Tell us what you are upto in your current campaign [Archive] - Page 3

Melonfish

07-21-09, 05:12 AM

Well Bernhard Neumann and the crew of U-36 have just completed their 3rd patrol! A nifty little jaunt out in the north atlantic.

The crew Seem happier now we're gaining tonnage, our virgin patrol we had to turn back just out of wilhelmshaven sound, her overhall after shakedown missed a cracked piston in the port diesel engine. the decision to head back to port was hard on the men... (actually clearing a bug)

Our second patrol saw us sweep the north of scotland catching some lone C2 cargo ships then on our way back snook into Hartleypool Harbour and showed the english that their ships aren't safe even in dock! 44767gmt for that patrol! including a sitting duck of an armed trawler, how that english pig churchill thinks he'll ever win the war in the atlantic is beyond me.
it took us quite a while to round up the lords after the party back at base i'll tell you!

we've just returned home from AL63 driving rain and fog hampered our efforts but we still managed to send some lone merchants to the bottom and took out a C3 (SS president jefferson) laden with textiles with a single shot to her midriff. broke her back and she went underwith all but 6 hands.
however this is nothing compared to the many times recounted tale of our first downed Hurricane! our very own 2cm ace Erich Eckermann couragiously faced a fusilade of fire to score a direct hit on an attacking fighter. she spiralled in off our starboard side not even having chance to drop her deadly bombs! :rock: for this action BDU have awarded Bootsman Eckermann the Iron Cross 2nd class.

again the party after returning home was one to behold! patrol tonnage 24363gmt

to date we stand 6000 gmt more then that big shot Gunther Prien in U-48! our next patrol awaits :D

TigerShark808

07-21-09, 10:23 PM

The initial patrol is intended to act as a shakedown.....you were given an additional 1000 renown to compensate for sinking the two neutrals (everything is neutral in August 39).

I see:)

That would explain why after sinking these two ships I was fired ON by those ships echoed at port. :)

PavelKirilovich

07-22-09, 01:01 AM

The crew of U-198 was assembled at 05h30 for final muster before boarding and preparing to get underway. Kapitanleutnant Gerhard Schaal conferred with his officers at 05h50, fifteen minutes before scheduled cast off.

Briefing:
U-198 will depart Lorient at 06h05 3 June 1943 to patrol grid GP35 at commander's discretion. Be advised that U-448 will be on station at DF67-13 beginning 5 June 1943 and will remain on station until late April 1943 (estimated). Should U-198's patrol run over into September of 1943, the boat should be prepared for a possible rebasing order.

Entry I.
3 June 1943. 09h35. BF61-42
Cleared the harbour at 07h00. Encountered two U-Flak patrolling and exchanged pleasantries. Expect good weather and a fine patrol. The plan is to attack Norfolk and move south, eventually engaging targets in South American ports before moving to assigned patrol grid. Crew morale high, they expect another highly successful patrol. Officers particularly optimistic.

Entry II.
7 June 1943. 15h45. BE68-46
Radio report received, indicating large convoy to U-198's immediate north bearing 180 steaming fast. U-198 will attempt an intercept. Weather has become rough.

Entry III.
7 June 1943. 16h20. BE68-53
Contact made with convoy and contact report transmitted to BdU. Convoy includes Southampton class light cruiser. Making a submerged approach to attempt a pass on this target, will fire stern tubes at troopship prior to diving away from convoy.

Entry IV.
7 June 1943. 16h48. BE68-52
Between the periscope and the hydrophones, it is estimated that there are twenty vessels in this convoy. All vessels flying the Red Ensign. Convoy heading 180, speed 13 knots.

Entry V.
7 June 1943. 18h05. BE68-51
Convoy moving too fast to be intercepted. Contact lost. Range never less than 6800 metres, too far for an eto shot, ato shot impractical. Returning to planned route.

DaveU186

07-22-09, 06:55 AM

On our first patrol in the med. Managed to pick up a large cargo being escorted by a J&K Classes NW of Alexandria, popped the escort with a homing torp, and finished off the cargo with two more. Cargo didn't seem to notice it's escort had been sunk and continued on the same course. :rotfl:

The next morning sunk a passenger/cargo in the same area.

Couple of days later, near Malta, we find a large merchant escorted by a patrol boat, and manage to get two torps onto the merchant from 4km, which starts to sink. Patrol boat detected us though, but just as he was closing on our position, he was rather nicely bombed by a couple of luftwafe aircraft.

That's more like it from the fly boys. :rock:

Melonfish

07-22-09, 08:21 AM

Kapitans log, Feb 12th 1940,

Again we have fruitlessly patrolled our north atlantic grid not a convoy to be seen and not a single report.
we were hampered by the RAF accross the coast of scotland, the weather has been still and bright with the sea almost glasslike and at night a full moon shone to give us away... however we did catch some lone freighters and a large cargo carrier. we also sent a trawler to the bottom with a single deck gun round well placed by our excellent crew.

On our return leg i made the decision to check out the lock Ewe shipping lanes as we had caught one or two coastal merchants coming out of that area. all we found however was bad weather and destroyers! heavy fog driving rain and almost zero visibility. This actually allowed us to slip into the port. however, forewarned by the weather service all but a solitary T2 tanker had left for the open sea...
we sent her to the bottom and started the quiet trek out. no less then 5 destroyers could be heard probing the sound but with the cover of the weather we have managed to sneak out again.

i've set a northerly course round scotland again i hope to catch some ships heading off the nordic shipping lanes, diesel oil is still plentiful dispite some earlier speed runs but we're down to 3 bow and 2 stern torpedo's, if the weather eases we can perhaps use the deck gun.
Spirits remain high dispite the lack of convoys, we are denying the enemy their vital supplies with every ship we sink be it 85 tonnes or 3000.
kptlt B Neumann.

:|\\

Flippo84

07-22-09, 12:43 PM

U-47 (VIIB) Patrol 5

Kaptains log, November 24th 1940

Right after leaving the bay of biscaya I receved a contact report of a convoy leaving britain in West direction at about 8 Knots.

Plotted an interception course immediatly. I expected to meet with the convoy after a five hour travel at 9 Knots.

Propeller sounds were reported after reaching the meeting point about an hour before the convoy traveled in.

I send my IWO up to give a weather report. Result was disappointing. After leaving france in good conditions, there is heavy fog, wind at 15 m/s and heavy rain now.
http://www.bilder-upload.eu/show.php?file=GfTHeE799KcY74T.jpghttp://www.bilder-hochladen.net/files/78rm-6-jpg.html%5D%5Bimg%5Dhttp://www.bilder-hochladen.net/files/thumbs/78rm-6.jpg
http://www.bilder-hochladen.net/files/78rm-6-jpg.html%5D%5Bimg%5Dhttp://www.bilder-hochladen.net/files/thumbs/78rm-6.jpghttp://www.bilder-hochladen.net/files/thumbs/78rm-6.jpg

Decided to shadow the convoy at about 10 km range and wait for better weather.

Started an attack on the convoy in the first night after consulting my weapons officer and IWO. Layed on the estimated convoy course with decks awash at 90°. The lead destroyer passed the boat's bow at 100 m. The watch crew was stunned in fear of death. Not yet guys. It passed without opening fire. Launched tube I and V. both torpedos hit and we recognized sinking sounds after diving away from the escorts. Of course they had no chance to find us in this storm.

Surfaced again after 1 1/2 hours. We decided to stay away from the convoy till the weather is better. If the destroyer had opend fire at a range of 100m, I would not be able write this here.

Nearly five days passed by now. It seems like this is the heavyest atlantic storm I've seen so far. No signs of better weather.
http://www.bilder-upload.eu/show.php?file=vhWQCwl0sA7q76N.jpg
http://www.bilder-hochladen.net/files/thumbs/78rm-7.jpg

The crew can't hold on for a long time. All we need is better weather.

http://www.bilder-hochladen.net/files/thumbs/78rm-8.jpg
http://www.bilder-upload.eu/show.php?file=KFu2Jj0734CGO2k.jpg

RoaldLarsen

07-22-09, 05:13 PM

We last encountered KptLt. Yngve Yung in command of U-196 on October 27, 1944, about 1000km NW of the Azores. He had an undamaged type IXC2, 85% of his diesel, 19 torpedos, and nearly all of his deck gun ammo left but was running short of 20mm shells.

Early in the morning of October 31, U-196 was almost run over by a hunter-killer group. There were several tense minutes as Yung maneuvred his boat to avoid being detected.

Two days later Yung encountered two merchants, only two hours apart, and sunk them both. Shortly after this date, the wind speed rose to 15m/s. It did not go lower than 12m/s for the rest of the patrol.

On November 21, about 150km south of St. John's, Newfoundland, U-196 was surprised by what appeared to be an armed Canadian merchant ship, which materialised out of a fog bank 2km away. Before U-196 could dive, the Canadians scored several hits with their 4" deck gun, causing heavy damage to the u-boat. After crash diving, evading and repairing the damage, Yung tracked the suspicious ship by hydrophone, set up an interecept course, and made a successful submerged attack.

Despite the damage, Yung decided to continue the patrol. The next day a convoy was detected by hydrophone, but by the time its course was determined, the convoy had moved ahead of U-196's position. Yung decided to overtake in a flanking move on the surface. As U-196 was bearing abreast of the convoy, a sharp-eyed lookout spotted an escort charging at them from the port quarter. Yung ordered a dive to periscope depth and readied the boat's sole accoustic homing torpedo. It was fired at a range of about 1500m, and a minute later the Buckley class DE exploded. Hydrophones picked up another escort approaching, so Yung went deep and snuck away from the convoy. After the escort had finished searching and rejoined the convoy, Yung again surfaced and attempted an end-around, but a radar contact was detected, and again U-196 had to go deep. By the time the hunters had given up, the convoy had gotten too close to the shallow waters of the Grand Banks, so Yung reluctantly gave up the pursuit and headed back to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, with the intent of reaching his assigned patrol area off Sept Iles, Quebec.

Yung sank two lone ships about 100-150 km west of Sydney, but had to continually dodge air patrols and patrolling warships. By the end of November U-196 was past the patrols at the entrance of the Gulf and had reached a postion north of Cape Breton. At this point the weather had deteriorated to a foul gale. The only ships encountered were fishing vessels and other small craft too stupid to stay in harbour. Yung watched two of them fall victim to the heavy seas.

By mid-December U-196 had taken up station off Sept Isles, but the only contacts were with air patrols. No merchant traffic was coming down the St. Lawrence River. Yung gave up the position, and the crew of U-196 celebrated their last Christmas of the war by completing the circumnavigation of Anticosti Island. Yung took U-196 out of the Gulf through the Strait of Belle Isle and set course for the gap between Iceland and the Faeroes.

Along the way, U-196 encountered and sank four more ships, using up the remainder of the available torpedos in the process. There were still two torpedos in aft above-deck stowage but the seas were too rough to transfer them below.

Much of the return journey was done surfaced, at speed, in heavy fog. U-196 safely made port in Bergen on January 24 1945 after a patrol that lasted 129 days. Yung had fired 24 torpedos. All had hit their target. He sank 15 merchants and an American escort, and shot down an embarrassing number of aircraft.

PavelKirilovich

07-22-09, 08:54 PM

KptLt. Gerhard Schaal and the crew of U-198 congratulate KptLt. Yngve Yung and the crew of U-196 on their highly successful patrol off the Canadian coast, made all the more impressive as U-198's own experiences in that area have been decidedly stressful with near-constant destroyer, frigate, and air attacks consistently coming far too close for comfort.

-- --

Entry VI
10 June 1943. 04h30.
Word received from BdU that a major effort by the Allies is underway in the Mediterranean. Large task forces have been sighted West-South-West of Pantelleria and Lampedusa. All boats at sea belonging to 29 Flotilla have been ordered to operate in this area.

Entry VII
12 June 1943. 00h31. BD98.
Message received from BdU concerning operations in the Mediterranean. Lampedusa and Pantelleria have fallen. All available boats belonging to 29. Flotille are to hunt in the Sicily Channel. U-198 wishes them the best of luck.

Entry VIII
12 June 1943. 02h00. BD97-37.
Encountered a lone Liberty cargo vessel steaming Eastwards. Moved to intercept. Target first located at 8700 metres by watch crew. Not detected by RADAR despite ideal conditions for the set. Both the Kaleun and RADAR operator are exceedingly frustrated by the set's uselessness. Submerged attack planned.

Entry IX
12 June 1943. 03h20. BD97-46.
Due to the use of electric torpedoes the attack was a failure. The launch was made from a position well within the weapon's effective engagement envelope, however despite the great care taken to assume a position from which the torpedoes would be effective, the target was not destroyed. It is possible but hugely unlikely that a mistake in aiming was made - according to the hydrophone operator on duty at the time, it sounded as if the engines simply ran out of electric power for whatever reason, causing the torpedoes to fall short of the target. Battery malfunction is being blamed for this loss. Attack aborted in order to conserve fuel and ammunition. Crew morale now shaken by the news of Allied advances in the Mediterranean and by the failure of the two torpedoes fired at the Liberty Cargo.

Entry X
14 June 1943. 20h10. CD32-44.
Visual contact made with a tramp steamer of unknown nationality - presumed to be American - heading 090 at an estimated six knots. Will only engage if it so happens that the low value target moves wtihin easy deckgun range.

Entry XI
14 June 1943. 20h30. CD32-44.
SHortly after the last log entry the tramp steamer began engaging U-198 with a 4-6" naval rifle fitted aft of the superstructure. This fire was returned expertly by Matrosengefreiters Juergen Schmeisser, Eduward Geffe, and Artur Endrass. Thirty rounds of 10.5cm ammunition were expended on this target, with a total of three misses - exceptional shooting, particularly given that the deck gun crew were exposed to incoming fire and U-198 was taking evasive action at high speed. After the third round impacted, the target began burning fiercely. Following rounds caused numerous secondary explosions. U-198 suffered light damage when the merchant marine gunners were able to hit the boat twice, both times on the conning tower. An attempted ramming was evaded through the expert seamanship displayed by all concerned personnel aboard U-198. The LI recommends the boat not dive below 190 metres. The enemy continued to return our fire until their gun was blown clear by a direct hit from our own weapon. Crew morale restored to high levels after this success. Matrosengrefreiters Geffe and Endrass recommended for Iron Class 1K. Bravo zulu to all hands. U-198 continues on her course to attack Norfolk harbour.

Melonfish

07-23-09, 05:37 AM

Kapitans log U-36 April 1940.

The crew are resting after another successfull patrol, our 5th in fact which went well dispite being ordered to patrol just west of wilhelmshaven...
unable to resist temptation however and getting but a single C3 Cargo ship in 5 days we decided to once again raid hartleypool. the allies would not expect a second raid in under 3 months! and i was right. they were caught unawares.
the weather in the north atlantic has been terrible this april, however it actually managed to ease off when we got into the harbour.
we had just sank a c2 sat on the dock when my watch officer called out a scary sight, coming into the harbour at full steam was an armed trawler!

fortunatly our deck gun crew were ready and waiting, and put their drills to good use dispite the rain and fog, our first round took the trawlers main weapon out of action! and the crew then placed several well aimed shots into her hull and she sank shortly after sighting. we suffered some light damage on the forward bow from her 2cm guns and at the time i believed she had damaged our forward reserve torpedo, the weather did not allow us to inspect this properly and upon returning to port found it to actually be in tact.

we finished the other ships held on the docks and submerged ready for our exit when my hydrophone operator reported a warship contact heading straight for the mouth of the harbour. at first i guessed another armed trawler but when she finally came into view she was a V&W destroyer...

as soon as she entered the harbour she was pinging with her asdic, but her turning circle was too wide and she could not lay over the top of us as i had manouvered us by the north sea wall.
i decided to leave the harbour quickly but in doing so we lined up a perfect shot from our stern tubes as the destroyer was trying to reverse course. i loosed the shot from 380m with magnetic settings.

It detonated under her forward ammunition bunker destroying the ship instantly, a sour victory as i'm sure many of her crew were lost...
being in the harbour many men had already escaped or the other ships were practically unmanned so the loss of life was little compared to that at open sea. still this is two less warships in the british navy.

total tonnage to date 169000grt.
we begin our 6th patrol in earnest in 4 nights, BDU have also seen fit to promote me to Oberlutenant Zur See for my actions, just one more step to kapitan lieutenant!

Oblt Z. S Berhard Neumann.

Pohl

07-24-09, 02:58 AM

I can't complain, 2 days after leaving port found a Large Convoy

A couple of Large Merchants, Ore Carriers, Whale Factories, some Medium Cargo, 2 Corvettes......and 1 Battleship
http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt348/arleccin/9e63ff41.jpg

Had a great time hunting them :P but I run out of eels very fast, HMS Rodney took at least 5 eels to sink :nope: , after escaping the lone Escort trying to DC me, I found this and almost crashed against it
http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt348/arleccin/ae969222.jpg

Then we set route to home port at full ahead, I didn't want any surprise on my way back, my men where happy when we started to see port ahead of us, going to spend some time with the family before our next patrol.
http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt348/arleccin/10b9d2c2.jpg

http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt348/arleccin/5c03dc2d.jpg

Earned 2250 Renown for this patrol and I got promoted to Oberleutnant z. S.

DaveU186

07-24-09, 08:24 AM

U-2548 has just returned following its first patrol out of Bergen, October 1942. Encountered a large convoy in the BF area with a number of large ships....and a bogue class. :yeah:

Managed to sink two large merchants and, after taking out her propellers, came back when the convoy had moved on to sink the carrier.

Returned home with 47k of shipping to our name.

lynard

07-25-09, 10:07 PM

Successful Patrol 8 for U46. Picked up 2 tankers and large cargo for 80,000. Did my usual trick and used up all torpedoes before reaching assigned patrol grid. Sure enough a large convoy came through and all we could do was wave as they steamed passed.:salute:
Left Brest August 1940 on Patrol 9. Bdu reported large eastbound convoy NW of our position. We have been shadowing ahead of the convoy for nearly 2 days. Weather is atrocious, rain, big seas and heavy fog. We scooted too far ahead last night and lost contact. They might have changed course to the SE as we are now getting close to the coast.
We have another convoy to the NE of us, so hopefully might have a chance at one of these if the weather improves.
I would love to know what my bridge crew get up to when I'm not there. As soon as I go up, they jump, grab their binocs and make out they have been hard at it. :stare:

RoaldLarsen

07-25-09, 10:49 PM

Lt.zS. Friedrich Niecke, commanding type VIIC U-987 of 11th Flotilla operating out of Bergen, returned on 1944DEC15 from a 36 day patrol between the Shetlands and the Faeroes during which not a single merchant contact was detected. There was an average of more than one warship contact per day in the patrol area, but, being equipped with only a single accoustic torpedo, U987 did not engage.

DaveU186

07-26-09, 04:55 AM

November 1942, and the captain of U-2548, en route back to her base in Bergen after a successful patrol off the American East coast, is increasingly depressed by the number of distress messages from other u-boats complaining of attacks from Allied aircraft.

PavelKirilovich

07-27-09, 10:26 PM

Entry XII
22 June 1943. 01h10. CB54-94.
U-198 advised that Charlotte Schliemann has taken position in South Indian Ocean until approximately mid-February 1944.

Entry XIII
23 June 1943. 17h10. CA69-15.
Encontered an armed and radar equipped blimp, apparently tasked with ASW duties. Dove to twenty metres to evade. These are too slow to be dangerous to a U-boat unless the boat cannot dive for any reason.

Entry XIV
24 June 1943. 20h45. CA82-48.
Another ASW blimp, first detected on the RWR and then by the watch crew. As it is inadvisable to attempt to engage one given their likely armament, U-198 dove away once more. These blimp's value may be in forcing U-boats to submerged for extended periods while vectoring in other ASW assets such as taskforces/patrolgroups.

Entry XV
26 June 1943. 07h30. CA72-94.
Norfolk harbour is lightly guarded and hosting many valuable targets. U-198 intends to engage two petroleum carriers/tankers, an escort carrier, and four destroyers as well as a single destroyer escort. One torpedo per target save for the carrier and the tankers, whcih may require two each. To enable the boat to work safely, the escort vessels will be the initial targets.

Entry XVI
26 June 1943. 07h40. CA72-94.
Two destroyers sunk for two torpedoes. Both the Somers and Clemson class display an alarming tendency to break apart amidships when struck by magnetic-fused pistols running 1.0 metres below their known draught.

Entry XVII
26 June 1943. 08h45. CA72-94.
Destroyer Escort, Evarts class, sunk with one torpedo. One torpedo was also sufficient for the Fletcher class destroyer. Next target is the escort carrier, then the tankers. Will likely forgo the final destroyer, it is tied alongside a quay and may be protected by antitorpedo netting.

Entry XVIII
26 June 1943. 09h00. CA72-94.
Bogue escort carrier sunk using two torpedoes fired from the stern tubes. No secondary explosions, thus far the raid into Norfolk has been met with considerable success.

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j8/PavelKirilovich/Games%20and%20Sims/27JulyPatrolEntry8.jpg

Entry XIX
26 June 1943. 09h55. CA72-94.
Both tankers engaged with two torpedoes each. The modern tanker sank rapidly while the large tanker remained afloat for some time. U-198 is now exfiltrating.

Entry XX
26 June 1943. 17h15. CA73-43.
While exfiltrating from Norfolk harbour, U-198 was detected by a radar system which vectored patrol boats on to U-198's position. As U-198 was in the process of airing out and bringing torpedoes below, an immediate crash dive could not be executed. Use of the Flakvierling installed aft of the turm did little to discourage the attacking PT boats and U-198 suffered some damage but no casualties. After all personnel and the torpedo transfer gear were safely belowdecks U-198 crash dove in shallow water, managing to level off before hitting the bottom. After a short submerged run, U-198 made contact with a destroyer, which manifested itself in the form of a sudden hydrophone contact followed immediately by intensive pinging from the contact and a depth charge attack.

U-198 was able to evade this attack thanks to kobold decoys and hard turning. Another pass was made; U-198 stepped to the outside of this via a rapid turn across the destroyer's turn. At this point the hydrophones operator indicated that engine noise from the target had ceased. The current theory is that the destroyer skipper attempted to switch into reverse gearings and the engine room crew failed to stop the engines before doing so. U-198 was able to unmask the stern tubes and engage the now stationary destroyer. The first torpedo's magnetic pistol failed to fuse; the second torpedo was set to run at 1.5m and impacted the target amidships, causing it to sink very rapidly on an even keel. U-198 surfaced 1.5km from the site of this action and made good her escape.

Entry XXI
26 June 1943. 19h00. CA73-46.
Boat forced to dive again due to numerous radar signals detected by RWR. Will make a prolonged submerged run before resurfacing.

Entry XXII
27 June 1943. 05h05. CA76-75.
Dove to periscope depth due to RWR warning of search radars. Shortly afterwards, hydrophone operator warned of five warship contacts moving parallel to our course. Used attack periscope to identify contacts; four destroyers of varying classes and a fleet carrier, Essex class. As conditions were favourable, one torpedo was fired, set to intercept at medium speed, run depth ten metres. Torpedo prematurely detonated several minutes later. Taskforce accelerated to twenty-four knots, U-198 sprinting along behind at seven knots, hoping for another torpedo opportunity.

Entry XXIII
27 June 1943. 06h25. CA76-85.
Contact with American carrier taskforce lost. U-198 was inevitably outrun. Last sighted heading 160 at twenty-four knots from CA76-84.

Entry XXIV
27 June 1943. 12h02. CA79-78.
BdU informs all boats that the U-boat base at La Spezia is no longer available for operations. It seems the Mediterranean theatre is becoming very hazardous for Kriegsmarine assets. Shortly thereafter another destroyer was spotted, Clemson-class, paralleling the boat's course. It seems operations in the Caribbean will be more heavily contested than anticipated.

Pohl

07-28-09, 03:49 AM

BdU gave us a special mission, according to some information Scapa Flow had 2 Battleships stationed in her port.
And BINGO!, HMS Hood was there..then around 10 km to west of her I found HMS Nelson.

Game crashed so I had to restart :nope: but...it was all the same except I raided Scapa at night not in the day
http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt348/arleccin/4bba9537.png
Hood going down

Took me 2 eels to sink Nelson while Hood took me 7-8 and at least 3 of them bounced against her hull and found 1 Auxiliary Cruiser which only took me 1 eel to sink.

http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt348/arleccin/90b3a9e8.png
Nelson throwing flares

http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt348/arleccin/eaa723b2.png
More flares

http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt348/arleccin/4a6ff08c.png
The fireworks visible from the bridge, I had little risk of being caught since it was night and I tried to load my remaining torpedos into the u-boat, but I only was able to load 2 before Destroyers found me and started to shot at me, in less than 1 minute my hull was down to 58%.

http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt348/arleccin/5ea9a0db.jpg

100k tons in 1 patrol.....not bad :arrgh!:

DaveU186

07-29-09, 07:57 AM

December 1942 and U-2548 has just attacked a large convoy in BE62. Middle of the day and clear weather, but a bold approach was made at flank speed, and it payed off as two coastal freighters, a hunt class, a small merchant and a large tanker were all sunk.

Could have been better though, there were some beasts in the convoy, including two unidentified passenger liners.

Currently at 248 meters getting a right pounding from the beloved Royal Navy. :x

Flippo84

07-29-09, 08:02 AM

7th May, 1942

Oberleutnant z. S. Heinz Theis left St. Nazaire on his 4th patrol. U-436 just arrived in the north atlantic, being transfered from Salamis. After surviving the passage of Gibraltar, things start to get quite though now.

11.5.1942
---------

Spotted two single merchants. A small one of 1.800 BRT and a medium one of 2.800 BRT.

Hit the medium merchant with a single torpedo, no sinking. Startet to attack with the deck gun at night. Faced the two armed merchants at high speed and zig-zag course at 4 Km range. While trying to finish off the medium merchant, got hit on the foredeck. Result: 1 man hurt, one dead. Crash dived.

Resumed attack two hours later. Sunk both with gunnery. No casualitys.

19.5.1942
---------

Encountered a convoy after reaching patrol area in CF34. While trying to attack the outer lines an escort catched me on the surface and opend fire. Boat was hit again while crash diving. Destroyer catched me again with ASDIC. Evaded depth carges and went deep and silent.

Resurfaced two hours later and decided to pursuit the convoy. Put me on top of it during daytime, waited for sunset.

Second attack run was startet at 23:00 (20.05). The crew needs results. Decided to attack the front at PD. Silent running twoards the lead and side escort resulted in no detection. Fired two torpedos. Passenger ship (7.500 BRT) sunk immediatly. After resurfacing the second target, a empire freighter of 6700 was spotted left behind by the convoy. Engine was destroyed. Finished him with a second torpedo. Rushed away on the surface to avoid the returning destroyer.

The crew needs a break from attacking and the atlantic storm now. Ordered 30m at 3 KN for 8 hours.

24.05.1942
----------

Worring about man, who was hurt by the merchant gunnery. The boat has suffered moderate damge too. Mainly there are three options: 1. Head back to St. Nazaire; 2. Go to Vigo and supply the wounded guy; 3. carry on.

Decided to go to Vigo, don't want him to die just for some tonnage.

25.05.1942
----------

While crusing to Vigo, a small convoy was spotted. Sunk a large freighter with one torpedo. Evaded undetected.

02.06.1942
----------

Large convoy reported in range. Decided to attack.

Managed to slip through lead and side escort again. Hit a large tanker and a liberty freighter with one torpedo each. Clear noise of explosion and sinking was recognized while going to deep. The eel directly took out the 8.300 BRT tanker. Left a bolt and changed course while going down to 160m.

Fail. Escorts picked me up on ASDIC on my way down. Two of them started to chase me. Left another bold, course change of 40°. Don't panic. Had to go to ahead flank after the first attacking destroyer left some dc's above me. Explosions very near. Silent running again. The other one listend to my evasion. Again they knew where I was. Same prucedure...

1 1/2 hours later they broke off the attack and rejoined the convoy. Stood submerged till sunrise. Surfaced and had to repair the conning tower. Some dc's were too close.

IWO reported a ship - the liberty freigther. It suffered heavy damage and wasn't able to keep up with the convoy.

Already decided to go back to St. Naziare instead of Vigo, because after the dc's added even more damage to the boat, the LI recommend not to dive below 160m - unsafe while being hunted by a destroyer in good acustic conditions.

In consequence there was no need to save the torpedos anymore by attacking with the deck gun and risk to get another, maybe critical, hit or to have more casualitys. Finished off the liberty freighter and set course to St. Nazaire at 10 Kn.

meduza

07-29-09, 02:17 PM

It's May 2nd 1945, and we left Trondheim for our last patrol. Wish me luck. :D

lynard

07-29-09, 10:00 PM

What a disappointment that was. For nearly 4 days we shadowed convoy 1 into big seas rain and fog, ducking under every hour or so to keep track with sonar. Lost them once but managed to regain contact.
Getting too close to the coast so had to break off. Not taking a great deal of notice of the sonar reports, ordered the boat surfaced for a run back towards the other convoy. Next minute out of the fog comes a destroyer with all guns blazing. :o
Flank speed, a bit of damage, but managed to lose him in the crappy weather. I'm looking astern waiting for the D to come out of the fog when from a lookout "ship spotted". Turned round for a look and Oh S#it!
A T3 tanker right across the bow. Managed to miss him somehow but nearly got ourselves run down by a large cargo.
Crash dived for our second change of underpants today.
We are now, very cautiously, heading back to convoy 2 hoping for a break in the weather.

Good luck to you and your crew meduza. Your next posts will make interesting reading.

Kptlt Thomsen

07-29-09, 10:04 PM

Aug 3, 1940

U-96 left Kiel yesterday on her first patrol..headed for KM grid AM 17..all is quiet..so far.:ping:

Leg

07-30-09, 06:18 AM

28th May 1942 ED98 direct to Curacao :woot:

Jimbuna

07-30-09, 11:30 AM

Jan45 just leaving Bergen in an 11th Flotilla type XXIII.

PavelKirilovich

07-30-09, 11:43 AM

Entry XXV
29 June 1943. 04h55. DC42-79.
Radio report received indicating convoy heading 025 speed 9 knots DC42-42. Moving to intercept.

Entry XXVI
29 June 1943. 07h25. DC42-66.
Contact made with convoy. Weather very poor. Dove to 20m when RWR began receiving surface search set signals. Attempting to make contact on hydrophone now. Weather may force us to abort the attack.

Entry XXVII
29 June 1943. 07h45. DC42-66.
Contact made. Nine vessels thus far, two believed to be escorts. Advancing on the convoy now to attempt a visual contact.

Entry XXVIII
29 June 1943. 08h05. DC42-66.
Visual contact made, twelve kilometres from convoy's South-East-East. Have ID'd several tankers. Will attempt to close for an attack, though due to rough weather and convoy's speed this is not likely to be terribly effective.

Entry XXIX
29 June 1943. 08h40. DC42-66.
Fired one ato at a Modern Tanker set to six metres rundepth range 8560 metres. Torpedo launched perfectly. Boat began diving to twenty meters, altered course to intercept again in thirty minutes, then the torpedo detonated prematurely. Began diving deep and away from the convoy as they now know we're here and the weather has rendered our weapons ineffective.

Entry XXX
1 July 1943. 12h05. DC89-42.
U-198 has received word that the U-boat base in Penang is now operational. The boat will complete its patrol and return to Lorient before rebasing to Penang, as fuel states and crew morale will likely prohibit a direct transfer to Penang from our operational area. There is a notable lack of resupply vessels; at the moment only U-488 and Max Albrecht are available to Atlantic boats, with the latter currently holed up in El Ferrol, Spain. Charlotte Schliemann is operating in the South Indian Ocean, which makes for a total of three servicing the entire Ubootswaffe.

Entry XXXI
1 July 1943. 14h45. DN31-59.
COmpleted a deep diving test. Boat successfully dove to 153 metres and returned after a ballast-blow with no problems. This, despite battle damage incurred earlier in the patrol. LI and the D/C crew are to be commended on a job well done in keeping U-198 mission capable.

DaveU186

07-31-09, 10:22 AM

January 1943 and encountered a US taskforce near Rockall. Four Clemsons escorting a Bogue class, and I've had some success. Managed to sink one and damage two of the destroyers, leaving me free to attack the main prize, and despite getting harrased by aircraft, I had the last laugh and sunk the carrier.

Those pilots will have to ditch in the sea. Unlucky lads. :arrgh!:

Melonfish

08-04-09, 06:21 AM

July 1940, we've just completed our first patrol with our new type IXB U-65, we've left our faithful U-36 awaiting a new commander, i hope she serves her new crew as well as she did us.

We were sent to patrol AN79, not something to be undertaken lightly, however as we neared the english coast fortune smiled and the weather turned heavy, rain and heavy fog made us invisible, regular hydrophone checks allowed us to catch a T2 tanker in heavy weather but foolishly we used 6 torpedo's to send her under, 3 under her keel which slowed her but 2 more to finish and one dud :damn:
still she went down after that, and shortly after we caught a V&W steaming at 12kts oblivious of what was out in the channel!
fired two to be sure and got her with both ;)

Then we crept into southampton and had our wicked way!
a T1, a T3 A black swan sloop and a hunt 1 sat still. then an elco as it tried to harrass us (two deck gun rounds as the wind had dropped)
we then swung round the harbour to find a nice fat PASSENGER LINER sat awaiting doom!
3 torps at close range and then we scarpered. she's blocking the harbour permanently now ;)
took some damage in the rough seas on a subnet as we rode over it, but it was minimal and we continued home catching a small merchant on our way back to port.

9 ships sank for 42153GRT 4 of which were Navy vessels. all in all an excellent shakedown for our type IX.
when we returned to base however i decided that our air cover would benefit from a dual mounting on the conning tower, the 3.7cm gun on the rear is just too slow for catching aircraft and not powerfull enough to damage anything else so we now have two platforms loaded with the latest Zweilings, twin 2cm guns each, our flak crew reckon they can down any allied plane that flies within 800m!

Oblt z.s Bernhard Neumann.

LiveGoat

08-04-09, 07:48 AM

August 27, 1940, 16:02

Currently west of Scapa Flow at about 80 meters being mercilessly harassed by escorts. Looking at the damage screen I see so much yellow on my Type II "ducky" that I would swear Ringo is in the engine room.

Stern planes damaged, batteries damaged, port and starboard diesels damaged, radio damaged, hydrophones damaged, all 3 torpedo tubes destroyed, both scopes damaged, radio antenna damaged and flak gun damaged.

Got the flooding stopped an hour ago.

Nailed an ore carrier, though!:)

DaveU186

08-05-09, 05:13 AM

21st July 1943 - U-2548 - FU13

After nearly a month at sea, U-2548 penetrated St Helena for the second time (although defences were this time much improved), and sunk a large tanker and a troop ship.

Now en route to a patrol area off the coast of Brazil. :up:

Melonfish

08-05-09, 06:47 AM

U-65, 2nd flotilla
Patrol 8 out of wilhelmshaven July-aug 1940.

18.7.40 - We are assigned to patrol AM47 our first atlantik patrol in the larger boat and the crew are excited, we made our way out of wilhelmshaven without mishap and saw U-107 entering port with a stoved in bow, she must have taken a serious beating!

21.07.40 - 3 days without a single sighting, the weather in the north sea has been attrocious! finally however the wind died down and the rain stopped and we signed two small merchant vessals within 20 minutes of each other!
we sent them both to the bottom using our deck gun, the second ship an SS Cap Tafelneh we watched go down, her crew got to the lifeboats but were all roaring drunk! it seems she was carrying wine and spirits, the chief had some of the men launch the dingy and recovered a few cases of red wine, a decent merlot of all things. cook says he'll be able to liven up our meal tonight.

23.07.40 - Destroyer sighted Alarm called. made to periscope depth and decided to take a shot against her, this missed however and she started a search pattern on us. dived to 100m and slipped away she stopped searching and moved on.

25.07.40 - made station at our patrol grid and plotted a search pattern, dived at regular intervals for hydrophone check but Viktor could hear nothing, i'd trust his ears if he said he'd heard a whale fart at 30km.

26.07.40 - decided to head back after a pointless search. no radio contacts and no visual contacts dispite weather being reasonable, or as reasonable as the atlantik gets. making for the north of ireland, i'm going to see if we can catch one of those fat convoys heading for liverpool.

27.07.40 - Radio contact! Convoy sighted AM42 heading for liverpool! we're making best speed after plotting an intercept course.

28.07.40 - 12:01, Almost ran over a C2 cargo SS Santa Isabel on our way to intercept the convoy, she took 12 rounds from our 10.5cm, the gunnery crew are getting much better! We have moved off at all ahead full to catch the convoy, we're goint to line ourselves up ahead of her.

28.07.40 - 22:30 AM53: Convoy sighted! single destroyer running in front, we crash dived to evade but needn't have worried, the speed she was going she wouldn't have heard a rampaging heard of elephants.
set to periscope depth and moved into position on the second line, i think i can see a passenger liner!

28.07.40 - 23:58, the convoy appears to be of mixed origin, American and english ships, i've decided to go for the first ship in the second row, a british T2, she went down quickly!

29.07.40 - 00:04 the convoy is now making slow manouvres to counter us, but they are not aware we're amongst them. the V&W destroyer leading them has turned and is heading for their starboard side, i lined up a high speed Eel as she passed accross our bow and put one forward of her bridge. the convoy is now defenceless.
00:12 - sank the empire egret (C2) she went down like a stone
00:15 - slipped back inline amongst the zig-zagging ships and fired 3 Eels at a british T3 wallowing at the back of the formation, loaded with crude oil the fireball must have been seen on the mainland!
00:20 - Surfaced and slipped away at flank speed to reload, we are repositioning ourselves ahead of the convoy.

01:53 - Again slipped into the convoys ranks, they aren't aware of our presence, used our stern tubes to launch at a C2 then fired two from our bow tubes at another C2 in the next line, both were struck, however the second heaved at the last moment, her back broken and the second bow shot continued into the next line.
01:56 - mine gott in himmel...we've struck her, the SS Rangitane.. an american liner. Viktor said he heard large secondaries and she's listed quickly and will go under in moments... that torpedo was meant for the cargo vessel. we slipped away to reload our final bow torpedo having fired at another c2 cargo with two more and holing her.

02:50 - returned to the rear of the convoy, SS Flying Arrow we'd holed earlier was listing badly but was still afloat, we could see the hurricains on her top decks, they must NOT be allowed to enter port. we fired our final bow torpedo at her and she finally settled and sank. we're heading back to the pen, there are many lifeboats in the water and this close to land the british are surely going to head out in force soon, we stopped briefly to help a lifeboat which seemed swamped in the waves, it was loaded with irish and american citizens...

31.7.40 - rounded the scottish islands and spotted a small tanker, she took a few deck gun rounds and went up, loaded with gasoline... the mood of the men is joyous at our tally: 69695grt this is our best tonnage to date but i find it a bitter victory.

1.8.40 - C2 cargo vessel sighted and we made flank speed for them, however we started taking fire from our port rear quarter, a destroyer had somehow crept up on us, i ordered crash dive and we evaded.

3.8.40 - home at last, the men are happy and i'll let them go ashore and wash out the grime, 12 ships total sank and i need a drink.
oblt.z.s. Berhard Neumann

DaveU186

08-10-09, 06:58 AM

Just leaving Brest, December 1943 on our 42nd patrol. Unfortunately the RAF decided to send four bombers to give me a send off, and not a mile out of port the damage control team are working very hard. :shifty:

DaveU186

08-10-09, 07:12 AM

Another aircraft attacked me as I went through the minefields on the way out, and now I've got a British sub about 3km away.

:dead:

don1reed

08-10-09, 12:33 PM

vvv vvv vvv 027/20:15:06/29.5.1940 UUU45
Vic. 55°54N x 9°35W x stalking large konvoi ENE x
Scored 6 hits 3 duds on 3 oilers and 3 cargos x
Nul sunk x waiting to strike cripples x
Wx: lt fog x wind 25kn/333° x sea 7 x
Ajax sends

don1reed

08-11-09, 08:25 AM

vvv vvv vvv 028/22:30:01/29.5.1940 UUU45
Vic. 55:54N x 9:25W x scored hit and sank crippled cargo x
beastly wx aided in sinking 2 oilers and 2 cargos x
claim 5 successes on this konvoi x 4 aals remain x
Lost contact x proceeding to AO x
wx: no change x
Ajax sends

Captain Birdseye

08-12-09, 02:12 PM

L.z.s ERHARD-OSKAR LÖW

U-522, Type IXC

04/08/43
Heavy air traffic was noted by Löw and his crew coming out of Lorient. Attacked by a Wellington and suffered severe hull damage to the rear of the boat. Diesel engines were out of commission for approximately two hours. The damage was repaired, Löw set out a southerly course to cross the atlantic.

06/08/43
Convoy intercepted in BE 92, several DD's and merchants. One ceramic ocean liner, one large merchant, several small merchants and RMS Empress of Britain. A salvo of torps were fired at RMS Empress of Britain. Only one torpedo hit her bow as she was aware of U-522's presence. Löw stays at periscope depth and is hit by the draught of a DD. Several depth charges cause flooding in the forward and aft torpedo rooms. Severe damage is taken to the radio and hydrophone rooms and 2 hands are killed by exploding bolts.

Approximately an hour after the damage is sustained the crew hear bulkheads collapsing. RMS EoB has been sunk. It's lucky the bulkheads were heard collapsing as the hydrophone is completely destroyed.

U-522 goes on a northerly course and escapes. It returns to base a day later.

DaveU186

08-13-09, 03:16 AM

U-2548 finally sets of on her next war patrol, February 1944. Two weeks previous she had been caught in an allied bombing raid on Brest, and suffered major damage, delaying her voyage.

Indeed, the bombers ambush her again this time, but she escapes with minor damage, and decides to continue her patrol. She's heading for the American East Coast. :yeah:

Once in deep water her crew will attempt to find out if the minor damage sustained has affected her ability to dive to great depths.

Melonfish

08-18-09, 10:59 AM

U-553 - ET28

14.08.41 12:21 Convoy sighted! appears we're behind the convoy, excellent weather heavy but low lying fog, i can clearly see smoke stacks and only shadows of the ships, this weather should keep the enemy from spotting us.

12:59 - convoy is on a zig zag course thanks to our fellow U-boats, i am 3000m to their rear and have large silhouettes cutting accross our bows we're going to fire a full spread at 6° to see if we can't hit some of these beauties!

13:25 - Two hits! looks like a small freighter caught one in her screws and another ship.

13:33 - confirmed, medium tanker est 9000grt has gone down single hit to her port side.

13:40 - small freighter has gone down est 2000grt.

13:47 - alarm sounded, a flower class came out of the fog on our port side firing at us. i've set course to come around the side of the convoy but they're travelling at about 7 kts!

14:20 - depth charges by flower class but she's broken off and moved to lead the convoy, i have surfaced the boat 4000m from the nearest vessel the fog hides us well, we'll be in a position to fire another spread shortly.

14:31 - two torpedo's impacted against a large tanker in the centre of the formation, 3rd torpedo a dud, 4th missed the tanker but has continued and struck a whale factory ship in the next line!!!

14:51 - the large tanker has gone down, Whale factory is listing heavily but still making way.

17:08 - whale factory ship has gone down! she finally took on too much water and the crew have abandoned her!

kept in contact with convoy and picked up a stragler, Empire type freighter moving in from behind.

18:00 sank the empire freighter with our last two bow torps convoy is moving on and two destroyers have shown up, we've headed to 120 at silent and are proceding north away from the convoy!

On RTB total GRT was 40936. a very good patrol! :arrgh!:

Pohl

08-21-09, 12:49 AM

U-177, Type IXD2
Leutnant z. S. Kurt Neubauer
Left at: March 10, 1943, 14:53
From: Lorient
Mission Orders: Patrol grid GO58

Everything went fine when we left port, 2 days later we detected a radar signal @ Grid BF-19, due to the long time it would take me to dive to periscope depth decided to manually engage the Catalina aircraft taking it down in the first run.

Periscope depth to check any sounds and heard a faint engine far away... decided to engage it.

50 minutes later at full ahead saw a DD, 2 Large Merchants & 1 Large Cargo cruising around, lucky enough I was in a good firing position, set torpedos and launched 1 to each merchant, all of them hit, after a while ships started to slowly sink until they went down after a 2nd round of torpedos, while I was trying to go away the DD picked us and started to attack us, destroying torpedo tubes 2 to 4, heavy damage on bow, destroyed our 3 flak guns and left the conning tower with serious damage.
Had to aim with the hydrophone which miracously got no damage, took 3 torpedos to destroy the DD, after that ordered to blow ballast and head to port at full ahead, on our way we found another aircraft, altough I didn't identified it we crash dived since we had no weapons to defend against it, dropped 3 bombs but none hit altough they where really close to our already badly damaged bow, after a while he decided to leave us, then proceed in our way to port.
Altough I had enough eels left I couldn't continue with just 1 torpedo tube functional and 53% hull integrity.

Totale Tonnage was of: 31,107 tons

Spike88

08-21-09, 01:47 PM

Patrol Log of Endres, Heinz
2nd Flotilla out of Wilhelmshaven
U-48
Type VIIB

Patrol 2:
1939, August 20th
Just finished a leisurely cruise through the English Channel on the way to BF18.:haha:

Will wait in patrol grid for the next 12 days.

1939, August 21st 1650(1550 Local time)

Reached Patrol grid. Will test boats, and crews capabilities tomorrow, August 22nd, at 600.

1939, August 22nd

Practiced diving and crash diving. Stalked a French trawler for a couple hours. Then proceeded to do a depth test. Took the ship down to 190M, the crew looked scared and my CE warned that we were too deep. Blew ballasts and returned to the surface.

1939, September 3rd.

Barely an hour after we get permission to attack English shipping we pick up a sonar contact heading towards the English channel. We surface and follow at flank speed. An hour later we come upon a medium tanker flying the British Flag. It is quickly brought down by our deck gun, and we receive our first kill . 3,360 tons :up:

Kapitan Soniboy

08-22-09, 05:37 PM

Captain Wolfgang Petersen's log December 1943

Our modified VIIC was patrolling near Island when we spotted several aircraft closing in from the NW. Crash dived and headed NW to look for an aircraft carrier. Yes, there was a task force with an escort carrier. We closed in silently, hoping to do some damage on the yanks but suddenly, CRAAASH... Damn iceberg... The crash alerted the escorts and we were heavy damaged. Had to blow ballast. Heavy flooding in the torpedo room and several wounded. Destroyed the enigma and all the documents before leaving the ship.

U-81 is no more

Heil H*****! (not)

DaveU186

08-24-09, 11:54 AM

27th August 1939
U-27 left Wilhelmshaven at 05:00 and his heading towards deep water off Norway for some deep dive tests, and then onwards to her patrol grid. Weather is clear and seas calm.

Spike88

08-24-09, 04:54 PM

1939/October/26

U-48 is being refueled and rearmed. Will be leaving for patrol 5 shortly.

Phoenix The Taffer

08-26-09, 04:14 PM

Since I cant shoot torps for crap (just installed the game for the first time recently) I decided to head to Portsmouth in August '39 and torp some stationary targets at night in the harbor. Well I managed to miss anyway...probably could have hit something if I hadnt set the spread so wide. Anyway, I think some patrol craft was following me on the way in that made me nervous (I dunno if he was just curious or what since the war doesnt start til September, right?)...after that I went to periscope depth and he took off somewhere. A little torpedo boat or something was around making himself useful zipping importantly back and forth. The wreckage of something was on the far right shore, smoking. <shrugs> Anyway, I took the shots at a number of ships relatively close together, managed to miss, as I said above. In fact, all I saw was a giant plume off to the left, nearer the shore batteries. The inhabitants apparently dont find giant salt water geysers that unusual.

I think it's more likely that they're just bloodthirsty.

I fired a deck gun shell off to the right somewhere. I must have hit something because the searchlights snapped on over there, looking around. I fired more in the center and then they found me, and I backed off some more, and dove.

Here's the funny thing. The shore batteries, ships, everything went nuts. I think they decided to go ballistic on each other due to some friendly fire issues. I dont think they realized they were shooting at each other. Anyway, when I did surface again there was a sinking ship right near me, and they were definitely not shooting at me or anywhere near me.

A patrol boat or the fast torp boat was closing in. I did manage to shoot out his searchlight, and he ended up losing me. I tried antagonizing him again, but he managed to overwhelm my damage control or my hull just gave out.

Pohl

08-29-09, 11:31 AM

http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt348/arleccin/4d5765d7.jpg

After this patrol I got promoted to Kapitänleutnant & got the Oak Leaves :woot:

Paul Riley

11-02-09, 01:12 PM

Its time to resurrect this old post I think,as I anticipate some action this week,on my part.I have been away from SH for about 3 months,and this is totally unacceptable! :down:
Right,if I remember I was playing my first GWX3 career with a fairly pleasant chap called Willie Werner,and as it has been so long since I last spoke with him it would be safe to assume that Willie and his green crew have met an untimely end,and so have been consigned to the 'lost at sea' section.
Which now brings me to my new career which I am just setting up right now,and we will start in Nov 1939,which is the month I left off with capt.Werner.
Will keep you posted as soon as we leave port.

So,get those old dusty log books out,and get to it! :up:

Leandros

11-29-09, 04:03 PM

Kaleu Georg Eckhardt - U-122 - Aug. 30th. 1941 13:31 - patrol 16

Position South-West of Ireland, sea state 6, visibility 700 meters.

Left La Rochelle morning Aug. 28th, headed for the North-Western Approaches. Some hours ago we bumped into two Tribals in the bad visibility. Managed to get below but was graced in the extreme rear and had some proper sideways oscillations. Danced around a little at periscope depth. Fired a dud (T1 on magnetic) from the aft tube, in the meanwhile also being attacked by the second Tribal. Downed no. 1 with a lucky shot from a forward tube (T1 on magnetic). Received damage from no. 2 D/C's (both scopes) after having fired two torps at him - one missed, one dud. Went quickly down to 140 meters and started wriggling at lowest speed. Had various fixes done.

Much surface noise above so after a couple of hours he gave up and left. After having surfaced the observation scope could be fixed. The attack scope is out for the journey. Proceeding North at standard speed.

Leandros

12-13-09, 02:02 PM

Kaleu Georg Eckhardt - U-122 - Sep 7th. 1941 19:01 - patrol 16

Been out a little more than a week now, most of the time hovering in the North-West Approaches. A lot of small fry. Here is the catch up till now:

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U122/Patrol16/16B.jpg

Bumped into a large convoy approaching from West this morning but wasn't able to get near it due to the escorts. Eventually we had sunk 1 Flower, 1 Hunt and 2 Black Swans. In the meantime the convoy diappeared. Having gone full speed Eastwards we have now caught up with hit again, laying in a nice position ahead of it. Looks fat, doesn't it...? Seems as if we have done away with all the escorts. The sonar hear no warships.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U122/Patrol16/16A.jpg

Undefined

12-13-09, 02:24 PM

Patrol 1: August 1 1939 - August 2 1939.
U47 - Type VIIB 7th/13th Flotilla
Base: Königsberg

(Worth mentioning is that this is my first REAL campaign [Realism 58%, using brain, no rushing, TC 1 - 32) , i just got the game and earlier i just messed around (: )

Outcome of first patrol:
http://www.upload.ee/image/298010/sh3_2009-12-13_21-20-23-46.jpg

RoaldLarsen

12-13-09, 10:32 PM

Patrol 1: August 1 1939 - August 2 1939.
U47 - Type VIIB 7th/13th Flotilla
Base: Königsberg

...

Outcome of first patrol:
http://www.upload.ee/image/298010/sh3_2009-12-13_21-20-23-46.jpg
You are going to be in big trouble when you return to base.

Draka

12-13-09, 11:33 PM

Ayup - war ain't started yet! :damn:

Falkirion

12-14-09, 04:03 AM

Currently I'm headed towards the Southern coast of Ireland to try and hunt up some convoys on approach to England. Got one small merch at the expense of a convoy but I was behind the convoy so I probably couldn't have overhauled it anyway.

Last patrol was quite successful. Start of the war, I put the Nelson and a pair of tankers under the waves.

Undefined

12-14-09, 05:29 AM

You are going to be in big trouble when you return to base.

Not rly, i rather be awarded and get medals n sh*t.

Leandros

12-14-09, 09:17 AM

Not rly, i rather be awarded and get medals n sh*t.
Problem is Adolf wanted to have the Tommies pacified when he went for Poland. That means no sinkings.....:hmmm:... in this period....

Undefined

12-14-09, 12:11 PM

**** Adolf! I take no orders from him. Thats how i roll :rock: :rotfl2:.

Leandros

12-14-09, 12:18 PM

**** Adolf! I take no orders from him. Thats how i roll :rock: :rotfl2:.
Seaman: Captain Flegmatica, there is a SS squad lined up at the quay...
Captain F: Yes, what about it..?
Seaman: They say they have come to take you away...
Captain F: Whatever do they want to do that for...?
Seaman: They say......Adolf said so.....:down:...

Leandros

12-14-09, 12:27 PM

KL-alfman

12-14-09, 07:05 PM

Task Force

12-14-09, 09:48 PM

U 45, stalking convoy in N atlanic, off ireland.

We have picked up a warship in the convoy, some kind of cruiser we surspect. no clue yet. shadowing, will attack eventualy.

BillCar

12-14-09, 11:10 PM

U-82 VIIB
Departed Wilhelmshaven for AM23, 1 September 1939.
Received orders to sink British shipping.
Patrol of AM23 uneventful. Radio contact of one merchant ship reported 240km SE of AM23.
British merchant intercepted in smooth seas. Two torpedoes fired, with one striking the stern and starting a fire.
Observed merchant's bow lifting. Some explosions noted and after 20 minutes, merchant sank stern-first at 12:58 for 5081 tons.
Radio contact reported NE of sunken merchant. Intercept course plotted.

U-33 VIIB
Departed St. Nazaire for AM34, 27 November 1940.
Entered Irish Sea.
Received message from U-101, convoy north of U-33, moving south. Moved to intercept and awaited convoy, listening on hydrophones.
Engaged convoy in smooth seas at 16:58, in 104m of water southeast of Dublin. Attacked from 45 degrees starboard. One merchantman sunk for 6000+ tons.
Destroyer escorts launched depth charges and stalked U-33 for 4 hours. U-33 sustained no damage.
Disengaged from destroyers about 20:30 hours, surfaced at 21:15 and continued north towards AM34, plotting course through Hebrides.

RConch

12-15-09, 07:48 AM

U 53 Type VIIB just returned to Kiel from her first war patrol with 28000 tons sunk in AL 36 and AM 53\52.
Preparing for 2nd patrol.

Kapitan Soniboy

12-15-09, 10:08 AM

My current campaign

U-666 (VIIC. Had her since 1940. Love this boat.)
12.01.1945

Spottet a task force and.... well, they spottet me aswell. Several sub-killers, one aircraft carrier and a battleship. Went to 200m. Depth-charges all over the place. Things went well until a hedgehog hit the hull. Heavy flodding in forward compartments. Boat sank to 240m. Heavy pressure. Crew managed to get the flooding under control. Crew been at sea with me since 1940. Couldn't give up now.

A "few" hours later. Boat stable at 200m. Sonar contacts far away. Getting dark. Batteries had some juice left but oxygen reserve getting low. Surfaced. Destroyer wating on the surface. Captain of U-666 scared s***less. Crash dive. Fingers crossed. :shifty:

BillCar

12-15-09, 10:21 AM

Leandros

12-15-09, 11:11 AM

Kaleu Georg Eckhardt - U-122 - Nov 26th. 1941 - 08:01 - patrol 17

Just left Lorient under secret orders. Orders to be opened West of Scapa Flow. No engagements to be undertaken before that. What can this be..? Have loaded up with mostly fast T1 torps - specially checked the magnetic fuzes.

We have also been refurbished with new batteries - MAK 44 - and rubber-coated hull. Have a nasty suspicion on what this mission is about.

Dec. 2nd - 19:00

20 NM west of Scapa - orders opened. "To enter Scapa Flow and destroy any Royal Navy vessels encountered. Undue risks are allowed to fullfill the mission".

Thank you! Off we go!

At least the weather is ideal. Heavy seas!

Dec. 2nd - 22:08

Just passing the narrowest part in the Western inlet. Discovered by shore posts - could actually hear the sirens ashore. Continuing submerged at full speed.

Those idiotic CTD's. Twice I have worked myself into the Eastern part of the Scapa where, among others, are anchored two Fijis, a large troop transport and a couple of others. As I had to close down for the evening - next day when restarting: "SHIII had some problems" - and then shutting down! The only solution then is to start from base again. Nothing else takes me back to Scapa!

Saw to that I was at the surface when shutting down for the evening, too. But, of course, there were a lot of enemy vessels close by when starting up.

On the first occasion going in these strange things happened: The sunk destroyer in the West we did. Those other two on the Northern island steamed towards the island when we were proceeding Eastwards through the sound and were both suddenly marked as sunk - beached. Those grey sunk symbols in the bottom of the picture also occured when we were cruising East, submerged. What was going on. Some other subs there or an air raid...?

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U122/Patrol17/InsideScapa2.jpg

Kapitan Soniboy

12-15-09, 12:05 PM

What was going on. Some other subs there or an air raid...?

The game's AI is not advanced enough to let the destroyers navigate between the islands. The ships collide with the islands and sink.

KL-alfman

12-15-09, 01:09 PM

May 1940 - AM43
all is set up for a great victory!
right now I'm amidst a large convoy (travelling only 5knts) at PD.
the flower and J&W already sailed by, now I'll raise periscope and pick three of the bigger vessels. then better going down to 160m to evade the DD-attack. after it I'll try a second run (the Irish coast is still more than a grid away and then will be night) probably on the surface. shame I cannot use the 8,8cm-gun - sea is too rough ...... :sunny:

there was sort of success at the first run!
sank two empire typs (no bigger vessels in this convoy) and a flower which was coming up (attacked in bright sunshine and had to raise periscope). shame that one fish was dud (the rear one) which was aimed at a small freighter.
two black swans hunted me then (I ran through the convoy getting down to 160m), but it never was so easy to evade them! just half an hour and I escaped. nothing, compared to the other DD-hunts I already had at 60-80m. hurrah to 1000m below you! :rock:

I then shaded the convoy and now after sunset I attack the second time. the leading flower has already passed by, so it's now again:
raising to PD and picking three targets with 5eels.

maybe I can start a third approach in the morning with the left 3fish. :salute:

MaelstromT26

12-15-09, 01:15 PM

December 1940
U48, Type VIIB
Now docked in Lorient, took on a few new crewmembers.
On my previous patrol, I was ordered to patrol DT 26 and found almost nothing of value on the way there, just some neutral merchants...though I did sink a lone british schooner not far from Cadiz, Spain. Headed north to the South of the British Isles and ran into a convoy, tried to attack despite a horrid storm at 2300. One torpedo fired at a Black Swan, missed, disengaged attack on convoy. Headed further north to raid Swansea harbor in the night and in a storm, launched 5 fish. Sunk 1 Large Tanker, an RAF Sea Air Rescue boat moored directly alongside (which flew quite a distance from the explosion) and a Depot Ship, Damaged one troop ship. Withdrew and headed back to Lorient. U48 was not engaged by opponents during patrol. Sunk Roughly 15000 tons.

Leandros

12-15-09, 03:05 PM

KL-alfman

12-15-09, 07:32 PM

there was sort of success at the first run!
sank two empire typs (no bigger vessels in this convoy) and a flower which was coming up (attacked in bright sunshine and had to raise periscope). shame that one fish was dud (the rear one) which was aimed at a small freighter.
two black swans hunted me then (I ran through the convoy getting down to 160m), but it never was so easy to evade them! just half an hour and I escaped. nothing, compared to the other DD-hunts I already had at 60-80m. hurrah to 1000m below you! :rock:

I then shaded the convoy and now after sunset I attack the second time. the leading flower has already passed by, so it's now again:
raising to PD and picking three targets with 5eels.

maybe I can start a third approach in the morning with the left 3fish. :salute:

got the knight's cross after returning to base in Wilhelmshaven.
could sink 8ships out of 21 the convoy existed in the beginning. I now can understand (at least a little) the excitement real u-boot commanders felt when they spotted a convoy and had three runs against it.
too bad 3of14 eels were duds and deck-gun wasn't available due to rough sea.
it was my first convoy-attack and I loved every minute of it. :ping:

KNomad

12-15-09, 08:20 PM

Patrol 2
U-32, Type VIIB, U-Flotilla Saltzwedel
Left at: August 29, 1939, 18:01
From: Wilhelmshaven
Mission Orders: Patrol grid BF16

05.09.39. 0223 Grid BF 16 Ship sunk! SS A. M. Simpson (Coastal Freighter), 1869 tons. Cargo: Coal. Crew: 35. Crew lost: 13
07.09.39. 0113 Grid BF 15 Ship sunk! SS Pampero (Medium Cargo), 4535 tons. Cargo: Aircraft. Crew: 47. Crew lost: 26
07.09.39. 0928 Grid BF 16 Ship sunk! SS Kooyong (Passenger/Cargo), 2091 tons. Cargo: Passengers. Crew: 40. Crew lost: 27
08.09.39. 1304 Grid BF 16 Ship sunk! SS Elmbay (Coastal Freighter), 1870 tons. Cargo: General Cargo. Crew: 30. Crew lost: 9

13.09.39. 1123 Patrol results
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 4
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonnage: 10365 tons

Patrol lasted 16 days, horrible weather for the entirety. Rough seas, rain and <400m visibility. Had to hunt by hydrophone the entire time.
Kalen PAUL BÜCHEL earned UBoat Front Clasp, all 5 officers got War Badges and one got Machinery qualification.

BillCar

12-15-09, 08:43 PM

U-82 - VIIB
Following sinking of merchantman for 5081 tons, sailed south, 140km west of Irish coast. Sank small merchant vessel with one torpedo. Hydrophone contact of another merchantman, plotted to intercept and sank with one torpedo from a spread of two.
Fuel running low, plotted return course to Wilhelmshaven between Shetland and Orkney Islands.
Encountered task force north of Scotland – one battleship, two light cruisers, two destroyers. Ordered crash dive. U-82 undetected.
Surfaced, encountered small coastal vessel but was not able to engage owing to rough seas and low torpedo count. Attacked by aircraft, ordered crash dive. Some flooding, repaired quickly. Boat in good working order.
Passed between Orkney and Shetland Islands, 2:32 on September 18th.
Encountered task force of three warships in North Sea. Dove, remained undetected.
Surfaced and spotted a Polish large merchant. Sunk with deck gun. Docked at Wilhelmshaven at 6:00 on 21 September 1939.
Total tonnage sunk in excess of 19,600 GRT.

2nd Patrol
Departed Wilhelmshaven, 23 September 1939 en route to BE61.
Hydrophone detection of merchantman, 250km north of Newcastle-on-Tyne.
Plotted intercept course on surface. Intercepted merchant vessel, sank with deck gun.
Continued northwest, plotting course between Scapa Flow and Shetland Islands.
Passed Orkneys. Skies overcast. Detected an ore freighter. Sank with deck gun.
Continuing east.

Leandros

12-16-09, 12:37 AM

The game's AI is not advanced enough to let the destroyers navigate between the islands. The ships collide with the islands and sink.
Pretty bad AI......:down:....

Leandros

12-16-09, 01:23 AM

Kaleu Georg Eckhardt - U-122 - Dec. 4th. 1941 - 09:34 - patrol 17
Nothing more to see inside the harbour. The Fiji has settled on the bottom. As has the troop transport. We shall return now to search the South-Western area.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U122/Patrol17/InsideScapa5.jpg

Going out we almost bumped into this - a torpedo net.....

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U122/Patrol17/InsideScapa6.jpg

tip-toeing out......

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U122/Patrol17/InsideScapa7.jpg

ppk

12-16-09, 12:53 PM

Jan 3, 1940
Kapitänleutnant Kruger (U-46) / Type VIIB / Fourth patrol

Silent speed at 130m, on the eastern edge of AM 76. We have just sent a Southampton class cruiser to the bottom on our first pass at a convoy. Destroyers are trying to locate us but so far their depth charges have fallen far and wide. As of now, we've claimed about 40k tons of warship tonnage (two aux. cruisers and two southamptons) since we left Wilehmshaven on Dec 16 but not a single merchant.

KL-alfman

12-17-09, 04:15 AM

I shouldn't have done that!!

June 1940, near Gibraltar.
found a freighter and a light tanker at night.
shot one fish each, came up to finish them with the deck-gun. then I saw the flag: neutral!
I quickly flanked away and could manage to be out of range when they (probably) sank. no symbols on the map, no entry in the diary.

next time:
first I will identify the nationality. :D

Ping Panther

12-17-09, 01:37 PM

I was getting myself into the inside of a nicely sized convoy on the west coast of Ireland. I started to make my way up to periscope depth, and feeling pretty smart, I cranked up my props to gain on my depth approach to start targeting.

Then, at about 60m, Wham! An escort must have sliced into the merchies, and caught me really nice with some ash cans draped right forward of my con tower. Immediate massive flooding there, I sent my D.C. in full emergency, blew ballast, shouted for full throttle reverse to try to save some elevation in my favor, yet going for a roller coaster nose-dive. Not fun there... until I held tight and figured I will at least see how tight my boat was maunfactured.

In my last seconds, I held the camera steady for a final 256 meter photoshot.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d173/EricWK/SilentHunter-Post/PP-121709-DeepIXB.jpg

Task Force

12-17-09, 02:07 PM

U 45... SUPER slow patrol... 1 troop ship so far still... woopdy doo...

Frank0001

12-17-09, 04:26 PM

Oberleutnant z.S. Frank Zimmerman
U-104
Starting date patrol; June 12, 1941
Starting harbour; Lorient

04.45 - June 15
Soundcontact - grid BF71 - omrchant - slow - heading 045

05.27 - June 15
Ship spotted - submerging for attack at 06.14

07.35 - June 15
Ship identified as 'Passenger/Cargo' 2222t - 1 torpedo fired - observed 1 hit
Vessel did not sink

08.03 - June 15
1 torpedo fired - observed 1 hit
Vessel sunk at 08.21

05.40 - June 17
Soundcontact - grid CF38 - merchant - heading 065
Ship identified as American Large Tanker 11.335t - NEUTRAL

18.33 - June 17
Entered patrol grid CF59

19.12 - June 18
Completed 24h patrol - heading for BD58

07.56 - June 23
Convoy reported at BD15 - intercepting

12.32 - June 26
Soundcontact - BC36 - multiple merchants

19.33 - June 26
Regained contact with convoy after being forced down by escort

19.59 - June 26
Fired 3 torpedoes - observed 3 hits - 2 ships sunk
- Fiji class light cruiser 10.725t
- Large Merchant 10.320t

01.07 - June 27
2 torpedoes fired - observed 2 hits - forced down by escorts
Medium Cargo 5081t sunk at 02.36

13.44 - June 27
Lost track of convoy - spotted lone merchant - engaged with deckgun
Ship identified as 'Passenger/Cargo' 2245t - sunk at 13.44

23.22 - July 1
Sound contact - AL42 - intercepting

00.53 - July 2
2 torpedoes fired - observed 2 hits - vessel sunk at 01.23
Ship identified as Large Cargo 8576t

06.47 - July 9
Convoy reported - grid BE39 - intercepting

17.00 - July 9
5 torpedoes fired fore and aft - observed 3 hits - 1 ship sunk
Ship identified as Large Merchant 10.620t

23.00 - July 9
In position for second attack

03.59 - July 10
6 torpedoes fired - observed 6 hits - 3 ships sunk
- Whale factory ship 12.016t sunk 04.00
- Empire-type freighter 6.780t sunk 04.04
- Small tanker 2052t sunk 04.10

Returned to port July 12
Total tonnage; 48729

Captain Birdseye

12-17-09, 05:52 PM

13th May 1943 ~ U-307

Sailed from Brest on the 5th intense air traffic around the Bay of Biscay and also Spanish coast. Currently patrolling CG85 just outside the approaches to Gibraltar. Constant aircraft harassment leading to low batteries. Two men dead.

Task Force

12-17-09, 08:07 PM

Thinking about How im going to get to America in a VIIB...:hmmm:

And that actual getting there is easy, returning... that's a different story...:shifty:

Captain Birdseye

12-18-09, 04:21 PM

15th May 1943 ~ BdU

U-307 sent incomplete report stating they had been intercepted by two Avenge planes and one Hunt II destroyer. Report stated diving to 145 metres, no contact after that.

U-307, Commander Heinrich Ruhl and crew presumed lost on first patrol.

R.I.P.

Kapitan Soniboy

12-18-09, 11:59 PM

RoaldLarsen

12-19-09, 08:36 AM

A "few" hours later. Boat stable at 200m. Sonar contacts far away. Getting dark. Batteries had some juice left but oxygen reserve getting low. Surfaced. Destroyer wating on the surface. Captain of U-666 scared s***less. Crash dive. Fingers crossed. :shifty:

ye, well.... I died. Destroyer gave me a punch in the face. Heavy damaged again but tried to hide anyway, no matter what. Another hedgehog explosion. U-666 is no more :dead:.

Before surfacing, always do a hydrophone check all around, including the blind spot behind you. Do it yourself to be sure. Then go to periscope depth and do a periscope check all around you, first on the surface with the attack scope and then in the sky with the observation scope. Only then should you surface.

GlassTrain

12-19-09, 01:13 PM

Returned from another patrol....

Patrol 3|U-72, 7th Flotilla|Left at: July 27, 1941, 22:52|From: St. Nazaire|Mission Orders: Patrol grid BE64
Date=19410727
Time=2252

Ship sunk!|Grid BE 69|Coastal Merchant, 1992 tons
EntryTitle=July 31, 1941, 08:07
Date=19410731
Time=807

Ship sunk!|Grid BE 68|Small Merchant, 2404 tons
EntryTitle=August 2, 1941, 13:55
Date=19410802
Time=1355

Ship sunk!|Grid BE 67|C2 Cargo, 6406 tons
EntryTitle=August 3, 1941, 15:31
Date=19410803
Time=1531

Ship sunk!|Grid BE 67|T3 Tanker, 11657 tons
EntryTitle=August 3, 1941, 15:32
Date=19410803
Time=1532

Patrol results|Crew losses: 0|Ships sunk: 4|Aircraft destroyed: 0|Patrol tonage: 22459 tons
Date=19410806
Time=1544

Before this , had to start the patrol over because I had left one of the officers in the Repair section of the boat and upon return, he was gone... forever entombed in the battery compartment! :rotfl2:

In all the time I've been playing, never knew that all personnel had to be out of the repair section, or they were lost! :o

Kapitan Soniboy

12-19-09, 06:37 PM

Before surfacing, always do a hydrophone check all around, including the blind spot behind you. Do it yourself to be sure. Then go to periscope depth and do a periscope check all around you, first on the surface with the attack scope and then in the sky with the observation scope. Only then should you surface.

Ye I often stop my engines and listen on the hydrophone myself but I've never thought about doing a periscope check before surfacing. Good idea. It would have saved my boat :damn:.

sergei

12-20-09, 08:15 AM

BE17. Contact with slow inbound convoy. Lightly escorted. 12 torpedoes left. Moving in to attack. Happy times!

KL-alfman

12-20-09, 02:33 PM

August 1940
BF15
could manage to sink 4 lonesome travellers
then I spotted a convoy and took 4 more.
53k tons sank, then returned to Wilhelmshaven.

BillCar

12-21-09, 01:37 AM

U-83 continued her second patrol after having sunk one medium cargo in the North Sea and one ore freighter north of the Hebrides (both with the deck gun). Continued on to BF61. Patrol of BF61 netted no contact, and U-83 began return trip to Wilhelmshaven. Torpedoed an American medium cargo by mistake. Torpedo thankfully did not detonate on striking merchant. No harm, no foul.

West of Ireland, sank passenger cargo with deck gun. Explosions on board sinking vessel fatally wounded watch officer and two seamen. Damage to boat was repaired.

U-83 came under air attack five times between the northern coast of Ireland and Scapa Flow, sustaining no damage. 20 km west of Scapa Flow, U-83 detected a Task Force comprising four destroyers, as well as HMS Hood, HMS Nelson, and HMS Rodney. Could not close distance, but later encountered an ore freighter and sank with two torpedoes. Also sank one yacht.

Passed between Orkneys and Shetlands. Encountered a lone merchantman and sank with one torpedo directly beneath smokestack and another at the ship's stern.

Came under attack from aircraft, ordered crash dive and sustained no damage.

Returned to Wilhelmshaven on 27 October 1939 after 16 days at sea. Total shipping destroyed in excess of 24,000 GRT.

KL-alfman

12-22-09, 06:51 AM

BE68
just arrived the assigned grid when sonar took contact with a war-ship. intercepted and found out that a convoy (15ships - 5columns, 3rows) sailing at 7knts was accompanied by only two escorts.
first run I was too presumptuous and came too near to the leading escort: had to dive quickly and got DC so that tube 2 was jammed.
second run in the early evening I hit one freighter (she exploded after 2min) and damaged two other ones, one dud. then evasion, but shadowed the convoy and eliminated those two which had fallen behind.
third run in the morning I again could hit two targets which soon sank, again one dud.
so I had 3fish left and decided to go for a fourth run (in the meantime we were nearing SW of Ireland), because I wanted to take out the medium tanker in the middle of the now tattered convoy.
fourth run in the afternoon (sight got worse) I hit the tanker midships and a medium cargo in the bow but both denied to sink, and angrily now I had to register one more dud.
so the results were (only) 25k tons ......

due to the rough sea deck-gun never was available and I learned that arrogance and greed may nebulize one's mind.

I'll bear in mind
- no use of TII in heavy sea
- go for the sinking and not for hitting as many targets as possible
- in convoy always two eels per target to sink it for sure

Dissaray

12-22-09, 01:01 PM

I wish I had as much luck as that in my curent campain. I am patroling the whole of the BE sector and the weather has been bad the whole time. Seas ranging from 1m to 5, raining off and on and always a fog so think the bow of my ship is just about the only land mark I have. I have only killed one ship, a large merchant if I recall, out of the two that I have seen one way or another. And that one I nearly sank by ramming it due to a late sighting, and even then I had to throw three eels at them missing with one due to weather,

The only other ship I came across that could have been a target was moving like a bat out of hell even with the bad weather. I picked it up on the hydrophones and my sound guy said it was moving "fast" and it was merchant. At flank speed I was toping out at just over 10, the which I couldn't sustain for long and still have enuf fule to get back to port. Heres hoping I will stumble across an ungarded convoy on my way home with my grand total 10GRT and change :har:

KL-alfman

12-24-09, 11:35 AM

December 1940
the enemy gets stronger and better.
made acquaintance with the improved ASDIC:
after attacking a convoy and sinking the center-Southampton I was DCed for about 2hours. couldn't escape even at 160m depth, 2 Black-Swans and 1Flower shook the u-boat but didn't hit essential compartments just a minor hull damage. they pinged my boat from a greater distance and into greater depth.
after evasion I went for the second run and could sink 3ships (1 was damaged already before by one of my eels).
again nearly three hours of hunting. this was really stressing because all of my formerly well used and successfully proven evasive tactics failed. the Swan didn't let go. finally the DD broke off (no DCs probably) and I could surface.

interesting:
there were two contact-reports of large convoys as I was already chasing "my" convoy!
date: Nov, 25 - 1940 around noon
in BE6817
and BE6896
(if someone likes to go there)

Tuor451

12-25-09, 12:42 PM

Jan-Feb '42 Type IX

Crossed atlantic to Norfolk area for a patrol, narrowly avoiding 2 destroyers off of French coast.

Travelled up East Coast, sank 2 tugs and 1 large tanker with deck gun for 13000t. Got mild damage from P38s near New York.

Was 'attacked' by a very aggressive liberty type freighter which almost rammed me before sinking near Halifax.

Sailed to AM52 area by Northern Ireland. Was harassed by multiple hurricanes over several days which really left a mark with their 20mm's.

Had to hide and watch a 20+ ship convoy pass nearby as hull integrity is 9%.

Trying to make it back to France now.
Great fun! Cheers James.

don1reed

12-25-09, 01:59 PM

U-45 1200/29.8.40
Page 25 of her log shows she’s 40 days out of Kiel on her 5th patrol, with 5 ships sunk for 30,000 tons and all aals expended. 45% fuel remains. All engines sound. Potable water tastes flat with a 10% diesel mix, all perishable food stores are gone, officers and crew living on condensed milk and assorted canned goods. Morale remains high as we set an eastern course skirting the Scottish coast. Running on dead reckoning as last three weeks we were caught in the grip of terrible storms. U-45 is homeward bound.

DaveU186

12-25-09, 03:35 PM

U-30, October 1939
Allowed Bernard to take control of things while I took a nap just South of Ireland. End result: he took us down to 70m in an area with only 60m of depth. Massive flooding, and one man dead. Unfortunately Bernard survived.

:damn:

KL-alfman

12-25-09, 04:50 PM

December, 7th 1940
finally got promoted to Kapitänleutnant. :salute:

sank HMS Gloucester and 4merchants (total 40k tons)
got lucky so far: no crew member lost and until now just one encounter with the improved ASDIC

btw, what do the different colours of the cloak-indicator mean? I suppose red stands for "position is fixed by DD" ....
and one more question: is there a hotkey to find out about the damage status (hull integrity) in-game?

BillCar

12-27-09, 09:55 PM

Docked at Wilhelmshaven 2 December, 1939, at end of third patrol.

19 November: Sank two merchantmen 200km east of Scapa Flow. Evaded four destroyers.

20 November: Passing north of the Hebrides. Weather deterioriating. Visibilty poor, winds high.

21 November: Arrived at BE61 for patrol. Weather remains horrible. Made contact on hydrophone with merchantman. Plotted course to intercept. Arrived three hours later to discover an American medium cargo ship. Waved at it.

23 November: Began slow return journey to Wilhelmshaven, diving frequently to check for contacts. Weather is not improving.

25 November: Sound contact east of Rockall Bank. Intercepting in rough seas.

26 November: Turned out to be yet another American merchantman. Great.

28 November: Weather still terrible, heading to Scapa Flow to try and offload some eels in rough seas.

30 November: In rough seas, driving rain, and total darkness, entered Scapa Flow from east. Entered port on surface and dove to periscope depth to check for contacts.

Two merchants, three destroyers. Closed to within 500m of destroyer in east end of port. Fired a spread of four torpedos, scoring two hits. Destroyer sank, as two others closed rapidly from west. Flank speed ordered, heading for narrow channel at east end of port. Spotlights and starshells – dove to 11m. Destroyers made seven depth charge runs between them, and rammed U-83's conning tower. Damage control teams successfully repaired damage. After one hour, U-83 was in the North Sea and heading for Wilhelmshaven, saved by bad weather.

Docked at Wilhelmshaven, 2 December, 1939.
Total tonnage sunk in excess of 17,000.
Hull integrity on docking was revealed to be 1.34%.
Daaaaamn, that was tight.

Schöneboom

12-27-09, 10:35 PM

20 May 1942, 0812 hrs.
U-439 shadowing large convoy in AM 75, heading southeast. Only visual contact so far, 1 Corvette. We remain undetected.

Gaijin

12-31-09, 05:38 PM

Jan, 20th 1941. U-48, skulking (and sulking) somewhere out in the western approaches to Gibraltar...

[Two months previously]
Having sailed gloriously and boisterously into port after our ninth mission and with many successes to date, U-48 and its crew were entirely convinced that this Kapitan was about to be re-assigned to a desk command. (Realistic career selected). So much so, that my personal stash of cigars, emergency schnapps and girly poker cards ended up being distributed liberally among the men.

However, after a sh1t, shower and a shave, I was informed that no such orders were coming and that war patrol number 10 would be departing just before Christmas.

Fast forward a month, and here I sit, silent and waiting at PD at the approaches to Gibraltar. I'm here because all I have to show for 4 weeks in the DT Grids (south of the Canaries) is:

1) a funky, musty, dark green fungus over the majority of non-metal surfaces (and inbtween my toes) after 4 weeks of constant rain.

2) A grand total of ONE torpedo expended in all that time...which hit and sunk a Japanese Merchantman. Yes, a japanese merchantman, off the coast of Africa.

3) Two dead sailors, bounced by what looked like a Halifax, off the coast of Senegal (!!!) after detouring to drop off the japanese survivors.

:oops:

I swear, If I see so much as a rowing boat, I'm unloading 4 eels into it just to get rid of them, so I can go home.At least its safe to say that Im fairly confident that I won't be sent on number 11.

Right? :o

Terragon

12-31-09, 09:52 PM

Sometime in 1939, second patrol. In a dugout U-Boat.

Ordered to patrol AN52. Same as the last patrol, last time no contacts. On the way back I caught two small American merchants unescorted in broad daylight. Since I had just finished the tutorials, it was my first mission. No other contacts were nearby. One was a tramp freighter, other was a medium freighter.

Lined up my shots at periscope depth, setting up on the ships starboard side.

The lead ship, the medium freighter was traveling at 4-6 kts. Same as the tramp. Aimed shots below the smokestack and bow. Sent torpedoes one and two. Soon as I sent them off, I ordered an all stop and let him drift by, keeping my periscope in direction of the tramp, letting him line up in my sights. Both targets were approx. 700-800 m away. Est time 35 second run?

Soon as the tramp freighter lined up, I fired two more shots. Ten seconds later, impacted the medium freighter. Catastrophic results. Blew up like a firework. Tramp found out they weren't alone, attempted a radical turn to port. Made my second torpedo miss, but not my first, which impacted near the stern. It was enough, thank goodness, because my II boat was not equipped with a deck gun.

Around 9k sunk. Proceeded to dive to 45 meters, and continued to silent run for approximately 30 mins, then continued normal operation.

First kills of SH III. :)

Randomizer

12-31-09, 10:34 PM

Currently two SH3 careers on the go:

U-1099 Type VIIC41 in transit to AM53 and the North Channel 4-days out of Bergen October 1944. Weather cloudy, diving 6-7 times per day to avoid aircraft. Caught in air raid leaving port late on the first, suffering minor damage from near misses. Shot down two American Liberator bombers but escorting spurbrecher hit by bombs and sunk with heavy loss of life.

U-150 Type IID on station in the Black Sea outside Batum 9 January 1943. Weather stormy; lost contact with northbound Soviet convoy yesterday and unable to subsequently re-acquire. Returned to station outside port around noon. Estimated return to Constanza 6 February or earlier if torpedoes expended.

KL-alfman

01-01-10, 03:13 AM

@ terragon:

up to December 1941 the U.S.A. are neutrals and sinking american vessels before will reduce your renown .....

nevertheless, welcome to subsim!

HMS Astute

01-01-10, 05:32 AM

Starting anew with U-53, putting out to sea for my first patrol.

nodlew

01-01-10, 07:33 AM

Put to sea in 1944 in a Type XXI, which I'd never tried before. Trusting to its submerged speed, I drove into a very large, well guarded convoy. Bombed and badly damaged by fighters on my approach, made repairs and ran right past the attacking destroyers and struck. My attack left 5 large merchants sunk or sinking, including one Ceramic Type 15,000 tn vessel--lucky hit by a roaming FatI or II. Damaged again, and again by destroyers, finally dove to 160m to try to break off. Scared to dive deeper due to damaged hull. 160m is not safe in 1944--depth-charged to death while trying to sneak away. Bold apparently completely ineffective.
Lessons learned: even with a XXI, batteries run down quickly at flank speed. Battery upgrades would probably improve the sit.
Enemy depth charge attacks later in the war are far more lethal. Need more depth maybe, like 200m.
Don't attack without acoustic torpedoes loaded to deal with escorts.
Maybe wait a patrol or two and upgrade the boat, even a XXI, before attacking large, well-defended convoys.
Maybe 17Kts submerged, while great, does not render good attack position unnecessary.

Panser

01-01-10, 11:05 AM

November 25 1939, U-49 (type VIIB) has just departed Kiel on her third patrol heading towards grid AM13 in the North Atlantic.There's a real chance of meeting some juicy targets on this one, what with all the convoys heading to Liverpool that converge in this region. We had some real success around here on our last outing, meeting a fat convoy guarded only by a solitary Flower Corvette, HMS Asphodel. She was despatched with a single torpedo and the heavy seas did the rest, taking her down in seconds. Such a sight is sobering.The convoy itself consisted mainly of smaller merchants with a couple of large cargos and a tanker in the centre, bravely hiding behind a wall of Americans. A Merchant and the tanker were easy prey but the C3 took three eels before she would even think about sliding under the waves.

Morale is high amongst the men as most of them have earned their U-boat war badges, but more importantly are all proudly wearing the Iron Cross, 2nd Class. This particular trinket was courtesy of our raid on Hartlepool docks in which we denied the English two of their V&W Destroyers (Witherington and Valentine), but intelligence reports that we also sent a shipment of aircraft to the bottom along with a tanker of crude oil.

We're in our second day out of Kiel, heading across the North Sea towards our patrol zone via Scapa Flow, the infamous naval base of our new enemy. I'm considering taking us to the south of this dreaded harbour, then we can take a look inside if conditions and the opportunity present themselves. A daring move and perhaps foolhardy, but this crew have proven their skill and dilligence fighting in shallower waters than these. We encountered a lone C2 cargo ship in AN34 that provided easy pickings. Given the clear sky and calm conditions it was a perfect opportunity for Oberleutnant Kimmelmann to show off his gunnery prowess. Admittedly the lords were a tad disappointed, though I think that owes more to their desire to have a little more room. Providing that we encounter no major delays, we should reach Scapa Flow after nightfall tomorrow.

Terragon

01-01-10, 04:40 PM

U-1

Sometime in February, 1945. (Btw, first patrol did not make me lose renown, since GWX starts on Jan. 1st, you do not gain or lose renown on your first patrol. Thank goodness.)

Morale is very high. Our radio is alive with all sorts of reports. Calls of distress from both enemy and friendly boats. News from the world. We are ordered to sink enemy merchant shipping, but not British warships. Der Fuhrer, does not wish to embarrass the British from coming to the peace table, according to a Bdu report. Fine with us.

Just arrived at AN52, the grid we patrolled before. In a way, we now consider it our property, our patrol grid. No enemy ships want to come in here. This is our grid. But the sea belongs to no one. No one perhaps, except the dead. And tonight, in the blackest of the night, the sea tosses us around in a monster of a storm. The bow crashes into the waves, and lightning strikes from the sky.

Beginning our twenty-four hour patrol.

GlassTrain

01-01-10, 05:13 PM

U-72 (Type VIIC) lost with all hands..... December, 1942 in BE36.

Crash dove to 60m while being chased by one fast destroyer during convoy surface attack. Managed to get to 200 meters and almost shook him by hooking back under. Then, the boat wouldn't keep it's depth unless over 1kt. Blow ballast and tried to reset depth to no avail. Destroyer hears boat and several others from the convoy arrive to join in the destruction. After jukin' and jivin' for forty five minutes, one very well placed spread opens up the rear crew quarters and engine room. Blow ballast! Heavy flooding and boat continues past 230m. Pressure hull rapidly imploding..... 338m and boat finally collapses.... no survivors.

U-72 was the longest lasting career in a long time. :nope:

Usually, I use the dive command, or just set the depth without giving any emergency dive order. The boat always comes to the correct depth and 1/2kt is enough to keep level. After testing with a new boat, it's unable to keep it's depth if a deeper one is commanded after the order to crash dive is given. So, I'm going to reset the crash dive depth to 200m (from 60m) and see if it keeps level then. :yep:

KL-alfman

01-01-10, 06:49 PM

Terragon

01-01-10, 06:59 PM

Not much you can do with that.

Haven't messed with a convoy yet.. But I've read somewhere about Russian sub tactics about being detected on the outside, then breaking off contact...towards the convoy. Supposedly, in this way, by the time the escorts, even with their superior speed, can come back into position, the sub makes its inside attack and breaks off contact again away from the escorts to safety. This was documented in a fictional book called "Red Storm Rising", by Tom Clancy.

It rewards a nervy sub driver.

Panser

01-02-10, 06:55 PM

1530h November 28 1939, U-49, AN16

We're just over 3 and a half hours from making landfall on the south-east of the Orkneys, headed directly towards the southern entrance to Scapa Flow. We've encountered a small merchant vessel en-route, spotted whilst it was still under the horizon by our eagle-eyed watchman,Conrad. He continues to impress me and I'll be keeping him under consideration for promotion at the soonest opportunity. Observation suggested she was steaming SSE, so an intercept was plotted and we closed with the merchant to engage her with the deck gun.

The tommies were clearly asleep as we weren't spotted until we were within 1500m, an easy shot with the gun. Immediately they started taking evasive action, but after a shot straight into the bow the crew soon gave up and concentrated on abandoning ship. A few more rounds fired into her waterline and she quickly began settling in the water. I have no doubt that they got off an SOS and quite likely more, so given our proximity to the mainland I ordered the boat down to 20 metres, still following our intercept bearing for ten minutes so we were last seen to be heading SSW. Our main course was resumed and I kept the boat down for another 4 hours. At least if the Royal Navy go searching for us, we'll be keeping a low profile as they search empty sea in the opposite direction!

The men at least seem glad of a rest, though they are joking that I'll be shooting ships with my pistol before we get rid of any torpedoes. The irony of course is that we might soon be getting rid of more than they expect. Now is the time for caution.

Terragon

01-02-10, 07:47 PM

End of February, 1939. U-1.

The mens morale is low. We have zigzagged along AN52 for days, much longer than 24 hours. No contacts. The thunderstorm that we met upon entering 'our' grid area. We've moved slowly, taking our time, changing speeds, searching every inch of our grid. No contacts. Frustrated, I send a status report to Bdu...again. Tersely, they reply to engage targets of opportunity at suspected areas of cargo travel.

I crumple the message in my hands at look at the navigation chart. Lately, all of the action was up near Scapa Flow. Tons of cargo...and tons of enemy warships. I decide to stay near the coast and slowly work my way up North, not directly, but slowly weaving back and forth for a maximum search area. When we get a grid or three closer to Scapa Flow, I will reduce my speed even further and be especially adherent to silent running most of the time. This old dugboat can't dive deep... Not even supposed to drive past 100 meters. So we will rely on being cagey for now.

We surface at the edge AN52, the sun is beginning to rise, the stormy weather is almost completely gone. The wind howls against the U-Boat, but the sun is beginning to rise, the waves are gently rocking out boat. She gurgles forward at 1/3rd speed, handling like a champ, her well oiled machinery not hardly making any noise at all.

We consider it a good omen of things to come.

Jimbuna

01-03-10, 10:52 AM

Your storyline is growing on me Kaleun Terragon http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

GlassTrain

01-03-10, 06:58 PM

New boat, U-94.....

After 5 patrols out of St. Nazaire, put in for a transfer to La Spezia. Approved! (went through the null rejection and alt tab out of the game routine on the fourth patrol)

Had all kinds of plans to navigate the Strait, when low and behold... they put my crew and I on a train and shipped U-94 to La Spezia via Fed EX to the new port! :rotfl2:

Not very realistic, but hey! :yeah:

Also, it dawned on me why the boat wouldn't hold it's depth after crash diving and non-combat testing proved it. Crash diving to 210m without a command for silent running showed a loss of compressed air. While silent running, the CE isn't able to get rid of the excess ballast needed to dive so fast. So, if you go silent running before he's able to blow it out you're going down. Simple as that.

KL-alfman

01-04-10, 03:06 PM

February 1941
Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Schatz was promoted to commander of the 5th Flotilla.

therefore my first career played in SH3 (GWX3) came to an end. in 14 war-patrols 541k tons could be sunk, no crew lost.

started now a new career (Leutnant Artur Stein) in a IXB (U-110) and have to say that the fire-power this boat has is enormous!
first patrol 10ships with 122k tons were sank by U-110, but there was a lucky shot responsible for:
at the second convoy-attack I've aimed for a large tanker in the middle but due to former explosions this tanker started to zig-zag and so (with just one eel!) a troup-transport (SS Jill Juliet - Passagierdampfer - 45557BRT) behind this tanker was hit beneth the keel and sank within 5mins!
I haven't seen this ship due to night and heavy rain ..... :D

danurve

01-05-10, 10:42 AM

Late Oct. `39. After 4 days patrolling AM19 decided to patrol just S/E - S/S/E of Rockall Banks.
So far it's been the bore patrol :zzz:
13th. day outwater, no sighting, no reports. Burning fuel, down to 70%.
Good weather for surface watch, usually at ahead slow. Considering 6 hour rotation of submerged patrol to conserve fuel oil.

Sailor Steve

01-05-10, 02:02 PM

End of February, 1939.
:o :06: :hmmm:

Sailor Steve

01-05-10, 02:12 PM

Started over in a new career. Juggled the time so I could depart with 13 other boats on August 19, 1939. Irwin Baade, U-29. Had a leisurely sail through the English Channel and out to the Atlantic, Grid BF16. Hung around waiting to see what would happen, and on September 1 we got a message saying that Polish forces had attacked Germany's border and we were at war. Hung out for two more days and got a message saying that Britain, France and the rest of the British Empire had declared war on us!

Got lots of radio messages about ships being sunk, but no trade for us. Then one day we saw a ship in the distance. After a long wait it turned out to be a British Vosper Motor Torpedo Boat. We dove to 30 meters and waited until he was long gone, then surfaced again.

A day or two later we came upon a small British freighter, about 2000 tons. We stopped her and allowed the crew to abandon ship, then sank her with a single torpedo.

That night we sighted a ship in the darkness. When we approached it turned out to be a destroyer! We crash dived to 70 meters, and rode out his attack. A couple of depth charges were pretty close, but not enough to damage us. We stayed submerged until dawn.

The next day we came across another British freighter, unescorted, this one about 4000 tons. We made a submerged attack, fired two torpedoes from about 800 metres' range, and she sank about 15 minutes later.

It is now September 12. We have been at sea for three-and-a-half weeks, the war has been on for two weeks, and we have sunk two ships for about 6000 tons.

Schöneboom

01-06-10, 01:27 AM

23 May 1942: Returned to 1. U-Flottille base at Brest after a ridiculously lucky 2nd patrol, almost like the "Happy Days". Located a large, lightly-defended convoy at AM 79 and shadowed it for 3 days and nights, conducting surface attacks at night, and one submerged attack by day. Tons of wabos dropped on us, but no serious damage.

Our final attack was in BF 12, in the Celtic Sea. Ordinarily I would avoid this shallow area, but the conditions were too perfect to resist. 6 merchants sunk, ~45 K tons. Only one aircraft sighted the whole week, and it was Irish.

Randomizer

01-06-10, 03:00 AM

22 October 1944 - U-1099
15 days out of Bergen, have been operating submerged since the 14th. Now on station AM53. Weather cloudy with moderate seas.

Detected hydrophone effect (HE) to the south west with slow bearing change indicating a merchant entering the North Channel. Set depth 35m and plotted intercept course for four knots based on assumed target course and speed.

HE now bears west south-west and should pass within torpedo range. Battery 80+%. Periscope depth, up scope target in sight. Down scope steer 145. Speed 2 depth 25.

Periscope depth, up scope. Target in sight, Liberty Ship 10000 tons AOB Port 35, speed 8, range 3500, down scope. 25 metres, speed 3 Steer 195.

Speed 2, periscope depth. Up scope Target in sight bearing 055, AOB port 40 Range 2600 Speed 9. Open outer doors tubes 1 and 2. Down scope, 25 metres.

Plan a double shot with electrics from tubes 1 and 2. Tube 3 is loaded with an air FAT and tubes 4 and 5 with Falke homing torpedoes.

Periscope depth. Up scope. Target in sight bearing 029, AOB port 60, range 1400 speed 9. Tube 1 - shoot. Tube 2 - shoot. Down scope close outer doors.

Torpedo impact. Up scope, target in sight bearing 008. Torpedo hit aft of superstructure. Second torpedo appears to have missed. Hear secondary explosions through hull, do a quick look around and see a twin-engine bomber attacking, maybe the explosions were rockets. Down scope, crash dive. Left full rudder, ahead full, steer 100.

Head towards deeper water, ahead two-thirds, reverse course steer 290 depth 90 metres. Sound man reports breakup noises on target bearing followed by a series of four depth charges close enough to shake the boat. No damage.

Sound man reports warship HE from the south-east and closing at high speed. Soon another is detected slightly left of the first. Bearing change insignificant over five minutes then moving right and increasing. Steer 305, 120 metres, set silent speed.

Played cat and mouse with two escorts for the next three and a half hours but evaded further west without damage. Cruised generally west at 2 knots until dark then with no HE detected, snorkelled to air the boat and recharge the batteries. Charge complete, depth 30 metres, speed 2 course 110, back into the North Channel. Saved game at that point.

This is basically how it went, have taken a few liberties with the narrative but not that many.

Dissaray

01-06-10, 03:18 AM

February, 15th - 1941
BE37
had to retreat for the first time from a convoy-attack.
tried twice to infiltrate the convoy in my well tried and tested advance (letting the leading escort sail by and then proceed at PD and silent running into the convoy between first and second column, when in good position releasing all 5eels and then going to 160m), but with now two side-escorts I had to break the run. was detected by ASDIC and escaped at 160m. I quit any further attacks because I have to think about new tactics ......

any helpful guesses?

One I have heard of but never had nerve, time or opertunity to try is to plot the estamated course of the convoy and then run out ahead for them, staying out of visual contact range naturaly; I supose you could always go off radio contact report and plot an intercept that would put you out in front too. Once out in front of the convoy pick one side or the other of the lead escort to enter convoy on, line up so you think you will be in between the coloms with your bow facing the oposite direction the convoy is travaling(so if they are going East you face West). Go to PD hit silent runint and wait for the convoy to come to you. Once you are behind the screws of the lead escort, and thus out of ASDIC range, slowly start to make a turn so your stern is facing the outer moast colom of the convoy; this can be achieved eather in forward or reverce motion, which ever puts you in the better fireing position and should be done at 1knt or slower. Once you have made your turn let those Tommy bastards have it and don't spare them your aft tubes eather!

Being inside the convoy shooting can be a little difficult but if you time it right you can hit the ships on any colom, just work the angles a little. Plus if you miss chances are someone will catch that torpido for you. The extra added plus for this attack plan, or so I am told any way, is that the escorts will have a devil of a time finding you let alone trying to get to you if the convoy starts taking evasive manuvers and screws up the spacing. The guy who posted the instructions said it was so safe for him that he even was able to reload and fire a second volly whilst still inside the convoy formation.

Aproaching head on like this is suposed to netralize the majoraty of the escorts, seeing as there is only one out front most of the time so this might work out for your situation. Personaly I take too long to aim to fire from inside convoys just now, haven't quite figurd out the snap shooting or the no solution shooting. Then again I haven't practiced it all that much eather.

I have seen a simular method of aproach that puts you between one of the wing escorts and outer most colom of that side or off one of the leading corners of the convoy could work too. You still aproach from the front of the convoy and shoot, more or less at a 45 degree angle into the convoy to maximize the chances of geting a hit. I haven't tried that one eather just yet but I have heard good things about both forms; seems like an aproch from the front is an easy one due to only having one escort there.

aj906

01-06-10, 07:16 AM

U-30 (Typ VIIC)
KptnLt Jung
Attack on HMS Hood and escort

Grid: CG95
Date: 23.06.1940

Target: HMS Hood and Illustrious class carrier with destroyer screen.

Counter measures: screen 4+ destroyers/31+ depth charges/aircraft [swordfish]

Report: Sailing from supply ship Thalia [Cadiz harbour] morning 22 June 1940 (previously patrolling CG94, gross tonnage claimed 73,000), intention was to head to CF64 on return to Wilhelmshaven via St George's Channel. At 10:05 22 June local a report was received from BdU stating Enemy Task Force in Grid CG81, Kurs OSO, 14kts. Assumed T.F heading for Gibraltar so plotted kurs SSO [CG95:7] then tracked Ost, 3 kts submerged to reconnoitre. Surfaced at 23:50 [seegang 0, sicht 15 - 20] to recharge batteries. Submerged at 0701. Contact made 0732 [Seegang 0, sicht 10 - 15]: 3+ destroyer vanguard, Hood and carrier line astern plus undetermined rear guard, 15kts, Kurs Ost.

0807-09 tubes 1-4 fired at Hood, angle 042. All hit. Turn to starboard at 1kts, stern torpedo shot at carrier with 27 degree deflection, range 1,200m. Hydrophone reported hit during dive to 155 metres Kurs 270. Hood stopped, taking on water. Sunk 0814. Carrier slowed to c.10 kts. Destroyer screen vigours attack above (presumed depth 100 metres) and astern till 0856 then all withdrew save one. Final sweep [12 depth charges] concluded 0927. Course maintained 270. No damage sustained during depth charge attack.

Surfaced 1017. A/C [2+ swordfish] attacked 1018. Crash dive to 75 metres. Damage: Stern Batteries, stb diesel, attack periscope, stern torpedo, stern quarters, deck casing. Destroyed: flak gun, Port diesel engine, observation periscope, radio antenna. Took on water in command room (controlled and expelled in 22 minutes).

Casualties (10 KIA, 0 WIA, 0 MIA):
- Stabsoberbootsmann'
Peter Weller
Gustav Möllers
Engelbert Dahne

- Stabsbootsmann
Hilmar Blaudow
Manfred Eppen

- Matrosenhauptgefreiter
Willi Schroeter
Klaus Bildstein
Ernst Heldmann
Jorg Bauer
Eduard Geffe

Crash dive revealed two contacts, bearing 337/339, long range. Once flooding contained investigated: two large merchants c.6,100tn each. Closed for attack. Both confirmed sunk. Attack 1117, kurs 261 angle on the bow 349/353. Two torpedoes each, impact fuse at 8m depth. Merchant one exploded on impact of first topedo. Second merchant floundered, taking on water. Stern torpedo fired, kurs 090, angle of attack 0. Ship sunk 1133.

Dive depth hence forth restricted to 45 metres. Patrol aborted and making for Bordeaux.

File for award
Stabsoberbootsmann Gotthard Becker und Stabsbootsmann Reiner Richter both be awarded EK.I for efforts in damage control during flugzeug angriff.

Tonnage Claim
HMS Hood - sunk [48,360]
2x Large Merchants [2x 6,100]

60,560, Gross Tonnage

9 Torpedoes expended

Tonnage Damaged
Illustrious Class Carrier (23,000tns)

ETA Bordeaux, 29 June 1940.

nodlew

01-06-10, 07:53 AM

U-66, a type IXB put to sea from Wilhelmshaven on 8-1-1940. First patrol for the boat and most of the crew, including the Captain. We are bound for a point in the Atlantic roughly 2200 km west of the Strait of Gibralter. It being our first cruise, we didn't know what to expect, but, in any event, so far we have got much more than we bargained for.

We received periodic reports of British task forces operating in British coastal waters and paid them no heed. Too far away, in the wrong direction, in shallow water, and besides, I had no intention of engaging warships on my first cruise.

Eight days into the patrol heading South well off the British coast, the watchman reported a British warship at long range. Further observation revealed a British Task Force. More accurately, The Task Force, composed of the Hood, the Warspite, an Illustrious Clas Carrier (HMS Illustrious herself, I think), two Heavy Cruisers, and at least two Destroyers.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=153&pictureid=995

Here was a group of targets I instantly judged worth all of our lives for even a chance of striking a blow. If we could get to within 2 km, we stood a chance to cripple or sink the flagship of the British Navy, and two other vessels of very high importance in terms of British naval power and prestige.

The problem was position. The ships came into view pretty close, under 5 km, but crossing our bow from starboard to port. A scope measurement put their speed at just over 16 Kts. Far too fast to catch submerged, and not a sure thing at flank speed running on the surface, which would be sheer suicide in any event.

The issue was soon decided for us. While trying to compute the enemy's course, we were beset by their Destroyer escort, which steamed up on us and began shooting as I squinted through the attack scope. We took minor damage and dove to 160m and went quiet to wait out the attack while the pride of the British navy sailed away unmolested toward Northern Ireland.

We surfaced hours later. I reported the sighting to BDU, and we continued on course to our patrol grid.

After such excitement, we expected things to return to normal, which is routine maintenance and boredom.

Again, reality had something else in mind. Only two days later, now some South of the southern tip of Ireland, BDU reported a large enemy convoy to the West, right on top of us and heading straight for us. The weather was very bad. 1 km visibility, but the proximity of the convoy and its heading made an intercept well worth the attempt.

I went to the map table. The convoy was reported as moving slow, which I rounded to a guess of 5kts. Plotted a course which made the their expected line of approach and our course equal in distance, and made our speed standard, which should have put us in position right in their path, awaiting their arrival.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=153&pictureid=997

Away we went. We arrived at our planned interception point and I scanned the immediate vicinity with binoculars...and was troubled to discover a Frigate looming in the rain and fog within shouting distance off the port bow. Periscope depth! Hmmm. How did that happen?

Submerged we continued to observe--we had not been spotted. God bless the awful weather.

SO reported the merchants still at long range to the Starboard. Thinking they might slip by in the gloom, we set course to intercept angled to their hypothetical bearing. I kept speed to slow,but nonetheless, the night lit up with a search light from the Frigate. Spotted, detected by hydrophone, no telling. I ordered flank speed toward the convoy, hoping the bad visibility would keep the Frigate off of us. In the probable event this did not happen, I readied an aft torpedo to shove down his throat when the time came.

The first enemy came into sight. An Old Comp Merchant, 5000+ tons. I fired my two forward TI torpedoes, set for under the keel detonation (seas relatively calm, no time to plot the perfect angle of attack). I fired at point blank range and both torpedoes struck home. I turned from the sinking ship and sought another target.http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=153&pictureid=1003
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=153

Running from the Frigate, its sonar ringing in our ears, we found a 10,000 tn Large Cargo. Same proceedure. Two torpedoes at under 500 m fired from astern, snap shooting with the att periscope. Two hits, well amidships. Locate the Frigate, turn and search for another target, my torpedomen sweating to reload the tubes.

I find a Small Freighter at point blank range and waste precious time indecisive as to whether it is worth a torpedo. Now the Frigate has me locked in and is barreling up my rear (perhaps an unfortunate way to put it, but, there you have it).

I know many are of the opinion that locking horns with escorts is dumb, but I say No Guts, No Glory. The range was as close to right as it would ever be, I fired my aft torpedo and waited anxiously. Boom! Hit, with secondary explosions. He sank almost instantly. Very good for morale.http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=153&pictureid=1000

Relatively certain of having already tallied over 15,000 tns of Merchant shipping, and with the convoy leaving me behind, I determined to kill anything that came into my scope. It helped that the IXB carries 22 torpedoes. I closed on the Small Freighter and shot him, then turned my scope around to figure out what all that pinging was about.http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=153&pictureid=1004

A Flower Class escort is in perfect position to the rear, closing. I dial in the depth, and fire. Boom, a hit. Lucky us, so far. No fire, but the Flower slows and the maddening pinging goes quiet. He sinks slowly and quietly as we hunt another target. http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=153&pictureid=1005

Pickings are getting slim now. We find a Coastal Freighter and blast it using our same under-the-keel, close range, hip-shooting technique. He exlpodes into flame as, unbelievably, the pinging starts up again.http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=153&pictureid=1006

Another Black Swan? This is too much. We crash dive to 160 m, and go silent while the depth charges explode harmlessly all around, and the groans of sinking, exploding ships come over the hydrophone.

Eventually, the last Frigate gives up, and we surface and send in our report to BDU. 20,000 tns including two sub-killing escorts. Not too shabby for our first patrol. War Badges for the whole crew. An Iron Cross for my Weapons Officer. http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=153&pictureid=1001

And we still have 15 torpedoes and are 2000 km from our patrol grid. We'll be heroes, if we make it back to port alive. Which is no sure thing. I plan to play it safe for the rest of the patrol, but knowing me...?http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=153&pictureid=1007

...

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=153&
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=153
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=153
U-66 Returned safely after a 40 day patrol to a new home port at Lorient France, the German Army having beaten the Frenchies into submission while U-66 was sinking British ships. Total tonnage for the cruise was 27,179 tons. The Captain was promoted, but not decorated. Bastards.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=153

KL-alfman

01-06-10, 02:13 PM

some great and thrilling stories lately, well done, mates! :up:

and thx to dissaray for this dangerous but promising method of approaching a convoy with a lot of escorts.
I will try this manoeuvre first in a single mission ......
will tell about the results! :salute:

Dissaray

01-07-10, 04:59 PM

I have just got into position for a head on convoy attack. I am going to try and slip into the convoy and hit a few ships right out of the gate. This will be my first contact of the patrol so I have plenty of ammo. The weather is perfect for an attack: stormy, fog and a off and on rain. I will report just how good this tactic is, or at least how well I can exacute it. I am confidant of sucsess, I even started drinking my victory beer befor the attack has started :O:

Christ this attack aproch is nerve wracking. One thing to keep in mind if you try this in stormy weather make sure you are deep enuf that your mast won't poke up out of the water when the waves are rolling by you. It gave me away but I don't think the escort that tried to hit me knows where I am, the four depth charges he fired were way off of my position. Continuing with attack!

With a little help from my weapons officer I was able to make a more or less sucsesfull attack. 4 targets hit and killed though I did recive serious damage in retaliation from the escorts as I was leaving. The convoy was breaking up and targets were hard to come by so I decided to not push my luck any further than I already had. Having only five torpidos and needing six to do the damage that I had done I had already broke silent runing to reload and survived the endever. On my way out I forgot to re impliment silent runing and an escort picked me up on their ASDIC. deciding to go with speed and manuverability rather than stealth I kicked my electrics up to flank and began to zig and zag like there was no tomarow. The persuing vesle hapend to be a Hunt 3 class distroyer and lucky for me it is a small ship and didn't have many depth charges. Six attack runs down and I am unharmed, then the sevinth comes in and I must have ziged when I should have zaged, or vice versa, and took two direct hits. One blasted my engens, both sets, and the other stuck me on the nose and trashed my forward torpido tubes. With that final attack it seems the distroyer was all out of ammo and spun around me afew more times then left. Once I was sure he was gone I blew balast and made an emergancy surface manuver; that didn't work so well with out engens though. I managed to get the flooding under control just about the same time I ran out of compressed air to blow balast which was keeping me on the surface or close to it.

The tactic worked well when I didn't do some thing to screw things up.

Sockeye

01-07-10, 06:19 PM

24MAY44
Midnight, twilight due to latitude. Medium seas, clear skies.

U-990 running submerged in AF44. Sound picked up a cluster of high-speed contacts approaching from the northeast; put on a normal approach course, heading southeast at four knots for an easy intercept that put the boat about 1,500 meters off their track. Contact turned into a task force comprised of a BB and a CL with a dozen escorts making a good twenty knots.

AOB 20-starboard, 5000 meters: fired a full salvo from both ends for two hits. A D class destroyer absorbed a Falke and went down with her boilers brewing; was unclear what the other fish hit, but whatever it was, it was dead in the water soon after.

An hour's evasion.

U-990 reloaded and came up for a look through the Number One periscope. A Brooklyn class light cruiser laying dead in the water, stern heavy and listing slightly to starboard; still about 5,000 meters, 20-starboard. Maneuvered for position abeam her: three-shot coupe de grace.

BillCar

01-07-10, 07:21 PM

U-83, March 1940, 4th Patrol: assigned grid AN-31, zipped around north sea, sank a coastal vessel and a coastal freighter off Norway, then made for England when the patrol was done. Sank a coastal vessel that turned out to be neutral off Aberdeen. Radio report of a large convoy. Attacked it twice, all eels missed on both attacks, and each attack resulted in an hour or two of depth charge dodging. No damage sustained, headed back to Wilhelmshaven, sinking a pair of cargo ships on the way. Total tonnage: 19,000+ ... and all of it done with the deck gun.

5th Patrol, March 1940: bad weather, stormy seas, TONS of ship activity – looks like Norway is hotly contested. So far, have patrolled the assigned grid at Shetland Islands and started making for Norwegian coast. Only one ship sighted so far, and it was a Type VIIB U-Boat.

Randomizer

01-07-10, 11:24 PM

This is the BBC on this twenty-fifth day of October 1944.

Western Approaches Command announces the destruction of a U-Boat near the approaches to Belfast. The boat, believed to be U-1099 had just attacked a convoy damaging a freighter and an escort. After a hunt lasting over two hours the U-Boat was finally blown to the surface with depth charges and then sunk by gunfire. There were no survivors. The damaged ships made port safely with only minor casualties.

In other news the Ministry of Supply has announced an increase in the cat ration to three per week and continues to urge all Briton's to eat less and save shipping. Remember that cat is the other white meat...

Sailor Steve

01-08-10, 12:47 PM

My condolences to the families of U-1099. Of course I'm still in 1939 so I can't comfort the widows, but that's the luxury of having it only be a game.

Better luck in your next career. Nice wording, by the way, especially the 'cat' note.

frau kaleun

01-08-10, 01:10 PM

My condolences to the families of U-1099. Of course I'm still in 1939 so I can't comfort the widows

Well you could wait until early October 1944, look up the personnel info on his crew, and then arrange to be in the right place at the right time.

And you've got years to practice your "I'm so sorry, is there anything I can do" face. I'm just sayin'.

Randomizer

01-08-10, 02:13 PM

My condolences to the families of U-1099. Of course I'm still in 1939 so I can't comfort the widows, but that's the luxury of having it only be a game.
Thank you, I will pass on your condolences. Who knows, perhaps you have some future U-1099 crewman on your boat.

The loss of U-1099 was a perfect example of ignoring lessons learned because I have developed a late-war convoy attack technique that has proved reasonably successful but also quite survivable. Instead of using it I tried a conventional submerged approach and attack and got killed for it.

Just before the end I hit a V&W Class destroyer with a Falke acoustic homer from Tube 5, I think she might of sank if I hadn't done so first and of course SH give no credit for damage.

I think next career will be a Type IX to the Gulf of St. Lawrence in the fall of 1944.

Good Hunting

Sailor Steve

01-08-10, 03:01 PM

...perhaps you have some future U-1099 crewman on your boat.
You mean some of my boys may be...be...doomed?:cry:

Of course that may be true anyway, and they may go down in this very boat, but the foreknowlege? It makes my poor old head spin.

Gabucino

01-08-10, 03:08 PM

Currently in AM61 at 82 meters, with a knocked out hydrophone (and other equipment, oh, and long repair times), doding the depth charges of an A/B-class destroyer with the help of the observation periscope. Trying to navigate to a somewhat deeper spot 3 klicks away.

Gabucino

01-08-10, 03:40 PM

He's still using ASDIC all around, but no contact since a while.

(Anyway I was on my way back home, when I was nearly rammed by him in the verrdammt mist. Then came the deck gun rounds, and a crash dive. It was great luck that he didn't ram me.)

Gabucino

01-08-10, 05:13 PM

Surfaced (thought it safe) to make repairs, only to run into another escort 1 minute later. Crash dive again! Now there are three of them, with Hedgehod launchers and whatnot.

And guess what?

http://gabucino.be/picz/sh3/100108am61mf.jpg

Turns out I'm also in a minefield.

unterseemann

01-09-10, 04:31 AM

:o:o:o:o!! Better surface your boat and surrender kapitan... AM61 risky business though

Dissaray

01-09-10, 04:50 AM

You could always sink down to the botom, come to a dead stop, go silent and hope they leave you alone; it has worked for me in the past.

Gabucino

01-09-10, 12:57 PM

:o:o:o:o!! Better surface your boat and surrender kapitan... AM61 risky business though

These were the definitive SH3 moments. Especially when the destroyer appeared out of the mist at 600m and I dashed back to my PC to order crash dive. Anyway I survived, all of them ran out of depth charges, and left.

Should the observation periscope work at 120m depth, btw?

You could always sink down to the botom, come to a dead stop, go silent and hope they leave you alone; it has worked for me in the past.

It didn't :(

Sailor Steve

01-09-10, 01:06 PM

Should the observation periscope work at 120m depth, btw?
I'm pretty sure not. Hitman knows for sure, but it's my understanding that the casings weren't designed for use any deeper than periscope depth. Pressure builds up pretty fast at depth.

don1reed

01-12-10, 09:40 AM

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/4295/log2.th.jpg (http://img137.imageshack.us/i/log2.jpg/)

KL-alfman

01-12-10, 10:06 AM

great log-entry, don1reed!
is it available in-game or do you write your logs separately?

don1reed

01-12-10, 01:21 PM

Greetings, KL alfman. All hand-written, I'm afraid. Product of a lot of x1 patrols. Shame we can't type a log while in-game.

cheers,

KL-alfman

01-12-10, 02:46 PM

yes, it's a pity.
just a small step but a huge improvement ......

Panser

01-12-10, 04:54 PM

U-49, 4th January 1940

After 9 days at sea and not a single contact except for a single friendly on previously fertile hunting grounds, boredom was setting in.

Patrolled grid AN11, twice attempting to intercept task forces reported by BdU to the northwest of my position and twice returning empty-handed. Returned to AN11, patrolled for another 24 hours when the hydrophone operator reported a warship at long range and closing. As we drew nearer it became clear that this was another task force, and what was sitting pretty in the middle, none other than HMS Hood. Closed on the surface to 2500m off her port bow under cover of darkness, launched a salvo of three torpedoes before retreating in the opposite direction at 15kt. Two hits at 0330h, crash-dived and ran silent at 2kt.

Depth-charged and pinged for two hours while the crippled Hood limped away.

Surfaced at 0545 after the destroyers gave us up for dead, spotted a column of smoke on the western horizon. Intercepted at flank speed to discover the Hood alone and listing badly to port, a fire blazing just behind Gun B and making barely 2 knots. Closed to 1600m at periscope depth and launched another torpedo, striking just aft of the engine room on the starboard side. Laying dead in the water, the Hood began to get stern-heavy, both gun positions awash. Eventually sank 20 minutes later at 0611h, sliding in stern-first and rolling over to port.

At least the crew had plenty of time to abandon ship.

Falkirion

01-12-10, 08:14 PM

Haha Panser I ran into that Task force a couple of days ago. I didn't engage due to the 3 DD escort though, tempting a target as she was.

Found the Nelson on my first patrol. Sunk her with 5 torps. 3 across her to bring her to a stop in the water. Cat and mouse with a DD for a bit then slunk underneath her to reload. Snuck away to 2km and fired off another pair that had her down by the stern. Under she went. Good times.

Panser

01-13-10, 12:40 PM

I've made a video from the screenshots and video clips I took yesterday: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR2QHK7s6Og

Note to self: disable the event camera!

Terragon

01-14-10, 08:35 PM

Sunk in September. Sunk a medium Brit ship, shortly thereafter, an ASW Trawler approached. No torpedoes or deck gun. The area I was in was only 22 meters deep. I hugged the bottom of the sea as close as I could, silent ran until the destroyer lined up for a run. Went to full speed ahead and made a radical turn to the left as they DC'd us.

One charge crippled the electric motors. Damage control said it would be ten minutes. Figured being on the surface would not work at all, so I refrained from blowing ballast tanks, and hoping he wouldn't hear me.

Lined up again, two charges it the boat, damaging the torpedo room and diesel room. Flooding fast. Blew the ballast tanks, but to no avail. Ship floodded out and U-1 is no more.

Quite literally a shallow grave.

If only we were in a 150 meter zone. I would've mopped the floor with that dufus. :D

msalama

01-16-10, 05:07 PM

U-11, in port at Kiel, 25th November 1939

The boat is laid up for repairs for at least two more weeks. The dockyard says they've found a bad seam in the pressure hull which they'll now cut open, sandblast and re-weld. Explains the funny tapping noises sometimes heard while submerged!

We've visited AN21 two times in a row now, and have some 15000 GRT under our collective belt already. Easy patrols both with no ASW activity to speak of, but our next assignment to AN84 is making me a tad queasy regardless. Well, at least I've the opportunity to see whether there's any truth to the rumours of the Englishmen laying vast minefields there if nothing else...

Terragon

01-17-10, 06:14 PM

New Career: U-45/Type VII Boat, Commander - Karl Wilhelm-Popp, Age 28.

August 8th, 1939.

"Dive! Damn it! Dive!"

U-1 blasted to full speed ahead, as the alarm bell rang."

"Dive to thirty meters! Hug the bottom as close as you can Chief!"

"Aye, Sir. Bow down ten, stern up ten."

The Old Man quickly made his way to his hydrophone operator.

"Boat is rapidly closing, bearing 270, increasing speed."

"How close are we to the bottom?"

"Instant return, sir."

The Old Man nodded. "Keep track of the trawler."

"Ahead 1/3rd. Left full rudder. Passing 320."

They could now hear the ship approaching, it's propellers churning holes in the water.

"Depth charges in the water!"

"All ahead full! Right full rudder!"

Explosions began to sound on the starboard side. It was shaking the boat up pretty good, until a stray one exploded just a little too near the electric engines. Subsequent damaged caused the engines to fail. At the same time, the sea floor rose sharply, and the boat bottomed out to a screeching halt.

"Blow ballast tanks!"

But to no avail.

"Severe flooding in the engines room, we can't control it sir. Boat is not rising even with our ballast removed."

"Prepare to abandon ship. We-"

"Sir, depth charges in the water!"

"Nowhere to run."

The Old Man nodded.

"Too bad really."

The charges exploded around the boat, and U-1 was no more.

At that moment, I woke up.

A bad omen to be sure. I didn't know anybody on U-1, and as far as I knew, U-1 was decommissioned as a training boat a long time ago. But the dream seemed so real, but...so far away.

"What things you dream of, Karl. Here you sleep in your boat, and the things you dream of are submarines being destroyed on the sea floor. You have a good boat, you have a bunch of young guys, but a good crew nonetheless. Why are you jinxing yourself? Get up!"

So I did.

I looked at my pocket watch. I slept for two hours. Time to go to work.

BillCar

01-17-10, 10:20 PM

July 1940: After a wholly uneventful 8th patrol, Oberleutnant Scheier was retired from active duty, thus ending U-83's campaign with that commander.

August 1940: U-88, a Type VIIC, leaves Kiel for AM17 (Rockall Bank). Few contacts along the way, though managed to sink one small merchant and one schooner for a combined total of 2000 some-odd tons (of which 17 can be attributed to the schooner).

On arrival at Rockall Bank, a contact report came in: large convoy, AM16, heading west. I eyeballed it and set myself up where I felt they might be. Arrived at about 20h00 and waited. By 20h30 I could see a Black Swan and a Flower Class corvette. Went to periscope depth, rigged for silent running, and peeked at them once in a while. Stuck myself right in the midst of the projected convoy path, running 90 degrees-ish to it. Hydrophone operator started reporting merchant contacts everywhere from 40 to 120 degrees off my bow. As the first merchant vessels passed, I raised my periscope and spotted a whale factory vessel. Used my Range and AOB finder, figured its speed for 9 knots. She was 1400 metres away. Three torpedo spread, magnetic pistol. Fired and dove to 130.

Two detonated, and she was instantly going down.

*ping*

That was it – one lone ping, and some depth charges dropped way, way off on my port side – they thought I was in front of them on the other side, apparently. Waited a bit, then went to periscope depth to watch them blasting starshells into the sky several kilometres away.

"Why stop now?"

They hadn't changed course, and were still running more-or-less 270. I surfaced the boat, angled off, and then ran a parallel course at flank speed. Comping up behind the convoy on its port side, I was lucky in that there was near-total darkness thanks to the thunderclouds overhead. I passed 800 metres off the stern of the Flower as she watched the port side. Off on my starboard side, I could make out a destroyer. In front of me, angled 135 degrees away and doing 9 knots, was a large merchant. I reminded the crew that we were not slowing down for anything. All ahead flank.

Two torpedo spread selected, magnetic pistol. 135 AOB port, 9 knots, 1100 metres. Fired, dropped to 130 like a rock, and turned, travelling on a track to the convoy's 180.

*BOOM* *BOOM*

*ping* *ping* *ping*

They must have been upset. They spent 3 hours trying to drop buckets of TNT on my head. In fairness, it was a pretty nice looking large merchant. Unfortunately for them, my deft maneuvering meant that the worst I ever endured was some slight turbulence, no damage. Fifteen minutes after the last contact was lost, I was at periscope depth. Nothing.

Surfaced, and headed towards the Irish Coast, loosely following that convoy. Decided to enter the Irish Sea for kicks, but it was a very bad idea. Spent one hour dodging depth charges. No damage, but still, probably a good thing that I turned around and made my way north.

At present, U-88 is northeast of the Hebrides, with about 23,000 GRT sunk.

unterseemann

01-18-10, 04:18 AM

Oberleutnant z.s Konrad Tietz
2nd flotilla Lorient
U46 VIIB

18 feb 41: End of patrol 5 in mid and north atlantic ocean ( AK-AL grids)
8 ships sunk for 37951 tons. 29 days at sea.
1st WO Georg Mayer is promoted and will soon commission is own boat.

Total tonnage: 189356 tons-31 ships 113 days at sea
09/06/40 sunk RN auxiliary cruiser HMS Dunottar Castle 13850 tons
10/29/40 sunk RN large troop ship SS Windsor Castle 25910 tons

KL-alfman

01-23-10, 04:51 AM

longest patrol (72days) so far but not very thrilling.
sailed down the west-coast of Africa to my assigned grid (EK74) and met just single merchants or small (one column) convoys.
wheather I thought must be much better than in northern Atlantic but I was wrong. many foggy days and pretty much wind.
although I first had in mind to resupply at "Python" and visit Cape Town I then sailed straight home because the very dense air-traffic in the near of Freetown surprised me and my watch-crew (and got my pressure-hull down to 78%).
all in all I sank 10freighters and 1tanker (74.200tons).
thx to WB's fuel-optimizing mod I arrived in Lorient still with exactly 50% of diesel.

Leandros

01-23-10, 12:21 PM

After having concluded patrol no. 21 with U-122 I have decided it's time to transfer to a longer-range boat - the IX/40. The two latest patrols went to the US east coast with constant worries about fuel and finding refuelling points in the Atlantic.

My loyal crew is coming with me over to U-68 and we are now ready to leave Lorient - Oct. 10th 1942 17:40. Mission area: DN25 - The Caribbean. Hopefully we shall get some sun on our pale, scrawny bodies. Also for the first time checking out the FAT torp.

Leandros

01-24-10, 04:48 PM

Patrol 2 U-68 Kaleu Eckhard (24th patrol) enroute to kvadrant CB13 - presently in BC77 Feb. 7th 1943 22:00.
We left Lorient on Jan 23rd 14:00 1943. U-68 is a long-range IX/40 and it seems we shall arrive in our mission area with at least 60% diesel left. If we get there...

Had a few encounters on the way over, unescorted single merchants. Are now lying still waiting for a very fat convoy approaching from west - probably running us over. 3 escorts detected so far. We have 16 torps left. Very heavy seas, which is good, but only approx. 70 meters water below us. Which is not good.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U68/Patrol24A.jpg

Obltn Strand

01-24-10, 06:02 PM

Oberleutnant z.s Simon Strand
U Flotilla Weddigen
U-16 IIa(b:know:)

Just finished 4th patrol.
Returned to Kiel december 4th.

One 3000 ton steamer sunk with one torpedo. Fired two torpedoes towards fast moving 2000 ton passenger/cargo from 3000 meters. No hits. Because of bad weather and attacking position and cover of darkness fading, decided to cease hunt.

Long rest and refit ahead and rumours about assault on Norway next spring.

Falkirion

01-24-10, 06:19 PM

U-47 patrol 6. Started from supply ship Bessel in Spain. Currently stalking a fat convoy near Ireland in the AN's. Made contact during the middle of the day. Stupid decision by me to approach on the surface, calm water, clear skies. Had to dive quickly to evade some DD's that saw me and kept me down for 2 hours at 160m. A couple of runs over my last known which I was clear of before the 2 Black Swans arrived there.

Now approaching the same convoy well ahead, in complete darkness. I'm headed back in tonight.

BillCar

01-25-10, 12:17 AM

Oblt.z.S. Scheier has commissioned a new boat, giving up his Type VIIB for a Type VIIC.
Patrol 1:
U-84 is an unlucky boat. On attacking a convoy, before the first torpedo could be fired, a merchant spotted U-84 on the surface, causing the entire convoy to light up. Two destroyers kept her down for over 7 hours, presumably exhausting their supply of depth charges. All were dropped too high, as U-84 was at 215m depth. No damage sustained by depth charges. However, U-84 surfaced and rushed to flank the convoy, only to encounter one of the destroyers at close range in horrible weather. This mistake would prove costly: a young seaman, Richard Brandt, was killed by the destroyer's guns, and the flak gun was severely damaged. U-84 submerged, but the destroyer did not pursue, as it had no depth charges left.

U-84 was heading home to St. Nazaire when she crossed paths with (and sank) one large merchant and one small merchant. Both were sunk at a distance of roughly 3800m, two torpedos for the large merchant, one for the small. A passenger cargo was attacked, but the torpedo missed. Surfacing, U-84 engaged in a battle of naval artillery with the stern gunner, eventually sinking the passenger cargo vessel. Unfortunately, with its dying breath, it managed to strike the deck gun, seriously injuring one gunner (though not fatally). This happened the same instant as the crew were celebrating the ship's imminent sinking. Docked at St. Nazaire for lengthy refit and repairs.

Leandros

01-25-10, 03:55 AM

Patrol 24 Kaleu Eckhard - U-68 - south-east Halifax Feb. 12th 1943 06:68 GMT

Seemingly we are not going to make our patrol area as we now only have 2 (aft) torps left after having encountered two large convoys on our way in. Sunk 4 large merchants in the Atlantic, so far 6 from the convoys have gone down. Waiting for a couple more - given some time.

Presently 3-4 angry dogs are hunting us on the topside. We are at 94 meters with only 4 meters under the keel, going at slow speed towards south. It seems we have been able to creep out of their circle......If we get out of this we shall turn tail and head for home.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U68/Patrol24B.jpg
Patrol 24 Kaleu Eckhard - U-68 - east-south-east Halifax Feb. 12th 1943 21:41 GMT

On our way back home. Received report from BdU - enemy task force on easterly course approaching from west-south-west. Engage!

With only 2 (aft) torps left we set intercepting course and waited for radar detection signals. Got them at 21:00 - approaching directly from west. Went below. Sonar signals now say one large and several smaller naval vessels.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U68/Patrol24D.jpg

Falkirion

01-25-10, 04:45 AM

And I am very lucky Kaulen that I lived to tell the tale of Rodney's revenge.

After making contact with the convoy aforementioned, I managed to get off a spread of four eels for one sinking. Dismal. We stayed down below 170m to rearm and slunk back up to the surface after the convoy had vacated the area.

Heading north to the AM's we got a report of a convoy headed south east, at medium speed. We got roughly into position to attack and mercifully were able chart the convoy course fairly accurately. Smack dab in the middle was the Rodney. But I ignored him for the moment and focused on what was accompanying him. A line of large tankers that were nice, and a single lone coastal merchant. I hurried into firing position while I could and the escorts all 5 of them missed me in the heavy seas.

Rodney, one large tanker and a coastal merchant comprised my target list. I fired 2 eels at Rodney, 2 at a tanker, and my single rear tube at the coastal merch. All 5 hit, tanker went down fast, her back broken strangely because the second eel was aimed at her engine room at the stern. The coastal merchant caught one in the bow and Rodney two amidships disabling her. I dove after firing but not fast enough as my flak gun scraped a passing Grainville overhead of us. Down to 170 and I reloaded my fore and aft tubes with the supplies on board. We avoided contact with the escorts completely and circled back around to take down Rodney with a coup de grace spread.

Now here's where I screwed up. I surfaced thinking that she wasn't going to be an issue disabled in the water.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n60/Falkirion/SH3Img25-1-2010_18548_593.jpg
Fired off three and turned to vacate the area. As soon as the first hit Rodney was alive again. Her guns trained on me in an instant and since I lack a crash dive option my hands flew across the keyboard to get my boat under and safe. But the fun didn't stop there. I sunk like a stone. 3 blows later I was stable at periscope depth. My damage control team working wonders to keep the boat stable. After a couple more accidental surfaces we managed to get all the damage under control and evacuated the area at flank, with 3 Flower corvettes scouring our last known. To be safe from aircraft we took a far northly route before swinging back around south to head back to Wilhelmshaven.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n60/Falkirion/SH3Img25-1-2010_191021_359.jpg
Rodney slips into her watery grave.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n60/Falkirion/SH3Img29-10-2009_231223_750-1.jpg
The aftermath enroute Wilhelm.

Total for the trip, around 50k of shipping, another Nelson under my belt, 22% hull integrity remaining, and no crew lost miracurously.

Leandros

01-25-10, 05:04 AM

Patrol 24 Kaleu Eckhard - U-68 - south-east Halifax Feb. 12th 1943 22:32 GMT

A nice little escort carrier! We have her lined up for our 2 aft torpedoes, salvo! Then we shall go for the deep, hopefully surviving the attack of her 4 escorts.....

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U68/Patrol24E.jpg

Patrol 24 Kaleu Eckhard - U-68 - south-east Halifax Feb. 12th 1943 22:34 GMT

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U68/Patrol24F.jpg

Patrol 24 Kaleu Eckhard - U-68 - south-east Halifax Feb. 12th 1943 22:44 GMT

Still at periscope depth! The escorts obviously didn't understand how close we were to the target when torps were fired and are searching 1500 m. farther south. Untill further we shall just be lying dead still here and see how it develops. The carrier is now developing a heavy list towards starboard - speed is going down.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U68/Patrol24G.jpg

Leandros

01-25-10, 05:50 AM

Patrol 24 Kaleu Eckhardt - U-68 - south-east Halifax Feb. 12th 1943 23:20 GMT

She went down at 23:05. Her escorts are now leaving the area at an easterly course. We are still sitting at the spot from where we fired our aft torps. Now we can go home!

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U68/Patrol24H.jpg

krashkart

01-25-10, 12:49 PM

Currently docked at Wilhelmshaven after our third patrol. It was our first through the English Channel. We got beat up pretty badly .. I um, well, tried sinking an armed trawler south of Dover, but my torpedo aim is pretty shoddy at best. :hmmm:

So, out of a great sense of duty to our people and of course the Reich we surfaced and engaged them with every slug-throwing weapon available. Managed to sink them after a long ten-minute engagement, and we suffered damage. No immediate crew losses, although the radio operator is likely to get his ticket home, back to Memmingen and his wife Elsa. The medic had to revive him a couple of times on the way back to port.

Our sonar operator is having some "survivor" issues... he only suffered contusions and a puncture wound to the hindquarters. He managed to carry Otto (radio operator) out of the electronics compartment as everything caught fire. It's got him twisted up inside, understandably. However, as Kaleun I hope he doesn't become a liability to the boat. He is very capable in his duties, and would be a beneficial asset to any crew in the Kriegsmarine.

The deck crew is the most admirable bunch I have ever worked with. One young man took to the guns with no protection... the watch chief had to chase him down and hand him the proper gear! Another, the loader, is in traction with a broken leg. Loyal to his crew. He refused any treatment, beyond bandaging, from our medic. He insisted that his share of medical care be given to Otto until our return to port. Then he went about his usual routine in the engine room. Spectacular lad!

As for myself, I was reprimanded by my superiors. My actions as Kaleun, although glorious during their inception and execution, were "unbecoming of an officer of the Kriegsmarine". And I must admit to my own foolishness. I nearly lost the lives of over fifty men that night, for the destruction of one light warship. Life is a very demanding headmaster.

We are planning a going-home party for Otto. Lucky sonofabitch. He gets to go back home to his woman. Many on my crew live it up as much as they can. Myself, to be perfectly honest.... I wish this were all over. I just cannot get past those milky eyes I saw on the seas that day.

Snestorm

01-25-10, 11:31 PM

Left bergen on 16.dec.44.

5.JAN.45
Present position is Grid AL34 (South of Island/Iceland).
Patrol directives complete. U338 is enroute back to Bergen.
No contact with any enemy vessels thus far.
Regularly crash diving to avoid aircraft.
Will make a short detour towards Island/Iceland in hopes of finding targets.

We found, and sunk, a fishing boat on 6.jan.45.
Daylight submerged attack with a FAT torpedo (Impact trigger. Depth 1 meter).
I still can't believe it hit! Damn, was I proud of myself.
82 tons may be a joke in the early years, but in 1945, it's a big deal to sink anything.
Prior to this, a tug boat was the littlest target I've ever even attempted with a torpedo.

Falkirion

01-26-10, 06:09 AM

U-47 patrol 8. Flotilla changed from 2nd to 7th.
U-47 is back at sea and has just had another escape from prowling surface forces this time a duo of Black Swans and a Flower. I made contact with a convoy sliding into the AMs off Ireland, got their course as 357 at 6 knots, jetted off ahead to attack. Made it into position and slunk into the innards of the convoy. Fired off a pair of eels at a mid cargo, they hit and detonated. Just after they did I fired off a pair of eels at an Ore Carrier that appeared to be carrying something other than Ore (Aircraft bound for Britain, its August 1940) before firing off my final eel from tube 5 at a fast moving Black Swan coming in from my rear. Down scope and dive to 180m. The mid cargo sunk like a stone, her back broken. The Ore carrier was nailed by both eels, she took on a list to starboard that she never pulled out of, a load of Spits for the RAF gone. The Black Swan dodged my incoming torpedo (which I expected) and bore down on me. He put a load of DCs over my head. But at 180 which was below his hydro and adsic range I didn't get hit at all.

After an hour of continued DC runs from another DD and a Flower they finally vacated the area. I came back up to periscope depth and after a quick check of the area surfaced and headed off at full to have another crack at the convoy a few hours later at night, when they turn for the British coast.

Leandros

01-26-10, 04:36 PM

Patrol 26 Kaleu Eckhardt - U-68 - west of Freetown May 23rd 1943 15:45

We left Lorient on May 11th for Cape of Good Hope. Uneventful journey but just now dumped into a large convoy out of Freetown. Obviously bound for England. First detected them by the radar signals from the escorts. A valuable new aid! More than 30 ships with at least 6 escorts. We are lying still waiting to be rolled over. The point destroyer has already passed us by. Sea state 3-4 - several hours till the sun is down.

Patrol 24 on the US East Coast ended well. Particularly as we aggregated 91000 tons with no hull damage.

Patrol 25 went to South Africa, too but we never got that far as we hit upon one small and one large convoy North of Madeira and after having emptied our weapons load returned to Lorient. 60000 tons.

So, now we are trying for South Africa again but if all goes well with this convoy out of Freetown we shall most probably use up all our ammo again. Just as well!

KL-alfman

01-26-10, 05:57 PM

Kaleu Stein was ordered to DJ21 and all the expectations were fulfilled:
4-5 aircraft attacks a day, which could be dealt with because of the good range of sight. as the wheather changed for the worse it was decided to leave this area and hunt out of the range of allied air-cover.
so far there was only one medium cargo sunk:

http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/3228/mfd.jpg (http://img704.imageshack.us/i/mfd.jpg/)

U-110 headed west but in the evening radio transmitted a large convoy in the area (CG79). interception was made and finally! all six eels hit their targets: a whale factory, an ore-freighter and a medium cargo. what a great success in just one run. shame it was early in the morning and the convoy couldn't be hunted any more. 14eels are still left so two more runs against convoys are still possible.
now U-110 is heading further to the west into CF east of the Azores. very windy but good sight:

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/1237/headingwest.jpg (http://img51.imageshack.us/i/headingwest.jpg/)

good hunting! :salute:

Leandros

01-27-10, 12:19 PM

Patrol 27 Kaleu Eckhardt - U-68 - July 30th 1943 04:00

Just left Lorient for kvadrant DC72 - east of Florida.

Patrol 26 was abruptly discontinued as in the attack on a convoy west of Freetown obs and attack periscopes were destroyed by gunfire from an enemy destroyer - after we had made hits on 2 freighters. Was just turning to give the destroyer an aft torp when we got too lax and let him get too close before lowering the scope. Nothing much to do but to return to Lorient after having shaken them on 175 meters depth.

Crossed by a couple of convoys on the way back but preferred to keep distance. Also a Sunderland in Biscaya.

Boy, I am looking forward to those new, self-seeking torpedoes which are rumoured to be right around the corner.

Panser

01-27-10, 02:30 PM

U-49 April 13th 1940 Grid AF53,300Km WNW of Namsos.

The radio has been alive the past few days with reports on the invasion of Norway. It sounds like the British have several fleets in the area and are plotting a counter-offensive. After two days of empty patrol in AF87, ordered to Narvik by BdU to repel allied assault. Have intercepted an eastbound task force, a single column of three troop transports headed by a Southampton class cruiser. Two destroyers running escort, covering the sides and looping around to cover the rear.

Conditions are not ideal - broad daylight and swordfish aircraft providing air support. Have already been driven under three times in the last hour, sustained minor damage to the outer hull from depth charges on the first occasion. Possibly believed sunk as the aircraft have not continued to hunt me, just regular patrols. At least there is plenty of water under the keel - over 300m at the last check. This is going to be a tough nut to crack.

Leandros

01-27-10, 02:36 PM

Leandros

01-27-10, 02:40 PM

Patrol 27 Kaleu Eckhardt - U-68 - Aug 23rd 1943 07:03

Arrived in the assigned patrol area Aug. 17th. Presently trailing a large cargo which we put two torps into and a passenger/cargo that has received one. Bad visibility with rain and heavy seas.

psykopatsak

01-27-10, 02:48 PM

patrol 37. second run with the new XXI elektroboote, everything seems to run smoothly but i suspect it is not as silent as you might want to. got heard (by a destroyer steaming straight ahead and had no idea i was around) at 120 metres, running slow and silent.

Leandros

01-27-10, 04:23 PM

Patrol 27 Kaleu Eckhardt - U-68 - Aug 24th 1943 20:00 GMT - east of Florida
In the foreground: Bogue class escort carrier sinking slowly.

In the background: The 3 escorts leaving the area after inconclusive search.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U68/Patrol27/BogueDown.jpg

Falkirion

01-27-10, 06:31 PM

Patrol 8. U-47 August 20th. Continued from last post.

After making our initial attack on the convoy and eluding the escorts we jetted off ahead of their position to get ready for another crack and to get some more tonnage under our belt. We made it into position just ahead of the convoy and lay in wait one grid north. We had them on sonar before we spotted them. The waves had started rolling a little more resulting in more up and down motion for the ships. Impact detonations were set on tubes 1 and 2. They'd changed course since our last contact so my closing angle on my target was less than ideal at around 78 degrees but it didn't matter. I had faith in the eels we'd prepped. We set up tube 5 for a stern shot at a small merchant to create a bit of chaos while we tried to slip away. All 3 shots fired hit and we ducked down to evade again and try and get into position for another attack. The men were tired but knew that we could make it and then slip away our eels nearly all expended. The 3 shots fired hit. 2 into an Ore carrier which went down quickly and the single into a small merchant for Norway. A Flower nearby and Black Swan both came to invsitigate but we were already safely below their ADSIC range so weren't worried about them getting a fix on us. After a half hour of fruitless searching they gave up and rejoined the convoy.

We jetted ahead again and just after midnight made contact again. This time we set up for a spread across the remaining ships leading the formation. A grainville, tramp steamer and small merchant. A set of 3 eels were prepped and in the tubes quickly. We fired off each as the merchants ran into our cross hairs. All 3 eels impacted and the convoy came to life with spot lights. The Grainville copped the worst hit, keel broken she sank like a stone. The small merchant and tramp steamer though survived though the Tramp took on a low bow attitude it never pulled out of. After 10 minutes the Small merch was listing badly to starboard. All 3 kills confirmed via Hydrophones at 200m. We endured a heavy counter attack by the escorts. I think they were starting to get pissed off that we'd managed to make such an impression on the group. After getting down low and evading we headed south disengaging. Another attack with only 3 eels judged not worth the risk. We're now killing some time around the BF's looking for some single merchants to send under before heading home to Keil. Though with all the messages coming in from France I think the 7th's home might be changing soon.

codmander

01-27-10, 07:16 PM

2nd Flotilla
U-53
type VIIB
April 10 1940
Currently docked wilhelmsaven

ReFaN

01-27-10, 08:42 PM

U-566

2nd of June 1943, Limping back to brest after concentraded Air and depth charge attacks.

Falkirion

01-28-10, 05:59 AM

U 47 has returned to port from patrol 8 for the final time. She's been retired, the Kreigsmarine is thinking of turning her into a museum. She's already a legendary boat having nailed both Nelson class BBs.

The crew of U-47 has now switched boats to a new Type VII C. U-207 has set out on her maiden voyage. Her weathered and experienced crew ready to take on the British again in a new boat.

BillCar

01-29-10, 10:17 PM

U-84's second patrol – on the way to AM64. Late April, 1941.

Encountered one single merchant in BF15, and somehow missed three torpedoes at her. Sank her with the deck gun for ca. 8000 tons.

Then I encountered a convoy.

The set up was perfect, though the weather could have been better – perfectly flat seas, no clouds. Ran decks awash until about 3000m from the lead escort, and then dropped to periscope depth, silent running, and angled into the convoy.

I was completely undetected, and fired off two torpedoes at a large merchant and one at an empire freighter behind me.

*boom* *boom* ... *boom*

Escorts never had a clue where I was, and never came close. However, neither ship sank, and they were not sitting on the surface when I came back up, either. I went to flank and spent the next 17 hours overhauling the convoy and ducking in and out of visual range.

The following night, I set myself up the same way. Drifted into the convoy at periscope depth. Suddenly, searchlights are on, and there's vicious pinging. I look behind me and see a Flower corvette bearing down at top speed. I make a quick calculation, and nail her with a magnetic torpedo.

I'm being pinged by two different ships, but I am not done yet. Torpedoes one, two, three and four are all fired at an assortment of targets. I dive.

*boom* *boom* *boom*... *boom*

Plus the Flower, that's five impacts for five eels. Soon the Flower sinks.

I spend an hour evading, though evading is pretty generous. The last three impacts were all on the far side of the convoy, and that is where the destroyers were depth charging. Still, I have not gotten a message about anything but the Flower sinking. I surface, and find a passenger cargo blazing away. I finish her off with the deck gun.

This is disappointing. There are 4 crippled ships in that convoy, still keeping pace, and not sinking. I've got a torpedo left for my stern tube, and that's it.

I slink up to AM64, patrol for 24 hours, and come back for 402 renown. It could have been so much better than that. There are some heavily damaged merchants docking in Bristol right now.

KL-alfman

01-29-10, 10:29 PM

that's five impacts for five eels.

ideal example how it should work!! :up:
in worse wheather conditions the merchants surely would have taken more water and sunk by that.

Snestorm

01-30-10, 01:23 AM

D. 21.jan.45

U338 completed her 13. patrol, and is now docked at Bergen.
Patrol results: 1 fishing boat sunk for 82 tonns. 100% hull integrity.

U338 will be retired to training duties.
(Once I got to 1945 SH3 started crashing every 3 or 4 game days.
The decisions was made when SH3 again crashed in Bergen Fjord.)

Looking forward to climbing back into a IXB again.

Leandros

01-30-10, 08:30 AM

Patrol 29 Kaleu Eckhardt - U-68 - Nov 6th 1943 05:31

Just left Lorient for the Caribbean. Midway Biscaya - pestered by enemy air patrols all the time. Their radars detected every time. Have finally received the self-seeking torps. Two Falke in the rear compartments and two Zaunkønigs up front.

Last patrol was a near miss. Twice pushed down by enemy escorts. Had to return to base after 3 of 4 forward torpedo tubes were destroyed. Not without 30.000 tons scored, though.

Patrol 29 Kaleu Eckhardt - U-68 - Nov 24th 1943 11:01 GMT

Arrived in the assigned patrol area - DN61 - north of Puerto Rico. Uneventful crossing except for one coastal transport which was sunk by DG. Weather nice - flat sea and clear sky. We are going down under now....

timwatson

01-31-10, 12:47 PM

Gutten Tag Herr Kaleun!

You could do a fellow Type IX/C kapitan a great service here!

How does one successfully transfer fuel from U461?

My U129 is currently standing by U461 in force 6 weather. But to no avail after being within 100 meters for a while now. So far no change in the fuel level indicator!

Helfe!

Kaleun Role Hass

U-501 (Type IX/C)

Apr 12 - 1942

Am currently about half way to assigned patrol grid - CA54, have yet to encounter enemy shipping. Weather has got worse, with high winds and heavy seas. Crew are in a good mood, and I expect to rendezvous with Milch cow U-461 in a few days to resupply.

Heinz Buder

timwatson

01-31-10, 01:04 PM

May 1942, 11th mission

Attempting to refuel U129 from U461 in force 6 weather. So far have no success transfering fuel. Need advice. Help!

Hope to make it to Galveston Via New York, and then on to Curaco.

Over 10,000 tons sunk south of Ireland May 15th:

Sunk one inbound lightly armed lone coastal frieghter around midday - expended four (4) rounds of 105mm HE in 0 force weather

Sunk one inbound troop transport moving at 18 knots! (the game data indicates max. speed for this vessel to be 15 knots) later same afternoon.
Lead the target's bow by 150 meters using solo TII magnetic set 0.6 meter beneath its forward keel. Target came to stop within less than 15 minutes, then sunk by the bow

total tonnage to date: 10,000 plus

20 eels and 106 rounds of HE remain

BillCar

01-31-10, 02:28 PM

HMCS Simcoe, HX72
Commander J. M. Dowling
Engagement Report
21/22 September 1941
55.68N 12.18W

23:57
Watch crew spotted U-boat on surface, bearing 330 degrees at 4000yards
Contact reported to HMCS Harbord Lake, HMS Calvin and HMS Enright
Ordered hard turn to port, A and B guns engaged but unable to find range U-boat dove

23:59
ASDIC operator detected U-boat bearing 056, HMS Calvin also made ASDIC contact at this time, relative bearings given to HMS Enright and HMCS Harbord Lake

00:02
HMCS Harbord Lake drops depth charges
HMS Enright drops depth charges

00:06
ASDIC operator reported sound of screws at bearings 012, 015 and 017 consecutively
Ordered starboard turn to 025

00:08
Dropped depth charge pattern at depth 130-150

00:10
HMCS Harbord Lake reported ASDIC contact at relative bearing 190
HMS Calvin reported loud noises at relative bearing 230
HMS Enright dropped depth charges

00:23
HMCS Harbord Lake reported ASDIC contact lost
Y gun observed large oil slick with debris
U-boat presumed sunk 55.68N 12.18W

00:45
ASDIC operator reported no contact for 22 minutes
HMS Enright rejoined HX72

01:02
ASDIC operator reported no contact for 39 minutes
HMCS Harbord Lake rejoined HX72

01:18
ASDIC operator reported no contact for 55 minutes

01:26
HMS Calvin and HMCS Simcoe rejoined HX72

***************************************
BdU
07h17 22. September 1941
To: U-84
U-172 reports large convoy, grid AM52, course E, speed 8kts. U-84 is to shadow this convoy with U-172 and await further instruction. Confirm receipt of this message.

BdU
07h50 22. September 1941
To: U-84
U-172 reports large convoy, grid AM52, course E, speed 8kts. U-84 is to shadow this convoy with U-172 and await further instruction. Confirm receipt of this message.

BdU
09h20 22. September 1941
To: U-84
U-84 report status.

BdU
13h20 22. September 1941
To: U-84
U-84 report status.

Leandros

01-31-10, 02:46 PM

Patrol 32 Kaleu Eckhardt - U-68 - March 1st 1944 21:35 GMT

Departed Lorient for South Africa just now.

Both Patrols 30 and 31 had to be aborted. 30 because of engine problems, only about half speed could be attained on both surface and submerged. Also had some engine problems on Patrol 29. On Patrol 31 we were given a totally different torpedo load than the one requested.

Patrols 28 and 29 were quite successful as regard the use of the new self-seeking torpedoes. Correctly used they are very effective as self-defense and preemptive protection. Technique used - if one is able to position oneself ahead of the convoy: First sink the leader escort with a T3. They are very accurate on long range. Then fire as many you can on the convoy before the flank escort intervenes. Use the Falke on long range against these - important not to wait too long. In that way your position is not given away to the other escorts and you can keep the same position while reloading.

I often find it effective to use manual sighting on the self-seeking torps. The crux it to place its track somewhere between yourself and the oncoming enemy - the torp does the rest. Trust it! Most practical is to have them loaded in the aft tubes. Presently we have one T1 and one Falke loaded aft, with one T1 and one Falke internally stored. External store aft is also one T1 and one Falke - totally three Falkes aft. One T5 (Zaunkønig) loaded and one ready internally forward. The others T1 and T3.

We have installed all the latest gadgets: Schnorkel, Tarnmatte, RWR and the automatic twin-barreled 37 mm cannon In addition to the two twin 20 mm cannons.....

This might be a one-way journey if U-boat Brake isn't still in position east of Madagascar. No other possibility for replenishing. Proceeding at most economical speed.

KL-alfman

01-31-10, 02:55 PM

Leandros

01-31-10, 02:59 PM

hm, never re-fueled so far.
but IIRC you just have to hit Esc in the near of the "milchkuh" and "dock" at it. it does even end your patrol and you start again with no assigned grid.
but, Jimbuna knows best.
don't rely on my diminishing brain-cells.
That is correct - also: No possibility to select your own torpedo upload. That's what I don't like about it. T1's are a necessity for self-defense. Just my opinion.

Jimbuna

01-31-10, 03:29 PM

hm, never re-fueled so far.
but IIRC you just have to hit Esc in the near of the "milchkuh" and "dock" at it. it does even end your patrol and you start again with no assigned grid.
but, Jimbuna knows best.
don't rely on my diminishing brain-cells.

You are quite correct....simply hit the Esc key when your within rendering range of the milch cow (approx 35km) and you will be given the choice to dock or continue with patrol.

KL-alfman

01-31-10, 03:46 PM

That is correct - also: No possibility to select your own torpedo upload. That's what I don't like about it. T1's are a necessity for self-defense. Just my opinion.

always thought TII are the better weapon concerning DDs, cause the wake will reveal your position??!!
that's why I only shot the electric eel at DDs .......

BillCar

01-31-10, 06:57 PM

Leutnant z. S. Anton Jansen has commissioned his first boat, U-332, a Type VIIC operating from Brest with the 1st Flotilla.

Patrol 1: Departed Brest on the 4th of September, 1941. Bound for patrol grid BF13. Six hours out, came under air attack and sustained light damage. No casualties.

Received report of a large convoy, but did not engage, as the engagement would have necessitated a daylight attack in calm seas.

Once in BF 13, dove several times to avoid aircraft. Torpedoed one passenger cargo, which sank for 2268 tons.

Followed a hydrophone contact which turned out to be a large cargo. Observed guns on fore and aft decks and torpedoed her before American flag visible. Sailed out of area at high speed. Fate of vessel unknown, damaged for 8000+ tons.

Foolishly attacked an A&W class destroyer at close range on the surface and received accurate gunfire in return. Severe damage to tower and damage to several sections of the boat. All repaired. Evaded depth charges and sustained no damage while submerged.

Continued patrolling and gradually working way home. Encountered a small merchant and sank with one torpedo amidships. Encountered a second small merchant, and sank it with one torpedo to the bow and another to the stern.

Docked at Brest for repairs after 5 days on patrol and a meagre bag of ca. 6800GRT sunk and 8000 damaged.

Patrol 2:

Departed Brest on October 1st, 1941. Assigned patrol grid AM89. Avoided a pair of destroyers at entrance to English Channel and continued on. Constant aircraft sightings.

On reaching AM89, performed hydrophone check. On surfacing, was immediately attacked by two Hurricanes which had been missed by observation scope. Sustained one hit, leaving a divot in the aft deck. All other damage successfully repaired after resurfacing from crash dive.

