Tell us what you are upto in your current campaign

[Schwieger]

Destroyed by allied warplanes. Not even enough time to crash dive.

[Gargamel]

Back in my bunk, changing my under wear.

Attempting a night surface attack on a Convoy got a sonar bearing on the mass of ships, fired a spread of eels, blindly. Then I saw this. Black swan, about 300-400m away. Nobody saw anything, and we ran away, on the surface.

http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/1277/sh3img1212011194457311.png

I had ot lighten up the photo, you could barely see your hand. I couldn't even see anybody else on deck.

[nikbear]

Oh I like those nights,bad weather,pitch black,creeping about knowing the enemy is there,...somewhere:timeout: can really get the heart racing!! :up:

[Gargamel]

Oh I like those nights,bad weather,pitch black,creeping about knowing the enemy is there,...somewhere:timeout: can really get the heart racing!! :up:

Yeah, especially when you think you have about 1500m more space than you actually have!

[VONHARRIS]

U 46 VIIB type u boat

Kaleun : Leutnant z. S. Von Harris

Left Wilhemshaven at : August 29 1939
Returned at : September 24 1939
Days at sea : 27
Ships sunk : 7 cargo ships (including 3 Q ships)
Tonnage sunk : 36108
Torpedoes used : All
Dud torpedoes : 4
8,8 cm shells : 82
20mm shells : none
Damage to hull : 2,53%
Crew losses : none
Medals : Iron cross second class

The outbreak of the war found us sailing west at grid BF19

Current status : Refiting for next patrol grid AM32

[Missing Name]

Unluckiest patrol I've had in a while. Fired all six torps at a convoy, all failed. Depth charged down to 30% hull integrity. Evaded escorts, stalked a second convoy. CTD.

[Victor Schutze]

Back in my bunk, changing my under wear.

Attempting a night surface attack on a Convoy got a sonar bearing on the mass of ships, fired a spread of eels, blindly. Then I saw this. Black swan, about 300-400m away. Nobody saw anything, and we ran away, on the surface.

http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/1277/sh3img1212011194457311.png

I had ot lighten up the photo, you could barely see your hand. I couldn't even see anybody else on deck.

:o you were very close to the DD, how fast were you going? 0 or 4 knots?
:salute:

[VONHARRIS]

Left Wilhemshaven : October 14 1939
Returned at : November 3 1939
Days at sea : 21
Cargo ships sunk : 10 (1 Q ship)
Tonnage : 36117
Warships : 1 HMS Hood
Tonnage: 48360
Torpedoes used : 13/14
Duds: 2
8,8 cm shells : 110/110
20mm shells: 120/2000
Damage : Destoyed periscopes + radio antenna
Crew losses : none
Promotions : Kapitanleutnant
Medals : Iron cross 1st class
Badges : U boat badge ---- U boat front clasp

picture of HMS hood sinking
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/820/hmshoodinsinkingconditi.jpg

Damaged HMS Nelson with one eel in the same TF.

Current status : Refiting for 3rd war patrol grid AM52

[Gargamel]

:o you were very close to the DD, how fast were you going? 0 or 4 knots?
:salute:

Err... maybe 10? I was on the surface! Visibility was just that bad. Deck crew didnt even see it! If I hadnt looked around fromt eh bridge, never would have seen it.

[Laufen zum Ziel]

For all to use if you want.

We have an interactive map that will allow you to post your location and tracks from grid to grid. The Devils of the Deep Flotilla uses it to track their U-Boots on patrol. You can also post patrol notes to the map.

All subsim forum members can use it if they want.

Click the link under my signatore to go to the Devils HQ and then to U-Boot Tracking. :salute:

[VONHARRIS]

SH3 crashed on me completely. I had to reinstall.
Now I am back in business.

Oberleutnant von Harris
U - 46 VIIB type U boat
2nd flotilla

Patrol 1 shakedown + drills
Left port : August 1 1939
Returned : August 5 1939
Days at sea : 5

Patrol 2 combat patrol
Left port : August 25 1939
Returned : September 29 1939
Days at sea : 36
Merchant ships sunk : 8 (1 Q ship + 1 large troop ship)
Tonnage : 52368
Warships sunk : 1
Tonnage : 1398
Torpedoes used : 13/14 TI
Duds: 3
8,8 cm shells : 0/110
20mm shells : 400/1000
Planes shot down : 1 (RAF Anson)
Damages : Periscopes
Damage to hull : 6%
Medals : Iron cross second class

Current status : Refiting for next patrol - Grid AN13

[Missing Name]

Patrol 8, ended in July 1940. An outstanding success.

Spotted a convoy, sank an Empire and an ore carrier.

Some other random merchants ~350 km west of Gibraltar. Ran out of shells. After some more patrolling, I decided to slip into the port itself.

HMS Hood, HMS Nelson and 2 Southamptons sunk.

The trip back was uneventful.

[VONHARRIS]

Patrol 3 combat patrol
Left port : October 19 1939
Returned : November 5 1939
Days at sea : 18
Merchant ships sunk : 6 (1 Q ship )
Tonnage : 29754
Warships sunk : -
Tonnage : ----
Torpedoes used : 14/14 TI
Duds: 3
8,8 cm shells : 0/110
20mm shells : 0/1000
Planes shot down : ----
Damages : ------
Damage to hull : ----
Medals :
Promotions : Oberleutnant z. S.

Current status : At sea during patrol 4

[STEED]

Feb 43 and still alive in the Med!

Had a good last patrol, shot down a couple of planes and speaking of planes, our guys saved me from a couple of escorts coming at me soon had a good number of our JU 88's all over them and sent them swine to the bottom. :DL

As for my last patrol sunk a liberty ship and a couple of medium merchants.

[frau kaleun]

Just getting ready to head on my 1st post-shakedown patrol, which should take us into the Western Approaches just as war is declared. So I pull up my crew list to see what kind of adjustments need to be made and...

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/5884/imdoomed.jpg

We're doomed!

[Gryffon300]

OK. So here it is. I'm claiming, on behalf of my 12 year old son, the record for the toughest sub in the Seven Seas.
Picture this. Its a moonlit night with reasonable visibility (not like those pitch black horrors mid winter in the far north), on his 3rd patrol out of St Naziaire (7th/13th Flotilla) in a VIIC. Its 11-06-'42 in BF55.

Heading south when he shouts, "Hey Dad, another sub!" Great - I pull up a chair to see what he does. Its North and West of him, heading East. He dives, goes silent, heads North, ups scope and does his calculations. The sub is about 7km WNW, and "we" (by now, I'm hooked) are about 4.5km South of his course line.

The boy locates the sub in the scope at 10x and discovers that it is an S-class on the surface doing 9-10 knots. A target! Yeh! He ups our speed to 3 knots and waits. He asks what we do if the sub hears our launch and dives. We decide to set the second tube to 5m deeper and set the speed to 6 knots, hoping that the second fish may tag him if he does go down. We get a green triangle at about 2.2kms and launch both tubes.

Of course, I half expected to see him respond - but NO, he just sails merrily along ! (Keel-haul their sonar operator! Hah!) Bang! First fish hits, then the second! What the?! Expecting the music to start and for us to be able to watch him go under, was I surprised to see him drop to 8Knots and start zig-zagging!

Long story short. Out of sheer bloody-mindednes, it took another fish and 27 rounds from the deck gun to register the kill and it was still floating!

Now. I want to know just what the Brits were using in their super-sub. If anyone thinks they've met a tougher opponent, my boy would sure like to read about it!

Keep you popinty sides up.:arrgh!:

[gi_dan2987]

So far I'm up to about 35,000 tons, and I've used more eels than I've cared to. No shells used from the guns because of the damned weather in the North Atlantic :damn: I've attempted using Nefelodamon's version of the 4 bearings method, and it worked nicely against the ships that didn't change speed or heading. I would like to know if there's any other methods to make night attacks and actually put the TBT to good use. If anyone has any ideas, let me know.

[Lord_magerius]

Now. I want to know just what the Brits were using in their super-sub. If anyone thinks they've met a tougher opponent, my boy would sure like to read about it!

Keep you popinty sides up.:arrgh!:

We just used to pad the sides out with beefy Scotsmen. :O:

[VONHARRIS]

Just getting ready to head on my 1st post-shakedown patrol, which should take us into the Western Approaches just as war is declared. So I pull up my crew list to see what kind of adjustments need to be made and...



We're doomed!

Frau , did you sail with THAT officer on board?

[VONHARRIS]

Last career ended in a disaster.
December 10 1939
A reckless night intercept on the surface of a TF leaving Loch Ewe
I was spotted and attacked by 4 DDs which knew exactly where to drop their DCs. We died of implosion.

New career
U-34 November 3 1939 2nd flottila in home port refitting.
3 patrols (1 shakedown)
14 merchants sunk -- 50994 tons
2 warships sunk --- 16975 tons (1 CL + 1 small depot ship)
100% realism DiD

[kapuhy]

The weather changes developed a pattern - the winds starts from 8 m/s, goes through 10 m/s, 15 m/s, adds rain and fog, stays like this until I start to bang my head against the periscope column and then, to give me hope, drops for a while to 10 m/s, 8 m/s... then the loop starts again.

My 1WO says it's because we've left other U-Boats so far behind in tonnage sunk that they've resorted to voodoo magic in attempt to catch up. If that's the case, they're getting close.

[frau kaleun]

Frau , did you sail with THAT officer on board?

Yep.

So far, so good - no problems on the first (pre-war) patrol, just started the second on Aug 31 1939 and two days later sank a 10k Polish merchant in the North Sea. First time I've ever sunk anything that early, or even seen a Polish ship in those first two days where I couldn't attack anything else. Of course the 2 eels I fired at it were both duds :stare: but I was able to take her down with the deck gun.

Commander also gave me Otto Kretschmer's picture for my kaleun, maybe that's evened out the luck. :O:

[danexpat]

Picked up SH3 from Steam for 9.99 USD. Tremendous value for what you get. Added SH Commander, which is, as everyone agrees, a real gem. Have been busily mining the forum here for terrific tips and quirks. Thank you all for your contributions.

Yet another of my Lieutenant, Jr.'s met an early demise yesterday due to my greed and attacks of the stupids. On Patrol 3 after coming off station NW of Loch Ewe followed a convoy into the North Channel escorted by a V&W and a torp boat. Slotted a C2 and damaged a C3 and T3 before crash diving to 125 m. Except... the North Channel doesn't go to 125 m. :dead:

Somehow the hissing and popping light bulbs weren't picked up by the DD hydrophone operator and two rounds of DCs all missed me by a mile. Went into reverse to get off he bottom, fixed the damage and then got greedy to get some more kills. Periscope up 350 m from the V&W, spotlights glancing off the shiny lens. U-102 wasn't as lucky poking the tiger a second time. 15k tons and died in the #2 spot behind Prien.

[CapnDon]

Just learning SH4. Currently off the east coast of Honshu in the convoy lanes. Ducking airplanes constantly, but managing to find several lone merchants. Not bothering with sampans and fishing boats, but have sunk several mid-sized tankers. Still learning.

[Sailor Steve]

WELCOME ABOARD! :sunny:
But...
Just learning SH4. Currently off the east coast of Honshu
This is the SH3 campaign thread, for u-boats.

[VONHARRIS]

Yep.

So far, so good - no problems on the first (pre-war) patrol, just started the second on Aug 31 1939 and two days later sank a 10k Polish merchant in the North Sea. First time I've ever sunk anything that early, or even seen a Polish ship in those first two days where I couldn't attack anything else. Of course the 2 eels I fired at it were both duds :stare: but I was able to take her down with the deck gun.

Commander also gave me Otto Kretschmer's picture for my kaleun, maybe that's evened out the luck. :O:

I wish you good luck.

I have never seen a Polish merchant. I have seen Polish DDs escorting convoys but never a merchant.

[frau kaleun]

I have never seen a Polish merchant. I have seen Polish DDs escorting convoys but never a merchant.

Same here. I was so surprised to see a red icon on my navmap that I got real close and checked the flag several times over to be absolutely sure... I'm so used to waiting until Sept 3 for ships to attack that I just couldn't believe I'd run across an enemy contact on September 2nd.

[Gargamel]

Are Polish Destroyers anything like Polish Submarines? screen doors, etc?

[Jimbuna]

Are Polish Destroyers anything like Polish Submarines? screen doors, etc?

I'm not sure what you mean but in game terms they are the same as any other nationality, apart from the flag assigned to them.

They do get crews that grow in stature/experience etc as the war progresses and as do all other countries units.

[Jimbuna]

OK. So here it is. I'm claiming, on behalf of my 12 year old son, the record for the toughest sub in the Seven Seas.
Picture this. Its a moonlit night with reasonable visibility (not like those pitch black horrors mid winter in the far north), on his 3rd patrol out of St Naziaire (7th/13th Flotilla) in a VIIC. Its 11-06-'42 in BF55.

Heading south when he shouts, "Hey Dad, another sub!" Great - I pull up a chair to see what he does. Its North and West of him, heading East. He dives, goes silent, heads North, ups scope and does his calculations. The sub is about 7km WNW, and "we" (by now, I'm hooked) are about 4.5km South of his course line.

The boy locates the sub in the scope at 10x and discovers that it is an S-class on the surface doing 9-10 knots. A target! Yeh! He ups our speed to 3 knots and waits. He asks what we do if the sub hears our launch and dives. We decide to set the second tube to 5m deeper and set the speed to 6 knots, hoping that the second fish may tag him if he does go down. We get a green triangle at about 2.2kms and launch both tubes.

Of course, I half expected to see him respond - but NO, he just sails merrily along ! (Keel-haul their sonar operator! Hah!) Bang! First fish hits, then the second! What the?! Expecting the music to start and for us to be able to watch him go under, was I surprised to see him drop to 8Knots and start zig-zagging!

Long story short. Out of sheer bloody-mindednes, it took another fish and 27 rounds from the deck gun to register the kill and it was still floating!

Now. I want to know just what the Brits were using in their super-sub. If anyone thinks they've met a tougher opponent, my boy would sure like to read about it!

Keep you popinty sides up.:arrgh!:

The S-Class AI sub is notorious for the time it takes to sink.....simply wait until you get the message "She's going down" and carry on with your patrol, unless you want to hang about and watch them dissapear below the surface but you then run the risk of being detected by any help that may arrive should the S-Class have been able to get off a radio message.

[Missing Name]

I've put three torps into one of those suckers. It's like the passenger/cargo of warships.

[Gargamel]

I'm not sure what you mean but in game terms they are the same as any other nationality, apart from the flag assigned to them.

They do get crews that grow in stature/experience etc as the war progresses and as do all other countries units.

http://www.isheepthings.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/facepalm.jpg




http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR49nVJ_e9FRX-v04tFd6oTHJyc1EqOyRMm8tvBMxFEsN6MGFdVKQ&t=1


^^^ Polish Submarine.

[VONHARRIS]

I've put three torps into one of those suckers. It's like the passenger/cargo of warships.

Those S class subs ......

I used 85/110 105mm shells to sink her.
Out of the 85 rounds fired , 45 were on target.
That is 45 105mm shells landing on her , the last ones at knife fighting range.

I will never engage such a target again. I don't know if it has enough renown points to be of worth attacking.

[4saken]

18.08.40 20.05 Grid AM 53
Watching Aquitania sink.

After 5 fruitless days patrolling north of Ireland I spotted Aquitania heading West.She spotted me from around 8.000 m and i decided to move away and attack a couple hours later (then i realized max speed 31 knots!!!).
A magnetic salvo of 3 was launched at her from 1.000 m, 2 found target and started sinking immediately...
My first 100k patrol is so close!:)

ps:Damn she was big!

[Gargamel]

Commander also gave me Otto Kretschmer's picture for my kaleun, maybe that's evened out the luck. :O:

But didn't Otto end up a POW cause his repair officer didn't fix the boat quick enough?

[Gargamel]

First patrol, shake down cruise, found some deep water. I think one of the boys pissed themselves though. Them VIIb's sure can go deep.

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/9800/sh3img201201121842328.png


"successful" infiltration of Scapa Flow. No capitals found, just did some recon. Nothing worth shooting. I plotted something like 65 marks over 3 days. ASW craft are grumpy!

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/8872/sh3img2012011155348609.png

[frau kaleun]

But didn't Otto end up a POW cause his repair officer didn't fix the boat quick enough?

Depends, you could say he ended up a POW because the officer on the bridge gave the alarm and sent the boat into a dive when he spotted a nearby destroyer, despite Kretschmer's standing order not to do so. Evasion on the surface was his SOP, and by all accounts he was very good at it. He might not have succeeded to escape on the surface either that time around, but we'll never know.

Edit: anyway, he racked up more tonnage in 18 months than anyone else did in the whole of the war, and lived to tell the tale. Given the odds against the latter, that's good enough luck for me. :D

[VONHARRIS]

U-34 VIIB type (in fact she was a VIIA uboat.net)
Patrols : 5 (1 shakedown)
Days at sea : 102
Merchants sunk : 26
Tonnage : 113043 tons
Warships sunk : 6 (1xCL 1 x small depot ship 4 x Aux cruisers)
Tonnage : 72375 tons

Current status : February 14 1940 passing north of the Orkneys heading for AM 53 and then CG 77 which is my patrol grid.

[VONHARRIS]

I was shelling a large merchant in grid AN 13 97,8 km NW of Scapa Flow with 7m/s wind at night. Date : February 19 1940
After 10 - 12 8,8cm shells she disappeared from my nav map , she was NOT a legid target any more , and I didn't received any renown points nor a "she is going down" message.
It looked like the crew ditched the large merchant , BUT is that scripted in SH3?
Anybody else encountered this?

SH3 + GWX3.0 + SH3Commander + visual mods.

[danexpat]

I was shelling a large merchant in grid AN 13 97,8 km NW of Scapa Flow with 7m/s wind at night. Date : February 19 1940
After 10 - 12 8,8cm shells she disappeared from my nav map , she was NOT a legid target any more , and I didn't received any renown points nor a "she is going down" message.
It looked like the crew ditched the large merchant , BUT is that scripted in SH3?
Anybody else encountered this?

SH3 + GWX3.0 + SH3Commander + visual mods.

Only thing I can think of is that the weather was on the cusp of being rough seas and "storm" damage finished off the merchant, in which case the GWX manual says you don't get renown.

[Matte Black]

Mid-Oct 1939 and U-46 (MkVIIb) just finished it's 4th patrol.

Sank an Ore Carrier and Large Merchant off the Orkneys with the deck gun, patrolled my sector, then headed south past the Hebrides towards Ireland.

Ran into two unescorted battleships heading north, possibly to Scapa Flow. One had the profile of the HMS Rodney, couldn't properly ID the other. They were moving way too fast to get into a good firing position, but took a potshot with all 4 tubes at the Rodney from about 4km out and missed.

Headed south and picked up a convoy northwest of Ireland. Sank a coastal merchant and damaged a Southampton Class cruiser (which listed and burned but refused to sink).

Hunted down by 3 escorts which destroyed my tower and flak gun with DC before I finally gave them the slip, hugging the sea bed at 120m, and returned to port for repairs.

[Don_D_Dwain]

Well I am not very computer smart, however if I can not show you, then I will just say, if you have Google Earth, and you create a route, you can save it. Unlike Silent Hunter 5, when you save a game, all of the marks on the map disappear on the next load. However, on Silent hunter 4, you can save these map markings...in fact I wish i think it would be nice to be able to add symbols or markings for contacts with a time and date on it, similar to Silent hunter 4, except added by the player. So here is a route, with photographs, although I dont think you can access the photos. Well I guess it wont allow me to post the photo either.

P.S.
At any rate, if you enjoy navigation, and have google earth, give it a try. It works very well with the game, and has some educational benefits as well. Never knew that Borkum Riff was a place, just thought it was the name of a Tobacco. Thanks, and enjoy.

[Gargamel]

:hmmm::06::doh:

[Jimbuna]

I was shelling a large merchant in grid AN 13 97,8 km NW of Scapa Flow with 7m/s wind at night. Date : February 19 1940
After 10 - 12 8,8cm shells she disappeared from my nav map , she was NOT a legid target any more , and I didn't received any renown points nor a "she is going down" message.
It looked like the crew ditched the large merchant , BUT is that scripted in SH3?
Anybody else encountered this?

SH3 + GWX3.0 + SH3Commander + visual mods.

No but it is possible the vessel you were attacking was scripted to be deleted after reaching its final waypoint.

[Damo]

Back at sea after extended shore leave (real busy in that game 'Real Life', it's learning curve is pretty steep...), and had a jumble of my mods to update to MEP 3, Magui F, MFM :D, and various other tidbits making my install 32 mods denser but stable :rock:.

Currently with 1st Flotilla in a Type IIB U-17 (IIA in game but hey), it's currently 20:20 on 1st September 1939 and we've just begun hostilities with Poland, I'm patrolling up in grid AN21 east of Lerwick about to complete my 24 hours but will stay in the area as there's talk that the Brits may intervene any day and I'm itching to find out if I can catch any large tonnage dockside in Lerwick. An early blow right in their laps should get me noticed by the powers that be in the KM don't you think?

I did think about Scapa Flow but on reflection it'd be suicide, only a complete fool would even think they could get away with that, let alone do it....:03:

Heavy clouds, no rain, poor vis, wind 15m/s 139 degrees. I hope it stays foul for my incursion.

[danexpat]

Patrol 3. U-53/7th U-Flotille. 20/10/1939. Completed primary patrol in BF11, currently west of Ireland hunting for targets of opportunity for remaining 6 torpedoes.

En route to station encountered and sank medium cargo and a Granville-style cargo, both ~ 4500 tons and both due west of Orkney. Spent 6 torps on the medium cargo, #1 mag blew early, #2 mag missed, #3 & #4 mags hit, #5 a port-side impact amidships. She lost some speed and listed moderately to port but wouldn't go down. Tailed her for 15 km while an unidentified aircraft dropped a couple of harmless bombs on us. Couldn't wait any longer and put #6, an impact port-side amidships. Sank the Granville quickly with a salvo of 2 mag torps to the stern.

While on station encountered a medium cargo under lights. Couldn't make out the flag. Nothing since. Something's wrong with the telegraph.

[Damo]

After Action Report, Lerwick incursion...

Disappointing hunting in port, only a handful of fishing trawlers, a docked ASW trawler and 4 destroyers, 1 docked, 2 at anchor and one patrolling. Had a minor quarrel with a sub net on way in which put my bow above the waterline, alerting a nearby anchored destroyer. The whole port lit up after a minute or 2 and my sonarman indicated the patrolling destroyer headed toward us. As a defensive strategy managed to put 1 eel into the docked destroyer (J&K Class) to cause a distraction and maneuvered towards the southern exit, unleashing my second eel into the anchored destroyer (C&D Class) that first spotted us. The patrolling destroyer (unidentified) appeared to become confused and headed back toward the docks allowing me to escape south under silent running. Took one final gamble given the sea conditions and turned back NW to send a magnetic under the keel of the last anchored destroyer at long range. Torpedo run took it more or less along the length of her keel and exploded under the mid section of the ship, causing a truly spectacular explosion and sunk within minutes.

Managed to leave the area without further detection and have now received directions to patrol in grid AN47. 2 torpedoes remaining, no damage, systems OK. Not a great tonnage haul (4000+) but I'm sure the boys back at base will be happy to know there's 3 less destroyers out there to spoil their day.

Ende.

[Missing Name]

September 1940.

I was sneaking around Scapa Flow when I got the orders to go to Lorient. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough fuel to get there (I had been planning on going back to Wilhelmshaven.)

After I let off a full set of torpedoes, the pissed off DD's passed over me multiple times and still did not realize I was there.

[desirableroasted]

April 12, 1940, just south of Harstad. 6th war patrol.

In battle in Narvik on the 10th, where we killed a C&D as their task force passed, and another when they passed out. Our destroyers got another three, so only one escaped.

We have now been ordered to Harstad in weather that would be great on a boat back on the Rhine, but that is unsettlingly sunny and clear up here in war country.

But I have a splendid crew, most of whom have been on board for our sinkings of 40 ships and 170K tons. And a lucky boat: we caught four DCs back in October that broke some stuff, but other than that our only troubles have been the peculiar flatulence that seems to be the result of consuming those sausages over by the navigation table.

