JohnVicres
04-03-20, 06:11 PM
Before you ask, no, it's not the sub that is unlucky, it's not even about luck: I'm the problem. As in, I'm the worst captain of the BdU who, if not for my superhuman time-bending reload-saves powers, should've died on the first patrol...
Anyway, there I was patrolling near the Canaries, when suddenly a big convoy is spotted nearby: it will supposedly pass West of Madeira, on it's way North. So I put my U-boat in an intercept course, do some hidrophone magic (guesstimating their position given the hidro's max range and repeated checks for engine noise), and pretty much do the positioning thing by the book: I save the game in front of the convoy, ready to sneak in from the side and blow ships up.
But then the circus begins...
First Attempt:
First, I nearly overshot the convoy, because I went a bit too far West. Thank God that the forward escort started shooting at me, otherwise I would've skipped right past them! After "calmly" diving and somehow bamboozling the frigate, I try and torpedo it: the torpedo bounces (set for impact, too deep). The frigate is now extremely freaked out, but since it was a T-II and they were already unsure of my position, they head even further away from me (so, all as planned). At this point, I'm headed into the square middle of the convoy, and start selecting targets. I pick a nice fat merchant, since the big tankers are obstructed for me, and start measuring but then -WHAT IS THAT GIANT BOW HEADED RIGHT TOWARDS ME OH GOD REVERSE- a merchant almost tore my conning tower clear off with it's bow, which passed like 1m above my deck, some centimeters away from the 105mm cannon. Then it passes, all is fine, I fire the torpedoes at the merchant, they don't detonate.
Second Attempt:
This time I knew where to find the convoy, so I submerged beforehand and sneaked past the escorts right into the tankers' path! Again, picked the biggest fellas, measured everything nice, set the torpedoes up, fired them: they bounced. Because I set them at the specific bottom level of the tankers, not slightly below it.
WELL, I SAY, ONE MORE TIME!
Third Attempt:
Same as second, but now I set the torpedoes right(ish), 2 salvos of 2 at 2 different targets: one large cargo, one modern tanker. Tanker is hit by both, explodes majestically, cargo's misses. "Finally," I think, "I hit the damned convoy. Now let's leave and go on with the patrol!"
But then I was chased some 3mins by a frigate before a depth charge landed right on top of my aft deck and merrily detonated my ass. Big sigh, close the game, will try again some other time.
In conclusion... hope y'all have a laugh with this, I did (a lot, maybe nervously). I love this game even though I suck, and every time I fail this bad, I can at least learn something new!
Sail safe, don't get rammed by merchants because of inattentiveness!
Anyway, there I was patrolling near the Canaries, when suddenly a big convoy is spotted nearby: it will supposedly pass West of Madeira, on it's way North. So I put my U-boat in an intercept course, do some hidrophone magic (guesstimating their position given the hidro's max range and repeated checks for engine noise), and pretty much do the positioning thing by the book: I save the game in front of the convoy, ready to sneak in from the side and blow ships up.
But then the circus begins...
First Attempt:
First, I nearly overshot the convoy, because I went a bit too far West. Thank God that the forward escort started shooting at me, otherwise I would've skipped right past them! After "calmly" diving and somehow bamboozling the frigate, I try and torpedo it: the torpedo bounces (set for impact, too deep). The frigate is now extremely freaked out, but since it was a T-II and they were already unsure of my position, they head even further away from me (so, all as planned). At this point, I'm headed into the square middle of the convoy, and start selecting targets. I pick a nice fat merchant, since the big tankers are obstructed for me, and start measuring but then -WHAT IS THAT GIANT BOW HEADED RIGHT TOWARDS ME OH GOD REVERSE- a merchant almost tore my conning tower clear off with it's bow, which passed like 1m above my deck, some centimeters away from the 105mm cannon. Then it passes, all is fine, I fire the torpedoes at the merchant, they don't detonate.
Second Attempt:
This time I knew where to find the convoy, so I submerged beforehand and sneaked past the escorts right into the tankers' path! Again, picked the biggest fellas, measured everything nice, set the torpedoes up, fired them: they bounced. Because I set them at the specific bottom level of the tankers, not slightly below it.
WELL, I SAY, ONE MORE TIME!
Third Attempt:
Same as second, but now I set the torpedoes right(ish), 2 salvos of 2 at 2 different targets: one large cargo, one modern tanker. Tanker is hit by both, explodes majestically, cargo's misses. "Finally," I think, "I hit the damned convoy. Now let's leave and go on with the patrol!"
But then I was chased some 3mins by a frigate before a depth charge landed right on top of my aft deck and merrily detonated my ass. Big sigh, close the game, will try again some other time.
In conclusion... hope y'all have a laugh with this, I did (a lot, maybe nervously). I love this game even though I suck, and every time I fail this bad, I can at least learn something new!
Sail safe, don't get rammed by merchants because of inattentiveness!