Bubblehead1980
11-17-09, 08:12 PM
I normally play on 100 realism and try to play as historically accurate as possible but at times finding myself using tactics not used in early war(such as staying on surface most of time, setting torpedos to run shallow, firing salvos, going well beyond test depth of older fleet boats etc)
So I decided to start a new career in 1941, use the tactics of the time and see how I faired.The results mirrored real life, oddly enough.
USS Sturgeon-Salmon Class Manila, Philippines December 1941 TMO 1.7 100 realism.
Departed for patrol area of Northern Luzon.Dove just after dawn each day for periscope patrol at 2 knots, surfaced each night and headed for patrol area at 12 knots.On December 11 at 0342, reports of ship spotted, went to GQ.
Soon found I was heading into a large Task Force, could make out large ships in center column, most likely cruisers or battleships.Raced ahead at flank speed, estimated TF speed to be 14 knots.Following tactics of time, dove for night periscope attack(night surface was not used at this point by US subs)
At 0548,not dawn but some light in sky, making easier to use scope in control roon.Could see two Kongo Battleships and other unidentified capital ships as well as many DD's in several columns.Closing in at ahead 1/3 speed, prepared to fire all four bow tubes set to 35 feet(sticking to history, they didnt know they would run deep at this time) from 2600 yards fired all four torpedos, then began making a turn to set up stern tubes, dropped scope.33 seconds after firing, heard an explosion, up scope, could see the enemy ships were alerted due to signals flashing, star shells and evasive movements.As I moved scope on the Kongo, heard an explosion and saw a huge plume of water, premature explosion.Soon pinging started and DD's were closing, I went deep, last two torpedos missed.:damn:
Ordered of 250 feet and silent running....DD's droppedas I passed 200 feet, first salvo was prety accurate,shook boat viloently and caused 25 percent damage to bulkhead in engine room, minor flooding as continued down to 250 feet and leveled off.Two more attacks were close but could tell charges exploded above my sub, good news.Others attacked but charges were not close enough to do damage.Eventually I slipped away and stayed down until dusk.
Disappointed, continued patrol up coast.On December 17 on a full moon night, reports of ships spotted, sounds General Quarters.Dove for night scope attack.Soon found had a large merchant escorted by a single escort.Once DD was closer, could see it fairly well in moonlight and the merchant as well, turned out to be a Fubuki DD escorting a large tanker(Nippon Maru) making 15 knots.Following doctrine of time, readied two torpedos set to run under the keel at 33 feet(draft of 28) and fired.First one must have ran deep, could see the wake pass at middle of target, the second blew up aft just under the stack, which set off a huge explosion 6 seconds later, causing the tanker to break in half.I went to 250 feet, DD never located me, even in calm seas.
Three days later, at 0500, reports of warships spotted, could see three ships in a single column, raced ahead to ready for dawn scope attack.Once the sun was up, dove ahead and turned off plotted track for stern tube attack.Raised scope, could three a full sized destroyer and two smaller craft, I had an ASW group.As I was about to give the order to go deep, saw the two small vessels break off and head for me, followed by the DD.The two small ones were Auxillary subchaser, the other was an unknown type of DD.I went to Silent Running and 250 feet, turned off their track, which initially worked but I was not the hunted:down:
After waiting it out, pinging started and could hear the slow motor of an aux subchaser over me, splashes then moments later, explosions, which made loud thuds on my hull.They were set shallow and were close by, but not close enough.Soon the second AS was on me, more charges, still set shallow.More charges, not near me.Then could hear them closing again, 8 splashes(prob from both, wishing i had external cam on so could see them) followed by eigh explosions, boat shook violently, they were close, way too close, but no damage.
Normally I would just go deeper but sticking with history, in this old pre war fleetboat, staying at test depth as most skippers did.More attacks, more close charges, but no damage.They obviously had my depth and general location but not exactly, perhaps my slow constant turn was working to throw them off.
Soon what sounded like a freight train was closing with pinging and then overhead, this was that DD.Surprisingly, no charges dropped.The subchasers returned and dropped more charges, some close but no damage.After a while they seemed to have lost me but hunted me for 6 more hours, then broke off.Rather tense moments:shifty:Surfaced and recharged batteries that night, continued days of submerged patrol and night surface runs.