Came across one tanker, the Nipiwan Park. Fired one magnetic torpedo, a miss, which detonated behind her. Before she could react, fired a second on impact which was a direct hit. Miss attributed to slightly inaccurate initial speed reading from poor timekeeping using fixed wire method.

At the close of the 24 hour patrol of AM89, spotted one freighter. Overhauled at roughly 4000m to her port, decks awash. Watch officer called out an incoming destroyer. U-332 passed smoothly between the two, on a parallel course with each, and roughly equidistant. Turned in a dog leg to get ahead of the freighter. Fixed wire showed her to be making 8 knots. She began a turn. Owing to the angle, switched to magnetic pistol and fired. Torpedo exploded underneath her, but on the far side. She developed a severe list to starboard.

Destroyer raced to scene with spotlights, but did not at any point detect U-332. Eventually left, after which point U-332 surfaced. Freighter sunk with deck gun for 4071 GRT.

After finishing patrol of AM89, headed south to BF13. Received a contact report of a merchant vessel heading east, and plotted a rough intercept course. Arrived to find only a schooner, which was sunk. Following this engagement, two American tankers appeared to the east, and a British whale factory ship appeared to the west.

Submerged and found the whale factory ship to be AOB zero at our current static position, so ordered back slow for 1000 metres. Waited.

Estimated speed to be roughly 9knots owing to bow wake and smoke. As ship crossed the bow of U-332, three torpedoes were fired. The first, roughly 20 metres in from the bow; the second, amidships. The third was aimed directly under the stack. All three torpedoes impacted directly at their respective points of aim, and she sank bow-first for 11000+ GRT.

Four Type II torpedoes left in the bow tubes, 3 Type I torpedoes left for the stern. Continuing patrol, despite harassment from enemy aircraft.

Leandros

02-01-10, 10:03 AM

always thought TII are the better weapon concerning DDs, cause the wake will reveal your position??!!
that's why I only shot the electric eel at DDs .......
That is certainly correct when you can fire from a disguised position towards a DD on a steady course. I do that, too. However, when you are discovered, the TII is often worthless because your opponent is zigzagging. Most often the slow TII shall then miss. The TI, however, when fired at minimum range, is too fast for the DD to avoid, even if it discovers it. Magnetic fuze is a necessity on those occasions. That can be a problem early in the war, particularly with the TII.

KL-alfman

02-01-10, 10:22 AM

That is certainly correct when you can fire from a disguised position towards a DD on a steady course. I do that, too. However, when you are discovered, the TII is often worthless because your opponent is zigzagging. Most often the slow TII shall then miss. The TI, however, when fired at minimum range, is too fast for the DD to avoid, even if it discovers it. Magnetic fuze is a necessity on those occasions. That can be a problem early in the war, particularly with the TII.

thx, great explanation!
haven't considered this so far :up:

Leandros

02-01-10, 10:29 AM

Patrol 36 Kaleu Eckhardt - U-68 - Sept 14th 1944 06:46 GMT

Left Lorient morning Sept. 12th. The 5 latest patrols have all been aborted due to technical problems on engines, schnorkel, AA and torpedo load-outs. Last patrol, when going out of Biscaya we were attacked by a Catalina. Had decided to take on any airborne comers with our uprated AA - twin fast-firing 37 mm's and two twin fast 20 mm's. However, when the first magazines were emptied all guns were stuck. Luckily, he didn't hit us and we were eventually able to dive. In the meantime I found that the deck gun followed my instructions to fire at the plane. That was a new one! Just assigned the target with the binoculars and the DG fired happily. From the outset I had directed the DG towards the oncoming aircraft.

All these technical problems must partly be due to sabotage. We are not going back to Lorient as that base is now given up. Our new base is Trondheim/Norway.

Dissaray

02-01-10, 11:13 AM

My current patrol has been some what of a cruse, save for the ocasional bombing. It is early in '44 and the Tommies seem to have evacuated the whole of the Atlantic. BDU has seen fit to sit me down right in the middle of the shiping lains in the north west of Biscay, generaly a place full of silly little merchant ships not paying attention even after the eels bite but not so just the now.

The colsest thing to an enemy contact that wasn't a bomber was a task force that I couldn't intercept due to its unfaverable course and speed. I don't know what is wrong with the bombers realy, my "evasive manuvers" consisted of diving to parascope depth and continuing on my course. I havn't been hit once, not even close, they did manage to straif me twice though that didn't seem to do any damage. Not that I am complaining you see, just an intresting observation.

BillCar

02-01-10, 01:55 PM

U-332, Patrol 2 Continued:

Continued patrolling grid BF13 and happened across yet another whale factory ship. Fixed wire method gave her speed as 8 knots. Closed to 1000metres submerged, as seas were calm and sky was sunny. Fired final four bow torpedoes, all of which impacted their points of aim. Manual targeting skills are certainly improving.

Ducked two aircraft attacks on the way towards Brest, then had change of heart and headed to Vigo to replenish at Bessel.

Refueled, rearmed, and did light repairs on the boat. Left and headed south towards grid CG85. Intercepted one Greek small merchant. Sank with two rounds from deck gun.

Attacked by aircraft following day, sustained one hit. Lack of significant shipping traffic in area, combined with damage, encouraged return trip to Brest.

Total tonnage sunk on second patrol: 34,148 GRT.

Torpedo loadout which gives the best results seems to be TII torpedoes in the bow tubes (exclusively; no other torpedo types in reserve) and TI torpedoes in stern tubes (for fast shots on rapidly closing escorts).

Snestorm

02-01-10, 02:15 PM

Patrol 36 Kaleu Eckhardt - U-68 - Sept 14th 1944 06:46 GMT

We are not going back to Lorient as that base is now given up. Our new base is Trondheim/Norway.

Trondheim? Not Bergen? 2. Flotilla?

That's cool!
How did you do that?

Falkirion

02-01-10, 06:07 PM

U-207 patrol 1. Patrol 9 for crew.

Having transferred to a new boat the crew and I have made our first contact and sinking. It was early in the morning 3 days out of port when we came across a lone Grainville merchant making his way south towards neutral Spain. Assuming he was headed to Gibraltar we got his course and speed and headed off ahead.

Attack results. 1 TII torpedo expended and around 10 rounds of HE shells from our deck gun for 1 Grainville. Not too bad. Currently stalking a Southwest bound convoy approxmiately 3 grid spaces from sunk merchant. Weathers pretty rough up top and escorts look relatively green. And smack in the middle is 3 tankers. I have to get this one.

KL-alfman

02-01-10, 06:20 PM

And smack in the middle is 3 tankers. I have to get this one.

be more aggressive!
(might Jimbuna say, not me) :up:

Leandros

02-01-10, 07:05 PM

Trondheim? Not Bergen? 2. Flotilla?

That's cool!
How did you do that?
None of our doing - just received the orders when leaving Lorient.....the port is now besieged, not possible to get replenishments there any more.

utops

02-01-10, 10:19 PM

Doing crashdive after sunk some convoy bricks ... one southampton class included :arrgh!:
35BRT only just because of 7 eels on board when convoy show up
1939...happy times...

Blacknite3d

02-01-10, 10:48 PM

Snestorm

02-01-10, 10:54 PM

Training.

Testing my newest SH3 install.

Surprisingly, it is a-bit different than my last.

1: The harbor docks now show on my nav chart. Great!

2: No Watch Officer Assist means just that. Not even to identify a target. Great!

3: We encountered many ships while leaving port. Great!

4: A german merchant showed up on my nav chart, with Contacts turned OFF. Bad!
He was the only one that showed up, so I'm hoping it was a fluke, or perhaps he was a special case.
Does anyone have any information on this?

5: Beery's Flotilla Mod works, and I can now start in the 2. Flotilla. Outstanding!

SH3 wouldn't allow me to do the first patrol under my own carreer name, so I had to do my first (experimental) patrol under the "Player" name.
Is this normal?
Can I do my next (real) patrol under my own carreer name?

Any information here would be much appreciated.

Falkirion

02-01-10, 11:31 PM

First two patrols -
0 Sinking, war hasnt started yet, why am I out at sea a month prior to the start of the war?

Third Patrol -
Went in to Dunkirk thinking about the whole Dunkirk scenario, but after sinking a Troop Transport, I just remembered Dunkirk happened in May 1940, not September 1939...

Fourth Patrol -
Tried to sneak into Scapa Flow, I failed miserably...
You're playing Stock arent you? Stock puts you back to sea the day after you arrive in port. SH3 commander fixes that issue right up by allowing you to choose how many days in port you spend.

Blacknite3d

02-02-10, 12:37 PM

Nope, I was playing the Grey Wolves Mod.

Obltn Strand

02-02-10, 02:18 PM

Shortest patrol ever.

November 1st 1940

U-44 left at St.Nazaire towards grid BE 59.

November 3rd

Spotted Granville type freighter just after midnight. Sinked with one torpedo.

November 3rd

20.00 Wo spots warship. Closer examination reveals merchant ship silhouettes at horizon. A convoy heading northeast at 4kts.

21.30 surfaced attack run to favorable position is started.
Double shot to Large merchant, two single shots at two Medium cargoes.
Also fired aft tube at Small Merchant.
First four hits are observed. Aft torpedo missed.
Navigator repots Large Merchant and one Medium Cargo sunked.

Avoided escorts about 2 hours. Depth charged, no damage.

November 4th

Convoy on sight around midnight. Maneuvering to attack at 2500m.
01.30 Fired doubleshot at Large Merchant, single shot at Granville type and previously damaged Medium cargo. One hit observed at Large Merchant, other three missed. Large Merchant sinks after 45 minutes.

Avoided escorts about 2hours. Depth charged, no damage.

06.00 calculations have suceeded, boat is positioned right in front of the convoy. Attacked submerged around 07.00. Fired bow tube at previously damaged Medium cargo which was still on fire. A hit and she goes down rapidly. Also fired aft torpedo at Small Merchant. A hit observed but no sinking.

Avoided escorts about 2hours. Depth charged, no damage.

Found Small Merchant stationary at surface, heeling heavily to port. Sinked with gunfire.

With only external torpedoes left and waves are growing stronger, decided to return port.

7 days at patrol
6 ships sunk
+ 30 000 tons

SeaWolf U-57

02-02-10, 02:39 PM

Back to patrol 1 as I have just redone LSH3 v5 to include my battlesub and other changes to prevent crashes :up:

Snestorm

02-02-10, 07:14 PM

You're playing Stock arent you? Stock puts you back to sea the day after you arrive in port. SH3 commander fixes that issue right up by allowing you to choose how many days in port you spend.

Stock gives you 28 days in port following all patrols.

Falkirion

02-02-10, 09:01 PM

Thanks for correcting me Snestorm. Always happy to have someone with better knowledge override my noob statements.

Attacked the convoy last night. Turns out the tankers i thought I saw were actually whaling ships. Downed one of them with a pair of TI's, fired off tubes 3 and 4 at an ammunition ship and large merchant. Unfortunately stuffed up my timing and aimed at the lead whaling ship instead of the one following it. Ah well. Got a whaling ship, ammunition ship damaged. evaded escorts for an hour before they moved on. Trailed in the convoy's wake to find 2 tramp steamers had been seperated from the group. Got to within 500m of my first tramp steamer on the surface before I fired off an eel at him. Boom dead in the water. Adding to the water damage already suffered. He was bow down when we caught up to him. Dove to avoid being spotted on the surface. Quickly manuevered to catch the second and fired an eel at him from around 800m set fast. Dove to 40m for a hydrophone sweep and picked up a warship coming in hot. Silent running before I slunk out of the area up 2 tramp steamers for 2 eels. Could be better but thats life on the Atlantic. Now headed to the North of Rockall bank to see what I can find.

Jimbuna

02-03-10, 04:09 PM

You also incur one extra day in port for every % of damage upon docking.

Dissaray

02-03-10, 04:43 PM

I have had an intresting patrol this time around. I patroled the middle of no where for about a week and saw nothing. Then all the suden I ran across a two ship "convoy" and distroyed them both. Then I tried to run down another convoy, a large convoy this time, but I ended up never being able to catch up to them. Then I puted around for a day and found a small convoy that was an easy attack, though the lead escort came with in 100m of my bow at one point and managed to pop a medium cargo ship. After that attack I was out of torpidos and have only sunk 3 ships.

On my way back I came across a pasanger-cargo ship that came out of no where, damn near ran into it befor my watch crew saw it. Not wanting to waste an opertunity I set full speed ahead and let them have it with the deck gun. They went down inside of a half hour and never managed to hit me. So being very pleased with my patrol I set course for home. Just when I though I was home free my watch informs me that there is a ship on the horizon. So I take a look and lo and behold there was a ship out there, a medium cargo I later found out. The intresting thing about this ship was that it apeard to be on fire and was creeping along at what I determined to be 2 or 3 knots. I got alittle closer and noticed it was listing to starbord a little and there was in fact a fire just forward of the super structure. The ship was armed with two deck guns so I waited until dark to make my move. As soon as the sun fully set I started in on them. Closed to less than 3500m and came to a dead stop for perfect aim and let fly the opening shot.

As soon as my gun sounded the target lit up and I saw that my shot was well on target and shortly after the lights came on the shell slamed into the stern gun mount, blasting it from the mount. Orderd rudder hard to port and flank speed. I took aim at the ship as best I could and inflicted heavy damages where I could but dodging shells off that bow gun and dealing with the pitch and roll of my boat made things dificult. I did manage to further criple the target though. I am not sure if I distroyed the engine or ruptured the fule tanks but it eventualy came to a dead stop.

Weather conditions made it so I couldn't use the deck gun any more and it was geting light again so I have submerged and am observing the target now from about 3500m. I think if the weather turns a little more foul it might cause them to sink. The deck rail at the stern of the ship is nearly at the water line. Hopefuly they will sink of their own accord or the weather will improve and let me have a second round with them.

The ship finaly sank after about a day watching it. To add insult to injury an unescorted convoy strolled by. I would have chanced attacking with just the deck gun in broad daylight but the sea wouldn't co-operate with me and I had to let them go. Some jucy targets there too, two large tankers and a pair of medium cargos and a lonley tramp steamer as lead "escort."

Leandros

02-03-10, 05:56 PM

Patrol 37 Kaleu Eckhardt - U-68 - Dec 16th 1944 14:33

Left Trondheim for kvadrant AL66 on Dec. 8th. Very quiet crossing with calm seas untill we got north of the Shetlands, then the air traffic started. Had a brush with a Catalina. Soon after picked up a passenger/cargo that had been reported via the BdU. The Catalina came back and while our DG was engaging the merchant the flak guys kept the Cat at a distance. After one pass it went home. Eventually we expended our DG ammo - the firing started at long range - but then his speed had gone down so approached him submerged with the help of the schnorkel. Gave him a torp for good measure even if he certainly had gone down sooner or later. Didn't have time to hang around, Coastal Command would return for sure.

The schnorkel has its drawbacks. Using it during daytime is very dangerous, the water streaming around it can obviously be observed by the air patrols. Obs. periscope must be used at all times on such occasions. It's OK to use in the dark but one has to consider that the diesels can be heard much farther away than the electrical power source. Also own detection sensitivity decreases. And the speed shall always be less than when cruising surfaced. With other words - the fuel economy suffers.

We are presently in kvadrant AM12 having been interrupted by a large convoy coming out of the east. Probably a Murmansk-convoy returning. Based on info from the BdU we have been able to position us straight ahead of it. We have picked up some of the escorts on the sonar and some of the first merchants. Among the TI's and TIII's we also have 3 Falke. 2 loaded in the rear tubes and one forward. There were many more available in Trondheim, T5 and T6, too - but, we were not able to scrounge these out of the quartiermeister. Probably earmarked for the new E-boote.

Crew is getting quite rash now, most of them having served with me on my 36 patrols. I am getting hints all the time not to save on torps if the escorts are coming after us. Which they shall. The margins are closing.

frau kaleun

02-03-10, 10:19 PM

1st Patrol
U-36, U-Flotilla Saltzwedel
LtzS Hans Witte, commanding officer

1 Aug 1939
1809: Departed Wilhelmshaven with orders to proceed to grid BF19 and back for a short shakedown cruise with new boat and crew. Skies clear, visibility moderate, winds negligible.

2 Aug 1939
1817: Grid AN84. Skies clear, visibility moderate, winds 14 m/s. Proceeding SW toward Dover Straits en route to grid BF19.
2111: Grid AN84. Seas increasingly rough; submerged to 25 m. All equipment functioning normally.

3 Aug 1939
0500: Grid AN79. Hydrophone report of ship bearing 357 and closing. Maintained course and depth and allowed ship to pass by very near off our port side. Observed some trepidation on the part of greener crew members at the sound of her passing overhead in fairly close proximity and almost regretted my decision not to alter course; however if my misgivings regarding the current political situation at home and abroad prove well-founded, it may be a sound they are better off getting used to sooner rather than later and under the most innocuous circumstances possible. Ordered periscope depth; sweep revealed Hansa freighter heading away on a northeasterly course. Surfaced 150 m astern of freighter to the apparent delight of her morning watch; much waving and signalling of good wishes from both sides. Skies clear, visibility moderate, winds 6 m/s.
1946: Grid BF32. Continued good weather; proceeding SW through Channel.

4 Aug 1939
0040: Grid BF35. Watch reported ship spotted at long range heading SE, possibly en route to Cherbourg or Le Havre. First ship sighting since passing Hansa freighter yesterday A.M.
0230: Grid BF35. Ship spotted, another Hansa freighter heading NE through Channel.
0628: Grid BF26. Ship spotted, British light cargo heading toward southern English coast. Skies partly cloudy, visibility moderate, no wind; seas exceedingly calm.

5 Aug 1939
0716: Grid BF19. Patrolling assigned grid as ordered; skies clear, visibility moderate, winds negligible. Sounded alarm for crash dive and ordered maximum depth of 120 m; emergency surface ordered after 2 hrs submerged. Performance of crew and boat satisfactory throughout.

7 Aug 1939
0700: Grid BF11. Proceeding NW around southern Irish coast; will return to Wilhelmshaven via northerly route between Iceland and British Isles. Crew and boat still performing to expected standards. Per message received from flotilla HQ I am to be promoted Oberleutnant z. See upon successful return to base and retain command of U-36 for the foreseeable future.

Leandros

02-04-10, 12:15 PM

Patrol 38 Kaleu Eckhardt - U-68 - Feb. 23rd 1945 09:10

Left Trondheim this morning 08:54. Some quick checks unravelled serious technical problems again. Max speed at surface 10-12 knops. What's worse - we only achieved 3 knots submerged. Looks as if we have to abort mission and return to base.

Patrol 37 almost ended with disaster. The escorts of the convoy we ambushed in AM12 was on us like wild dogs even before we sighted any merchants (extremely bad weather, BTW). Had to use half of our torps to keep them on bay, including the 3 Falkes. 2 of these accounted for 2 Captain I class. Our second try to sneak in resulted in our losing both scopes and the port diesel engine. Was also hit by one Hedgehog bomb, but no serious damage. Luckily, the weather was so bad that it was quite easy to escape their circle at 120 meters depth. The Bold III's seems very effective when used for quick dives and sneak-outs.

On the way back we made a typical mistake. To avoid being detected on radar we started up schnorkel/diesel about 10 nm from the convoy. One destroyer obviously snuck up on us in our blind rear angle - suddenly something was hitting us! We crash-dived and lowered the schnorkel simultaneously. He was so close upon us that we were inside his side-thrown D/C's. Again we could escape at 120 m. Didn't dare go deeper as HI was only 54 %.

The crew doesn't mind us returning to base.

Leandros

02-04-10, 01:08 PM

KL-alfman

02-04-10, 01:16 PM

glad you survived! :up:

Jimbuna

02-04-10, 01:18 PM

BE MORE AGGRESSIVE!! http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/pirate.gif

Leandros

02-04-10, 03:05 PM

BE MORE AGGRESSIVE!! http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/pirate.gif
Thank you - I was - untill after october '43 when I had technical problems 6 times in row - till Sept. '44. Lost all my goodwill because I used it to load up with expensive self-seeking torpedoes each time. Which I lost when returning to base. Even got degraded.

While we are at it how do I fix these two minor irritants:

1. When, for example, an aircraft is approaching, a warning/choice fills the screen. When selecting, for example, to stay on the surface or engage the enemy it comes back in a few seconds and asks again. It is very tiresome and interferes with the work. It doesn't help to tick the little square, it still comes back.

2. The other is when on the limit of sighting a vessel - each time it is resighted the X drops to one. Also the annoying voice - vessel sighted. How do I get rid of this. I have been into it once but cannot remember it now.

Be a little agressive to find out about this for me....:DL

Leandros

02-04-10, 03:06 PM

glad you survived! :up:
Thank you! On it again....

RConch

02-04-10, 04:20 PM

Eighth war patrol U 564 VIIC heading to BE 94.

Skullcowboy

02-04-10, 05:04 PM

1st patrol, Sept 1 1939.
We've invaded Poland. Or they have invaded us, depends on who you listen to. The talk is the Tommies and the French will just back down again. I'm not so sure. Time will tell...

Big brass band on the dock, lots of cheering and the crew in high spirits as we pull out. Ahead slow in our new VIIB, we make for the Kiel canal locks. Damnedest thing happens. A small tanker with Esso colors steams into the closed lock gates and explodes! What a mess. Long way round for us it seems.

Some of the crew speak of sabotage. I shut that down straightaway but I can see the lads are shaken. It isn't the best way to start our first outing. Looking forward to deep water. Some emergency drills and mock target runs to set the routine and get their minds on what may come...

Skullcowboy

02-05-10, 01:43 AM

U-52 continuing patrol, 2 Sept 39. The trip out to the North Sea was uneventful. The Chief playing the 'What is that and what does it do.' game with some of the greener kids, alarm drills and what not. Giving the boat a good going over, it's only a few months old.

At about 2230hrs one of the lookouts spots a ship about 11,000m out approaching at medium speed. Good time for a targeting drill. Quick figuring and damned if we aren't in a perfect spot. We drop to ahead slow and she'll cross our T at about 1500m.

Letting a couple of the pups do the numbers while the WO checks their work we run through the drill, set up a two torp spread, get a good ID... it's a Polish Collier!! I verify the setup and LOS!!! The shot is perfect, one fish hits just after the bow, the other right on the engine room. She goes down in minutes.

We've broken in the boat. Perhaps our start hasn't jinxed us...

KL-alfman

02-05-10, 03:09 AM

U-110 (Kaleu Artur Stein)
21st, December 1941
still patrols out in the Atlantic, making her way down from Rockall's to the coast of Portugal, looking for less fog and calmer seas.
got a contact report of a large convoy in which we would have liked to spend our remaining 12eels. in our silent run at 90°AOB to the first corner on starboard suddenly the whole convoy turned from sailing north to now north-east.

what a terrible surprise! the leading escort soon pinged us and we only could crash-dive and escape at 160m. some other boats must have attacked earlier, there were two burning freighters. anyway the escorts were really aggressive!:

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/8031/hunterga.jpg (http://img12.imageshack.us/i/hunterga.jpg/)

Snestorm

02-05-10, 03:32 AM

patrol 40 kaleu eckhardt - u-68 - may 8th 1945 09:00

war is over! The engines of u-68 obviously are completely shot. Had to rtb on patrol 39, too. Before repairs could be made - no spare engines - the war ended. Thank you!

T i l l y k k e ! ! !

Snestorm

02-05-10, 04:52 AM

Patrol: 1
Grid: BE61
D. 1.sep.39 til 10.okt.39

D. 3.sep.39. 13.51. Radio Message.
Commense hostilities against England.

D. 17.sep.39. Grid AM78.
Ship spotted.
14.39. Little Merchant (2.343 GRT) sunk.
Daylight submerged attack. 1 x T1 Torpedo.

D. 18.sep.39.
Arrive at Patrol Grid BE61.
No contacts.

D. 22.sep.39. Grid BE39.
Ship spotted.
10.08. Little Merchant (2.336 GRT) sunk.
Daylight submerged attack. 1 x T1 Torpedo.

D 25.sep.39. 14.41 Radio report.
Enemy Large Convoy. AM01. East. 6 knots.

Contact made with convoy.
Course 097. Speed 6+ knots.

D 26.sep.39.
Weather clear. Moon full.
Night submerged attack. 3 x T1 Torpedoes.
00.35. AM29. Coastal Merchant (2.045 GRT) sunk.
C2 Cargo struck by 2 torpedoes, and damaged.
(Fires would made perfect beacon to convoy).
Escort consisted of 1 Flower Class Corvette.
Escaped undetected.

04.30. AM29. Damaged C2 Cargo (6.448 GRT) sunk.
Night submerged attack. 1 x T1 Torpedo.

Daylight submerged attack. 3 x T1 Torpedoes.
3 torpedo impacts heard.
Corvette made numeriouse depth charge drops.
Went from 100 meters til 110, then 120.
No damage to U37.
Disengaged convoy.

Surfaced to trail convoy in search of damaged ships.
16.21. AM51. Damaged T2 Tanker (10.871 GRT) sunk.
No sign of the other struck vessel.

U37 returning to base.
3 encounters with enemy carrier based aircraft enrout.
(Mellem Island og Færøerne).

Patrol Total = 5 ships. 24.043 GRT.
(No external torpedoes carried.
2 external stern tubes without reloads.
12 Torpedoes total.)

Leandros

02-05-10, 04:54 AM

T i l l y k k e ! ! !
Takk!

gmuno

02-05-10, 05:10 AM

I've to start a new career. My Type II U3 got sunk yesterday on her first war patrol at Sept. 8th, 1939. I've torpedoed a lonesome freighter east of the Firth of Forth. It sank, but 2 destroyers and 2 patrol boats closed in. One of the destroyers managed to damage engine room with a lucky throw and after that it was only a matter of time.
Well, here we go again.

Leandros

02-05-10, 10:04 AM

Leutnant z. S. Paul Fischer - Patrol 1 - U-99 - March 8th 1942

Just arrived back in Lorient on my first command and with a very fresh crew. Left at March 3rd for the US East coast but hit upon a large convoy just outside Biscaya after BdU information. Too fat to let go. Was lucky with the positioning and the struggle developed into two stages. First, we were able to decimate the escorts and a couple of merchants.....

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U99/Patrol1/Patrol1.jpg

Then, after a long period of loading down reserve topedoes, we renewed the attack. Unfortunately the weather turned sour so we couldn't use the DG to finish off a couple damaged ones.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o129/Leandros10/U99/Patrol1/Patrol1B.jpg

Not bad for a totally fresh crew and returned with 100% HI. Looking forward to next patrol with an even better trained crew. Even sunk an enemy submarine!

KL-alfman

02-05-10, 06:55 PM

outstanding!
16ships with just 22eels!
just have to admire your achievements.

Obltn Strand

02-05-10, 10:39 PM

I thought I was fast:shifty:

Leandros didn't waste any time
or fuel:salute:

Snestorm

02-05-10, 11:08 PM

I thought I was fast:shifty:

Leandros didn't waste any time
or fuel:salute:

No. He sure doesn't play around.
Great results also!

BillCar

02-06-10, 02:52 AM

Oberleutnant z. S. Anton Jansen's Type VIIC (U-332) left Brest on the first of November, assigned to patrol grid CG88. Sank one coastal freighter en route to patrol grid.

Received radio message about a convoy, heading to Gibraltar. Made contact with them in rough seas three hours later – three ships were already burning. Just prior to launching torpedoes, was driven under by a Black Swan. Resurfaced and made contact again, this time picking off two tramp steamers from the back of the convoy before being forced under again. Resurfaced, made contact one last time, but was driven away.

Headed back towards CG88 and discovered another convoy. Forced under, as the seas were calm and the day bright. Detected and depth charged, forced to blow ballast to maintain station, but blew too much and popped up like a cork.

What happened next will go down in the history books.

U-332 sank, a Black Swan, a Flower corvette, and another Black Swan, all with the deck gun, and all within two minutes. By this time, all merchants in the convoy had opened fire. Went to periscope depth again and sank a passenger-cargo with the stern tubes. Severe damage, but U-332 managed to resurface and left the convoy behind, headed for Vigo to resupply.

En route to Vigo, U-332 struck another vessel in a storm. All hands were lost.

*****

Oberleutnant Theodor Winter, formerly 1 WO on U-31, has commissioned his first boat. On September 1st, 1940, while still a Leutnant, Winter left St. Nazaire in his boat, U-97, with orders to patrol grid BF13. En route, U-97 successfully damaged an attacking aircraft while suffering no damage herself.

Reaching BF13, U-97 spotted a Ceramic-type ocean liner. One torpedo fired under the keel with a magnetic pistol, but failed to detonate. Instead, U-97 used her deck gun to sink the ship, for 11,000+ GRT.

Seven hours later, U-97 picked up a merchant contact on hydrophones. Plotting a rough intercept course, she came across a medium cargo ship. One torpedo was fired with magnetic fuse, on an angle under the keel. This torpedo exploded, but proved insufficient to sink the ship. One impact pistol torpedo was fired, creating significant damage, but still not enough to sink the merchant quickly. A third torpedo, with magnetic pistol, was sent under the merchant's keel, breaking her in two for 5400 GRT.

It was only a few hours later that a second medium cargo entered U-97's patrol area. This one sank more easily, with one impact pistol to her engine room.

There followed three days of no ship sightings, and constant diving to avoid aircraft.

Finally, a small merchant was encountered by U-97. After being hit with one impact torpedo, she developed a severe list to port, but would not sink. While maneuvering, U-97 came under attack from an ASW Trawler. Forced to dive, she resurfaced to find the small merchant still traveling along her previous course, at roughly 3 knots. U-97 dispatched the small merchant with another impact torpedo.

U-97 then set course for St. Nazaire, docking on the 10th of September. Her first patrol had netted 23,619 tons of shipping, and a promotion to Oberleutnant z. See for Theodor Winter.

Leandros

02-06-10, 06:36 AM

outstanding!
16ships with just 22eels!
just have to admire your achievements.
Thank you! You know, the German U-boot commanders should have had a few months with SHIII before they were sent out.....:DL...

That said, I am only playing at 74 % difficulty. No need to take the work from my excellent subalterns....:hmmm:

Leandros

02-06-10, 07:00 AM

U-332 sank, a Black Swan, a Flower corvette, and another Black Swan, all with the deck gun, and all within two minutes. By this time, all merchants in the convoy had opened fire.
Boy, oh boy - this is certainly something for the history books. Particularly when one considers that all those surface vessels must have been simultaneously within artillery range of your boot....and at 100%.....!!!

BillCar

02-06-10, 10:05 AM

Boy, oh boy - this is certainly something for the history books. Particularly when one considers that all those surface vessels must have been simultaneously within artillery range of your boot....and at 100%.....!!!

It was very, very strange. The merchants couldn't find my range, but the Flower and second Black Swan each hit me once. I was playing on 100% with GWX 3.0 and a bunch of realism mods. Guess I was just lucky?

Lucky until my boat was destroyed by a collision, at least!

Submarine

02-06-10, 11:27 AM

My new ship is setting out of harbor and headed to the English channel at coordinates AN13 for patrol. Wish me luck, its my first time playing SHIII in a long time :D

Leandros

02-06-10, 11:45 AM

It was very, very strange. The merchants couldn't find my range, but the Flower and second Black Swan each hit me once. I was playing on 100% with GWX 3.0 and a bunch of realism mods. Guess I was just lucky?

Lucky until my boat was destroyed by a collision, at least!
You must have been extremely lucky. Don't try it again.....:woot:....

Leandros

02-06-10, 11:46 AM

My new ship is setting out of harbor and headed to the English channel at coordinates AN13 for patrol. Wish me luck, its my first time playing SHIII in a long time :D
Hals und Beinbruch..!

Submarine

02-06-10, 02:22 PM

Hals und Beinbruch..!

Was off the coast of portland, UK encountered a UK destroyer and engaged. Was hit with 2 depth charges but I repaired the damage quick. Missed with all my torpedoes, then surfaced for a last stand with my deck gun. After scoring a few direct hits, the destroyer rammed me and my poor U-boat was lost to the sea. Well it was a good practice run to warm up anyway :D

KL-alfman

02-06-10, 03:25 PM

after a long and successful patrol (72days, 10ships sunk, 73k tons) U-110 could manage to reach Lorient in the morning of Dec, 24th 1941.

now as Kaleu Artur Stein was preparing for the next patrol he had to realize that BdU was sending him to DJ13, again Gibraltar! and he was so looking forward to be sent to the east-coast of the U.S. - so there now is a big deal of disappointment he has to hide from his crew.
just thinking of his lazy elephant-type-IXB evading constant air-attacks makes him sick .....
but orders are orders. :cry:

Submarine

02-06-10, 03:40 PM

Started a new patrol in 1939 as the 1st squadron with my little IIB. After patrolling for a few days at sea, and reaching out patrol point we encountered a UK destroyer at medium to long range. After launching 2 torpedos, one lucky hit struck the destroyer in the engine room causing her to take on water and sink to the sea. I think I should end the patrol and refill my torps but I do not know. My little boat carries just about none.

Anyway! That is my first confirmed kill since I returned to SHIII and subsim after a few months hiatus! WOOHOO! PARTY!! :rock:

Leandros

02-06-10, 04:38 PM

KL-alfman

02-06-10, 05:56 PM

Good thing you made it back to Xmas eve.....:)....think of all those others that didn't.....

absolutely right!
btw, we sent a radio message before arriving and so a JU52 was waiting for the crew to take them home to their families. :salute:

BillCar

02-06-10, 08:07 PM

U-97, TypeVIIC, Oberleutnant z. See Theodor Winter
Patrol II
Left St. Nazaire for AM51. Sank one Granville freighter with deck gun for ca. 4000 tons.

On reaching AM51, received report of enemy large convoy making 4 knots on an easterly course. Moved to intercept in 15 metre seas.

Spotted lead escort at 20:15. Ran decks awash in already-high seas, at roughly 3 knots. At 4000 metres from the escort, U-97 dove to periscope depth and ran silent.

U-97 was running parallel to the convoy at this point, directly between the two centre columns. As the merchants made their ways to 45 and 315 degrees of relative bearing, U-97 executed a right angle turn, and waited.

To the stern, a passenger-cargo was passing. In front of U-97, two medium cargo ships were visible. The closest was engaged with two Type II torpedoes on impact setting. Immediately afterwards, a Type I was sent from the stern tubes towards the passenger-cargo on a fast setting.

Oblt. Winter was giving firing data to the weapons officer when the passenger-cargo exploded, sinking almost instantly. Four seconds after the explosion, two Type I torpedoes on impact setting were launched at the second medium cargo. While they were en route to their target, the first medium cargo caught the two Type IIs and sank.

One Type I impacted the second medium cargo, holing it under the bridge. The second never detonated.

At no point was U-97 directly engaged by escorts, as they had no clue where she was.

Surfacing half an hour later, U-97 overhauled the convoy at flank speed to attack from the side before dawn broke. Spotted by a destroyer, U-97 turned into the convoy early and, still at flank speed, fired four more torpedoes, sinking a large merchant and damaging a tanker. U-97 dove at flank with the destroyer almost directly above her, but took no damage from the depth charges. She dropped to 210 metres and turned west, directly out the backtrack of the convoy. Evaded for a mere 20 minutes, then surfaced, headed for St. Nazaire.

Encountered a lone passenger-cargo, which was torpedoed from periscope depth at a distance of roughly 4km with a fast-moving Type I torpedo. Oddly, this kill was not recorded in the ship's log. Possible neutral vessel.

Finally, a lone small merchant was overhauled by U-97 and, the seas being calm, was sunk with the deck gun.

Total patrol tonnage: roughly 28,000 GRT (over 30,000 if counting the possible neutral passenger-cargo), making for a career total of roughly 60,000 tons in two patrols for Oblt. Winter.

EDIT:
U-97, TypeVIIC, Oberleutnant z. See Theodor Winter
Patrol II
Left St. Nazaire for AM51. Sank one Granville freighter with deck gun for ca. 4000 tons.

On reaching AM51, received report of enemy large convoy making 4 knots on an easterly course. Moved to intercept in 15 metre seas.

Spotted lead escort at 20:15. Ran decks awash in already-high seas, at roughly 3 knots. At 4000 metres from the escort, U-97 dove to periscope depth and ran silent.

U-97 was running parallel to the convoy at this point, directly between the two centre columns. As the merchants made their ways to 45 and 315 degrees of relative bearing, U-97 executed a right angle turn, and waited.

To the stern, a passenger-cargo was passing. In front of U-97, two medium cargo ships were visible. The closest was engaged with two Type II torpedoes on impact setting. Immediately afterwards, a Type I was sent from the stern tubes towards the passenger-cargo on a fast setting.

Oblt. Winter was giving firing data to the weapons officer when the passenger-cargo exploded, sinking almost instantly. Four seconds after the explosion, two Type I torpedoes on impact setting were launched at the second medium cargo. While they were en route to their target, the first medium cargo caught the two Type IIs and sank.

One Type I impacted the second medium cargo, holing it under the bridge. The second never detonated.

At no point was U-97 directly engaged by escorts, as they had no clue where she was.

Surfacing half an hour later, U-97 overhauled the convoy at flank speed to attack from the side before dawn broke. Spotted by a destroyer, U-97 turned into the convoy early and, still at flank speed, fired four more torpedoes, sinking a large merchant and damaging a tanker. U-97 dove at flank with the destroyer almost directly above her, but took no damage from the depth charges. She dropped to 210 metres and turned west, directly out the backtrack of the convoy. Evaded for a mere 20 minutes, then surfaced, headed for St. Nazaire.

Encountered a lone passenger-cargo, which was torpedoed from periscope depth at a distance of roughly 4km with a fast-moving Type I torpedo. Oddly, this kill was not recorded in the ship's log. Possible neutral vessel.

Finally, a lone small merchant was overhauled by U-97 and, the seas being calm, was sunk with the deck gun.

Total patrol tonnage: roughly 28,000 GRT (over 30,000 if counting the possible neutral passenger-cargo), making for a career total of roughly 60,000 tons in two patrols for Oblt. Winter.

Patrol 3 (Final Patrol)
U-97 left St. Nazaire for AM41 on 1st November. Encountered one Empire-class, which was sunk with one magnetic torpedo under her keel.

U-97 encountered 8 metre seas and thick fog for the duration of her patrol of AM41, and these conditions continued after she left the apparently-empty AM41 grid to patrol AM51. It was here that she received orders to intercept an SC convoy making roughly 3 knots. Overhauling the convoy, U-97 approached from the front in very heavy fog which limited visibility to roughly 3 kilometres.

U-97 made a surface attack with decks awash, commencing at 02:07 on November 11th, 1940. Four torpedoes were fired, with hits on a large cargo and medium cargo. As these hits were on the far side of the convoy, and searchlights were only visible at that great distance, U-97 assumed it safe to press home an attack on a small merchant 1800 metres to her 160. As she began her turn, the merchant suddenly snapped on her spotlight, fixing U-97 within a second.

No more than two seconds after this, U-97 came under extremely focused fire the likes of which are rarely seen. This fire came from an unseen source, but was instantly devastating, with four shell impacts in the space of three seconds. The first shell hit the conning tower, killing the WO and one petty officer outright.

Oblt. Winter ordered a crash dive and had the damage control team (led by CE Bergmann) do an immediate assessment. U-97 continued to sustain hits from shellfire as she dove, and it became apparent that no compartment had escaped severe damage. CE Bergmann declared all compartments to be condition red, with heavy flooding. As his team worked in the bow quarters to stem the rapid flooding, an explosion claimed the lives of CE Bergmann, his seven-man team, and six other seamen who were also in the compartment.

The boat continued to sink out of control, breaking up at 138 metres at 02:14, less than one minute after the first shell hit her conning tower. Oblt. Winter and all hands were lost....

Which sucked, because this was my favourite and most immediately-successful career so far. :(

lynard

02-08-10, 03:03 AM

Installed GWX a couple of weeks ago and can't leave it alone. In a word "BRILLIANT".
Nearly completed patrol 12 - October 1940 V11B.
I seem to be running into convoys all over the place. Managed to spot a battleship in the middle of one but the escorts were too good. Kept me down until there was no chance to catch up.
AM 46 - 21 Oct
Hydrophones picked up what only can be large convoy closing. Managed to get into position for a 90 attack and shut everything down. Careful periscope work shows position looks good, inside the port column. Bloody hell! in too close the lead destroyer scoots past no more than 100m away. Everybody starts to breathe again. Spotted a cruiser in the middle column. Had to sneak slow astern to get distance. Set up a full spread and fired. Calculations were a bit off. Managed to get one hit right on the bow but it was enough.
We copped a pounding from 3 destroyers, and they were good. Batteries were nearly flat, air was foul and the crew were exhausted before we managed to sneak away.
Dido class 5600 tons
Have since sunk
2 empire freighters
1 large cargo
1 ore carrier
34439 tons
Have taken quite a bit of damage so far and with only 2 stern fish left have decided to head for home.

BillCar

02-08-10, 03:21 AM

In the wake of U-97's destruction in 1940, I started a new career in September, 1939.

U-53 is a Type VIIB attached to Saltzwedel Flotilla.
Leutnant z. S. Jochen Lübke is her commander.

Departed Wilhelmshaven on September 2nd, 1939, with orders to patrol AM32. While traversing the North Sea, U-53 twice came under air attack, both times driving off the offending aircraft with flak (though U-53 did not succeed in destroying the aircraft).

The rest of the trip to AM32 was uneventful, but on reaching AM32 on September 7th, U-53 encountered a coastal freighter. The first Type I was a dud, but the second holed the freighter in her stern, and she sank within minutes. Later that same day, a small merchant was sunk with a single torpedo.

The remainder of the AM32 patrol was uneventful. U-53 opted to hunt AM51, off the northwest coast of Ireland. While there on September 12th, she sank a passenger cargo with a single torpedo, bringing her total haul to roughly 6000 tons.

Two days later, off the southwest of Ireland, U-53 surprised a Granville freighter, sinking her with a single torpedo amidships, and increasing her first patrol bag to roughly 10,000 tons.

U-53 then headed to BF13, and ran a search pattern that turned up a small merchant on September 17th. U-53 overhauled her, sinking her with a single torpedo amidships. Immediately afterwards, another merchant vessel was caught and torpedoed by U-53. Though she was only a small merchant, she took two torpedoes to sink, despite developing a severe list after the first one.

On the morning of the 18th, another coastal freighter was caught and torpedoed by U-53. With only two torpedoes left, she made for home, plotting a course through the English Channel. Later that afternoon, U-53 caught a large cargo ship, sinking it with a magnetic torpedo on a fast-running Type I, after having missed her first shot.

Heading through the channel was strenuous, but U-53 made it through undetected. Proceeding at flank speed on the surface when no ships were visible, she would dive and run silent for hours on end when one appeared. Through this method, she made it out of the channel and then ran at flank speed all the way home, arriving on September 22nd after 20 days at sea. Her total haul was in excess of 28,000 GRT.

Snestorm

02-08-10, 07:30 AM

07.nov.39. 19.26 Underway

21.nov.39.
20.03. Grid AM43.
C2 Cargo. 6.446 GRT. Sunk.
Course 275. Speed 9 Knots.
Night Surface Attack. Wind 15. Fog Light.
3 x T1 Torpedoes.

25.nov.39.
02.30. Arrive at patrol grid BF15.

07.17. BF15. Sound Contact.

08.16. BF15.
C2 Cargo. 6.447 GRT. Sunk.
Course 065. Speed 8 Knots.
Day Submerged Attack. Wind 10. Fog Light.
2 x Stern T1 Torpedoes. (Target D.I.W.).
1x Bow T1 Torpedo (Target Sunk)

23.43. BF15.
C2 Cargo. 6.448 GRT. Sunk.
Course 051. Speed 6+ Knots.
Night Surface Attack. Wind 10. Clear. Moon Full.
3 x T1 Torpedoes.

26.nov.39
03.35. Corvette Spotted. Dive.
Sound Contact. Convoy.

07.07. Surface.
Full Ahead. Course 232.

08.23. ASW Trwawler closing.
Dive. Undetected.

09.06. Surface. Full Ahead.

09.21. ALARM! Aircraft.

13.26. Surface. Full Ahead.

15.45. "We've been detected". Dive. 100 Meters.
Depth Charge Attacks.

20.06. Surface. Full Ahead. Course 237.

21.06. Dive for sound search. Convoy dead ahead.
21.08. Surface. Full Ahead.

22.00. Corvette spotted at 2.600 meters.
Periscope Depth. Gather information.

22.47. Surface. Full Ahead. Course 246.
Working around convoy, and escorts.
Gathering information on surface.

27.nov.39
01.23. Grid BF17. Submerged forward of convoy.
Lead escort is V Class DD.
Convoy coming dead on at us.
Match convoys course.
Will fire torpedoes at 90 degrees from boat.
(My 270. Targets 090).

02.09. Clear. Full Moon. Wind 10.
Target is a C2 Cargo.
Course 221. Speed 4+ Knots.
3 x T1 Torpedoes fired at 800 meters.
Fire. Dive to 100 meters. 2 impacts.
Nothing sunk. No torpedoes remaining.

4 escorts deliver numeriouse attacks.
Nothing close. No damage.
Evade, and head home.

06.dec.39.
15.34. Grid AE69. Alarm! Aircraft. No ASW attack.

08.dec.39.
14.50. Grid AF47. Alarm! Aircraft. No damage.

15.dec.39. Arrive at Wilhelmshaven.
Patrol results: 3 ships. 19.341 GRT.

U37's total for 2 patrols:
8 ships. 43.384 GRT.

(2 External Stern Tubes. No stern reloads.
No External Reloads carried.
12 Torpedoes in all.)

[SJ]nailz

02-08-10, 11:55 AM

...Oblt. Winter and all hands were lost....

Which sucked...

:rotfl2:

BillCar

02-08-10, 02:40 PM

I figured someone would like to know that it sucked. :)

Just returned from 2nd Patrol, October 1939. Went to BE99, through the channel. I had promised myself I wouldn't torpedo anything in the channel, because I just want to get out of there as quickly as possible and, you know, not die. But I saw a large cargo flying a tricolour in heavy fog and overcast skies, so I figured I was safe. Sent her to the bottom with two torpedoes. On returning to base, I discovered that that was probably a Belgian tricolour, and I didn't pick up on that because of the bad lighting. The first neutral tonnage of this career, and it was worth 11000GRT.

Between some large cargoes and small merchants, I sank another 15000GRT of legitimate allied shipping, so I kind of rectified the situation.

They gave me an Iron Cross, but I'm still just a Leutnant. :(

krashkart

02-09-10, 01:37 AM

Presently on our third patrol since I took command of the boat in October. We have just finished tearing through a convoy we had intercepted north of Ireland, near our assigned patrol area. The encounter could not have come off any better.

As we sailed NNE ahead of the convoy the watch spotted a small merchant about 8 klicks north. I was about to ignore it when it dawned on me that an attack on that ship might draw some of the convoy escort away. We closed in, opened fire and sank that ship in short order. Headed back to the convoy and sailed a box-like pattern around them, keeping a distance of 4-5 kilometers. The dark of night cloaked us well, and the weather was near perfect.

We came around behind them and trailed for close to two hours (much of that was in TC). Didn't spot any escort whatsoever so I decided to give the order, and away we went. Tore them a new chute. Out of 15 ships - three were neutral - we sank 12.

The only protection I saw for them was an armed trawler that had meandered back from where we had been spotted several hours before. It must have been too far away to notice what was happening... we were still busy lobbing HE at the last few merchants!

The only fire we took, I think came from the last merchant. We were pretty close to it by the time she went down. I had sent an aft torp to the escort, but never saw whether or not it hit.

All in all, hands down, the absolute best convoy intercept I have ever had since I started playing SH3. The weather was perfect, it was pitch dark, and there was a diversion opportunity nearby (I didn't think it would work). Not crossing my fingers for any subsequent luck, though.

I only took one screenie, of the map. Shows the rough path we were to sail as we scouted the convoy. The merchant we had sunk as a diversion is part of the smudginess in the upper-right corner of the image:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=178&pictureid=1157

Dissaray

02-09-10, 10:54 AM

Why is it that I never get to see those mythic unescorted convoys when I can attack them? As it is I have only ever seen one in campain play and the weather was too bad to make a gunnery run on him, just bearly thoguh, and I was fresh out of eels to give them. I guess I will have to bone up on my convoy finding skills :O:.

Nice work on that one though, I had a dead dark gun fight with an armed merchant once in '43. I ended up straifing him at flank speed, kind of, shooting when he presented a good target. I had faverable conditions for about 5 hours but only managed to criple the already damaged ship, I think a storm beat him up or the Luft had a pass at him, but I did manage to bust his rear gun mount off and eather kill his engine or rupture the fule tanks for him. I was gearing up for another night run, keeping a close eye on him incase he sank, when just about the same time I sufaced to finish him he went under anyway.

krashkart

02-09-10, 06:34 PM

I was actually surprised. The first four or five convoys were all, like you said, in bad weather. I limited the time compression to 128 - not sure if that was also a help. But it was that one lone merchant that sealed the deal, I think. Never had that happen before. If it hadn't been there I would have had to knock out escorts first. :-?

Dissaray

02-09-10, 06:55 PM

Keeping your time compresion no higher than 128 will definatly help with the weather. At higher TC the weather gets messed up and the current conditions will last much longer than they should, just poor game biulding.

unterseemann

02-10-10, 07:55 AM

Patrol 7
U-46, Type VIIB, 2nd Flotilla, Kptlt Konrad Tietz
Left at: May 12, 1941, 17:39
From: Lorient

First encounter with enemy shipping after 21 days at sea.

Patrol results
Ships sunk: 4
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonnage: 13261 tons

Total: 233452 tons. 39 ships sunk (3 warships)

Kptlt Tietz will now commission new type IXC uboot, U-153.

krashkart

02-10-10, 01:51 PM

Grats on your new Uboat, unterseeman. :salute:

Highlights from Patrol 4

Nearing the year 1940 now, and it is my fourth patrol from Wilhelmshaven. We are in the Channel, roughly 80 kilometers southeast of Portland. Encountered a handful of merchant shipping, beginning from what I believe was the coast of Belgium and leaving a sparse trail of wreckage along the southern coast of England.

I do not remember precisely where on the map, but at some point I thought I would play chicken with an Elco. Ordered the gun and both flak mounts to be manned. It was headed straight toward us, so I decided to empty a bow tube at it. They saw the darn bubble trail and swerved to avoid it.

Didn't take long to close with them. We were dropping 88's all around them. I manned one of our flak mounts and ordered rudder full to port, to get my sights on them and still be able to fire. The engagement lasted probably 20 minutes or so. Toward the end the Elco ran straight away from us. I learned from earlier experience that a bubble trail will get them to turn hard, which bleeds energy and helps shorten the distance between boats. We can't go as fast, but in smoother waters my gun crew can be fairly accurate. We managed to score enough hits with the 88 to sink the bugger.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=178&pictureid=1160

The following morning we were in pursuit of two contacts moving west out of the Channel. Hopes of catching them were fleeting at best, as we had picked them up late the afternoon before. At some point my Watch Officer yells out "Enemy ship engaging us, sir!".

I thought, "Well that's odd. There's nothing on the map but those two benign contacts...". Went up top to see what was happening, asked the WO for a bearing and he had nothing. Could hear shells flying overhead, so I tracked around with the UZO to our portside and saw a V&W with a full head of steam coming straight at us. She was less than 5,000 meters from us and the weather was clear. How could we not have seen it?

I'll keep a long story short. We were being shelled and had to get under pronto. The destroyer had a moments-old fix to rely on, which gave us enough time to evade with minor damage. After maybe fourty minutes I took a peek around through the periscope and saw an opportunity to sink our adversary.

Took three torpedos total. They evaded the first, took the second one under the stern. Thought that would do the trick, but it wasn't enough. She zig-zagged toward us, slowly, and I think maybe there was some damage after all. Within about 800 meters she seemed to be turning sluggishly away, so I set the third torpedo to run fast and fired. That did the trick. That was the first opportunity I've had to see up close and personal what a torpedo under the funnels will do! :DL

Here's a screenie of her, snapped just after the keel had collapsed back into the water.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/picture.php?albumid=178&pictureid=1161