to any place of consequence. Given my feelings of the futility of going afoot in the Arizona badlands i have volunteered to stay with the group of men who will remain behind and organize some sort of distraction on the night of the escape.

KaptLt. Wintergarten
Camp Papago Park, Arizona
November 1944

Leandros

12-10-13, 03:54 PM

Why didn't you fly out in the Cub....?

Fred

nataraj

12-11-13, 04:51 AM

OLt.z.S. Helmut reporting back from 22 days at sea - my 4th patrol.

First two weeks: lots of time to read and study submarine tactics. From different sources I put together a three pager as a quick reference during action: "Contact, Approach, Attack (http://helmut.saueregger.at/gameresources/SH3/Contact%20Approach%20Attack.pdf)". Came in quite handy during the next couple of days.

Hunting ? Small fry only. Spent 4 torpedoes and 140 shells on 10 ships (27 k tons total), but had about 75% fuel left, so kept looking for larger ships to hunt. Had an eye opening experience with a not so neutral convoy (see earlier report) that kept me hungry...

Then one night / early morning: a convoy, escorted by 2 warships: one A&B class destroyer and one Auxiliary Cruiser. Seems those Aux.Cruisers don't have any ASW gear: the cruiser never chased us, and when we finally looked him in the eye through the periscope, had nothing better to offer than a few shots from his flak.

We were lucky, too: the Aux.Cruiser did not sink immediately, but I had received the "going down" message so I kind of forgot that the ship was still up there when we surfaced to chase two Large Merchants. Only when the cruiser finally went under I realized he should have been shelling us ...

That morning, between 4am and 6am we sunk 2 warships and 4 Large Merchants - 60k tons - with 10 torpedoes and 46 shells.

(full log here (http://helmut.saueregger.at//gameresources/SH3/CaptLogPatrol4.pdf))

Back in Wilhelmshaven, I need to dismiss my First Officer - he's ready for promotion to Oberleutnant z.S. and SH Commander suggests he should get his own command. I concur.

Time for a little R&R while they clean the ship.

Happy Holidays, whatever your faith may or may not be,
OLt.z.S. Helmut

Leandros

12-11-13, 06:12 AM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - June 4th 1944 - Lorient - Patrol 26

Just cast off in Lorient. Three weeks off is all they gave us after a three-month patrol. We have been assigned the eastern approaches of the Channel. I have decided to go through the channel, we have been promised minesweeping support by the local coastal commands along the route. With escorts and the schnorkel we should be relatively safe.

Have upgraded to Bold 3 and the newest RWR's. Would have liked to have the improved Alberich and radar - the Tarnmatte, too, but there was not enough time for the modifications. Did get three home-sick torps, though....

Nice weather, expect a pleasant trip.....

Fred

the dark knight

12-12-13, 12:10 PM

U-552 December 20th, 1940

Grid AM 34

First patrol with our new U-boat, and it was a great one! We encountered an outbound enemy convoy on the way to our patrol grid, south of Ireland, and sank 3 merchants. 1 whale factory ship, 1 large merchant, and 1 medium cargo. The convoy was escorted by 3 black swans. It also looked like the convoy had been attacked a short while before, 2 merchants were on fire, as well as one of the swans. Once again, the swans came looking for me, but they never found me. We escaped to the north, and north of Ireland we ran across a coastal freighter, which we dispatched with our deck gun. Once in our patrol grid, there was one lonely A&B class destroyer. We closed on him, and put a torpedo into his engine room from 900m. He exploded in a huge fireball. There has been nothing for a week, then we get a radio report of a convoy due south of our location! We can make it if we run at flank speed, but this will leave us running on fumes to get home. I decide it is worth the risk. 10 hours later, at midnight, we come upon the convoy. We get in front, dive and wait. This one is escorted by 1 black swan, and 2 hunt I's. We pick out two targets, an Empire freighter, and a medium cargo. We manage to sink both, and once again, slip away unscathed. The allies are horrible with ASW currently, I wonder how many U-boats they are claiming to kill, but are letting slip away. This will not continue much longer I fear.

We are headed home. No torpedo's left, just deck gun ammo and heavy seas. Hopefully the trip home will be uneventful.

Leandros

12-12-13, 01:49 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - June 081200 1944 - Eastern Channel Approaches - Patrol 26

The departure from Lorient didn't turn out to be as peaceful as we had hoped for. We had just turned out of the inner harbor and manned the AA guns when a flight of B-24's came over. Lot of ack-ack from all corners, us included. One was shot down and at least two left with smoke-emitting engines. We weren't credited any of them.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U65/LeavingLorient4_zpsbf45f525.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/U65/LeavingLorient4_zpsbf45f525.jpg.html)

The trip through the Channel went well. Passing north of the Channel Islands we were forced down by two RN MTB's but nothing happened. At two occasions we were attacked by USN SBD's and Avengers. Our gunners were credited with one Avenger. Our escort, a Type 35 minesweeper, a very handy vessel, did good job , too. It has two 10,5 cm. HA guns and 6 20 mm. automatic cannons. With such company we went most of time surfaced. It left us after passing Dieppe.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U65/M35Escort3_zps9b816712.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/U65/M35Escort3_zps9b816712.jpg.html)

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U65/M35Escort_zpsbd72bea1.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/U65/M35Escort_zpsbd72bea1.jpg.html)

All the rumours of an invasion seem to be ballony, too, as we saw no sign of any special activity when passing through the Channel.

On the other hand we have recently been overflown, and attacked, on a couple of occasions by carrier aircraft. This conforms well with radar and sonar signals of an enemy force to the east-south-east. They are on a western course, we are proceeding southwards to intercept them.

Fred

Leandros

12-13-13, 08:07 AM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - June 081500 1944 - Eastern Channel Approaches - Patrol 26

Oh, yes - it was a carrier task force all right - turned out to be USS Bogue itself which had lost her way to the southern part of the North Sea - together with 5 escorts. 50 minutes and they were all down. That is, USS Bogue was still afloat but sinking slowly.

Anybody need a lift...? Picture shows the schnorkel on the U-65 which made it possible to catch up with the carrier as she, for some reason, proceeded steadily on 7 knots. Maybe she suffered from previous battle damage...

After having sunk the 5 escorts with some TI's and the two Falkes I sent a Zaunkønig after USS Bogue from a distance of 2.500 meters. It caught on to her nicely and when hitting slowed her down so we could finish her off with two normal torps.

Fred

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U65/CarrierDown_zpse53e24b2.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/U65/CarrierDown_zpse53e24b2.jpg.html)

Leandros

12-13-13, 01:28 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - June 120600 1944 - Wilhelmshafen - Patrol 26

With only 1 torp left I decided to go to Wilhelmshafen rather than back to Lorient north of the UK or through the Channel. The enemy's ASW capability is so much improved that I consider we need more weapons for pure self-defense on such a long trip.

Problem with diverting to any other than the home-base is that the weapons load they give you is quite straight-forward - mostly TIII's. I like the TI better.

Before we were able to set course for Wilhelmshafen we had two more fruitful encounters. One with two medium-sized tankers steaming together and another with a pack of hungry destroyers. They remained hungry...

After that we had to hide for another task force containing several destroyers together with a couple of larger vessels. According to the sonar operator, cruisers. We only had one torp left at the time.

The shallow sea on the English west coast looks like a graveyard. We cruised over to one of the sunken destroyers for her flag to take home.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U65/SunkenDestroyer2_zps8ffed03f.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/U65/SunkenDestroyer2_zps8ffed03f.jpg.html)

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U65/SunkenMerchant_zps8d223957.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/U65/SunkenMerchant_zps8d223957.jpg.html)

Going to the port command now to hear what new desperate assignment the HQ has for us.

Fred

mrbannon

12-13-13, 01:37 PM

Leandros

12-13-13, 02:29 PM

THose are great looking screenshots. What's your MOD setup?
Thank you, I have GWX version Gold 3.0.

I run it on 74% realism - I rely on a very good torpedo officer (the computer) and like to get the views. It is, after all, supposed to be entertainment....:up:...I also use the SH3 Commander. Otherwise, not much modding as much of it is already in the version. I am afraid of doubling up. It has happened.

Fred

Leandros

12-13-13, 06:40 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Jul 302134 1944 - North-West Scapa Flow - Patrol 27
Left Wilhelmshafen evening Jul 25th. Mission: To get back to Lorient safely. We were given the usual torpedo mix in Wilhelshafen, mostly TIII's. One Falke.

Decided to play it safe, followed the Norwegian coast north and cut over to the passage between Færøyene and The Scyllis. I have good experience from that area. Several RN ships ran around but we kept low. As it were we were able to sink three pairs of merchants in the period 28th-30th.

I have now set course westwards to gradually turn south towards Biscaya as we only have 6 torps left. However, at 2040 we received a report on a large convoy north-west of us, heading SSE. I decided to avoid it as we do not have much to defend us with if we are going to make an impact on the convoy as well.

That was all well untill quite recently - a Wildcat carrier fighter flew over. With other words, there is a carrier with that convoy. What shall "Vati" say if we didn't do our best to dispatch of it?

I shall call an officer conference.

Fred

Leandros

12-13-13, 08:04 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Jul 310619 1944 - West Scapa Flow - Patrol 27

We only barely got within the outer escort screen of the convoy, an Isles corvette passed behind us, approx. 600 meter's distance. Just before that I fired a TIII on magnetic against the carrier, it was in the midst of the convoy - distance ca. 3.000 meters. There was an impact sound almost exactly on the second. Some minutes later I fired the last forward torpedo, a TI on impact against an Ore Carrier in the rear of the convoy. Seemingly no luck. The Isles continued on its course. Ideal weather with satisfactory visibility and a rather rough sea. There must have been more than a dozen escorts.

We went in pursuit on distance, hoping that the carrier, a Casablanca type, had been damaged to the extent that it would drag behind the convoy. No luck, though. After several hours I decided to sidestep the convoy, it was obviously going to pass through the sound between The Orkneys and Scotland - Pentland Firth. I hope to get ahead of it to give the carrier the grazing shot. Rather risky as that sound is narrow and not very deep. We shall se how it develops. I do not want to take unnecessary risks......:hmmm:.....

Just an hour ago we detected radar signals from carrier planes, had to make a quick dive, so it is obviously still afloat. We are on the surface again now, going full blast.

Fred

Leandros

12-14-13, 09:43 AM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Jul 310941 1944 - western part of Pentland Firth - Patrol 27

We made it - the convoy is now approaching from the west.

Fred

Leandros

12-14-13, 01:01 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Aug 010113 1944 - south-east AM34 - Patrol 27

Oh, boy - finally out in the open! What a nerve-wrecking business. The convoy passed just south of us. We could observe the whole of it as it slowly sailed by. Alas, no carrier! We had decided not to attack if the carrier wasn't there. With a dozen escorts around, having only 4 conventional torps left, all in the aft, and the long way home we found it better to use them om some lone merchants along our return route.

So, we set a westerly course to get out in the Atlantic. There were still some outer screen escorts we had to get by before we were safe, one of them emitted a rather strong sonar signature. We approached it carefully to investigate. Eureka, it was the Casablanca carrier toddling along at 7 knots a few miles behind the convoy. And no escorts to see! It was markedly down by the bow.

We lined it up for our aft torpedoes and gave it one impact and one magnetic. It rolled over fairly quickly. However, we had been a little careless when approaching it, using the schnorkel to cut down on time. This attracted several escorts from the convoy which was quite far ahead.

A Buckley, a J&K and one Fletcher entertained us for a couple of hours. It was a miracle that we got away. I suspect much because of the very heavy seas and the effective Bold 3's. We were finally able to get out of the ring. Even then, an hour later another destroyer passed us by very closely. It dropped one salvo of D/C's and launched hedgehogs before it continued on its way. He wasn't too far off but we lay still so he didn't find us.

Only a few minutes ago we received a message that our base was changed to Trondheim. Wonder why? Anyway, we need to be careful, nothing left but the topside artillery to defend us with.

Fred

Below: The Casablanca getting it.

mrbannon

12-14-13, 01:06 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Aug 010113 1944 - south-east AM34 - Patrol 27

Oh, boy - finally out in the open! What a nerve-wrecking business. The convoy passed just south of us. We could observe the whole of it as it slowly sailed by. Alas, no carrier! We had decided not to attack if the carrier wasn't there. With a dozen escorts around, having only 4 conventional torps left, all in the aft, and the long way home we found it better to use them om some lone merchants along our return route.

So, we set a westerly course to get out in the Atlantic. There were still some outer screen escorts we had to get by before we were safe, one of them emitted a rather strong sonar signature. We approached it carefully to investigate. Eureka, it was the Casablanca carrier toddling along at 7 knots a few miles behind the convoy. And no escorts to see! It was markedly down by the bow.

We lined it up for our aft torpedoes and gave it one impact and one magnetic. It rolled over fairly quickly. However, we had been a little careless when approaching it, using the schnorkel to cut down on time. This attracted several escorts from the convoy which was quite far ahead.

A Buckley, a J&R and one Fletcher entertained us for a couple of hours. It was a miracle that we got away. I suspect much because of the very heavy seas and the effective Bold 3's. We were finally able to get out of the ring. Even then, an hour later another destroyer passed us by very closely. It dropped one salvo of D/C's and launched hedgehogs before it continued on its way. He wasn't too far off but we lay still so he didn't find us.

Only a few minutes ago we received a message that our base was changed to Trondheim. Wonder why? Anyway, we need to be careful, nothing left but the topside artillery to defend us with.

Fred

Below: The Casablanca getting it.

I can't wait to finish my shakedown cruise so I can get some of this wicked awesome action! (FYI, I would have made a post about my current "patrol", but it's a two-day pre-war patrol of A098, which is pretty much useless.)

Leandros

12-14-13, 06:18 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Aug 151200 1944 - Trondheim - Patrol 28

Just left Trondheim - mission: To try out the escort killer concept with special torpedo-equipped boats. That is us. The recent enormous U-boat losses due to the increasing number and efficiency of the Allied escort forces has finally awakened our leadership - much helped by me and my officers' insistence to get better support/weapons after our latest hair-rising mission. This combined with the local naval commander in Trondheim being an old classmate of mine, and a recent influx of home-seeking torpedoes in Trondheim, with fewer and fewer boats (and commanders) to utilize them, did result in us getting no less than 9 Type IV, V and XI torpedoes for this mission. Hope these have had a proper production quality control. I was praised by the BdU for having improved my merchant/warship ratio. 6 out of 7 being merchants on the last patrol.

We have been assigned grids AM52 and 53 as our patrol area.

We arrived in Trondheim on Aug. 4th after an uneventful journey from west of the Orkneys. The worsening war situation hastened our departure here. We have been assigned Brest as our new main base.

Fred

Below:

1. Captain's Log Patrol 27
2. Full AA readiness

Leandros

12-14-13, 07:07 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Aug 200549 1944 - east AM51 - Patrol 28

Have just arrived outside the North-Western Approaches. A large convoy was reported coming in from east-north-east. We soon picked up the radar emissions from its escorts. We seem to be positioned in the middle of its track now. I am not particularly happy with the situation. This just isn't good attack weather!

Fred

1. Nice weather!
2. Convoy approaching

Leandros

12-15-13, 12:25 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Aug 25th 1944 - Trondheim - after Patrol 28

We arrived in Trondheim yesterday afternoon. Another patrol in which we had our heads banged by the numerous and aggressive escorts. We ended up with scopes, sonars, radar and batteries destroyed or damaged, but got away with it.

While our mission was to concentrate on the escorts we lost focus when we discovered that there was a large passenger liner in the center of the convoy. We had to get that one! With that we lost much of the advantage on the escorts as we had to proceed with some speed inside the convoy to reach the liner. This attracted a number of escorts from all directions. In the following melee' I made a couple of mistakes. A TI was fired instead of a Falke IV as intended. A TI aft shot was misjudged, and missed, so we lost some of our headstart. Anyway, after having secured 3 hits on the liner with conventional torps we went down for reloading. At that time we had at least sunk one and paralyzed two other escorts.

We proceeded slowly on opposite course of the convoy. However, when it had passed us over we were discovered again. We went to periscope depth and were able to hit a couple of more before we had to go down again. They were too many. Anyway, we ended up with scopes, batteries, radar and sonar destroyed or damaged and went deep. With a combination of speed, course and depth changes we were off the hook after a couple of hours. The Bolds worked beautifully! At one stage we had considerable leaks but our excellent repair crew saved us for another day.

On the surface again I set course north-west at maximum speed. We had earlier received a message that all French bases were being abandoned so it was back to Trondheim.

Alas, we had surfaced too soon! Suddenly there was artillery fire coming from aft, a destroyer! Now comes the beauty of the homing torpedo: We had one left in a forward tube and without any optics to assist in a firing solution I set up a manual aim for it to cross our wake a few hundred meters aft of us. There it ought to catch on to the destroyer that was fast overhauling us. It did!

After that we made a wide detour North of the Shetlands for Trondheim. Fortunately, nothing was encountered on this route but, we came back with almost half our conventional torp load.

Even if we were badly battered on this patrol I believe the concept is valid. If there had been more U-boats we would have let the others concentrate on the big fish in the convoy. As I see it, the ideal number of escort hunters for each convoy would be 3. One up front to draw off and destroy the forward screen and one on each side to pick off the other escorts as they are speeding forward to join the action.

Further down the convoy track could be placed any number of conventionally-armed boats to take care of the now more or less escort-less merchants.

The new torpedoes are working quite well, even if some items need to be considered. The target speed need to be within 12-20 knots. First, it needs a signal (noise) to hook on to the target, a certain speed, that is. Secondly, the target cannot move too fast as the torpdo shall not be able to catch up with it. This speed range is actually quite feasible. An escort shall usually move faster than 12 knots as it zig-zags around the convoy. It also needs to consider the threat from conventional torpedoes. When hunting it cannot move as fast as 20 knots as its passive sonar shall be screened by engine and outside noise and its maneuverability decreases.

The enemy is said to have developed a counter-measure against homing torpedoes - The Foxer. This in itself is an advantage for us as it gives off noise which screens ours and puts a limit on the escort's speed. It is also quite cumbersome to handle as it is towed behind the vessel like a mine-clearing device. A factor to be considered is the possibility of "friendly fire", that the torp can home back on the U-boat. This is possible but can be minimized by correct tactics. First of all, my experience is that the torp should be fired as early as possible, mainly to have it done so that the attention can be switched to eventual other targets. It is less effective within a convoy as it can hook up to a merchant instead of an escort.

Finally, it is not a sure killer and shall normally not sink a merchant. But it shall almost always paralyze an escort and therefore hinder it in its mission - to protect the convoy. On this latest patrol there were 3-5 escorts which were seemingly not sunk, but left still in the water. The homers often damage their propulsion and steering systems.

Fred

Below:

Captain's report.

Leandros

12-15-13, 06:06 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Nov. 161924 1944 - AN27 - Patrol 29

We left Trondheim on afternoon Nov. 12th for grid BE33 - Bristol Channel Approaches - but are now halfway across the North Sea on our way back to Trondheim.

We were taken off the escort hunter project but were able to scrounge together 4 extra homers in addition to the 1 already assigned for our 29th patrol.

We are a little p***** because of all the trouble we have had with enemies as well as local bureaucratics lately. We were blamed for returning a boat with only approx. 35% hull integrity two times in a row and not enough to show for it. We do have some ideas, though.

Anyway, almost across the North Sea on our way to BE33 we picked up radar signals from a group of warships. We were ready to pick a fight to give a little back for what we have received on the last two patrols, so we headed for them. However, they turned westwards and we were not able to catch up with them.

That was as well as east of the Orkneys we picked up another group of signals. Approaching them we could also register sonar signals from merchants - a convoy. As there were no more than four or five signal emitters we decided to give it a try - to prove our theories.

The convoy was heading south and we managed to get across its front to its starboard side. There we positioned us in front of its starboard screen and made us known. It was 5 of them and when it was all over we still had 1 homer left - and plenty of conventional ones for the merchants.

In a following fight we were pressed down by aircrafts 4 times. The second time we decided to stay surfaced as we were loading down spare torps and have very good AA equipment and crews. Unfortunately the deck gun crew was also on deck, having just started to fire on the nearest vessel in the convoy. Well, the three of them were killed by machine gun fire from the Catalina. OTH, we shot it down. After that sorry event, we dived when other aircraft showed up. In the end all but small merchants had been sunk by torpedo or gunfire. In the end there was no deck gun ammo left. It was not a large convoy but good enough.

We rounded it all up by returning to a Victory freighter. We had given it several torps earlier but it looked quite healthy in spite of being stopped. Suddenly it started off again at 5 knots. We used the last torp, a Zaunkønig, and it worked beautifully even at the ship's slow speed.

Stabsoberbootsman Vogel and matrosenhauptgefreiter Ebeling have been buried at sea. Stabsoberbootsman Wittenberg fell overboard after being hit by the Catalina and was lost.

Fred

Below:

1. Catalina on its way to the bottom of the sea
2. Other aircraft hunting us - Sunderland
3. Captain's log Patrol 29

coinbird

12-16-13, 10:51 AM

After not having played a subsim in years I suddenly got the urge to play again. After trying to make SH V fun I gave up and went back to the tried and true SH 3 with GWX gold edition. The graphics may feel a little dated today but the game play is so much better than SH V that it can be overlooked.

I started up a campaign beginning in 1939 out of Kiel in a little sardine can known as the type IIA. I ont have too much exciting to report over the next few months that followed other than what just happened on my last patrol.

On the night of February 20th after having decided to stretch the operational limits of my little coastal sub I spotted a task force just west of Scotland and North of Ireland. I could barely make out a silhouette of a battleship in the task forces center. It was too dark and too far away for me to get a confirmed visual on which battleship it was, especially since I am still a rather inexperienced captain! I took my best guess and identified it as the Nelson.

I was now approximately 3.6ish km away from the battleship and wanted to get closer still but I saw two destroyers moving about oddly and getting rather too close for comfort. Quickly, I set tubes 1 and 3 to fast and magnetic. I took a final range, which was still about 3.6 km distance and took a quick 20 second speed-reading of the battleship.

After having launched tubes 1 and 3 (didnt shoot tube 2 for a full spread) I dived deeper from submerged para scope depth to approximately 115 metres. My crew could hear the bang of only one torpedo.

The following depth charge attacks were done by three or for destroyers and lasted maybe two hours when my hydrophone officer reported a battleship going down. Not too long after that the destroyers moved on.

A revenge class battleship has been sunk by a single torpedo of a type IIA sub!

Leandros

12-16-13, 12:19 PM

Congratulations!

Fred

Leandros

12-16-13, 12:50 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Feb. 041253 1945 - AN14 - Patrol 30

Left Trondheim in the morning of Jan. 26th. Of all things we were assigned grid DH89 - that is just South of the Canaries - as our patrol area. How stupid is that, to use time and fuel on such distant areas when everything is going down the drain up here in Europe.

Anyway, it keeps us out of the hottest areas and I set up a course north of the Shetlands to proceed out in the Atlantic from there. Nice weather around the Canaries this time of the year. Went langsam fahrt to save fuel for the long distance. Who knows what has happened in the world when we are finished down there.

However, north-west of Ireland our engines started to act up. After a dive to avoid an enemy warship giving off a radar signal we were only able to achieve max. 11 knots on the diesels after we surfaced. Funny enough, we still get 12 knots on the schnorkel when submerged.

I decided to turn back to Trondheim, nothing doing to continue on such a long stretch with dubious engines. I reckoned we might rather find some targets on the way back. For that purpose I set a course between the Shetlands and Orkneys. That is usually a rich hunting area, having a little patience.

Almost there we picked up radar signals from warships in the south-east. At the same time, after having submerged, we got a merchant on the sonar from north-west. I decided to try to pick off the destroyers first. We proceeded northwards on full engine-power with the schnorkel up. That made them react! Problem was I let the schnorkel stay up a little too long so they got us well targeted with their guns resulting in damage to the periscopes. That made it a little complicated in the following round-about. Anyway, a mix of homers and conventional torps finally put them down. But not before we had a bad scare. The sonar operator suddenly warned that it seemed one of our homers had missed its target and came back on us!. So it did! I immediately ordered crash dive and not much later we could hear it whizzz over the aft deck...I ordered engines stop. Well, a lesson learned. The fun thing is that it turned back on its original target again, the second destroyer, and sank it. The merchant got away. We have now downloaded spare torps and are ready for new adventures. Laying low now.

Fred

Below:

1. Passing the inner guard vessel at Trondheim
2. Leaving Norway behind
3. Destroyer just having got it
4. There it goes

Leandros

12-16-13, 05:04 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Feb. 061031 1945 - AN14 - Patrol 30

Heading east into the North Sea now - returning to Trondheim. A somewhat frustrating patrol this. After the initial trouble with the engines one is now totally out. This night we either hit a mine or were bombed without warning when submerged. How that could have happened I do not know, we were lying still and only had the observer periscope above the surface - the night was totally black. There was extensive damage all through the boat and when everything was fixed the port engine was still destroyed. We now have only one, reduced-power, engine. Full power yields only 9 knots in the heavy seas.

Bootsman Volkmar Kettner was killed by concussion.

Fred

Below:

1. Night action
2. Only 9 knots in heavy seas
3. Status Report

Leandros

12-17-13, 08:51 AM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Mar. 310559 1945 - SE AL29 - Patrol 31

We left Trondheim on morning March 22nd. for another idiotic mission area - US East Coast! Well, at least we should have a couple of weeks of lazy cruising. I chose a track between Iceland and The Færoyes on economical speed. There are no more Milchkuhe now so we have to get back again on what we have onboard.

I had decided, if at all possible, to avoid any contact on the transport voyage but, as so many times before, it did not work out as we hoped. While passing through grid AL28 we received a report on an enemy task force SW of us. Only a little while later we picked up radar transmissions and - almost immediately - we were attacked by Avengers. With other words, a task force with a carrier in it.

We couldn't avoid this one as they were almost on top of us and besides - a carrier! Fortunately, the Avengers did not harm us very much before we were under. As we proceeeded slowly south-westwards sonar signals revealed at least 5 escorts. As it turned out it was 6. We had 5 homers and a good supply of TI's. Soon we had the first ones, Buckleys, in our scope. I took no chances but used Zaunkønig VI's on one them on a distance of approx. 2.000 meters, the first one I let on to us and caught him with a TIII bow deflection shot on 500 meters as he was approaching. Both hit. The one that got the TIII sank immediately, the other was stopped, a fierce fire in its aft section. The third came right after the first ones and was also stopped dead in the water with a Zaunkønig.

In all, there were six of them. Four were confirmed sunk, the others may have got away but they didn't bother us anymore, we could go for the carrier without interference. Eventually we sent 3 conventional torps into it. We now had used all our homers but still had 12 conventional ones left. In an officer's conference we decided to proceed towards our assigned patrol area on the US east coast.

We had just picked up our previous course when a new report ticked in - a large convoy north-east of us, quite near, heading SSE. Another conference and we found that we had to go for this one. I didn't like it with all our homers gone. It was bound to be plenty of escorts and they had proved very effective lately. The only good to say is that we had had an upgraded Bold installed in Trondheim. It's soon daylight, too! That is not good with this calm sea! We are proceeding north-east.

Fred

Below:

1. First victims
2. Two more
3. The fifth
4. The sixth
5. Typical result of homers - dead in the water
6. No peace - another convoy in north-east
7. Too good weather....

Leandros

12-17-13, 05:13 PM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Apr 012325 1945 - South AL26 - Patrol 31

Oh, boy - this is going to be a long way home. After having dispatched of the carrier task force we set course for the reported convoy. Unfortunately I had not noted that the RWR had been damaged in that skirmish so suddenly a Butler frigate showed up on the horizon. Visibility unlimited and totally flat sea! Before we had turned halway around we had been hit twice in the hull. This added to the main batteries and schnorkel already destroyed, as well as the deck gun. What batteries were left were quite low on power, we got approx. 3 knots submerged.

We had plenty of torps but all homers had been used earlier. Luckily the scopes were in order. However, that did not help much as a leak in the aft torpedo room left us hanging nose up around 30-40 meters while the repair crew was working hard at getting the water out. In the meantime the enemy vessel, a Butler, approached casually. The only thing that seemed to work properly today was the Bold decoy system. After some minutes the Butler started an approach run, at that time we had almost reached the surface, another Bold confused him. He stopped. In the meantime I had ordered full reverse. Slowly we backed away while turning our aft towards port. Miracously, he was lying still all the while we edged out to the 400 meters mark. I gave him a spread of two TIII's from the bow tubes. I was a little in doubt about using the TI or TIII on him. However, lately the enemy has been much better to sidestep our torps. That is, when he sees one is coming. Their new subchasers are much more maneuverable than the earlier main opposition, the destroyer. So, it was a choice between stealth and speed. I obviously made the right choice.

All well? Not at all. As soon as the Butler was down an Everts was hovering on the 1.000 meter line. We couldn't take much more now so I put the broadside towards him as he edged slowly forward. Due to our lack of submerged speed I could not let him as close as I usually do. Quite unexpectedly he approached us along a straight line, no zig-zagging. I gave him one TI deflection shot from the bow and one from the aft - on 600 and 500 meters. Luckily, both went off under him.

After that we kept down till it was dark. We are soon in the Iceland-Færoyes gap and has been attacked twice by aircraft in the dark, first by a Coastal Command Halifax and after that a Sunderland flying boat. First time we dived - received some damage. The second time we stayed up and shot down the Sunderland. Going against 8 fast-firing 20 mm automatic cannons is no joke. I do have a specially selected AA crew.

We should never have gone against that convoy in this weather.

Fred

Below:

1. Sunderland going down
2. Status report

Leandros

12-18-13, 04:45 AM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Apr 010839 1945 - Center AL35 - Patrol 31

This night we received another report on a large convoy not far away in the north-east - heading south-south-west. We made a wide detour towards south-east. Going on surface now - 15 knots. Weather is still too nice!

Was just attacked by a Wellington. Decided to stay up and defend ourselves. It didn't even get close before it went down in a dive, one engine on fire.

Shall dive now and lay still before we continue on the surface in the evening.

Fred

Below:

1. Wellington going down
2. Sitrap

Leandros

12-18-13, 05:09 AM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Apr 022045 1945 - North AL34 - Patrol 31

On the surface again. Last night we were attacked by a B-17 - we stayed up. Only superficial damage, quickly rectified. He left after one pass. Beautiful weather now, hope it continues. If so. we shall stay up during daytime, too.

Fred

Below:

1. Beautiful weather
2. New dangers

Leandros

12-18-13, 07:17 AM

U-65 - IXB - Kaleu Hansen - Apr 10th 1945 - Trondheim - Patrol 31
We were back in Trondheim in the afternoon of April 8th. A sperrbrecher met us out in the fjord and escorted us to DORA - the U-boot bunker in Trondheim.

An inspection of U-65 showed it to be beyond repair with the spares and facilities presently available in Trondheim. Hull integrity was 10%. Little help is expected from Germany as the situation there is rather chaotic. The crew is being spread on other vessels and I am relieved of my command and transferred to Training, awaiting transport to Germany.

Fred

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U65/TakenOffActiveDuty_zps5f18ace1.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/U65/TakenOffActiveDuty_zps5f18ace1.jpg.html)

Below:

1. Met by Sperrbrecher
2. Entering "DORA"
3. Finally home
4. Captain's log

Leandros

12-29-13, 06:51 PM

U-2502 - XXI - Oberleu z.S. Müller - Sep. 16 1944 - Bergen Approaches - Patrol 5

Left Bergen this morning. Took over U-2502 in June, now on its 5th patrol. Have had serious problems with the diesels. The first patrol went fairly well but was not able to reach its designated max. surface speed. Bumped into a large convoy west of the Hebrides. Had a good load of homing torpedoes so we were able to fight off the escorts for a while. In the end we had to dive and got away only by going under the convoy. Even after having sunk some the escorts there were still a dozen chasing us. To engage escorted convoys now seems like suicide.

Patrol 2 and 3 were disappointments. Had to turn back on both occasions due to engine trouble. Patrol 4 almost ended in disaster. Lost almost all engine power to the extent that submerging in a normal way was impossible. It simply would not go under with the low surface speed. When crash diving we got under but were not able to control the depth. Fortunately this happened before we got into the Atlantic so we humped back to Bergen.

So far everything works nicely, except for the radar which is unserviceable but our mission can turn out to be a himmelfahrtskommando - AM 68. That is in the Irish Channel. B-17's came over when we left port. Stayed on the surface, AAA was effective. Four B-17's on fire, if not by us.

Fred

Below:

1. Patrol 1 - passed own convoy when leaving Bergen - T-boot Type 37
2. Patrol 1 - the escorts were after us like wild animals
3. Patrol 1 - finally up again
4. Patrol 1 scoreboard
5. First 4 patrols

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/2502/OwnConvoy_zps3384bc22.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/2502/OwnConvoy_zps3384bc22.jpg.html)

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/2502/Wolfpack_zpscacb9bcb.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/2502/Wolfpack_zpscacb9bcb.jpg.html)

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/2502/NorthWestHebrides_zps951cbb6c.png (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/2502/NorthWestHebrides_zps951cbb6c.png.html)

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/2502/PatrolLog1_zps5bed446c.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/2502/PatrolLog1_zps5bed446c.jpg.html)

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/2502/First4Patrols_zpse290dd86.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/2502/First4Patrols_zpse290dd86.jpg.html)

gi_dan2987

12-29-13, 06:59 PM

October 24th, 1939

Commander, U-47

23OCT1939 19:30 hours

Ship Sunk!
Large Cargo 10175GRT

Fired two torps, Fast speed, 4m Depth, Impact Pistol. Fixed wire method to obtain speed. Fired at 000 Gyro. Confirmed sunk. Continuing patrol.

END MESSAGE

Leandros

12-30-13, 07:45 AM

U-2502 - XXI - Oberleu z.S. Müller - Sep 1944 - west of Scapa Flow - Patrol 5

We are nearing the Northern entrance of the Hebrides Channel. The boat is working beautifully. I originally intended to go north of the Shetlands but several reports of enemy task forces south of us changed my mind. Also I have hoped to hit a convoy to spend our torps on and not having to go into the assigned mission area, a hell-hole for a submarine.

On our way through the passage south of Scapa we have been able to ambush no less than four single destroyers. A V & W we could not confirm by sight but I knew it went down in a cloud of smoke. The tactic has been to pick radar signals in a narrow sound and then lay completely still till they are within firing range - 700-1.000 meters. Using TIII's on magnetic none of them knew what hit them.

An enemy convoy has been reported coming out of the northern entrance of the Hebrides Channel. We are on an opposite course.

Fred

Below:

Excellent weather for hunting.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/2502/NiceWeatherForHunting_zps8b7b2542.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/2502/NiceWeatherForHunting_zps8b7b2542.jpg.html)

gi_dan2987

12-30-13, 12:02 PM

Commmander U-47 to BdU

Date/Time: 5NOV1939 2100HRS

Current position: AM3236

Came across a polish tramp steamer approx. 200km SW of Norwegian coast. Dove to periscope depth, obtained a position 90 degrees off port side of target's course. Obtained speed using fixed wire. Fired one torp at 000 gyro. 3m depth, fast speed, impact pistol. Ship sunk! 3000GRT

Spotted a British Large Merchant in vicinity north of Lerwick. Obtained speed using fixed wire, fired two torps, 4m depth, fast, impact. Ship Sunk! 10175GRT

Spotted British small merchant in Vicinity of AM3236. obtained speed with fixed wire. One torp, fast, impact, 3m. Ship Sunk! 3000GRT

Damage: None

Torps Expended: 4 type G7a steam driven

Status: Continuing patrol as ordered

END MESSAGE

Leandros

12-30-13, 12:35 PM

U-2502 - XXI - Oberleu z.S. Müller - Sep. 230630 1944 - north of the Shetlands - Patrol 5

Heading for home at the surface as fast as we can while the bad weather lasts. The convoy we had hoped for passed north of us. Instead we picked up sonar signals from a heavy unit, probably a Southampton class cruiser. I took a chance and went full blast on schnorkel to interecept it but either it picked up the schnorkel on radar and gunned us - the distance was several kilometres - or our sonar signal, as suddenly we received some very serious topside damage, scopes stuck down and the schnorkel stucked up. It worked as a schnorkel, though. All installations on the bridge destroyed. It could have been an air patrol called in by the cruiser because of our very noisy advance.

Anyway, initially going north submerged a warship crossed ahead of us. Took up pursuit and as it registered us on the sonar it turned towards us. Fired a Zaunkønig with manual aiming from 20 meter depth and magnetic. It worked.

Now I just hope the bad weather keeps up till we have crossed the North Sea.

Fred

Below:

1. Shelled by cruiser.....
2. ....or bombed...
3. Going full blast for home. Schnorkel stuck up.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/2502/SouthamptonClass_zps3670bba9.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/2502/SouthamptonClass_zps3670bba9.jpg.html)

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/2502/BombsAway2_zpsb98e2499.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/2502/BombsAway2_zpsb98e2499.jpg.html)

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/2502/FullBlastForHome_zps979b1c3b.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/2502/FullBlastForHome_zps979b1c3b.jpg.html)

Leandros

12-30-13, 01:24 PM

U-2502 - XXI - Oberleu z.S. Müller - Sep. 241349 1944 - Bergen Approaches - Patrol 5

We made it! Took a wide northerly detour to avoid enemyair patrols. The Vorposten-boot was ready to take us in even if no message had been sent by us, radio antennas destroyed!

The crew is keen to get out again after the numerous setbacks!

Fred

Below:

1. Guard boat met us
2. Scoresheet Patrol 5

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/GuardShipMeetingUs_zps9240dc4d.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/GuardShipMeetingUs_zps9240dc4d.jpg.html)

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/ScoresheetPatrol5_zps7e94bf11.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/ScoresheetPatrol5_zps7e94bf11.jpg.html)

Leandros

12-30-13, 07:42 PM

U-2502 - XXI - Oberleu z.S. Müller - Oct. 131948 1944 - AM34 - Patrol 6

We're in the deep s*** now. Left bergen on the 8th and proceeded north of the Shetlands for the assigned patrol area BF16. That is in the Bristol Channel approaches. Took with us no less than six homers.

Ambushed some subhunters on the way till we hit upon a Southampton class cruiser with one escort north-east of the Hebrides. Launched a homer towards the escort on a distance of about 1.500 meters. It hooked on nicely. Before that I had veered out to starboard to get an angled shot at the cruiser when it passed us. The escort, a Captain, went down. Before that I noticed that we did not get up in speed on the E-engines, they had worked fine untill then. It didn't matter at the time because the cruiser continued right ahead and we gave it 3 torps on magnetic fuze under its port side. Went down in minutes.

After surfacing and checking the propulsion system it showed that we don't get any speed on the diesels, either. Max. 3 knots submerged, 4-5 knots surfaced. With or without schnorkel makes no difference. I have set a straight northerly course to get as far away from the air patrols as possible.

Fred

Below:

The scoresheet so far.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/2502/ScoresheetPatrol6_zpsb6c5409d.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/2502/ScoresheetPatrol6_zpsb6c5409d.jpg.html)

gi_dan2987

12-30-13, 10:31 PM

Commander U-65

Type: IXB

Patrol: From 04OCT1940-23NOV1940. Set out directly west toward the Hudson Strait for commerce raiding and anti-shipping operations. First trans-Atlantic patrol. Confirmed a total of 45000GRT for 17 torpedoes and 57 rounds of 88mm deck gun ammunition. Came under attack by tanker, maneuvered into position and sunk with rear tubes. Pictures confirm some of the kills, but there were more that I forgot to screenshot.

Large Merchant in the Hudson Strait
http://imageshack.com/a/img849/8381/7pcg.jpg

Map of the Hudson Strait. Excellent hunting grounds! Uncharted territory!
http://imageshack.com/a/img811/7943/vciv.jpg

Sunk a Canadian tramp steamer in the Hudson Strait
http://imageshack.com/a/img811/8641/c7le.jpg

Confirmed kill on Tramp Steamer
http://imageshack.com/a/img829/4806/ceg5.jpg

Tonnage roster. There's a few more that aren't included in here
http://imageshack.com/a/img543/7910/xovo.jpg
http://imageshack.com/a/img30/9771/hr62.jpg

Debris after the sinking
http://imageshack.com/a/img163/317/hna4.jpg

One Large Tanker sighted! I ended up sinking him with my rear tubes
http://imageshack.com/a/img51/9214/r7b7.jpg
http://imageshack.com/a/img15/3530/po9s.jpg
http://imageshack.com/a/img35/1390/d23c.jpg

nataraj

12-31-13, 05:31 AM

So this was my fifth patrol.

Good hunting, all in all, a bunch of small and medium merchants, quite a few torpedo boats, lately, and two convoys. It was the night of the second convoy when I discovered the cat and all that weirdness started - or maybe it had started already when Schrödinger managed to bring the kitten aboard. Hid it well, too (and I am quite sure that other sailors helped in hiding her, too). Cat's name was Cassandra, I remember quite clearly.

We lay there waiting for the convoy, one destroyer had already passed, a big fat juicy ammo ship right in front of us - whooosh, two eels, two hits !

Another big ship coming up, two eels - whoosh, two hits.

But then I heard the crew mutter: "bad omen ... cat dead ... bad ... bad" Hey guys we are trying to survive here, forget about the stupid cat!. Two escorts above us, depth charges - go deep, go silent. 120m. Lay low. They took turns in attacking: one escort dropped the DCs, the other listened. Then - ping, ping. And another attack. And another. We died.

I woke up in what must have been a parallel universe. Same patrol. Same boat. Even the cat was there! I asked Schrödinger about the cat's name. "Cat's Sandra, Sir!" he replied. Hm. But there were more pressing matters than a cat's name - the convoy! Same convoy - ammunition ship: two hits, large tanker - two hits. Sonar guy says there is only one escort coming after us, still 1000 m away, let's dive, fast! Trying to stay below the convoy, we must have come too close to our last kill: at 100m depth we are taking damage - but there were no depth charges in the water! Debris, maybe ? Anyway, damage is only minor, dive to 130 m. This time we keep moving: flank speed when we can hear the destroyer, slow when he's moving away. Only three DC runs and none of them really dangerous. Destroyer leaves. Cat is alive and well, so are we.

Until ... that foul weather near Helgoland: wind at 28 knots, 4-5 m waves. Not too bad, actually, just no weather for the deck gun so we head straight for home. Time compression 256. Watch that circle move slowly SE. Suddenly: the "end patrol" screen. ???? took a while before I saw the message: "you are dead. career abandoned". Only clue SH3 gives me is this: " ... flooding ". I don't have the foggiest idea why we were suddenly dead. SH3 commander is set to drop to TC 1 or 0 when there are ships or airplanes nearby, there is 10-12m of water below keel. I guess it was just that we had to switch back from that other universe by way of dying again?

Is it always like this when you start a patrol on Dec.24 ?

regards,

OLt. z.S. Helmut

Patrol results
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 10
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonnage: 69392 tons

Complete Log here: CaptLogPatrol5 (http://helmut.saueregger.at/gameresources/SH3/CaptLogPatrol5.pdf)

jreid666

12-31-13, 05:52 AM

There are some minefields round the heligoland area. I got caught with that once aswel. As for the cat on board, bad omen, and a female on board, even worse!!!! Good reading :)

James

Radian

12-31-13, 11:24 AM

I'm ending my 25th patrol. It's mid Dec 43. I plan to back in port for Christmas.

I have but one fish left in a forward tube.

What do you know.... Radio contact large convoy just west of me heading for me.

Part of me says...You have one torpedo, this is going to be a well escorted convoy. Do you want the risk or just sail on and find a solo strageler to sink on the way to port.... Or do you risk it?

They gave me torpedoes to use on enemy shipping... I turn west and tell my crew we are going in!

My sound man tells me of 7 escorts and a warship in the middle of the convoy? What could be in the middle? I proceed with caution.

When in position I raise my scope ever so little and there it is... A Bogue class escort carrier!

Ah the frustration... Only one torpedo. Must make it count. Target for hull impact at 6m depth just behind the bow area..

Fish away now crash dive! We're going to have LOTS of company in a few minutes.

My reward? "She's going down!" Yes one fish the last fish bags me a 15k ton escort carrier and I slink off out of the midst of the convoy to head home victorious...

Radian

Leandros

12-31-13, 02:53 PM

U-2502 - XXI - Oberleu z.S. Müller - Nov. 060629 1944 - AN13 - Patrol 7

Left Bergen on the morning of the 3rd.

We came back safely from Patrol 6 by taking a wide northerly detour to avoid air patrols after our major loss of propulsion power - diesel and electric. These constant malfunctions are getting tiresome. If we had met any enemy forces on the return trip we would have had serious problems with defending ourselves. We also brought back a dozen unused torpedoes which is not very popular with the brass.

This patrol has worked out nicely, the boat works fine. Set the course to cross into the Alantic South of the Shetlands. Stopped for a period in the sound to see if any traffic showed up. It did - among them a fat little convoy with three ships.

Continuing westward a report on a large convoy, heading south-west, ticked in. North-East of the approaches to the Hebrides Channel we picked up the radar emissions of its escorts. We submerged and are now awaiting its arrival. The point escort has just passed behind us but he is suspicious, he has been dropping d/c's at the point we went under. He had obviously registered us on his radar. I had a homer ready for him if he discovered us but it seems he is moving on. I shall certainly get use for that homer later. It's a large convoy!

Fred

Below:

1. Fat little convoy of three ships
2. Scoresheet so far

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/2502/ThreeFatTargets_zps991f3f88.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/2502/ThreeFatTargets_zps991f3f88.jpg.html)

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/Scoresheet_zpsa970b005.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/Scoresheet_zpsa970b005.jpg.html)

Leandros

12-31-13, 09:26 PM

U-2502 - XXI - Oberleu z.S. Müller - Nov. 09 1944 - Bergen - Patrol 7

Arrived back in Bergen this morning. This was the first satisfactory patrol since the first one and also the only with no malfunctions on the boat. However, we have never had an operational radar. I do not put too much importance on that as we all the time see how radar reveal the presence of the enemy. The only use would be in bad weather or the dark but with the submerged speed and endurance on this boat we may as well operate submerged and use our sonar under such conditions. The schnorkel should only be used in the dark and at a low speed as its wake can be observed by airplanes in daylight and the diesels veil our own sonar, at the same time increasing the enemy's potential to hear us.

The attack on the convoy, it wasn't that big, went quite well even if some time and many torps were used to keep the escorts away. We used all our torps except 1 Zaunkønig for self-defense on the return voyage.

Fred

Below:

Patrol Log

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/2502/PatrolLog_zpse921f414.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/2502/PatrolLog_zpse921f414.jpg.html)

PolarDeer

01-01-14, 07:05 PM

Just after finishing a 40000t patrol with wild forays into CG9x and the Portuguese coast, I tried to reload to discover that the entire save is apparently corrupt since it keeps crashing on my loading attempts.

Oh well, now for another campaign...

nataraj

01-02-14, 07:23 AM

There are some minefields round the heligoland area. I got caught with that once aswel. As for the cat on board, bad omen, and a female on board, even worse!!!!

Ah ! That explains it, of course. Thanks for the information about the minefield, I'd never have guessed - so close to "home". Now that I knew where to look, I found a thread about it, too: seems that I'm not the only one that sailed through these minefields completely unawares ... (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=146889 and http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=148595)

I found the solution to the other puzzle, too: damage without enemy action. Ahem, if we had proper nautical charts on board, I'd have seen at first glance that the Celtic Sea is only between 50 and 100m deep in many places. I guess we probably hit the sea bottom :oops:

Helmut

Missing Name

01-02-14, 10:23 AM

Still working on manual attacks. I almost hit a ship on this patrol!

because I was submerged and running flank. damn schooners.

gi_dan2987

01-02-14, 10:26 AM

if we had proper nautical charts on board, I'd have seen at first glance that the Celtic Sea is only between 50 and 100m deep in many places. I guess we probably hit the sea bottom :oops:

You can also ping for depth by going to your nav officer and clicking the icon that looks like a U-boat hull with a line under it and an arrow pointing down. Add the number you get from your Nav Officer to your current depth, and that's the depth to the bottom! Now you can ride just above, or if you have GWX2.1 bottom fix (I don't think there's one for GWX3) you can rest right on the bottom without taking damage.

Leandros

01-04-14, 01:05 PM

U-2502 - XXI - Oberleu z.S. Müller - Nov. 231041 1944 - Bergen Approaches - Patrol 8
We left Bergen this morning for patrol area BC33. The boat has been properly checked out - all systems go. I have taken onboard 7 homing torpedoes for self-defence. Plan to get undetected to the patrol area and use everything on one large convoy, no small fish.

The war is going bad. In october we lost 12 boats for 1.700 tons shipping sunk.

Fred

Below:

1. Vorpostenboot escorted us out to the North Sea
2. A Type XXIII left Bergen at the same time.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/2502/VorpostenbootTookUsOutInTheNorthSea3_zpsf4b45cd2.j pg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/2502/VorpostenbootTookUsOutInTheNorthSea3_zpsf4b45cd2.j pg.html)

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/2502/XIIIAlsoLeavingBergen_zpse8329430.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/2502/XIIIAlsoLeavingBergen_zpse8329430.jpg.html)

Admiral Halsey

01-04-14, 02:49 PM

Admiral Scheer, Septemper 3rd, 1939. We left Wilhelmshaven at midnight on the first and are currently heading towards the entrance of St George's Channel to conduct raids on British shipping. We spotted a tramp steamer on the 2nd but it was Norwegian and didn't attack though Bernard thought we should. Will update if anything happens.

Admiral Scheer, Septemper 4th, 1939. Sunk a small Polish freighter in grid AN 47. We are continuing towards the entrance of St George's Channel and will continue to update as events require.

Leandros

01-05-14, 01:07 PM

Taifun206

01-06-14, 10:42 PM

allright...
my second campaign has startet again 100%

we are now in the atlantic north west of england in the deep zone
my crew didnt saw so far the enemy
we are high motivated with the currently best brand new u-boat the viic and got our own rules at sea
we will never use the funk communication and only surface at night

me and my crew still ask us why so many country´s declartion of war against our beautiful country...
all what we currently do is to be very carefully waiting and of course listen to music
watch this

>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_bvNycZKo4&feature=youtu.be <<

http://s1.directupload.net/images/140107/ochegmww.jpg (http://www.directupload.net)

Leandros

01-07-14, 04:25 AM

My last couple of patrols have been marred by a strange sort of CTD's. Every time a homing torpedo hits a Flower class the game CTD's. On the last occasions I have saved just before impact, started anew after the CTD - the same happens every time. It does not happen when other vessel types are hit or other torpedo types are used on the Flower class.

I'm in February '45 with a Type XXI now. This is really irritating.

Fred
Correction - now it CTD's with all torps hitting a Flower corvette.

Leandros

01-09-14, 01:07 PM

U-2502 - XXI - Oberleu z.S. Müller - May 071400 1945 - Bergen U-boat base

We were about to leave Bergen this morning when we were ordered to cancel the patrol. The war is over.

We left Bergen on May 5th for Patrol 13 but had to abort as both the diesel and E-engines acted up. We got only about half speed out of the boat.

The last months of the war for me has centered around the use of the new homing torpedoes. Correctly used they are amazing. I am sure the Allies shall benefit much from this technology. On Patrol 12 we left with 12 of these on board. The QM's have been much more lenient on supplying these lately. Probably because the war has been going so badly. Six have been issued as a minimum on the last missions and I have been able to scrounge a few more myself.

We sunk 9 of the 12 warships on Patrol 12 with homers. Three of them went astray, one for technical reasons, it went under the target, did not detonate and disappeared. The two others missed because we launched it under less than ideal conditions. If one fires two with short separation in time it is important that targets are clearly separate or else both can hook up to the same target. The third was diverted by a merchant not far from the target.

After a homer has been fired it can be smart to show oneself in one way or other, to lure the target over the initial torpedo track.

As I have hinted here earlier the proper tactics should be pairs or more of U-boats with one specially designated as escort destroyer. This one should operate on some distance from the convoy to lure the escorts away (so the homers do not go for the merchants) and destroy them there. The field should then be (more) open for the other U-boats in the flock. The ideal position to start such an attack would be in the rear of the convoy.

As can be seen from the personnel file there has been several aborted missions due to technical problems - mainly with the engines. This has also occured in the middle of some missions, once very seriously.

Fred

Below:

1. Captain's personnel file

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/2502/PersonnelFile_zpsb2ed4f9c.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/2502/PersonnelFile_zpsb2ed4f9c.jpg.html)

Rammstein0991

01-24-14, 06:08 PM

Nice read.

KL-alfman

01-25-14, 02:12 PM

6/22/1943
Oblt. Henne, U-507, type: IXC

we departed Lorient on the 4/6/1943 and are now cruising in FP47 on our way back home after patrolling our assigned grid GR91 (Capetown). we've never been assigned that far away from Europe and until now we only had little success. 5 lone merchants were downed (we still have 8eels left), but all our usual tactics don't work anymore (sneaking into a convoy between lead escort and first side-escort), because detection abilities have greatly improved. we must adapt and stay outside of convoys and shoot from longer ranges which harms our hit-rates. the times when we sank 10ships or even more a patrol are gone forever. last weeks' radio-messages were even worse than our current situation: many of our Kameraden were lost at sea by escorts and planes. the fate of war has turned against us.
yesterday we even lost our skilled flak-gunner (Gefreiter Endelmann) due to an air-attack by a catalina which we assumed to take down. bad, very bad decision made by me. I'm now obliged to explain my misjudging to his parents in a personal letter. very sad task!

http://i42.tinypic.com/16jgh11.jpg
cruising into sunset

http://i42.tinypic.com/152nj3c.jpg
my U-boot, she is perfect!

Lord_magerius

03-04-14, 02:22 PM

After nearly two years away I decided to re-install the game. Several hours of screaming at the computer, I finally managed to sort my stupid Win7 problems and get it running with GWX 3.0

I had planned to make a really detailed AAR post but as is usually the case with this game I got engrossed and completely forgot to do it. Oh well, first mission back, Oct 39.

4.10.39.
2205 Grid AN 79 Ship sunk! HMS Birmingham (Southampton class), 10725 tons. Crew: 1092. Crew lost: 633
2212 Grid AN 79 Ship sunk! SS Kana (Tramp Steamer), 2015 tons. Cargo: General Cargo. Crew: 21. Crew lost: 17
2220 Grid AN 79 Ship sunk! HMS Stoke City (ASW Trawler), 1100 tons. Crew: 50. Crew lost: 33
5.10.39.
0544 Grid AN 79 Ship sunk! SS Umkuzi (Large Merchant), 11075 tons. Cargo: Copper Ore. Crew: 103. Crew lost: 23
0643 Grid AN 76 Ship sunk! SS Glen Head (Coastal Freighter), 1869 tons. Cargo: Grain. Crew: 20. Crew lost: 5
0900 Grid AN 84 Ship sunk! MV Warwick Deeping (Small Trawler), 98 tons. Crew: 13. Crew lost: 7
1131 Grid AN 84 Ship sunk! SS Politician (Large Merchant), 11076 tons. Cargo: Wine/Spirits. Crew: 93. Crew lost: 39
7.10.39.
1955 Patrol results
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 7
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonnage: 37958 tons

Not too shabby even if I do say so myself. :arrgh!:

Kielhauler1961

03-04-14, 03:54 PM

...1131 Grid AN 84 Ship sunk! SS Politician (Large Merchant), 11076 tons. Cargo: Wine/Spirits...

SS Politician? I thought I recognised the name - the ship from Whisky Galore!

I bet your crew had a good celebration following that sinking...:Kaleun_Cheers:

KH

Lord_magerius

03-04-14, 04:01 PM

They certainly deserved it heh, I put my last eel and 100+ deck gun rounds in her before she went down.

Captain Norman

03-04-14, 06:40 PM

For me, it is November 1939. My u-boat is back on patrol after having to abort the previous patrol, due to the radio and sonograph being destroyed, as well as the deaths of the surface watch. I am currently stalking a convoy, plotting targets to sink :arrgh!:

Leandros

03-06-14, 10:00 AM

Patrol 1 - U-531 - IXC/40 - Leu z.S. Krause - Oct 10700 1943 - Lorient U-boat base

Just arrived back in Lorient early this morning. This was to be a shake-down tour - new boat, new crew. I had planned to play it safe, to cruise west of the Bristol Channel approaches. We departed Lorient evening October 1st.

Patrolled for several days but no targets. Set course for the Rockalls in deteriorating weather, moderate sea, light rain and visibility down to 4-500 meters. This kept up for the rest of the cruise.

Early on we received a report on an enemy task force NNW of us, long distance - course SE. As we proceeded northwards other reports indicated it might pass in front of us. Should we go for it? Not really wise with a fresh crew and boat. Our armaments were mainly TI's and III's with one bonus Falke. The weather did not invite to close encounters with deadly escorts. An internal vote said: Yes! Thank you for your confidence.

I changed course to easterly, AK, and in a few hours we picked up their radar transmissions. We could see that we pulled ahead of them. Weather was just as bad. We dived within submerged interception distance and picked them up on sonar. One of them was seemingly an escort carrier. Well, that would be something to bag on the first mission.

The point escort passed ahead of us, distance approx. 1.500 meters. Just before the larger vessel passed ahead of us on about the same distance it was clear that we would never sight it in the bad visibility. I therefore decided to take a chance and fired 4 torps ahead of it in a generous spread - two TI's and two TIII's. One hit was observed!

After that it was only to dive as deep as possible and wait for what to come. For several hours the four escorts blasted us with their salvos, some quite close, some farther off. At one point no. 2 and 4 torpedo tubes were destroyed. In the meantime, in-between silent running and performing repairs, the forward tubes were reloaded. A couple of times I thought we had lost them by releasing Bolds and going full sprint, but they always came back. At one point when all were off circling in the East, behind us, I decided to go full blast to periscope depth and take the fight. This obviously took them by surprise, as we levelled off at periscope depth they were still behind us. Only a little time and the first one approached us directly from behind. I had him in the periscope at 500 meter and continued at a straight course. At 400 meter I released a TI at max. speed, magnetic at 4 meter running depth. It was a USN Butler. He ran straight over it and blew up. The last seconds he tried to veer off but it was too late.

We turned around to take on the next one. As he approached us on the rear starboard quarter I turned full starboard to, lowered the periscope and released a Bold. When I raised the periscope again some seconds later it had stopped in the water, it actually had started backing a little. As we slowly turned around the distance increased to 400 meter and I could give it a deflection shot from a forward tube. From then on it was easy. We now had loaded up the single Falke and could send it towards the third echo. It disabled the target, it turned tail and limped away. The fourth one we had time to line up properly as it approached us on our starboard bow. It made it easy by going directly at us.

Our main interest was now what had happened to the carrier. After surfacing we picked up two radar transmissions. One was obviously from the escort limping away towards the second transmitter. That would have to be the carrier! As it turned out both the fleeing escort and the carrier sank before we reached them.

We still had plenty of torps left but with two destroyed bow tubes and 68% HI I decided to return to Lorient. I had not meant the first mission to be this intensive....

Riccardo1975

03-07-14, 08:56 AM

Hello chaps!
Just finished my first patrol in u-111 and scored 96k tonnes sank including a revenge class bb. Got home and no medal. Not even IC2. Playing through steam so cant.patch it.. Roll on my birthday...
Good hunting everyone!

Leandros

03-10-14, 12:41 PM

Rammstein0991

03-10-14, 03:15 PM

=War Diary=
U-109 (IXB)
1st Flotilla
Kptlt. Egon Roth
Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Freitag, 3-08-1940
=3:32 PM=

Have just returned from patrolling NW/N of Ireland in grids AM51, AM52, and AM02. After a relatively short patrol (12 days total), have managed to sink 7 enemy ship with torpedoes and cannon fire for a grand total of 43,261 GRT.

The highlight of this patrol however (and the one for which my crew and I received medals from Adm. Doenitz himself was the sinking of the large passenger liner S.S. Highland Brigade.

We received word of a nearby convoy as we were patrolling in AM52, the report told of a Convoy to our west most likely making its way for the relative safety of the shallow waters and large number of patrolling Destroyers present in the so called "Irish Sea".

We immediately made our way west, but due to heavy storm weather we could not make visual contact with the convoy, however upon submerging under silent running to "put an ear to the ground" so to speak, my sonar operator (Warrant Officer Karl Creutz) whom wholly deserved the Iron cross 2C he received for his superb work on this patrol), immediately informed me he detected a large number of screws ahead of us just off the starboard bow (about 1-2 o'clock) and they were VERY close, so we altered course to intercept. I immediately raised my periscope and after a couple minutes I began to see ships appear out of the storm Identifying the first one I saw as a Destroyer I lowered my periscope and against what seems like long odds, he drifted harmlessly past our port side (his mistake). once I was sure he was behind me I ventured raising my periscope...and there she was.

Looming out of the fog off our port bow was the biggest ocean liner I had ever seen, right in the middle of a convoy was this enormous sea cow of a passenger liner, and she was just plodding along at 9 knots as unaware of us as could be. by a quick estimate I assumed she was around 400 meters away and approaching, and we had 6 fish hot and ready to go. Making a quick decision I ordered both rudders hard over to port and lined up our shot, once the bow was at the appropriate angle I ordered all 4 bow shots released and waited, what seems like moments later all 4 struck her, one just behind the foremost area of the bow, one beneath the bridge, one bettween the funnels and one just aft of the funnels.

Immediately I ordered a dive to 90 meters to try and avoid detection and once my sonar officer informed me the liner's engines had gone silent I ordered a slightly circular course to stay near the Liner incase further action against her was necessary. Perhaps god was on our side that day, or perhaps it was dumb luck I do not know, but somehow the hunting escorts (by now well aware of our presence amongst their "charges") did not detect us. Hours later the entirety of the convoy had apparantly passed by (according to sonar) so we came to periscope depth to have a look around, and lo and behold there was the liner, she was dead in the water bobbing uselessly like an oversized bath toy.

Since the forward torpedoes had yet to be reloaded (the boat spent the last few hours under silent running) only tubes V and VI in the stern were loaded. Knowing this I ordered U-109 to come around to the port side of the liner (where we had hit her before), and fired off tubes V and VI into her, they both struck her mid ships, and about 2 minutes later she finally rolled over and slipped under.

The rest of the Patrol was nothing special, par for the course really, attaining kills over a Small Merchant, 2 Coastal Merchants, a C2 Cargo, and two C3 Cargo vessels, before making our way safely north of Scotland and back to Wilhelmshaven yesterday, the 7th of March.

For now we shall rest and refit and go back to sea whenever BdU orders us back out, if we keep having such successful patrols I do not doubt that those "tommies" will be begging to surrender to our forces by next year, or the year after if they are stubborn.

~Hope that wasnt TOO long, but I've never gotten a 'liner before:arrgh!:~

scott_c2911

03-11-14, 03:02 AM

I am currently in command of U-123 a type IXB u boat. We set sail from the resupply vessel based at Cadiz called Thalia on 06/09/41. We had received heavy damage and 2 casualties on the last patrol from a surprise strafing. He came out of the sun!
Within hours of setting sail we met enemy shipping in CG94 and CG86 and I dispatched a Small Freighter and a Coastal Freighter. We were buzzed by aircraft regularly. The allies have definitely increased air cover to the point where I struggle to recharge the batteries fully. We were following the Gibraltar - Liverpool convoy route back to Lorient when we just happened across a convoy visually. I was in a rubbish position and the best shot I had was a 11800m steamer shot to a modern tanker. I fired three scoring one hit at the bow, (no congratulations please I use the automatic targeting). She was sunk within the hour. The Escorts didnt have a clue and never found me. Theres a secret operation being planned for the Type IXs called "drumbeat" and I have orders to return to Lorient asap. The americans may join in. I have returned to course. That s where Im at the moment in the game.

Aras

03-11-14, 04:56 AM

Theres a secret operation being planned for the Type IXs called "drumbeat" and I have orders to return to Lorient asap. The americans may join in. I have returned to course. That s where Im at the moment in the game.

Have fun in the US Coast with the lonely tankers and happy hunting.

Leandros

03-11-14, 09:27 AM

Patrol 2 - U-531 - IXC/40 - Leu z.S. Krause - Nov 171013 1943 - Bay of Biscay

Left Lorient early this morning for patrol area AN81. Well, this is on the other side of England so the choice is to go through the Channel or the long way around the British Isles. I have decided the last one. The Channel could be too much for my fresh crew even if the month in Lorient has been well spent with specialized training for most of it. I am not particularly happy with the assigned mission, going around we may well bump into som fat targets we can use our torps on. Has to concentrate on merchants now to build up some credit to have the boat improved upon. Love to have more homing torpedoes, too. This time we again only got one Falke.

Weather is nice, moderate sea and almost clear sky.

Hals und Beinbruch!

Nov. 222050

Position now in the sound between the Orkneys and Shetland Isles - submerged. Hope to find some unprotected merchants in this usually heavily trafficked sound. Not a ctc to be made on the way up here except for a couple of radar transmissions which we dodged by submerging and stopping. The weather is still dangerously nice!