Intel says there is much tonnage to be had at Harstad. We have 25K km worth of fuel and 12 torpedoes, so we are prepared.

[B.N.R.T.]

U 46 was recently transfered from Wilhelmshaven to Lorient, and is currently SW of Ireland, approaching the southern convoy routes, where I plan to spend some time. I sank three ships worth about 20000 GRT in the northern approach and have 9 Atos and lots of fuel left.

Because the crew got rather frustrated by several days of nothing but wind, wind and more wind, I supplied them (well, me) with some Beck's, some sausages and some relatively fresh bread to improve their morale.

[VONHARRIS]

U-34 update
Upgrade to U-108 IXB
July 27 1940
Patrols : 9 (1 shakedown)
Days at sea : 210
Merchants sunk : 54
Tonnage : 259624
Warships sunk : 8 (3 x CL , 4 x Aux cruiser , 1 x Small depot ship)
Tonnage : 93825
Planes downed : 4 (Swordfish)

Current status : At home port repairing damages from last patrol.
Next patrol grid : DH69

[unterseemann]

Patrol 9
Kptlt R.Eickmeyer
U-2541 type XXI: First patrol

11NOV44: Left Bergen
Orders to patrol russian arctic waters.

21NOV44: 2 ships convoy 200miles east of Murmansk. 4 escorts. Heavy sea with good visibility
09:14 Small russian merchant sunk SS Stalingrad (sic). Detected by escorts, after 3 hours of depth charges and extensive damages (forward batteries destroyed) we eventually managed to escape. Boat no longer combat worthy
Orders to resume patrol and reach Narvik for reparations.

26NOV44
12:15 Docked at Narvik

Results
HI 66%
1 ship sunk 2066 tons

Total: 9 patrols 18 ships sunk for 91.764 tons

[VONHARRIS]

U-108 IXB
Kapitanleutnant von Harris
Patrols : 11
Days at sea : 260
Merchants sunk : 76
Tonnage : 370680
Warships sunk : 9 (4 x Cl 4 x Aux 1 x small depot ship)
Tonnage : 104550
Planes downed : 4 (Swordfish)

Last patrol was strange
I attacked a convoy at AL 25 with exellent results
http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/4267/patrolreport1.jpg
All 6 tubes fired.
But the escorts were not happy about it.
4 Flowers dropped their DCs causing damages beyond repairs : Stb propeller destroyed , flak guns destroyed , both periscopes and radio antenna destoyed. The damage control crew managed to contain the flooding in the agt torpedo room . I was then able to dive at 140m and slowly escaped.
Of course I returned to Lorient. This was my first patrol of the newly build base.
Can it be considered succesful? (100% realism)

[Gargamel]

22 days at sea.

First contact via Radio report.

Moving to investigate.

Watch officer about had a stroke when he heard it. He didn't believe there were any other ships on the sea.

[Gargamel]

22 days at sea.

First contact via Radio report.

Moving to investigate.

Watch officer about had a stroke when he heard it. He didn't believe there were any other ships on the sea.

And she was a darkened neutral. :nope:

[VONHARRIS]

Kapitanleutnant von Harris
Current command: U-522 IXC
Position : BF77 heading south for DT34
Date : August 11 1941

Patrols : 14
Days at sea: 383
Merchants sunk : 114
Tonnage : 507736
Warships sunk : 14 (4 x Cl 4 x Aux 1 x small depot ship 3 x Tribal 1 x Flower 1 x Black swan)
Tonnage : 112300
Aircrafts downed : 5 (4 x Swordfish 1 x Kingfisher)
Crew losses : 4 men

[the.terrabyte.pirate]

The valiant crew of the U-13 (Type IID) are heading home from patrol 17. It was the most successful patrol to date. Second patrol out of Lorient, which means that the U-13 is starting to play havoc with convoys on the West coast of the UK rather than hunting single ships along the East coast.

December 19, 1940

Small Merchant, 2,245 t (individual ship)
Large Merchant , 10,121 t (convoy)
Large Cargo, 7,181 t (convoy)
Modern Tanker, 8865 t (convoy)
Whale Factory Ship, 12016 t (same convoy, 2nd attack)

5 ships sunk from 5 eels, and that's with realistic sinking times and duds enabled. :rock:The entire crew are well pleased, as we've demonstrated that our little dog has a big bite.

I'm determined to see out the war in a Type II. I'm also about to move into 1941 for the first time. :o

[reignofdeath]

The valiant crew of the U-13 (Type IID) are heading home from patrol 17. It was the most successful patrol to date. Second patrol out of Lorient, which means that the U-13 is starting to play havoc with convoys on the West coast of the UK rather than hunting single ships along the East coast.

December 19, 1940

Small Merchant, 2,245 t (individual ship)
Large Merchant , 10,121 t (convoy)
Large Cargo, 7,181 t (convoy)
Modern Tanker, 8865 t (convoy)
Whale Factory Ship, 12016 t (same convoy, 2nd attack)

5 ships sunk from 5 eels, and that's with realistic sinking times and duds enabled. :rock:The entire crew are well pleased, as we've demonstrated that our little dog has a big bite.

I'm determined to see out the war in a Type II. I'm also about to move into 1941 for the first time. :o

I dont know if youll make it past radar mate :D But at any rate good luck!! :yeah: Im partial to the VIIs I dont really like the IXs. Only for Torpedo room and extra fuel. Ugh. They look like pregnant cows :nope: and manuever like molasses in January :nope::nope:

[Obltn Strand]

The valiant crew of the U-13 (Type IID) are heading home from patrol 17. It was the most successful patrol to date. Second patrol out of Lorient, which means that the U-13 is starting to play havoc with convoys on the West coast of the UK rather than hunting single ships along the East coast.

December 19, 1940

Small Merchant, 2,245 t (individual ship)
Large Merchant , 10,121 t (convoy)
Large Cargo, 7,181 t (convoy)
Modern Tanker, 8865 t (convoy)
Whale Factory Ship, 12016 t (same convoy, 2nd attack)

5 ships sunk from 5 eels, and that's with realistic sinking times and duds enabled. :rock:The entire crew are well pleased, as we've demonstrated that our little dog has a big bite.

I'm determined to see out the war in a Type II. I'm also about to move into 1941 for the first time. :o

That's a good catch for a canoe:salute:
Many patrols with those tiny subs and my personal best is four ships for about 25 000 tons.

40 428 tons:o

But with what realism % ?

[the.terrabyte.pirate]

That's a good catch for a canoe:salute:
Many patrols with those tiny subs and my personal best is four ships for about 25 000 tons.

40 428 tons:o

But with what realism % ?

I'm normally about the same, but in this instance the stars aligned. Originally the 5th eel was a coup de grace for any one of the previous merchies that didn't sink on their first hit, but all three went down within 20 minutes or so. That left me with one eel left, and some tempting targets that I didn't see the first time. I honestly thought that the whale factory ship was too big for one eel only, and I'd be better off using it on the large cargo or ammo ship, but I figured I'd go with it anyway as a learning experience. 25 minutes later she's sinking too.

I think I'm about 90% realism. Everything is switched to realistic apart from map contacts and the external camera (used only for watching sinking ships or my u-boat) I use manual targetting, no weapons officer assistance, realistic sinking times etc. GWX 3.0

[gazpode_l]

OK admitted NOT the campaign but am easing myself back into things via the naval academy missions before going bk to my campaign, poss end of this week early next, may even be sailing tomorrow night......... (thurs) :hmmm:

PS havent played SH3 campaign since last may I think!! :o

[Gryffon300]

Look, I know all you shiny-pants mob at BdU might have it in for me since the "Konigsberg Incident", and I may have got a bit hot under the collar in talking to you about it (as per my telegram http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=1579879&postcount=593 ), but, where the Hell is MY Knight's Cross, eh!? Have I not more than redeemed myself? I mean, it wasn't like Prien going into Scarpa to get the Royal Oak was unique!

Look, I already told you all about taking out the Southhampton AND a troopship in Dover, and then backing it up with a raid on Calais to take out two big tankers and a couple of medium marchants. On my third cruise - our first war patrol! I don't care that the large tanker was a neutral - the schwein should have known better than to be feeding the Frogs fuel!

OK, OK well what about the last cruise? We took out what was it, eight medium merchants plus a Large Tanker? Mostly ripping down through the Irish Sea, mostly with surface gun attack AND we fought off 3 aerial attacks. Now, I grant you, I took a little damage, but no casualties! But then, what about the icing on the cake, eh?

That large convoy in the Keltic Sea, with the jewel in the heart - the HMS Revenge! Prien's Revenge class was a sitting duck in Scarpa, at least mine was moving! PLUS I took out the Large Tanker and the Tanker for good measure, and all of THAT with my last 6 torps! AND I think I shoud be credited with that last medium Merchant that I torpedoed but hadn't yet sunk when I had to break off to go after the large convoy. I'd stayed with her for over an hour and she was down to one knot and listing last I saw. She MUST be on the bottom!

Now, I took out the namesake for the whole class - that's got to be worth extra points with Goebell's merry wordsmiths, no?

102,521 tons on only our 5th Patrol in a VIIB and NO INJURIES OR DEATHS. So, how about putting in a good word for me, and if not me, at least some recognition for the crew. They deserve it for bringing home the boat with only 60% hull integrity, which meant in the whole action with the convoy, we never went below 25m, AND I never went silent, because reloading to take out the Revenge took priority - we all agreed on that.

By the way, you might want to tip off the Intelligence boys that I encoutered three Danish merchants running dark, going solo in the Irish sea (sunk one that had just rendeveued with a British merchant - obviously running contraband). The other two, I let go, being unsure, but then there must have been at least four Danes running in the large convoy - probably more, I didn't get close enough to see. Mostly medium merchants and a couple medium tankers. 'Neutrals', my asdic!

[don1reed]

5th War Patrol, all in tc x1.

13.4.40: Ordered to patrol west of Gibraltar in Dora Jota 16. Currently five days out of Wilhelmshaven in vicinity L59°33.3’N, λ002°40.3’W by three star fix.

Sharp increase in enemy aircraft sightings since last patrol. Was forced to submerge twice in the last two days since passing the prime meridian. Anticipating higher volume of traffic in the western approaches. Watch personnel and Special Sea detail expecting a lively run down toward L36°N. Bon Chance to all.

[Obltn Strand]

I'm normally about the same, but in this instance the stars aligned. Originally the 5th eel was a coup de grace for any one of the previous merchies that didn't sink on their first hit, but all three went down within 20 minutes or so. That left me with one eel left, and some tempting targets that I didn't see the first time. I honestly thought that the whale factory ship was too big for one eel only, and I'd be better off using it on the large cargo or ammo ship, but I figured I'd go with it anyway as a learning experience. 25 minutes later she's sinking too.

I think I'm about 90% realism. Everything is switched to realistic apart from map contacts and the external camera (used only for watching sinking ships or my u-boat) I use manual targetting, no weapons officer assistance, realistic sinking times etc. GWX 3.0

Quite a catch then:arrgh!:

You were lucky to get those big ships down with just one torpedo. In many occasions I have had to let some big ships float. Just because all torpedoes have been fired and 20mm AA gun isn't excatly a big ship killer.

[nikbear]

Tue,April 30,1940 U103 returns to Wilhelmshaven
Oberleutnant z.S Viktor Schutze brings all the crew home on a most miserable patrol :nope:
Bad weather dogged the entire patrol hampering many attempts to get to grips with the enemy,At one time Resulting in nearly being 'Run over' by a convoy in thick fog:o
A tally of 4 ships sunk for 22804 GRT Little reward for such hard work,bravery and endeavour!
Hoping for a better and more productive patrol next time.......Now where's the Schnapps :salute:

[frau kaleun]

So, where's my bloody Knight's Cross then??!!

From: Darth BdU
To: Gryffon300

Onkel Karl has taught you well... but you are not a Ritterkreuzträger yet.


:O:

[Walruss]

The middle of the north sea, september 3rd, 1939. Just got word that the Kriegsmarine has authorized attacks on British vessels. On my way to AM33 for my patrol, with a sharp eye out for targets!

[Fluffysheap]

North Sea, April 1, 1940. Biding my time waiting for Operation Weserubung. Patrol has been very difficult with rough weather and one CTD after another.

I think I am remembering why I usually stick with the Type-II, every time I buy a bigger sub, I get nothing but crashes. But after 1941, the Type-II is really not practical any more, not to mention not historical! (Excepting the Black Sea, of course)

[Missing Name]

October 1940, Mid-Atlantic.

Intercepted a fast moving convoy, positioned myself in the center. All six torpedoes launched, three detonated prematurely. The remaining three sank an Empire, ammunition depot and a large cargo. We laughed at the one escort that tried to DC us. Convoy changed route shortly afterward, lost contact.

[VONHARRIS]

Back at Lorient after my first patrol at the US east coast.
CAPTAIN'S LOG
Date and Time
Location
Occurrences
4.2.42.1803Patrol 17
U-522, U-Flotilla Saltzwedel
Left at: February 4, 1942, 18:03
From: Lorient
Mission Orders: Patrol grid CA28
7.2.42.1040Grid BF 44Ship sunk! SS Argun (Medium Merchant 11), 3129 tons. Cargo: General Cargo. Crew: 39. Crew lost: 25
20.2.42.0709Grid CC 33Ship sunk! SS Isac (Tramp Steamer), 1971 tons. Cargo: Grain. Crew: 30. Crew lost: 27
22.2.42.1552Grid CC 24Ship sunk! SS Empire Hudson (CAM Freighter), 7150 tons. Cargo: Aircraft. Crew: 57. Crew lost: 24
2341Grid CC 16Ship sunk! SS Adm. Courbet (Coastal Freighter), 1811 tons. Cargo: Paper Products. Crew: 34. Crew lost: 4
24.2.42.0033Grid CC 14Ship sunk! Q Ship HMS Lambridge (Small Coastal Freighter), 2364 tons. Crew: 77. Crew lost: 23
2.3.42.2321Grid CA 28Ship sunk! SS Matilde (Nipiwan Park-type Tanker), 2476 tons. Cargo: Crude Oil. Crew: 19. Crew lost: 16
3.3.42.0456Grid CA 28Ship sunk! USS Decatur (Clemson class), 1190 tons. Crew: 112. Crew lost: 96
0716Grid CA 27Ship sunk! SS Scythia (Ceramic-type Ocean Liner), 14534 tons. Cargo: Troops. Crew: 923. Crew lost: 839
1359Grid CA 27Ship sunk! SS Highland Brigade (Large Troop Ship), 25007 tons. Cargo: Troops. Crew: 812. Crew lost: 227
1448Grid CA 27Ship sunk! SS Athenia (Ceramic-type Ocean Liner), 14533 tons. Cargo: Troops. Crew: 1297. Crew lost: 1141
2228Grid CA 28Ship sunk! Dolphin (Sloop), 8 tons. Crew: 4. Crew lost: 0
24.3.42.0625Patrol results
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 11
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonnage: 74173 tons

Both liners were sunk out side NY harbor at the borderline of grids CA27 , CA28.
The SS Scythia was going in and the SS Athenia (?!!) was going out. Both were doing 15kts.
The SS Highland Brigade was part of an outgoing convoy escorted by 5 DDs of the US Navy.
These are three troop ships that will not reach the Fatherland.

Next patrol grid is CA 73

Kapitanleutnant von Harris
Current command: U-522 IXC
Position : Heading for CA 73
Date : May 26 1942

Patrols : 17
Days at sea: 504
Merchants sunk : 132
Tonnage : 829689
Warships sunk : 17 (4 x Cl 4 x Aux cruisers 1 x small depot ship 1 x CV)
Tonnage : 137840
Aircrafts downed : 5 (4 x Swordfish 1 x Kingfisher)
Crew losses : 4 men

[frau kaleun]

Man, it's so good to be playing again. Not bad, either, for my first combat patrol in... sheesh, it's got to be 4-5 months.

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/3351/u35patrol2.jpg

:rock:

[reignofdeath]

I keep getting sunk in 1939:shifty: What the hell are these escorts feeding their crew. Theyre depthcharge machines lately it seems. They shouldnt be either.:cry:

[VONHARRIS]

From : U-522
To : BdU
July 7 1942
Grid CC 29

Damaged after air attack in CA 27
Unable to dive
Casualties IWO and flak gun crew
Have sunk 64429 tons
Returning to Lorient

Kptltnt von Harris

[VONHARRIS]

The last patrol was a very short one
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/7065/patrolreport2.jpg

Things are getting tough. Those Brits have learned how to fight us. The Americans are learning too. The anti-sonar coating is not that effective but the Bold decoys may help.

Kapitanleutnant von Harris
Current command: U-522 IXC
Position : Refitting at Lorient
Date : November 1942

Patrols : 19 (I had plenty of time play)
Days at sea: 565
Merchants sunk : 144
Tonnage : 781137 (typing error in previous update)
Warships sunk : 18 (4 x Cl 4 x Aux cruisers 1 x small depot ship 1 x CV)
Tonnage : 139530
Aircrafts downed : 5 (4 x Swordfish 1 x Kingfisher)
Crew losses : 9 men

[Missing Name]

:damn: http://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab303/MissingName/Crash_to_desktop.png :damn:

Because words can't describe the frustration.

[reignofdeath]

I think I had the most eventful patrol of my life just now.

So I was patrolling around AM53, when I get a contact report of a large convoy. I move to intercept and meet up with it at about 6 AM in October of 39 (So it doesnt get light until about 7 30) I run on the surface get ahead into position 90* and 5km out from the most inward and juicy target, a large merchant, which on either side of it in the same row has a medium cargo. I decide to fire one torp at each medium cargo and 2 at the merchant.

After I fire, I start moving at ahead full to set up for a second attack.

One torpedo to the far cargo prematures, one misses the merchant by inches, and the sails under the keel to explode. The last torpedo clips the closest cargo right under the center keel.

After the explosions the escorts never found me, still submerged I make my way to attack position again and fire the same spread, this time the far one prematures again but 2 contact the large merchant and the one for the medium cargo connects. The large merchant sinks and the medium cargo keeps on a chuggin.

I decide this time with 20% battery left that since its daylight I'd need to get behind the convoy and run on the surface shadowing it. So I get what I felt like was behind the convoy enough and surface to start recharging my batteries for a 2nd night attack. Lo and behold, I wasnt far enough and two really pissed off escorts start heading my way (For real these guys must be using super 3D ultrasonic detection, every DC drop was pretty much RIGHT at my depth and almost 5 m either side of me.)

So I dive to P depth and get ready to start manuevers, this is when things get really hairy. First escort comes at me and I turn hard, he hits my conning tower and knocks out my scopes and everything up top. As I'm still thrashing about under water (from being flung by being rammed by the escort) The 2nd comes at me and drops charges, right to the side of me, about 5 explode causing major flooding. I start dropping like a rock and get the repair crews on it.
Cool thing I noticed when in external cam, that I was 'leaking' what seemed to be a dark fluid (Fuel) and a white one (Compressed Air) which I thought was pretty cool that GWX modeled this, as I was indeed leaking fuel because my gauge kept on dropping

As I steady the flooding and level the boat out at about 50 meters, I get two almost simaultaneous runs on me, and you guessed it, they all explode around me. Now Ive got more flooding and Im dropping like a car in free fall from 1000ft. After throwing my electrics to full power and barely staying level, I get leveled off again at about 60 meters. This time, I go deep, to 140 m (I think 150m was the bottom) and keep changing direction and depth.

After a while of that I hit p depth to have a drastic depth change and the worst of my fears comes true again, another near simaultaneous DC attack, and 2 land right on the deck of my sub.

All of a sudden, my Hydrophones are out, the two men in my sonar room are dead. And my fore batteries are destroyed as well as my aft damaged. I have completely uncontrollable flooding this time and my speed slows to 1 knot and I cant maintain depth. I cross my fingers as I sink, and sink, and sink, then I bottom out. This is it I think, a few more runs and Im toast. I figure I can at least fix the flooding and what I can while Im waiting so I set my repair crew on the fixing mission. As they finally stop the rest of the flooding, I sigh with relief, and wait. Either the DCs will get me, or the pressure will. I try a few more times to get what I can out of the batteries but to no avail, I then try and blow my ballast, nothing. Now I'm out of battery and compressed air!!

Another DC attack comes but curiously isnt even close. I can hear the creaking of the pressure hull, only a few more minutes before it bursts. And with one more last hurrah, I push my engines to all ahead. Then to my utter enjoyment, and suprise, the depth gauge starts to rise!! I watch as we eventually creep back to P depth and start the 5 hour long process of evading these two nasty nasty escorts (Seriously, somebody fed this crew testosterone booster or something, they were annngry) Eventually one runs out of DCs and keeps running into my conning tower only to rip a hole in his hull and sink himself. The second runs out of DCs on the back rack and can only throw them to the side, which does him no good because each run hes on top of me, so he wastes his remaining DCs.

Eventually I creep away and he rejoins the convoy.:o I survived a Das Boot moment and dammit I am freaking proud!:yeah: U-36 is now on her way back to Wilhelmshaven for some scary scary stories and plenty of well needed drinks!

Casey.

[Schwieger]

Haha, close Casey. Had that happen a few times in the Med. Usually stick to the Atlantic now, lol

[gazpode_l]

Eventually I creep away and he rejoins the convoy.:o I survived a Das Boot moment and dammit I am freaking proud!:yeah: U-36 is now on her way back to Wilhelmshaven for some scary scary stories and plenty of well needed drinks!

Casey.

WOW Casey! Sounded like some tussle u had there with the allies! :rock:

Congrats on surviving and making it bk for some well needed R&R :up:

[gazpode_l]

I restarted my campaign yesterday (saturday) after a longer period of not playing that FR Kaluen (member) had. :yeah:

The last time I remember playing this was probably april 2010!!!! :hmmm:

My third career in SH3 (with GWX) and my first two ended up as follows;
1) going after a convoy I encountered the beastly NELSON - sent off four torpedoes, only to have two detonate, and two mis-fire due to range (hit but failed to go-off) :damn:

got discovered my two flower class's and an A&B destroyer, DC'd to hell with the flower getting the credit when they nailed me with a direct hit.

2) my second career the day I died was eventful to say the least, got chased by a fast attack patrol, who i eventually dispatched by deck-gun fire, and got myself an armed trawler just some SW of ireland but after I got rammed by the cheeky sod, we eventually MAY have bought it by DC from a flower class, OR crushing.. :dead:

OK so my third career is in U-93 (VIIB) and we are just away from Kiel and were somewhere abrest of "Kristensand"- if you look on googlemaps zoomed at 20km/20miles there is a label for ferry route E39, we are there at the point of my last save (RL Time 18:00hrs saturday 29th Jan)

Hoping to get some more play in tonight....:timeout:

Will check the gory details of my former careers in SH3 commander later and re-post or edit. :88)

[frau kaleun]

U-35, Oblt. Kurt Schaaf commanding, our second combat patrol with the 2nd Flotilla.

We left Willy on Oct 5 1939 and, except for a few neutrals and friendlies in the North Sea, we have not had a single merchant contact. Not one. Nada. Nichts. Sounds boring, right? Mais non, mes amis!

http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/jco/lowres/jcon1006l.jpg

Somewhere, a carrier is wondering where all its planes went. My flak gunner has shot down 18 - yes, that's right, 18 - Swordfish. So far. They come in threes, and go down in threes. And they just keep coming. Even when we dive and change course after an encounter hoping to throw off any additional pursuit based on a contact report one of them might get off before we dunk him in the drink.

Oh and yeah we've encountered three task forces... one we got a radio report about, and since its reported course had it coming southeast behind us as we cleared the Shetlands, we turned around and tried to intercept. Got close enough to make visual contact... 4 destroyers, I think, plus 2 Southhampton class, 1 Renown class... and the HMS Hood. But they were going so fast we never could get close enough to line up a shot. :wah: But we called in their current position, maybe somebody else will have a shot at 'em.

And I guess our other two contacts so far count as task forces, each had one V&W class and two auxiliary cruisers.

Whoever was in command of the DD in the first group should be taken out and shot, as we were able to get in close enough to get off two quick shots at the first cruiser and then another two at the second. This was at periscope depth, after dark, but still. From within 1000 meters even.

At least one eel was a dud, but we got hits on both cruisers and one sank while we did a crash dive and evasive manuevers thinking the DD that was now coming our way would surely go after us with a vengeance. But I don't think it ever dropped a charge anywhere near enough to endanger us at all. Finally convinced that it had no clue what it was doing or where to do it, we crept back up to p-depth to set up whatever additional shots we could. Somewhere during all of that was when the first cruiser sank, we must've got two hits on it.

The second one had a fire on the forward deck and her bow looked to be a bit low in the water but she was still making about 4 knots. We were running silent and not reloading so all I had left was the stern tube, which we lined up and fired from within about 600 meters. Direct hit, and she went down while we dove again just in case the DD (which was scanning the surface with searchlights about 2 km aft of the second cruiser) had a competent XO who decided to throw his CO over the side and assume command. But apparently this was not the case, because we were able to slink away 120m down running silent and she didn't put up much of a chase at all.

That TF we were able to intercept after receiving a contact report, she just happened to be in the neighborhood and heading in the right direction.

The next one we sighted on our own, we were heading due north and spotted another DD off our port bow heading due east. Behind her were another 2 aux cruisers, all making about 14 knots. We turned due east and went to flank speed to get just out of visual range, and then dropped back to 16 knots to get a good jump on their projected course. A couple quick dives to check the 'phones along the way confirmed that they had not altered course. So after about two hours of running just ahead of them on a parallel course, we turned due north again and dropped back to 1/3 ahead until they came into view. The sun was just setting so we went to periscope depth and crept forward to the projected intercept point, running silent at 2 knots. The DD may have spotted our 'scope when I popped it up once for a quick position check, because she started working the searchlights, but maybe not because she never altered course to come looking any harder.

Unlike our previous encounter, we had relatively calm seas this time around so I took a chance on magnetics and set up all four forward eels to run at 11 meters with mag fuses. I was able to get the two shots off at the first cruiser, but while I was waiting to do so I realized I had either gotten in a little too close for comfort, or else the second cruiser had spotted our 'scope and altered course to ram us - because she was coming right for us. Fortunately she was a good way behind her sister ship and we got the shots off and I sounded the alarm for a crash dive and down we went.

Both eels detonated under the keel of the first cruiser, and she was a goner. The second cruiser hung around for a bit and then continued on, but the DD this time around was a tenacious little bugger AND called in reinforcements, as after about an hour another DD showed up to help hunt for us. And she was quicker on the uptake, as she managed to get a good idea of our position after the first cruiser was hit and dropped some DCs on us when we weren't as deep as I would've liked. We took some minor damage to one 'scope and the guns, but nothing that compromised us too badly, as we were able to continue down to 120m without any trouble.

But she (and her eventual backup) didn't want to let us go...took about two hours of real time to finally shake them off. They'd get close and drop DCs, but nothing went off deep enough to do more than rattle the cutlery. So... two hours of running silent and deep until they finally gave up and went away.

It's now Oct 22, 2 1/2 weeks into our patrol and we have yet to see, much less attack and sink, any enemy merchants. And even with a short diversion of our course to get out of "Swordfish alley" (as the boys are now calling it) and take advantage of a spell of calm weather to load the externals... I only have 5 torpedoes left! And not a merchant in sight!

I guess BdU will just have to make do with 3 auxiliary cruisers and 18 Allied aircraft. :O:

FWIW this was all in square AM - AM33 for the first two cruisers, AM 24 for the third. The aircraft have been in AM22, 24, & 25.

[gazpode_l]

U-93 continued it's career this evening and into small hrs of monday morning.. (RL time). :woot: :ahoy:

Un-eventful trip until just NE of Scappa Flow when we have a ship spotted report from the bridge....a few extremities later from the skipper he reports that he has spotted the HMS Nelson. Near scappa in March 1940. :timeout: :stare:

So A A flank was ordered and we decided to give chase. Tubes 1 & 4 were (with type II's inside) setup for shots with impact fuses and 5m depths and tube 2 setup for 4m depth @ fast speed. :yep:

Evident I had rumbled myself into a mid-sized task force. Not sure how big but spotted at least three in the group with a small escort. :rock:

Was going to wait until 2km away before firing, but I lost that chance when a sharp-eyed lookout amongst the allies spotted me. :doh::doh::timeout: So It was FIRE! immediately on tubes 1&4 before I ordered a crash dive to 50metres as the allies had opened gun-fire on me.

Barely a minute later "WASSEBOMEN" was heard exploding around us, luckily the allies aim wasn't great and they missed us. Cue a 30minute (real life & game time set to 1x speed) tussle between myself and the V&W destroyer chasing me... :gulp:

3mins after I fired the torpedoes, two explosions are heard. One was a definate hit on the nelson (thanks to event camera) whereas the other seemed to detonate behind her. No cheering was made from the crew which suggests a premature detonation was possible. :shifty:

R/L Time has beaten me to it, so I had to leave things as they were with V&W seemingly lost contact - for how long, I am not sure ATM. :zzz: :yawn:

Skipper Walter Suhr. :salute:

[frau kaleun]

25 Oct 1939
To: BdU
From: U-35

It is with great regret that I report the death in action of Bootsmaat Alfred Parzmair on 23 October.

During our current patrol southwest of the Faroe Islands Alfred had shown great discipline and skill in the downing of 18 British aircraft, most likely flying reconnaissance from the Illustrious class carrier known to be in the area.

On the morning of 23 October, what appeared to be a lone 19th plane was spotted and subsequently shot down by Bootsmaat Parzmair before making its first run at our boat. He remained at his post manning the AA gun until the "all clear" was given and the officer on watch confirmed that no other aircraft had been spotted.

He was halfway down the ladder into the conning tower when one of the watch spotted a second plane, coming in out of the sun and already homing in for an attack run at full speed. Bootsmaat Parzmair immediately returned to the bridge, likewise at full speed, pushing one watchman down and out of the line of fire in order to retake his place at the AA gun.

He was able to fire several rounds at the incoming plane but was himself wounded when it strafed the boat on its first pass. By then the alarm had been sounded and we were able to lower Alfred into the conning tower and then the control room as the emergency dive procedures were underway.

Damage to the boat was light and was subesquently repaired, however Parzmair died of his wounds shortly thereafter and was buried at sea in Grid AM2122 on 24 October.

As our return to Wilhelmshaven would have marked the completion of his second combat patrol, I would like to ensure that Bootsmaat Parzmair is posthumously awarded the U-Boat War Badge along with any other crewmen who are qualified to receive it at that time. I am also recommending that he be posthumously awarded the Iron Cross, Second Class for his service and the sacrifice it unfortunately entailed.

- Oblt. Kurt Schaaf, Kommandant

[Walruss]

Captains Log, August 20, 1939

3 weeks we've been out at sea now- There was rumors of war when we left but so far nothing has changed. We've sighted several ships, including a German small merchantman who was kind enough to share some schnapps with us, however otherwise this patrol has been nothing more than dull.

The weather has not been terribly kind either- We have been stuck in rough seas and storms for over a week now, however as my XO pointed out, what's the worst it could do, sink us?

The men are bored, though I think my engineering officer has cannibalized enough parts to jury-rig a still down in the stern torpedo room... I must pay him a visit soon.

Damn, I hope this war starts or BDu calls us back... one way or another it would beat sitting around on these god-forsaken waves for weeks on end!

Uberlt z.s. Klaus Sauerkraut,
O.C. U-35

[Mike Abberton]

Hello All. First post here. P.aying SHIII with GWX.

Started a career out of Kiel in a IIA. Upgraded to a IID. Patrols 1-4, I'd sunk a couple ships but nothing too large (largest was a Granville class freighter - maybe 4600ish tons).

I just completed patrol 5 (Feb 1940) with a little better luck in the end. We were sent to patrol NW of Scapa Flow.

Started bad with a missed shot at a coastal freighter (didn't want to waste a second torp on such a small vessel). Then bad weather set in. Kept finding small ships, and didn't want to waste torps in the heavy seas at shallow draft ships.

Got a contact report and followed it with rough seas still. I get close expecting another mini, but see a beautiful large freighter in the scope. Nervous about the weather and my still spotty tracking skills (I'm manual TDC'ing everything), I let go with all 3 and get 3 hits!!! More than doubled my total haul in 1 salvo. Finished out the patrol with a coastal freighter with the last torp and headed home.

Mike

[frau kaleun]

Welcome aboard, Mike! :salute:

[Gryffon300]

09 Aug 1939
To: BdU
From: U-48, Flot Saltzwedel
Hi Hans. Thought I'd drop a line to you to go with the official report. Well, looks like your political hacks in the office got their way and managed to sheet home some blame for Konigsberg to my poor bloody XO. Sending him back to Sub School was a low act, but he had the last laugh.

He got his own boat! The U-51 with Flot Wegener. In his shake-down cruise, he got sent back to Konigsberg, WITH THE SAME TRIPLE-DAMNED ORDERS! How could those orders, to 'sink target ships in Konigsberg.... avoid damage', still be in the order packs for 1st Flotilla? What ever happened to German efficiency, eh? :nope:

Anyway, the sly bugger decided to carry out the orders in reverse order of priority - do his 24 hours in the harbour grid, THEN sink the target ships - reasoning that at least he wouldn't be under fire for the 24 hour AO98 grid patrol! What do you know???! :hmmm: The moment he completed his 24hrs, the "Target Ships" designation from the Enigma machine vanished & he was home free with a plesant sail back into port. I don't have a clue why or how the orders were changed, but you certainly still haven't caught the rat in the ranks there at BdU! :down:

Anyway, enough of that - I've had my own problems. I've been trying to put to sea for 4 days now, with no success. The Enigma machine just wouldn't process inputs, so I had to keep stripping out till I had the bare basic order set. I eventually had to resign my career with the old boat - it just wouldn't let me get out. First mission was very buggy, with a 'Crash Dive' on shake-down taking me to 150m, with no sign of stopping, then the Enigma reported 'date clash error', after I had loaded my boat for a second mission immediately after returning to port & put to sea from within the sub-pen, rather than going to his office & seeking The Commander's permission.

I guess after doing that (it worked, by the way), the Commander's paperwork didn't match up anymore, and, you know how beureaucrats are, he wouldn't let me to sea ever again, so I had to resign my career with that boat, too.

But now, at last, Ive just run a sweet shake-down with a nice new boat with no Enigma glitches. Crash dive even works to 70m, with surface the boat to manned tower taking 1min30sec to achieve, and 57sec with Emergency Surface. Damned fine performance from a new crew (especially as I sprung the test on them on a beautiful, calm evening out in BF17, with a magnificent sunset and some uplifting Wagner playing - the brass just resonates through the boat. Glorious! Just when they were all relaxed and comfortable - Bam! ALARM Bells! Love it!).

Anyway, I herd about Shaaf's gunner buying it. Damn shame - I heard he was a good man. Pass on my condolences if the occasion arises will you?

That's all for now. I have to zip over to speak with the boffins at technical about these damned Enigma's eccentricities to see if I can figure out how to let my Chief Engineer do all his favourite tweaks to the boat, and still have the Enigma remain reliable. I've had about thirty crashes in the last 4 days & no sea-time.

Apparently, I'm to go in a service queue behind some Kaleun who has forgotten his name. He keeps hitting his head against walls, too. I hear some crack like that after prolonged depth-charge attack. Pity, seems a good fellow otherwise.

Lt Kurt Ebert

[gazpode_l]

Kaluen Suehr (u-93) Aka Gazpode: Analysing from a R/L perspective, I am beginning to doubt my initial ident during my patrol that I had encountered the HMS Nelson, But indeed is possible that it was actually HMS Rodney.

R/L Research suggest the nelson was hundreds of miles away in "pompy" having a major refit.

IF JIMBUNA and his crew have modeled GWX as realistically as I Think they have, then I premise that indeed it WAS the rodney I spotted...as R/L page mentions here:- http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-aContents.htm#type

[Theusje]

What happened before: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=176809&page=11

To continue from where I left:

I finally got them rid of me and after a couple of hours of not hearing anything I decided to ascend to p-depth. Scanned 360°, twice, surfaced.

BAM Black Swan stationary at 8km. This was not good for my heart. I think this is the the Black Swan I got a hit on. Sneaky I got behind his stern and fired a torpedo but missed. Then moved to his port side and fired another one and she sank.

Tried to make contact again with the convoy but only got updates on a C&D and another Black Swan. Took my time, it was night and they only went 6knots, positioned myself, took out th C&D. Rinse and repeat for the Black Swan.

I then decided to raid* Freetown as my patrol grid was nearby (ET13). Scanned it's surroundings the first night, figured it was only defended by an ASW trawler. That night I also found a V&W and destroyed because it was running slow. Waited out the day in deep water nearby. The second night the ASW trawler was also moving slow and was going towards the harbor. Fired a torpedo and she sank. Freetown was now undefended. Took my time to figure out the subnet, got in and destroyed a tanker, small merchant and a something else.

Got a small 34,000 GRT
1 tanker, 5 merchants, 5 warships.
I'll give some more info when I'm back from my second patrol.

*I only reloaded once because I went into Ahead Flank due to a misclick and got the ASW trawler on my ass ...

[Gryffon300]

:wah:
Its SO good to see you FK. Maybe you can help me get legless or some perspective (preferably both). So, take off the Viking Helm, pull up a chair and let me be maudlin for a bit.

On this last patrol, I was in the Channel, running ESE on my way back from BF17 & had just got the signal that we were to go at it with the Brits. So, I reversed course and chased down a Medium Merchant that I had close inspected half an hour previous (it had been farily dark, so I had to get to 300 m to be sure of his flag - of course, he was running dark - boy, these merchants sure are twitchy - I guess the writing was on the wall though, about the war starting and everything, though how all these merchants get to waddle around ignoring the International Law of the Sea by not showing their running lights PRIOR to hostilities commencing, I have no idea!)

Sorry, I've had too much to drink already.

Anyway, we put him on the bottom with deck gun and I'm in BF32 (not BF33 - confused the GM line for the edge of the box for a minute), about 40k SE of Bristol just before 21:30 on the evening of September the 3rd (you remember, about half an hour before we got the signal that war had been declared on us by Aus, NZ, India and the rest of those pathetic remnants of the failed British so-called Empire). I picked up an indication of a ship at extreme range, went to flank and went hunting.

We spotted her at long distance in the dark South East of us going West like the Hounds of Hell were after him. It was a V&W. I was about to break North, when I got a second "ship spotted" call. After a bit of messing about, it turned out to be a Southhampton class. Now, I'm interested, so I bend my course due South to run an intercept. I'm doing 18 knotts to their 25, and doing my map work it looks like the closest I will get to their line of travel is 6.5kms. So I set my T1's to Medium (fast would have worked, but I would have run out of range).

I had just plugged in the torp speeds, when I get another 'ship spotted!", then a third and a fourth! Its a bloody Task Force! THREE Southhamptons in line astern, with at least 6 escorts.

It was sooo depressing. I had my Chief Engineer running the diesels WAY over the top of the green for over half an hour, but couldn't close to a worthwhile firing solution. Even when we first made contact and had settled on due South, at medium torp speed, at 7.5 kms, the first of the Southhamptons required a shot 25 to starboard. The tail-end-charlie was better at 10 degrees, but the total run distance (along the hypotenuse) was going to be too great. So close. So very close.

I know you understand the feeling, having missed the Hood, but, can you IMAGINE the glory and the impact that getting a couple of Southamptons on that night would have had on those weak, pallid Britishers? And then, if YOU had followed that up by taking out the Hood?! The war would have been over by Christmas! The British would have been cowering in their docks, afraid to put a little toe near the water!

Ah, the Sea, she IS a cruel mistress, no? Yes, I'll have that other Stein now, thanks. So, my Valkyrie friend, and the rest of you in this shout. What would YOU have done? Could I have got them somehow? Could I have bought glory to the Fatherland and a place in Valhalla?

[frau kaleun]

I never had a chance in Hades of getting close enough to the Hood to do more than gape at her.

What hurts is the desperation shot I took at the carrier that probably spawned the Swordfish that killed my Bootsmaat. My last three forward eels, and not a hit among them.

Ah well, I knew it was a chance in a million when I gave the order to fire... but the task force she was in the middle of was making 18 knots by the time we intercepted it, the nearest destroyer had just peeled off and was heading in our direction, and I was never going to get closer or line up anything better.

Even one hit just to make the point would've been something.

We're down to just two eels aft now, and heading home. The weather's been too rough to use the guns ever since we said our last goodbyes to Alfred, and after three weeks at sea we have yet to see an enemy merchant. It's been nothing but RN task forces and those cursed bees. Maybe we'll get a chance at something on our way home, but even if it's the biggest merchant ever to sail the seven seas with a giant Union Jack hanging off the mast and a crew that's lining up to moon us over the railing, it's not gonna make up for missing that carrier.

[Gryffon300]

After the fiasco of the missed task force, and sulking my way back to the last round of drinks with you, you'll never guess. And if anyone laughs, I'll take a sextant and shove it where the sun don't shine!

I bullied the crew back out to sea for our third patrol - back out to BF16. Ran the Channel no problems at full speed and got to within 100 kms of our box, when I got a 'diesel fuel at 50%' call. :-? Very odd. I didn't think I had used THAT much in the Full Ahead run. So, I figured at half ahead, I'd have no problems. (The Nav said that at that speed I had over 2500 kms to spare AFTER doing my full grid search.) So, I pressed on.

200 kms later, I get the 25% Diesel warning. Now I KNOW I have a major problem. Even dropping to one third, still 1000 kms short. Can't make the Canary's either. Getting a bit desperate for a fleet oiler or a milch cow about now. Believe it!

By now I had a 10% fuel warning (SOME MALFUNCTION! My Damage Control boys never did find the problem). Only thing I could do was head for Cork. At least in a port that was likely to stay neutral, I wasn't going to have my crew end up as POW's and my beautiful new boat in the hands of the Englanders!

But Cork? Really. Yep. I got the good news that, 'We are out of diesel, Sir!' 100 kms short of the target. But, you know those dodgy fuel tank gauges: we made it into Cork on the smell of an oily rag. Couldn't see any dock, so just pulled up about 500m from shore with 12m under keel, and requested to dock, which was accepted.

You think that's the end of the story? Nah, now it starts to get really weird - like I was on furlough in Midguard or something. The bog Irish were tut-tutting about, "himself being out of fuel, is it then?", being nice enough to offer that black dishwater they call beer, "Sure, its good enough to eat!" while I asked how they thought we might arrange to get back to Willhelmshaven. ("William's Haben, is it then? Diddli-o. Sure'n if I was going there, I wouldn't be starting from here! Diddli-i." Not sure if he was trying to be funny, or was a genuine cretin.)

So, I get in touch with the Commander, eventually, and he tells me its OK to start my next patrol from Cork, as long as we fix the malfunction and contact the Consulate for the Scrip to buy the fuel oil (and some provisions - the shore leave was not altogether terrible.)

So, all's well you think? Think again. Remember that 12m under keel? Gone. I wake up aboard when I think I was going to start our next patrol with the boat rolling from 45 degrees to port and starboard, like some Frost Giant has us by the throat and is trying to shove us down a latrine! And the racket! Great groans and thumps, things shattering - worse than any depth-charging I have endured. Within thirty seconds, I have lost 18 crew to this nonsense! :wah:

I had a brief chance to look outside and we were rolling around, high and dry on a mud flat or something. Big deal! So the tide ran out and left us aground. That still doesn't explain how or why we were being mauled by some invisible giant Leprechaun or something! So, YOU explain to me what the hell happened, cause I sure can't. And Gott und Himmell WHAT am I going to report to BdU??

The surviving crew fled to the dock, and tried again - this time pleading with The Commander to allow us to start our next patrol back home: we were all too spooked to try going back to that bewitched place! He acceded to our wishes, and all went well right up to the moment we were about to get aboard, when the damn Enigma went on the fritz again. Tried to go twice more, each time they kept us in port nearly a month, so the last time was for a January launch, but again we failed to get aboard.

That damned place was CURSED, I tell you! I had no option but to try and turn back time, by pretending that the intervening aborted patrols never happened, but The Commander would have none of that (you know how he is about dates and documents conforming.) So - reluctantly, I had to ditch yet another boat and restart my career on another VIIB. I wonder how many they will let me have?!! I'm getting awfully familiar with 1939!!

I'll have that beer now thanks. I've got a headache.

[gazpode_l]

Status Report:
Boat: U-93
Kaluen: W. Suhr
Grid: AM78
Torps Left: 12
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii66/gazpode_l/Silent%20Hunter%203/p2sunset.jpg

At 3am we managed to escape the clutches of the deadly destroyer that had hounded us for the past three hours! We then managed to slowly bring her upto periscope depth with the DD seemingly disappearing into the distance and his signature on the 'phones going ever weaker.

Surface sweep with the scope showed nothing but waves. We surface and continue on with our run down to our assigned grid, AM78 in beautiful weather, the boys even had thier shorts out and the suncream on, IN MARCH (well it was +15'c!!)

Reached the grid on March 24th. Set about patrolling on a pattern decided by me, and whilst we did so I decided to grab a well deserved sleep whilst we dove to 50meters for a quiet night below the surface. (much more comfy down there wihout the bobbing on the waves).
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii66/gazpode_l/Silent%20Hunter%203/p2skipslp.jpg

On the journey back upto relevent depth, somebody discovered that bernard had been upto his old tricks again and had accidentally knocked one of the tube door switches to "open". I had been wondering for a day or so why she wld refuse to go above 15knts even at FLANK speed...here was the reason! BEEERRRNNNAAARRRDD!!!!!!! :mad:

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii66/gazpode_l/Silent%20Hunter%203/p2bernard.jpg

So here we are Admrial Doenitz, Sat in AM78 with not a ship in sight for miles. Think I might try an 'ol hunting grounds, the irish sea or even chance the channel!!!! :88)

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii66/gazpode_l/Silent%20Hunter%203/p2status25031941.jpg

Regards
Kaluen Suhr
U-93
25/3/1941

[kibeldede]

Official Documents: DKM Scharnhorst Patrol No.2

14-16 May 1942

The second patrol of the Scharnhorst was to be close to Cuban waters (DD65). Whilest en route to patrol sector, radar picked up a large Task Force south of our position on the 15th. Being the new enthusastic captain of this battlecruiser, I decided to engage the Force. The force was a juicy looking target. One of the illusive Illustrious-class fleet carriers was surrounded by destroyers. The target would've been decimated, but I reckoned without a King George V battleship in front of the carrier. Was engaged by C-class, J-class, Clemson-class and Tribal-class destroyers. They were too nimble for the 11in main guns to hit. Eventually came into range of KGV's 14in guns. Ordered that we turn broadside. Big mistake. Most secondary armament on starboard side knocked out by 4in - 14in artillery. Abandoned destroyers as target and focused on the carrier. Several secondary hits knocked planes off the deck. Took one 11in broadside to bottom the carrier. Flat-top was so damaged, she sank in less than a minute. Fire temporarily transferred to a J-class, which was destroyed. Fire then focused on KGV but all armament merely bounced off armored shell. Gave the order to disengage and come up behind them later, but rudder controls did not respond. Both rudders were lost. Flank Speed diminished to 28 knots. Was pursued by Tribal-class that eluded all gunfire. Eventually slowed and knocked it out with aft 11in triple turret.

About two hours afterwards, two small warships caught up with my crippled ship: a Hunt-1 destroyer and a Black Swan frigate. Once again, they eluded gunfire but eventually both ships were despatched.

With great difficulty, reached La Rochelle following day and taken back to homeport. Poor girl spent rest of the month in drydock for repairs. Estimated date till fit for combat: 1st June. Third patrol is also scheduled 1st June.

Overall enemy forces encountered:
1 Illustrious fleet carrier
1 King George V battleship
2 Clemson destroyers
2-4 C-class destroyers
2 J-class destroyers
several Tribal-class destroyers
1 Hunt-1 class destroyer
1 Black Swan class frigate

Own forces engaged:
1 Scharnhorst class battlecruiser

Enemy losses:
1 Illustrious fleet carrier :woot:(thats one less to worry about)
1 J-class destroyer
1 Tribal-class Destroyer
1 Hunt-1 destroyer
1 Black Swan class frigate

Own losses:
2 watch officers
1 Scharnhorst class heavily damaged

Two more watchofficers being enlisted to replace those lost.