At 1300 on December 22, after crash dive to avoid aircraft and taking bombs which caused no damage, sound reported merchant contact.Air cover? Or just happened to be flying in the area.Went to GQ and closed the ship submerged based on sound info, went up to periscope depth when sonar ping showed target at 7000 yards.Scope observation showed a large ship along, heading my way at moderate speed.Soon indentified the vessel as a Large Modern Passenger/Freighter(created by Miner) making 10.5 knots.
Set torpedos to run under keel and fired two, one for middle of target and one for the forward mast from 1200 yards, textbook set up.Fish was perhaps 40 yards from target, it exploded permaturely, watched through the scope.No report of torpedo impact, ship began hard turn to starboard.Second torpedo passed harmlessly under the ship.Closed at flank speed, fired two more,set to run at at 15 feet and use the backup contact exploder.One hit, but reported as a dud, other missed astern.Went right full rudder for stern shot, fired two fish set for 15 feet.One passed underneath target again, second struck home and toward the stern, target slowed somewhat but continued on.Soon spotted two planes in scope, went deep fast as bombs exploded nearby.
Stayed at 200 feet for 10 minutes, popped up, no planes, fired two newly loaded bow torpedos , both of which missed.Deciding not to waste more fish and with low battery, decided to use deck gun.Surfaced and closed to just 700 yards(early war variant has no deck guns) and attacked with deck gun.Started a fire and put several holes in ship, planes reported on SD radar, forced to dive and stay down, target got away although with heavy damage.
Requested new orders at night after surfacing and battery charge, ordered to area vineyard off Davao Gulf.Moved there at 15 knots when not submerged during daylight, encountering nothing but large storm.
After 4 days and downto 35 percent fuel in area Vineyard, headed for new base at Surabaya, Java and arrived January 12th, 1942.One 10,000 ton freighter sank.
A historically accurate and damanding patrol.following the old tactics of daily periscope patrols is time consuming, slows down transit, burns fuel and lessens chance of contacts since you cover smaller areas.
The torpedo problems were just:damn: but again, stays in line with history.
The depth chargings were intense, having to stay fairly shallow and all.
Fun stuff though, ready for second patrol:salute:
So I decided to start a new career in 1941, use the tactics of the time and see how I faired.The results mirrored real life, oddly enough.
USS Sturgeon-Salmon Class Manila, Philippines December 1941 TMO 1.7 100 realism.
Departed for patrol area of Northern Luzon.Dove just after dawn each day for periscope patrol at 2 knots, surfaced each night and headed for patrol area at 12 knots.On December 11 at 0342, reports of ship spotted, went to GQ.
Soon found I was heading into a large Task Force, could make out large ships in center column, most likely cruisers or battleships.Raced ahead at flank speed, estimated TF speed to be 14 knots.Following tactics of time, dove for night periscope attack(night surface was not used at this point by US subs)
At 0548,not dawn but some light in sky, making easier to use scope in control roon.Could see two Kongo Battleships and other unidentified capital ships as well as many DD's in several columns.Closing in at ahead 1/3 speed, prepared to fire all four bow tubes set to 35 feet(sticking to history, they didnt know they would run deep at this time) from 2600 yards fired all four torpedos, then began making a turn to set up stern tubes, dropped scope.33 seconds after firing, heard an explosion, up scope, could see the enemy ships were alerted due to signals flashing, star shells and evasive movements.As I moved scope on the Kongo, heard an explosion and saw a huge plume of water, premature explosion.Soon pinging started and DD's were closing, I went deep, last two torpedos missed.:damn:
Ordered of 250 feet and silent running....DD's droppedas I passed 200 feet, first salvo was prety accurate,shook boat viloently and caused 25 percent damage to bulkhead in engine room, minor flooding as continued down to 250 feet and leveled off.Two more attacks were close but could tell charges exploded above my sub, good news.Others attacked but charges were not close enough to do damage.Eventually I slipped away and stayed down until dusk.