Nov. 231550

At 1345 fired four torps at two fat targets, a medium cargo and an Empire-Type freighter. Both went down. Have since downloaded three torps from the deck. We were interrupted on the fourth because of an approaching radar-transmitting aircraft.

Patrol 2 - U-531 - IXC/40 - Leu z.S. Krause - Nov 270347 1943 - NE of The Rockalls

On our way back to Lorient now, still 5 torps left. The days between the Orkney and Shetland Isles were quite hectic, the score ended up with 6 merchants of various sizes (one by deck gun) and a whale factory ship of 12.000 tons. Two Hunt destroyers also crossed our sights, obviously looking for survivors. We are now NE of The Rockalls having just been informed of a large westbound convoy south of us. I have set up an intercepting course but we are constantly being disturbed by air patrols. If we catch up with it we need to be careful.

270900

The point escorts have just passed us with good margin. We are in the middle of the convoy's track.

In position:

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U531/Patrol2InPosition_zpsb807926b.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/U531/Patrol2InPosition_zpsb807926b.jpg.html)

271253

The attack on the convoy succeeded fairly well. We used four torpedoes, four hits. Two went down quickly, a large tanker and a large cargo. Started a dive to 160 meters immediately but an escort was immediately on us - seemingly a Flower corvette. However, it wasn't very agile. At one time I thought we had lost it but it acquired contact again. I decided to go to periscope depth and use the last aft torp on it. As it approached us from behind I released a bold at the same time turning hard to port while lowering the periscope. It veered off and when I had in in the sights again it was turning behind us, distance approx 450 meters. A TI on max. speed and magnetic fuze fixed the problem.

Two other escorts approached the area but never got contact with us. When they had left we surfaced and followed the convoy westwards to look for eventual stragglers. Oh, yes - a modern tanker was dead in the water far behind the convoy. No escorts in the vicinity. We are now continuing submerged to finish it off with the deck gun after dark. If it doesn't sink in the meantime.

Tanker dead in the water:

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U531/LeftBehindTanker_zps6871eb77.jpg (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/Leandros10/media/U531/LeftBehindTanker_zps6871eb77.jpg.html)

TabbyHunter

03-11-14, 08:43 PM

New computer, new command, new paint job, new lease on life with the Grey Wolves. :arrgh!: TL;DR warning.

Assigned U-53, Patrol one was a standard shakedown cruise in the North Sea. Spent maybe 5 days at sea training the crew to dive, crash dive, surface, load, unload, gun loading, AA tactics on blimps (Okay,..I can imagine, right?)

Anyways, We are sent out to patrol the northen end of the Irish sea, and we arrive on station four days before war breaks out,...not that my crew officially knew anything, anyways. Sonar contact picks up a merchant ship. We surface and plot an intercept in the guise of needing a bearing back to Germany. It's a deep sea trawler and I notice he's almost too deep in the water. Ordering a boarding party, we find a number of Jueden on their way to...someplace. Half tempted to sink the trawler, I tell him to drop his...cargo off and not report my position, claiming I would personally find the captain if he did....

WAR! After a number of semi-confusing messages from BdU and others, we begin our official mission. With a bit of luck, we managed to sink a Large Merchant for ~10k tonnes. Fuel and no contacts demand we return home, though after we managed to sneak up o na destroyer and sink her.

Patrol 2.....Failed. A storm hid a tiny island west of Scotland and we ran aground...Limping home, we shore up for repairs and relaxation.......after I Answer to the Furher personally...

Patrol 3. After..insperation from the Leader to ensure that I take care of the boat in a much more responsible manner, we go around Scotland and slink into the Irish Sea, much more carefully this time. Bagging another large Merchant for another ~10k, my lookouts spot a search plane. Crash diving, we swiftly slink away from the area and head towards Liverpool.

Sonar contact on a convoy and I plot an intercept. In position, perhaps with an hour before daybreak, and underwater, I watch as the lead destroyer passes without picking me up. Good, all is well. Then he turns around and does a search pattern. Lowering the scope, I stop the screws and tell the men to be silent. Sonar tells me he has turned and I rish rasing the scope. He's moving away at speed...Perhaps a friendly U-boat? Or just weird British tactics,...Half an hour goes by...I start to make out the silouets of large merchants, tankers, and a battle...wait,..A battleship!? Can't be!...Lets get closer. Risking a brisk pace of 3.5 knots, I move into a more favorable position and raise the scope again. A triple check of the recognition book, as well as my Weapons Officer confirming, we spot a Nelson Class ship...Distinct but we wanted to know which one in particular.

Unable to tell, though Suspecting Nelson herself, I order a salvo of tubes one and four launched at a range of 1750 meters. Not risking a dude or defect with the magnetics, as I do not trust them yet, Impact pistols fire. Two hits for two. A swift scan shows no escorts approaching, and the Nelson has slowed down. Fearing she will not sink, I fire the remaining torpedoes from the fore tubes. Again two more impacts. Certain she is doomed, I flood the tanks and take us deep....or as deep as I can, 55 meters with another 12 below me. Silent running and turning away....PING!

PING! PING! Flank speed, rudder hard right! In the chaos, hwoever, Fritz also put a full dive on the planes. We bottom out in seconds, though avoid the ashcans. Ordering damage crews to ensure flooding, if any (none) is taken care of, I try something risky. Rasing to periscope depth, and after an annoyed slap on the head of Fritz, I slowly slink away from the British Hunter.

Ping...ping....ping...PING PING! Wait for it...wait, steady lads, helm hard left, depth 55 meters! Flank speed! Unfortunantly, the crap that the Brits dropped blasted my stern to hell, diesels damages, batteries damaged...but all functional. Damage repairs get the flooding under control. We bottom out as flooding in the aft crew room takes hold, though the men get ahead on that swift enough. Splashes! I hear In a hushed shout. Luckily, the British had the wrong depth or the wrong spot, as all missed, even if they rattled the cooks cutlery a bit.

As the damage team gets the electric engines fixed, and all flooding stopped and pumping, I wait for the next ashcan run. It's closer. Sliding to periscope depth, I order the stern tube, only remaining filled tube, at present, set to impact and a fast screw. It will be risky...With some clever manouvering I get the British behind me. Raising the scope, I open the rear tube and fire!....NO! It was too far ahead! He turns on me. Flank speed, rudder hard right, depth 55 meters! After perhaps three or four depthcharge runs, the rear tube is reloaded.

Periscope depth! Tube five, fast screw, impact pistol! Zero gyro, FIRE! At a range of 460 meters, the eel swims as fast as it's steam engine will go. My weapons oficer counts down Five, four, three, two, one, ze-boom..bwau-bvroooom!!!! I watch as the entire crew ducks as the warship's magazine explodes, taking the bow of the destroyer off from the rest.

Now, it's been an hour, maybe three, since the rest of the convoy took off...However, I decide not to surface just yet. Flank speed to 60 meters, course 000. Reducing speed to 2.5 knots, I order silent running and we do a swift circle. Two warships, based on screw sounds, and I return north. We avoid the second and third destroyer, miraculously...and return to port as swift as possible.

Upon return, the Furer himself, al lthe way from Berlin is awaiting me to present a medal to me. Now awaiting further orders.

GJO

03-16-14, 11:19 AM

After my 15th Patrol and having done rather well with my VIIB U-46, when I returned to my home base at St Nazaire early in 1942, BDU wanted to retire me to a shore based appointment while my boat would be withdrawn from active duty to spend its remaining life training new crews in the Baltic. I didn't like this idea so I applied for a transfer to the 2nd Flotilla at Lorient! Now I have a Type IXB boat number U-105 and am most pleased to report that my loyal crew from U-48 have moved joined me along with a few new recruits.

U-105 is a much larger boat and can cruise economically at 9 Knots. We are also carrying a much bigger load out of torpedoes and have bigger guns than our old boat.

Our first orders are to cross the Atlantic and patrol the approaches to New York - I have heard that the American ships are much bigger than those of the British and that it is almost like a 'Turkey Shoot' over there because ships often cruise with their navigation lights on silhouetted against a coast where there is no blackout...

gazpode_l

03-26-14, 01:50 PM

With more private "Me" Time on my hands I've once again started to play SH3 again.

Decided to Launch myself a totally fresh campaign and are starting out in March 1941. (Picked March as this is the month now, and 1941 because I had got to mid 1943 before now but didn't want to roll myself too far Back)

Commander's name: Bruno Kerstan
Ship/Boot Detail: U107, Type IXB, Based 2nd Flotilla, Lorient

Skipper's Log:-
BK: Due to brilliant results in training I've been given one of the shiny NEW IX type boats. I am to command U-107. We are due to sail on March 1st 1941. Weather looks good for departure, although I hear we've been assigned patrol Grid in the FF Sector. Forecast for that area is currently looking grim with Strong E'rly's predicted.

1/3/1941
Set sail as predicted. Full load of torpedoes, including a handful of the new black ones, which supposedly have a better warhead and improved magnetic fuses. We'll See. NAV predicts that we should arrive in our patrol grid in around Ten days.

8/3/1941.
Radio's been buzzing with activity. Big battles going on 1,000's of KM to the NE of us. Sad news also breaking from BDu, with reports saying that Prien hasn't made contact for days and is therefore presumed lost. :wah:

9/3/1941
Made our revenge on the british by taking down two passing freighter's we spotted close to the Canary Islands. A Quantity of Deck Gun shells were used and on the larger freighter, we gave it the C.D.G by using a torpedo, with the impact setting. Worked well! Following the delays due to the engagement's now predicted we'll reach our grid by 14/3/1941.

14/3/1941
We've now undertaken our patrol of the assigned grid and are now barreling back north again. Considerd a look into freetown, but decided against it when we heard distant hi-speed screws through the hydrophones which are clearly working! We are now looking at heading to the Bristol channel and Irish sea as we feel our fuel will be more than enough to patrol this area.

Messages from our sister ships show that both U105 & U106 have been busy! Good for them!
ENDS

Kapitän

04-09-14, 04:55 AM

8 Oct. 40, 0115, Qu. A L 8261, Wx: E7, Sea 6, cloud cover, <1000 mb, limited visibility. Detected HMS Ark Royal (91), hiding in outbound convoy headed for Canada - 18 vessels in 3 columns, including 2 American Ore Merchants. Ark Royal probably, looking to join Force H, which is suspected to be operating in the North Atlantic. Convoy also, covered by HMS Bonaventure (31) and one A&B Destroyer.

While shadowing convoy, was able to get as close as 1500m during night and 4500m during day.

I'm approaching the convoy from the port side. Submerged attack against HMS Ark Royal in the middle column, with a spread of two, scattering angle 1°, G7e, Pi-1 (G7H), K-b, Contact Pistol, Running depth 6.5m; Distance to target 580m, Inclination 80° to port, Target speed 6 kn, Firing angle 005°. Both torpedoes are hits after 38 sec.!

Just before firing a second spread of two torpedoes at a South-African Tanker, I have to dive from an approaching merchant of the port column. When back to periscope depth, the aircraft carrier has disappeared - I notice debris and survivors in the water.

As I am gathering the torpedo firing data of a large merchant in the stbd column, I have to dive again from an approaching tanker of the middle column. Too late, the tanker ramms the uboat, fortunetly, without serious damage.

The stern torpedo aimed at HMS Bonaventure, which is trailing the convoy, understeers and runs underneath the cruisers forecastle: G7e, Pi-1 (G7H), K-b, Contact Pistol, Running depth 4.5m; Distance to target 540m, Inclination 90° to stbd, Target speed 5 kn, Firing angle 020°.

This concludes the first round of this convoy battle...

Kaptlt.Endrass

04-12-14, 03:18 AM

I died with my crew in the Bay of Biscay.:wah:

ParaHandy

04-16-14, 03:50 AM

Set sail on our maiden voyage from Wilhelmshaven on Friday, March 1st 1940 with Leutnant ZS Gerhardt Johlke. Our type VIIB is assigned a patrol in the Skagerrak. Sail north in fine weather and spot nothing other than a couple of German ships.

After 24 hours patrolling, we're about to head west when our watch spots an unlit vessel. It's a little tramp steamer heading west and sure enough it's British. She's dispatched to the bottom quickly for our first sinking.

We're now going to head north-west for the Northern Isles.

UKönig

05-04-14, 09:09 PM

"Come to the mittelmeer", they said.
"It'll be fun." they said.
For the life of me, I can't remember why we thought it was a good idea to transfer to the 29th fleet to help out the macaronis.
I liked to think it was because I was lending a hand to my old friend Erwin and his Afrika Korps, but could just as easily been something I said out of context back at fleet HQ. Either way La Spezia is our home for the time being.
This is our 3rd patrol here and our 16th overall.
We departed La Spezia at 10:21 am, the morning of June, 18, 1942. While we were in base, after our last outing, the naval armaments office added a few upgrades to our boat (U99, too bad about Kretschmer)and we are just looking them over now. The most important of all (besides some of the prototype torpedos) is the new advance in electro-engineering, the Fumo-29b radar. Previously, radar was too large and bulky to have on anything other than a heavy cruiser on up, or a land installation. It looks so small and unworthy and I am doubtful, but maybe it will surprise us and prove itself.
As we left port I noticed something different. Maybe it's nothing, but it seems like a bad omen. In France, even Norway, the navy band plays us off. Out here in Italy, no music for u-boats.
We learned a few things about our new radar set. It worked fairly well, helped us keep track of a few friendlies in the dark, so we feel if we had to rely on it we could, and, it doesn't like salt water. Who knew? Ok, so we can't use it unless the sea is reasonably calm, or else the thing shorts out. Fine, we still have our ears.
One of the things that makes me happy this patrol is that my contacts at HQ managed to secure me a consignment of the new zaunkönig "acoustic seeking" torpedos, 4 in fact. 3rd time in a row he's done it. I don't care how or whose strings are being pulled, just as long as they keep coming in. I have found them to be immensely useful and am reluctant to end a patrol until the last one is fired...
June 21. Patrol is complete with no shipping sighted. Totally routine. Decided to check out Malta. The last time we were in the area of Valletta, we left behind 4 sunken warships and 2 tankers. The place is probably getting a bad name, but I know a few tricks.
Afternoon, June 21. Malta. Through the lens I see pretty much what I was expecting. Apparently the Tommie skippers had been spoken to about shoddy seamanship because now the heat is on. 5 DDs I count. My sonar man tells me about 3 more outside of visual range. Nope, not today I think. Even 4 seekers would not sink enough of them before the others finished the job. I have nightmares about this...
"Helm, set new course". "Keep us close to the island, but get us out of here".
"Jawohl, Herr Kaleun".
Cursing our misfortune, we leave Malta behind, in search of shipping elsewhere.
June 23, 12:18pm, lunchtime. Our 1WO spotted smoke on the water. Bright sunny day, flat seas, winds calm. Deck gun weather. Perfect. A slow smile brightens my face. I head below and work out the charts with the OberSteuermann and before long we have the range and speed for intercept. "Prepare for surface action, gunnery crew to the bridge".
In a clear moment, the 3 man crew dashes up the ladder, and down to the foredeck, quickly strapping themselves on to the gun. Loading the High explosive ammunition they await the order to fire. On the bridge, with the 1WO, I raise my binoculars and scan the enemy ship for evidence I can use against it. Looks like... coastal merchant, 2000 tons. Greek. Good. A target. What's that? There on the after deck. A gun! Great, she's armed we can claim 'self defense' -a snicker. Decks loaded with crates, don't really care what's in 'em. "Range?"
"3000m, sir".
"Gun crew!" "Aim for their bridge." "Try to put their helm and radio out of action". "Let's cause some confusion over there."
Feuer frei!
The boatswain rips at the firing lanyard and with a roar, the 88mm cuts loose with the first HE shell. "Counting...3, 2, 1 Hit!" "Nice shot!" "Quickly, a few more while the range is good!"
Our luck is good and our aim is true, and as a result, we got a little sloppy. No worries, I assure the chief engineer blithely, as he directs the damage control parties, I will gloss over this in the war diary...
Seems some of those Greek sailors were paying attention in naval gunnery class and they managed, much to my chagrin, to return some of our "medicine". Fortunately for us, the damage was more severe to my pride, rather than our hull. Dashing back to the bridge I survey the scene. We are laying on some speed now, pulling ahead. The merchant is on fire and his bridge is smashed, but his turret still works and I guess the helm wheel is not on the bridge, because he is still taking evasive action. Through the UZO, I see he is 1300m at 210 degrees.
"Open tube 5, set 4m, aim...and...loss!"
Normally the seeker would only be sensitive to targets going 12 knots or faster and this guy is only doing 9, but he's starting to lay on the speed, and he's on a bearing favorable to our attack anyway at this point. Just as expected our seeker does its job and slams into the props and rudder of the merchant as he tried to turn a broadside on us to keep shooting.
Raising the glasses, I see the plume of water jetting up the side, aft, of the merchant, glittering as it falls back down. Soon fire, smoke. Was pretty sure I saw the gun crew get blasted from their mount but was too hard to confirm with the confusion. Within minutes, an oily slick and a few burned crates are all that's left.
After the damage is repaired and the spare externals hoisted in readiness, we resume course towards Gibraltar.
June 24th, 6am, surfaced.
Up enjoying some fresh air, while we can, because, well...you never know...
W/T message sir. Cargo ship in the area, be on the lookout for opportunity.
Worked it over with the Navigation officer again.
"Take us to periscope depth"!
Clips pulled, vents closed, crew piling into the forward torpedo compartment to hasten the sinking, U99 slips beneath the waves, until the surface is peaceful and quiet again.
Our hydrophone guy has a good set of ears and once below, has our bearing worked out for us. Sounds big. Heavy. Engine labouring even though the seas are fairly calm. I ask for a weather report. Calm enough for the deck gun? Yes, comes the reply. Looking back into the control room from the radio shack, I still see the signs of our last encounter. Broken glass, missing bulbs, a few blown bolts. Pretty sure I can hear a dripping coming from somewhere, but nevermind that now, how's that freighter doing?
"Range, 4500, bearing red 340, speed, 7 knots"
"We'll stay under" "open tubes 2 and 3", set 9 meters, standby to fire"
I hop up the ladder and take my seat at the captain's saddle. Up scope.
Papenburg shows 13.5m. Let's have a look. Eye to the lens I see a C2 class merchant edging into range. Greek. Aft turret. Again seems to be cargo. Range, 2950. Not yet. Just a little closer. The angle looks off, and if I fire these fish now, they almost certainly will not hit. I study the target a little more to kill some time to go. Looks old, worn, a workhorse. Probably why the engine is working so hard even though the seas are pretty nice today. And those stacks on her decks, she must weigh in at 6000 tons, easily. Choice morsel for the lack of success lately. Oh my! what time is it? Better check the range...
2100 meters and closing, bearing 350, solution positive for firing.
"Tube 2, fire!" Waits 5 seconds "Tube 3, fire!"
The boat shudders as the fish leave their tubes, and the diving officer has to put on the trim so that the bows won't break the surface, giving our position away. Down scope. Back down the ladder. Sharing an earphone with the hydrophones guy, I notice his cheek is rather scratchy and he has an odd smell, likely the colibri that he got from the watchman.
Listening... waiting... counting down the minutes...
Times up! first fish... impact! Second fish... impact!
Checking the observation scope because it's closer, I get the lens up in time to watch an abandon ship operation in progress. Note time and position in the log, so that when feasible, we will radio that information to help facilitate the rescue of the survivors...
"Helm, resume course to Gibraltar". "We'll stay under for now".

Jimbuna

05-05-14, 05:19 AM

^ Very nice :cool:

UKönig

05-06-14, 01:34 PM

Part 2.
June 25, 1942. 13:46hrs. Seas, moderate. Sky, medium fog. We're submerged at 40 meters. Not long after we left our last victim, we had surfaced to refresh the air, and because the weather rushed up in a sudden squall, I had decided it was better to find smoother sailing under the waves.
Checking the map, we found ourselves at grid CH76, when our soundman caught a tramp steamer in his hydrophones.
Going to periscope depth and taking a look through the "pencil" we see a lone, small merchantman, of about 2400 tons. British. Probably on his way to Gibraltar. Angle and range are O.K., so with a bit of careful plotting, we work out a more favorable solution.
Torpedo depth setting, 6m. Range 2.5km. AoB-66 to port.
"Open tube 4"
Just..a..few..more..seconds..
"Fire!"
This time I watch at the scope and time the run, until I see the effects of our torpedo strike, confident that in these seas, our scope will remain undetected.
With a single, massive explosion, the torp strikes home just under the midships. Engine and boiler rooms. Like gutting a fish, the critical parts were instantly torn out, and with neither time for an SOS call or evacuation by lifeboat, the steamer heels over and sinks without a trace.
June 26, 1942. 10:00hrs. Seas, dead calm. Sky clear, winds slight breeze from the south east, visibility, perfect. Surfaced. Map reference, CG96, close to land. Given our location, I take the precaution of manning the surface weapons, with the explicit warning to be watchful of aircraft. Expecting my orders to be obeyed, I head back down below to my 'office', to compile my reports.
I'm barely 15 minutes into my paperwork, when a jarring blast sends me against the writing table. Near miss, but not by much...
"What the hell!?"
Climbing through the hatch to the control room, I lock eyes with the Chief. We trade concerned glances, and I continue on up to the bridge. Poking my head through the upper conning tower hatch, I see our 1WO crouching behind the dubious safety of the tower bulkhead.
"What the hell, man!" "I said watch out for aircraft!".
Coming out fully on to the bridge I too duck below the the tower structure. Not that I think it will protect me, I just want to be less of a target as now that I am forced to deal with this situation.
Quickly scanning the skies I see 2 flights of 2 British hurricane fighter/bombers. One set outbound, obviously the ones who just attempted to bomb us, and one set inbound, looking to fix the aim of the first two.
Our AA guys are a bit new at the job. Still getting used to firing at airplanes from a tiny submarine platform. Over and over we hear the jack hammering of the AA guns as they swivel and fire at the British fighters. We've gone through about 4 magazines when the lower platform AA gunner hit his first target. Looks like through the cockpit. No fire, no smoke, no fuel tank explosion. I raise the glasses to see the stricken fighter pull a snap roll to the right, and fall silently into the sea.
I think to myself 'I'm gonna put that guy down for a medal when all this is over. If I remember his name...'
When all of a sudden, a sharp blast grabs my attention, and I look up in time to see the upper tower AA guy bag his first kill. The Brit was flying just ahead and our guy must have tagged him in the fuel tank, because he just came apart in a massive explosion. Close enough off our starboard bow, that we could feel the heat from the wreckage, as the main fuselage, minus the wings and tail, fell in a crumpled heap, into the sea.
Looks like I have at least 2 new medals to award. Funny thing, but I don't recall these crewmen. I can't remember them before today...
Seeing that two of their wingmen got shot down so quickly, the remaining fighters left the area. Within 2 minutes, the sky is clear and the sea is peaceful.
Which means they're flying off to get reinforcements. Keep an even sharper lookout now. Expect to see aircraft and destroyers.
I look at the watch officer, "I'm going below to finish my reports. Keep the speed at maximum so we can get out of this area a.s.a.p. Give us 1 hour and if nothing else by then, dive."

Schöneboom

05-07-14, 11:50 AM

Alas, U-1009 went down with all hands on 6 Jan 1945, SW of Ireland, on Oblt. Fricke's 3rd patrol. It was a successful convoy attack, except for the getting-away part. Damn those Hedgehogs! :dead:

UKönig

05-08-14, 03:55 PM

Grid CG96, 50km east of Gibraltar, heading south. Midday. That itchy feeling I've come to rely upon suggested to me that maybe we should dive sooner than the hour time limit I originally ordered. Reducing to 1/3 ahead, our soundguy, Heinrich I think, picked up the sound of slow screws, closing from the left. Playing the wheel about the dial, he then tells me "contacts, sir, 3, fast screws, closing, bearing green 020". Ah, the welcoming committee that I was expecting a few minutes ago has show up to escort a lone frieghter into the Gibraltar staging area. Possibly to reload and head out to malta, or Alexandria, or who knows where really, but if I have my way, there is a destination for them already picked out...
Increasing speed it still takes us about twenty minutes to close the range and angle for attack, the three destroyers shadowing about 8km away. They have yet to notice us, but I'm willing to bet that as soon as we hit this merchant (totally unaware of our presence), they will move in at high speed to investigate. That moment will give us our chance with the remaining 3 seeking torpedos. Forward tubes 2 and 4, and aft tube 5 are loaded with these technical wonders, and I am eager to set them loose. Tube 3 on the other hand, has the early compressed air torpedo loaded. The one that leaves a visible wake on the surface. No time to take it out and swap with another, I will just have to make do.
Up scope. Take a look. Coastal merchant, 1990 tons. British. Favorable solution to fire. Speed, roughly 6 kts.
"Weapons officer, open tube 1, set depth 6 meters, standby to fire"
The loading crew cranks open the outer door for tube one, with the PO standing by to squeeze the firing handle.
"Tube one, fire!"
U99 rumbles a bit as the torpedo starts its fateful journey, with the LI telling the guy at the trimming panel, "pump 1000L forward", "maintain trim".
"Bow planes, down 3 degrees."
Taking a chance, I keep the scope raised to watch our progress, telling Heinrich to keep an ear out for those escorts, and if he notices any change in their disposition, to tell me right away.
Checking the chronograph, I watch the seconds tick down until the last moment, when our torpedo glides under the merchant hull.
With a singular explosion, a jet of water blasts up midships and fully engulfs the steamer, still completely unaware that there are sharks in these waters...
Expecting to see a ship sink more or less in half, I am surprised to see it still making headway. Not as quickly as before, but still going forward.
"How about those destroyers?" I ask the soundman.
"No change, sir, constant speed".
Taking a look through the lens, I now see the effects of our strike. Nose down, forecastle awash, the merchant is sinking. No time to abandon ship, but looks like plenty of time to radio an SOS.
"Sir!, 3 contacts, speed increasing, bearing green 015, range, 7km and closing".
Yep, that got their attention.
"Slow to 1/3".
"Open tubes 2 and 4, get our star performers warmed up".
Swinging the scope around to the bearing supplied by our soundman, I up the magnification on the lens to see a Tribal class destroyer (with 2 hunt 1 destroyers as outriders), shear off suddenly and start closing the distance to our position, not the one radioed by the sinking ship. Like he spotted our scope...
"Tube 1 ready to fire, sir". Informs the weapons officer.
It looks like a normal torpedo will work for this one, the math is encouraging, so rather than fire a more valuable seeker, I quickly change to tube one. Still a prototype, but one of the standard wakeless models with better range and yield.
Lining up our shot on the lead escort, I send the fish from tube 1. on its way.
By this time one of the Hunt destroyers had sped into the area where the merchant sank, and now turned around on us from another vector.
Lining him up in the brackets, I order "tube 2, fire!"
Quickly checking the status of the tribal destroyer, I notice with dismay that our angle is off now and there is no way we will hit.
Nice going "captain", you just wasted 25,000 reichsmarks.
The standard monosyllabic curse.
I didn't want to, but I probably should have anyway...
"Tube 4, fire!"
Suddenly, a bang, and a scratchy, static-y sound from the earphones, when Heinrich tells me "tube 2 hit, sir".
Angling the scope around, I see the hunt class destroyer is not closing quite as quickly as he'd been a few seconds ago, fire and smoke now coming from the afterdeck.
"Oh yeah," I mutter to myself, "that's gonna make them mad..."
Swinging the scope around to the right again, I catch it in time to see the tribal class get hit by the seeker from tube 4.
Suddenly, the 3rd escort comes into view, to the right of us. Closer by the second, we don't have a lot of time for finesse with this shot.
"Tube three, fire!"
The compressed air torpedo leaves an agonizingly obvious trail of bubbles as it speeds towards the last Hunt 1 destroyer, now aware of our location, and heading to intercept at 20 kts.
By this time, the first Hunt destroyer has gone under the waves, and the Tribal class is going down by the stern quite rapidly.
"Weapons officer, get ready for tube 5, set depth 3 meters, raise the cover, standby..."
Putting my eye back to the lens I see our lives flash in front. This may have been a mistake. When suddenly, totally unexpectedly in fact, we take out the third escort. Like a boxer landing the knockout punch into the left cheek of his opponent, our T1 slams into the forward quarter, right into the powder magazine.
Squinting a bit, I am bit blinded by the flash as the whole front end of the enemy ship disappears in a massive fireball.
Down scope. Coming down from the tower I take up a position at the charts table. With the navigator, we lay in an exit course.
"Helm", I order, "take us down to 30 meters, ahead full, let's get out of here, we've done enough for today".
Going back to my bunk I compile the results of our actions thus far.
9 units lost, 3 of them warships. Current patrol tonnage, 16,645. 2 aircraft shot down.
Resuming patrol in the quadrant east of Gibraltar.

UKönig

05-10-14, 01:41 PM

June 27, 1942, 07:21hrs, Grid: CH81, heading east.
Came upon a small British merchantman, worth about 2400 tons. Fully loaded, on his way west, likely into Gibraltar. All conditions conducive to surface attack, but decided not to overplay my hand, and dove to periscope depth.
Textbook run out. Perfect shot, 1 hit, 1 kill.
My torpedo weapons instructor would have been proud...
June 27, 15:18hrs, Grid: CH58, heading east.
Came upon a lone, British C2 cargo vessel. 6446 tons.
Clear skies and seas, again, perfect weather for surface action, but decided to dive.
Took them out with a hit from a T1 torp, fired from tube 2.
We now have 3 eels left on board. A T2 wakeless loaded in tube 1, a TIV seeker in tube 5, and a T1 spare for tube 5.
Damaged, the C2 cargo ship does not sink right away, and after about five minutes of observing the target from 2 km off, I give the order to surface, and finish them with the deck gun.
The enemy ship spotted us when we broke the surface, and did what they could to lay in a ramming course, but with hardly any forward motion, it didn't amount to much. Our deck gun crew is pretty good at their job, and before long, the 6400 tonner is standing on its stern, flipping us off like a giant middle finger, as it slides down under the waves.
June 28, 03:24 hrs. Grid: CH91. Early morning but with no light on the horizon yet, and with the weather and waves perfectly calm again today, I put the radar set on watch. Pretty soon the operator has some encouraging news. Confirmed by the bridge crew. Found another lone merchantman sailing along, not a care in the world. All that changed a few minutes later, after the last eel from tube 1, introduced itself...
With fire and smoke now raising up into the sky, providing some kind of light, I then order the gun crew to finish this one as well. About 10 HE rounds it takes, and after the seas are quiet again, I head below to contact BdU.
Date: June 28, 1942.
Map reference, grid CH91
Time, 03:45
From: U-König
To: BdU
RE: Patrol report.
Status: 2 aft torpedoes remaining
Sunk 7 merchant, 3 warship and shot down 2 fighter-bombers. Total patrol tonnage, 27,556.
Reply: "Return to base for some R&R, U-99, you've earned it".
At the end of 16 patrols, U-99, under my command, has put down 93 cargo ships, 29 warships, and shot down 3 aircraft. Not bad for the underdogs...

Ifernat

05-16-14, 10:10 PM

Okay, first career when I have a decent idea of what I'm doing. The basics:
Starting with U-27 (VIIB) 60% Realism (Fuel and other limits, but still have automatic targeting and the WO)

Running GWX 3.0 and SH3 Commander. Only edit made with SH3C was to split the qualifications (Helmsman and Watch) on a double qualified petty officer (since double quals on a petty officer has no effect as I understand).

Patrol 1. (August 1939) Shakedown cruise. Tooled around in the North Sea for a few days. Qualified a petty officer in radio and sonar.

Patrol 2 (8/15 - 9/10) Sent to BF19. Moved up to observe traffic in the Dover straights as tensions grew and war was declared. Once all clear was given U-27 would move to deliver an early blow in Dover Harbor. A Southampton class cruiser (SH3C: HMS Southampton) was anchored outside the breakwater. Two torpedoes set for magnetic fired at her bow magazines and engines but the engine shot failed to detonate. A third torpedo set to impact finished her. With the shots fired just inside 5km the single ASW trawler had no chance of finding U-27. Once the alarms died down the harbor was infiltrated, though U-27 did bump the anti-sub net. A small merchant, and a floating dock went down as dawn approached. A small tanker was also hit and was assumed to be a navigational hazard in the making but it steadfastly refused to sink. The idea of surfacing and attacking the harbor with the deck gun was entertained but a dawn shot at the ASW trawler just missed as he saw the incoming torpedo. With the ASW trawler still circling the idea of using the deck gun was ruled out.

