Thank you for suggesting Loch Ewe!

[CybrSlydr]

I rarely ever go into ports. Just doesn't seem like a good way to spend my time. I like patrolling for convoys.

This time, however, BdU gave me a dumb patrol quadrant - clear down about the equator along the coast of Africa. And I'm in a VIIB sailing from Lorient! No fun.... So I said screw it and thought I'd go check out Loch Ewe.

Well, things were in my favor as it was turning dark as I was approaching the entrance. Running at PD, I ran into and over a subnet (those really work :up: ). Slight damage to my bow torpedo tubes.

I keep going straight in and run into/over ANOTHER subnet (really a deterrant, aren't they?... :-j ) with minimal damage again.

By now it's dark and I decide to head to the northern side of the Loch first.

I scout around with my UZO and see nothing.

I continue southward, looking for anything.

I see a parked Trawler or two, and nothing else.

HOLY SMOKES!!! HUGE SHIP AHOY!!! I've never seen one this large before, so I HAD to get a better look. That's when I saw the Red Crosses. D'oh! Glad I didn't shoot first... Looks like an Auxilary Cruiser. HUGE! First time I've seen one!

So, I keep looking.

I spy 2 or 3 American cargo ships (it's May 1941, so I can't destroy them yet... can I? They haven't entered the war yet, that much I know, so I leave 'em alone) and not much else.

Figuring this was a complete waste of my time, I continue southward and turn to head back to sea.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spy another ship - looks like maybe a cruiser moored, so I turn back and creep towards it.

Holy CRAP! A Nelson BB and a Fiji Light Cruiser!!!

Crapping my pants, I go to PD and order Silent Running and stop my engiens. Great - a Cruiser and a BB - and me already damaged!

I wait about 30min and nothing happens. I can't believe it!

The ships are sitting like so.....

<----------------> <-- Fiji

<-----------------> <-- Nelson


So, I go to the TDC and set all my eels for impact detonators (SOP nowadays) and slow so they'll have enough time to arm.

I pick a spot about 3/4 of the way down the Nelson and fire off 3 torps.

Lucky me! (or not, depending on how you look at it) The Nelson goes up in spectacular fashion after only two of the torps impact, the 3rd detonating meaninglessly in the same spot as the first two.

I steer 90deg right to get around the half-sunk hull of the Nelson and fire into the Fiji.

Sure enough, 3 torps, two impacts and she goes down. YAY!

With no more fore-torps left, I start to head out. I then spy a British cargo ship and decide to put a few stern torps into 'em. Two torps and 25 min later, she sinks and I'm on my way home.

Netted me over 50k Tons that time around - can't beat it with a stick!

I think I'm going to Loch Ewe more often!

:rock: :ping:

[squigian]

Good job! Lucky not every u-boat achieved something like that during the war ;)

[JSalinger]

Mr. Churchill really must not like you. LOL Congratulations Herr Kaleun!

[CybrSlydr]

I'd say Churchill doesn't like me!

This is the... 2nd. Nelson I've destroyed along with a Southampton Light Cruiser, a Revenge-Class Battleship AND the Fiji Light Cruiser. (EDIT: Just checked my Log - 2 BBs and 3 Cruisers along with obscene merchant tonnage - lol)

Can't wait until I get my IX-C! Unfortunately, it's now June of 1941 and still don't see it as a selectable option in the Uboat page. :(

[Von Taticus]

type IXC is available in the 2nd flotila from early 40's

GW mod.

[CybrSlydr]

I'm in the 2nd. Flotte (selected it when I started the career) with the GW 1.0, the 1.1 Update, Overlay & 1024 Fix, GW + NYGM and Real Battery Life.

So far I can only select the VIIB, VIIC and IXB.

It's currently June 6th, 1941.

[Zyco]

Congrats! Nothing beats finding a prize ship or two sitting at dock!

[JSalinger]

Go for the IXB. :D Pig boat, but hey, six torpedo tubes, plus the ability to go to the US eastern seaboard, the Carribean, and the South Atlantic? ::smacks lips:: I can't wait until it becomes available for me (Jan. '40).

[CybrSlydr]

I've been sooo tempted to pick up that IXB... Oh so tempted.... But, I've waited this long, so I think I'll wait for the IXC.

Question... I'm using the above stated mods - the "cost" for upgrades no longer appears on the Uboat screen. Is this normal?...

[zpn09]

Ehhh, do you need a mod to catch ships in ports?
I've been to 3 ports and in every single one it's just plain empty, not even a trawler...

[CybrSlydr]

Honestly.... I dunno. lol I never went into ports with vanilla SH3. :rotfl:

[Umfuld]

Ehhh, do you need a mod to catch ships in ports?Not at all. I never saw many merchents, but Scapa Flow for instance always has four or five destroyers patroling.

Maybe 20% of the time there'd be a capital ship.

[zpn09]

Patroling yes, but I never saw any docked ships...
Can you encounter docked ships in ports??

[Umfuld]

I think I'll wait for the IXC

Change IXC to F-50 and you've got yourself a Roger Waters lyric.

Haha.

[Umfuld]

Well, parked, but not docked. If you know what I mean.

They (destroyers, carriers, cruisers) were parked to the W or E, 6 or 7Km away from the actual docks.


