September '42 - Station

[Doenitz2008]

Which is a better station in September '42. Brisbane, or TF 3/51/71?

Thanks

[Hylander_1314]

I prefer Brisbane, because of the ops in the Solomons and that area. I love "derailing" the Tokyo Express! Destroyers are so much fun to go up against! Especially when the odds are really stacked against you.

If you camp out around Cape Esperanse by Savo Island, you can also get a front row seat to some surface battles, and harrass the Japanese enough that the American surface vessels can have a field day with them.

[torpedobait]

How does one get stationed at Brisbane? Do you have to have a particular class of sub? If I start in Manila, I always get sent to Perth-Fremantle.

Thanks!

[Armistead]

I always start from Manila, eventually you will end up in Fremantle. You are limited to older boats. You have to turn down new boats or you end up in Pearl. Eventually you'll be able to transfer to Brisbane, but seems it's late 42. Can't remember the date, but eventually you can take a new boat down south, probably about the time Brisbane becomes available.

Many that play RSRD prefer down south, because all the real action is there through mid 43, cept Midway. Many of the larger convoys are in the China Sea area. Still, out of Midway you can catch a lot of shipping headed south.

[HMCS]

I just completed a patrol around November 14 '42 in the slot - the Japs sent this large convoy of large merchie troopships with about half a dozen DD's; the Cactus Airforce lit them up but all I could get was one that dead in the water. I got banged around quite a bit by the tincans but managed to escape. Icing on the kill was that I rescued four airmen from the water.

That always makes for a good day.

[Armistead]

The big action is near Savo Nov 12-14, several large TF, convoys, surface battles, etc..come nightly for several nights in a row. Sometimes you may have several TF scattered out east and west of Savo, so look around some. Some groups come from Shortland, but some big BB groups come from that north gap west of Tulagi. Don't forget several US TF will be in the mix giving battle, so don't shoot the good guys.