After sneaking out U-27 moved East rounded into the Thames Estuary and claimed the biggest prize of the patrol. A 24,000 ton large troop transport at Southend. With 3 patrolling defenders and very dicey shot angles and with the idea of being caught this far inshore at daylight in the back of the Captain's mind. U-27 chose not to push its luck and moved back out to sea.

The remainder of the patrol was spent off East Anglia attacking inshore traffic. With adequate weather conditions U-27 saw good success even only a very limited quantity of torpedoes left.

Total tonnage: 121K, 10 total ships, 8 Merchant, 2 Warship.

Aktungbby

05-16-14, 10:40 PM

Ifernat! Good first patrol report!:Kaleun_Salute:

Ifernat

05-16-14, 11:37 PM

Patrol 3 (9/26 - 10/11) Sent to patrol AM19, but a far more devious plan was to be carried out under secret orders (Yes its Scapa Flow)

U-27 moved NNW, angling approach Scapa Flow from the east after passing South of the Shetlands. While passing through the shipping lanes between the Firth of Forth and Norway several contacts were made and sunk with gunfire.

As U-27 approached Scapa though, the weather turned bad. With conditions very poor, U-27 had to wait...while doing so... two destroyers maintaining long distance patrol circuits were sent to the bottom with impact hits. With the weather finally beginning to break U-27 moved closer to shore but a freak wave was going to make sure that U-27 did not escape the storm totally unscathed. Fortunately the bow scraping the bottom did only minimal damage.

With the weather breaking U-27 infiltrated through the eastern pass into Scapa Flow and quickly located the HMS Royal Oak. Four torpedoes were sent at the battleship, shallow to avoid nets. It turned out that the 3rd and 4th hits were entirely superfluous as the 2nd torpedo aimed at the B turret magazine found its mark.

Over the next few hours U-27 would add the Tribal destroyer attending the Royal Oak. The Auxiliary Cruiser. The V&W destroyer patrolling the western third of the bay just barely avoided a torpedo by making a scheduled turn 10 seconds before a G7e arrived. That miss nearly came back to bite U-27 in the ass later but as it was dark and a G7e the destroyer was not alerted to the attack.

With the twilight of dawn arriving the floating dock was added to the tally. As U-27 moved across the north west quadrant tragedy almost struck. The same V&W that was missed so recently was making a patrol pass and the Captain misjudged where the destroyer would turn. Instead of passing astern, the destroyer passed in front of U-27 and turned. The corner of the destroyer's ASDIC arc solidly passed over the boat. The crew of the U-27 went white as the Captain turned the sub into the destroyer's turn. Sacrificing distance to the destroyer in order to keep the acoustic profile of the submarine as small as possible. Knuckles were white all around. On the nearby destroyer a tired ASDIC operator furrowed his brows trying to decide if he was actually getting a return after a night spent searching the harbor over and over again...For a long moment the destroyer continued its slow turn...and then continued on the next leg of its patrol. No alarm had been raised.

Feeling relieved... the U-27 crept across the north side of the harbor...keeping the periscope down as dawn slowly transitioned to morning. After all...the anchorage positions of the two V&Ws on the east side of the harbor were known, there was no reason to check the position.... what could possibly go wrong.

Finally in position, with 2 torpedoes left and two stationary targets left (2 V&Ws) the Captain quickly snapped up the periscope and rattled off the first torpedo. Turning the periscope quickly to confirm the exact orientation of the patrolling V&W's I nearly had a heart attack when the scope was completely filled with a warship... seconds later I really, really wanted that first torpedo back. It turns out I wasn't the only thing sneaking into Scapa Flow harbor the night before. 1.5 km almost direct astern next to the wreck of the Royal Oak was the HMS Hood.

1 torpedo...either a near guaranteed kill on the V&W or a chance (albeit a slim one) to take out the Hood... The last torpedo shuddered out of U-27's stern tube and raced true to explode with a magnetic fuse directly under the Hood's B turret.... it hurt the pride of the Royal Navy badly...but it wasn't enough.

With all torpedoes expended the U-27 slipped out the eastern pass. The hunt for merchants continued as U-27 moved back towards the Shetlands. With 20 rounds left the weather worsened again and we headed for home. We qualified a second Petty Officer in radio/sonar. Not surprising as the crew got ALOT of practice tracking destroyers on the patrol.

Total tonnage 126k, 20 ships, 7 warship, 13 merchants. HMS Royal Oak, HMS Scotstoun. 5 destroyers.

Ifernat

05-17-14, 01:36 AM

Patrol 4 (10/29 - 11/10) Orders to BE69.

The standard route north to Shetland was taken. A few unlucky ships were found as U-27 turned the corner. Transiting west north of Scapa Flow the sub left a string of ships sunk by gunfire. With a brief wait for night U-27 began an aggressive transit down The Minch.

The crew was starting to feel rather like pirates of old as much use as the deck gun was getting. The weather held though until well after U-27 rounded south of the Hebrides. Turning west U-27 sailed out into the North Atlantic but contacts grew few and far between. After two days and little action we moved back into the waters off Northern Ireland.

After some more deck action in a second period of calm weather the U-27 had finally expended all of its 88 mm ammunition. A contact moving north in The Minch pulled U-27 back north towards Loch Ewe. For a moment the refrain 'Be More Aggressive' tempted the Captain but a task force moving at 14 knots 100 km North of the Hebrides offered a potentially juicier target.

U-27 raced north, but ran into a patrolling J&K destroyer running a search grid off the NE corner of the Hebrides. Thanks to the morning mist U-27 saw the destroyer and was able to go to periscope depth without being detected. Given its location however, the only way U-27 was going to make it to the intercept on the task force was going to be to remove the destroyer. The only G7e currently loaded though was in the stern. The destroyer would pass approximately 5km away. The range on a G7e is 5km. This was going to be interesting.

In what would prove to be one of the tightest intercepts pulled off U-27 crept into position at 4.5 knots or as fast as the Captain dared go. Swung the boat around and threw the engines into a slow reverse to check the forward momentum. Between the destroyers heading and the AOB the angle was over 30 degrees off center so it would have to be a magnetic hit. Luck however was with the crew as the torpedo detonated directly under the destroyer's engines...after traveling just over 4.9km.

With the destroyer removed U-27 raced north to the intercept...down to periscope depth and got the bad news... 2 warships, long range, moving away at 14 knots... Disappointed the U-27 turned back south slowly under battery power. Later that afternoon after tracking down a 300 ton coal tender that wasn't worth expending a torpedo (with all gun ammo expended). An interesting thing occurred. A task force contact, 14 knots...this time moving east. This time U-27 would have a much easier time of making the intercept...and so back at almost the same spot the crew spotted two warships emerging from the afternoon haze.

"What do we got WO? Cruisers? They're definitely bigger than destroyers."

The Captain looked through the UZO scope.

"Not cruisers...a battleship and a battle cruiser...The Hood in front, the Nelson behind...unescorted....

It was in that moment that the Captain stepped away from the UZO...blinked...and slapped himself.

"Not dreaming...," he mumbled. "Two unescorted capital ships...are you sure?"

"yes.."

The watch officer would record in his log that the Captain nearly suffered a seizure induced by dangerously high levels of joy at that moment.

But getting down to business...how to proceed...it was 2 pm on a sunny day with light chop...and all four forward tubes were loaded with G7a torpedoes....

After much deliberation it was decided that it would be better to guarantee at least one kill than to get greedy. The Hood would be the target. Magnetic impact for maximum damage and against the possibility of the Hood maneuvering. U-27 was able to close the range to 2 km at a speed considered safe against the periscope kicking up a wake. At the moment of decision 4 G7a's went out on a spread as wide as the Captain dared. To the U-27's surprise the 2nd torpedo in the spread prematured 750 m out. The Hood's lookouts saw the torpedoes at 500m and the ship began to turn away and accelerate. The first torpedo detonated cleanly under the forward part of Hood's fist engine room, the third torpedo at the far aft of the 2nd engine room. The 4th caught Hood directly on the propellers and was knocked away without detonating.

The crew was not feeling good having only scored two hits...but as they say in the restaurant business location, location, location.... it only took a minute to see that while only two hits had been scored those hits had completely knocked out power to the Hood's engines...she was dead in the water.

U-27 was already turning...trying to bring the stern tube to bear...it was not expected to be a clean shot...A secondary intercept was expected to be necessary on the Nelson... The Captain however had not considered just how much effort and speed the Nelson would lose to avoid crashing into the back of the crippled Hood. As it turned out U-27 was able to line up the stern tube...but what would one torpedo do...against a Nelson class battleship...this shot would be a down payment...a start on slowing the battleship down to the point where an additional intercept could be made...

Tube 5 fired...90 seconds later...the entirety of U-27 shook as the Nelson exploded like a Roman Candle... 15 seconds after torpedo impact the Nelson was sinking.

The Watch officer would record in his log that at this point the Captain, on having realized he had just sunk the HMS Nelson with a single torpedo and still had the HMS Hood at his mercy began twitching and laughing maniacally.

It would take another 3 torpedoes, each an hour apart, to finish the Hood. The Captain considered waiting longer...but expected at any moment for the rest of the Royal Navy to show up to aid the beleaguered battlecruiser.

With four torpedoes remaining the Captain decided to do something quite fool hardy. Something...'more aggressive'. 3 ships in Loch Ewe would be the result. A modern a tanker, a V&W...and the only sour note being that the floating dock refused to sink.

With all torpedoes and all gun ammunition expended the U-27 headed home. The only damage suffered was minimal as a result of bumping into an anti-submarine net in Loch Ewe. We qualified a Petty Officer in the use of the Deck Gun and handed out a rather substantial number of medals.

Total tonnage 150,330 tons. 20 ships, 4 warships, 16 merchants. HMS Nelson, HMS Hood, 2 destroyers.

Jimbuna

05-17-14, 04:32 AM

Welcome to Subsim Ifernat...looks like a lively patrol is being had :sunny:

soopaman2

05-17-14, 02:04 PM

My interest has been reignited in SH3.

I kinda forgot how to play it, I had to break the habit of using WASD to move the screen. :O: Diving while nailing a fishing boat with a deck gun is annoying.

I got my keyboard control back thankfully.

I am currently doing a 1939, starting with the humble IIa, I want to "earn" my way up, and I hope to survive the duration.

My first patrol was near Scapa Flow, but I sailed to Hartlepool instead.

I got there before the declaration of war, submerged and waited. I managed to use 5 fish to sink 4 decent sized ships in thier moorings.
The next 3 hours of game time was dodging depth charges, and fixing leaks.

The IIa is horrid at evasion, as you cannot go super deep. I limped back into port 2 weeks later with a modest 15k in tonnage. Impressive for such a small boat. I reckon it will be difficult from here with it, as I had the element of surprise, and sniped non moving ships.

I hear about people bagging Destroyers, and find it an exercise in sadism, I die when I try to face one, even if I get the jump on it.

I hope to last until '43....(no reloading)

But we all know that is a pipe dream.:D

Rammstein0991

05-17-14, 09:12 PM

I had a sweet kill on a DD yesterday, I had just sunk a merchant a few hours before (game time) and as I was heading SE along the Scottish coast I detected a destroyer, now given that the water wasnt TOO deep I shut off my engines, went to silent running and hoped he'd pass by without noticing me.

To my everlasting shock he passes off my stern about 1800 meters away with me in a perfect shot to fire off a torpedo at him, it hit him in the side right under the bridge and he went up like a firecracker....Defo one of my luckiest ever warship kills, given how he just wandered into the lions den so to speak

Kaptlt.Endrass

05-17-14, 10:43 PM

Date: 4 July 1941
Time: 0832
Loction:Lorient U-boat pens
Destination: Western Approaches
U-47

Exited harbor as the sun rose, set course for Western Approaches. ASW escort trawler broke off at 0839, returned for base. Friendly Kondor spotted returning from patrol.

Date: 10 July 1941
Time: 1701
Location: Grid BF35

Convoy spotted, ordered dive. Following on hydrophones. On further observation, convoy is moving ENE at approximately 6 knots, escorted by at least four Hunt-class and L-class destroyers.

Date: 10 July 1941
Time: 2306
Location: Grid BF11

Surfaced and began attack procedure on convoy. Targets selected are a large tanker and coastal freighter. Conditions: Calm, no precipitation, water surface has minor chop. Flooded tubes one and four, fired on coastal freighter. Waited thirty seconds, fired tubes two and three at large tanker. Coastal freighter is hit by both torpedoes and breaks in half. Large tanker is hit in the sternmost part and stops. Dived to 50 meters and ordered full stop.

Date: 11 July 1941
Time: 0545
Location: Grid BF11

Surfaced at 0530 and commenced firing on large tanker. Sunk at 0537, returned to course and moved external torpedoes to internal storage.

Date: 27 July 1941
Time: 1353
Location: AL26

Reached predetermined location, began patrol search. Aircraft attacked with bombs, one destroyed, one damaged. Minor damage to bow quarters, repaired. Began return to Lorient after 48 hours.

Date: 30 July 1941
Time: 1542
Location: AM77

Lone merchant ship located at 1529, medium merchant. Commenced firing and sunk at 1540. Received report on large convoy SW of current location, adjusting course to intercept.

Date: 2 August 1941
Time: 2131
Location: Grid BE26

Convoy intercepted. Large escorting force consisting of at least 8 destroyers and a single Nelson-Class battleship. Attempted to sink battleship, one critical hit scored, one damaging, two misses. Depth-charged by escorting destroyer, dived to 75 meters. Bow torpedo room moderately damaged, evaded further attacks and surfaced when clear. Contact report sent to BdU.

Date: 14 August 1941
Time: 1136
Location: BF48

Buzzed by aircraft, dived and depth-charged. No damaged sustained.

Date: 15 August 1941
Time: 0652
Location: Lorient U-boat Pens

Returned to base with minor tonnage scores. Pulled into Pen No. 9 and disembarked from submarine.

Riccardo1975

05-20-14, 02:21 PM

End of May 1941. Battle of the Denmark Strait. Grid AL2167. Sound contact bearing 078 turns out to be fast moving warships. Heading WSW. 21 kts. Carrier, two BBs and a few cruisers and destroyers. 5000m bow shot with four T2s. Hit a Dido class, 2 hits on the Illustrious class n the fourth misses. Dido blows up and the carrier sinks by the bow. Renown class sweeps by and all gone in 5 minutes. Raced down to BE53 but missed the end of the Bismarck...
Gets home, awarded Golden Oakleaves like my hero Rudel.
Then I get demoted to Oberleutnant zur see. :confused:

Any ideas my fellow Kaleun? I quite enjoyed being a KptLt. :)

Oblt zur see Riccardo
U-66. June 13th 1941.

banryu79

05-21-14, 04:21 AM

Gets home, awarded Golden Oakleaves like my hero Rudel.
Then I get demoted to Oberleutnant zur see. :confused:

Any ideas my fellow Kaleun? I quite enjoyed being a KptLt. :)

Arithmetic overflow!
The Kriegsmarine promotion system is bugged, I bet! :haha:

Riccardo1975

05-21-14, 04:32 AM

Lol..
Turns out the renown I spent buying the piece of junk which my Type IXC is means I dont have enough renown to be a KapitanLeutnant with Golden Oakleaves... :rolleyes:
I love this game and the renown system but you should only get demoted for sinking a hospital ship. Or an American cruise liner. ;)

Riccardo, U-66, listening to BdU trying to get hold of U-556. :(

Riccardo1975

05-21-14, 12:05 PM

Dont often sink fleet carriers...

Ifernat

05-26-14, 09:05 PM

Patrol 5 (11/24 - 12/13) aka "It was a dark and stormy night"
Patrol grid BF17

While U-27 was initially quite happy to draw a grid right in the heart of the western approaches the tone for this patrol would be set quite early and decisively as a gale with heavy rain moved into the North Sea 3 days out of port. With visibility limited to next to nothing U-27 barely even slowed down while transiting the shipping lanes between Norway and Scotland. This continued as we rounded north of Scotland. West of the Hebrides, during a routine dive to periscope depth to check for surrounding traffic we picked up a lone C&D class destroyer whose track would take him almost exactly 2km astern. U-27 barely even had to move for a G7e to send him to the bottom. Fortunately it was during one of the rare moments when the rain stopped, so we could actually see him. I figured if he was going to be that obliging about it, it would have been rude not to sink him.

Continuing south past the west coast of Ireland we again only intermittently checked for traffic as the torrential rains returned. Reaching BF17 the seas were still too heavy to use the deck gun. This would be the first time that U-27 would actually reach its hunting grounds without having expended a single round of deck gun ammo.

Feeling that the crew was getting antsy after a week without any appreciable action I did decide to sink 2 smaller vessels with torpedoes rather than let them go. Fortunately later that afternoon Bdu radioed about a convoy contact in BF15. It was a fairly easy intercept though visibility was fairly poor. The convoy only had 2 escorts one leading and one astern so it was fairly simple work to close in during the night and start picking out the higher value targets. A pair of whale factory ships were the highlight, though annoyingly both refused to sink until a 2nd torpedo was put into them. Same for a large merchant and ore carrier. U-27 would fire 13 torpedoes by 8 am the next morning and claim 8 victims leaving only a handful of small ships to comprise the convoy.

Turning back to BF17 we hoped for the weather to break so the deck gun could be put to use. For three days U-27 experienced alternating weather states such as gale, storm, monsoon, and "Where did my hands go?!". Figuring that the storm had to break eventually U-27 turned north. Hopefully better weather would arrive while U-27 headed for the northern reaches of the Irish Sea. Finally, the seas calmed to the point where the deck gunners could atleast work even if they were drenched by the swells. In these challenging conditions (7 m/s swells). A single merchantman was tracked down and sunk by gunfire. It was an auspicious change of fortunes. Atleast until the next morning when the next gale arrived just as the boat was nearing another target.

The Captain was observed uttering some choice words at the situation. Alas defeated for the moment U-27 made the east bound trip north of Scotland hoping fair weather would return...it would...with U-27 less than 200km from home. And thus a 2nd first for the U-27 occurred as it returned to base with almost all its deck gun ammo.

Still 63,700 GRT. 9 merchants, 1 destroyer.

Riccardo1975

05-27-14, 07:22 AM

Just took a deck gun hit at 900 metres off a crippled Empire class listing 30 degrees to port in a 15m/s gale West of Gibraltar. Stern quarters flooded. 91% hull integrity. Damage control team couldnt cope. U-66 lost with all hands 4/10/1941.... :(

Ifernat

05-28-14, 07:55 PM

Patrol 6 (12/27/39 - 1/24/40) aka "Close encounters of the destroyer kind"
Grid BE 59

After the somewhat lackluster previous patrol (compared atleast to the earlier exploits of the U-27). Spirits were lifted as the crew got to spend Christmas ashore in Wilhelmshaven. As one of the most successful u-boats of the war...

To Date:

2 battleships (Royal Oak, Nelson)
1 battlecruiser (Hood)
2 cruisers (Southampton, Auxiliary)
7 destroyers (assorted classes)

...the Captain was hard pressed to find a single example of a crewman managing to buy his own drink for the duration of the stay. Even the maintenance workers got a break as for the first time since the U-27's first training patrol the Captain had managed to bring the boat back without a scratch on it. (collided with sub-nets patrols 2 and 4, strafed on patrol 3).

It was lucky then that U-27 had checked out a petty officer as a medic at the end of the last patrol. His skills had grown after treating half the crew for seasickness for 2 weeks straight during the previous patrol. The crew was recovering from hangovers as U-27 motored out of the harbor...the talk though being about how the Captain had been observed avoiding mirrors, or stepping on cracks between the paving stones, and alternately throwing salt over his shoulder as he walked to the berthed submarine...

"I don't care...if it prevents a repeat of the last patrol I'll do anything," he had said... the crew had to restrain him a moment later from training the deck gun on a black cat that had come around the corner of the nearest quay warehouse.

Still off to the Shetlands to make the well practiced turn to port. An early prize was found in a motor vessel (100 tons). The Watch Officer joking that the Captain should have left it go so it could grow up to be a bigger catch. Still it cost little as the Captain sent it to the bottom with the 20mm flak gun.

"I missed you two...," he sighed.

Another medium sized target was found soon after and a Granville class was added, this time by the actual deck gun. However, the weather was not going to cooperate for much longer. Still it was only 9 m/s seas instead of 15 m/s...it could have been worse. U-27 was less interested this time in the Hebrides...figuring that we might have been overstaying our welcome. Also other U-boats were beginning to report mine strikes farther and farther out. U-27 thus passed further away from the Scottish coast this time. Traffic was minimal and nothing worth firing a torpedo at was found.

It would be into the Bay of Biscay in BE 39 that the first major engagement would be fought. U-27 detected a small to medium sized convoy defended by only a single C&D class destroyer....which had apparently not been in refit any time recently as it was lacking ASDIC. However the destroyer's skipper was apparently quite determined to prove the adage that its not about the equipment, its how you use it. The hydrophone operator's chart tracking the destroyer would later be hailed as a early example of modern art under the title 'Abject Linear Confusion'.

Needless to say the Weapon's Officer was not keen on the idea of shooting a torpedo at a destroyer that was twirling around like a Bolshoi ballet dancer. If the destroyer had ever gone in a straight line for any appreciable length of time it was likely that the U-27 would have destroyed the entire convoy through a combination of torpedoes and gunfire. As it was, every major ship in the convoy was systematically claimed until by morning the only thing that remained was a handful of small and coastal merchants. Without ASDIC the destroyer was utterly impotent as U-27 always moved after firing, followed by reducing the engine RPMs to under 50. The best the destroyer could do was was depthcharge in roughly the area the sub had been.

Unwilling to shoot torpedoes at minor vessels, especially with daylight arriving and after sailing all the way to the Bay of Biscay off the NW corner of Spain, U-27 broke off after radioing the convoy's location.

There was a little hilarity that followed as the sub settled into a slow patrol of BE69...atleast until the Navigator reminded the Captain that we were supposed to be in BE59. The Captain cursed whoever chose the font on the map and moved the sub to the correct grid. On the way the sub encountered the largest prize of the patrol..and unescorted large tanker. after a few more days and intermittent encounters with mostly small tonnage vessels the Captain decided to move back North more into the convoy lanes coming out of the Western approaches.

The maneuver was rewarded as U-27 picked up a medium sized convoy outbound through the northern Bay of Biscay. However it was at this moment that U-27's greatest archfoe returned. 15 m/s winds and monsoon grade rain.

Having picked up the convoy in the wee hours of the morning U-27 would atfirst simply shadow the convoy. This became difficult as the only way to do was by hydrophone and the convoy was moving at a decent clip, 8 knots..faster than the VIIB could make under electric power, especially faster than the VIIB could safely make in the vicinity of the convoy as there were two destroyers this time and the lead one did have ASDIC, though the trailing destroyer (another C&D) did not.

This necessitated alot of diving, surface running, and position checking that became increasingly complex as the convoy was running a zig zag course with about 20 km long legs.

As night fell, visibility dropped to near 0. It was very much the same "Where'd my hands go" weather from the previous patrol. Trying to judge the convoy's location became almost impossible visually. At about 11 pm after an hour on the surface catching up to the convoy (after U-27 slightly misjudged and zigged when we should have zagged) we needed badly to check the location via hydrophone. Worryingly we could hear a ship in the distance, but couldn't tell from where.

"Periscope depth...silent running"

... 30 seconds later we passed into the effective range of the hydrophones..."all stop"

"CONTACT, WARSHIP, CLOSE RANGE, MEDIUM SPEED, BEARING 160"

"How close?!, you didn't draw a line on the chart?!"

'SCREEEEEEEEEEEECHHHHHHHH'

"It's that dot on top of us Captain"

"Well, on the bright side we have located the trailing destoyer," the Weapon Officer quipped but for a tense moment everyone held their breath...fortunately the destroyer didn't seem to be aware it had hit a submarine.

"It was only a glancing hit, sounded like he brushed against the flak gun and its mounting"

Bernard, the planesman then piped up "Don't we need to surface and exchange insurance information?"

Everyone just glared at him.

It was a good bit of luck that the destroyer didn't have ASDIC though. Maneuvering away, the Captain considered his options..."We literally sailed up the wake and right past a destroyer and neither of us saw the other. I seriously take back everything I ever said about C&D classes and how little they have below the waterline to get a solid hit on. If that had been a Tribal....<shudder>...to hell with this"

At that point U-27 did surface but only to move around the sides of the convoy...closing to what could best be described as 'knife fight range'. The lookouts struggled to pick out the barest silhouettes of ships being lit up by the occasional flash of lightning...the Hydrophone operator did his best to help with the occasional update everytime the bow of the boat wound up 10 meters under. Several times the Captain had to abort attacks when it became clear there wouldn't be sufficient time for the torpedoes to arm but as the midnight hours ticked by U-27 began to pick off ships. Though we did record a miss or two due to the motion of the u-boat. Virtually every sinking though had to be confirmed by the hydrophone operator.

The final note of the saga came as the U-27 had worked its way around to the opposite side of the convoy. An ore carrier was hit by one torpedo that seemed to do little damage. Still it was a raging storm and while dawn was not that far off U-27 had time. Sinking a medium cargo next, U-27 returned and decided that it would require her last torpedo to finish the ore carrier. The shot was dead on and soon the ore carrier was at a 25 degree list. Amazingly though she held her place in the convoy.

As U-27 evaded on the surface at dawn after the 2nd torpedo hit the Captain was sure that in this rough weather the ore carrier would sink any minute. Any minute now...Yep any minute....

Things grew more complicated as the rain lessened and the sun came up. U-27 had to back off to 5 km now. But still shadowed the convoy...and still the ore carrier sailed on making the necessary 8 knots to hold position. Finally, out of patience, the Captain declared that it would only take a minor nudge to finish off the target...U-27 closed to 3.5km on the surface before the convoy raised the alarm. Believing in his trusty deck gun, though the sea was still quite rough, the crew proved just how veteran they had become at the gunnery drill. U-27 rattled off 12 shots before shells from the leading destroyer began to splash around the boat. 3 shells hit the ore carrier at the water line, 4 tore into her deck. Not bad considering the range and the heaving sea. The ore carrier was now on fire in 3 places and belching smoke.

As U-27 evaded the Captain eagerly awaited news of the 8000 ton vessel succumbing. An hour later he was disappointed to see the ship still making 8 knots at a 30 degree list.

"Why?" he asked....

Then he noticed...it was a Canadian ore carrier. To the virtual Canucks on that ship, that kept it afloat after being torpedoed twice and shelled...in a gale...the Captain tips his hat.

It would be the first time that an underway ship torpedoed by the U-27 would escape. Though out of torpedoes the U-27 would not quite be finished. A collection of mostly smaller vessels with the remaining gun ammunition. The epilogue of the patrol being a trawler that was sunk very near where the first victim of the patrol had been. It took most of flak gun ammo to do it. The crew was in a good mood with the boat going back with the tubes and the ammo locker dry. They even decided that given the chance we were going to make the streaks of Royal Navy destroyer gray that decorated the flak gun mounting and rear guardrails a part of our 'official' paint scheme.

We would qualify another petty officer in maintaining the engines.

19 ships sunk, all merchant, 82,700 GRT, No actual damage to the hull (flak gun was the only thing damaged in the impact with the destroyer).

flag4

05-29-14, 02:39 PM

Riccardo1975

06-01-14, 03:09 AM

Hearbroken. Now I finish ships off from 2000+ metres, plus with my crack gun crew 1 hit from 3 is good for me....

:D

Riccardo1975

06-02-14, 01:51 PM

Surfaced off New York to finish off an armed tugboat from a decent distance and found an Elco at 155 degrees my soundman clearly forgot about. Got ripped to bits but hit it with three 105mm rounds and thought game over.

Nope.

Caught fire and kept on shooting.
Made of wood arent they?

THREE 4 inch shells...?

Not a happy bunny again. :rolleyes:

aluekomentaja

06-03-14, 04:35 AM

Noob Kaleun of U-47 reporting. Realism settings 85% External camera enabled, but only for adoring MY boat when not in contact.

Patrol 3, start date December 3 at Wilhelmshaven.

December 10, just north of Rockall Bank:

My watch officer spots a 3 ship group at long range to my left, coming almost directly at me. Due to the angle I guesstimate their course incorrectly and identifying goes wrong too. First one is clearly a destroyer, V&W -class, but the two merchants I thought to be Empire-class freighters turn out to be auxiliary cruisers. Because of my miscalculation and guesstimating the destroyer and merchants turned to warships pass my bow at only about 300-400 meters. I fire 4 torpedoes and hit only one auxiliary cruiser. Destroyer depth charges me for 4 hours before I finally manage to slip away.

After surfacing (I almost could swear tasting the fresh sea air IRL after so many hours underwater) I resume my course to SW where the map says is a known convoy route. Few hours later I get a radio contact report about a convoy southeast of Rockall Bank heading probably to Irish Sea. And the best part is that it is only hours away from the boat's current location. I'm really starting to get excited, it's my first real convoy. Some map work and diesels red hot, ahead full.

Watch officer spots the convoy just before dark and I decide to trail it for now, to get better readings and to prepare my ambush better after the last botched attempt. It's hard to get good guesstimates at long range, but they're heading west and it's about 5 columns, so maybe ~25 ships or so and a single destroyer at the front (or so I thought). At this time I have 7 torpedoes left in front. I'm thrilled, but also the convoy seems just so big a target, how am I going to handle this?

I trail them for the night slowly getting into a position to attack. During daytime I decide to make an attempt at periscope depth. I change my course and slowly start to make my way to a course intersecting convoys course. I let the escort in front to slip to my right while making my way to more juicier parts of the convoy. Torpedoes set for impact pistol I base my calculations for a large merchant in front of me. I fire 4 torpedoes and manage to watch 3 hits, ammunition ship blows like a crate of fireworks. Dive is ordered to 160 meters. All 4 torpedoes hit, but only 3 ships go down. I get the large merchant, a medium tanker and an ammo ship.
Escorts start hunting my boat. Turns out that there were 2 destroyers. They depth charge me for hours before finally heading back to the convoy, U-47 doesn't even get a scratch.

Time to surface to reload and recharge and to prepare ambush #2. This time it's going to be a surface attack. So again I track them from the distance. This part of the game just rocks like everything else: Watching, waiting a good moment, planning, literally hunting them.

Finally darkness arrives. I can see why advacements in radar were fatal for U-boats, my only ally is stealth, escorts just outspeed, outgun and outarmor an U-boat. Approach goes similarly than last time, but on the surface. Again I target a large merchant and fire three torpedoes to three targets. Again 3 hits, but only get the large merchant and a passenger/cargo. Don't know why I targeted the last one, but I was acting in a hurry. At this moment I am not spotted, but they're turning on those powerful lights. Trying to get away with diesels, maybe the night will protect me, but not long and U-47 is spotted and fire starts to rain at my position. So, ALAAAARRRRMMM! Again the familiar game of hide and seek starts. This time I'm not so lucky as depth charges almost rip out my conning tower. All periscopes and radio antenna destroyed. After a few hours other destroyer heads back to convoy and other still hunts me, but has probably expended all depth charges and later it also leaves. Just have to say how good sound stage is in this game, immersion is really good underwater.

When I surface, the convoy is gone, but I still see the large merchant defiantly pushing forward bow almost below the water. I align the boat for a rear torpedo. Luckily UZO is still intact. One final torpedo finishes the large merchant and she's going to the bottom (didn't see sailors swimming towards me :)). Time to get out of there at flank speed. The other destroyer returns to look for me, but this time I am far enough away. Searchlights are visible in the horizon for a time.

Periscopes and radio antenna destroyed and all forward torpedoes used and only a few remaining in the back tubes. I need to get back to the base. After uneventful return journey I get back to Wilhemshaven, where medals are handed by the bucket. Total tonnage for the patrol: 53090t and 6 ships sunk.

Kaptlt.Endrass

06-04-14, 04:37 PM

Halfway through the war. Started August 39 and I've moved to Bergen for the rest of the war in late 43. I plan on staying alive for the war's end. Ready to buy the Type XXI when I can.

Zosimus

06-05-14, 08:42 AM

Although I have just recently started playing the game, I am pleased to say that I have completed 5 patrols (once I got the hang of it). The last two patrols were with a new U-boat–the VIIB. I must say that this is a very sweet ship. On my most recent patrol I was assigned to a patrol on the west side of Ireland, but before I could get there I sunk 5-6 ships! By the time I finally made it to my patrol zone I was down to 4 torpedoes in the bays and I was struggling to figure out how to get the external torpedoes inside for loading.

