Jackpot.

[Enigma]

The morning of April 9th, 1942. Silently, I crawl into Loch Ewe. As i turn the corner into the harbor entrance, the sonar lights up with at least 5 warship contacts in port. This can only mean one thing.

Sure enough.....

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/8269/carrier9ih.th.png (http://img130.imageshack.us/my.php?image=carrier9ih.png)

Ill use the day to make my approach and set myself up for a barrage of torps. Then ill wait until nightfall before dropping her. Its going smoothly getting in, but its going to be hell getting out....

[squigian]

We salute your memory. What would you like on your tombstone(?) :P

[Ducimus]

Assuming your sitting there, about to fire, id be planning my escape route. I'd be asking myself the following:


How deeps the water inside the harbor?

How many patrols within the harbor? Why type of ships are the interior harbor patrols? How many patrols are guarding the approach to harbor?

What kind of protective measures do you have to pass (again) when exiting the harbor?

How deep is the water outside the harbor?


Lastly, how rough is the weather?


Obviously the big decision here is a surfaced or submerged getaway. In 1942, chances are you'll be picked up by radar. if the interior harbor guards are lightweights, like PT boats or an armed trawler, you might be able to risk a high speed dash to just outside the harbor entrence if the water is deep enough. Any exterior harbor guards are going to come running, so that might negate that option right there if the water outside the harbor is shallow. .

If the weather is rough enough, you might be able to sneak out of the harbor submerged, espiecally if the water is like 30 meters or so. If its 12 meters your in a world of ****. etc etc. Ideally you don't want them to get a good fix on you at all. Surfacing will do that. On the other hand , you might not be able to hide and creep out of that harbor, depending on the depth of the harbor and the weather (rough makes for poor sonar conditions, but also makes for impossible submerged travel in shallow water, you'll keep slamming the bottom.) .

keep bouncing the conditions of the situation back and forth , weigh your options and you'll formulate a plan.

Good luck, your gonna need it :P

[Keelbuster]

As I remember, Lock Ewe has a back door. On your way out go East then North, around a small strip of island. You can pass behind it at PD, and I doubt the escorts will find you there. Maybe hang out htere till things chill, and then bail at PD. Remember there two minefields at the entry to that port.

Kb :-?

[Enigma]

the back door is blocked by a sub net. Im in position to fire now, and will be firing here in a few minutes. Ive backed myself into a corner of the harbor to get the best possible angle on the carrier. Right now there are two C class destroyers guarding the escape route, and one Fiji Light Cruiser moored on the path of the exit. Im going to have to fight the Class C's I beleive. The fiji should stay put. Theres a T3 here too. Call me crazy, but im going after that once I drop this fat carrier.

Here we go. ill let you all know how it goes.... :stare:

[ParaB]

So?

:o

Report status!

[Ducimus]

Right now there are two C class destroyers guarding the escape route, and one Fiji Light Cruiser moored on the path of the exit.

He may be anchored, but he will still fire on if he see's you. Your chances of a successful quick break on the surface just got ALOT slimmer. Hope that water isnt too shallow.

[bigboywooly]

If I remember correctly the water depth is about 18 mtr at Loch Ewe :o

[andy_311]

Carrier docked in Loch Ewe ? HT1.47 I think not GW depending what year your in watch your back I did this before in 1.47 and it caught me unaware a TF sailing in the Nelson a KG and a lot of escorts. just be careful.

[squigian]

I reckon he's currently engaged in a desperate battle to avoid the destroyers.

[Keelbuster]

the back door is blocked by a sub net.

Hmm...not on my SCR (NYGM TW 1.03). I got Nelson through the back door in 39 or 40. On the other hand, having looked at the SCR, by 45 the entry to Lock Ewe is totally blocked by mines and subnets - you have to enter on the surface unless you think you have a knack for navigating minefields. I keep withing that we had HF active sonar to identify mines, etc.

Kb

[Yahoshua]

Pewrhaps one thing I should point out is that if you're going to go ahead with this op, MEMORIZE how long it takes for each "section" of patrolling dd's it takes to get to the closest point on their partol leg to you. So you can time your torps to strike the boat when the dd's are farthest from you. Buys you a little time (maybe 30 seconds) but that could make all the difference if you want to get out of ther alive.

[Ducimus]

We should start placing bets on this :88)

[Enigma]

We made it, boys. We made it. :up:

4 Torps took down the Carrier. I had one C class moving away but still close by, and the other was backing his boat into the harbor looking for me. I sat tight, as he was going to cross directly infront of where I was hiding....

*PING! PING! PING!*

He made a fatal mistake and backed that boat clear across my path. I put one torp into him. I was worried because he was only 311 meteres ahead, I figured the torp was going to bounce off. But, it broke his back. With that, I made a quick exit from the main port and swung a hard left to hug the wall and headed for the T3. A nearby anchored Clemson managed to pop a dew flak gun round into me when i poked my scope up to target the T3, but i dropped the scope right away and damage was minimal. Took 3 more torps to drop the Tanker, but sink she did. Then i ran silent all the way to the shoreline south of the harbor. I was in the clear. The other C was looking for me near the tanker, and never detected me at all. I snuck halfway out of the harbor and was parralel with the Fiji I had seen on the way in. I couldnt resist. I turned my tail on her and fired 2. Both struck, and she leaned heavily over to her port side. 2 more torps issued the Coup De grace.

We sailed out for hours under silent running while all types of destroyers searched for us, but I was never detected again. I escaped into open waters and finally surfaced far enough away that i knew I was safe. All in all, my 13th and best patrol of this career. We came home with a boat in perfect order, and 80299 tons sunk. :up:

[andy_311]

Just had a look to make certain No Carriers in LE in my .SCR only ones's I found were in Scapa and the open sea and Iv'e trashed two so far in my present career and it's only early 41 and for LE don't go there anymore that Nelson always there sink her and go back and she still there that.s wrong.

[Ducimus]

Grats!

I turned my tail on her and fired 2. Both struck,

Taking a type 9 uboat into a shallow harbor? Ballsy..... very ballsy :D

[Enigma]

Im a maniac. :up:

[squigian]

Im a maniac. :up:

That's for sure :-j

[JSalinger]

Ballsy?! That's nuts!

Still, excellent job Herr Kaleun.

I ran into a TF W of Narvik yesterday in my VIIB out of Kiel (mid April of 1940). Sank a Fiji light cruiser and two destroyers that were screening a Revenge BB and 2x Nelson BBs (was shooting for the the lead BB, the Revenge BB). If only I'd had a IXB, I could have swung around a popped off a couple more fish at him. :: pouts:: Still, had about, oh, 50,000 tons (I was fading away pretty fast mental awareness wise) when I got back to Kiel, having sank a couple T3s and a troop transport earlier.

Congratulations again! Glory to the Unterseebootwaffe!

[HunterICX]

:up: Just grab the ships at the port by the balls and pull them underwater :smug:

[Enigma]

Ballsy?! That's nuts!

Haha...what can I say, i do it often. I just treat her like my old VIIB :up: