Balao, unfair advantage?

[Bubblehead1980]

I will admit I have not used the Balao too much in TMO, I usually go with a Gato in 43 and 44 but decided for a change to use a Balao starting in June 1944.First patrol off Hokkaido was decent, about 14k down but no convoys or escort ships so no evading DD's.Second patrol in September 1944 in Luzon Strait has been different, two different convoys evading their escorts, I attack and sink, then go deep, usually level off at 550 feet and only once has one came close to finding me at that depth, they usually lose me once I get below 400 feet or so, even in ideal sonar conditions.Not complaining just seems deep diving boat like Balao takes some of the challenge out, then again I may have just been lucky thus far:arrgh!:

OHH the irony haha....

Looks like I spoke a bit too soon.Found a lone large troopship with an Akizuki and Yugumo DD escorting, had a great early morning submerged approach going(Akizuki had radar so night surface was out) While at 100 feet and silent running, preparing to go up to scope depth and for shooting, the small convoy made a zig that put them too close to me, seas were flat calm, knew the lead escort would hear me since hed come about 800 yards from me, sure enough he started pinging, I let him run in and think I was staying at 100 feet, as he neared I ordered ahead flank and went to 200 feet, then popped back up, worked a quickie solution and fired 4 of 6 remaining Mark 14's at the transport, two hit but two missed.The Akizuki then closed in and forced me deep.I went all the way to 615 feet and they were still landing charges pretty close, was no doubt delaing with A team.After 4 tries, a lucky charge caused 70 percent damage to stern torpedo room bulkhead, also damaged compressor, 3 stern tubes, destroyed one stern tube and port prop shaft had 90% damage.Flooding occuringI went to flank speed and ordered a climb to 300 feet and put the DC party to work.For the next 4 hours real time, I endured 10 more depth charge attacks, avoiding them by yo-yo'ng up and down while fighting to keep boat from going too deep by the stern due to the flooding.Finally they mustve been convinced they killed me, after 4 hours they left the area.One of the more intense attacks i've had in TMO lately.Made repairs and sank a large coastal freighter the next night, then headed home with 37,000 tons down and awarded the Navy Cross.Good patrol

Balao's are top notch.

[JoeCorrado]

Great reading! Congrats on your narrow escape. You probably ran head on into one of Duci's elite destroyers. Your Balao probably saved your bacon! :rock:

[sergei]

Good report. :salute:

Like you said, looks like you ran into the A Team.
The Balao sounds like a fine sub.
Looking forward to being given one to command.

[Armistead]

I find with the Balao, you can go deep, but you have to use some speed to keep it from going to the sink. Seems around 700 ft it becomes difficult to control, but at least it won't implode. Doesn't seem to matter how deep you go, charges often explode at your depth. Like you, when they drop, I'll go deeper or even shallower. It almost seems they set the depth of the charges when they speed up.

Well, I paused last night when the Yamato with 4 DD's was east of Saipan heading to Truk, see if I can get the sucker.

[Bubblehead1980]

I find with the Balao, you can go deep, but you have to use some speed to keep it from going to the sink. Seems around 700 ft it becomes difficult to control, but at least it won't implode. Doesn't seem to matter how deep you go, charges often explode at your depth. Like you, when they drop, I'll go deeper or even shallower. It almost seems they set the depth of the charges when they speed up.

Well, I paused last night when the Yamato with 4 DD's was east of Saipan heading to Truk, see if I can get the sucker.

I have figured out that they set their final depth setting on the charges when they stop pinging and are about to run overhead to drop, that is when I order a depth change, already at flank speed because their props are covering up the noise your sub is making.So say you are at 300 feet, when the incoming escort stops pinging and is roaring overhead, he's set his charges for 300 feet and in that general vicinity(noticed when i had external cam on, some explode at your depth, others 10-20 feet or so above and below, bracketing pattern basically.Have found when already at flank speed and order a large depth change via the depth gauge, say push it all the way to 450, so they put the planes on hard dive, youll gain depth quickly, then simply order a level atsay 350 feet if you were at 300 feet, of course you need to get this done quickly and try to get your stern from sticking up or a lucky charge may get it while your on your way down, it works though.I dont do this every run because some escorts are smart enough to figure this tactic out if use it enough, they have nailed me when I used it too many times in a row.

I found my sub holding600-620 feet fairly well with only 1 knot, didnt sink fast so it was nice, nice to know can go that deep though. True in RL IJN charges couldnt explode that deep but it would take away from TMO if all had to do was go deep and they couldnt touch you.

Yamato sighted? August 42? August 42 the Flying Fish spotted Yamato near Truk in august 42 and fired,they thought some torpedos hit but they prematured and Flying Fish was depth charged all day for their efforts.Thing is they didnt have Yamato in the rec manual so didnt know it was such a prize, just knew she was a big battlewagon.

Running TMO and RSRD I assume? good luck, let us know how it goes.

[Armistead]

One dead Yamato of course. Then went to Bismark, the convoys really roll through there in Feb of 44, fought three large convoys one after the other.

Last one 3 fat tankers. The decks were loaded with boxes and probably full of oil, because I've had few explosions like that. One explosion sunk the leading escort 500 yards or so in his front.

The bad thing...at 600ft an escort hit a perfect bullseye. I hit flank and dived deeper as he came over, what a lucky run,,,one hit...dead.

[Raven79]

Now that you mention it.. two additional cents maybe:
I found it to be easier to go emergency-up than emergency-down in that situation. Engine at flank is loud enough, who cares about blow ballast sounds then. Just catch the boat below 90 or you'll end up scratching their ship. A little rudder with it and they may even lose you.
If you feel lucky, open a tube and send a quick fish on it's way down 180, too, while you're up there. If they lost you, make it an aimed shot on your main target instead.
Gain depth again if pinged again.
That way getting one hit won't sink you right away, as the pressure on the hull isn't that big up there. Plus, one can ignore the hull damage that's reducing one's maximum depth immediately -> no additional pressure damage because one is suddenly too deep.
Stressful maneuvers, yes. But should allow you much more initiative in combat.

[Laconic]

In war, an unfair advantage is typically referred to as "victory." Unless you somehow manage to lose, in which case it's called a "war crime."