No sooner did I get to my patrol zone (The Northwestern corner) but I got a radio report of a ship to the north headed west (my way) so with a sigh I headed up and sunk it. The only real problem is the aircraft, though I did shoot one of them down. I think I should have trained someone on flak guns before now–none of my guys have the knack, I'm afraid. I got two iron crosses, and a buttload of u-boat badges to hand out to my crew. What good are they? I don't know, but I decorated the engine guy, the sonar guy, and the deck gun guy and then stared stupidly at the rest of them. I'm sure most people are doing wonderful work on the boat, but I'm not sure how to decide among them. Luck of the draw, maybe.

Tycho

06-06-14, 02:41 AM

I'm on the middle of the most boring patrol, who I ever sailed.
27 day without a single contact, one week in real life. The North Atlantic is desolate!:Kaleun_Crying:

Succat

06-06-14, 05:15 AM

I'm on the middle of the most boring patrol, who I ever sailed.
27 day without a single contact, one week in real life. The North Atlantic is desolate!:Kaleun_Crying:
Are you using a special realism mod? I would love to have more patrols like this!

LSH is way to crowded and i always sink the same convoys NW of England...im not amused!

insidious

06-06-14, 05:41 AM

I'm on the middle of the most boring patrol, who I ever sailed.
27 day without a single contact, one week in real life. The North Atlantic is desolate!:Kaleun_Crying:
Здравей Tycho.Най-после да видя някой от БГ в този форум :) 27 дена без контакт са наистина много да не се е бъгнала играта нещо.При мен се е случвало най-много 10-ина дена, 2 седмици без да срещна кораб.Виж тоя линк http://opspin.net/operationspinnennetz/mapcontact.htm#nep мисля че ще ти бъде от полза,ще се ориентираш къде минават корабите.

Jimbuna

06-06-14, 06:28 AM

I'm on the middle of the most boring patrol, who I ever sailed.
27 day without a single contact, one week in real life. The North Atlantic is desolate!:Kaleun_Crying:

What version of the game are you playing, stock or a supermod?

Zosimus

06-06-14, 08:44 AM

Здравей Tycho.Най-после да видя някой от БГ в този форум :) 27 дена без контакт са наистина много да не се е бъгнала играта нещо.При мен се е случвало най-много 10-ина дена, 2 седмици без да срещна кораб.Виж тоя линк http://opspin.net/operationspinnennetz/mapcontact.htm#nep мисля че ще ти бъде от полза,ще се ориентираш къде минават корабите.

Добрата информация. Благодаря.

Tycho

06-06-14, 12:24 PM

insidious

06-06-14, 12:52 PM

Now I'm home, looking in my captain's log and see that days are 23 not 27!
Well, I did not complain here, did not search for bugs. Just tell you what's up in my current campaign.
My game is NYGM based.

I get it.Wish you good luck then :up: Gute Jagd Herr Kaleun :arrgh!:
Give us more details: what year, what type of U-boot you use.
Zosimus (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/member.php?u=326728):Добрата информация. Благодаря.
За нищо
Ако имаш въпроси пиши на лично,ако мога ще помогна :)

ming

06-06-14, 03:20 PM

Just getting started anew, 2nd patrol '39. I plan on going all the way of course, but I usually think again somewhere around mid '43 or '44.:/\\!!

aluekomentaja

06-06-14, 05:58 PM

Just getting started anew, 2nd patrol '39. I plan on going all the way of course, but I usually think again somewhere around mid '43 or '44.:/\\!!

I'm on my 5th patrol and each time difficulty goes up. First it was small single merchants, than bigger ones and couple and finally on patrol 3 a whole convoy, escorted by a couple of destroyers. Had a close call with them also, almost took out the whole conning tower. Current date is winter-spring 1940 (before Denmark and Norway). If difficulty goes up like this, it's going to be a rough ride few years later. Looking forward to it.

On 4th patrol I infiltrated Scapa Flow on a very dark January night. Tommys had a destroyer watching the entrance, but her patrol pattern was too predictable. Found a troop transport, destroyer and a small merchant in the harbour. Fired all torpedoes, all hit but I got only the destroyer. Other torpedoes failed.Then I punched flank speed the hell out of there.

It is nice that SH3 offers this kind of gameplay, but on an harbour infiltration so many things could have gone wrong. Water is too shallow to dive deep and that is giving away my best defence. So on fifth patrol I'm going to get back to basics, sinking merchants. Still it was very fun doing Scapa Flow. Ought to strike fear in that fat cigar stomping as*h*** Churchill. :D

But next patrol is going to go by the numbers.

Ifernat

06-06-14, 11:15 PM

Patrol 7 (1/25/1940-2/7/1940)
Grid CG76

For the first time U-27 was detailed out to the coast of Spain. U-27 would never make it there...
...
For all the right reasons :D

Three merchants were sunk as U-27 transited around the Shetlands and north of Scotland giving Scapa Flow an increasingly greater space. Mine strikes were increasingly showing up in the BdU radio traffic. Weather was slightly bad as U-27 passed the Hebrides and then something interesting happened. U-27 received a report of a task force leaving Liverpool and heading NW. Only 8 knots though. Thinking about the possibility of setting an ambush in the Irish channel U-27 ran at flank speed through the dawning morning light until a position was taken up between the Mull of Kintyre and Antrim. The task force would have to pass through.

And U-27 waited...and waited...until eventually out of the morning mists two ASW trawlers emerged. The Captain was slightly annoyed. There were no other contacts on the Hydrophone. After another half hour it was clear that the trawlers were the task force. The Captain lowered the periscope in frustration as the WO joked

"Well if the British are calling two trawlers a task force then the war is going well eh?"

The Captain made a mental note about task forces moving at 8 knots as the U-27 moved back to the NW. Still we were in the northern reaches of the Irish Sea an area that had been very good to U-27 before. U-27 would spend the next few hours listening and moving at slow speed to the NW. Eventually a coastal freighter would be detected and run down as it as it transited north, west of the Isle of Mull.

As the afternoon hours of February 1st ticked by serendipity was about to strike. A large convoy was reported by Bdu sighted west of the Hebrides on a course to enter the Irish Sea, clearly headed for Liverpool. U-27's little detour on the way to Spain was about to become quite profitable.

Moving back south to the waters south of Islay U-27 laid in ambush...it would be just after midnight before U-27 first heard the approaching convoy. As the moments ticked by the Hydrophone operator identified merchant after merchant after merchant. Finally a single warship was called out....in the middle of the convoy.

"What...what is this?" The Captain wondered. As 3am approached the convoy began to sail into sight. Row after row of merchant ships...and the battleship Rodney sailing at its core. No Destroyers. Whether the escorts had been detached and sent to Loch Ewe since the convoy was in Irish waters the Captain couldn't say. The important thing was that the convoy at 3:30 am was driving right over U-27 with the Rodney passing 600 meters away at a stately 7 knots. It was almost impossible to miss. 4 torpedoes went out and the 3rd and 4th hits were entirely superfluous as the first two hit just fore and aft of the forward magazine. The Rodney went down in 6 minutes after her forward magazines exploded.

None of the convoy ships were armed...what followed turned the Irish channel into a stream of fire. In the next 4 and a half hours 13 additional ships would be sunk by U-27 firing her torpedoes and deck gun as fast as the crew could reload. By the time the tubes and ammo locker were empty only 6 ships remained in the convoy...one of those a battered small merchant that had taken 10 waterline hits before the Captain had realized that the ship was actually Norwegian. Why there was a lone Norwegian ship in the middle of a British convoy the Captain couldn't have said. A sad mix of small and coastal merchants all that was left of the convoy.

The 2nd of February had been very good to the U-27. Only the fact that U-27 had overspent on torpedoes on the Rodney and needed extra torpedoes to sink a pair of whale factory ships. That combined with the slightly difficult gunnery conditions (5 m/s waves) was the only thing that prevented the near total wipeout of the convoy.

U-27 sailed back to Wilhelmshaven...never having come close to CG76.

134,600 GRT (17 merchants, 1 warship - HMS Rodney). No damage to the boat.

Kaptlt.Endrass

06-07-14, 01:23 AM

Das ist güt patrol. Verruckt güt.

Tycho

06-07-14, 04:13 PM

I'm on the middle of the most boring patrol, who I ever sailed.
27 day without a single contact, one week in real life. The North Atlantic is desolate!:Kaleun_Crying:

Now I'm home, looking in my captain's log and see that days are 23 not 27!

I get it.Wish you good luck then :up: Gute Jagd Herr Kaleun :arrgh!:
Give us more details: what year, what type of U-boot you use.
Type VIIB, 19 December 1939

On this same 23th day, finally receive message with information about Large convoy very close to my position. Easy to intercept! But, when I have a good position, seems somehow one of the escort found me. We played many hours with the escort, but without damage for me.
http://oi61.tinypic.com/2m46gm1_th.jpg (http://oi61.tinypic.com/2m46gm1.jpg)
http://oi60.tinypic.com/2dgwc46_th.jpg (http://oi60.tinypic.com/2dgwc46.jpg)

Then all night, I chase the convoy, they change course, found it, but after sunrise. Decided to attack, England is close.
http://oi60.tinypic.com/s2sg2c_th.jpg (http://oi60.tinypic.com/s2sg2c.jpg)

Two victims, and the escort play with me again.
This time they destroyed my deck gun, hydrophone and radio.
http://oi61.tinypic.com/k9u9ow_th.jpg (http://oi61.tinypic.com/k9u9ow.jpg)
http://oi59.tinypic.com/xe3gd0_th.jpg (http://oi59.tinypic.com/xe3gd0.jpg)

Doolar

06-14-14, 09:21 AM

It is with great sadness that I inform you of the loss of U-30 with Captain and crew, 51 in all , sometime on 16 Oct 1941 in CF88 . I had that career going since Aug 1939 . After a convoy attack and being hunted by 3 escorts , I felt safe in surfacing to get ahead of the convoy for round 2 . I saw 2 escorts drift off about 8 or 9 Km's distaint , losing ( forgetting about ) track of escort #3 . Well I found him and he found me too . darn !!! :wah:

UKönig

06-21-14, 02:14 PM

Creative writers here, very entertaining stories!

Zosimus

06-24-14, 10:35 AM

December 1939–so far it's all too easy. The only real problem is the weather. I saw my first convoy during this outing and ventured in. Rather lamely I must admit that despite the wealth of targets around me I fired one torpedo at one cargo ship and dived. I'm using steam-powered torpedoes and not more than 3 minutes after the torpedo explosion four annoyed destroyers showed up and started pinging me. I took my fine boat down to 140m with no problems and eventually slunk away. The cargo ship eventually sunk (gray), which I believe means a combination of weather and torpedo damage. I was unable to determine whether I got credit for that, but I've seen gray sinkings before and they showed up on my radio report home, so I assume so.

Not more than 3 hours later I ran into another warship and sensibly went to 25m but then I got a hydrophone contact on first one merchant than two more. Sensing another convoy I crept in, found a cargo ship, and measured his speed at 8 knots. Just as I was setting up a 3500m shot on him I spotted a tanker somewhere beyond him and I switched targets faster than you can say "Mush!" Even though I'd had no previous experience with salvos, I went for a 1-4 salvo at 0º and I am pleased to say I scored two direct hits at somewhere between 4500-5500m and the ship sunk(red) less than a minute later. I also fired two torpedoes at two separate cargo ships and scored on each of them. One sunk(red) about 20 minutes later, but the other one must have limped its way into port somewhere. I had only one torpedo left and I didn't follow up further on the convoy.

Heading for home I ran into another tanker and with one aft torpedo and a pounding heart I decided to go for a surface deck gun assault with the torpedo as backup in case she didn't sink. Sadly she was well-lit and sporting a US flag so I let her go and rounded England to the North Sea where I got the chance to fire my last torpedo. I flubbed the shot and it bounced off of the hull so I closed in to point blank range with deck guns ready only to find myself face-to-face with some irritated Danish. My Danish is a bit rusty, but I gather they were saying something about my mother, so I slunk of into the night after another hydrophone contact, which turned out to be a second Danish ship no more than 4 kilometers off the coast of England. Curse the luck!

I ran into a pair of Norwegian ships on the way home and no sooner did they spot me but they turned on every light they had to illuminate their flag. It took me several minutes in the books to figure out who they were, but I eventually had to let them go too.

On final approach to Wilhelmshaven a German patrol craft opened fire on me, and I went to periscope depth for repairs before finally slinking into port to cheering throngs of people. With 50,000 tons sunk, I got enough U-boat badges to give one to everybody, and I decorated the deck gunner and the hydrophone operator for work well done.

After almost 4 weeks at sea with no change of clothes and no chance to take a bath, my wife refused to let me in the house. I had to hose myself down in the garden in December! The dog didn't seem to mind my smell though–at least someone was happy to see me back in port.

UKönig

06-27-14, 08:26 PM

Feb. 1945.
We have left the mediterranean and the afrika korps behind. A lost cause anyway, and it cost us 2 crewmen. We got 2 months off in Dec. for massive repairs to the boat. Cheaper to just build a new one, but the brass was insistent. I got accused of leaving "my friend" in the lurch, but the truth is, we were never friends by any personal experience, more like respect of one's career. With no regrets we leave it all behind.
On to Norway. Transferred to the 11th fleet, December, 1944. Trusty ole U99 has been around for 33 patrols and has returned to Bergen for the last time.
With great pleasure we announce the appointment of the Captain and crew of U99, to take command of the new type XXI, U2511, effective immediately.
You are to make the fullest demands on your craft so that any problems that arise may be dealt with swiftly. (memo doesn't say why) Also, nothing in there about a promotion. Same ole Kaptänleutnant as before. Oh well, at least we got a new ride.
Braved about 180m deep dive on first patrol. Sunk a few ships. Discovered how much I hate pattern running torpedos. Returned to base.
2nd patrol, beginning of Feb. 1945.
Still getting used to the new sub. Our old sub, U99 was assigned a new captain and crew, and departed for duty, about the same time as our first patrol. Monitoring the radio transmissions, U99 has been ordered to report position 3 times, and so far, each call has remained unanswered...
Deep dive report, 260 meters and all is well. Seals remain tight. Can't wait to put it to the real test.

maillemaker

06-28-14, 09:43 AM

December 11th, 1939. We open our Top Secret orders as we pass Den Helder. We are to try a repeat of the raid on Scapa Flow, but our target is Portsmouth.

We approach at darkness and surface to slide over the sub net at the choke point into the harbor. We hug the pier and at silent speed navigate right into the main anchorage. A destroyer and a patrol boat are plying the waters of the bay.

What a disappointment. Only a few merchant ships lie at anchor. I took out a 10,000 ton Modern Tanker and another small tanker and then we left the way we came, hugging the pier. We were never detected.

We surface and clear the sub net, and then race at flank speed back out into the channel.

Just when I thought we were clear, star shells appear above us and we hear faint sirens from the shore. Shore batteries start to fire on us, so we dive.

All of the escorts, at least 4 of them, in the channel have predictably beached themselves on the channel side as they could not find the way into Portsmouth.

We egress the channel by Dover and resume our usual 1939 ravage of the eastern coast of Britain.

Steve

Zosimus

06-28-14, 01:10 PM

16 March 1940. I am back in Wilhelmshaven without incident. I did everything the same on this mission as I did on the previous ones, but the tonnage is lower. I only sunk 31,158 tons. Part of the problem was the weather. For 8 days I shadowed three different cargo ships with no torpedoes while waiting to use the last 80 rounds of my deck gun on one of them. Sadly the gale force winds continued and when I switched to a fourth cargo ship only to find her neutral, I threw in the towel. As soon as I got back into Wilhelmshaven the winds died down to a peaceful 3 knots. How annoying.

I was awarded 4 u-boat badges, a painful reminder of the four men killed during patrol 4. I promoted Wolf Steinmeier and August Krüger for their fine work in handling the boat's engines and awarded both the iron cross.

I called in every favor I had, talked to every person I knew, but despite my fine record I was denied the transfer to U-103, a fine IXB that will be launching soon. It will be captained by Viktor Schütze, who is a fine officer. I wish him well and will soon be launching once more in U-48.

UKönig

06-30-14, 12:46 AM

U-2511, 3rd patrol. March 22, 1945.

Type XXI fitness report.
Deep dive to 285 m, danger, do not exceed 285m, damage occurs at 290+ (was trying to break 300 meters deep dive, instead it tried to break me).
Blow ballast for emergency surface, took the next 4 hours to restore the compressed air supply.
Anti-aircraft turrets serve a reduction in visibility, but safer for the crew.
Use the dash ability sparingly, it really eats into the battery charge. If you are familiar with the recharge times of the improved batteries aboard the typical type IX, then you should be ok here.
Speed is life. And finally there is a use for those decoys. You can now get far enough away from a decoy at 13 knots underwater. Run that speed for 30 seconds and then hit "creep mode". Even if you are forced to move faster, at first, they won't be expecting a uboat to be moving that fast, so they may not recognize the sound signature.
But, the type XXI is not a super submarine, that is, it's not invincible. And for you deck gun pirates, well, you can forget that, those days are over. But the plus side, the torpedos are hydraulically loaded, in about 2-3 minutes. And with as few as 4 qualified crew. Yes, in all, I can recommend the type XXI for any interested captain. But offer a caveat. If you are already experienced with the type IX, or even the type VII, then only those hulls with all the upgrades might still be worth hanging on to.
Our patrol area this time seems a risky venture. AM98, almost at the Bristol channel. As if the high command wants us to... Nevermind that. In any case, we may not come back from this one.
Aufwiedersehen from valhalla, U-2511.

UKönig

07-02-14, 02:23 AM

May 8th, 1945.
We received the order to stand down.
Our last patrol area took us up the Irish sea. U2511 wormed its way up the channel and surrendered at the British city of Liverpool.
Unfortunately we sank 3 ships on our way in, on May 5th, as per our previous orders. Ships that had just been serviced at Liverpool...
We hoisted a black flag on the periscope mast and announced by wireless our intent to surrender. The Captain, as he speaks english pretty well, was able to broker a deal with the British. But not before the first watch officer got to experience the "hospitality" of the dockworkers, one of whom stole his knights' cross. The military police showed up shortly and took the captain and crew into custody, and spared a team of officers to impound the sub.
And so ends the "glorious" career of Kaptänleutnant Johan König...
After 37 patrols, and 5 (ish) years of war, sank:
219 merchantmen (all types)
78 warships (all types)
297 ships = 1.226.913 tons
96 aircraft shot down, including 3, B24s.

I play this game as tribute to all those who went to sea during this conflict and doubly so for all those who never came home...

Zosimus

07-02-14, 11:56 AM

Torshavn Habor Incursion Report

My old stomping grounds of the North of England are no longer as I remember them. There are fewer merchants, their ships are faster, and the sky is teaming with aircraft. I cannot catch the ships under water and I cannot surface because aircraft show up every 10 minutes.

So I push on westward where I spy Torshavn. I know little about it, but it's a hostile city. Does it have a harbor? Maps say yes. I study them carefully. It looks possible. Let's investigate.

After two days underwater adventure, surfacing only to get air, I am within sight of the harbor. I see two coastal vessels of some sort, a warship, and a heavy cruiser. Hydrophone contact negative. My watch officer assures me that all ships are stationary. Periscope depth and we move in at 1 knot, rigged for silent running. My navigation officer assures me that depth under keel is 4 meters. :nope: I must be crazy. At dusk I spend two hours maneuvering for a shot on the heavy cruiser. Finally I give up. I can't even get a 45º AOB. In frustration I torpedo the other warship–a destroyer as it turns out. It sinks immediately. No sirens, no warnings, no screaming, but a warship comes to investigate and beaches itself on the opposite island. What an idiot.

At 1 knot I slip off into the night. I am not likely to return.

Zosimus

07-14-14, 04:54 PM

May 13, 1940. I have safely returned to Wilhelmshaven after the most harrowing mission of my career. After an uninteresting tour of the coast of Norway, which was occupied by Germany for its own safety to protect it from further Allied treachery, I rounded England. I had hoped to find numerous ships off the northern coast of England, as before, but the skies were teaming with aircraft and I had only modest success. I headed for Torshavn Harbor, which was similarly disappointing. I sank a moored destroyer and headed south. I tried the northern entrance to the Irish Sea, but I had no success there other than finding a few sailboats in winds so extreme that shots were impossible.

Finally I headed further south where I finally hit gold: A convoy moving along at at 6 knots. I located two steamers straggling behind at 4 knots and sank the first of the two with no difficulty. A frigate came to investigate, but I was long gone from where he looked for me. An hour later I set up a firing solution on the second and sent it to the bottom. Four hours later I caught up with the convoy again and sank another ship. Again the frigate came searching for me, but by the time he followed the trail of bubbles I had left that location. He never found me.

Back on the trail of the convoy I found it impossible to stay on the northern flank of the convoy because another convoy heading in the opposite direction made it impossible. I switched convoys and it was here that disaster nearly struck. An unusually clear day (coinciding with the installation of the 16 km atmosphere mod) resulted in the destroyers seeing me well out beyond my normal 8 km end-around range. Even at 16 km I was still detected and finally in desperation to make progress I foolishly went to 1/3rd submerged in an attempt to make progress. The frigate heard me and began pinging me relentlessly. Soon he followed up with a few depth charges, but I dodged most. Unfortunately he got a lucky shot in and I found myself sinking and nearing crush depth. U-48 was in dreadful danger so I was forced to throw off all attempts at stealth and I called for flank speed, maximum surface angle, and blew ballast 3 different times. The flood control and pumps finally got things under control and I was able to go to max depth again, but for some reason U-48 would not hold her depth at low speeds! Frantic to evade my pursuer, I was nevertheless forced to go at 5 knots to keep U-48 from sinking like a stone.

Battery power was running out and I was desperately heading towards a shallow zone so that I could bottom her and wait the frigate out. Fortunately for me the escort finally gave up and I surfaced with the last of my ballast. Battery power was below 25 percent, but it recharged within a few hours. I radioed other captains to see whether they knew what was wrong with U-48. Most advised abandoning the pursuit and returning to base, but I knew in my heart that I would never be happy with that decision. I engaged a lone ship and after hitting her with a torpedo sank her with my deck gun. I was less than 20 km from the convoy and was afraid that the frigate would show up again to harass me. Fortunately he did not get the beleaguered ship's distress call.

As discretion is the better part of valor, I decided to sink another lone ship to the south, but soon I realized that the convoy's southwesterly course intersected the target's. I knew then that it would be impossible to catch her and sink her without detection so I abandoned that plan and went after the convoy. With three forward torpedoes left, I spotted the jewel at the center of the convoy–a fine cruiser waiting to be torpedoed. At 3 km I let fly with a perfect salvo, but sadly another cargo ship interposed and took both torpedoes sinking immediately. The third torpedo scored a perfect smokestack hit on another ship sending it to the bottom.

But now the frigate was back on the trail with fresh depth charges (restored, I imagine, by the save and restore operation). Again and again he pounded my position until he finally scored another light hit on the same section of the sub that had previously been damaged. Once the damage was repaired U-48 magically regained her buoyancy and I was able to slip away at 1 knot, at 99 meters below the sea. By this time CO2 was high and I surfaced only to find myself 14 km from another warship, which promptly began shelling me. Cursing my luck, I crash dived with what little oxygen I had and began the cat-and-mouse game again. It took another 40 minutes, but I slipped away from him too by turning at flank speed into his baffles and then dropping to 2 knots. Once he had turned around again, I went to 1 knot and managed to slip away. I surfaced and rounded England again on the way home where I spotted a patrol craft and a ship behind it. To my surprise the ship was traveling at an astonishing 14 knots, but I carefully put my stern on the ship and sank the tanker with a single torpedo. The patrol craft followed the bubbles to my location and buzzed around angrily, but it had no depth charge ability and so I easily slipped away.

On the way back I encountered another tanker and tried the same tactic. Trying again to ensure a single shot kill I aimed for the smokestack at the back of the ship, but I missed cleanly and with winds at 13 m/s I threw in the towel and headed for home. I was so happy to be headed to port that I threw conservation to the wind and sped across the North Sea at full speed.

I feared that U-48 was in horrible shape from the depth charges that had caused her to sink nearly uncontrollably. To my surprise, the repair crew told me that U-48 had 95.16% hull integrity. Other than the radio antenna and the observation periscope (both kaput) the boat was in excellent shape. The Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote (BdU) had given us up for sunk as we had stopped all radio contact after the loss of the antenna. They were happy to see us safely in port.

Final Result:

40,096 tons
1195 renown

Promoted Gotthard Becker and Wolf Steinmeier to Stabsoberbootsman
Certified Alois Mülbach proficient at repairs.
Awarded Iron Cross second class to Heinrich Gabelmann
Awarded Iron Cross first class to Peter Weller

Received:
Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves
Command of U-108, a new type IXB boat.

banryu79

07-15-14, 02:58 AM

@Ukoning
Great achievement! How long did it take to play along the whole war? Or, to put i in another way, do you remember the day in which you started your career (in RL, I mean)?

@Zosimus
Awsome patrol, kaleun :salute:
I hope to mimic your venture, one day or another :up:

UKönig

07-15-14, 11:00 AM

I think this last career I started (game time) Oct. 1940 and carried it through to the end.

It took about 6-7 months of actual time to complete.

I do a lot of 'short cutting' and save some time by not plotting return trips, I just accept the 'return to base' option.

But the first career i started after many years of not playing took me almost one full year to complete. It was right about then I discovered that I would never play this one to one speed.

I started a new career at day 1, with a type IIA. Only last week. So far it is now Aug. 1940 and I upgraded little U-4 with U-110, after 11 patrols. Yeah, it's a different war experience with the type II...

banryu79

07-15-14, 06:43 PM

I started a new career at day 1, with a type IIA. Only last week. So far it is now Aug. 1940 and I upgraded little U-4 with U-110, after 11 patrols. Yeah, it's a different war experience with the type II...
I'm using my fresh new second virtual kaleun, August 1939, ad I'm doing my shakedown patrol with the "small thing"... This time I'm experiencing with no-contact-updates and I'm having some fun (it's more time consuming observing/plotting contacts but also a lot more satisfying...).

I found the "small thing" (Type IIA) a nice challange but so far is horrid for underwater diving/surfacing at low speed (1-2 knoten). Also, could be my extremly thin and underrated crew that have some difficulties in getting and mantaining PD (I'm using SH3C, with ralistic crew with random values, it produced a funny assortments of men for me...), maybe that "Helm Qualification" really do something after all.
I should grab some more men and drills more some of my trusted ones before the war...

maillemaker

07-21-14, 08:30 AM

It was a good weekend.

I nailed the HMS Aquatainia on one patrol, and I nailed an Illustrious class carrier doing 17 knots with 4 steamer torpedoes at 4 km distance.

All 4 torpedoes hit and exploded!

That may be my best shot ever.

100% realism, including no map contacts. I did, however, report the contact to obtain the speed, which of course is a big part of the firing solution.

Steve

banryu79

07-21-14, 10:24 AM

I nailed the HMS Aquatainia on one patrol, and I nailed an Illustrious class carrier doing 17 knots with 4 steamer torpedoes at 4 km distance.

All 4 torpedoes hit and exploded!

That may be my best shot ever.

Nice! My best shot has been firing two eels (G7a) from about 3200/3500 m. with was I thought was a not-so-accurate firing solution only to hit with both torpedoes (and sinking a Medium Tanker).

maillemaker

07-21-14, 01:24 PM

with was I thought was a not-so-accurate firing solution only to hit with both torpedoes (and sinking a Medium Tanker).

Yup, same here. I was very surprised, as I missed a perfect 000 gyroangle on the 90 degree shot. Still all 4 eels hit.

I was surprised also because they took about 30 seconds longer to hit than I expected. I had already assumed that my attack was a failure when I got

Torpedo impact!
Torpedo impact!
Torpedo impact!
Torpedo impact!

:yeah:

Steve

desirableroasted

07-21-14, 01:32 PM

Yup, same here. I was very surprised, as I missed a perfect 000 gyroangle on the 90 degree shot. Still all 4 eels hit.
Steve

All things being equal, 000 gyroangle is ideal, but it is the least of the targeting worries.

I have always wondered why the programmers chose to put the green-yellow-red light combination on "just" gyroangle. But, of course, they probably never dreamed players would mod the game to make it so much more realistic, or that players would actually use sliderules as they played.

maillemaker

07-21-14, 02:44 PM

I have always wondered why the programmers chose to put the green-yellow-red light combination on "just" gyroangle. But, of course, they probably never dreamed players would mod the game to make it so much more realistic, or that players would actually use sliderules as they played.

I have GWX installed. I haven't seen the stoplight in years.

Steve

desirableroasted

07-21-14, 07:00 PM

I have GWX installed. I haven't seen the stoplight in years.

Steve

It's in GWX, but you lose it when you give up the plotting officer's assistance (I believe; I'd have to go back and toggle realism settings to be sure).

captgeo

07-21-14, 08:39 PM

Had to quit my last career when I was into 3rd patrol due to save/crash problems, started my second career on first patrol current date Aug 08 39 and North of Scapa Flow monitoring freight traffic pattern's

Pistoliero

07-22-14, 12:18 AM

It's in GWX, but you lose it when you give up the plotting officer's assistance (I believe; I'd have to go back and toggle realism settings to be sure).

I run GWX and use weapon officer's assistance. No triangles confirmed. Maybe you need auto-aim on to see them though.

banryu79

07-22-14, 03:06 AM

Yeah, I know what you mean. I have just left Kiel on my 6th patrol (5th wartime). After the 4th I upgraded to a IID, that to me seemed a lot better.

Got nothing factual to back my claims up, but just seemed to handle better. With PD, maybe its because its a slightly lower tower?
Dreaming about a Type IID me too, and I still have to go in war with my current boat, go figure :)

The PD issue I have is that when I specifically order "Preiscope Depth" my men usually try to keep the boat at 10 or that is my impresion. Btw, it looks like they aren't able to get there and/or keep the boat there, expecially at ahead slow. So the tip of the conning tower usually broach the surface.

I get better results ordering "Set depth 11" or "Set depth 12" or even better giving the "Dive!" order, then when we are down to 11 directly ordering the final depth (again 11/12 or 13).

Talking about qualifications, how realistic was it that a guy was put on a boat with no specific position taught, shall we say. I know when I joined the RN years ago, we were trained in specific areas. Mine was a RO. Maybe it was different in those times?
AFAIK all petty officers should be qualified, "by definition" (not my direct knowledge but I red it from other very experienced members of this community that looked like the y had direct naval experience in RL).

SO if you use SH3C you can give them all a qualification, I surely will do this as soon as possible (just reach port yesterday evenening).

maillemaker

07-22-14, 12:02 PM

AFAIK all petty officers should be qualified, "by definition" (not my direct knowledge but I red it from other very experienced members of this community that looked like the y had direct naval experience in RL).

SO if you use SH3C you can give them all a qualification, I surely will do this as soon as possible (just reach port yesterday evenening).

That's my understanding also.

But I do not use Commander to hand out qualifications or awards (except wound badges).

To me, part of what makes you grow attached to your accomplishments and your crew is the painstaking accumulation of awards and ranks and qualifications, building your crew from green fresh fish to skillful veterans. It makes it very hard when you die and have to start all over again.

Steve

vanjast

07-22-14, 03:05 PM

Restarted after 2+ years of not playing....

1st patrol... Reality 100%+ ..RealNav - Current position approx 53N 13W at last fix (I've been lazy) on my way to Patrol Grid BE61.

Tonnage - 15,225 = 1 large cargo.
Torpedoes used - 6 (Duds ???)

2 attacks on one convoy.. decided to break off before dawn and continue to patrol grid.

Too many escorts and I'm still learning again - re-hone my lost skills on easier targets. :D

banryu79

07-23-14, 02:30 AM

That's my understanding also.

But I do not use Commander to hand out qualifications or awards (except wound badges).

To me, part of what makes you grow attached to your accomplishments and your crew is the painstaking accumulation of awards and ranks and qualifications, building your crew from green fresh fish to skillful veterans. It makes it very hard when you die and have to start all over again.

Steve
I know that... feeling :)
In fact, I'm currently playing two careers. Both starting in 1939 but the first with a Type VIIx in Wilhelmshaven, the second with a Type IIx in Kiel.

I have decided that in the Type VIIx career I have "map contact updates" turned ON and I will get my crew qualified as per SH3 logic while in the TypeIIx career I have "map contact updates" turned OFF and I will manage my crew thanks to SH3C.

Riccardo1975

07-27-14, 12:41 PM

April 30th 1942. Just south of New York after an uneventful crossing from Lorient. Caught two medium cargoes heading SSE in shallow water. Dispatched both with 3 T1s and about 25 rounds of deck gun. Sporadic return fire but both ships were burning and listing heavily before rolling under.

Heading west a sound contact bearing 030, moving away, sounds like a warship. Surface 2200m astern in the fading light to find a northbound Tugboat. Closed to 1200m and manned the 105. 7-8 rounds by a 13 patrol veteran gun crew soon gets the "She's going down!"

With hardly any warning we are attacked by a Kingfisher bearing 151 medium range, get half my Type IXC underwater and take 3% hull damage, flak gun and forward deck damage off a near miss. Dive to 22m and head West.

Crew think I'm crazy to be causing mayhem in such shallow water but...

Head West toward the shore into the early morning and soundman hears a northbound merchant moving fast, bearing roughly 300. Blow ballast and ahead full for a dogleg intercept course, NNW then WNW. Radar on. 16 knots. Broad daylight with a flat sea hoping its a tanker or similar.

Radar contact. Bearing off the starboard bow and a long way away. Decision time. Plot an intercept and man all guns....

Just as the watch shout "Ship spotted!" the gun crew start firing medium range waterline shots scoring hit after hit. Id the target.

Ceramic type ocean liner!!!

For the first time in my career I was at a total loss what to do. Crash dive or cease fire and run?

Return fire was pathetic so sent about 30 rounds over and its all over. Lifeboats are launched as we slip under the water on a reverse course silent running and get a sound contact of a warship heading for the stricken liner.

East coast USA is a definite target rich environment.

Riccardo U-501.

vanjast

07-28-14, 02:07 AM

sniff.. sniff... I had to let this one go :wah: :wah: :wah:

http://www.ephotobay.com/image/lifeisnotfair.jpg (http://www.ephotobay.com/share/lifeisnotfair.html)

Paulebaer1979

07-28-14, 02:21 AM

On patrol 23 with a type IX. Patrol order told me to cruise FF61. Left port on 21.11.1943. Current position CG72 four days later.

banryu79

07-28-14, 03:05 AM

sniff.. sniff... I had to let this one go :wah: :wah: :wah:

I feel your pain... :cry:

Riccardo1975

07-28-14, 04:38 PM

24000 tonne tanker? Wow! Where do you find those? All i ever find is Nipwian class.... :(

maillemaker

07-31-14, 11:35 AM

Saw a funny last night.

I attacked a convoy, and, as I am want to do lately, I kill the escorts first with magnetic torpedoes down their throats.

I nailed a Black Swan chaser, and as happens about 20% of the time, the ship was damaged but did not sink, so it just breaks off the attack and resumes its usual picket position in the convoy.

However, it was badly burning, and this particular damage model was leaving a trail of burning oil in the ocean. So it was merrily cruising the ocean, leaving a 2000-meter trail of fire behind it wherever it went.

I finally broke off the attack later to reload my external torpedoes, and when I was doing so I finally got a "She's going down!" message, so I guess maybe that fire damage mod actually does work - eventually. :)

Steve

vanjast

07-31-14, 02:55 PM

24000 tonne tanker? Wow! Where do you find those? All i ever find is Nipwian class.... :(
Thinking back.. I think the ships are set to DWT so as to prevent their impulse drives from working... and to overcome the 'silly' renown thing.

Riccardo1975

07-31-14, 03:13 PM

I had 3 destroyers circling over me throwing dc's after a convoy attack West of Lisbon. Dodging the latest attack and heard a huge explosion on the surface 200 metres above. Went to external view and a Black Swan was missing its bridge and covered in flames.

Dodged them for another hour and they all sailed off.

One torpedo normally wipes them out. Yet one dc just removes the superstructure.

Weird.... :confused:

maillemaker

07-31-14, 03:37 PM

Yeah I remember back in stock SH3 if you stayed at periscope depth escorts would drive by you and drop depth charges with their depths set so low they would often blow their own ship up with them. :)

Steve

Riccardo1975

08-01-14, 10:58 AM

Fire damage mod? Is that in Subsim downloads?
Hit a town class in 1941 near Wales with a lucky magnetic stern shot and stern awash, ablaze and only making 6 knots she made off toward Dublin. Followed it the width of Irish Sea yet refused to founder. Risky few deck gun shots from just inside visual range at night finished her off before I started taking hits.
Sounds like a good mod. Ive got plenty of patience... :)

maillemaker

08-01-14, 12:10 PM

I can't remember what it's called but it's a mod that is supposed to allow fire to damage objects.

I have been skeptical of its effectiveness, however, as I have set aircraft on fire and watched them fly away over the horizon while on fire, like a burning marshmallow sailing through the air.

I'm not entirely convinced it is working. It may be some other mod has stomped on it.

Steve

Riccardo1975

08-01-14, 01:42 PM

Dont fancy wasting all my 20mm on flying marshmallows!!! Lmao....

:p

Rich

Otto Fuhrmann

08-02-14, 06:40 AM

I am about to start a new Mediterranean campaign. I have been playing so much in the Atlantic I need a change of scenery.

Riccardo1975

08-02-14, 01:23 PM

I tried the Med after sinking a few thousand tonnes north of Tangiers. Didnt find much. Went as far as Malta then turned back.
Hope you have better luck!

Missing Name

08-05-14, 01:38 PM

It has taken three years now... but I have finally managed to hit a moving target with manual torpedo targeting. http://i.imgur.com/3tlRFl5.png

Riccardo1975

08-06-14, 03:51 PM

That is impressive. Hats off to you Kaleun Missing Name. I always let my weapons officer see to all that...
:D

Anybody think attacking New York harbour in May 1942 will be a good idea. Does it have mines/ASW booms in place? Only got 40k and need to sink a few more tankers. :p

Riccardo

Otto Fuhrmann

08-07-14, 06:11 AM

I've never actually tried that before. Try it out and report back to us here at the BdU :salute:

Pappy55

08-07-14, 12:06 PM

(fresh install with GWX)
U-42 Under the command of Kurt Henning has just completed sea trials. She will be put to sea later this evening. The supplies are being loaded and papers are being checked and signed.

After opening my orders (before I left... I won't tell if you don't) We are to proceed to Grid AM18..

Rumor has it our forces will be invading Poland any time now.
The men are uneasy..

At least we get a good send off song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=VZ-TS5NaoIw#t=30

Just found this amongst the XO's Record Collection he brought aboard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zAC0QnAOrs <- lets hope we don't need it...:haha:

Anyway my crew are calling.. Time to make final preparations before we disembark. We have a long trip down Kiel Canal.

Otto Fuhrmann

08-07-14, 12:52 PM

Viel glück, Kameraden! :salute:

Pappy55

08-08-14, 07:49 AM

So we are on route to the patrol area. We are somewhere off the coast off Norway around Bergen.. (I was there for real 1 week ago)

Going to my patrol area via the Dover Strait would be a bad idea.

So in deeper waters I decided to test the crush depth of the boat..

Reaches 180 meters before the crew told me were at max depth.. I carried in till 220 and I got a waring that I was too deep. Ordered a more shallow depth.. needle carried on going down.:wah:

Quickly I ordered emergency surface...

I now have some idea how deep I can go.. But we all need a change of trousers..:har:

Kapitän

08-08-14, 08:00 AM

When the lights start flickering, it's almost too late :eek:

So we are on route to the patrol area. We are somewhere off the coast off Norway around Bergen.. (I was there for real 1 week ago)

Going to my patrol area via the Dover Strait would be a bad idea.

So in deeper waters I decided to test the crush depth of the boat..

Reaches 180 meters before the crew told me were at max depth.. I carried in till 220 and I got a waring that I was too deep. Ordered a more shallow depth.. needle carried on going down.:wah:

Quickly I ordered emergency surface...

I now have some idea how deep I can go.. But we all need a change of trousers..:har:

Riccardo1975

08-08-14, 12:04 PM

Start of every patrol, once in 1000m+ water west of Lorient, I crash dive to 220m. Ahead standard to 200, 1/3 to 210 then Slow to 220. Full damage control team at action stations with my finger on the blow ballast button. Always good to know how far to go when the Black Swans start dropping the good news... :D

UKönig

08-08-14, 03:04 PM

Good news, ha!
Aren't they so eager to share the latest editions?

Riccardo1975

08-08-14, 03:28 PM

Good news, ha!
Aren't they so eager to share the latest editions?

I havent yet had the pleasure of Squid, Hedgehog or the dreaded Fido. :rolleyes:

Pappy55

08-08-14, 06:33 PM

Update U-47 (U-42 was a typo in last post)

September 4th 1939..
Grid AN11 Crash Dived on spotting aircraft.. stayed down and quiet for a few hours then surfaced and continued on..

September 5th 1939..
Grid AM 34 BDU Contact report of Task Force in AN15 heasing ESE Speed 18kts. No chance of intercept.

September 8th 1939
Arrived in patrol area AM18.. Stormy raining with medium fog. Running out of sick bags. Will remain on station.

(edit) Update..

Scratch one freighter..

Ore carrier Sunk
AM18 08/09/39 13:23
8083 tones

Weather has now turned to foul to hunt effectively.

unterseemann

08-09-14, 10:12 PM

After months of shore leave, the game keeps attracting me so i'm back again...
Friday 1st of september 1939, 1.43 am, U-51 a type VII-B is slowly leaving Wilhelmshaven. War has not begun yet... Our mission is to patrol western approaches...

07SEP39 AM53 We intercept and attack an enemy convoy escorted by 2 destroyers. We fired 4 torpedoes aimed at 4 different ships including a 8.000 tons tanker in the middle of the convoy. Despite a distance of roughly 4.000-5.000 m, the attack was successful with three ships hit and all of them sank minutes later... SH3 commander shows no tanker but an ammunition ship sank and two medium merchants.

07SEP39 AM53 Convoy HG-1 was attacked by U-51 in AM53 north of Ireland. The uboot fired 4 torpedoes, hit and sank three ships and left the scene undetected.
13h47 SS Ramona Nell, medium merchant 20, 6.159 tons
13h48 SS Radbury, medium merchant 16, 3.904 tons
13h49 Escaut, ammunition ship, 6.085 tons

08SEP39 AM57 14h15 Lookouts detected a ship on a northern course, close examination shows an england medium merchant. We fired one torpedo on a surface attack which hit forward. We shelled the boat and eventually sank it.
14h15 SS Kingsbury, medium merchant 16, 3.905 tons

13SEP39 AM94 We headed South to the celtic sea and St-George's channel to hunt target of opportunity. After 3 days and 3 nights a british ore carrier was torpedoed. We got 2 misses or duds and 4 torpedoes were fired to sink the 8.000 tons cargo.
21h08 SS Thalthybius, ore carrier, 8.169 tons

18SEP39 At 8.00 the hydrophon officer told us that fast warships were approaching. A quick sweep confirms this information. Mnutes later smokes are seen on the horizon going roughly towards us. Three Southampton class light cruisers in line rushed on a 90° course, steaming at high speed. We set up an attack on the second and the third as they pass 1500 m in front of us. speed: 30knots! attack on the second ship has to be abandonned and we fired 2 torpedoes to the last cruiser. first torpedo is a straight runner (i don't know what went wrong with tdc), luckily the second torpedo found its mark and hit the ship amidships. Machines stopped for a few seconds then start again but the ship slow down and develop a list to port. At 9.00 the cruiser sank. The 2 remaining cruisers left the scene without looking for survivors.

18SEP39 A small task force consisting in 3 light cruisers HMS Birmingham, HMS Glasgow and HMS Sheffield was going back to Loch Ewe after an exercice patrol in the north atlantic. While steaming at 30knots on a non-zigzaging course, the last ship of the column the HMS Sheffield was torpedoed and sunk by U-51. The torpedo hit amidships, ripped a 30ft hole in the port side and knocked down main electrical power. With pumps off, the flooding became soon uncontrolable and the ship sank within 10 minutes. HMS Birmingham and HMS Glasgow didn't attempt to save survivors for fear of another attack by the u-boot (which happened in WW1 when RN lost HMS Aboukir, HMS Cressy and HMS Hogue all sank by U-9). They radioed position and beaconed nearby ships to the sinking. Despite this there were only 259 survivors of the 700 people crew onboard.
9h00 HMS Sheffield, Southampton lightcruiser, 10.725 tons

27SEP39 AN11 10h51 Intercepted and sank lone merchant with torpedo and gunfire.
SS Polydorus, medium merchant 34, 3.498 tons

30SEP39 AN34 11h11 Intercepted and sank polish large merchant with our last torpedo, sea state prevented us to use deck gun. Eventually the ship sank 1 hour and 15 minutes after the attack.
SS Umtali, large merchant, 8.846 tons

01OCT39 10h03 U-51 docked at Wilhelmshaven after its first patrol.
8 ships sunk for 51.291 tons including the 10.725 tons HMS Sheffield

Pappy55

08-10-14, 10:15 AM

So I decided to get out of my area and head down south.
I have arrived west of Gibraltar. The weather is still really bad I seem to be stuck in a a permanent storm.

Riccardo1975

08-10-14, 11:25 AM

CG9583 is my favourite spot. Mentioned previously, two merchants escorted by one asw trawler is quite common. Just watch out for Vichy French traffic which Ive sank before checking their id. :(
Heading back to Halifax, Azores then S Ireland to use up my last ten torpedoes. :)

Zosimus

08-10-14, 11:51 AM

I haven't checked in for awhile, and it's because my campaign may well be dead. The computer I usually play on (at work) won't power on any more. The boss has simply handed me one of the other computers to work with.

My last great exploit was taking on a convoy. I was finally getting the hang of it–how to squirt around the edges and how to sink ships. My tactic is to target the biggest ship and to salvo it with 2 steamers at about 0.5º spread. It's not the one-torpedo-one-ship motto I had previously adhered to, but when you sink a 10,000 ton merchant with 2 torpedoes you feel that you're doing well.

At any rate, I got triple unlucky. Normally I was undetected, but I surfaced at what I thought was a safe distance only to find that the weather had changed. At 11,500 two frigates spotted me and opened fire. Rather than outdistancing them on the surface, I crash dived and at 40m turned 30º to port and switched to silent running. The bottom was only about 90m. You would figure at that distance the time it takes them to go 11.5 km would have me safely out of detection range, but one of them got in a lucky ping and both of them started following me. A few minutes later two more joined the hunt and I was in serious problems. I almost evaded them twice by going to full speed in a straight line for about 30 seconds (while getting pinged) and then turning 40º to port and going silent. They lost track of me twice and I was able to get my TC up to 64 to head off, but when they fanned out they found me again... twice.

The third time they got in a lucky depth charge and destroyed 3 out of 4 of my front torpedoes. :/\\!! Fortunately I figured out that you can pull the torpedoes back out and load them in other tubes. I finally slipped away and surfaced some 12 km from the three escorts who had given up and were heading back to the convoy at medium. The fourth was the lead escort and had long since returned to his position at the front of the convoy. At 18 knots I roared around the escorts and headed back towards the vulnerable convoy at full speed. I got back to where I figured it should be, but I couldn't find it. I went to periscope depth and manned the hydrophone myself. I thought I heard something at bearing 320º and so I surfaced and headed that way at full speed. Another 20 km found me at periscope depth again listening. I went another 6º port and roared out on the surface at 18 knots.

Then I hit paydirt. Ship spotted and I was on the starboard flank of the almost unprotected convoy. Throwing caution to the wind I set a waypoint that would take me through the middle of the convoy and manned the deck gun. At medium range my gunner opened fire, and I swear it was like WW3 on the deck. Every ship in the convoy opened up on me plus the lead frigate, but with my bow on I presented a difficult target. I fired until I was out of shells and then crash dived headed straight for the tail of the convoy.

I got pinged immediately, but I slipped away by going ahead full in the direction of the convoy and then turning 40º port and going silent. It was none too soon as my hydrophone officer informed me that the three trailing escorts were coming up fast on the convoy. I got some really cool screenshots, but they may never be seen unless the other computer starts working again. About 10 minutes after I slipped away from the escorts, I got the "She's going down!" text and a 10,000+ cargo ship showed up on my captain's log. Deck guns work.

I've installed the game again on the new computer, and I'm restarting from 1939. Wish me luck.

Pappy55

08-10-14, 11:57 AM

So on the 18th September I made for home with one torpedo left in the stern tube.

Here is my Patrol Log..

2.9.39.
1533 Patrol 1
U-47, U-Flotilla Wegener
Left at: September 2, 1939, 15:33
From: Kiel
Mission Orders: Patrol grid AM18
8.9.39.
1323 Grid AM 18 Ship sunk! Ore Carrier, 8083 tons
11.9.39.
1426 Grid BE 36 Ship sunk! Ore Carrier, 8084 tons
17.9.39.
1545 Grid CG 95 Ship sunk! Tramp Steamer, 1968 tons
2227 Grid CG 95 Ship sunk! Ore Carrier, 8085 tons
18.9.39.
0052 Grid CG 95 Ship sunk! Tramp Steamer, 1969 tons
0109 Grid CG 95 Ship sunk! Large Merchant, 10617 tons
1624 Patrol results
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 6
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonage: 38806 tons:arrgh!:

As for those vessels.. I should not to shoot at. What would happen if one did shoot at one of these ships?:oops:

Riccardo1975

08-10-14, 03:03 PM

I think they treat you as an enemy vessel for 24 hours.

:rolleyes:

roadrage

08-10-14, 04:48 PM

After nearly 3 years real time, it's time to finish this patrol.:doh: Life happens I guess. And man am I rusty.

Korvettenkapitän Franz Tromller commanding U-96.

Spring in the North Atlantic, what wonderful weather. The only good thing about it is the escorts are as blind as we are. Managed two attacks on one convoy, but that was about it. Oh well, better luck next time.

CAPTAIN'S LOG

19.4.41. 1338 Patrol 5
U-96, 7th/13th Flotilla
Left at: April 19, 1941, 13:38
From: St. Nazaire

Mission Orders: Patrol grid BE62

25.4.41. 0549 Grid BE 34 Ship sunk! SS Port Denison (Ore Carrier), 7816 tons. Cargo: Coal. Crew: 69. Crew lost: 67

0607 Grid BE 34 Ship sunk! SS Sea Flasher (Large Cargo), 7792 tons. Cargo: Paper Products. Crew: 57. Crew lost: 45

1958 Grid BE 29 Ship sunk! SS N. C. Monberg (Tramp Steamer), 1713 tons. Cargo: General Cargo. Crew: 24. Crew lost: 6

2002 Grid BE 29 Ship sunk! SS City of Lichfield (Small Merchant), 2574 tons. Cargo: Iron Ore. Crew: 66. Crew lost: 66

28.4.41. 1259 Patrol results
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 4
Aircraft destroyed: 0
1 torpedo left
Patrol tonnage: 19895 tons

Yep, definitely rusty. Not to mention this time I was sent to the desert of the North Atlantic.

Korvettenkapitän Franz Tromller commanding U-96.

The weather was better this patrol, part of the time anyway. Good enough to reload externals. Not much to say except the crew performed admirably, the boat had attack scope issues, and Hudson airplanes are tough to shoot down. Received a message mid patrol that we are now at war with Russia. Other than that, a few wild goose chases burned up all my fuel so I was forced to return home.

CAPTAIN'S LOG

2.6.41. 1603 Patrol 6
U-96, 7th/13th Flotilla
Left at: June 2, 1941, 16:03
From: St. Nazaire
Mission Orders: Patrol grid EK74

14.6.41. 0642 Grid DU 17 Ship sunk! SS Dumra (Passenger/Cargo), 2233 tons. Cargo: Passengers. Crew: 126. Crew lost: 2

16.6.41. 1204 Grid DT 99 Ship sunk! SS Abinsi (Passenger/Cargo), 2225 tons. Cargo: Passengers. Crew: 235. Crew lost: 98

4.7.41. 1525 Patrol results
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 2
Aircraft destroyed: 0
7 torpedoes left
Patrol tonnage: 4458 tons

I have now received orders to report to Kiel for training duty. I'll miss being at sea.
http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af240/roadrage150/FRANZTROMLLER_zpse372f342.jpg

Nobon

08-21-14, 07:06 AM

It was more than one and a half years, since I left U-50 (VIIb) to rot in
Kiel harbor, cracked into morsels after it's
legendary first patrol, when it sunk the british battleship... HMS Ramilles at the mouth of Dover. (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=151090&page=289) - It was
too long ago...

Well, I returned, and finished two patrols since.

So:

Excerpts of: "Letters from the Conn." Autobiography by D. Wolf

Part XVI.: Jesting around

Not mutch to tell about the 2nd patrol of U-50. The Commander realised
that how rusty is he's manual engagement skills, after those months ashore,
and that merchant ships are unnaturally tolerate to torpedoes these days.

Especially that U-50 managed to torpedo a second Granville, hit it two
times (magnetically) under the keel by 1 meter, and the bastard still
managed to flee, with two big holes on it's hull... Rough waters, no gun.
It even managed to get out of sight. Never sank.

Also hit a Small Merchant with one torpedo, then Rammed its sinking bow
diagonally on 14-15 knots about five times, still remained afloat, so U-50
left about half a day waiting. Never sank.

Remainder of the events consisted some luck, with an especially miraculous
series of 3 Swordfish attack planes shot down by my flak gunner.
(Interesting, in GWX- He must be a lucky guy)

20.3.40.1156 Patrol 2

U-50, 7th/13th Flotilla
Left at: March 20, 1940, 11:56
From: Kiel
Mission Orders: Patrol grid AF59

23.3.40.
0504 Grid AN 24Ship sunk! SS Maja (Large Merchant), 11741 tons.
Cargo: Mail/Packages. Crew: 75. Crew lost: 40

31.3.40.
0947 Grid AN 11 Ship sunk! SS Alwaki (Granville-type Freighter),
4707 tons. Cargo: Machinery. Crew: 108. Crew lost: 22

1015 Grid AN 11Aircraft destroyed! Swordfish
1017 Grid AN 11Aircraft destroyed! Swordfish
1017 Grid AN 11Aircraft destroyed! Swordfish

3.4.40.
0608 Grid AM 52Ship sunk! SS Empire Commerce (Small Merchant),
2249 tons. Cargo: Coffee. Crew: 55. Crew lost: 51

4.4.40.
1034 Grid AM 53Ship sunk! SS Gauntlet (Medium Cargo),
4339 tons. Cargo: Military Vehicles. Crew: 35. Crew lost: 11

1212 Grid AM 53Ship sunk! SS Vital de Oliveira (
(Passenger/Cargo), 2092 tons. Cargo: General Cargo. Crew: 185.
Crew lost: 29

10.4.40.
0840
Patrol results
Crew losses: 1 dead
Ships sunk: 5
Aircraft destroyed: 3
Patrol tonnage: 25128 tons
__________________________________________________ ___

Unfortunately the Commander realised at the end, that Norway was only
declared as Enemy on our way back home...
We sank two, or three ships, which were neutral until 2 more days...

Some bad looks given by the BdU, I had....

Part XVII.: Morals of a butcher...

At may, 1940, Kiel's repair team managed to patch up the U-50 again, and
we were out on open waters for the third time.

Arrived at given coordinates, near Trondheim. Found no enemy activity
there, this time of the war. Patrolled with heavy Hydrophone coverage,
found nothing. For days, many days.

When we received radio notification about the Allies started to evacuate
from Dunkirk. ...

After a discussion with our navigator, I decided to risk the voyage, and the
U-50 left the Norvegian coasts.

We reached Dunkirk harbor uneventfully, right on time to see the first
Luftwaffe attacks.
Managed to slip into the crowded harbor, despite the daytime, just to get
noticed seconds later.

I don't want to discuss it further, all felt like a mad rampage in a
kindergarden. To simplify it down, after our first four hit, (2-2 torpedoes on
two troop transports) and the Luftwaffe attack, the harbor was too
crowded with flaming wrecks, for the many patrolling destroyers to enter...
One of them sunk trying, and colliding with a wreck.
U-50 fired at many targets, list below what went down...

In a secluded dock we surfaced to finish off the burning SS Highland
Brigade, a large troop ship with cannon fire, as only outer torpedo reserves
left..
Tough we were protected from the many destroyer's fire inside the dock,
one of them managed to achieve two angled hits on the bow, while we
finished off the SS Highland Brigade. Nothing serious, as it seemed. Then,
while going to submerge, I found my second watch officer and weapons
expert, and one of the members of the watch lying motionlessly on the
tower wall. Air pressure injury from the shell hit.
They were immediately taken below, but died on our way leaving Dunkirk.

The whole expreience was a nightmare, water is 15 meters deep inside the
harbor, so all our target's only sank a little, but with the higher hit line, and
with the Luftwaffe attack waves, they burned out faster... Very few
survivors. And my two dead man...

Once we left Dunkirk, (managed to slip past the remaining destroyers) We
surfaced, began repairs, and I decided to load the two remaining outer
reserve torpedoes, and at least sink a destroyer, to score a -military-
target after this mindless slaughter. Accompanied by two british destroyers,
a lusty frenchie cached my eye, with three chimneys. All of them was
floating near the harbor, motionless, in a row, possible reinforcements, and
acted as mobile AA platforms against the LuftWaffe, when I left.

On our way back, -heavy- fog descended on us, visibility very low..
I doesnt managed to locate the french one, those tree destroyers left, they
werent present at the coordinates I marked when I saw them.
Solely by ear, my hydrophone man managed to get me two more targets,
two moving destroyers. One of them spotted us, but too late. Sank both
with the two last torpedoes.

17.5.40.0435
Patrol 3
U-50, 7th/13th Flotilla
Left at: May 17, 1940, 04:35
From: Kiel
Mission Orders: Patrol grid AF59

3.6.40.

1044 Grid AN 87 Ship sunk! Troop Ship, 7223 tons. Cargo: Troops.
Crew: 254. Crew lost: 10

1052 Grid AN 87 Ship sunk! Troop Ship, 7224 tons. Cargo:
Mail/Packages. Crew: 279. Crew lost: 131

1124 Grid AN 87 Ship sunk! SS Durban Castle (Large Troop
Ship), 24160 tons. Cargo: Mail/Packages. Crew: 941.
Crew lost: 592

1233 Grid AN 87 Ship sunk! SS Highland Brigade (Large Troop
Ship), 24899 tons. Cargo: Troops. Crew: 418. Crew lost: 359

4.6.40.

0917 Grid AN 87 Ship sunk! HMS Witherington (V&W classes),
1188 tons. Crew: 115. Crew lost: 23

1005 Grid AN 87 Ship sunk! HMS Kipling (J&K classes), 1690 tons.
Crew: 240. Crew lost: 158

6.6.40.
0029
Patrol results
Crew losses: 2 dead
Ships sunk: 6
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonnage: 66384 tons

/Way back home, the name of Dunkirk vanished from the map O_o no
marking left for it at all. On closer view, the harbor outline was there, but
no marker for the town anymore... On the next patrol, on the place of red
Dunkirk appeared the blue, german Dunkirche :D I'm still amazed by
GWX3.0, all the time/

Received the Iron Cross First Class, and the crew many Second class, and
submarine badges, but we all stood there with a grim face. We was all
thinking about the death of our officer, and man, and with the feeling, that
a routed, fleeing army, and civilians shouldn't be exterminated like this.

The unspeaken question remained: Do we made some significant step at
least, or we just taken some part of the mindless butcher from the
LuftWaffe...?

After these events, and alot of hours in depressed drinking, we eventually trashed the whole Kiel Naval Hotel, bit of
a siege situation emerged when the collared dogs of military police arrived,
we had a fierce discussion, two policeman were stabbed on the arms, and
once on the ribs, luckily wasn't went through. Perpetrator unknown.
One of our men was shot on the left shoulder, that ended the parley.

With miraculous psychological foresee, the BdU decided not to give the
volk, and the press any letdown about the fresh "heroes" of Dunkirk, and all
of us released after hours in custody. High ranking men threatened all the
crew, that if any of this information slips out, we were transferred to
Labour Service. No matter, enough years passed since...

Still, the may, and the start of june of 1940 means a very bad memory.

The U-50 had some miraculously fast change of damaged parts, and we
were off again...

Riccardo1975

09-07-14, 05:40 AM

Only time ive seen troop ships was off Norway heading ESE with a serious escort. Five troops in line astern but just could not catch them even with a risky, diesel damaging, flank speed, 8 hour end around.
Anybody wrote a mod that actually makes the sonarman detect faint screw sounds and then bother to report it? Travelled to Curacao this patrol with large spells underwater(40m/2kts/2hrs)and he never hears a thing. Hes a specialist top ranked petty officer with 14 patrols and 1EK.
Any help greatly appreciated my fellow Kaleuns!
:D

Kapitän

09-07-14, 06:37 AM

My sound men can hear up to 20km, sometimes less, depending on sea conditions or not having a KDB installed or the contact happens to be in my baffles/wake at the time. Their rank, awards etc., don't seem to make much of difference.

Perhaps, you might have to take a listen yourself every so often (Key "H") ...

Riccardo1975

09-07-14, 07:41 AM

When im at the station I can hear contacts well over 20km. Its just sometimes I check myself after a few hours letting him listen and theres a medium range contact closing so loud you can hear it on minimum volume. Is he asleep....?
I want a mod so when theres a reasonable loud contact he tells me EVERY time. Im the captain.
Not the soundman. :rolleyes:

renthehen

09-21-14, 10:51 AM

On my 5th Patrol, Feb 1940. Just broke into Blyth and took out a Black-Swan class, ASW Trawler and a Small Depot Ship. First game I am playing with manual aiming and not dead yet!

:salute:

GJO

09-21-14, 12:18 PM

I don't quite get it with the soundman - I have a qualified, decorated and very experienced Petty Officer but he will often report "No Sound Contact" when I ask him to follow a ship that I can hear quite clearly on the Hydrophones. Then again, he sometimes reports and can follow contacts that I can barely hear . . .

Riccardo1975

09-21-14, 01:12 PM

Thats my point. Inconsistency. Drives me to despair. Surely someone can mod it so whenever theres a sound contact I get notified as Kapitan. Otherwise there is no point having a soundman on station. :banghead:

Just nipped into Curacao in Aug '42 and not much there except for two Clemson, one ASW trawler and an armed tugboat. :confused:

Cannot wait for the TIV..... :D

Riccardo. U-501. 11th Aug, 1942.

ijnfleetadmiral

09-27-14, 09:15 AM

29 December 1939:
Departed Wilhelmshaven under clear skies and fairly calm seas.

31 December 1939:
Apologies to the crew that we're not home partying for New Year's.

1 January 1940:
As a special concession, I broke out a bottle of Napoleon cognac I'd hidden away and each crewmember was given a couple fingers in their mess cup. Rang in the New Year with a toast and rousing rendition of "Auld Lang Syne".

Toward morning, about 0430, lookouts sighted a warship off to starboard, approaching fast. We dove frantically, rigged for silent running, and I looked through the periscope, hoping we were in at least partial attack position.

The sight in my periscope was something out of a dream: Southampton-class CL...UNESCORTED! And U-45 is in PERFECT attack position, with the range less than 2,500 yards!

Fired three torpedoes and prayed fervently...

Target's lookouts sighted the torpedoes and she switched on searchlights and commenced evasive maneuvers, evading one torpedo, but the other two hit, one in her rudders and props, and the other in the port engine room, causing several internal explosions and mortally wounding her. Everyone managed at least one look through the periscope before she sank stern-first with several more explosions following.

All I can say is somebody must live right...Happy New Year indeed!

(Signed)

-Hossel

ijnfleetadmiral

09-27-14, 09:20 AM

Riccardo1975

09-27-14, 11:42 AM

Only up to 1942 so no operation Torch yet. Plenty off Norway in 1940... :(

ijnfleetadmiral

09-27-14, 05:38 PM

Will definitely keep that in mind...thanks! Might have to make a pass along that coast en route to the Atlantic on U-45's next patrol.

Aktungbby

09-27-14, 09:03 PM

On my 5th Patrol, Feb 1940. Just broke into Blyth and took out a Black-Swan class, ASW Trawler and a Small Depot Ship. First game I am playing with manual aiming and not dead yet!

:salute:
renthehen! Belatedly on your first post! forgive our bad manners!SINK 'EM ALL!:Kaleun_Salute:

Jimbuna

09-28-14, 07:20 AM

renthehen! Belatedly on your first post! forgive our bad manners!SINK 'EM ALL!:Kaleun_Salute:

Welcome to SubSim renthehen :sunny:

Jasonb

09-29-14, 07:45 AM

Just finished my 12th Patrol (with a 3 year real life gap between it and the 11th!). U-260 (Type VIIc) sailed from St. Nazaire in Jan '41 up to B-17 for its Patrol and generally stayed in that area until I'd no fish left!