Edit: Lots of docked ships in the mods! :up:

[bigboywooly]

yes you can come across docked ships

they can be sunk but difficult as they are normally backed inbetween concrete walls

I have always found a bow shot about half mtr under and magnetic does the job but check sea floor on some of the bigger draught ships to make sure you can fire one under but there are quite a few in various ports


I am running the grey wolves mod but seem to remember I did come across some in the stock game

Go Getem :rock:

[JSalinger]

One phrase: Harbor Traffic Mod! :D

[andy_311]

I like Loch Ewe am always in there given the chance usually early 1940 nice to start a career takeing out a BB.,then I try to go in 45 only managed it twice in 45 and she's there again in 45 with 2 cruisers(Nelson).

[Umfuld]

I got two battleships in my two trips in there since doing GW.

The last one I got the kill from 12,000m. Didn't even have to go into the port at all.

Cake. :up:

[CybrSlydr]

I've not visited Ewe for about 4 patrols - I think I'll stop by and see who's home. :up: :rock:

[JSalinger]

Now Umfuld, how in the heck did you make a kill from 12,000 meters?! That's 36,000 feet! 36,000 feet=cruising altitude of a Boeing 737 jetliner.

[Eichenlaub]

After my recent queries concerning the value of sailing into ports, I decided to attack Loch Ewe myself. I got killed every time though. For some reason, they can spot my VIIC at PD and fire up a horrendous amount of shells. :hmm:

If I had survived however, I would have reaped great benefits. A Fiji, an American Evart (this was in '42 so fair game), A River DE, a T3 Tanker and an Illustrious Fleet Carrier plus some other minor warships. Problem was that the Fleet carrier was hemmed in by walls, making her almost impervious to torpedo attacks. :hulk:

Some ships were parked, others were docked. Docked ships do not have to be problematic, as they can be docked with their broadsides to you, but once they are in the ports, with their bows to you, sinking them will be difficult.

Anyway, I shall try again real soon, when the weather gets worse and the nights last longer. The early sun may have given me too little time to penetrate and exfiltrate. This is a winter mission! :doh:

I am curious as well: how can some one locate, let alone destroy a ship at 12,000 m.?

Kind regards,

Eichenlaub

[Umfuld]

Now Umfuld, how in the heck did you make a kill from 12,000 meters

Well look, I don't do metric. So whatever the 12.5km means. I thought it was kilo meters. But really, I don't even know if there's such a thing as kilometers. I may have just made that up.

So whatever the 12,000 it said as a range. Whatever that means, that's how far.

Gosh.

:P

[CybrSlydr]

Ok, I think it's bugged.

I went back in and guess what - another Nelson and Fiji, but the Red Cross ship was gone and a British Cargo was there.

There's no way there are these many Nelson BBs. I've already destroyed 5 of 'em.

I don't think I'm going back to Loch Ewe the rest of this career. :(

[Umfuld]

Yeah, that was my feeling after the second one.

But man I'll tell ya, if you don't know where the mines are, you really are taking a big risk going into a port. So if you want to chance it, at least there's a payoff.
I'm not going back, I don't think.

[CybrSlydr]

lol You know.... I've never run into a mine. I'm usually going in when it's dark or foggy, I can sail on the surface almost 2/3 of the way in, never spotted, go to PD and line up those ships.

I then surface and Ahead Flank it out, PDing only when shore units engage.

How's Fifth of Clyde or whatever it is?...

[andy_311]

There were only 2 Nelsons built so far I have took out around 4 two more than were built plus I know of 2 area's were the spawn that make 6 which is totally wrong.If 2 were Built then 2 Should turn up in gam not 4,6 etc .

[CybrSlydr]

Yeah, I've taken Loch Ewe out of my "patrol zone".

I think I'm gonna start hanging out around Portugal and North Africa.

[zpn09]

:D
After visiting about 5 ports in england which had absolutely no ships inside (just the patroling warships) I thought that maybe it's because I have an old version. So I check the version and it's 1.0, so I guess it's pretty old. I update to 1.4 go to this port on the eastern side of england (forgot the name). I threw out my sonar guy so his reports wouldn't slow down the time.
I bring up the periscope, go to nav map and BINGO! ships docked :D a T2 tnaker and a C2 cargo. Nothing special but FINALLY SHIPS DOCKED IN PORT! :D :D :D

[JSalinger]

Yeah, I just went in last night on my way back from annoying the British defense of Norway (sunk a C3 cargo, two Black Swan frigates and a Fiji light cruiser up there) and got into Loch Ewe...saw a T3 tanker and a small merchant, but only got the small merchant (torpedo dud on the T3).

Anyone know when the IXB comes available in '40? I want to be able to hit the Arctic convoys, raid a port or three in England, and still have enough fuel to shoot up some stuff.

[CybrSlydr]

It's accessable in 2nd. Flotte rather quickly at the beginning of the game.

If you have SH3 Commander, you can make it your default boat.

[JSalinger]

I've got SH3 Gen (love the intel reports lol), Harbor Traffic 1.47 (or whatever the latest version is), and...Chung's Improved Orders (I think that's what it's called, could be wrong).

EDIT: Got MapMarker v1.1 too. :D