End file.
_______________________
Mod used: Warship Mod 3.0

[Walruss]

Verdammt!
A beautiful empty sea, a full moon, and a brillinatly illuminated target. Americans sailing around like they own the world. Oh I would so love to put an eel into that empire class....

Staying hidden until it passes before resuming patrol

[Pappy55]

My first patrol in this campaign is proving to be a very quiet one.. Arrived in my assigned patrol area in the northern approach to Ireland/Liverpool

On route the weather turned foul..

So far this storm has lasted a week. I had 2 single contacts and 1 convoy contact. gave up on the convoy after 18hours of trying to find it in the soup and swelling sea. :damn:

I hate atlantic weather :wah:

UPDATE... (EDIT)

This is becomeing a real DAS BOOT patrol. I think maybe I should head down Gibraltar way and hope to catch somthing with its pants down.. The storm here shows no sign of clearing anytime soon.
I did have a strange moment when listening on the Hydrophones, Caught the unmistakeable sound of a ship breaking up underwater.. Must of been a small costal boat that sunk in the storm.

[gazpode_l]

Status Report:
Boat: U-93
Kaluen: W. Suhr
Grid: AM52
Torps Left: 12
25/3/1941


Well my friends
I have bagged my first tonnage! :yeah:
Ja Ja, It only 2,200 but it is tonnage at that. I fired a solitary torpedo at a small frieghter which I found steaming in AM52 (AM53) after I completed my standing 24hrs in Grid Am 78 a couple of days earlier. Decided to abort my plan for the channel and steam north after fellow kaluens reported good hunting in grid AM53.

Beautiful weather all patrol as declined slightly, as the wind has gone up markedly, my guess with the wave sizes, is that it must be blowing at least a four out there (BF4).

Anyway, got a ship spotted report and investigated it by heading to the bridge, mug of tea in hand (barely been up an hr!) true enough there was smoke on the horizon.

FLANK speed was ordered and was able to close to 2km. We descend to Periscope depth, and tubes 1-3 were setup with impact pistols in 1&2 and a magnetic one in tube 3, set to go-off at 1.5meters below the logged depth in the book (which stood at 6.9m)

Opened doors 1-3 and Got a good solution - I thought for a moment. oh ******* it I said and ordered tube 3 to selected and was duly fired.

A mere 90 sec's later and the young lad working the sonar has reported a direct hit!!! :yeah:

I raise the scope to get a glance on the damage - didnt seem to be much at first but as the next 20mins elapsed, it looks like he IS going to sink, with most of his bow dragging into the water and the stern so high in the air, the screws are barely staying afloat - not long now before she goes down.

Regards
Kaluen Suhr
U-93 (VIIB)
Grid AM52
9:30am 28/3/1941

[kroll688]

5th patrol, March 1940, patrolling assigned grid in AM32. Recieved message restricting all Atlantic operations and forbidding operations off of Norway. I decide to reposition to grid AN11 in accordance with Atlantic directive :salute:, intentions to intercept any task forces heading north out of the Flow.

24 hours later enroute to southeastern corner of AN11, observe aircraft at high altitude, crash dive. No attack on my dive point, I must have seen him first. Decide to stay down until sunset.

1 hour before sunset sonar picks up a warship moving north towards our position at medium speed. Begin tracking to develope an intercept plan, then more warship contacts appear in the same track.

Once I determine the center mass of the contacts I position as best I can at PD. Leaving scope up and searching down the bearings sonar gives me. At last a destroyer comes over the horizon, zigzagging. to the east and west are flanking destroyers. Rig for silent running, set speed to one knot, begin dip scope routine.

Then I catch a glimpse of the smoke and topmast, must be a pair of heavies in line. I plot the heavies course, amazingly it runs within 800 meters of my position. Too much destroyer activity to manage an accurate speed calculation. Based on sonar call of medium speed and rough estimate set TDC for 12knots.

As the destroyer screen passes over I determine the sonar blips which belong to the two heavies and swing the bow towards the targets and prepare to fire. AOB about 80, range approx 1000 meters, speed 12kts, open all four tubes and up scope.

There she is, the Hood right in front of me :o, with a battleship in trail. I ignore the battleship and fire all four bow tubes at Hood. 1st at lead stack, 2nd at forward turrents, 3rd at the bow forward of turrents, and 4th at the aft stack. Down scope, set depth 100m, ahead slow. 24 sec and three hits all in a row immediately followed by the Nav calling the sinking. angle my course to stay several hundred yards away from sinking/ breakup noises. set speed back to 1 knot.

Several destroyers criss cross the area, no pinging no counter attack. Slide out to the south, surfacing 2 hours later to report success to Bdu.:up:

[Gargamel]

Oct '40 - Dec '40

68 day patrol.

first 56 saw 8 ships, 6 were warships (Did sink another southhampton in a DD/CL group), 5 DD. Sent to patrol off Freetown. BORING.

Slid upto the Canaries to refuel and restock. Presence of a H/K group in the area prevented me from staying past sunrise, only had a couple hours, enough to restock the food. The men were happy with that.

Moved up to the Bay of Gibraltar (That's what I'm calling it now), Encountered an Inbound and Outbound convoy few days apart. Was able to pick 3-4 LARGE (10k ish) merchants from each. The men were really happy that I had burned up fuel chasing the convoys, and we used all our eels attacking.

Made it home for christmas.

EDIT: Ahhhh Hell.... only 8 days in port! You'd think after 2 months at sea she'd need more of a refit. Boys are upset. Left Lorient on the 18th. 2nd christmas in a row at sea. And we're to sit off Reykjavik.... we'll see... it's cold up there....

Edit2: Intel is reporting that Reykjavik is primed for a raid. Little to no defense, and some juicy targets.

[VONHARRIS]

Kapitanleutnant von Harris
Current command: U-522 IXC
Position : Refitting at Bergen
Date : December 19 1943 - still alive

Patrols : 27 (I had plenty of time play)
Days at sea: 823
Merchants sunk : 182
Tonnage : 1204160
Warships sunk : 30 (4 x Cl 4 x Aux cruisers 1 x small depot ship 1 x CV 1 x CA)
Tonnage : 169173
Aircrafts downed : 8 (4 x Swordfish 1 x Kingfisher 1 x Sunderland 2 x Whitley)
Crew losses : 9 men

Constant aircraft patrols all over the Atlantic.
Transfered to Bergen
A lot of H/K groups encountered during patrol at grid AN16.
Rumors from the BdU say that the XXI type sub has gone beoynd the prototype level and is about to enter production.
At least we will have someting to confront the Allied ASW forces.

[Gargamel]

Making it to late '43 itself is worthy of praise.

[VONHARRIS]

This is the patrol report of the 27th patrol of U-522
1. Overall situation
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/8929/patrol273.jpg

2. Patrol report page 1/2
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/3651/patrol27.jpg

3. Patrol report page 2/2
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/1589/patrol271.jpg


I don't know how lucky I was during this patrol (realism 100%)
(with a little cheat to have the external camera for screenshots)
It is the first time I make it so far at that realism.

[Pappy55]

Well another evening of play and the fog and rain ahve gone.. but i still have 10m a second winds.

I found a convoy at last but its going to be very hard attacking with the sea in this state.

DAMN YOU POSEIDON! :nope:

[desirableroasted]

This is the patrol report of the 27th patrol of U-522


Dang!

No Bernard on your boat!

[gazpode_l]

Walter Suhr aboard U-93 has just arrived in Kiel after completing her second patrol (Albeit at 2:15am R/L Time! I'm NUTS!! :haha:)

Crew are going to rest now but a full report will be submitted to BDU in the morning once we've all had sleep!

[Theusje]

Let us not forget all those times I forgot to lower my periscope. :yeah:

[gazpode_l]

Walter Suhr aboard U-93 has just arrived in Kiel after completing her second patrol (Albeit at 2:15am R/L Time! I'm NUTS!! :haha:)

Crew are going to rest now but a full report will be submitted to BDU in the morning once we've all had sleep!

After our late night arrival and a long sleep, here is my report to you Sir, the BDU on my second patrol aboard U-93.

We departed kiel on March 16th with orders to patrol grid AM78.

Some four days later (20/3/1941), off the coast of Scappa Flow we encountered an enemy task force. Identified one ship only, that being a Nelson class. Unable to tell which of the two ships it was, either HMS Nelson/HMS Rodney.

Three torpedoes are fired, scoring two hits on the Nelson Class BB, And one which either missed and detonated the sea, or scored a hit on a ship behind. (suspect the group was made of up three battleship classes with destroyer escort)

Was unable to do any further ident's due to restricted visibility and the counter-attack from destroyers. Ordered diving to 70 meters. Over the next few hours we varied our depth between 30 meters and 80 meters before settling down at an aproximate depth of 115 meters.

Sat in silence with zero speed and nothing running. Recieved only one more attack at just gone 1am. Next two hours are quiet. Scope-man reports DD heading away. Periscope depth ordered. Visual sweep shows nothing in site. Proceeded to surface the vessel and continue towards intended patrol grid as Task Force are long gone and chance for secondary attack long lost due to DD interception.

March 24-26;
Arrive upon patrol grid and successfully remain in grid for 24hrs as required.

March 26-28;
Ran north upto AM52-53 grids to begin short patrol. Awoke on morning of 27th to crew in cracking mood. Proceeding to the bridge an hour later just gone 8am with mug in hand I discover the reason; We are persuing a small freighter. As we have nothing in the logs yet for two patrols, decided to fire upon the small vessel using one magnetic torpedo.

Torpedo detonates on target.

Target continues with course, with Bow dragging into the water. An hr later she is beginning to sink. Surface the vessel is ordered and we finish her off with the deck gun to ensure credit goes to us & not the sea.

March 28th:
Brief excursion into AM53. Could only patrol grid for a short time as worries are beginning to creep in with fuel; Navigator reporting we have only 4000km left with engines at standard speed configuration with aproximately another 2km to run back to home-base.

Enemy destroyer spotted. Ordered a crash-dive to 70meters, and then down to 120meters.
Sat out for another 2hrs - enemy passes.

March 31st;
Had gone round outskirts of scappa flow and are just off the coast of Shetland, decided to have a look in at Lerwick. On the outskirts of the area, are spotted running on the surface at night by a DD. Noticed the bow of the enemy in direct course to us.

Turned U-93 to a direct head-on course and fired one torpedo set for 2.5m below keel with magnetic fuse. Very lucky, succesful detonation and the DD broke-up a few minutes later.

Decided I didn't like the vibe of the place and aborted my desiscion to look onto a possible raid. Returned to base on low fuel some four days later.

Patrol Results
U-Boat No: U-93
U-Boat Type: VIIC
U-Boat Skipper: Kln. Walter Suhr
Grid Alloted: AM78 (Succesfully patrolled)
Ships Sunk: 2
Ship types Sunk: 2
1x Destroyer
1x Small Freighter
Crew Losses: 0
(6 Transferred upon arrival @ Kiel by Kaluen Request; due to over allocation of Staff by BDU)
Patrol Tonnage: 3919 Tons
No of Completed Patrols: 2

[the.terrabyte.pirate]

Decided I didn't like the vibe of the place and aborted my desiscion to look onto a possible raid. Returned to base on low fuel some four days later.


1) That's a very hip and groovy Kaulein you've got there. He's a beatnik!

2) You're driving too fast if you're running out of fuel so soon.

I feel your pain with the BB. Nothing worse than watching your knights cross sail away while you're stuck at 120m dodging depth charges.

[Missing Name]

September 18, 1940 - October 10, 1940.
Type IXB, U-127. Commanded by Kptlt. Todlich.
Based in Lorient.

On October 6, ran across a convoy rather unexpectedly about 200 km west of Gibraltar. Sank a Fiji-class cruiser, four dud torpedoes. Ran into another convoy under attack by two VIIB and three IXB. Our losses were heavy; three freighters sunk, two escorts damaged. Five u-boats lost. Sank a large merchant, five duds.

Continued to patrol east and west of Gibraltar, making use of torpedoes and all deck emplacements. Lots of smaller fry and one destroyer sunk.

Headed home on the 12th with three torpedoes left, no 10.5cm shells and 50% fuel. The band played Der Alte Dessauer as I pulled in.

Thirteen ships sunk for a total of 53,551 tons.

[Walruss]

Managed to sneak into Gibraltar, but I must have been spotted in my approach because the whole harbour was searching the seas (though all the ASW ships were WAY wrong on my location :D ) So I lined up a quick stern shot at a medium merchantman and took the snapshot before diving as deep as the harbor would allow and sneaking away....
currently creeping out of the harbour, with a confirmed kill for a single torpedo, and a quick 'scope check showed an additional fire somewhere the other side of the harbour..... methinks an ASW trawler may have stepped on it's own depth charge :D

[redsocialist]

REALISM: 100% (Except no map contact)

1st Patrol (1939)
Foltilla: 1
U Boat: Type IIA (U-6)
Load: 5 T1 Torpedoes
Crew: Full
Rations: Full
Fuel Reserves/Full
Flak Gun installed
Patrol Grid: AN18

Logs:

Day1: Fresh out of the academy, we departed port from Kiel, began diving exercises and maneuvers in shallow waters. We are currently at peace time, though tensions are arousing with Great Britain. Multiple merchant contacts, engaged with 2 conveys for training exercises. No chance to test how her hull will hold out, bright new day ahead.

Day2: Continued on course for grid AN18, taking the rout around england going through the bays in shallow waters. Will stay close to the coast. More diving drills, no engagements. Received orders and warnings not to engage but only for exercises. Weather is clam seas, no precipitation. Looks like it will be smooth near the coast. We are nearing entry to the atlantic ocean, somewhere in the Mid-atlantic, seas are starting to pick up, engaged in few contacts for exercises, no torpedoes fired, we are still at peacetime. Looks like there won't be a war, so all should hold out. We're expected to arrive in Grid AN18 this week. Crew is getting rest and in good spirits. We are hoping for a crash dive and test her hull to see how she holds out tomorrow night.

Day3:

Day 4: Rough seas, and our men have high moral, successful exercises and engagements. We cruised in the high seas watching the mid-atlantic sunset playing in our gramaphone. It was a good music. After the sun went down, I spotted smoke on the horizon. None of our WO's or bridge crewmen spotted I'm not sure why they didn't see it. I decided to take a look. Ordered ahead full and course to intercept the contact. We've spotted a lone cargo vessel, appeared to be a Norwegian trawler, made direct shiplength contact with the vessel, and began a engagement exercise. Made solution of 9 knots, 30 AOB, and full salvo of our torpedo tubes. Opened the doors, inputed data into TDC then surfaced the boat. All went well, though had trouble getting the range. Hoping if we have a real engagement, our exercises have prepared us well enough. Time for the crash dive, the crew has dreaded. We need see what she can do, I tell them constantly. All are in good spirits and ready to take up the challenge. We began about 10:30pm, gave the Emergency Alarm, crash dove to 80 meters. Begun maneuvers and exercises to simulate depth charge attacks. All went well, everything was in tact, and hardly made any mistakes in the maneuvers. It was time for the depth test. We set dive planes, at flank speed, until 100 meters slowed her down to standard. leveled the dive planes, then began maneuvers in silent mode. Continued dive, 120 meters, we were in the yellow and could hear her screeching as if she was about to be crushed like a tin can. The men didn't panic, and continued the dive to 150 meters, which we leveled the planes. All went well and we were in the verge of crush depth. I ordered to take her up, then at 100 meters, using half of compressed air, I decided to take her down to 165 (Crush Depth) meters. Our little TypeII was holding up well and we had the dive planes leveled but then the dreaded happened. Bulbs started shattering and I could hear the hull screeching and our lighting was flickering in and out. I knew we had to surface and use the rest of our compressed air. The depth meter indicated 172! Having very little experience my heart was pounding and I was sweating. Blow Ballast! We used the rest of our air and safely got back to the surface with minor damage to the aft batteries and hull. It was a dramatic moment but I'm glad I know the limits and capabilities of our Little TypeIIA. All is well with the men, they're getting a good rest, and rations are good.

-Vasili

[Pappy55]

Gave up on that campaign and started a new one..

In my first patrol with this sub..

It's October 4th 1939 sunk a nice juicy merchant on the way to my patrol off the Dutch coast. Was approacing the dover stright when i spotted a Large Merchant with french colours. I have her two fish but did not stick around to see what happened. Both fish hit but i dont think she is sunk yet. Im as deep as i can safely go in the channel now creaping away at 1kt. have the sonar guy listening and there is a warship invistigateing but is spitting in the wrong direction. It will be dawn in a few hours. Might be best to stay down on silent running till the evening again..

Finally decided to give up useing external view for good. I love the eye candy aspect but as much as I try i cant disapline myself not to use it to cheat. If its not there i cant use it :)

Also swapped out the GWX gramaphone tracks and convered some audiobooks and music i like to OGG and put in the folder.

Not so emmersive in the realism aspect but realistic in the way it keeps you entertained through the quiet patches..

[Theusje]

Died on my second patrol. Sunk 5 merchants this patrol for a total of 33k GRT. Total tonnage of this carreer was a small 70k GRT.

I got detected whilst lying in wait for a convoy to go over me. Was at 40m depth and idle. Anyway I couldn't go deeper than 140m because my hull was full off holes thanks to enemy aircrafts. :nope: Therefore I was a bit cautious, a bit too cautious, and only dived to 80m. Well they got me with DCs. I was badly damaged after a run and the second run finished me off.

As this was a 1941 carreer I'm eager to start again in the golden days of 1939.

[Pappy55]

3 weeks out and I decided to return home..
My radioman and sonar operator needs some specalist training but all in all.
Not a bad first patrol..

Patrol 1
U-27, U-Flotilla Saltzwedel
Left at: October 2, 1939, 18:22
From: Wilhelmshaven
Mission Orders: Patrol grid BF15

Ship sunk! SS Ringleader (Medium Cargo), 5081 tons. Cargo: Steel. Crew: 38. Crew lost: 34

Ship sunk! SS Adrastus (Large Merchant), 10615 tons. Cargo: Explosives. Crew: 87. Crew lost: 8

Ship sunk! MV Said (Small Coal Tender), 314 tons. Cargo: Wine/Spirits. Crew: 10. Crew lost: 7

Ship sunk! SS Watsonville (Tramp Steamer), 1965 tons. Cargo: Coal. Crew: 30. Crew lost: 0

Patrol results
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 4
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonnage: 17975 tons:arrgh!:

[reignofdeath]

Died on my second patrol. Sunk 5 merchants this patrol for a total of 33k GRT. Total tonnage of this carreer was a small 70k GRT.

I got detected whilst lying in wait for a convoy to go over me. Was at 40m depth and idle. Anyway I couldn't go deeper than 140m because my hull was full off holes thanks to enemy aircrafts. :nope: Therefore I was a bit cautious, a bit too cautious, and only dived to 80m. Well they got me with DCs. I was badly damaged after a run and the second run finished me off.

As this was a 1941 carreer I'm eager to start again in the golden days of 1939.

You can go deeper than 140 you just need to run your engines fast enough to maintain depth

[Gargamel]

You can go deeper than 140 you just need to run your engines fast enough to maintain depth

I can maintain 220m with no problems (well, except for some freaked out crew) at 50rpm.

[Walruss]

My most successful patrol yet! So I've decided to do a full report.
Patrol 4
U-46, U-Flotilla Saltzwedel
Left at: November 24, 1939, 09:42
From: Corrientes

After resupplying and rearming from the Corrientes, a tanker stationed off the canary islands, I have decided to make use of the Gibraltar choke point on our way back home. The weather has been absolutely stunning, and the men are in good spirits. Over the past few months it seems the British have had great difficulty detecting our uboats submerged, so I may attempt to infiltrate Gibraltar itself, conditions permitting.


26th Nov. Attempting to infiltrate Casablanca- with dawn fast approaching I consulted my charts and found a hollow in the sea bed, 20 kilometers from the port. We have submerged to 40 meters and will attempt an attack on the port at nightfall. Sonar reports light ASW activity- a small motor boat or perhaps converted trawler is all we can hear.

27th Nov. Successfully attacked Casablanca, firing 2 torpedoes each at 2 old tramp steamers in the harbour. The first was damaged by one hit, while the second torpedo failed to explode- though I'm sure it hit! Damn these temperamental pistols!
The second ship suffered both torpedoes working flawlessly, fore and aft being rocked within a few seconds of each other, sinking very quickly.. With the whole harbour in an uproar and no juicer targets to attack, we departed submerged. On our way out it seemed the first steamer was badly damaged, but still afloat- perhaps moored in a shallower area of the harbour... It will still make them stop and think!

NOTE: SH3 commander put only one steamer sunk, but it did contain military stores, so not a total waste.

28th Nov: Made it through the straights very easily, and though we sighted several enemy ships in transit with us, none seemed large enough to warrant a torpedo attack, especially with a significant warship presence.

29th: Infiltrated Gilbraltar harbour, and managed to line up a medium-sized Cargo vessel at anchor. As I was taking a range bearing, however, some bright-eyed young sailor spotted my periscope and lit it up with a searchlight. In a panic I ordered the torpedo fired and a dive to 30 meters, before setting the running depth of the weapon. The Sonarman reported hearing it impact on the hull of the ship, however to everyone's surprise and delight, a second later the warhead detonated.

Spent the next few hours evading destroyers on our way out of the harbour, and ran aground once evading depth charges. Minor damage to diesel engines and Batteries.

30th: Located a calm sheltered natural harbour just inside the med to do repairs. The hull is more or less sound, thankfully, with no leakage. The impact just cracked a few cells in the fore battery compartment, and shook the engines a little. We'll be under way by nightfall.

3nd Dec: Encountered a Granville-type transiting the straight last night. Torpedo 1 failed to explode- suspected pistol failure. torpedo 2 exploded properly and she sank inside of an hour. This morning we ran across a light- passenger-cargo entering the straits. Not wishing to waste an eel on such a small vessel, I ordered the gunners up to the deck and we shelled it until a stray shell hit something nasty and the whole ship exploded into a fireball.

4th Dec: Two Granville types encountered in a single day! Both sent to the bottom with a single torpedo each.

5th Dec: Encountered what i'm sure the french grandly referred to as a 'convoy' - The trgets were juicy enough for a lone boat- A large Merchantman and a medium-sized cargo vessel - however the escort was a lone fishing trawler, pressed into service with a small gun and some automatic weapons. Feeling daring, I ordered us to run in surfaced from the side, firing 2 torpedoes at the larger rear ship - magnetic fuse, only one exploded... I may have over-estimated the sspeed and missed with one torpedo however, while at the same time ordering the gun crew to open fire one the trawler. My brave men immediately scored two hits on the little dingy, setting it ablaze although not sinking it. We ran in at full seed using the damaged merchant as cover while exchanging fire with the trawler, and I fired the last of my forward eels at the smaller cargo where it exploded just aft of the funnel. The deck-gun now out of ammo, and the trawler obviously crewed by brave men (their vessel now well and truly ablaze and the only damage to mine were a few machine gun holes in the conning tower) I ordered periscope depth and dropped back to shadow the final two ships.
By midnight it as clear that the cargo, though listing heavily and no longer keeping pace with it's escort (whom had long since become a tiny spec of yellow flame on the horrizon), I decided to use one of my two remaining torpedoes to finish the stricken vessel. I wound up using both, again due to a faulty impact pistol. Damn the torpedo development board!

Returning to the Corrientes for supplies, as I do not wish to cross behind england totally unarmed. Hopefully they have at least some shells for me left over.

Oblt z.s.
Heinz Buder
Patrol tonnage: 35173 tons
Ships sunk:
SS Portrieux (Tramp Steamer)
SS Golden Light (Medium Cargo)
MV Firethorn (Granville-type Freighter)
SS Northton (Passenger/Cargo)
SS Bradfyne (Granville-type Freighter)
SS Empire Citizen (Granville-type Freighter)
SS Glenstrae (Large Merchant)
SS Crest of the Wave (Medium Cargo)

[B.N.R.T.]

Gutentag, meine Freunde!

I've got some fairly detailed patrol logs written up in Commander, which look similair to the ones here (http://www.uboatarchive.net/KTBList.htm). I'd like to share them with the people who are interested with them. The problem is that they get all messed up when I copy and paste them and there's too many pages to make printscreens. Is there any way or place where I can upload them?

[Theusje]

You can go deeper than 140 you just need to run your engines fast enough to maintain depth


I was damaged several times thanks to enemy aircrafts. I therefore decided to "test" my sub to see how deep she could go. At 140 I got the message that we were taking damage and water started getting in.

Now in this new 1939 career I seem to have messed things up. As it's Sept there must be some regulations that I'm not aware off. I sunk(sank) the HMS Rodney, 2 large merchants and some smaller ships for a total of 60,000 GRT. I got 1900 renown and got promoted. But the game says I didn't sunk any tonnage and therefore my crew doens't get medals and promotions. I guess I have to read up on those Prize stuff. I know the WW1 sub history fairly well but not the WW2.

[scunnygsi]

Oct 4th 1939
Patrol #3
Sub Type IIA

Left Kiel to patrol grid AN21. Hopefully will find an enemy target to fire some of my fish at, crew seem to be getting attached to the ones im carrying, maybe too attached as 1 or 2 of the crew have taken to sleeping with them. This may also be due to lack of bunks for the men.

Happy hunting to all.

[Gargamel]

I was damaged several times thanks to enemy aircrafts. I therefore decided to "test" my sub to see how deep she could go. At 140 I got the message that we were taking damage and water started getting in.

Now in this new 1939 career I seem to have messed things up. As it's Sept there must be some regulations that I'm not aware off. I sunk(sank) the HMS Rodney, 2 large merchants and some smaller ships for a total of 60,000 GRT. I got 1900 renown and got promoted. But the game says I didn't sunk any tonnage and therefore my crew doens't get medals and promotions. I guess I have to read up on those Prize stuff. I know the WW1 sub history fairly well but not the WW2.

Had similar problem... try this: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=1552237&postcount=511

[Theusje]

Had similar problem... try this: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=1552237&postcount=511

Thank you, it worked.

[Missing Name]

November 5, 1940.
Current position: about 35km SSW of Gibraltar.

I ambushed a convoy outside the straight. Sank a 2-stacker light cruiser and a fairly large freighter which went up in a magnificent fireball. An ore collier also took a hit, but I applaud her damage control crew. The weak escort team spat in the wrong direction.

Large freight ship in my crosshairs, guarded only by a mosquito boat. 2700 meters... 2500... 2000... http://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab303/MissingName/TargetLos.png Gone, but with four torpedoes expended due to premature detonations in the rough seas.

Made the trip through the straight in daylight. Luca was not allowed to shoot at the seagulls, even if we DID have 5000 rounds for the MG34.

Medium freighter, single escort. Took down the merch; destroyer attacked us but we outsmarted them.

Spent a few more days east of the straight. Was about ready to head further east, when the hydrophone picked up lots of movement. Task force... four cruisers, a carrier and some escorts. http://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab303/MissingName/TargetLos.png Flattop gone, two hits. Two more shots, duds.

Made the trip through the straight in broad daylight again. Luca was taken off watch duty.

A few more days of nothing, and then we got a call to come back home... will be modifying the tally painted on the tower.

[Walruss]

Hiding under a convoy, listening to the destroyer searching over head

[VONHARRIS]

Back in business after installing new graphics card (Asus Geforce X460)
I tried the NFS11 Hot pursuit II but I didn't like it very much.

U-522 IXC update
Patrol No 28
Grid AM76
Date : March 3 1944
Completed main objectives : Reach and patrol grid AM78
I have sunk a Bogue class CVE with a combination of a TIV and 1 TI torpedoes.

I had to leave a huge convoy pass because I was detected by the enemy. I crash dived to 130m and they lost contact. After resurfacing the convoy had changed course and was heading away now.
Well better safe than sorry.
At least we can fight another day.

Edit : Enemy planes are all over the place. Playing cat and mouse with lone ASW ships.
Still alive.

[gazpode_l]

23Apr1941: Left Kiel
30Apr1941: Arrive AM24 (Assigned Grid)

30/4/41
Established contact via phones with distant vessel,
possible merchant, unsure of how many.

Persuing at best speed!

20:41:
Established contact is actually a fishing veseel.
Breaking off attack to continue grid patrol then heading to grids AM11, and AL37/38

4th May
Completed patrol of alloted grid on May 2nd, not cleared of allocated grid until much longer than expected. Passing Rockall bank on way back towards Ireland after fruitless search of AM11 & AL38.

Perhaps AM52/53 will offer better hunting or it will be the irish sea for us??

16:45 May 4th :smug:
A radio report, just one square north of our position a large convoy has been reported by BDu intelligence. Maybe at last we can make our mark on this patrol? :hmmm:

19:35
Attempting to get into an intercept position to shadow convoy - possible smoke on the horizon. Unsure if a merchant or warship.

NB: Just as making reasonable contact RL has to get in the way as it now 1:45am and I have to be at wrk in some 6hrs! DARN IT! :damn::damn:

To be continued.........
Kln: W Suhr
U-93

[VONHARRIS]

Patrol 29 completed
Returned to Bergen with 19% hull intergity and 9 men dead to enemy air attack. I was not able to dive and I had to fight two British Wildcats on the surface. AA fire was not enough.

Overall situation
Date: July 1944
Patrols: 29
Days at sea : 884
Merchants sunk : 190
Tonnage : 1235216 tons
Warships sunk : 37
Tonnage : 201588
Aircafts shot down : 5
Men lost : 14

Upon return to Bergen the remaining crew of U-522 was assigned to a new boat : U-2511 XXI electroboat
We are preparing to set sail for the Atlantic. This time the Allies will have something to fear.

[VONHARRIS]

November 9 1944
A motocycle stops outside a huge mansion in Munich.
A flawless dressed naval officer gets off and rings the bell at the front door.
The maid anwsers the door.
" Frau von Harris bitte" asked the officer
" Jawohl " said the maid and went in.

A minute later a well dressed woman came to the front step. When she saw the officer stopped immediatelly and looked at him in despair.
" Is it what I think it is Herr Oberleutnant?"
The officer didn't answer. He reached for the inner pocket of his jacket and gave the woman a sealed envelope.
The officer saluted and left. He didn't know what to say.
Frau Caroline von Harris tore the envelope and read the letter.

It is with great pity that we have to accept the loss of Frigattenkapitan Herbert von Harris along with U-2511 and all hands......

She couldn't read anymore.......

U-2511 was lost with all hands in grid BF16 while attacking a fast tanker convoy at November 6 1944.

[gazpode_l]

Did not expect the opportunity to continue my patrol tonight but was able to;
Tracked convoy which had changed course and got myself into a firing position. I now have three EELS left in front and two rear ones (including 2x external reloads).

I have just scored first tonnage of this patrol, which amounts to two larger tankers/merchants with 5000 tons and 7000 tons. :up:

I also in-advertantly bagged an intermediate cargo of aprox 3000GRT when a torpedo aimed at another vessel was deflected by the hull of a nearby ship and ran into a different target than intended and sunk it with the one hit :yeah:

I have also damaged a larger size frieghter/cargo and hopefully fcan get back into a more suitable firing position once I have beaten off the counter-attacks which the enemy are engaging on me as I saved up.

Aw well time for bed in R/L :yawn:

[Missing Name]

November 23, 1940 - December 6, 1940.
Type IXB, U-127. Commanded by Kptlt. Todlich.
Based in Lorient.

I was assigned to patrol AM43. On the way up, I sank a large merchant with the deck gun. After a few days at my designated patrol, I looked for more fruitful hunting grounds. I came across a fishing trawler and FlaKed it.

I moved around the North Sea for a bit. There was one freighter dispatched with a torpedo. On a whim, I moved between Scotland and Ireland. An unaware naval trawler was taken out with the deck gun, as was a small motor boat.

Continuing south, I received a report of a large convoy in the Irish Sea. Two more u-boats were in the area, although I never saw them. I could hear the battle taking place ahead. One ally appeared to have sunk, the other slipped away.

Now it was my turn. Much to my surprise, it appeared to be unescorted. My allies appeared to have driven them off or sunk them. So, being me, I surfaced and opened fire with the deck gun. I had to dive twice due to fire from two Q-ships, but both were dispatched. Some damage was received but nothing serious. Using most of my torpedoes (including externals) and the remaining deck and FlaK, I sailed in the center of the convoy at my leisure and took out targets. They attempted to ram us multiple times, and one ship opened up with assorted small arms.

By the time I had my fill, the large convoy had been downgraded to a small convoy. I had sunk 12 ships (including the Q-escorts) for about 41900 tons over a battle lasting about 21 hours and 25km.

http://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab303/MissingName/Connvy.jpg

On the way back to Lorient, I sank a tugboat with the remaining 3.7cm FlaK shells and a merchant with one of my two remaining torpedoes.

And as an added bonus, my crew got to stay on leave during Christmas while the boat was patched up.

[Pappy55]

December 5th 1939
0630hrs

U-27 has been sent back out to sea,,
We really could of been given the men 24 more hours leave. Guess somone in Bdu has a sick sence of humor or hates my guts..

So we leave Wilhelmshaven on a cold a dark christmas morning.. The men were all singing Stille Nacht on the way out of port..

To save on time and fuel I have decided to take the dangerous route through the English Channel to BF17..

I have a bad feeling about this patrol..

[Pappy55]

Well it was a very short patrol... (3-4 days)
My men get to spend New Year at home

good weather and heavy trafic in the north sea = 22,000 tones patrol..

even spotted an enemy sub close to my port..

Stukas came and gave him a Christmas present from the Luftwaffe...

I then got in close and gave him some deckgun shells from my crew..
She sunk slowly before a second wave of stukas came to find i already claimed their prize..

the brave crew of HMS Starfish we :salute: you

On return to Wilhelmshaven I was promoted and awared the Iron Cross 2nd Class along with a uboat clasp:arrgh!:

No Bernard on my crew so far :woot:

[eryan762mm]

my second patrol

about 200km from wilhelmshaven i initiate a test dive...depth check, 37m, shallow but i only want to see if all systems function as id like them to. I order the dive, but forget to prescribe the 25m depth(rookie mistake)...im already at 25 meters by the time i realize my mistake and even though i correct, i dont correct in time..a few seconds later i impact the bottom but miraculously i survive with only minor damage, 1%....

at sea north of england, the message comes in that england and germany are now at war, i soon thereafter receive a report of a task force headed sse from greenland...i chart the path i believe them to be following and order full speed ahead to my patrol area. I spend two days searching, both above and below water...to no avail...i return to port empty handed

[scunnygsi]

15.12.39.
1738 Patrol 6
U-8, U-Flotilla Weddigen
Left at: December 15, 1939, 17:38
From: Kiel
Mission Orders: Patrol grid AN82
20.12.39.
0612 Grid AN 81
Ship sunk! SS City of Lancaster (Small Merchant), 2587 tons. Cargo: Grain. Crew: 54. Crew lost: 10

1315 Grid AN 73
Ship sunk! SS Empire Scout (Tramp Steamer), 2253 tons. Cargo: Timber. Crew: 21. Crew lost: 20

1317 Grid AN 73
Ship sunk! MV Aldington Court (Granville-type Freighter), 4707 tons. Cargo: Coal. Crew: 54. Crew lost: 16

23.12.39.
2251 Patrol results
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 3
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonnage: 9547 tons

The crew are in good spirits about this last patrol, even more so if the 4th merchant had gone down. I can only presume that after leaving her heavily damaged and dead in the water she went down, if only that last eel didnt prematurely explode. I think a word with the ordanance dept in the Bdu is in order before the next patrol.

[Walruss]

Ship sighted sir! 30 degrees, medium range!
me: What? Where? I see no ship? Where is the... THAT'S NOT A SHIP THAT'S A DINGHY! Wait... is that a single crate? A British flag? The deck gun won't depress that far...

MAN THE FLAK GUN!

12 shells later from the 20 mm, and I add 20 tons to my tonnage for this patrol. The little guy never stood a chance.

I'm such a bastard.

[Pappy55]

Ship sighted sir! 30 degrees, medium range!
me: What? Where? I see no ship? Where is the... THAT'S NOT A SHIP THAT'S A DINGHY! Wait... is that a single crate? A British flag? The deck gun won't depress that far...

MAN THE FLAK GUN!

12 shells later from the 20 mm, and I add 20 tons to my tonnage for this patrol. The little guy never stood a chance.

I'm such a bastard.

Nope its war..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVESMxs4rbA:har:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPTpaIU502s&feature=related this one should be the new "we got her" sound :P

[Missing Name]

Ship sighted sir! 30 degrees, medium range!
me: What? Where? I see no ship? Where is the... THAT'S NOT A SHIP THAT'S A DINGHY! Wait... is that a single crate? A British flag? The deck gun won't depress that far...

MAN THE FLAK GUN!

12 shells later from the 20 mm, and I add 20 tons to my tonnage for this patrol. The little guy never stood a chance.

I'm such a bastard.

I found that the little ships often carry either wine & spirits or tobacco. Is someone doing a bit of smuggling?

Patrol 13: January 1, 1941 - January 12, 1941.
Type IXB, U-127. Commanded by Kptlt. Todlich.
Based in Lorient.

Encountered two light cruisers, steaming at 28 knots. Four torpedoes missed, so I surfaced and let off a few rounds with the deck gun. They were 7000 meters away, but I did score one hit.

And... I did it again.
http://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab303/MissingName/Connvy2.jpg
I am leaving because at that point I was literally out of everything.
13 sunk for about 74000 tons. To be honest, there were four other u-boats there; they accounted for two more merchants (and possibly the escorts?) for the price of three of our own.

[Bakkels]

Well I started playing Sh3 about three weeks ago, and my first career came to an end...

Lt. Sr. Alexander Bäcker, his (brand new) U-103 IXB and all of its crew have been reported missing on february 20th 1941, presumably dead while patrolling the southern Atlantic.
His career started in november 1939. He took down a total tonnage of 328.902 and he completed 14 patrols.

Anyway, I do play DiD, but starting back in 1939 didn't seem realistic, I want to play throughout the whole war and after that start over again in '39 so I'm now continuing in march '41 with a new 'character'. Since in my previous career I just switched from the VII to the IX and hardly got a chance to get used to it, I'm choosing for the IX again. Let's hope Ludwig Mayer will take down as much ships and perhaps survive a little longer :O: The campaign continues, although with a different career. :arrgh!:

After three weeks of playing I'm kinda hooked :yeah:

[Gryffon300]

I'm back. That was one hellishly long patrol, and I'll tell you all about it when I get some rack time. :yawn:

But, one question before I collapse: just where the hell is grid BF10? I steamed around the grids near BF11 but couldn't get a clue - that mole at BdU still messing up my order packets?

[Pappy55]

I'm back. That was one hellishly long patrol, and I'll tell you all about it when I get some rack time. :yawn:

But, one question before I collapse: just where the hell is grid BF10? I steamed around the grids near BF11 but couldn't get a clue - that mole at BdU still messing up my order packets?

That rings a bell..
(in before ALARRRM:))

I do recall there being a missing grid.. after reading that

[Bakkels]

I'm looking at the map here, and grid numbers only go from 11 to 99, so there is no BF10, or any grid number 10 for that matter. It wasn't april 1st when you got your orders from BdU was it? :hmmm:

[frau kaleun]

But, one question before I collapse: just where the hell is grid BF10?

I don't know, I don't think there should be a BF10.

I think BF1 would be the northwestern corner of BF, and the northwestern corner of BF1 should be BF11. When they broke down each grid square into smaller squares I thought they added extra digits 1-9, I didn't know the KM maps used a 0 in any of their designations. :hmmm:

[Snestorm]

Patrol 10

Current position is the border of EC19 & EC27, southeast of Cuba in the Carribean Sea.

Departed Lorient, for EC41 on 11.aug.42

On 18.sep.42 2 stern torpedoes were fired at, and missed a freighter, during a daylight submerged attack.

On 25.sep.42 we arrived on station.
And on 26.sep.42, in our assigned grid, came A L A R M ! Night air attack.

On 27.sep.42 a status report was sent to BDU stating that 0 tons were sunk and 12 of our 14 torpedoes were still available. Be more aggresive, came the reply.
With BDU's instructions in mind, it was decided to lay a course for the Leeward Straight.

On 27.sep.42 we got a sound contact.
7 hours, and 6 G7E torpedoes later a T3 Tanker of 11.675 GRT was on her way to the bottom with 5 torpedo holes in her.
2 end arounds, and 2 submerged attacks, all during daylight hours.

Light Fog. Wind 15 m/s.
For the first attack the end around took some time. The best speed we could make was 13 knots, at full ahead.
Target Course 297. Speed 10 knots. 3 G7Es fired. 2 hit.
Slight under-estimation of speed.

For the second attack 3 G7Es were fired, and 3 hits were scored, sinking the tanker.
Whatever his cargo, it was neither flammable nor explosive.
Target Course 300. Speed 5½ knots.

Our next status report read, 1 tanker sunk (USA) for 11.675 GRT, 6 torpedoes remaining.
Things are looking brighter as we were advised to "keep up the good work".
Something is always better than nothing.

All tubes are loaded, with all reloads expended.

[Gargamel]

I'm back. That was one hellishly long patrol, and I'll tell you all about it when I get some rack time. :yawn:

But, one question before I collapse: just where the hell is grid BF10? I steamed around the grids near BF11 but couldn't get a clue - that mole at BdU still messing up my order packets?

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=176294&highlight=bf10

:oops: Been there done that....

[VONHARRIS]

Kptltnt Hans Hacklander
U-64 IXB
August 18 1940
In port
Next patrol grid : DG99

So far:
Patrols : 5
Days at sea: 155
Merchant sunk : 32 Tonnage: 188129
Warships sunk : 8 Tonnage : 44868

In this career I want to try the Far East front. So when available I will transfer to the 10th flotilla , aquire an IXD2 and sail to the east.

[Corsair]

@ Missing Name :

Quote : "Encountered two light cruisers, steaming at 28 knots. Four torpedoes missed, so I surfaced and let off a few rounds with the deck gun."

Now that takes some balls to take on 2 cruisers with a deck gun...:hmmm:

[gazpode_l]

Hey guys
Im in grid AM18, attacked a convoy and had sunk three ships thus far. left a forth lying there crippled. Managed to shrug off escorts and put my remaining eel's out to it. First didnt run deep enough and simply dud'd and bounced off at a v poor angle.

Second torp detonated succesfully and eventually dealt the final blow.

Im running away to the east now, but have become bogged down by three flower class who are hunting me. I think a long struggle is in order with this. So long as I stay deep I should be ok as these type are lethal if they run over you with you sat at anything shallower than 30m.

KLN W Suhr.
U-93

Another update to follow sunday night

[Missing Name]

@ Missing Name :

Quote : "Encountered two light cruisers, steaming at 28 knots. Four torpedoes missed, so I surfaced and let off a few rounds with the deck gun."

Now that takes some balls to take on 2 cruisers with a deck gun...:hmmm:

They didn't fire back, so I wasn't really in any danger.

[Gryffon300]

Codename: Johannes Janning

Well, finally crawled out of the bunk. Thanks for the replies..

But, Gargamel, looked at your post and saw some ragging about RTFM. Well, not having recalled anything, I re-read the thing, and after 3 hours couldn't see any reference to missing grids. Sure, I could have missed it, but unless someone can point me to the relevent section, I will continue to believe it was that damn mole at BdU (either that, or Bernard's twin brother! SNAFU.)

Anyway, here's my report.

Put to sea (23/08/39) on our second patrol in our nice new VIIB U-52 out of Willi, looking for the ellusive BF10. Turned into a monster 23 day grind, against 15m/s winds and huge seas for all but 2 days mid patrol. Managed to take out two Med Merchants with guns in that time, but regretfully, returned to base (23/09/39) with a lot of unexpended ammo due to lack of further fair weather opportunity.

Took out 13 merchants for a total of 58,795 tonnes. Unfortunately, one was a Pelagic Trawler that just got in the way - wrong place, wrong time. All the rest, bar one, were Medium Merchants. I was beginning to wonder if every other class had dissapeared off the surface of the seas. I finally nabbed an Ore carrier on our last day of action, so it broke the HooDoo.

Took some very minor damge from an ASW that was escorting one of the Merchants, but not even enough to warrant any repairs.

As I said elsewhere, nabbed a couple of 'Nowegian' enemy vessels, both turned out to be carrying military vehicles.

Have had surprising good luck with Magnetic Pistols this time out. On two occasions, I got into a stern chase in very heavy seas at night, with one chase lasting over 60 kms as I closed the distance from over 8kms to 3.5kms. As you may guess, I had sometimes less than 1 knott speed differential. But, on top of that, I had a strange navigation problem.

Though using the compass to set my course, I had a consistent drift to starboard of about 1 degree every 5 minutes. This went unnoticed at low 'speed', but was clear at high rates, such that it was impossible to hold course without constant correction.

Anyway, I had multiple successes with this stern chase technique, closing to 3.5 kms on targets NOT running evasive courses. I set my T1's to fast, Magnetic, at 8m. I then submerged (to reduce sea-state effects on the fire) and launched, then waited the many minutes to get the "Yay!" for the day. Very satisfying. I still used impacts (on Fast and 7m) for side shots with great effect. Only 2 duds. Happy with that!

No convoys, but 5 times encountered single ships under ASW escort - twice for 'Neutral' flagged vessels. By the time the ASW's got back the 4 or 5 kms to anywhere near my firing position, I was long gone on silent.

Not as bold as my surface gun attack on a rear end charlie Medium Tanker running in a large convoy on a moonlit night with only one V&W escort way out in front on a previous assignment... I surfaced 4 kms astern of him, with the V&W 8 kms ahead - I figured I could do enough damage to a tanker to be worthwhile before the escort got back in range. He was bracketing me at about 4kms and I had already ordered crash dive when the spotter announced that she was going down. Good stuff.

Anyway, I don't know if I will be able to get this boat back out to sea again. Although she performed flawlessly over weeks on this last cruise, she now refuses to put back out to sea. I wonder if I will ever see the end of 1939, or am I the Kapitan of an endless string of Flying Dutchmen?....

[gazpode_l]

I set my T1's to fast, Magnetic, at 8m. I then submerged (to reduce sea-state effects on the fire) and launched, then waited the many minutes to get the "Yay!" for the day. Very satisfying. I still used impacts (on Fast and 7m) for side shots with great effect. Only 2 duds. Happy with that!

Hey. How deep drafts were the medium merchants..how far below there actual keel did u shoot the torps?

[gazpode_l]

gone are all my eels now except one left in my stern and two useless external stored eels which i csnnot get at due to seven meter seas with winds constant at over 10m/s. Have sunk four merchants totalling twenty two thousand tons, the best haul of my SH3 playing days. Have gone round the top of the shetland isle after losing what was onl y one asw in the ennd who must have given up after running out of trash cans or losing contact.

My boat is heading bk to kiel for some rnr before we go again freshly loaded...

W.suhr
kaluen u93.

[Snestorm]

Docked at Lorient at 09.30.

Patrol 10:
Departed Lorient 11.aug.42, and returned to same 18.nov.42.
Area of operations was The Carribean Sea.
The convoy battles were fought east of Canada enroute home.
Crew and boat fully intact.
3 ships sunk for 21.085 GRT. (1 in convoy).
All torpedoes expended.

U64's history to date:
10 patrols between 23.mar.40 and 18.nov.42.
28 merchants sunk for 162.714 GRT. 0 warships sunk.
(No external reloads carried - 14 torpedoes total.
100% "realism". Manual targetting. No contact map.)

Looking forward to getting a radar detector.

[Gryffon300]

Gazpode 1, not really sure how accurate all that is. Draft would vary with actual class and load (as iambl says, the Brits went to emergency Wartime load limits that saw them much deeper in the water).

All I know is that once I set one to 7m on a medium merchant, only to see it bounce off the hull, then continue under and detonate, taking it out. (I was lucky that time, and blessed the event camera for the insight!) After that, I started setting to 8m, and have so far had good results. I assume they are running about 1m under the hull, depending on sea-state, and given they have the whole length of the ship to detect, they have a good chance of doing their job.

[gazpode_l]

@gryffon: Ok m8 :up: thanks for coming back to me wiv ur reply.

[Snestorm]

Patrol 11
Departed Lorient on 16.dec.42, with our new Metox radar detector.