Disappointed, continued patrol up coast.On December 17 on a full moon night, reports of ships spotted, sounds General Quarters.Dove for night scope attack.Soon found had a large merchant escorted by a single escort.Once DD was closer, could see it fairly well in moonlight and the merchant as well, turned out to be a Fubuki DD escorting a large tanker(Nippon Maru) making 15 knots.Following doctrine of time, readied two torpedos set to run under the keel at 33 feet(draft of 28) and fired.First one must have ran deep, could see the wake pass at middle of target, the second blew up aft just under the stack, which set off a huge explosion 6 seconds later, causing the tanker to break in half.I went to 250 feet, DD never located me, even in calm seas.
Three days later, at 0500, reports of warships spotted, could see three ships in a single column, raced ahead to ready for dawn scope attack.Once the sun was up, dove ahead and turned off plotted track for stern tube attack.Raised scope, could three a full sized destroyer and two smaller craft, I had an ASW group.As I was about to give the order to go deep, saw the two small vessels break off and head for me, followed by the DD.The two small ones were Auxillary subchaser, the other was an unknown type of DD.I went to Silent Running and 250 feet, turned off their track, which initially worked but I was not the hunted:down:
After waiting it out, pinging started and could hear the slow motor of an aux subchaser over me, splashes then moments later, explosions, which made loud thuds on my hull.They were set shallow and were close by, but not close enough.Soon the second AS was on me, more charges, still set shallow.More charges, not near me.Then could hear them closing again, 8 splashes(prob from both, wishing i had external cam on so could see them) followed by eigh explosions, boat shook violently, they were close, way too close, but no damage.
Normally I would just go deeper but sticking with history, in this old pre war fleetboat, staying at test depth as most skippers did.More attacks, more close charges, but no damage.They obviously had my depth and general location but not exactly, perhaps my slow constant turn was working to throw them off.
Soon what sounded like a freight train was closing with pinging and then overhead, this was that DD.Surprisingly, no charges dropped.The subchasers returned and dropped more charges, some close but no damage.After a while they seemed to have lost me but hunted me for 6 more hours, then broke off.Rather tense moments:shifty:Surfaced and recharged batteries that night, continued days of submerged patrol and night surface runs.
At 1300 on December 22, after crash dive to avoid aircraft and taking bombs which caused no damage, sound reported merchant contact.Air cover? Or just happened to be flying in the area.Went to GQ and closed the ship submerged based on sound info, went up to periscope depth when sonar ping showed target at 7000 yards.Scope observation showed a large ship along, heading my way at moderate speed.Soon indentified the vessel as a Large Modern Passenger/Freighter(created by Miner) making 10.5 knots.
Set torpedos to run under keel and fired two, one for middle of target and one for the forward mast from 1200 yards, textbook set up.Fish was perhaps 40 yards from target, it exploded permaturely, watched through the scope.No report of torpedo impact, ship began hard turn to starboard.Second torpedo passed harmlessly under the ship.Closed at flank speed, fired two more,set to run at at 15 feet and use the backup contact exploder.One hit, but reported as a dud, other missed astern.Went right full rudder for stern shot, fired two fish set for 15 feet.One passed underneath target again, second struck home and toward the stern, target slowed somewhat but continued on.Soon spotted two planes in scope, went deep fast as bombs exploded nearby.
Stayed at 200 feet for 10 minutes, popped up, no planes, fired two newly loaded bow torpedos , both of which missed.Deciding not to waste more fish and with low battery, decided to use deck gun.Surfaced and closed to just 700 yards(early war variant has no deck guns) and attacked with deck gun.Started a fire and put several holes in ship, planes reported on SD radar, forced to dive and stay down, target got away although with heavy damage.
Requested new orders at night after surfacing and battery charge, ordered to area vineyard off Davao Gulf.Moved there at 15 knots when not submerged during daylight, encountering nothing but large storm.
After 4 days and downto 35 percent fuel in area Vineyard, headed for new base at Surabaya, Java and arrived January 12th, 1942.One 10,000 ton freighter sank.
A historically accurate and damanding patrol.following the old tactics of daily periscope patrols is time consuming, slows down transit, burns fuel and lessens chance of contacts since you cover smaller areas.
The torpedo problems were just:damn: but again, stays in line with history.
The depth chargings were intense, having to stay fairly shallow and all.
Fun stuff though, ready for second patrol:salute: