Enemy Task Force

[robj250]

Has anyone ever successfully attacked an enemy task force? I have a VIIB fully upgraded with G7a torpedoes. It is night and the winds are 15 m/s July 5 1943. and I think I can intercept them (notified by radio message) they are doing 14 kts. They are in Grid BF19 and so am I.

What are my chances if anyone has ever taken attacked a task force?

[Mooncatt]

lucky you ive never seen a task force lol

[HunterICX]

I've seen one...in 1939 2nd patrol they pass Ireland....an small escort with 2 big Revenge cruisers in it!...but ****load weather saved their asses:nope:

[kiwi_2005]

Yes, and your chances are good. Commanding an IXB July 1942 I attacked a task force in the bay of biscay a few days out from Lorient, in the BF grid. At first i thought it was a pair of merchants i got no radio message warning me of a taskforce in the area, so i gave chase, spotted a escort and dived, went deep, then the sonar started yelling of numerous warship contacts so knew this wasn't no merchant convoy as they were moving to fast,(15knots) later in the hunt i ordered periscope depth, raised the scope and spotted a carrier with 5 escorts surrounding her. I was in a lucky position - ahead of her so all i had to do was sit and wait. She went down with 4 torpedoes in her side. hehe.

In an earlier career commanding a VIIC I managed to attack a taskforce with one Nelson BB and one small carrier, cruising just outside of gibralter heading west and moving fast, but I only managed to damaging the Nelson still she sailed away like nothing happen. Had to dive deep and make my escape there was no hope of chasing her.

[kiwi_2005]

Whoops i clicked on it twice, so deleted this one.

[Threadfin]

In my SH3 careers I've sunk around 30 battleships, maybe half that many cruisers. A few were in ports, but most were at sea. I've not sunk a fleet carrier at sea, but have sunk alot of jeep carriers. I use manual targeting, but it's not so hard because I know the exact speed of the task forces at sea. The difficulty lies in positioning, the shot itself isn't so hard because of the predictability of the target.

If your target is doing 14kts (indicated by the report) it is a carrier, probably a jeep carrier.

[Keelbuster]

Attacking TFs is my favourite part of the game. I try to intercept every TF radio report I get, if it's even remotely possible (this includes screaming across Biscay at flank to catch a TF going south to gibraltar). All tonnage scores aside, I'm happy with a patrol if it involves attacking a TF. I love the shock of discovering too many BBs to attack (i.e. two Nelsons and a Revenge).

As mentioned before, the really tricky thing is getting a fix on their course. I have to admit that I cheat a bit on this - even though i have map contact updates off, i can still find the exact position of a TF from a radio report by 'finding' the circle in that grid square with my mouse cursor. If I have a second radio contact with the same speed and general course, I assume it's a steady course and draw a line between the two readings. This can yield deadly accurate course info. Then I just get there, at maximum speed and lie in wait. My general strategy is to pick one target (the biggest) and make sure I kill or cripple it. Spreading your tubes over two targets tends to result in non-crippling damage. You only get one shot at most TFs, so it's gotta count. On the other hand, your TF is moving so slow that you could outflank it! Slow TFs can be disappointing - like a cruiser or something. One time in the med i found a TF that was doing about 15kts, and it consisted of 3 cruisers. I killed one in the first attack, flanked the TF, and killed the other two in the second attack.

The other nice thing about TFs is that they move so fast that their acoustic detection is poor (i think). So you can travel underwater faster without the same risk. Also, when your torps hit, the TF keeps screaming forward at high speed. If you turn against their direction right after you fire and get a little distance, the majority of the escorts will go too far past your initial position to pose a threat. It's just the rearguard you have to worry about.

TFs are the big candy in this game, for me.

Kb

[VipertheSniper]

Later in the game (with RUB) going out from Bergen I've sunk an Illustrious nearly every patrol, got a bit boring tho...

This carreer I've already sunk 2 Nelsons, one in a daring attack, heavy seas, at 8000m+ with magnetic pistol, and one from perfect position inside the escort screen with G7a's

[Threadfin]

BTW, you were asking about your chances (orginal poster).... I'd say a 14kt target is relatively easy to intercept, but as I mentioned the 14 kts makes me think hunter killer group around a Bogue. Ya never know with these characters. Some of the escorts are extremely skilled. I've been sunk every way you can be sunk in SH3, running aground, ramming, depth charge, hedgehog, air attack, well OK, never been sunk by gunfire. Anyway, I've probably been sunk by HK escorts more than anything else. Be careful!! If you have electrics you're better off. If you have steamers good luck!! :)

[robj250]

Well, I'll have to try and figure out where to intercept them, but I'll have to go flank speed to get ahead of them and lay in wait in a good position, I hope.

The waves are rough, so the job is going to be tough. It'll probably be a quick look between waves and fire.

I just hope it's deep enough to dive real deep after the attack which will probably be in grid BF16.

I'm not too good at using the tools to plot anything. I have trouble understanding steps 5, 6, and 7 of the "Hunt your Target" or whatever it was called.

[Qairyl]

I've attacked one, but not "successfully." Ran into a pretty small one, off the coast of Portugal (that seems to be a good place for me to find large groupd that'll blow me up) 3 river escorts, 2 V&W's, a Clemson, and a Bogue. Sank everything but the Clemson before it rammed me and broke me in two.:dead: IXC in early '43,

-Qairyl

[andy_311]

I took out a TF last nigt in grid BE63 it comprised of 4 C class dd's 2 BB's (Nelsons) and a Southampton class cruiser took most of them out I think 1 c class dd was left after i finished but had no torps left by the time I finished.

[spork542]

I'm going to attack a task force today. That is, once I load my save again. I got one hell of a task force and was there at the right place at the right time.

[robj250]

I'm going to attack a task force today. That is, once I load my save again. I got one hell of a task force and was there at the right place at the right time.

Good luck to you spork. Do you have rough or calm sea, day or night?

[spork542]

Calm seas, daytime. See other thread for more info.

[JSalinger]

I just put down a Revenge BB on my last patrol to the N. Atlantic shipping lanes in a IXB (was trying to go raid Halifax harbor;)), and I came upon what I thought was a merchant convoy with a DE at the head.

Put up my periscope, and then...wham! There's 4-5 DDs/DEs, and right smack in the middle, a Revenge-class BB (I'm trying to figure out if this was a bug, because I always thought TFs were around England and the Med during late 1940...). Set my torps to magnetic once I got into position, fired tubes 1-4 in a ripple pattern, and was satisfied to see her listing heavily (my experience with trying to finish her off with the deck gun is recorded elsewhere). Put another torpedo into her, and then...38,000 tons, all mine. :D Had to deep six a Hunt I DD with a G7e to get away, but my gosh, seeing that battleship go down...::content sigh:: that was candy for the eyes.

[robj250]

Well, I was able to "partially" intercept the Task Force at 0028, July 6, 1943. A Clemson Destroyer was firing at me and U51 received some damage. Sunk it. Then a River Destroyer Escort came at me and I sunk it, then another River DE came at me and I sunk it, and yet another River DE came at me and I sunk it. Sonar report two warships left, but I could no longer keep up with them and sonar lost contact 0138. Because I could only do 13 kts now I called off the pursuit. I didn't care that there were two left. I could not catch them. They were gone, poof! Well, that was my first attack on a task force. I have no idea what the other two warships were.

[Keelbuster]

What was the main ship(s)? Just DDs? Did you get within visual range? Sounds like that HK group in the North sea...except it was BF19.

Edit: you can distinguish BBs and CVs by the sound of their screws. They sound more like jets than ships.

Kb

[robj250]

They were too far away for me to hear any sounds of their screws (propellors) so I couldn't tell. I could not catch them because of my damage my ahead flank dropped to 13 kts and they were doing 14 kts.

[SkvyWvr]

I've never sucessfully attacked one but I was run over and battered by one I came upon near The Rock on high TC :doh: . They were all over me before I could react. It was a Nelson, an Aux and 7 DDs. Left there whimpering with my tail between my legs (9% HI):nope: . Been itching to get even but haven't come across another since then.:damn: :stare:

[HunterICX]

Battleships....I made an mistake once by thinking the sound I heard was from an Big Merchant....I,m like...finally....I can use my deck gun...its was Night ... could really see the ship but only the water spraying from its bow...And I calculated with the Map view the distance where the sound contact was and I fired....immediatly after the hit...I get the Reply from an BB nelson:o I never seen my Sub crash dive that fast....killed my Deck gun crew thought and left my hull to 43%

[Mooncatt]

lmao i can imagine the crew on the BB "ere who does this guy think he is???? has he got a death wish or summat":lol: :lol:

[robj250]

I've never sucessfully attacked one but I was run over and battered by one I came upon near The Rock on high TC :doh: . They were all over me before I could react. It was a Nelson, an Aux and 7 DDs. Left there whimpering with my tail between my legs (9% HI):nope: . Been itching to get even but haven't come across another since then.:damn: :stare:

That's a prime example why I never run TC any greater that 128 and I make sure that my radar is operating continuously.

[SkvyWvr]

I've never sucessfully attacked one but I was run over and battered by one I came upon near The Rock on high TC :doh: . They were all over me before I could react. It was a Nelson, an Aux and 7 DDs. Left there whimpering with my tail between my legs (9% HI):nope: . Been itching to get even but haven't come across another since then.:damn: :stare:

That's a prime example why I never run TC any greater that 128.


Believe me, lesson learned.:oops:

[robj250]

SkvyWvr. I understand you are a retired Navy man.

[SkvyWvr]

SkvyWvr. I understand you are a retired Navy man.

Yep. 24 years in the US Navy.:smug: Retired in 1996.

My sig shows my rank/rate and my awards. (the awards mean I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, often)

[robj250]

SkvyWvr. I understand you are a retired Navy man.

Yep. 24 years in the US Navy.:smug: Retired in 1996.

Is there a possible chance you can get your hands on a "plotting board" for a scale of 250 km and 125 km. I like plotting my intercepts the way they used to do it in the old days back in WWII, especially the U-Boat Kaleun.

[SkvyWvr]

SkvyWvr. I understand you are a retired Navy man.

Yep. 24 years in the US Navy.:smug: Retired in 1996.

Is there a possible chance you can get your hands on a "plotting board" for a scale of 250 km and 125 km. I like plotting my intercepts the way they used to do it in the old days back in WWII, especially the U-Boat Kaleun.

I might be able to. I'll need to call some of my old shipmates who are still in. I think I might have a couple in a storage box. Been meaning to dig around for them because I was thinking the same as you. I'll let you know early next week.

[robj250]

SkvyWvr. I understand you are a retired Navy man.

Yep. 24 years in the US Navy.:smug: Retired in 1996.

Is there a possible chance you can get your hands on a "plotting board" for a scale of 250 km and 125 km. I like plotting my intercepts the way they used to do it in the old days back in WWII, especially the U-Boat Kaleun.

I might be able to. I'll need to call some of my old shipmates who are still in. I think I might have a couple in a storage box. Been meaning to dig around for them because I was thinking the same as you. I'll let you know early next week.

Thanks a bunch. I believe it's more fun to do it the old fashioned way.

[SkvyWvr]

SkvyWvr. I understand you are a retired Navy man.

Yep. 24 years in the US Navy.:smug: Retired in 1996.

Is there a possible chance you can get your hands on a "plotting board" for a scale of 250 km and 125 km. I like plotting my intercepts the way they used to do it in the old days back in WWII, especially the U-Boat Kaleun.

I might be able to. I'll need to call some of my old shipmates who are still in. I think I might have a couple in a storage box. Been meaning to dig around for them because I was thinking the same as you. I'll let you know early next week.

Thanks a bunch. I believe it's more fun to do it the old fashioned way.

Couldn't agree more shipmate.:ahoy:

[Mooncatt]

SkvyWvr. I understand you are a retired Navy man.

Yep. 24 years in the US Navy.:smug: Retired in 1996.

My sig shows my rank/rate and my awards. (the awards mean I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, often)

not a navy man myself however my dad was in the royal navy served on the HMS fearless, decoy and juno fought in the cod war with iceland and some other minor wars too, has he got a few tales to tell AND he has loool especially when we both been to the pub he tells really good at telling them too i love it:D

[robj250]

WOW!!! I've hit the jackpot and me with only 7 bow torpedoes left after my encounter with the last task force. I am in BE33, I have two convoys coming my way from AM73, a small one and a large one. The small one is doing 14 kts on a course of SSE, the large one doing 5 kts on a course of S and an enemy task force in BE32 doing 25 kts on a course of NNE. I'm smack in the middle of this, send more U-Boats (like send a wolf pack) I need the help. :rotfl:

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/4360/14enemyshipsjuly621492pj.jpg

Take a look at the image. What's the best advice? :roll: :hmm:

[HunterICX]

:rock: Wow Robj, you lucky Bastard!
Well....the Large convoy would be good for Tonnage, the Taskforce..considering the speed you will meet some Battleships.

So its actually up to you....I think The taskforce is nice for some good fireworks...but the Tonnage would be in that Large convoy...and also...the Taskforce is moving fast...so you have actually 1 shot to sink a couple after that they are gone. you can take it a lot easier with the Convoy...so I say

GO FOR THAT LARGE CONVOY MATEY!:up: :arrgh!: Harrrr...and give them my regards when you sink a couple ;)

[robj250]

:rock: Wow Robj, you lucky Bastard!
Well....the Large convoy would be good for Tonnage, the Taskforce..considering the speed you will meet some Battleships.

So its actually up to you....I think The taskforce is nice for some good fireworks...but the Tonnage would be in that Large convoy...and also...the Taskforce is moving fast...so you have actually 1 shot to sink a couple after that they are gone. you can take it a lot easier with the Convoy...so I say

GO FOR THAT LARGE CONVOY MATEY!:up: :arrgh!: Harrrr...and give them my regards when you sink a couple ;)

Thanks. I was actually thinking about going after the large convoy on a bearing of 320° for 70.4 km and I should meet them about 0303 in the morning, but I have darn rough water so it isn't going to be easy. I'm not wasting any torpedoes on DD or DE. I'm getting pretty good at avoiding them unless I want to sink one. I want the convoy tonnage with the remaining 7 torpedoes then I have to get the heck outta there safely.:rock:

[Keelbuster]

Rob,

you can't make that TF. This is where the estimate plotting comes in - his vector is longer than yours, and you're farther (i think) than he is from your 90 degree intercept. So it's impossible. You will have to let him go. Then pick a convoy. Also, I seriously recommend losing the exact course info - it's cheesy. No Map Contacts. Go for the faster convoys than the slower convoys. What merchant does 14kts? T3, passenger liner? It's worth checking out! Anything that does 5kts is probably a low tonnage (though I once saw Revenge in the middle of a 5kt convoy).

Kb

[robj250]

Rob,

Also, I seriously recommend losing the exact course info - it's cheesy. No Map Contacts. Go for the faster convoys than the slower convoys. What merchant does 14kts? T3, passenger liner? It's worth checking out! Anything that does 5kts is probably a low tonnage (though I once saw Revenge in the middle of a 5kt convoy).

Kb

What do you mean the exact course is cheesy. That's the information that I was given by radio.

[Keelbuster]

Your map contacts have tails. That is exact course information. Radio reports only give you 360/16 possible directions (i.e. NNW, NW, etc). With the stock game map contacts they give you the tail - which is Truth course info.

Kb

[JSalinger]

Well mate, by looking at your plot, I'd ignore the task force and the large convoy that is going away from you at 8 kts and intercept either the small convoy doing 14 kts or the large convoy doing 5 kts, personally.

As someone else said, T3 tankers and maybe a passenger liner are probably going to be in the 14 kt convoy, while my guess is that the 5 kt convoy is probably small merchants, small tankers, and coastal merchants, although like someone else said, possible big warship in there.

Go for what you think is best and whichever one you think you can take the biggest bite out of with your remaining seven torpedoes. Whichever one you take, report back soon with some screenies, hopefully! LOL

Heil Ubootwaffe!

[Redwine]

Normally i avoid contact with task forces, but some times, when i am in good attack position, i take a look about what i have to hunt, some time, i found a juicy task force, a real battle group, 3 BBs, Nelson, Revenge and King George class, one escort carrier and many minor ships may one of them a light cruiser.

DDs was near to kill me... :88) too risky :88) , but fruitful attack.

I was able to take hands and sink the Nelson and the Revenge, i cant hit the carrier, and the King George scape with two torps inside... it survive, because i never receive the credit for it.

Very juicy task force...!

[robj250]

Your map contacts have tails. That is exact course information. Radio reports only give you 360/16 possible directions (i.e. NNW, NW, etc). With the stock game map contacts they give you the tail - which is Truth course info.

Kb

The lines I drew on the map were done with Adobe Photoshop. Of course those lines are not exact. I know the tails give the true course and I will of course make use of that on the nav map when I plan my intercept of the Large Convoy. Oh, my Radio messages gives me the True course to the best of it's ability

[Keelbuster]

I wasn't talking about your lines; they were crude. But the tails, attached to each of the map contacts, are perfectly accurate. From a single contact report, you can extract course information that should not be available. Rob, as much as I understand the joy in it, from all your posts about course plotting for intercept, you have resisted your intuition. Turn off map contact updates. Whenever you get a radio report, plot an estimated course - then search the area. Do a basic speed/course assessment (3.15 minute rule) and attack. The works poorly for TFs, but they are so rare that you just make a guess. I suppose I'm criticizing your way of attack, but in my mind, with perfect course information, how can you miss?

Kb

[robj250]

I suppose I'm criticizing your way of attack, but in my mind, with perfect course information, how can you miss?
Kb

Thanks for your input, and, yes, I'll continue to do my plotting my way, thanks. I just put in the link to the image so the guys I was talking to could see what I just ran into! That's all. Yes, I did ask for their thoughts on which I should attack, and I had chosen to attack the large convoy. So please don't criticize the way I plan my Intercepts.

The only reason I'm up this late is that my M.S. is really bothering me.

[HunterICX]

:up: Remember guys, it is and stays an game.
Its about Hunt or be Hunted.

How you do it? You Choice. as long as you sink enough :up:

Good Luck Rob, and post some screenshots, I,m interested what an Large Taskforce in Career would look like

[robj250]

Good Luck Rob, and post some screenshots, I,m interested what an Large Taskforce in Career would look like

I just checked the screen shots I took during the attack on the task force and all I have is my planned intercept, and periscope views of my sinking the ships. I will post them in Image Shack and put up links to them.

First picture is the planned intercept.

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/2724/04interceptjuly522506xm.jpg

I never really got inside the TF, as DD and DE came out after me. Once I was through there were only 2 ships left in the force and they were steaming away from me so fast I could not keep up, but here are the shots of the ones I took out.

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/6242/05clemsonsunkjuly600333sm.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/3171/06destroyedjuly600384yw.jpg

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/5190/07escortsearchingjuly600518ts.jpg

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/9472/08riversunkjuly600541bm.jpg

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/4014/09riverburningjuly600550fi.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/844/10destroyedjuly601269sb.jpg

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/9409/11riverburningjuly601264ki.jpg

Then I gracefully sailed away to find a lone merchant which I sunk and as you know, I run smack into a jackpot, which I posted earlier.

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/1105/12u51onsurfacejuly604191pe.jpg

The waters were really rough, so I had to take quick shots at the DD and DE that came after me. I received some damage through the ordeal. I would love to be able to take on another task force when I have a complete load of torpedoes, not just 7.

I just love attacking at night :rock: :up:

[HunterICX]

Nice, could see a couple (@work 56k and an crappy Monitor so some are too dark for me to see) I will look at the rest I get home (My beloved 19''Inch LG TFT Flatron monitor)

also I,m making an Challenge with myself during my stupidity in Career mode (I died to much and by an mistake)
I start in 1939 in an IIA and I want to end it to 1945 with an Type XXI

And I,m currently making an Flash Slide Show of my First patrol and post it soon so when I,m back at home I finish it and post it online :up:

[robj250]

Nice, could see a couple (@work 56k and an crappy Monitor so some are too dark for me to see) I will look at the rest I get home (My beloved 19''Inch LG TFT Flatron monitor)

also I,m making an Challenge with myself during my stupidity in Career mode (I died to much and by an mistake)
I start in 1939 in an IIA and I want to end it to 1945 with an Type XXI

And I,m currently making an Flash Slide Show of my First patrol and post it soon so when I,m back at home I finish it and post it online :up:

Good, feeling better this morning. Looking forward to it.

[Threadfin]

Why is course info cheesy? You mean course info is never supplied with a radio report?

I would think a course and speed estimate would be standard in any contact report. In the pacific when US boats radioed a contact this information was included whenever possible. It wouldn't be much use without it.

Not exaclty sure what the map contacts in SH3 are supposed to represent, but I don't think having some course info is unrealistic. Only perhaps that's it's always accurate.

[zzsteven]

Why is course info cheesy? You mean course info is never supplied with a radio report?

I would think a course and speed estimate would be standard in any contact report. In the pacific when US boats radioed a contact this information was included whenever possible. It wouldn't be much use without it.

Not exaclty sure what the map contacts in SH3 are supposed to represent, but I don't think having some course info is unrealistic. Only perhaps that's it's always accurate.

I wouldn't call it cheesy but having the tail on the icon makes it way to easy to plot an intercept. After this patrol, I'm going to try to get rid of the tails and just rely on the course info you get when left clicking on the map icon. It adds alot more uncertainty to plotting.

zz

[VonHelsching]

I have encountered 3 times TFs. And the two of them they encountered me, if you know what I mean.

I was lucky to intercept one consisting of 4 DDs during a clear night. Took'em all with one torpedo each. Magnetic detonation / electrics. Didn't even knew what it got them.

One other time a TF encountered me. I managed to sink an aircraft carrier, but I was to greedy (noisy) and the DDs were all over me :-? in a matter of minutes. Dead.

[robj250]

Well, it's been a chore to figure out what to take on. However, an Austrailian Navy friend of my designed an intercept calculator and I used that to make my choices. Okay, the ETF is out of the question because it's speed is just too fast, and considering the time it would take me to get there, the ETF would be long gone. So I considered the large convoy travelling at 5 kts. To intercept I would have to alter my course to 320° and travel for 177.8 km at a minimum speed of 8 kts to intercept the convoy. That would get the U51 there 2 hr and 19 minutes before the convoy arrives. If U51 goes any slower we hit the nail right on the head with no time to prepare. Hmm Interesting a night attack with rough waters. :ahoy: The only thing I have to worry about is, what if the ETF responds to a distress call?

Now of course this is assuming the map is correct, my measurements are correct and that Intercept Calculator he designed is correct.

[robj250]

Well, I chose to go after the fast moving convoy. The weather was really bad at 2 AM, winds 15 m/s pouring rain, heavy fog, the waves were from 10 to 15 metres high. I could barely keep the periscope above water even when I came up to 8 metres. The ships were moving too fast; 7 warships and 7 merchants (sound contacts). I spotted two different T2 tankers for a second and they were too close and once they were beyond 200 metres I could no longer see them. Man it was terrible weather. Lightning strikes all over the place. They were coming and then gone in the blink of an eye. I had never come across those conditions before. I don't know what happened to the slow moving convoy, but I got another fast moving one come right at me. If the weather doesn't change within the next hour I'll probably not see anything to get a shot at in this one either.

[tycho102]

I've intercepted about 5 task forces. However, only one without reloading to a previous save. :oops:

There is usually one racing through AM-35 around mid-november 1939. I've nailed this one about 3 times in that grid, about 50km north-east of the grid's designation text. Absolutely wonderful way to start the war if you manage to drop a carrier and battleship.

Another in the north sea after they had completed their round-about, and another just out in the boonies somewhere south-west of the UK.

[robj250]

I've intercepted about 5 task forces. However, only one without reloading to a previous save. :oops:

There is usually one racing through AM-35 around mid-november 1939. I've nailed this one about 3 times in that grid, about 50km north-east of the grid's designation text. Absolutely wonderful way to start the war if you manage to drop a carrier and battleship.

Another in the north sea after they had completed their round-about, and another just out in the boonies somewhere south-west of the UK.

That's great. I just wish I knew what I had missed in that fast moving convoy with so many warships with it.

[robj250]

:hmm: Well, the weather didn't change and the 360° radar would not keep working because of the rough sea and the next thing I know, the convoy I was going after, got past me and is now behind me, according to BdU and it is on the same original course. I was on the proper course to intercept. I can't figure it out. Sonar had not reported any sound contacts as they went by. What's going on? :hmm:

http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/2084/00211he.jpg

[GT182]

My little piece of the vsubwar. I just finished my 16th patrol to CG88 as my patrol area for 24 hours. Start from Lorient was on Jan 8,42 at 0805hrs. And, calm seas the whole trip.

After sailing for 5 days and patroling the assigned area successfully but no contacts, BDU reported a convoy heading west in CG87 at 7 kts. We plotted an intercept and met up with them on the 14th, after fighting off several Hurri bombers. Gunners did manage to down 1 of them. Feeling it strange that Hurricanes were this far out, I just continued on to line up with some nice juicy targets with no more thought of it. Big mistake.

2 hours after the fighter battle, we made contact with the convoy in CG84. First attack at 1941hrs nets only 1 Medium Cargo ship and a whole bunch of depthcharges from 3 warships. Finally we slink off to make our getaway but happen to see a Bogue Escort Carrier smack dab in the middle of the convoy. We slink away and try to get close to her after what seemed like days of depthcharges. Seeing we can't get closer we set off a salvo of 3 G7as for a broadside hit. At 1948hrs we nailed her with all 3 and she went to the bottom. More from our not so friendly destroyer and frigates all over again. They do not give up easily. So we found out that we ran across a Bogue Escort Carrier, 1 C-Class Destroyer, and 3 Black Swan Firgates. Plus all those fat juicy cargo ships.

Jan 15th it's reported the same convoy is heading NNW in CG75. We skirt around at Full Speed to get ahead of them.

Jan 16th BDU sent report the convoy is in CG48, and we meet up again around 0500hrs. First kill is a nosey BS Frigate. 2nd kill is another one. Then the C-Class comes in for a look and we nail her with the second shot. No more warships seen. Next is a another Medium Cargo ship with the deck gun. And yes they fired back at us... took several hits with minor damage. Hard for them to hit us moving at 12 kts but they did. Then a Tramp Steamer with the last G7a and another Medium Cargo ahead of us with the deckgun. We broke off and headed towards Lorient sending out Contact and Patrol Reports.... BDU sent RTB.

All that was left was one lonely Black Swan Frigate the got separated from the convoy and didn't catchup to them before we did.

So they are out there... the Hunter Taskforces. And they are a bloody hard bunch to fight off and sink. The secret I found is to wait till the warships are in close and on a direct path then fire on 'em. I also know now why the Hurricanes attacked so far out to sea.... a carrier we didn't expect to be there or letalone see.

[robj250]

I certainly wouldn't mind bagging a carrier, let alone any worth while warship like a BB. I'm not that lucky.

Really happy for you dude.