BE63 21.dec.42 2005 "Detecting radar signals".
Crash dived in anticipation of an air attack. Wrong.
Sound reported 3 warships coming at us fast.
After leveling off at 70 meters, we managed to crawl down to 99 meters.
It took about 1½ hours to put them a reasonable distance astern of us.
They pinged, dropped DC, and groped for us, but never realy got a good fix on us.
Credit where credit is due. Metox saved our cans. By the time they arrived on the scene our stern was pointed toward them at a 35 degree angle and we were turning 90 RPM on the shaft. Eventualy a fourth warship showed up and it was about 4 hours in all before we dared surface.

We were allowed to remain surfaced until 0305, when "Detecting radar" was again heard.
Crash dived again and survived an air attack. Thanks, Metox.

BE62 23.dec.42 0259 While traveling submerged, to avoid aircraft, we got a sound contact. Merchant. Moving slow. Closing. At 0356 we made a night surface attack with the stern tubes at 1000 meters (T3 Tanker. USA flagged. Armed). Both torpedoes found their mark as we were diving and taking up his course (066 - 6 knots).
He went dead in the water as tubes 5 & 6 were being reloaded. We came up for one more stern shot, which I had to take while turning at 2 knots. It hit, and he went down for 11.653 GRT.

We continued on course 270, since departing Lorient, to grid BD43 on 1.jan.43. There we turned to 144 which will take us onward to our patrol grid, should we survive. EE74 is what BDU assigned us. Our target destination lies less than 100 miles from the enemy base at Port Of Spain. Gateway to The Carribean Sea. Traffic wise it's a great grid, but one has to wonder if U64 will ever see Lorient again.

[Theusje]

WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

I just sunk a Revenge class, and I also sunk the HMS Rodney in this carreer. There's actually nothing to be proud of as it's not even 1940, with very lightly escorted convoys and a HUGE target moving at only 6 knots. But still it feels good.

And now I just remade contact with the convoy.

[Rhodes]

Returned from 4th (46 days in the North Atlantic) patrol, from 28DEC42 - 11FEB43.

Four ships sunk, a total of 35900 tons.
3 Failed convoy night attacks;
1 Sucessefuly convoy day (submerge) attack with two ships sunk.

Happy to return to port, the Atlantic is becaming to tough for surface attack...

[ijnfleetadmiral]

22 December 1939:

Tried attacking Scapa Flow. Found Prien's entrance blocked, so tried to come in from W; DD screen too alert, so broke off attack. Then remembered after Royal Oak was sunk, Home Fleet moved to Loch Ewe, so headed for there.

Arrived Loch Ewe and came in from W near coast, dodging EVEN HEAVIER DD screen. Get into harbor to find nothing more than four DDs at anchor or docked. Crew extremely disappointed and CO cursing blue streak at finding nothing more than destroyer nest. Decided to save game and resume from earlier standpoint.

- OLzS Albert Weber, Commanding Officer, U-46

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

What port is fairly easy to attack, and usually yields pretty good results? Anyone got recommendations?

-Matt

[Gryffon300]

Dover's usually good (early war) for a Southhampton and a troopship (plus a small tanker if you are so inclined), then pop across to Calais for a Large (or Modern) Tanker (one is a neutral - can't remember which), plus two or three Medium Merchants. Quite a good outing all round. :03:

[Missing Name]

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

What port is fairly easy to attack, and usually yields pretty good results? Anyone got recommendations?


I like Gibraltar, and later on, Norfolk. Bermuda also might be good, but it's a crapshoot unless you look at the editor files.

[Gryffon300]

U-45, Flot Saltzwedel, Ex Wilhelmshaven, 2nd Patrol
Oberleutnant Johannes Krause (Janning retired due to inability to get to sea for 3rd patrol)

Well away Wilhelmshaven 10:06 21/08/39
Uneventful cruise to BF16. Heavy Channel traffic reported there & on return esp. south of Plymouth.



03/09/39 - At declaration of hostilities, position 50km SE Brighton. Weather perfect (therefore dangerous). 0km wind; 0.5m long, slow swell; visibility unlimited; long twilight. Transiting at 1/3 to conserve fuel (Down to 25%)

18:40 - Medium Merchant spotted at long range ENE heading WSW. Submerge and position for stern shot 900m perpendicular to course. All stop.
19:05 - 5 mins prior to firing, hydrophone reports high speed warship closing from the E. Moments later, second report, then third. Got position fix, and spotted Southhampton class at high speed (25 knotts?) at extreme range (22km).
Even though chance of alerting warships to presence, decided to take out Merchant. T1, Impact, Fast successful. Merchant afire came to stop in less than 500m, but did not sink.
Reloaded tube & maneuvered at 1/3, then Silent, to intercept approaching warship.
Turned out to be Task force of 2 Southhamptons with 8 escorts transiting with evasive course.
Detected by northern corner escort, but had already fired tubes 1&2 Impact; Medium at lead Southhampton at 1.5kms, and 3&4 Fast at second. Scored with both first eels (15 seconds late - disappointment turned to joy). Both second eels went UNDER second ship. Aghhh! (Thank you event camera for this information!).
By now, had already ordered 25m and was awaiting time to order Flank speed, as escort 1 already pinging and on attack run. 3 other escorts joined the party and next few hours were exiting.
Sustained damage & flooding to three compartments from DCs. Port diesel destroyed. Cancelled Silent order, and ordered full Damage Control team to work. Also manned forward torp room to re-load - we were making noise & exposed anyway.
As DC's, though not really accurate, were constant, ordered All Stop & allowed flooding to bottom us out.
20:56 Southhampton 1 went down
Escort on attack run, with no bearing change, so coming right down our throats from 90 deg port, when flooding under control. Ordered Blow Balast and Flank to get us off the bottom. Got out from under by the skin of out teeth.
6 escorts now engaged. Thankfully Brits not brilliant.
Took many shots to no avail, till realised torps still running deep, even though set to 3m, then 2m.
Nabbed A&B with stern tube. Adrift 1 km from Merchant.
4 escorts break off. Order Silent.
V&W circling. Maneuver under drifting merchant (using partly deployed scope to position - plenty of visibility from star shells * & searchlights. Ordered off Silent & had last two eels loaded.
Positioned alongside merchant & fired at 600m as V&W circled. Again missed deep!
22:30 - Set last torp to 1m & fired on next circuit. Success!!
Headed SW at Standard for 5.5 kms, to place merchant between us & drifting A&B. Surfaced & ordered external stores loaded. Perfect conditions for load.
Observed ASW trawler appear from N & nose around drifting vessels for an hour or so before departing.
04/09/39

02:00 Resumed attack, submerging 2.5kms from vessels & approached A&B from 90deg. Searchlights working & scope under fire at 600m
03:38 - shot successful (set at 1m). Yay!
03:46 - Surfaced & finished merchant with gun. Yay!
Took out 2 more merchants that afternoon with gun, while still recharging. (Do you have ANY IDEA how long it takes to recharge with one engine destroyed?)
05, 07 & 08/09

Medium Merchants with gun on each day up East coast as far as Newcastle
10/09/39

Weather turning bad - deck gun no longer an option - decide to head home
19:10 - AN73 - warship spotted long range
Submerge - discover C&D class transiting N fast on steady heading
Think, "What the hell? One eel left. Why not try for it?"
Set to 1m, medium at 5.3kms and GOT HIM!! How was THAT possible? Lousy lookouts as the torp was popping out all the way! Incredible! Turned out to be a Canadian - guess they aren't taking it too seriously yet.
RTB - 12/09/39 Tired & relieved.
:arrgh!:

[gazpode_l]

W Suhr, Skipper of U-93 has just returned to Kiel after a succesful patrol, finishing may 11th 1941.

My crew are now scheduled off for a month whilst U-93 is repaired and re-fitted after our hull integrity was found to be 65%.........Seems we too alot more of a battering that I thought! :o

This was a landmark patrol for me as I sunk four ships for a PERSONAL RECORD HAUL of 22000 tons. :yeah::yeah::yeah:

Found myself a really nice sized convoy to have a pop at near rockall and despite expending eleven eels on them I managed those four sinkings.

Pretty uneventful trip back, until we hit the skaggerack channel - decided to do a detour to look in at kristiansand. Its now a german base and had many number of DD patrols and a few merchants dotted around nearby.

About turn I ordered after taking some photos we headed back out again and bout 10nm off shore we ended up on a collision course with one of our destroyers. :o

Clearly tho it's skipper was alive to the situation and went from crossing my bow with his starboard side visible (any good skipper will know that Im "Stand-on Vessel") to manuvering around in front of me and going down my starboard side.

met alot more traffic on langelands belt and took my u-boat most of the way in until I could see the lights of the U-Boat pens with the naked eye..

For most of the other key events, feel free to look at some of my previous postings.

Well U-93 will rest for a few R/L days and then it's back out again for some more action, this time from our newly assigned flotilla base, "Brest"

BRING IT ON!

[ijnfleetadmiral]

20 December 1939:
Just after arriving in patrol grin AM13, sank C2 cargo ship with two torpedoes.

22 December 1939:
U-46 sights C-class DD steaming at medium speed, so on lark decides to fire stern tube just for the hell of it. Torpedo strikes target and sets off depth-charges, blowing target apart and sinking her in seconds for our first warship kill of the war.

23 December 1939:
U-46 headed toward main merchant exit for UK. Intercepted UNESCORTED large convoy and sank T2 tanker, T3 tanker, and C2 cargo for very nice bag. Would have surfaced and fought another C2 cargo with deck gun, but aircraft approach forced us to break off attack and depart area. This attack depleted our torpedo stores.

28 December 1939:
Returned to base for 36,800 tons sunk; awarded Iron Cross 2nd Class and German Cross in Gold.

- OLzS Albert Weber, Commanding Officer, U-46

[eryan762mm]

9/11/39- Left Port
9/12/39- Outside of Scapa Flow

Once inside Scapa Flow, i take out an ASW Trawler, a C&D Destroyer, a Troop Transport, and a small Merchant...its dusk and the enemy is in confusion, their closest destroyers were about 5km away at the entrances to the port, they had no idea what to do....

9/13/39- At midnight i surface and replenish my oxygen supply, then at dawn i raise my periscope to find another target, because due to heavy cloud cover the night was particularly dark and i couldnt see anything...the lookouts on a small tanker spot my periscope, and this time a destroyer picks up on the action and begins to head my way...i put in a solution for the tanker and fire...nothing, the i hear an explosion sooner than i had expected...a premature detonation...by now the destroyer is almost on top of me..i submerge and head out of the port, but he's already pinging me...he makes two depth charge runs before i can get underneath my previous target..im now bottomed out making repairs...maybe i can line up a torpedo shot on the circling destroyer...

[Bakkels]

Right, so I'm in 1942. Kaptain of a nice IX-B, and I just transferred from the 2nd to the 1st flotilla. (I got kinda fed up with the Lorient harbor, so now I operate from Brest)
And I"m patrolling the sea between Brest and the south coast of Ireland when all of a sudden my hydrophones reveal a large convoy. As more and more red lines come up on screen I'm thinking 'Damn, they are really beginning to take this whole escorting-thing seriously'. My last patrols I encountered more and more destroyers escorting those juicy merchants.
But after a while, so many warships pop up on the hydrophone, I decide to intercept. I plot their course, and since they are practically coming straight towards me, all I have to do is dive a little deeper and go full stop and lie in wait, hoping to avoid the 'random ping'. :damn:

At least luck is on my side, because the weather is terrible; heavy rain, 15 mph winds and heavy fog. The first ship I get to see is a battleship, than another one. Never seen two battleships in one convoy, so I'm already really excited. But then out of the fog comes an Illustrous class carrier.
.. and another one. ...and another one. :o
I almost think this is some kind of bug. I really didn't know convoys that size existed. Anyway, I keep silent, and as the Carriers pass me by I shoot everything I got. I got manual targeting, but in this weather I ask my WO for the calculations, as the waves keep rolling over the periscope, and I do not want to miss out on this chance.So I fire three eels at the first one, one at the second.
I get all my best men to man the torpedo's, so they'll reload as quickly as possible. I'm not bothered to activate silent mode, because by now, I'm in 'all or nothing' mode. Just in time I put all my eels on 'impact'; don't want them to go underneeth the targets. And I count my blessings as ALL torpedos manage to impact.
My luck didn't even run out by then, because my men reload tube one just in time to try another shot at the second carrier. By now I'm basically trying to hit it at the stern, at 1700 meters with one impact torpedo. And amazingly even this one manages to find it's target. Two Illustrous class carriers down!

I shoot my two aft torpedo's at an unlucky large merchant that just passed my stern, destroyed it and got the hell out of there. However, in my hurry to get home to Brest to receive my shiny medals, I put my engines on too early and get chased by two destroyers. After a long game of cat and mouse, I manage to shake them off, thanks to the storm that is still raging. Some little damge (hull 89%), but I manage to get home. This must have been my greatest SH3 experience so far!

Oh yeah; look at this beautiful picture. Too bad one got away though :O:

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/9024/threeillustrous.jpg


http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/233/threeillustrous.jpg/

[gazpode_l]

@Bakkels
Congrats on your lucky find with the carriers.

I too think you got really lucky, BUT congrats on placing all your shots perfectly. :salute:

I've put four into a nelson class before and simply seemed to swat them away like they were flies and carried on going as if nothing had ever happened! :damn:

If you are where I think you are, then I suspect your find was an area between SE ireland and "longships light" (aka lands end)
http://www.uboat.net/maps/irish_sea.htm roughly where the second southern most yellow icon is?

I've always liked the irish sea for big convoys, and that was where the Nelson ran me over in a previous career. :dead:

BTW you said 15mph winds? the game actually rates the wind in "Meters per second" or "m/s" which at 15, is equivilent to aproximately 29-35knots of wind/BF6-7 or around 25-30mph, which is why the sea was as heavy as it was...:timeout:

[Bakkels]

Thanks, but it was more than luck than skill involved here. First I was lucky to even stumble upon the convoy, then I got really lucky that all my torpedo's hit. Actually, it is not the patrol I'm most proud of, but it was the most exciting.

The area I found the convoy was more south than the area you are talking about. It was directly to the west of that long pointy stretch of land to the left of Plymouth. There are three tiny islands there, and it was some 20km to the west of those islands.
I do know that I'm returning to that area again, and maybe check out the area north of it you were talking about.
But first I'm gonna harass the American shoreline for a bit! :arrgh!:

And yeah I knew I messed up my description of the wind, but I was so excited to tell my story that I couldn't be bothered to check it ;)

[Blackhawk1006]

August 1940, U-51, Type VIIB.

Submerged, in a corner of Scapa Flow. HMS Hood and HMS Kenya in my sights. 4 torpedoes left. Currently in a massive dilemma on how many torpedoes to use on the Hood, and have still have enough to sink Kenya.

So far, 3 other single merchants sunk for about 15000 tons.

[Schwieger]

@Bakkels
Congrats on your lucky find with the carriers.

I too think you got really lucky, BUT congrats on placing all your shots perfectly. :salute:

I've put four into a nelson class before and simply seemed to swat them away like they were flies and carried on going as if nothing had ever happened! :damn:

If you are where I think you are, then I suspect your find was an area between SE ireland and "longships light" (aka lands end)
http://www.uboat.net/maps/irish_sea.htm roughly where the second southern most yellow icon is?

I've always liked the irish sea for big convoys, and that was where the Nelson ran me over in a previous career. :dead:

BTW you said 15mph winds? the game actually rates the wind in "Meters per second" or "m/s" which at 15, is equivilent to aproximately 29-35knots of wind/BF6-7 or around 25-30mph, which is why the sea was as heavy as it was...:timeout:

To be honest though, 25-30 mph winds isn't that fast...

[ijnfleetadmiral]

@ Bakkels: thanks for the tip about the carriers, and heartiest congrats on bagging yours! I've played an ENTIRE career on SH3, and haven't even sighted a CL, much less a CV! (Wait, take that back...does a CVE count as a major warship? Didn't get her, though...:cry:)

Anyway, what was the score medal-wise for your two carriers?

-Matt

[gazpode_l]

To be honest though, 25-30 mph winds isn't that fast...

Yeah???? Well try being out in it on a sailing yacht, healing over doing 8+knots and THEN tell me 30mph isn't that fast! One thing you must do is RESPECT the sea! :arrgh!:

[gazpode_l]

Well we've left Kiel for the final time...few tears, few missing lovers etc, hell i'll miss my old office! (NOT!) and most importantly, we'll all miss Germany! We've been re-assigned to Brest, in NW france, KM grid AM28.

15/6/1941: Left Kiel @ 09:00hrs, with no patrol grid alloted, although upon leaving we were told to bring every possession with us.

12:00: News filtered through that the whole flotilla is being moved to brest! Luckily this only affected wto of my crew, amongst them my weps officer who currently has a girlfriend, and my young sonar-boy.

Both my crew's partner's will apparently be there to meet us in brest! That's quite a trip over from germany!

17/6/41: Took descision @ 06:00hrs to run through english channel later that evening.

18/6/41: Reached corner of dover/calais at mdnt. Only hassle thus far was O.O.W (officer of watch) spotted three patrol boats heading towards us. We submerged to periscope depth and kept going. No further threat encountered.

18/6/41: @ 06:00hrs
Reached a position best described as 40km north of cherbourg - successful completion of the channel, crew in excellent mood. Allowed myself a few sips of chardonnay!


19/6/41: @ 06:00hrs
Have reached grim AM28, the same grid as our destinaton harbour, Brest. Have sent a message to BDu asking if we are allowed to go off for a seeing that we've arrived in the area, have a full load of torpedoes and roughly 80% of a tank of diesel left!

19/6/41: @ 09:45hr
Recieved a response from BDu who are now obviously up & about!! have recieved orders to continue into suspected areas of enemy shipping and to hunt as situation allows, now it's Game-on!

[Snestorm]

Returned from 4th (46 days in the North Atlantic) patrol, from 28DEC42 - 11FEB43.

Four ships sunk, a total of 35900 tons.
3 Failed convoy night attacks;
1 Sucessefuly convoy day (submerge) attack with two ships sunk.

Happy to return to port, the Atlantic is becaming to tough for surface attack...

Outstanding patrol!
We are at about the dates, and my IXB is also seeing many failures in reovertaking convoys.
Be careful out there.

[Snestorm]

Patrol 11 (Grid EE74). 16.dec.42 til 13.mar.43.
We operated at the gateway to Carribean Sea, in very close proximity to the naval base at Port Of Spain. Enemy naval activity in the area was very high.
During this patrol U64 managed to sink 4 tankers for 37.652 GRT.

After completing 11 war patrols between 24.mar.40 and 13.mar.43, U64 will be retired to a school boat status. 32 merchants were sunk for 200.366 GRT.

The upcoming grid assignment has forced me to retire my beautiful IXB's carreer.
The next boat's carreer will continue the current campaign.
Stay tuned. Things may get very interesting.

[Walruss]

4 Column convoy, lots of 6000+ merchants, including 2 or 3 12,000 ton tankers. 7 dud torpedoes.
SEVEN!!

I got a tanker tough, and have 3 left to deal with some more tonight

[gazpode_l]

U-93 reported in just north of brest the last we heard - here is the latest! :salute:

20/6/41: 15:00
am now in grid BF something or other, the next grid south of am97. Recieved a radio report of a large convoy. Proceeded to check details and find we are in range for an intercept. Began to run on intercept course

20/6/41: 1900
No sign of convoy where they should be, except a distant merchant signature to our west - we've obviously missed them and they were clearly running more than 8knts as the radio report - or I got my sums wrong!

20/6/41: 2000
with hope of chasing that particular convoy dashed, proceeded to continue running surfaced into main part of irish sea.

20/6/41: 22:00
Obtained contact with slow moving vessel when @ periscope depth having a listen. Steered towrds contact and proceeded at best speed remaining at perscope depth.

22:30
vessel sighted. It's a "HUNT II" class destroyer!!!
Curious as to why a destroyer would still be out here with the convoy long gone, I think it's been off hunting other u-boats!

22:35
Worked out that with his motions, a viable shots exists! waited till vessel at 600m and fired

22:36
A DIRECT HIT! man I have alot of guts doing this but it has just paid off bigstyle

22:41
vessel breakup sounds heard, she's a goner!

[Snestorm]

Departed Bordeaux on 26.jul.43.

13.aug.43 0300: Present position is CG57 (WSW of Spain).

Assigned patrol grid is GR69. A shallow coastal grid ESE of Capetown, at the southern tip of Africa.
The grid is situated between, and in close proximity to, 2 enemy naval bases.

Was less than thrilled to give up my IXB, and the 2. flotilla, but she just didn't realisticly have the endurance for this patrol.

This IXD2 is beginning to grow on me.

[Walruss]

Just departed Wilhelmshaven on the 21st April, 1940 on my way to Gibraltar.

Belting this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzycFeqNxIA as U-45 powers through the waves of the north sea!

[Snestorm]

Problem with the IXD2.

This IXD2 is performing too good.
Not only can it outmaneuver my old IXB, but it's dive time is less than a VIIC!

A normal (not crash) dive at Ahead Standard took only 23 seconds.

She dives and rises 2 x faster than a IXB, and turn like a Type IID.

To continue this patrol would be a farse, and a cheat.

Going back to my last at sea save with U64 IXB.
5.mar.43 1654 BE54.

I'll see if I can get U64 back to Germany, to be retired to school boat status, the right way.
I'll also start a new IXC the right way. Patrol 1 - beginning in Germany.

Either way, the next patrol will begin in Germany.
A new IXC in 1943, if U64 makes it.
Or, a new start in 1939 (DiD), if she does not.

I'm willing to try a IXD2 from Germany IF I can unsuperize it.
That would realy be a challenge, and maybe a 1 patrol carreer (DiD).

[Walruss]

Hiding under a flower class corvette and a unknown escort, wo really want to kill me after 3 runs led me to take 18,000 confirmed tonnes out of their convoy (two heavy merchants that went up like firecrackers from a single hit! - I'm guessing a cargo of ammo or something), and a under-the-keel hit on an empire for a possible further 5,000 though she hasn't gone down yet... and I didn't stick around to find out if she would.

[Gerald]

Departed Bordeaux on 26.jul.43.

13.aug.43 0300: Present position is CG57 (WSW of Spain).

Assigned patrol grid is GR69. A shallow coastal grid ESE of Capetown, at the southern tip of Africa.
The grid is situated between, and in close proximity to, 2 enemy naval bases.

Was less than thrilled to give up my IXB, and the 2. flotilla, but she just didn't realisticly have the endurance for this patrol.

This IXD2 is beginning to grow on me. Change to an IXC, it is good and does not suck, reliable.

[Walruss]

After a month in transer and refitting, the crew and I have moved to a new sub, at a new base- a IXB out of St Nazaire :)

[gazpode_l]

21/6/1941
After losing contact with a convoy further south yesterday, I Carried on towards north of the IOM, where i detect some more signatures on my phones, they are south of us, so it sounds like I'm back in touch again with that convoy I lost yesterday! :yeah:

Proceeded to surface and run on an intercept course based upon what Im hearing (bear in mind no "RADIO REPORT" has yet been recieved) and before long im catching them!

A short time later that afternoon we spot many smokes seen on the horizon, some distance off, possibly four km away.

GUNFIRE!!!! :o Sunddenly a shell whizzes overhead, and then another! "WHERE THE 'ECK DID THEY COME FROM??" :damn: I shout at my bridge crew as we crash dive to 70m

Currently Im sat at a depth of 108m, which is about as low as we can go with the ecco sounder now reading around 5m before we hit the bottom... :stare:

Being chased by at least two ASW trawlers so it seems and have taken light damage to my rear tube compartment, as I dove away. holding them off thus far with attacks lasting 35minutes. :yawn: (bedtime in R/L for me!)

[Missing Name]

January 1941.
Kptlt. Kurt Todlich.
U-127, a Type IXB out of Lorient.

We did drills the moment we got into deep water. A regular crash dive took approximately 40 seconds. We must improve on that. On the other hand, we were able to level off from a crash dive at only 40 meters.

Encountered a small convoy, about 100 km west of northern Portugal. Sank one small freighter, but rough seas negated a second attack. There are bigger targets elsewhere.

Wiederhaller finally got that violin he wanted. At night, he plays it in the torpedo room.

Now we are headed towards our assigned patrol area, grid DT28. We plan to sail through the Canary Islands.