Had a great patrol, no sign of any Convoys but always found a contact here and there, including one T2 Tanker and a couple of C2 and C3 Cargos. Rather annoyingly I wasted a second fish on a Cargo that *finally* decided to sink just as I fired it. But I made up for it by taking out a Costal Merchant with just the Deck Gun later on.

All in all I got over 73,000 tonnes and my excellent AA gunner even got 5 Hurricanes on my way back to port. He'll be getting one of the awards/medals... :)

I'm in that section of the game where there are no upgrades for a while (until the end of '41 and early '42 I believe) so I'm just pottering around building up renown. I tend to stick to the North Atlantic, so I might go South a little for a change on my next Patrol.

J.

Riccardo1975

09-30-14, 01:17 PM

Hello Jason!

Im in Aug '42 and the upgrades are worth waiting for. Alberich and basic radar for definite.

Never seen a C2 or a T2 yet in 14 patrols... :confused:

Havent played for a fortnight thanks to my new job and Im in serious withdrawal symptoms.

Good hunting!

Rich. U-501

Jasonb

09-30-14, 03:11 PM

Hey Rich...

Good to hear the upgrades are worth it, it feels like it's been a while since I got to upgrade!

Don't know what I'll do when a new U-Boat comes available, part of me would love to try to get to 1945 in the VIIc! :)

J.

Riccardo1975

09-30-14, 03:20 PM

I only captain type IXs. Its a personal choice I suppose? More fuel and torpedoes with slower dive time and less nippy. Went from a B to the C and lost my 37mm and gained nothing. Next career its IXB then IXD2 then hopefully have enough renown for XXI... :D

ijnfleetadmiral

10-01-14, 01:13 PM

Captain's Personal Log
16 May 1940

After our New Year's Day present of a Southampton-class light cruiser, I didn't think much could top it, except perhaps a battleship or aircraft carrier, but those are fairly hard-to-find targets. Certainly, you could try and sneak into a fleet anchorage and pick one off like a duck in a shooting gallery, but

1) There's no guarantee that the harbor you choose to stroll into will have the target you're searching for.

2) Even if you manage to get in and fire torpedoes, said torpedoes might be duds.

and perhaps most sobering of all,

3) You can take your shot and possibly win glory, but there's little to no possibility you'll get out alive.

Anyway, back to my story. On our very next patrol, in those very same waters, we came upon a patrol of a V / W-class DD and two Auxiliary Cruisers. Fired three torpedoes at one and a fourth torpedo at the other, dove deep, and prayed. All four torpedoes hit, both targets subsequently sank, and we escaped unharmed. Our final patrol tally ended up just shy of 40,000 tons. Most impressive, nein? We returned to port to much fanfare...only to find no Knight's Cross awaiting U-45's Captain. While exceedingly disappointed, I passed out medals to my crew and released them on leave.

Fast forward to this last patrol. We patrolled in our assigned grid off Norway (sighting zilch, not even so much as a fishing boat) and then headed down to the Dutch / Belgian coast. We sank two armed trawlers and then decided to get brave and head directly into Rotterdam in an effort to surprise the Dutch. There was no resistance to our approach, and we managed to get into the harbor successfully...only to find it empty except for one of our own tugboats! A FRIENDLY tugboat inside an ENEMY port! We gave up in disgust and headed back out to sea. Later that evening, I decided to get even bolder and so we headed in to see what was off Dunkirk. The verdammt sea wall blocked a possible shot at several VERY nice targets (a Large Troop Ship among them), but we managed to find an auxiliary cruiser docked against the seaward side of the wall. Put three torpedoes into her and sank her, along with causing every escort in the harbor to lose their minds. Got away clean here as well.

Our patrol has just ended; after leaving Dunkirk, we sank a Large Cargo Ship and an Empire-type Freighter to empty us of torpedoes, and returned to port with yet another score of close to 40,000 tons...only to find that no cure for my itchy neck was forthcoming. I am currently the #1 ranking Ace with just over 200,000 tons sunk and I still have not yet received my Knight's Cross. What must I do to get recognized? I can only hope that this non-recognition now will be made up for in spades down the road. Until next time.

(Signed)

-Hossel

k2r

10-02-14, 12:52 PM

After been away of SHIII for a couple of months, I'm back with a new career.

Patrol 1 : Happy Days !

Late june 1940, Kaleun Norbert Apfelgluck received the order to appear at the headquarters of the 2nd Flotilla in Wilhelmshaven to take command of a new type XIB Uboat and his crew : the U-124 aka “Der Schneeman”. After a series of training, the boat is ready to take to the high sea for his first patrol. All the crew are pretty greens on Uboat’s combat, but they’re all former sailors with a lot of days at sea experience. The officiers on the U-124 are :

Watch officier : Leutnant Herbert Löhr
Torpedo officier : Oberfährich Arend Akerman
Chief Officier : Oberleutnant Herbet Loh
Navigation officier : Oberfärich Otto Schewe
Weapons officier : Leutnant Helmut Luth

01 july 40 21:45
We leaving Wilhelmshaven for our patrol area in the mid-atlantic, near the coasts of Ireland. All the crew are pretty happy to take part to his real first war patrol of the boat. The sea is calm and the weather is clear. No winds. We estimated to reach our patrol area next week.

04 july 06:05 AN42
Received new directives from BDU. Our new orders are to heading to Lorient at the end of our patrol. Lorient will be our new home base for our next patrols.

6 july 21:11 AN33
Engaged and sunk our first ennemy ship ! British Empire Cargo, 6780 GRT. Fired two torpedoes.

8 july 00:51 AM51
Engaged and sunk british tanker, 8081GRT. Fired one torpedo.

8 july 07:30 AM54
Engaged and sunk british merchant, 10615GRT. Fired one torpedo.

12 july 06:28 BEF63
Engaged and sunk british cargo, 8087 GRT. Fired four torpedo. The crew moral is high.

12 july 12:41 BE61
Engaged and sunk british merchant, 8088 GRT. Fired two torpedoes.

13 july 20:13 BE39
Engaged and sunk british tanker, 9680GRT. Fired two torpedoes.

20 july 03:04 BE36
Experienced bad weather from the morning of the 14 until now. Submerged most of the time during that period.

26 july 07:35 BE36
Engaged and sunk british large cargo, 8089 GRT. Fired two torpedoes.

28 july 13:46 BE63
Engaged and sunk british cargo, 8088 GRT. Fired two torpedoes. No more torpedoes in reserve. Asked BDU the permission to return to base. Accepted. Heading to Lorient. Estimated time : 92 hours. Congrated the crew with a special beer ration for celebrating our success and the end of our first patrol.

31 july 06:11
Docked at Lorient after 31 days at sea and 8 victories (67058 GRT on the bottom of the sea) ! The first patrol of the U-124 “Schneeman” is a great success.

k2r

10-03-14, 11:10 AM

Patrol 2 : The Hammer of the Gods

August 1940. Our discovery of Lorient, our new home base, didn’t last for a long time. After some nights of parties to celebrate our first success, I received the order to be ready for our next patrol. The patrol area for our second patrol : the southern coasts of Island. Our mission is to strike against the Reykjavik-Loch Ewe merchant and supply line. Not an easy job in a way, if we take account of the fact that the local waters aren’t very “friendly”. A lot of storms in the area. But “Die Schneeman” U-124 is ready for that kind of situations !
Sad news before the start of our new journey : while at shore one member of our crew was injured during a car accident, the MatrosenGeFreiter Gerhard Kaiser. He was promptly replaced by a new member, MatrosenGeFreiter Klemens Reichmann.

9 august 40 01:30
Leaving Lorient for our patrol area. Calm sea and clear sky. The crew moral is high.

14 august 19:38 AM25
Bad weather from the evening of the 12 until now with heavy rains and no visibility. No traffic sighted.

18 august 04:13 AE87
Engaged and sunk british small cargo, 2228 GRT. Fired one torpedo.

25 august 06:26 AE72
Stormy weather since the afternoon of the 19. The visibility is null and the waves pretty high. Submerged most of the time. No traffic sighted since our last target.

25 august 09:02 AE71
Engaged and sunk british merchant, 10615 GRT. Fired three torpedoes.

26 august 01:13 AE71
Engaged and sunk british small merchant, 2253 GRT. Fired one torpedo.

28 august 02:15 AE71
Engaged and sunk british small cargo, 2229 GRT. Fired one torpedo.

31 august 20:32 AE71
Engaged and sunk british merchant, 10616 GRT. Fired three torpedo.

3 september 12:20 AE71
Short on fuel. Requested return to base. Accepted by BDU. Heading to Lorient. Estimated time : 203 hours. The traditional “beer ration” was gived to the crew to celebrate the end of our patrol and our victories.

9 september 18:10
Docked at Lorient after 32 days at sea and 5 victories (27941 GRT).The second patrol of the U-124 “Schneeman” is now over with all the crew safe at the home base. I was promoted Oberleutnant while Oberfährich Arend Akerman, our torpedo officier, was awarded the second class Iron Cross !

Oberleutnant Norbert Apfelgluck
Days at seas : 63
Ships : 13
Total GRT : 94999

Jasonb

10-06-14, 04:36 PM

Just finished my 13th Patrol, unlucky for some but not for me! :)

Left St. Nazaire in Feb '41 and headed to my Patrol Area and got a few ships around there. Then I decided to head up North and see if I could find a Convoy.

I got lucky and found a large Convoy around AL39 I think. A few C3s and a T3 in the Convoy but unfortunately they were American and that's still a no-no. I only had 6 fish left and there were four Destroyers escorting the Convoy (and it was the middle of the day) so I decided to do a quick surgical strike and get out of there hopefully without the attention of the Destroyers!

I came up from the SE, picked out my two targets (a T2 and a C2), let loose two fish at the farther T2 and then lined up and let loose two at the closer C2. Once the second two fish were gone I went to 80m, turned SE away from the Convoy and got out of there!

Even with the delay in firing the second two fish, the C2 was hit first and the second one sent it down. All ships reacted but it was too late for the T2, I got lucky with the first fish and it split it in half (damn, second fish wasted! :wah:). By then I'd rigged for silent running and though the Destroyers came nosing they never got a sniff of me! :)

I decided to head back down South with my two remaining fish, hoping I'd bump into something, rather than chancing my arm with the escorts again. And I got even more lucky, coming across two C3s together! :)

With only 2 fish left, one in the Stern tube, I lined up a Stern shot and then quickly turned to line up the last shot on the other C3. It started evading once the first fish hit the other ship, but I was less than 1,000m when I fired and I wasn't going to miss from there!

Unfortunately, neither ship sank (not too surprising, a C3 can take a hit) but fortunately they weren't armed, so I surfaced and got to work with the deck gun. I only had 11 AP and 39 HE left, so I decided to attack the more stricken one first and at least get one in the books. 6 AP and 15 HE later it was gone.

That left me with other one, still moving slowly away. I caught up with it, and used the last 5 AP under the water line, succesfully taking out its engine/prop. I used a few more HE on its superstructures and then when it started to list I quickly went around to its other side and tried a few HE under the waterline there. I had 1 HE round left when it sank! :woot:

Headed home then, staying submerged during the day so as not to attract aircraft. All in all, I got 76,000 tonnes and got promoted to Lt. Commander! Not having anything to spend any renown on (while waiting for upgrades to become available) has its advantages I guess!

Next Patrol I'm gonna head up North again and see if I can find a Convoy when I've got a lot more fish to play with...

J.

Jasonb

10-17-14, 09:08 AM

Still in the middle of my next Patrol in April '41, and no sign of a convoy up North. I was heading back South when the weather turned crap, really crap.

Anyhow, SW of Ireland my Sonar gets a Merchant contact, but it's 8pm and dark and miserable out, so I wouldn't even try to take him on. Instead I shadow him during the night, getting a good sense of his heading etc., and wait for light and hopefully better weather.

Morning comes but the weather is still terrible. I line up my first attack run on the Merchant, but by the time I can finally see him in my scope he's only 300m away, and I'm pretty sure that's not enough time for my torpedo to arm. I finally find out he's a C2 though. At about 350m he disappears from view into the crap weather.

Not really sure what to do, as I don't want to just shadow him until the weather improves, I decide to take a chance. Using what I know of his heading etc., I line up ahead of him again for a 90 degree shot, listening as my Sonar reels of the decreasing heading of the contact. I set Tube 1 for 4.5m and Impact Detonator (I normally use Magnetic, but not in these waves!) and open the tube door. When he's about 12 degrees off my starboard bow, I just fire, blind.

And what do you know, I get a hit! Not only a hit, but right in mid-ships and he breaks in two immediately and I've got a kill. I surface and go on my way again, very happy with myself for a blind kill... :)

J.

ijnfleetadmiral

10-18-14, 04:06 AM

U-45 Scores Retribution for Mers-el-Kebir!

Captain's Personal Log

We departed Wilhelmshaven in mid-July 1940 and headed south for our patrol assignment of Grid DH71, the farthest out we've been sent yet. En route, we learned of the British Navy's betrayal of France at Mers-el-Kebir, and were sent to patrol in the Straits of Gibraltar in hopes of scoring some retribution. Not wanting to waste precious time, we instead decided to head right into Gibraltar itself and see what was there in terms of pickings. We approached the naval base by the long way, transiting the Strait by way of the North African coast, and didn't even spot so much as an Elco en route. As we headed in, we were shocked when the only things we picked up on sonar were Elcos, MTBs, or ASW Trawlers, none of which had sonar. Nonetheless, we rigged for silent running and hunkered down for the duration, saying silent prayers as we did so.

Navigating by our charts, we crawled in without raising our periscope once so as to avoid detection, and arrived off the base right at dawn. Popped the periscope up to discover the weather was horrible; a huge rainstorm was blanketing the area. I face-palmed in aggravation at the sight of rain, rain, and more rain...had we come all this way for nothing? Well, before we go, might as well attempt to find a lock on something, fire a couple torpedoes, and get the hell out of dodge. At least we could then say our efforts weren't a total loss, right? I idly scanned the blurry shapes in the gloom. We were in excellent firing position; only 3,500 yards from most of the shapes. However, I wanted to make this one helluva surprise, so I took my time in picking our target.

Let's see...C2 Cargo ship...nah, too typical. Tramp Steamer...you're kidding, right? C/D-class Destroyer...put that in the 'maybe' column; if we miss her, we're in deep doo-doo. Two Southampton-class CLs berthed close together...two fish at each would net us a nice score for sure. Looks like that will be our most-likely target, but we're not quite done looking around... Ooh...a Troop Transport! A rare sighting for us indeed! Wait...what's this? Crap...she's on the other side of jetty...we fire at her we'll just be pumping torpedoes into the docks...that lets her out. Well, I guess the two Southamptons are going to have the honor of being sunk by us in this daring raid. Wait a second...there's something else on our side of the jetty that Troop Transport is moored at; let's see what she is by using the 'Lock' feature on our periscope.

Mein Gott..DAS HOOD!!! PERFECT firing position!

Four torpedoes...maximum depth for target...spread three degrees...torpedos, LOS!!! Turn around for a stern shot...same depth setting...FIRE!!! Pray, meine herren...pray like you've never prayed before in your lives!!!

Two minutes go by...TORPEDO IMPACT! 1, 2, 3, 4...and 5!!!! Get us out of here...now!

Five minutes later...breaking-up noises...SHE'S GOING DOWN!!! Raise periscope for a look in time to see the pride of the Royal Navy capsize and sink at her berth, with just part of her keel and her two starboard propellers remaining above water. Quickly lower our periscope and continue our escape. The escorts are going insane, but after four hours we've worked our way clear of the harbor and back into the open sea. The rest of our patrol was uneventful; we sank three more merchants for a total of just over 53,000 tons before returning to Wilhelmshaven in early August 1940. I'm now just over 289,000 tons for total tonnage sunk. 1940 is proving to be a VERY good year for U-45...here's hoping our extreme good fortune continues!

(Signed)

Hossel

UKönig

10-18-14, 06:24 PM

Captain's log U-110/VIIC

Departed St. Nazaire, April 30th, 1943 at 19:45hrs for interdiction patrol of grid AM19. This makes the 33rd patrol for this captain and crew. It makes me suspicious the amount of time it's taking to blockade England. Donitz estimated that if we can sink 750,000 tons a month, for 12 months, Britain will be defeated, but so far we haven't put nearly enough tons to the bottom. We've commissioned 100 new boats, and yet we are sinking now less tonnage overall. I worry that this war will drag on for some time still...

Traversed Bay of Biscay with no aircraft sightings

May 1, 1943. 2147hrs. Grid BF45. Sky and seas: clear, calm. Surfaced attack against lone small merchant. 1 torpedo. 2407 tons.

May 2, 1943. 1311hrs. Grid BE63. Sky and seas: degrading, choppy. Submerged attack against lone small merchant. 1 torpedo prematurely detonated, target seemed not to have noticed. 2nd torpedo hit. 2343 tons.

May 2, 1943, Evening, 2231hrs Grid BE39 Sky and seas: clear, calm. Intercepted Large convoy, bound for England. 1 torpedo hit on large (T3) tanker, sunk for 11,564 tons. 1 torpedo missed on attempted shot on trailing T3 tanker, but the attempt with the stern tube was a hit. 2nd T3 tanker sunk for 11,653 tons. Evaded pursuit by escorts, some damage. Am continuing into operations area.

Patrol of AM19 completed with no enemy shipping sighted.
Trip to American waters planned and plotted.

May 6th, 1943. Late evening. Grid AL23 Sky and seas: clear, calm. Large tanker convoy. 20 tankers estimated.
A gold mine inside a diamond mine! Avg speed, 14 kts. Sunk 3 escorts. 1 River DE, 1 Sommers DD, 1 Flower Corvette. 2 Fletcher DD remain as escorts. Enemy actions make approach difficult. Depth charged by the Sommers destroyer, damage serious now and silent running makes repairs difficult. Have returned to periscope depth and have tracked the median course of the convoy. Despite damages and only 2 torpedos left, am continuing pursuit.

U-Konig, Out.

CptCrunch

10-18-14, 07:56 PM

I used to play TA. Now I sink ships.

It's late march 1943. We set out from St. Nazaire heading for DE66.
Halfway to the Azores We run into a small convoy, mostly small merchants and coastals but also a juicy liner and a C2. It's stormy and wild and night has fallen as we crash into the port flank of the convoy. It's protected by 2 corvettes and an armed trawler. They don't seem to know what they're doing. We don't get pinged and we're able to go in at ahead standard. The exec picks off the C2 with 2 eels and the liner with one. As they're going down we take out a merchant with the stern tube and another off our bow as it tries to snake past the burning hulk of the liner. I go to flank speed and turn south west in the middle of the convoy , running through it as the tubes are reloaded. The escorts are fussing at the back with two freighters that have ground to a halt. It's futile, they're dead in the water and it's only a matter of time before they join their comrades in Davy Jones locker. Meanwhile I'm free to roam at the front of the convoy.We take out the remaining four ships. We've sunk all ten merchants and we go deep and head nor'west at a creep, effortlessly outflanking the escorts to the east. I give the command surface and tidy up. There's only minor damage from some lucky pot shots we took when accidentally broaching the surface. I'll have to talk to the chief about ballasting the boat better- she can pop up like a cork after the tubes are emptied.
We're down to one eel in external reserves, an acoustic homer and about 100 rounds of HE. I decide to head south to Gelting and reload before moving to our designated square. We cruise on through the dawn and then suddenly pick up the 3 escorts still running before us. We go to flank and I see how close I can stern chase them. At 3.5 clicks we drop to 7 meters and run with decks awash. Two thousand yards off the nearest corvette we blow the tanks and I scramble the deck gun crew. Before the corvette knows it she's taken 3 direct hits from astern and she staggers about to engage us. Her sister is about 3 thousand yards off and comes about sharpish, opening fire with her 4 incher and I drop down to dead slow and we duke it out for a few rounds. The corvette is belching black smoke from a couple of hits amidships but coming at us like an express train. She's taken the bait. We turn tail and run like hell. The stern tube hisses and the homer shoots towards her passing close at 1500 yards. The corvette sprints at us as she tries to position for an attack run but I'm already 140 meters down and racing to pass crush depth - I figure the boat can take it after the light hits she's taken. I order a dog leg and hear the gratifying rip and thunder of the corvette as she's shredded by the homer from the stern. We come up astern the second corvette who is listing stern down and lame in the water and finish her off with the deck gun. We get a peppering from her machine gun but all the fights gone out of her and she goes down spitting and burning. The armed trawler piles in from the south intent on revenge. We go under and keep quiet. She faffs about for a bit and heads south again. Out boat rises and the chase is on again. After an hour we pull within range. The gun crew know the drill by now, systematically taking her apart. I struggle to hold the boat down and bow on to the trawler. If she manages to come about we're in trouble from the long barrelled heavy calibre she has mounted on the bow. But it never happens, she explodes and goes down in a flash. As we head for Gelting I suddenly realise that for the first time in my career I have destroyed an entire small convoy with no survivors - 13 vessels for around 43,000 Gross tonnes. We never spotted a single life boat or raft in that ferocious sea and there is subdued silence and grief amongst the crew as we think their families and the enormity of what we have done in the heat of battle.. But by by the time we arrive at Gelting on the 3rd of April we are happy and flushed with our success. The brass have read our triumphant signal and it's beer and medals all round. Surely now with such overwhelming successes we cannot fail to bring England to her knees?

Hambone307

10-24-14, 11:44 AM

May, 1944: 3 days into my patrol to CN63 I get a radar contact. After having several previously unsuccessful patrols, I figured I would take a look to see if I had a convoy. Soon my radioman notifies me of two more radar contacts. At this point the crew and I are excited, we finally have something to shoot at! I order a change of course to 180 to intercept at ahead flank. Tracking by radar, we determined that the contacts were on a course of 270 at 8 kts. About 10km away, and ahead of the convoy I ordered to periscope depth and ahead 1/3. After a few minutes the sonarman advises me of three sound contacts. At this point the crew grew silent. The sound contacts were warships, approaching fast. Soon after our sonarman lit up and started calling out merchant contacts. Everyone was reassured once we found out that we had come across a taskforce! We began setting up for a torpedo attack, keeping an ear on the warships. They appeared to be turning back to the TF so we pressed our attack. Coming up to periscope depth we set our sights on an ammunition ship, while lining up the shot everyone froze as we were hit with a sonar ping. I spun the scope around and found a DD turning on us. I ordered tubes 1, 2, and 3 fired, and sounded the alarm for emergency dive. The first set of depth charges hit us hard and destroyed the periscopes. We had severe flooding, but the crew managed to stop it. For 12 hours we were forced deeper and deeper until we had enough. One DD stayed behind keeping us under so we decided to test our luck and returned to periscope depth. Tracking him with hydrophones and getting ranges with sonar, we lined up a hail mary shot, let tube 4 loose, and waited an agonizing 25 seconds. Right on cue, we were rewarded with an explosion and the sounds of bulkheads collapsing! After waiting an hour to make sure we were clear, we surfaced to assess the damage then made a speedy return trip to Toulon to repair, rearm, and refuel. Final tally was 1 Destroyer down, and 3 misses on an ammunition ship.

svt94

10-24-14, 10:43 PM

Ill probably screw this whole thread up, but..... Im currently getting shot to death.... always find DD to screw my day..... Might as well call me the idiot of the Sub sim fleet.. lol

Riccardo1975

10-25-14, 01:06 AM

Hello bud.

What boat you in, what year, gunfire or depth charges....?

Riccardo

lecrop

10-25-14, 05:45 AM

An old dog returns to sail the seas.

Just leaving Kiel, so there is little to tell. I hope to give more news soon.

Leutnant z. S. HEINZ DÜBLER
U19 (IIA) Unterseebootsflotille Weddigen

Orders to patrol AN81

01SEP39 0322: We sailed to the assigned patrol area, with good weather.

http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae114/lecrop/sh3aar-0002_zps5229417b.jpg~original
Bye bye Kiel...

-------------------------------------

Mods
NYGM 3.6D
Realism and gameplay related hardcode fixes V16B1
Hitman's GUI
SH5 Water for SH3 Ultimate V10 16Km
SH3Commander
Opt.:100%Realism
House rule: Iron man

Aktungbby

10-25-14, 11:00 AM

lecrop! after almost a four year silent run!:Kaleun_Salute:

lecrop

10-25-14, 04:58 PM

Yes, it has been a long time in dry-dock :Kaleun_Sleep:

svt94

10-25-14, 09:46 PM

Hello bud.

What boat you in, what year, gunfire or depth charges....?

Riccardo

Type XIIC i think. i try to start in 39. havnt made it past Jan of 40.
Im just to damn agressive.

Yesterday for instance: I found a convoy in the middle of knowhere.. 16 ships i think. I didnt know about the 17th. The 17th was a DD....or was it 14 ships?? i cant remember.. Before i knew about him it was already too late. Put a couple of shells through my bow. it was sinky sink after that.. LOL I love this game!!

blackswan40

10-27-14, 04:29 PM

Ive taken time out from playing the steelsharks GWX3 new SCR Campaign due to writing the next instalment that will take our campaign to the end of February 1941 or hopefully end of may 1941 ill work on it until end of November just now im putting in convoy HX-58 by November 30th I should have 200 plus convoys in the campaign also found good info on Coastal Command Squadrons & aircraft used airbases 48sqd Avro Anson Hooton park Liverpool
502sqd Whitley Aldergrove Belfast other air bases Leuchars Fife Delting Kent

regards blackswan

Zosimus

10-29-14, 07:34 AM

Well, I almost bought it last night. I was following a small convoy consisting of three cargo ships and a patrol craft when I started picking up confusing hydrophone contacts heading in a new direction. I believed that the convoy had changed headings.

Wrong. Two convoys were involved, and they were very near each other. I popped the scope up to take a look, drew a rough line through the convoy ships to determine its new course and popped the scope back down. I swear it was no more than 3 seconds.

Then I got the first ping. I crash dived immediately, but I took a close depth charge at 40 meters hitting near the front of the boat. I immediately started to take on water. I loaded my repair specialist onto damage control and sent him to fix the fore quarters. He informed me 7:49 seconds to flood recovery in the front and then amended that to 7:50 then 7:51.

And the fore torpedo area was in worse shape.

So I loaded every officer I could find into the damage control team. Yes, even the hydrophone officer, and set them to work. That dropped my time to 2:50 and slowly ticking down. I could see that the forward torpedo tube area was flooded to the ceiling. I checked the depth gauge and got the bad news. I was at 120 meters and going down fast.

So I ordered that the boat be surfaced, but this did almost nothing to stop the rapid descent. Fortunately the pinging had stopped so I couldn't do much except hope for the best and root for the damage control team. I kicked TC up to 8 and that held for a few seconds until my crew informed me that we were nearing critical depth. I checked the gauges and saw us at 164 meters and still heading down.

Ausblasen!

I heard the comforting hiss of air, but I gave the order twice more to be sure. Ausblasen! Ausblasen! Then I checked on the damage control team. Flooding control in 43 seconds... in the fore quarters. The tube area was a whole different thing. Keep going guys!

That's when they called me back to the bridge. "We are diving too deep," they informed me. 189 meters and sinking fast.

Ausblasen!!!!

At 207 meters we got the fore quarters flooding stopped and I sent the team to work on the fore torpedo area. They must have been swimming in there. I have no idea how they were doing anything with that much water. It was hard to tell, but I think we were diving more slowly. I could hear the groaning of the metal around me in my soon-to-be coffin. So I hurried back to the bridge and checked our depth. We were at 217 meters. No, scratch that... 218.

Ausblasen!

That's when they informed me that we were at 10 percent compressed air. There was only one thing to say: Ausblasen! Then I checked the gauges. We were at 216 meters. My God. We're going to live.

"Your orders captain?"
"Ausblasen."

I ditched the destroyer-patrolled convoy in a hurry and went back to the first one where I sank a large cargo ship for 10,000 tons and a medium for 5,000. The patrol craft was helpless to stop me. Then I headed north. It's going to be a long trip around England to Wilhelmshaven.

At least we're alive.

Riccardo1975

10-29-14, 08:51 AM

Wow. Lucky to get two convoys and lucky to get the flooding under control. Great stuff. Someone on here said fill the damage control station then also the affected compartment to control wild flooding. Looks like it works! :p

Last time I tried was after hitting a mine off Hartlepool in 1941(I think)but we all drowned inside 2minutes... :(

I needed a mod to abandon ship I think. :D

Riccardo U-501

lecrop

10-29-14, 09:44 AM

Amazing Zosimus! :salute:

Zosimus

10-29-14, 04:36 PM

No, the REALLY amazing thing was I made it back to port and they told me that the ship was 100% with no damage at all. :hmmm:

No wonder it was able to hold up that deep.

Kielhauler1961

10-29-14, 05:30 PM

@ Zosimus,

Good story and well told! I enjoyed reading that.:up:

Riccardo1975

10-30-14, 09:53 AM

Hello my fellow Kaleuns.
Just returned to Lorient on April 27th 1943 hoping to upgrade my IXC to a IXD2 and its not on the list of available boats. :confused:

All help appreciated as I am a bit gutted to say the least.

Riccardo U-501 2nd Flotilla Lorient

UKönig

10-31-14, 01:09 PM

"So, Herr Kapitanleutnant, Admiral Donitz begins as he hands me a snifter of brandy, "Tell me again how you managed to escape from that tanker convoy".
I accept the glass, take a swirl and a sniff, before gulping a shot, the liquid warming my throat on its way down. When I am able to again, I reply, "Well sir, after the fletcher destroyer lost interest in killing us, and sped back to the head of the convoy, we let our speed fall off a bit and surfaced the boat." "We took up a position on the trailing T3 tanker and as the weather was calm enough, began to lob 88mm HE shells at him". "We managed to score a few hits at 5km distant, I put my gun crew down for the iron cross 2nd class for this actually, and caused enough damage to slow him down".
The Admiral listens intently while I continue.
"By then, the rest of the tankers got wise to our location, and started firing back. Swine. Anyway, we were forced to dive again as one of the flanking destroyers came back in our direction". "We took some damage from depth charges, but our repair teams were more than up to it, and after about 15 more minutes of attack, the destroyer broke off and returned to his flank position".
I take another gulp of brandy.
The Admiral bids me to continue.
"Now that we slowed down a heavy tanker, he was more readily sunk by one of our two remaining torpedos. Seeing that the coast was still clear, I gave the order to surface and man the deck guns again."
"That was reckless, Herr Kaleun"
"Reckless, yes sir, but rewarding."
A raised eyebrow from the Admiral.
"The exploding tanker made the rest of the convoy tack in a new direction, and in so doing, opened up their flank, giving my elite gunnery crew the best broadside they could hope for. With about 10 shells, they managed to pound a small tanker into submission. They scored a lucky hit, and the whole thing went up like doomsday." "I had to give the order to crash dive again, because both remaining escorts detected us again". "We really must have been making them look bad, because this time, they were a little more aggressive in hunting us." "We snaked a torpedo down the throat of one of the incoming escorts, and took him out, but now we were in serious trouble, because all the ammo we had left was for surface firing".
"Yes Herr Kaleun, the dockworkers were rather surprised at the condition your hull was in after you got back, I read that in your original report, but please, continue".
I swallow the last of my drink and set the empty glass down on the nearest end table. Next to my white command cap. Looking at it, sitting there on the table, I am taken back to our harrowing underwater escape...
"Well sir, We just managed to get under when the first 4 bombs went off. Right away the empty stern tube was put out of action, the tube door jammed in the closed position. That wasn't so bad. The port compressor was disabled, but repairable. I ordered full ahead, and down to 90m. He seeded the area with a few more charges, but they all missed. We dropped a decoy and went to silent running, after another series of blasts. He took the bait for about 10 minutes, and we managed to sneak off in the opposite direction, but as they turned around, their hydrophone operator found us again. We took 7 or 8 more charges, and at least one of them took out our forward battery. Left us with 4 functioning cells, barely enough power to run the lights in the forward compartment. Our pumps and pressure hull remained strong enough and there were no serious breaches reported, so it must have been a shock wave that shattered the batteries. I have also put in for some extra lime wash sir, we used quite a bit. 2 of my damage control team were overcome with chlorine gas and had to have absolute rest. I also ordered the potash cartridges for the bow compartment crew, but fortunately we were able to contain the damage. We played duck and dodge, cat and mouse (don't be the mouse!), and after 4 hours of bombing, gave the enemy the slip. When the coast was clear, we surfaced and ventilated the boat. The rest is in my report sir."
"Well Herr Kaleun, a very interesting tale", the Admiral begins, "but I must caution you to restrain yourself from these pirate games you keep playing. I'm not sure if you noticed this, but our fortunes are not going as well as the leader has planned. We will continue to do our utmost for final victory, but a U-boat and her crew has become a very choice target for the enemy these days. Please exercise more care when engaging convoys." "Now, as to the matter of your crew, yes, I have approved of their medals, as well as your flak officer, for shooting down that wellington bomber."
He pauses then says "And we are sending you on a torpedo course, we have some new developments in the field and I need my best COs trained in their use. If successful, we can turn the tide back in our favor." "You will depart tomorrow, while your boat, U-110 is being overhauled. It's a 3 week course and when you get back, we will have your new orders then."
I collect my command cap, and the Admiral dismisses me informally.
After I leave his office, I mull the situation over.
It's probably my tonnage list that keeps all of his concern from showing, but I can see that he is no longer the Lion, he's changed now, strained...

UKönig

11-02-14, 04:17 PM

the last voyage of U-110, part 1.

From my sitting location on the chief's bunk in the officer's mess, I angle my head out for a look around at the shambles the radio shack and sound room are in. The stewards did a good job of cleaning up our off duty area, but work still continues on our electrical equipment. We really got it handed to us this time...
With me in the OM is my 2WO and my Chief engineer. He is standing slightly in the 'corridor', a look as grim as the beard on his face, holding a clipboard with an itemised list of our current damage (and hopefully news on completed repairs). The 2WO is seated at the table with his back against the fwd bulkhead, looking moodily into his cold coffee (It's all we've got left). We suffered casualties this go around as well. Looking at him, I can read his thoughts, and it takes me back to when our 1WO was on the bridge directing the gunnery crew, and our flak batteries were prepped for firing, when the freighters we came across, damaged though they were, returned fire. We took 3 direct hits from the 2 heavy cargo ships at less than 1km distant. In a flash, the after deck was destroyed and our flak crew killed by shrapnel. The next hit came at the conning tower, punching a neat entrance hole on the port side. The exit hole was another story and the mangled body of my 1WO lay slumped on the deck beside the attack periscope mast. Our electrics took a hit as well and we lost our radio antenna and radar warning device. Our 2WO took over in a hurry and despite great personal danger, and the horrible sight of the bloody command deck, was able to direct the gunnery crew to quickly finish the two freighters. We claimed both for a total of 13,600 tons and left the area.
We buried our three dead crew at sea and I promoted my ensign to take over for the missing officer. All that occurred on day 5 of our outbound journey, destination, BE18. We never made it.
We departed from our new base in Norway, home of the 11th fleet, April 30 1944 on our 40th patrol. By May 5th, our 3 crew were dead and my boat, U-110, badly damaged. But the patrol is nowhere near to complete, so we press on.
Those two freighters soaked up too many of our torpedos (4 each plus 1 that missed because of evasive action) so we surfaced to finish them off. One of them (the closest one) played dead, even taking a few hits, until we were in their sweet spot, and that's when the carnage began. The Admiral is still going to be mildly crazy about all this when HQ finds out...
We worked like mad in steadily swelling seas to get the external reload out of the forward locker and in just under an hour, had it safely aboard, loaded in tube 4.
We dove to 30m and I put my radio crew to work crafting a new aerial for both our radar warning and transmission antenna.
By May 8th we came across a nosy destroyer. Optimal firing position for the seeker loaded in tube 5. Fired tube 5 from 1400m away and hit, Destroyer sunk for 1350tons. The next morning, things had calmed a bit, so we surfaced and started making some head way. But within 10 minutes, the weather fell off so we dove again to ride it out. About 30 minutes later, our sound guy picked up a steamer heading in our direction. Possibly the destroyer we sank was to rendez-vous with the merchant, and escort him to safety, but we'll never know. Bad weather, high seas and thick fog make attack difficult. Missed our chance with the forward tubes, line up a shot with the aft tube and hit. No serious damage done and rather than waste more of our dwindling ammunition, I break off the attack, and let him go. This is really wrecking our morale.
May 11th was the worst day. We still hadn't made it into our patrol billet. Aircraft appear more often now. Although our boat has been outfitted with a snorkel about 3 patrols ago, the allied fliers still seem intent upon attacking, yes, even the snort mast. So we can only really use it at night, which is doubling our trip time. While we still have a decent quantity of AA ammo and deck gun shells, we have few torpedos. With all the failures, misses, and sheer number pumped into one target to seemingly no effect, we have only 4 left. And one of them isn't even loaded into anything yet, it's still in the aft external locker.
And then it happened. The nightmare scenario that every Captain dreads. We came across a lone Liberty cargo ship. Heavily armed too, I thought. Grid AL01. Sky and seas, light fog, raising, wind speed 12 m/s. At periscope depth. Sighting on the target and range. Sitting at the attack scope, I take stock. Tube 1 loaded with T3, tube 2, empty and will remain so. Tube 3 loaded with T4 seeker. Tube 4 loaded with T3. Tube 5 empty, but if you're ballsy enough you might be able to surface to get the exterior spare...(given this mission history, you'll probably have to.) I really want to use my remaining seeker on a destroyer, but if I get the boat close enough, maybe we can hamstring this merchant with it, and then finish him off at our leisure.
Then I see he tacks in a different direction, heading more towards us now. We are coming in from starboard, a nice bow-on shot. Open tube 1, open tube 4, stand by for salvo. I pass the orders on to the weapons officer and when the time is right, release the hounds...
At 900m from the target, the first torpedo detonates prematurely. Sigh. Oh, and of course the enemy watch saw that. A nice big fountain just for them. He's taking evasive action, but... he's tacking the wrong way! He's actually opening his flank, which predictably, allows our torpedo to strike. A hit!. Wait, how deep was that set? Not deep enough. It punched a hole in the side, slightly above and below the waterline, but far enough forward that his pumps and damage control parties could easily cope. Remember that seeker? I guess I will use it after all. I can't let this ship get away, I have to avenge my dead crew with some kind of success here. With careful plotting we take up position into the wake of the passing Liberty. Letting him get to 700m we let fly with the seeker from tube 3. Threading the eye of the needle....

UKönig

11-02-14, 04:39 PM

the last voyage of U-110, part 2

...And the merchant takes it on the port flank, aft. Bad news Herr Kaleun, you didn't do as much damage as you had hoped. However, you did wreck his rudder and damage his engines. Normally a ship would stop dead with that kind of damage, but he is still managing to make 3 knots headway. It's unbelievable. It's like I'm not supposed to be attacking these ships and that's why they're almost indestructible. Whatever alloy or welding process they're using we NEED to get some of that! I have one torpedo left, and it's outside. I really did not want to give this order, not now, but I have no. choice. left.
"Torpedo loading crew, stand by for surface action" comes the order.
That means get your slickers on boys, because it's wet out there. And soakers are the order of the day.
"Raise the snorkel, let's get some distance on this thing, we have to get into position to use the aft torpedo." I tell the Chief Engineer.
After about 30 minutes of careful maneuvering we get into a position where I feel safe enough to give the order to surface. Once the decks are clear and the tower hatch opened, the torpedo crew goes to work on the after deck, to extract and load our last chance at victory. I am sitting at the attack scope, even though we are surfaced, keeping watch over our latest victim. We have him stern on when I give the incredible order "Both engines, full speed, reverse". The liberty is struggling in the swelling seas, a heavy trail of foamy water churned up by her desperately turning propeller. For all that, she is still able to make a pathetically tired 3 knots, and we, stuck in reverse can make maybe 4, so this rate should give us enough time to extract and load our last fish and hopefully, the skies will remain clear. That is, free of aircraft, for now would be a very good time for them to score a U-boat kill.
The weapons officer (our former Ensign) tells me it will take about 40 minutes to complete the loading. I accept his report with stoicism, as I know that for at least 45 minutes, we are totally vulnerable. Unable to leave my post at the attack periscope, I become extremely uncomfortable, as if my saddle has come to life beneath me. I fidget constantly. I check my watch for the 37th time in two minutes, as if I could somehow speed up the dial by looking at it. "C'mon, C'mon.." I mutter under my breath. And then it happened. Between looking forward at the status of the limping liberty, and looking aft, at the crew working furiously to load our last torpedo, I caught sight of 4 incoming short sunderlands. I felt my heart run out the hole in my willy. I checked my watch, and quickly conferred with the Ensign. Still 2:30 to go and we will be loaded. If we dive now, we will have to start this whole process all over again. I think, this is going to get ugly...
I tell the Chief "Lower the snorkel, we are going to have to dive quickly and soon and I don't want anything tall for them to aim at".
"Aye sir".
We are in the act of lowering the snort mast when all of a sudden, my world is tipped sideways. A violent jarring motion to the left. I was at the attack scope when my torpedo mechanic gives me a 'thumbs up' to indicate they had loaded the torpedo into the boat and are sealing the after loading hatch now, I swung the scope around to the front, and that's when the shock came. All at once, the deck gun was blown away and the foreship turned into an obstacle course of jagged metal. The forward jumping wire was next to go, it simply fell off with the previous damage. Our electricians and radio mates were able to restore our communications antenna, but the radar warning device was still kaput. We had no adequate warning of the approach. A textbook u-boat bombing run, coastal command should be proud.
The snorkel got jammed as we were lowering it, and is now stuck at a 45 degree angle. That's not good. Not good at all. The torpedo crew ran hell for leather to the conning tower hatch and as fast as they dared, dropped back into the boat. They cleared the decks in record time, mostly because there was no aft railing to impede their progress. The next shock came and this time the port diesel was ripped off its support bed. The drive shaft was bent savagely not far out from the flange, but the clutch for the electric drive was undamaged. The engineering team cut out the bent part so the drive shaft could turn for underwater travel. Assuming, of course we survive this surface bombing.
"Is the bridge cleared"? I ask.
"Jawohl, Herr Kaleun". comes the reply.
"Take us to periscope depth".
The chief uses all of his training and skill to dive the boat while we are in reverse, and we are just under the waves when the next shock hits us on the starboard side, aft, and staves in the pressure hull. The shockwave turns our aft quarters and galley into a disaster area, but the hull itself shows no breaches.
All at once, a hissing from under the floor plates in the POs quarters. Someone says "not again".
The Chief says "neutralize with limewash", and soon the hissing stops. Got it in record time this time.
"Is the aft tube still usable"? I ask.
"yes sir, no damage".
I put my eye back to the lens and see the limping liberty trying to gamely gain ground but with a damaged rudder they're mostly going in circles. It seems they can go straight ahead and right, but left turns are out. As such, our last fish in tube 5 is ready to go. "Tube 5, fire"!
The boat shudders as it is relieved of its last burden and 2 minutes tick off the clock before we score another hit. As soon as I am satisfied we have sunk this vessel, I lower the scope and return to the command room, itself a disaster area, now that I notice it, and take stock of our situation. Unfortunately my sound guy was unable to confirm a sinking, so I ordred us to forward drive again and down to 30 m to find calmer waters in which to start making repairs.
We managed to avoid the aircraft and they never did resume their attacks against us. We did not sink the damaged liberty and it managed to slink away from us. It was right around then I decided to set course back to Norway and report. And probably be demoted for my failures on this mission. I'm not sure my tonnage count will help this time. After 3 days we were just south of the Faeroe islands and surfaced to send a message to HQ, informing them of our status. Within an hour, we received a reply, in the form of 4 depth charges from a sunderland. Our rickety old boat survived the crash dive and 70m depth (not sure that it would), and we were forced to stay under for a few hours. We surfaced and tried to get a response, but HQ did not reply, so we sent another message, and, less than an hour later, the same thing happened. After surviving the latest crash dive, damage to our radio and hydrophones, I decided to just stay under until we got closer to Norway. They will see what happened when they see the boat.
May 13th, 1944, we are just outside of Norway, about to surface and sail through the fjords to our base in Bergen. I am in the officer's mess with my 2WO and chief engineer. The electricians and radio mates are trying to restore our yet again damaged radio set. Not sure if the repairs will work this time. My chief is looking pretty grim. He's had a few days to assess the total damage to the boat and from the look on his face I can see I am not going to like what's coming. My 2WO is kind of a 'downer-debbie' but I don't really blame him. I shudder with the memory. Leaning back on his bunk with my back against the woodwork, I ask the inevitable question.
"Well chief, how bad is it"?

WilhelmSchulz.

11-02-14, 08:12 PM

I keep trying to raid Gibralter but I allways run out of fish before I get there. :nope:

UKönig

11-02-14, 10:55 PM

"Well sir, its bad, very very bad. We're crawling back to base on knees and nipples if you don't think that's serious enough, but at very rough estimate, at least 73% of the boat has been damaged or destroyed."
I wince. The 2WO winces too. "Go on" I bid him. He looks down at his clipboard, lifts the top page, reads quickly from the second page, then lowers the first page again. "Uh.." he gets no farther as I hold my hand up to stop him. "Hang on a sec, I have a feeling I'm going to need this". I say as I reach for my 'victory bottle'. Beck's beer. Great stuff. Was supposed to save it for celebration but we don't have much left to cheer about. I crack the top and take a long pull. Wiping my mouth on my sleeve I bid my engineer to continue. I get a funny look from the chief. "What, you prefer that I drink from it while sitting at the attack scope like the time we took on that tanker convoy"?
"If you'll let me continue" he complains.
I sit back again, "go ahead".
"I'll start from aft and work my way forward, I think the worst of the internal damage was done aft of the control room anyway."
"The stern compartment containing the E-motors and compressors escaped serious damage. Our decoy launcher was unaffected. The Port E-motor and drive clutch remained operable, despite the severe damage to the port diesel engine in the next compartment." He pauses reads a bit, then continues. "Our crew managed to maintain the underwater drive, but the port diesel was completely out of action. We were able to improvise a connection with the port compressor which would have been the only back up to our buggy main pump, which I will get to."
"But there's no way you can restore the surface drive"?
"No sir, the damage is too severe. In fact, we now make better knots underwater than above."
"What else?"
"The port side lubricating oil supply tanks, collecting tanks, and dirty oil tank were all cracked and leaky and that contributed to the sludgy water that collected in the bilge." "The fuel tanks remained tight and despite the damage, operation of the starboard diesel was not affected."
"Moving forward, into the POs mess".
Yes, it really was.
"Battery number two was damaged, and its connection was lost. Some of the cells were cracked, but only 2 or 3 and we were able to contain the damage quickly. When we took a closer look we realized that only a few bridging bars would be needed to restore power."
"The refrigeration plant was destroyed completely but the high pressure air bank cell #3 was, thankfully, unharmed."
I butt in, "The same thing cannot be said for the toilet door."
"No sir, it was blown right off its hinges. I mean, the toilet does still work, it's just that, you can't close the door anymore, that's all".
"Well, that and the officer's billet in the after quarters was totally destroyed as well. The poor guy's bunk all blasted to scrap. It would be like lying down on a bed of nails."
Yeah, I remember, things were pretty unpleasant back there for a while.
"The galley was completely destroyed as well, that's why we've all been drinking cold coffee and tea, and eating cold sandwiches or canned food. We gotta use this stuff up."
I ask then, "What else is there"?
"Well, the exterior damage to the forward deck and the missing surface weapons you already know about so we'll skip that part, I guess now we come to the control room."
"Except for a lot of broken glass and piping, the most serious problem is the main pump. It's working alright for now, but if it takes just one more hit that will be the last. We have our jerry-rigged ballast pump on stand by, but it will make more than enough racket to give us away, stealth will not be possible. So let's just hope that we're near enough to Norway that it won't matter."
"Oh and one last thing..."
"What's that"?
"The charts table drawer is squeaky". A long look from me.
"I think it came off its roller."
"Is that really pertinent to anything"?
"You asked for a complete list of the damages on board, I thought, now's the time"...
After gulping down the last of my beer, I head into the control room to begin the surface operation. At this rate, we should be back in Bergen in about 20 minutes. It should be dark enough by then that the night will conceal the deplorable state my ship is in.
Just wait until they see me now...

Riccardo1975

11-03-14, 02:48 PM

Finally managed to raid St Helena on the way to GR 91 and it was as good as i had heard. Two troop ships, a large tanker and about 8 smaller vessels. Eliminated a Q/R class about 115 km NNW then took out two ASW trawlers while two other DD's beached themselves. Sank the big stuff, went East to shell the beached destroyer, shredded a fishing boat with my flakvierling then returned to shell the smaller stuff. Milch cow then home i thought...

Even from 3000 metres North of the harbour it was like i'd opened fire on one or two Revenge class.

Return fire from the merchant ships had to be seen to be believed. I was dead before my props were underwater. Have to keep reminding myself its not 1940 anymore.... It was 1943 May 22nd.

P.S. Does anybody else find the daily radio reports of lost fellow Kaleuns quite depressing?

P.P.S Is Cape Town/Durban worth the trip(1943)?

KptLt Riccardo U-501

UKönig

11-06-14, 03:40 PM

UKönig

11-06-14, 03:45 PM

My navigation officer sounds the depths at regular intervals until there is just enough water under the keel to operate at periscope depth.
I raise the sky scope from the control room, because I am too lazy to climb the ladder to the attack scope. Besides, I was using the attack scope when the depth charge that destroyed our forward deck and cannon went off, and the shock wave shivered the glass. It's like looking through a mass of spider webbing, so I'll just use the one that's clear. I spin the lens all around looking for aircraft and when I see the skies are empty but for the moon and stars, I lower the scope and begin the surfacing action.
"Auftauchen". I order.
U-110 struggles to the surface.
"Blow main ballast by diesel, start the starboard engine" I order.
Once the pressure is equalized, I finally drag my lazy ass up the ladder to the bridge, to open the the hatch. My 2WO follows behind, the Chief stays at his station in the control room.
At this moment, I prefer to keep few men on the bridge, mostly because of its condition.
As our port engine is not worthy of the name, it takes us three times longer than normal to wend our way through the fjords to the submarine pens at Bergen. When we are about 20 minutes travel time from the base, we transmit a short wave signal, informing them of our impending arrival. And nothing else.
We get a reply telling us we are cleared for arrival at sub-pen #1. And nothing else.
At a little after 0100 hrs, with the cover of early morning darkness, which is not much because of the season and latitude, U-110 glides up to and enters submarine pen 1. Any longer and the whole of Norway could see how badly damaged we were. How embarrassing.
"All stop".
During the usual docking ritual, one of the workers looks up in slack jawed amazement at the shredded foreship and asks "What happened to your deck gun?"
"Idiot". Out of the corner of my mouth I mutter to the 2WO on my left. To the worker I shout back "Take a guess!"
I instruct the 2WO that I am going ashore first, to hand in my reports, but I want the officers and crew to take their personal belongings from the ship, and muster in the parade square in 20 minutes.
I'm barely back on dry land when one of the base staff approaches and asks if I've heard the news. "I just got back in a leaky boat with a busted leg and a dodgy radio, what kind of news would I have heard?"
The officer ignores my tone. "Two of the latest class U-boat, the type twenty-ones, have arrived from Germany. They docked the day before yesterday and rumor has it, one of the Captains on roster here, at this base, will be given command of one of them."
"Well that probably won't be me. Have you seen the condition of U-110? It's more scrapheap than submarine."
"Yeah well, the base commander wants to see you in his office right away."
I think to myself 'I'll just bet he does'.
As I work my way towards the base compound and the offices of the CNC U-boats Norway, I rehearse the things I plan to say. The little demon on my left shoulder teases "you are in a lot of trouble this time captain. Your 1WO and flak crew, all highly decorated I might add, are dead because of your bravado. Your boat is a virtual write off at a time when what we need are *more* ships at sea, and you brought back a pittance in tonnage. Yeah, you'll be lucky if they don't execute you for this."
The little angel on my right shoulder is a bit more reassuring with "Now come on, you have sunk over one million GWTs for the reich, so far, and you are one of the most decorated captains with the most decorated and senior crews in the fleet, against all possible odds, I might add. It's doubtful they will shoot you as soon as you step through the door. They'll probably wait for you to close it first."
Finally I arrive at the Commander's office. I knock on the door and am granted permission to enter. I close the door behind me and take a quick look around the room. With his high backed chair facing away from me, I see the base commander seated, looking out the windows.
I brace at attention and salute "Kapitanleutnant Konig reporting as requested, Sir."
"It wasn't a request."
No, it never is.
Suddenly, he swivels his chair around and I hear the report of a loud bang. I look and see that the commander is holding...a champagne bottle. He produces two long stemmed glasses from beneath the desk and pours a measure into each. Handing one to me, and ignoring the shocked look on my face, he says "Congratulations Kapitanleutnant, I have good news for you...."

WilhelmSchulz.

11-06-14, 04:02 PM

UKönig have you ever thought of compiling all your short stories into a book of sorts?

UKönig

11-06-14, 04:27 PM

UKönig have you ever thought of compiling all your short stories into a book of sorts?

yes I have, and I am. In a way, posting on this forum is a "poor-man's copyright." The time and date stamp is a crude form of proof of when I posted these segments, if someone else should compile and try to sell without my cut in profit for the creative work, for whom I must also offer credit to Herbert Werner, Lothar Buchheim, and Harald Busch, for their outstanding novels on the subject.

If those who read these posts enjoy them then I feel that I am doing a job well done and that is a reward on its own. Having said that I do have an agent and I am trying to sell this idea to the entertainment industry. I feel it has an easy flow to it and the subject almost writes itself. What you are reading is not very far from a first draft. I thank all who take the time to indulge my interest in the Uboat campaign. I also have a German in law who went missing on the russian front in the last week of Jan, '45 so in a small way, it's my salute for his then pointless sacrifice.

PS. And I do enjoy reading about the campaigns that other players have had. I get inspiration from them as well. I thank you all.

Riccardo1975

11-07-14, 03:04 AM

Thanks Ukonig!

Ive got two Liberty class to finish off, West of Dakar then off to South Africa. Hope its more productive than ED11.... :)

Admiral Halsey

11-07-14, 09:41 AM

Currently patrolling off the southern coast of Ireland at the moment. I've bagged me a coastal tanker but that's it so far. War only started with England a couple days ago so the pickings are going to be slim for awhile.

banryu79

11-10-14, 05:40 AM

If those who read these posts enjoy them then I feel that I am doing a job well done and that is a reward on its own.
Kudos to you!
I've enjoyed very much the lecture, and hoping to read about future exploits of Kapitanleutnant Konig on a Type XXI!!! :D

UKönig

11-13-14, 04:42 PM

With my command cap tucked under my left arm, and my reports folder in my right hand, I accept the glass awkwardly with my left hand and ask, "Begging your pardon Sir, but I don't think you have seen my reports yet; there may not be enough left to congratulate."
I place the folder on the desk in front of him and I notice (hard to read because it's upside down) an official correspondence with my name on it. A shiver of fear runs through me, because it's probably my execution order, and this champagne is a last rites sort of gesture on the part of the CO.
"Nonsense." He says matter-of-factly. "Two things prevail." "We got a transmission from you a few days ago. We sent a reply, but you never answered. We presumed the worst."
He looks at the official folder I placed on the desk and says, "If those reports contain what your wireless report did, then I already know what I need to, and the rest is just a formality."
Between sips of champagne I ask, "What's the second part?"
"This." he says and hands over the official memo. I haven't begun to read it when the Officer takes another memo from his desk, crumples it into a paper ball, and throws it into the fireplace, which, for the first time, I notice is burning nicely. A few months hence that fireplace will be eating a lot of paperwork...
I ask "Was that....?"
"The three star announcement? Yes. You made it back, we don't need to take things that far.
"I have already taken the task of condolence letters to the families of your dead crew. I hope you don't mind, but we saw to that after you made your last radio report."
"Well, I don't think the boys will regret missing the papers again this time."
As I finish my drink I read the memo I was given.
I skip down to the part that says, "Forthwith is assigned as Commanding Officer of the type XXI class, U-2503!"
"Well Herr Kaleun, you have made quite a name for yourself. You have amassed enough renown to come to the attention of some very influential persons at headquarters. They have decided that your tonnage count is enough to trust you with the latest design, and so, when you have gotten yourself and crew cleaned up I will be taking you down to the docks to introduce you to your latest command."
"Ack! My crew! I left instructions for them to fall in for muster in the parade square, and they've probably been waiting around for the last ten minutes now, wondering what's happened."
"Look." He begins, "It's 0800, Norway time, go take care of your crew and meet me back here tomorrow morning at the same time. You and your crew will not be going back into battle for a few weeks now anyway. I have scheduled some training time for you to get used to the new boat first. It is a very different breed of fish. And not without its troubles."
A raised eyebrow from me.
He continues "The sister ship that sailed up with, U-2511, still requires more shakedown. Korvettenkapitan Schnee is in command and he is currently tasked with getting her into shape. Things are not so well with the new XXIs, they were, shall we say?...rushed into production."
I nod in understanding, and he continues. "U-2503 is more combat ready, but I need a captain and crew who are well trained in the quirks of this new design before I can commit them to battle. I am sure that I can count on you Herr kapitanleutnant, for your understanding, and success."
After I am dismissed, I head to the parade square to confer with my new Exec.
I tell the officers and men nothing in particular, but that they have the rest of today off, and are to muster in the square at 10 am, tomorrow morning. And no heavy partying! I also tell them to reset their watches to the proper time. We have been cut off from the normal cycles of life, of night and day for so long that nothing feels real anymore. I detail the (former) Ensign to return to U-110 with a select crew of engineering techs, to finish closing the last rites of the boat. Not right away, of course, they get some time to clean up first.
The next morning, after breakfast, I gather my newly promoted 1WO and Chief Engineer and we head, washed, shaved, and in clean uniforms for a change, over to the offices of the C-in-C, U-boats, Norway, for my formal Acceptance of command, and a surprise for my 2 officers who know nothing of the reasons I've dragged them here.
The CO tells us that before we begin, he would like to see the remains of the infamous U-110, so we all pile into his Mercedes Cabriolet staff car (black), and are chauferred a short, ten minute drive back to the U-pens.
The guard on duty salutes the senior officer present, and opens the door for us. We all clear the hatchway and step inside, and the guard then closes the door behind us. My chief hits a few switches on the nearest wall, and a few more lights come on overhead.
She's sealed in and resting on chocks and at the moment, the pen has been pumped dry. Looking down on the shredded remains of her rusting carcass, I proclaim with a sweeping gesture, "Our Boat."
From the engineer, "May she rest in peace."
From the 1WO, "Because she's certainly in pieces."
From me, "Do you guys mind? I'm really hurting here. I loved this stinky, rusty, moldy, ole' tub, and I will not have you disrespecting my pain."
"Sorry, Sir." From my crew.
"Nah, it's ok. She really is junk now. I'm not nearly busted up as I could be." I said, thinking about the promise of U-2503.
"So this is U-110, huh?." Says the CO. Korvettenkapitan 'something or other'.
He leans closer and takes a good long look at the upper deck. The shredded foreship, missing deck gun and jumping wires. It looks stupid with the snorkel canted at 45 degrees. Like a tree falling in the woods that refuses to go all the way to the forest floor...
"Wow, you really didn't bring back much, did you?" He laughs.
"Let's go take a look at what's left, shall we?"
The engineer grabs a flashlight from a nearby tool box and we all trudge down the stone stairs into the basin, to study the remains of U-110, type VIIC, glorious old wreck...

CCIP

11-17-14, 09:34 PM

:salute: Cheers to the old boat!

***

As for me, cruising the Baltic on June 19th, 1941 in the U-149 - like the historical U-149, preparing for the go-word on Barbarossa.

http://i.imgur.com/7MUbssU.jpg

The real U-149 was one of a few Kriegsmarine units supporting the initial invasion of the USSR, and sunk one small M-Class Soviet submarine in the process. Let's see what my virtual U-149 can do!

Zosimus

11-28-14, 06:07 PM

Patrol 8 completed. I am sailing out of Lorient even though I have not been assigned there officially. This was a new experience for me. I am pleased to say that I sank my first Auxiliary Cruiser during this voyage. It was traveling at 7 knots in a convoy guarded by a lone corvette. I fired a two-torpedo salvo at 1300 meters, steamers, high-speed, and struck the vessel amidships and toward the back. It exploded and sank immediately. I was glad.

I also sank my first corvette on this outing–by deck gun, if you can believe that. It was unintentional. I was stalking the same convoy I mentioned above and the winds were very calm at 2 m/s so I was moving torpedoes inside while maneuvering for position. Suddenly I was spotted. I realized that I was spotted because the ships began to zigzag. I knew the corvette would soon be after me, so I turned tail and ran. Yes, I know that I could have just dived and reset the torpedo movement, but I think someone on here said that was cheating so I was trying to get the torpedo inside before the corvette was on me. I set course 180º and soon the corvette was hot on my tail and firing. I took some damage, but I managed to keep him at bay until I got the torpedo inside. Then I figured, what the heck, I'll just kick it up to full speed and head around and back to his convoy before he can get there first.

That's exactly what I did, although I took some more damage on my way back. Just as I was getting close to the convoy I realized that the corvette was no more than 3500 meters away and I thought that there was no way I was going to get a shot off and avoid having him shoot me.

Then I thought... why hasn't he shot me already? Well, it seems Mr. Corvette ran out of bullets, and I hadn't actually noticed. Well, well, well, Mr. Corvette, the tables are turned. So I came about and we headed straight for each other. At about 1500 meters I turned 40º starboard and gave the gunner the green light. I hadn't counted on the corvette having additional rounds, but apparently he had some sort of what I assume was an anti-aircraft gun, and he started firing at me with that. However, after about 8 rounds, I put him underwater.

Then I headed back to the unguarded convoy and had some fun. One of the ships opened fire on me, but it was a bad shot. I headed straight for that ship, and soon the gunner sank it.

Then I fired off all the torpedoes I had, and even manned the anti-aircraft gun to fire more shots. I did what I could.

Final results:

14 Merchants sunk for 76,745 tons.
2 Warships sunk for 14,800 tons.
Hull Integrity at 49.82 percent.
Promoted to Kapitan Lieutenant.
Awarded Knight's Cross.
Docked at Lorient. :rock: It is still not my base of operations. My commander back in Wilhelmshaven must be displeased, but I still got decorated.

yasti

11-28-14, 09:51 PM

Just freshly transferred to St Nazaire with the 3rd Flotilla when it became available in 1940. First patrol took me over to Quandrant BE where I encountered 3 convoys within 2 days of eachother, with only corvette's escorting them.

Performed two surface night attacks and a midday attack at periscope depth. Outran the escorts on the surface. 55, 000 tons sank.

Next patrol grid takes me down to the Canary Isles.

Zosimus

12-29-14, 03:31 PM

April 25, 1941–reporting from Corrientes. I have finished my 12th patrol, which sent me much further south than I've ever been. On my way to my assigned square I picked up a convoy and sank 5 ships before abandoning it because all my torpedoes were in external storage.

Two days later the weather was calm enough to bring the torpedoes in. I got a radar contact on another convoy, but I ignored it in order to finish my 24-hour patrol. From there I headed toward Freetown with only 6 torpedoes left. On my way I got a radio contact for a convoy and plotted an intercept. While in route to intercept it, I got another radio contact for the same convoy and I was able to plot a perfect course for the convoy and lie in ambush for it. In heavy rain I spotted a tanker at 600 meters and hit it with a two-torpedo salvo. It sank immediately for more than 10,000 tons.

I dived to 170 meters and headed off surfacing some 5,000 meters from the nearest escort, but the weather had cleared and I was in easy spotting range. However, there was a straggler ship. I looked at it through the UZO and saw that the front of it was dipping into the sea. I decided to take a chance and headed straight for it at 8 knots. At 2,400 meters from the ship I was spotted by the frigates, and they opened fire, so I gunned the engine and lit up the hapless ship. I sank it and crash dived before the frigates could zero in on my position. Cruising at 150 meters I was set to re-engage the convoy when a frigate got in a lucky ping. I went to 190 meters to shake it off and then had to go around to the front again.

I set up a perfect shot on a large ship of some sort and fired a two-torpedo salvo, but one of them clanged off the hull. I crossed my fingers and hoped that it would sink, but it never did. Cursing my luck I headed out and around the convoy again where I engaged some large ship with the last of my torpedoes. Both of them hit and from my 20 meter depth I heard the explosions light up the night sky. Throwing caution to the wind I dove to 180 meters at ahead full and then set course for Corrientes.

Once I was some 12km from the convoy I surfaced and headed straight home, but as luck would have it I ran into two unescorted ships headed somewhere. So I went over to investigate and decided they were hostile when they opened fire. I manned the deck gun and sank both without so much as a scratch.

Back on course to Corrientes, I ran into another two ships. Again, when I investigated, one opened fire on me. I sank it to avoid the shots. It was a coastal vessel–not even 2000 tons, but the other one was worth some 4800 tons. I had to resort to the anti-aircraft gun to finally put her down.

End result:
112,895 tons.

My first patrol with all T2 torpedoes.