BTW: Is "extended shore leave" a rank or something else meaningful?

[Snestorm]

Change to an IXC, it is good and does not suck, reliable.

Good idé. That was my plan.

Arrived safely in Kiel on 2.apr.43.
Checked the IXCs leave out dates for patrol 1, so I could have nearly the same departure date. U523 was the closest, but was months off.
What I did find was U534 IXC40. I think that means the deck gun is history? Hoping not, but if so, so be it. The departure dates should match within a few days.

The days will be getting shorter, and the trip over the top of Scottland could be a killer.
(The RAF can reach all the way to Store Bælt now! Super shallow!)

[Walruss]

First encounter with a Q ship today, near gibraltar. hit it fore with a torpedo she started listing heavily but didn't go down so i surfaced along side to hit her up close with my deck gun. no visible armament but then 3 muzzle flashes and I take 2 hits to the conning tower and one to the forward decking! crash dive, come about, and vehemently loose both rear tubes on impact. Broke the sucker up.

Have to be more cautious in future.

EDIT: On the dawn of our next patrol, my leading torpedo man, Hans Kreuzer, got his neck broken in a bar fight.

Is there nothing SH3 commander cannot do? :P

[VONHARRIS]

12 October 1942
U-64 IXB
After patrolling grid EJ 99 as ordered started my return passage.
Tonnage so far was Ok for this patrol (45000 grt) but since there were 14 torps left I decided to pass through grid CG 95 outside Gibraltar.
The weather was good so I was surfaced after a long period being submerged to refresh the air.
Radar detector goes off so a crash dive follows.
The external camera shows two Wildcats MK IV attacking. Their bombs fell close to my starboard side but no damage was inflicted.
I stayed at 70m for 2 hours (game time) and surfaced since CO2 level was high.
I didn't check with the periscope , I just broke the surface and paid it.
I was immediatelly straffed by a pair of Hurricanes (Were these ever on ASW patrols in RL? I don't think so)
The 20mm cannons caused flooding in bow torpedo compartment and bow quarters but my damage control crew handled it. Behind those two were two more Wildcats that dropped their load accuratelly. More flooding and uncontrolable dive to 165m until the situation was under control again.
The hull was producing starnge noises so I surfaced once more.
This time no one was around. I don't know the percentage of damage caused so I am on my way back to Lorient.

[Gerald]

12 October 1942
U-64 IXB
After patrolling grid EJ 99 as ordered started my return passage.
Tonnage so far was Ok for this patrol (45000 grt) but since there were 14 torps left I decided to pass through grid CG 95 outside Gibraltar.
The weather was good so I was surfaced after a long period being submerged to refresh the air.
Radar detector goes off so a crash dive follows.
The external camera shows two Wildcats MK IV attacking. Their bombs fell close to my starboard side but no damage was inflicted.
I stayed at 70m for 2 hours (game time) and surfaced since CO2 level was high.
I didn't check with the periscope , I just broke the surface and paid it.
I was immediatelly straffed by a pair of Hurricanes (Were these ever on ASW patrols in RL? I don't think so)
The 20mm cannons caused flooding in bow torpedo compartment and bow quarters but my damage control crew handled it. Behind those two were two more Wildcats that dropped their load accuratelly. More flooding and uncontrolable dive to 165m until the situation was under control again.
The hull was producing starnge noises so I surfaced once more.
This time no one was around. I don't know the percentage of damage caused so I am on my way back to Lorient. Good one, :salute:

[STEED]

In port checking out the French totty. :DL

What!

I must set sail for America, yes sir. :salute:

Jan42 on my way to kick Yankee butt.

[Walruss]

sighted a convoy in the south atlantic, too calm a day to engage the convoy, early morning too.... so I loaded the crew onto the 105mm and engaged the lead escort, a flower class corvette. Funny thing is, a uboat heading straight at you is quite unnerving, and a bloody small target. I took one minor hit he took 3 below the water line. That should make THAT a little easier :D

EDIT: Jimbo, aggressive enough for you???

[Tessa]

Right now in sort of a pickle of what to do. May 5th of 41' sitting in St. Nazaire, an almost ideal spot and time for sailing to help the impending Bismark battle; though my patrol area is in CG am torn as to where to go. I know there's gonna be a lot of juicy targets up there all bunched together, but my kaleun wouldn't know that and was sort of looking forward to an extended trip down the African Coastline with the new supply ship in the South Atlantic.

[Walruss]

...make that two flower classes... now all I have to do is torpedo the black swan that is REALLY pissed off... and I have it made!

[Tessa]

...make that two flower classes... now all I have to do is torpedo the black swan that is REALLY pissed off... and I have it made!

Hehehe, the Turkey Shoot scenario :hmmm: Hopefully the water is relatively calm so that you can use up all your deck gun shells before using up your torpedoes.

[Schwieger]

sighted a convoy in the south atlantic, too calm a day to engage the convoy, early morning too.... so I loaded the crew onto the 105mm and engaged the lead escort, a flower class corvette. Funny thing is, a uboat heading straight at you is quite unnerving, and a bloody small target. I took one minor hit he took 3 below the water line. That should make THAT a little easier :D

EDIT: Jimbo, aggressive enough for you???

:o

Missing Name syndrome is catching on to more people.... t'is contagious

[Snestorm]

Pulled out of Kiel 0700 on 30.apr.43.
Heading for canadian waters. Then it's on to Lorient, if we live.

0320 17.maj.43
Current position is AE94. Keeping the oxygen and battery levels up has been a real chalenge due to heavy air activity. No darkness to hide in. No surface contacts to date.

[Bakkels]

So I'm in february '43 now, and I'm thinking about going to the Indian Ocean / Pacific. I'm not sure yet, but I may transfer myself there. Couple of questions though:

- I read in the GWX manual that if you join the 10th flotilla and have a XID2 sub, I'll get transferred to Penang in september (or november) '43. But when and how do I activate the Pacific campaign mod? If I get transfered, I have to exit the game, activate the 'Indian Ocean only' mod through JSGME and then re-load my game? Or do I have to use the''merged campaign' mod to actually travel there? If I can avoid that, I'd like to, as I fear the loading time for 'merged campaign'...

-Second question: how's the action over there? Are there just as many convoys in the far east? And are there any maps like the stock Atlantic traffic map showing convoy / traffic routes?

I'm not sure if I'm gonna go east or stay in the trusty Atlantic, so if anyone had gone there, what I'm asking, I guess, is; is it worth it?

[Tom]

Kapitänleutnant Josef Ochner reporting, September 11th, 1940, BF12.

After six combat patrols, the last of them a nearly two month patrol from Wilhelmshaven to the Canary Islands and Gibraltar, replenishing supplies at the Corrientes in Las Palmas, my requests for a brand new type VIIC and a transfer to the 7th flotilla at St. Nazaire were granted.

The new boat, U-93, was ready to sail on September 7th, with orders to patrol AM23.

Yesterday, September 10th, we received a radio contact report: outbound convoy some 150 miles northwest of us, heading west by southwest at medium speed. Only a couple of hours later, a new report: inbound convoy 70 miles west of us, moving slowly northeast. I decide to go for the slower convoy because it is closer to us, easier to intercept, and must be carrying war materials that soon will reach England if we do not try to stop them.

The weather is very favorable, 6 m/s winds, overcast, no rain, medium fog, with a visibility of maybe 5000-6000 meters. After a couple of hydrophone checks to find the convoy, we finally see the first ship at 10 pm.

We are on the starboard side of the convoy, and since no escorts can be seen, we maneuver to a position alongside a row in the convoy to easily match course and speed. Keeping the ships of the row behind each other on bearing 270, I know my speed and course must match. 55 degrees and 7 knots, as expected. We also spot a corvette in front of the convoy.

My intention is to attack 3 ships in the 2nd row, a 5000 ton cargo, a 4000 ton cargo and a 5000 ton tanker, counting from outer column towards the inside, with one torpedo each. Behind them, in the outer column, is a 8500 ton large cargo, which will get the stern torpedo after I turn. With this weather and no side escort, it will be a surface attack.

The maneuver to the attack position takes us a bit too close to the convoy, less than 500 meters from the outer column. Because no one seems to notice us even this close, I attack, firing three torpedoes from the bow tubes. As soon as the last torpedo leaves the tube, I order a fast turn port, towards the rear of the convoy, hoping to fire my stern tube at the large ship in the next row.

Just before the turn is completed, we see two almost simultaneous torpedo detonations. Both the 5000 ton tanker and the 4000 ton cargo are hit beneath the front mast, just where intended. Due to an unknown reason, the third torpedo aimed at the nearest ship never detonated. Either I set it too deep, it was a dud, or the distance was too short. Incredible, if I could get too close on the surface without being seen.

The intended target for my stern tube spots us soon after the detonations, starts turning, and turns its spotlights towards us. I fire the stern torpedo, order ahead flank and a heading away and to the back of the convoy. The torpedo hits the very front of the large cargo. Only 2 or 3 meters off, and it would have missed.

Then a starshell lights the sea and the escort corvette engages us, forcing us to dive. With only 80 meters of water, we dive to 70 meters at flank speed and then slow down, hoping to get far enough to not be detected. It works, and the one set of depth charges is way off. No other escort joins the attack, so we soon reload the tubes, raise to periscope depth, make a quick check and surface with the convoy still in sight. No escorts behind the convoy, so the lone corvette must be the only escort.

During our dive we heard the large cargo sink, but the fate of the two smaller ships we hit first is unknown.

I decide to attack again as soon as possible, so we run around the convoy at full speed, keeping a distance of 5000 meters to the nearest ship. During the maneuver we notice the positions of the two ships we hit are empty, so they must be somewhere behind the convoy. I choose new targets, two 5100 ton cargo ships in the first row, in the outer column and the column beside it. Both will get two torpedoes.

This time I don't go as close as on the first run, the estimated torpedo runs being 1700 meters and 2500 meters. With electric torpedoes, we should have enough time to turn and run away on the surface without ever being seen. We attack as planned, turn around and head out and to the rear of the convoy at flank speed. When the torpedo timers run out, nothing. 15 seconds later, still nothing. Just as I'm sure we missed, we hear two detonations, and a few seconds later, two more.

Again, spotlights light up and a starshell is fired from the corvette, but this time no one detects us. Keeping a distance of 5000 meters we run towards the rear of the convoy, my intention being to next find the two ships I torpedoed earlier. With only the stern tube loaded, an immediate new attack wouldn't be possible anyway.

After reaching a position behind the convoy, with the convoy still in sight, I set course in opposite direction, and after a few kilometers sight the two stragglers. The only escort must now be some 15 kilometers away, so I decide to attack with the deck gun from a range of 2000 meters. The tanker only needs 10 shells before it goes down. After we shift fire to the cargo ship, a starshell lights the horizon behind us. The escort was closer than I thought. We continue the attack anyway, firing a total of 30 shells at the cargo ship, before leaving the area at flank speed, certain that that ship too will sink.

Despite firing a couple of more starshells, the corvette never catches up with us. We dive, reload three of the bow tubes with the last internal reloads, and surface again. The convoy must now be over 30 km ahead of us, is getting closer to England all the time, and sunrise is only a few hours away, so I decide to let it go.

With 5 ships sunk for 28000 tons, four torpedoes in the tubes, and only two external reloads remaining, I order course towards AM23.

Kapitänleutnant Josef Ochner, end report.

[Gryffon300]

Its good to be back and to share a round. We're all still alive after three more patrols, so I guess first round is on me...

Let me see - highlights. OK.

On Patol 3, in huge seas and wind at dusk in appalling visibility (down to 300 -500m), (in AM97, I think it was) my hydrphone operator detected a large merchant tavelling East heading into the Bristol Bight. I chased the bugger all night, because, once again, I couldn't get ahead flank, so I had only a half knott per hour closure rate. Frustrating! At least I didn't also have the directional drift I had last time.

Why did I persevere for 15 hours all the way into AM99? It was a Whale Factory ship, and I was sick of Medium Merchants! I wanted a real prize and some bragging rights to bring home for the crew. So, about 11 hours into the chace, we got within range, dead astern, and let go a couple of T1s, set to Mag pistol (the perfect scenario). They both pre-detonated.

The next two Impacts bounced off! So, after reload, I tried another two Mags. These seemed to be going fine, but one passed harmlessly less than a metre under the hull (and, before you ask, yes I had the draft set right!), while the other bounced off the bottom of the hull and floated harmlessly to the bottom. Arghhh!!

So, we stuck with it trying to overhaul the monster for another few hours, finally coming 500m abeam of him, intending to take an impact shot, when a triple-damned DD shows up! I had no trouble evading him, but by then I had lost aquisition, somewhere SW of Cardiff. :damn: I think that ship was under the protection of Loki!

I was so furious, I decided to go to Cardif to see if I could locate him. Had to get in to under 1.5 km to see anything. No Whaler, but a nice Ammo ship. However, my XO made me see sense (temporarily), and we left it alone, as it was in a small harbour on the wrong side of a wharf and a submarine net.

But I wasn't done yet - off to Bristol - determined to salvage something!

Got in close enough to find accessible a Modern Tanker & a Troop ship. Drew up my preferred firing lines and maneuvered out to 3 kms, to let go of my last bow fish at the Trooper, followed by a 500m right turn to line up the Tanker with the last stern shot. Both impacts did their jobs (FINALLY!), but neither vessel went down. Spent the next two hours avoiding the hornets nest - two DD's, 4 ASW's and about 6 Torp boats. Wasn't too hard though, as I had launched from about 3 kms out, so the bulk of their hunt was inshore of me.

By now, it was a good sea state and little wind, but still poor visibility, so I travelled submerged another 5 kms and took the risk of surfacing and loading both external stores at full stop. How we got away with that, I have no idea, but suffice it to say, we then repeated the previous attack profile and succeded in putting both on the bottom. (Though I don't know what to make of "Intelligence" - they are claiming the Tanker's cargo was Scrap Metal! As if!)

Although we came back with our worst ever patrol results - 6 kills credited for a total of 29760 tons - it was still strangely satisfying.

You talk now - I'm thirsty - I'll tell you about the others on my next round.

[Gryffon300]

Sometimes, it pays to actually go to your assigned grid. We were out in AN13 on our 4th patrol when we picked up a small convoy across in AN14.

We closed to find 6 escorts for 2 Medium Merchants - something suspicious about that so I decided to go at them. Got a torp into each of the Merchants, from less than 1 km, but then the escorts were all over me. Took out a Tribal & a V&W within 10 mins of each other. (I later found out one of them was Canadian!), but then had to disengage and evade - for many, many hours).

Shadowed them and late the next afternnon got another torp into a Merc - they tell me it was only carrying coal! The next two days were cat & mouse around the cripled other Merc (which could only do 1 knott) - I've never heard of such an extended engagement. Took out a C&D - another Canadian! - before finally nabbing the Merc, which I now learn was carrying aircraft - mystery solved!

The next day it was almost an anti-climax to see two Auxilary Cruisers steam over the horizon with only a single escort! Took them both out with two torps each, and the escort hardly even bothered to come looking for us! Extraordinary.

Anyway, that was a lot better, with 9 ships for 47,439 tons. Weird, but fun.

Your shout.

[Gryffon300]

All right, I'll tell you this and no more - I'm legless already.

Took out 4 single merchants while transiting the chanel from BF 31 to BF25, on our way to our patrol 5's assigned grid at BF17. Never got there. Here's why.

Alerted to Large convoy transiting BF13, ran intercept and caught them in BF14. Only getting one hydrophone return for warship, and no outliers, so a large convoy, virtually unprotected. I was dead in their line of travel, so I dove to 120m on the same bearing as the convoy, on silent, and went all stop until the escort passed overhead.

Now that i was in his baffles, I ordered periscope depth at ahead standard, then slow as "Ears" detected another warship astern at long range. This had me at periscope depth in the middle of the first 5 wide row of Tankers & Merchants.

But the real prize was in the second row. I armed all T1's with Impact/Fast at 2m, selected 1-4 Salvo at 10 deg spread and came hard right at ahead standard to engage. The target was that second warship that I had thought may have been a trailing escort. Nah. It was only a 31,000 ton Revenge Class (the Ramillies) loping along at 6 knotts in the middle of the 2nd row!

We got around square and let rip. Three conected, with the 4th taking out a Med Merc on the far side. I hit a first column Large Merc with my stern tube before heading back to the depths on the reciprocal bearing to the convoy.

As the strikes were on both wings and the middle of the pack, the escort was clueless as to where to look, so it was easy to go 'doggo' until they were out of range. I came off silent, surfaced, reloaded (including external stores as the weather was so good), and headed off in persuit.

5 hours later, I let loose with single torps into a Modern Tanker, a Tanker and a bunch of Med Merchants. The whole convoy had changed course once re-forming and three hours later, on a dark night, I came 500m alongside the on-fire Modern Tanker and put him down with the deck gun.

I repeated this trick with an on-fire Med Merc an hour later, but this time the J&K escort got close enough to engage us. We danced for a while, with me luring him into a perfect submerged dead-astern chase with us firing a text-book stern tube Mag shot at him at 600 m. Of course the useless thing failed to detonate, so we had some fun before I out turned him after one of his attack runs to get him side-on with an imact.

Then we had some more fun with the last of our torps and then using the deck gun to put down all those that had been previously hit (including the Large Merc that we got in the very first engagement). Then we took out some Intermediate Tankers with the last of our rounds (I didn't want to only wound a larger Merc - no point).

Finally, just to rub their noses in it, we took out a whole lot of deck cargo with our flack gun from under 100 m. A couple tried to ram us, but we had had our fun, so broke off in BF15, 12 hours after commencing the engagement.

Had some near misses on he way back home through The Ditch, but arrived home on the 7th of Dec for our shortest cruise ever (a week & a half) with unscathed crew and hull, for 13 ships and 96093 tons. If only the Brits would keep sending out such convoys! :salute:

This floor is comfortable. Or I'm comfortably numb. Think I'll just stay here for a while. That must mean, by Peacock's definition, I quit, quietly, quite drunk, thank you.

"Not drunk is he who from the floor
Can rise along and still drink more
But drunk is he who prostrate lies
Without the power to drink or rise."

[FlankSpeed]

September 9,1939 U-41 (VIIB)

Acted on contact report from BdU and intercepted merchant 70KM off the east coast of England grid AN73.

Target positively identified as the British flagged medium cargo vessel SS Azalea City. Proceeded to shadow target in preparation for torpedo attack. Petty Officer Eckerman manning the hydrophone reported enemy warship contacts at long range moving fast. Decided to press on with the attack and launched three torpedos set for impact, all made good hits leaving the SS Azalea City stopped and listing in the water.

Possible distress signel sent as warship contacts were soon reported closing at very fast speed to my position. Attempted to exit vicinity at surface flank speed but enemy warships identified as three Royal Navy destroyers were soon spotted on the horizon. Dived the boat to the maximum depth allowed by the shallow waters, reduced speed to 1knot and rigged for silent running. Enemy warships proceeded to collect survivors and swept the area before returning to their patrol. Thankfully I remained undetected.

SS Azalea City sunk for 5078t.

Now resuming patrol. Morale is high.

[gazpode_l]

Kapitänleutnant Josef Ochner reporting, September 11th, 1940, BF12.

The new boat, U-93, was ready to sail on September 7th, with orders to patrol AM23.

Kapitänleutnant Josef Ochner, end report.

Seems there are now TWO of us skippering U-93! wierd! :o

OK so from now on, I think I might call myself the ORIG u-93 or "U93-BST" in reference to my (new) home base of brest!

[Missing Name]

I was in Gibraltar. HMS Nelson, 2 Southampton class CL, 2 County class CA. Moving along undetected... http://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab303/MissingName/Crash_to_desktop.png

[Tom]

Seems there are now TWO of us skippering U-93! wierd! :o

OK so from now on, I think I might call myself the ORIG u-93 or "U93-BST" in reference to my (new) home base of brest!

What do you mean, original? Mine was brand new when I got it, so it must be original. Maybe someone just made a mistake somewhere when assigning boat numbers? Or perhaps this is a secret plan to confuse the brittish, just in case they break our coded communications some day?

[VONHARRIS]

Left command of U-64 to a fellow officer after 18 patrols starting January 1 1940.
Now in command of U-200 IXD2 boat with orders to patrol grid GH21 in South Africa.
I took the whole crew of U-64 with me including Bernard who is performing his duties flawlessly.
It is March 6 1943 and we are about to set sail from Lorient.

I hope to to have a longer life than the RL U-200.

[print.scr]

Snuck into Gibraltar yesterday and sank three warships and four merchants. Was chased down by two electro boats escaping, and the U-boat took minor damage while surfacing to go over the U-boat net in the channel. Sank one electro boat and damaged the other before completely clearing the channel. The U-boat was heavily damaged in the attack, and the front torpedo compartment was completely flooded. Headed back to port and docked. Several medals was, including one Iron Cross was recieved.

Found a large convoy today. Waited til nightfall and positioned the U-boat infront of the convoy. Sank two of the three escrots and damaged the last one in the process. Once in position, one large cargo ship and one large merchant ship was sunk. Headed for the patrol area. Found nothing. Headed back to port and docked the U-boat. Several medals and a second Iron Cross was recieved.

Heading back out to sea tomorrow. Heading back to Gibraltar to finish the job.

[Snestorm]

Left Kiel on 30.apr.43.
Patroled the area between Greenland and Canada with no sightings or sinkings.
Arrived in Lorient on 14.jul.43, alive.

That's the way it has to stand. Originaly, it would/should have listed 4 ships sunk, from 2 convoys, for over 30.000 GRT. Tryed to Save & Exit only to suffer a CTD. After loading my last save, I couldn't bring myself to cheat by using knowledge I wouldn't have had about the 2 convoys, so I changed my patrol route. They must have been the only 2 convoys out there because, we saw nothing, and BDU told us nothing regarding convoys. "Oh well."

We even passed through AJ97, where the real U531 was sunk by HMS Vidette, on her first war patrol. No HMS Vidette. No convoy. No nothing. But, at least the SH3 U531 is still kicking.

[HotiBomba]

Early 1944, and i'm back from far east... Tired of bad weather and rough seas there...

First patrol from Toulon went well, patroled grid SE of Malta, and sunk 4 merchants in large convoy... on way back i was passing 50 km near Malta and chased lone merchant, but after several air attacks i went on periscope depth but still on course to Malta ... when i arrived there - there was two Italian BB! Had only 2 torpedoes left, but at least i tryied... Closed up to 2000m and fired both, after 300-400 m - boooooom! Damn subnets... turned u-boat north again and returned to Toulon...

I'll be back...

[VONHARRIS]

U-200 IXD2 is sailing between Africa and Madagascar on her way to the naval base of Penang in the Far East. It is now July 1943 and there are 4 torps left on board. Crew morale is medium despite the sinkings we have achieved so far (35000 grt) since we hear many bad news over the radio.
We hope to arrive alive in Penang.

[Jimbuna]

SINK EM ALL!! http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/pirate.gif

[Collin Dougherty]

Taking a rest Off the coast of Africa returning to Wilhemshaven soonn enough. Got a French Straggler this morning :D

[Gargamel]

TO: BDU
FROM: U-123 AM7856
16 Feb , 1941

SOS SOS SOS

Jumped by DD in heavy Fog, not sure how they found us. Unable to dive, Abandoning Ship, destroying secret items.

[Snestorm]

TO: BDU
FROM: U-123 AM7856
16 Feb , 1941

SOS SOS SOS

Jumped by DD in heavy Fog, not sure how they found us. Unable to dive, Abandoning Ship, destroying secret items.

To: BDU
From: HMS Viceroy
16.feb.41

Have picked up captain and crew from U123.
Will provide new quarters in England.

(Ouch!)

[Snestorm]

Departed Lorient on 10.aug.43.

Orders: Patrol Grid GR99
(Proceed south to the last grid, then turn east to the last grid. Past Capetown)
An exercise in RAF avoidance, and fuel conservation.

13.sep.43 0400
Present position is ET92 (South of Freetown).

No ships sunk to date.

[Snestorm]

"Ship sighted bearing 111. Long range."
Over 2 months into the patrol, and we sight our first ship.
Date: 15.okt.43 Time 2154 ZT (Zone Time)
Location: GR52, about 100 miles outside the naval base at Capetown.
Ship type: Destroyer! Between 3000 and 4000 meters.
He wasn't running, or didn't have radar.
We dived to 100 meters, and continued to twist left as he passed across what was our bow at medium speed.
It would appear that we remained undetected, which is realy important at this time.
We will be passing within 50 miles of the port, and the moon is full, so submerged travel is completely in order.
Wonder if we'll see Lorient again?

[Gerald]

"Ship sighted bearing 111. Long range."
Over 2 months into the patrol, and we sight our first ship.
Date: 15.okt.43 Time 2154 ZT (Zone Time)
Location: GR52, about 100 miles outside the naval base at Capetown.
Ship type: Destroyer! Between 3000 and 4000 meters.
He wasn't running, or didn't have radar.
We dived to 100 meters, and continued to twist left as he passed across what was our bow at medium speed.
It would appear that we remained undetected, which is realy important at this time.
We will be passing within 50 miles of the port, and the moon is full, so submerged travel is completely in order.
Wonder if we'll see Lorient again? "Ship sighted bearing 111. Long range." Opportunity to celebrate,certain you will see Lorient again!

[gazpode_l]

Well U-93 completed her 4th patrol tonight. our original orders were to depart from kiel and proceed to brest. I decided to run the gauntlett and run surfaced through the english channel at night, much shorter trip across and would give us valuable range should BDu decide to send us out hunting - likely given the fact we left with a full tank of gas and a full load of torpedoes..

Arrive in the grid for brest, and soon enough, word comes through that we are to hunting at my discression....so I turn our boat towards the irish sea.

As we get up into grid am97, we get a report of a convoy nearby. I head towards the convoy and only reward I get is to run into a nearby Hunt class destroyer! must have been the outer convoy screen, She nearly runs us over, but we get deep enough.

I creep upto 13m and manage a stern tube shot when she is around 500m and am suprised to score direct hit! SHE's GONE!

Later I head south towards the isle of man where I get back in touch with the convoy. however not before I manage to sink a lone modern merchant, for 7400GRT. Upon discovering the convoy I thought was in existence, it was marely sister ships, a large merchant and a medium cargo in tandem.

Sailing at break-neck speed in stormy seas we shadow them for some time before a shot becomes possible. I manage to somehow sink both of them!

Med Merchant @ 4405GRT
Lg Merchant @ 7496 GRT

Quite disappointing totals but we will take them anyway and they add to the great score achieved in my last patrol (#3). Soon we are chased by an annoying CD class destroyer, apparently named "HMS Duncan".

She makes quite a large number of runs on us and manges to cause a fair bit of damage to us and takes out one of my diesel engines, the other was able to be repaired!

Soon I began to lose patience with her and brought myself upto periscope depth. I fire a bubble-less type 2 torpedo and order a crash dive to 50m. an explosion is heard which sounded like a depth charge going off...however upon settling at 50m my sound-man indicates no more contacts!!!

disbelieving him I jump into the hydrophone seat and put on the headphones, and slowly rotate the dial! He's right! there isn't anything more! "Zero deipher!" Is ordered and we proceed upwards to periscope depth again.

Up scope and the view yealds a blank sea! :up:

So I goes onto the tannoy to tell the boys of our great luck! we've bagged a second destroyer this patrol through our balsy rear torpedo tube technique and I am sure I also scored a similar kill on anti sub vessels on my last patrol too!

We all stand down from battle stations and beer & wine is served to the lads, with me and one of my XO's sipping on me best chardonnay i've been saving!

We turn for home and arrive back at brest some three days later to find the scharnhorst and gniesau are in! quite a sight they are too!

Our next patrol I think will be in a few weeks once u-93 is repaired....DT grids are apparently on the list for our next patrol..........I've never been THERE before!! :hmmm:

[HotiBomba]

Late 1944., and i transfered to Bergen on new XXI type U-3030. Started good with the sinking of two lone merchants (Total 11,000 GRT) off the east England coast. Headed north around the Shetland islands to the patrol area Grid AM53.

After 24h of patrol, headed SW to the Western Approaches, sunk another merchant (2,300 GRT) and few hours later found extremley large convoy about 40+ ships heavily guarded by Bogue Carrier and 10-11 destroyers. Manage to sneak inside of convoy and fired all 6 torpedoes at most bigger targets in front of U-Boat. Bogue Class, Modern Tanker and Large Troop Transport - all 6 eels hit the targets, and Tanker sunk immidiatley. Turned boat to the rear of convoy trying to sneak out. I was almost there, when suddenly Evarts turned course and started to ping. I was at 90m and still slowly going down.

After 15-20 mins all bastards came at me, and started with depth charging one after another. Went down to 220m, several time managed to almost sneak again, but one dc exploded close and damaged sub. Went up to 130m cos boat was taking water seriously. Zig-zaging at 1/3 speed, and sometimes went flank as depth charges was again in the water. Managed to repair sub and stop flodding, went down to 160m at silent running.

Another 2 destoryer runs and i was damaged again, this time more badly. Went up to 80m when another exploded near. Sub was out of control and started sinking so there was no other option than blow balast. Done that as i know that was one way trip :salute:

Just before hit the surface, Bouge Carrier was sinking and i was proud as been shelled on surface by destroyers. Still manage to fire 30-40 AA rounds at closest one (maybe 300m max) and take out his AA gun as few his sailors ended their carerrs just when my ended :arrgh!:

[Bakkels]

Great story HotiBomba. Going down guns blazing. Nice and dramatic (btw I'm was listening to Mozart's Requiem while reading your post so maybe that makes your story somewhat more dramatic to me lol)

[VONHARRIS]

October 1943
Far East
U-200 is still in one piece.
We have completed one patrol in the Arabian Sea and the Golf of Aden with very good results.
There were many tanker convoys , medium escorted. The escorts were not very enthousiastic in finding us.

Our current position is the Timorsee in deep waters. We have a very nice patrol so far with a large troop ship and a ceramic type ocean liner sunk.
There is heavy traffic , a lot of convoys and again the escorts seem to be surprised by our presence. In three convoy attacks , we have been DCed only once with minor damages.

I will post the patrol results soon.
Edit : Posting the patrol results
Arabic Sea Page 1/2
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/7421/arabicsea1.jpg

Arabic Sea page 2/2
http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/3109/arabicsea2.jpg

Timorsee Page 1/2
http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/5574/timorsea1.jpg

Timorsee page 2/2
http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/1571/timorsea2.jpg

The last patrol reminded me what Happy times in the Atlantic used to be!

[redsocialist]

http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo72/Soviet23/SH3Img2-3-2011_142616_408.jpg

http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo72/Soviet23/SH3Img2-3-2011_142557_328.jpg

http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo72/Soviet23/SH3Img2-3-2011_142518_917.jpg

[iambecomelife]

Great score Redsocialist. Nice interface, too.

[Gereke]

April 1942
LtzS Heinrich Riedel
Z31 (Type 1936A Zerstorer)

I've been given command of the newly commissioned Z31. First tasking is to conduct sea trials before being given operational orders. It's been forewarned that I'll be ordered to relocate from Kiel to Brest to conduct harbor security and patrols into the Bay of Biscay. It's also likely that I'll be required to perform mine laying operations by night in the English Channel.

Nothing is confirmed yet, but I've already begun to formulate my plan for breaking through the Straights of Dover should rumor become reality.

[HotiBomba]

Great story HotiBomba. Going down guns blazing. Nice and dramatic (btw I'm was listening to Mozart's Requiem while reading your post so maybe that makes your story somewhat more dramatic to me lol)

Thank you :salute:

[Missing Name]

Experimenting with modding via multiplayer and single missions. I have discovered that my 10.5cm will take out an auxiliary cruiser with 6 hits below the waterline, Hurricanes can handle an insane amount of damage if you can even hit them at all, and my Type IXB will crush at around 230 meters if I disable the crash diving depth. Also, event cam kills my computer.

[Gereke]

Z31.
LtzS Heinrich Riedel

The rumors about being relocated to Brest turned out to be just that. The reality was the ship was relocated to Wilhemshaven for duties in the North Sea. I breathed a sigh of relief for not having to make a dash through the English Channel. Our first trip out we were tasked with laying mines near the British coast in the Eastern approaches to the Straits of Dover. We departed Wilhelmshaven and timed our transit to arrive in The Straits at nightfall. There was another boon to us in the form of overcast skies and reduced visibility due to fog. This would make our job easier as we could use the fog as cover to avoid detection... or so we thought.

About half way through or mine laying operation we were attacked by a British Destroyer. Must have used RADAR to spot us, and my crew received their baptism by fire. They performed splendidly and we managed to sink the enemy without sustaining any damage to ourselves. We decided it was best to relocate in case our opponent had called for reinforcements, which they most assuredly had. A few hours before dawn we chanced upon another British Destroyer in the fog. He didn't spot us until it was too late! My gunners performed spectacularly and sent the enemy below the waves. I think we caught them sleeping because they barely managed to return fire. I noted that dawn was fast approaching and it was in our best interest to head to a friendly port. I had my navigator set a course for Calais where we would re-fuel and re-arm, as well as go ashore for a well earned reward to celebrate the success of our first combat actions!

Forty-eight hours later I had received orders to return to Wilhelmshaven, but not before doing a patrol of the North Sea. Our patrol route took us parallel to the NE coast of Britain, then cut across to the W Coast of Norway, then back down to German waters. We were to avoid any direct contact with the enemy, with orders to radio the location any enemy units we found. I was a little uneasy as we left the dock because I knew we would be operating on our own so close to enemy territory. I didn't like the fact that we were to rely on the Luftwaffe for support should we find ourselves in a bad situation. I prayed they would put down their ersatz coffee quickly and come to our aid if we needed their assistance.

We left Calais under cover of darkness and moved into our patrol route at high speed to avoid detection. For most of our patrol things were quiet, and I began to wonder if the Tommies were asleep. My assumption was proven wrong when one of my lookouts spotted a squadron of four Destroyers heading straight towards us. Looked like we were going to have a fight on our hands! Knowing I was in a bad situation I ordered flank speed and a course change to the south east. We sent a message to headquarters to alert them to our situation, and I hoped we would get some support from our fly boys. A hope that was to turn out to be in vain, as the response was "all assets are otherwise engaged". My attention turned to escaping from destruction, with the possibility of inflicting any damage to the enemy that I could. Once again my gunners performed splendidly, and proved that the hours they had spent firing at dummy targets had not been for nothing. We managed to sink one enemy destroyer and damage another as they chased us. After several hours of zig-zagging and running the enemy gave up the chase. We did not come out of the exchange unhurt however. The enemy scored several hits, and now I sit while my ship undergoes repairs. I must commend the crew's damage control efforts as they saved us from an early ending! I have made several recommendations for the Iron Cross, 2nd Class. I hope my superiors find my men as worthy of decoration as I do.

[Snestorm]

Patrol 2
27.okt.43
Grid GR95 (Southwest of Capetown).
2 merchants sunk for 8.852 GRT.
1 merchant of 10.448 tons damaged for 0 GRT.
7 of 14 torpedoes remaining (3 bow & 4 stern).

Overestimated the speed of a T2 Tanker, but spread my torpedoes enough to score 1 hit (in the nose) of the 3 torpedoes fired during a night surface attack. Merchant was armed with a gun mount on the stern. U531 remained undetected and went to 50 meters to reload tubes 1, 2, and 4. The target slowed from 13 (I had guesstimated 14) to 5 knots but continued onward. After 1½ hours we surfaced and took up a slow speed chase, expecting the target to settle and sink. Didn't happen. It was getting light as we change heading to move the target from 000 to 269 for a perfect submerged stern shot at close range. All was well until, his range stopped decreasing, and his position relative to us began to change rapidly. What the . . .? He exucuted a 90 degree turn. Straight into the shallows, and straight for Capetown.

Of the 2 sunk merchants,
One was a night surface attack with 3 T3 Torpedoes on a 9 knot target.
The second was a daylight submerged attack with a single (my only!) T1 Torpedo on an 8 knot target.

4 days were spent in our assigned grid (GR99), with nothing seen but Heavy Fog and 15 m/s winds. Will again pass close to Capetown in search of targets. 2½ months at sea so far.

[kapuhy]

Hmm... I must have really pissed off someone in BdU. First, they order me to patrol AN16 "and don't you try to return home saying you found nothing interesting in north-west corner", then for the next patrol... BF24.

Next patrol they'll probably order me to make close-up photos of the white cliffs of Dover.

[Frontier359]

Next patrol they'll probably order me to make close-up photos of the white cliffs of Dover.

Group shots while standing atop those cliffs. ;)

[Snestorm]

3.nov.43 0330 GR27
Still plodding northward along the african coast.

On 29.okt.43 at 2229 came the cry, "Ship sighted" (GR55).
Destroyer at under 4000 meters (full moon).
Her lookouts must have reported, "Uboat sighted".
As U531 was increasing depth to 100 meters the destroyer was busy decreasing range.
He made 2 DC runs on us, neither of which caused any damage, at 2235 and 2241.
But, he also notified the folks in the planes of our detection. Not good.

On 1.nov.43 at 0545 (GR52) we sank our third merchant for 2.042 GRT.
It was a sunrise submerged attack with 3 torpedoes being fired at 1.000 meters.
Target course estimated at 165.
Speed estimation of 10 knots.
2 hits were obtained, and there was no guilt felt at using 3 torpedoes.
Remember, it was over 2 months out before we even saw another ship.
Targets are not plentiful, and this one was not going to escape.

Status: 3 merchants sunk for 10.894 GRT.
4 torpedoes remaining (all in the stern).
Fuel at 67%.

[HotiBomba]

I recently transfered to Bergen to get new XXI type. On first patrol with new sub i was sunk after being raped :D by convoy escorts for hours... I usually don't load my carrer, i follow the rule - once the U-Boat is sunk i started a new carrer. But i made an exception because it's late 1944 and really wanted to finish this one. So i loaded game and started new patrol (51).

This time i decided to avoid large convoys, and looked for smaller ones and lone merchants. Went north around Iceland, and tryied to reach North Atlantic as less contact as possible. First 2-3 days of patrols were like this:

- Detecting radar signals
- Ahead flank, dive to 30m
- Ahead 1/3
- After half hour - periscope depth - surface

This routine was done x564 :D until i reached apromax. middle of North Atlantic, and air contact became minimal. I decided to go to the waters of the South America counting that there will be probably less allied air and warship presence.

First stop - Azores port of Ponta Delgada. I spent two days searching around the island at 100-200 km distance. Found nothing. Then i decided to move closer to see if possible to raid the harbor. There were three warships patroling at wide space, so i decided to sneak in. I was coming from the west and manage to close up to the harbor, just started with attack tactics when suddenly U-boat hit something. "We are taking damage sir, Hull damage blabla bla bla...". I thought - "damn subnet!"

But... there was nothing! So it must be a mine, but when i checked depth - it was around 250 meters below keel. So i was confused, cos i readed somewhere that maximum operating depth of mines during WW2 were apromax. 150 m :06::06::06::06::06: Don't know maybe i was wrong about it...

Sub starting to go down, tryied to retake control but nothing. Hit the bottom at 230m. And again - became a fish food :dead:

[redsocialist]

Great score Redsocialist. Nice interface, too.

Thanks man, died on the 14th patrol. Total Tonnage 40k in a Type IID. Oh well, those destroyers... man, and that attack periscope killed me :P

[Snestorm]

Grid ET24 (Coastal grid NW of Freetown).
Date & Time: 30.nov.43 02.46
"Detecting radar signals!"
A L A R M ! Crash dive into oblivion.
Aircraft DC caught her just as she began her dive.
About 10 seconds after the scuttle closed, it was all over.

Campaign Summary. 3 Boat Carreers.

U27 VII(A)
1.sep.39 til 1.mar.40
5 patrols
20 Merchants for 132.653 GRT
Retired to schoolboat status.

U64 IXB
29.mar.40 til 2.apr.43
11 patrols
32 Merchants for 200.366 GRT
Retired to schoolboat status.

U531 IXC40
30.apr.43 til 30.nov.43
2 patrols
3 Merchants for 10.894 GRT
Sunk by aircraft NW of Freetown.

Back to '39. Contemplating a IIA, IID, IX? route.
Undecided.

[redsocialist]

Check out my let's play to see where my little adventure in the Type II is currently :)

http://www.youtube.com/redsocialist1848

[VONHARRIS]

Jakarta February 1945
U-200 IXD2 sails off for - probably her last patrol.
In every front things are bad.

February 20 1945
U-200 is surprised on the surface some 2000Km west of Darwin by a B-17 Flying Fortress bearing USAF markings.
There was no time to dive so the crew manned the flak guns and started firing.
The aircraft dropped its bombs from a safe distance and left.
Despite manouvering a stick of bombs fell close wounding the M42 gun crew and Kptltn Hanz Hacker who was on the bridge at the time.

The Kaluen's condition was critical , so his XO Obltnt zS Adolf Garin took command. Adolf was a hardcore Nazi still believing in the Third Reich's victory. So he ordered to set sail to the Australian coast to leave his CO there and then he was planning to go to Argentina.

February 22 1945
U-200 was out of luck. The night was moonless and foggy. The radar detector malfunctoned and she was surprised by two HMAS destroyers.
U-200 was sunk with all hands.

[Snestorm]

Check out my let's play to see where my little adventure in the Type II is currently :)

http://www.youtube.com/redsocialist1848

Been there. Done that. And going back for more.
Good, fun channel.

Decided to start with a VII(A) so I could try out the speed mod I've been contemplating.
So far I'm realy happy with it. No more going to the CE's station to set the perfect silent speed. That's what Ahead Slow does now. Made some other corrections to the speed settings as well.

[Snestorm]

U28 VII(A) - 2. Flotilla - 1. Patrol
12.sep.39 - Grid AM33

1 merchant sunk for 2.042 GRT
Course was 213 making 9 knots.
Target was sighted 61 miles WNW of the Shetlands.
2 hours was spent in gaining an advantagious position for a daylight submerged attack.
3 T2 torpedoes were fired, and 2 struck the target.
8 of 11 torpedoes remaining.

Completed a recon of Grid AM32 and am enroute to AM53.

[Snestorm]

February 22 1945
U-200 was out of luck. The night was moonless and foggy. The radar detector malfunctoned and she was surprised by two HMAS destroyers.
U-200 was sunk with all hands.

Ouch. So close to the end.

Lost mine too.
I have a table reserved at The Old 39 Club.
Care to join me?

[ediko]

November 1942, Friedrich Adam decided to attack the Canadian convoy escorted by US DD's near Reykjavik. One medium cargo and a Tribal class DD sunk, 2 other torpedoes inflicted minor damage. U 382 was then harassed by destroyers for 3 hours. The crew was doing all it could to stop the flooding throughout the boat, but the batteries were destroyed and the aft was sinking too fast. After a heavy landing on the sea bottom the crew was still trying to stop the water, they were unsuccessful however and the boat was once again bombed. U382 was lost.

May 1943, Ersnt Blauert was patrolling around al 29. After not getting any contacts but planes and warships he is still undecided on what to do next. Convoys seem to catch us before we even get close, or they simply disappear. RAF isn't making things easy as well. But it is too early to go home, we still have a full tank and not one used torpedo.

U633 is asking for advice from fellow Kaleuns.

[Gargamel]

This Career will not go well.

AUGUST.


1939.

Shake down cruise in U-23 (IIa) Started off well enough. Passing the Laboe Memorial:

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/1770/sh3img63201120596109.png

(U-23 On right, with a patrol boat. Another returning type II on the left)

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/4063/sh3img63201121048406.png



Then while practicing firing solutions on some merchy's, I accidentally fire an eel at a British ore carrier, sigh. Might as well finish her off now.

While still a bad boy, I fire a 3 eel spread at a Large merchant, only to find I set the eels way too deep.

On my way back into Kiel, approaching Brunsbuttel, High TC leads me to get run over by another British Ore Carrier. Bad things happen for the boat and the crew.

Already buried the dead crew:

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/7518/sh3img632011225058344.png


So.... I get mad and fire off some rounds with the flak gun at the moron who ran me over.

Well...... this made the German boats in the port mad too. So they started shooting at me.

But..... they kinda shot each other, and got mad, and started shooting everything.

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/8876/sh3img6320112243231.png

The patrol craft (behind the crane) and the landing craft are actually shooting each other right now.


I'm currently, at scope depth, skulking my way up the canal. Debating whether to return to Kiel and face the court martial, or just open the hatch now.

[krashkart]

Oh man. I've pulled some doozies in the game but that really takes the cake, Gargamel. :rotfl2:

[Gargamel]

Oh man. I've pulled some doozies in the game but that really takes the cake, Gargamel. :rotfl2:


Well..... I got promoted and the injured guy got the wound badge. And 14 guys got the war badge (pre war???)

[krashkart]

Well..... I got promoted and the injured guy got the wound badge. And 14 guys got the war badge (pre war???)

Yeah, for some reason the game issues certain things before they are historically available. OTOH you did inadvertently start a battle, and survived, so technically the war badges are applicable. :yeah:

Good to hear that your valiant efforts weren't in vain. :D:salute:

[Gereke]

Cue the Benny Hill music... :D

[Snestorm]

Presently in Grid AM35 (A safe distance from the flak gun of U23 IIA).

Working on the return leg of a successful patrol. Went as far as AM53 and hung a u-turn.
4 merchants (1 in convoy) and 2 auxilary vessels sunk for 21.603 GRT. 1 torpedo of 11 remaining (the external stern tube).

Used the deck gun on the 2 auxilaries, which earned me 2 detections.
We were doing very well with the aircaft situation prior to that.
Daylight runs on the surface are not a good idé at the moment.
Looks like we may be out here a-little longer than expected.

[ediko]

What a patrol. Got near Gibraltar, sank a lone merchant. Found a Brazilian convoy of 3 ships, sunk them all. Got behind a huge British convoy, couldn't keep up so decided to intercept it in 3 days. Got into my calculated spot, 4 days later- nothing. Searched some more, still nothing. Found another US convoy. Got into a great position to shoot at Aquitania.... all missed... pissed as hell decided to venture into Gibraltar itself, after a few hours at 160m got about 12km close. Spotted a Nelson and a Boque. Decided Nelson needs to check how deep it was, fired 4 torpedoes from 11,8km. No one noticed me, I was watching Nelson hit the bottom with his front.... then nothing for 8 hours. I only had 2 T3's left witch only have 5km range, no way I can get that close. Left for home and docked with measly tonnage, knowing that I could have gone home like a hero, at least the boys are all fine and the boat is in perfect condition, except that it lacks loads of upgrades... Someone at BDU sure doesn't like me, can't even get a sonar and batteries :nope:

[VONHARRIS]

New career has just began.
I got my new shiny IXB (U-122) with her new skin on December 1 1939.
After 3 days at sea, I set course for AM25 which was my patrol grid.

I am very lucky so far as I have sunk 3 merchants with gunfire , two more with torpedoes and two RN destroyers (one by pure luck)

Current position AM53 looking for targets in 15m/sec winds , mostly submerged doing hydrophone checks.
Crew is performing very well earning valuable experience.

[Snestorm]

4.okt.39 U28 VII(A) docked at Wilhelmhaven after sinking 6 enemy vessels for 21.603 GRT.
(Two of the sinking were only auxilaries sunk with gunfire in AM53).

BDU tells me that my career began on "0/0/0", and gave no credit for the sinkings.
On my patrol summary no renown is given, but 1470 new renown found their way into my "account". No medals this time either.

Hope the career doesn't have to be scrapped.

[Gerald]

4.okt.39 U28 VII(A) docked at Wilhelmhaven after sinking 6 enemy vessels for 21.603 GRT.
(Two of the sinking were only auxilaries sunk with gunfire in AM53).

BDU tells me that my career began on "0/0/0", and gave no credit for the sinkings.
On my patrol summary no renown is given, but 1470 new renown found their way into my "account". No medals this time either.

Hope the career doesn't have to be scrapped. But BdU send credit otherwise,in the end anyway, it will be good, you should see.

[Snestorm]

But BdU send credit otherwise,in the end anyway, it will be good, you should see.

I think I'll try for patrol 2 and see what happens, unless somebody on the other thread advises differently. (It's just a VII(A) patrol so far, without a big time investment).

[Gerald]

I usually "normal" never start as early as September, in December tend to be part, as a IXB can be delivered, yes.