Transfered to Panang
 

In May 1944 I and my Type IXC U-boat have been transfered to Panang (this is GWX3) and had successful hunting along South Africa's coast on my way.

In June 1944 I patrolled the Gulf of Aden, was forced under by aircraft about 4 to 6 times a day, narrowly avoided a large convoy with a bunch of destroyers (no torpedo shots) and for half my fuel gone only got 3 small and 1 medium transports for all that time. Headed for the coast near Bombay India, harrassed by aircraft constantly and never a sighting or sound detection.

I am now headed toward Ceylon, and ultimately with luck, home to Panang. This is shaping up to be the second worst patrol of this career (worst one was getting all the way to USA in 1942, only to get rammed in the fog by a destroyer and having to limp all the way back to Lorient without a torpedo fired). So my question is: Where in the East can I continue my career as a commerce raider? Which areas are "Heavy Traffic" zones?

Help me get away from "Airplanes, airplanes everywhere, and not a ship to sink".

DavidI

I am very much afraid that by '44 the life of a Kaleun is mainly "Duck the Plane" - with Allied escort carrier hunter-killer groups roaming the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, PBY's and Catalinas flying damn near everywhere, and damn near all ships in heavily escorted convoys (American industrial shipbuilding pumping out DD's and DE's, CVE's et all like never before or since), there are no more "safe" areas. It will get worse .....

COOL! I've never played past early 1940, so I don't do much long-range stuff.

Theoretically there should be plenty of traffic hugging the african east coast from the red sea down through the Mossambic channel en route to Cape Town and from there, northwards to Freetown and finally the UK. The Indian coast should also be plenty of ships going along the coast and to and from the red sea. Finally, the northern australian coast might have some mild traffic, going to the more crowded east coast. You should choose those spots where ships must go through, and will find lots of targets. Those spots include the Mossambic channel, the Torres Strait, the Ormuz strait (Exit/entry to red sea) and similar.

Oh, and BTW did you transfer voluntarily or has the game automatically transferred you there? I'd like to start a campaign when I have time, but departing from France and not already at Penang. :DL

Finally, a hint: While you stay in the Indian Ocean, enable the reduced GWX Indian Ocean files only campaign, which is in your mods folder. Will make loading times much faster, and allow better time compression and general running of the game. :up:

Hitman,

Since I posted, I redocked in Panang and am now setting out in August toward my patrol area of "O Afrika" ie Ost Afrika. I have noticed that there isn't a trigger spot to either change the "reach destination" nor the "patrol 24 hours" to completed in the Orders area key F8. I will use that as a basis to patrol East Africa from Madagascar (avoiding the buku aircraft near the Straits of Aden) down to South Africa.

The game (BdU) transfered me to Panang. I was in Lorient at the time and when I got my new mission it showed my "Return to Base" destination to Panang. Which was OK by me, as getting in and out of Lorient by April '44 was getting hairy. I hastily packed up my troprical's and set off.

Steve,

Playing the Game with the type IX is very different from the VII. You are much more in the role of commerce raider and much less that of convoy fighter. You can get orders to the Gulf of Mexico, Cape Town or Panang for that matter. By 1943 the Allies get possitively murderous. By '44 you are lucky to make it back at all.

DavidI

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/5...ng16844.th.jpg

16 August 1944

The U-129 leaves Panang for the East Coast of Africa. She is a IXC boat commissioned in 1942 but has the latest in radar, hydrophones, radar detection and Bold devices. I have loaded a full complement of Type III torpedos, with 2 Type IV homing torpedos (in tubes 4 & 5). I have just recently obtained the twin 37mm Flak gun, which has superior range and stopping power to keep the jabos away (I hope).

I have the honor to command a crew of experianced, decorated men who all have 7 missions beneath their belts.

Let's see how we fare.

DavidI

Try the entrance to the Red Sea - loads of tankers and small convoys protected by inexperienced crews.

Wreford-Brown

When I patrolled up that way in June/July '44 the airplanes were thick as fleas. When I get done with this patrol I may revisit. For now it's Southern Clime's for the nonce.

David

U-129 Arrives off the coast of Mozambique
 

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We arrived off the Southern coast of Mozambique on Sept 13, 1944 after 29 days at sea and covering 9,300 KM. No planes, but alas no ships either. The news is all terrible. Romainia has defected, Finland has surrendered, Paris has fallen as well as all of our French sub pens. U-Boats are sinking daily it seems and many have scuttled in port to prevent capture. We even got news that the U-129 was scuttled! Well I assure you we are alive and ready for the fight.

The weather has been bad these last 4 days, so we will patrol northwards up the Mozambique Channel before we head South to the Cape of Good Hope.

Morale is high despite everything.

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September 17, 1944 - Crappy Weather and First Contact

It has been raining with heavy seas since the ninth. On the 15th I got a radio message that a large convoy is nearby, but I change course to avoid it. A lone type IX Uboat in near zero visibility has no business tackling a well defended convoy.

On the 17th I pick up a radio intercept to the South East, I reversed course (I was patrolling up the Mozambique Channel) and shortly I picked up a long range radar contact.

Normally I do not like to engage in near zero visability as things can go very badly very quickly at 300m or less, but the crew's blood was up. Although it was difficult to maintain the radar contact, the heavy seas will cause the radar mast to turn off/short out, I had a true course fix on the bogy. I move my boat to a 90 degree possition at what I hoped was about 300m off his course, dropped speed to 0 and opened tube 1, torpedo depth set for 4.5m.

As the contact got closer, and my fix got better, it grew in size. I opened tube 2. A little more time goes by and the contact become huge on the radar screen. I opened tube 3, I want this thing to go down immediately so that the boat gets full credit for the sinking.

I switched to the UZO and cannot see anything. The radarman was screaming "it's right there" when suddenly I see it. It's so huge at 290 meters that it fills the lenses. Fire 1. Fire 2. Fire 3! Back Emergency! The third torpedo barely cleared it's tube when the first one struck. Then the second and third hit in rapid succession. "She's going down!" A 10,000 ton + large Merchantman begins to break apart in the heavy seas.

I got the torpedo crew working on reloading and set course to continue the patrol.

Crew morale is high.

The Weather Breaks 18-9-44 to 27-9-44
 

U-129 off the Coast of South Africa

After the sinking of the large merchantman the weather continues to be crappy - high wave, rain, zip visibility and then...

The morning of 24-9-44 dawns cloudy but not raining and we get a convoy report. Long distance and frankly I'm just not interested.

25-9-44 Radio intercept, but we fail to make contact.

27-9-44 Radio intercept and visual contact between Durban and Port Elizabeth. Turns out to be a Tramp Steamer, armed like everything so a submerged attack. One torpedo - one kill:

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We continue our patrol to the South West, hoping for bigger game.

Crew moral is high.

Nice patrol diary, keep them coming :up: I always love to read patrol reports, specially when well written :ping:

Rain, Rain, Go Away. U-129 27-9-44 to 4-10-44
 

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Starting the night of 27-9-44 it began to rain, and rain and rain. No radio intercepts, no radar blips, no nothing. Discussed.

On the morning of 4-10-44 the skys cleared up, although the seas were still rough, and there's a radio intercept! Not far away. As we got close to the anticipated ship's course a Radar fix gives me the ship's true course. Set up a good firing possition about 800m from course line and sure enough here she came. Another Tramp Steamer! Crap. Well better than nothing. I had tube 1 flooded, set the torpedo for 4.5m, fired and down she went. I should have set up a stern shot, had plenty of time. I'll remember next time.


http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/454...merhitu.th.jpg

The sinking occured about midway between Capetown and Port Elizabeth.
So far we've fired five torpedos for 5 hits and 14,000 tons. Not bad. Not great, but not bad. Onward to the South-West.

Morale of the crew is high.

Do you need to have the Merged Campaign mod enabled to get transferred to Panang?

K.L.

I was playing GWX3 without any mods turned on when I got the orders to transfer in May of '44. "Starting Port: Lorient Destination Port: Panang" Just like that.

DavidI

The Long Chase 5-10-44 through 6-10-44
 

On the morning of Oct 5, in heavy seas we got a radio intercept. Plotted an interception course and bye and bye got a radar contact. Two ships in column. I assume they are armed and the seas are rough so I set up for a submerged attack.

As they got closer I identified the lead ship as a Granville and the second as a Medium Cargo, both of just under 5,000 ton. I set my three bow TIII torpedos for 1m to 1.5m beneath their hulls turn until I'm about 30 degrees off the 90 degrees to their course and fire two torpedos at the Medium. I then turn hard to port and brought up the Granville and fired my third torp. I heard the explosion of a premee torpedo. Damn. The Medium got hit by the second torpedo and veared sharply to port just as the Granville's torpedo hit.

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Great! But wait a moment, both ships are proceding at 9 knots. I spun the U-129 hard to port and got off a stern shot at the Medium as she went by. A good solid hit amidships and she broke in two.

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Now for the Granville. There she is steaming away at 8 knots, one better than I can do. I began the pursuit The crew frantically loaded torpedos and I wait until the Granville straightens out his course. He must have thought I was gone. My batteries are running low and I take a long shot at a bad angle trusting in the depth setting of the T III. The torpedo travels about 600m of the 1200m to the target when it too premees. I'm going to loose my prize! I foolishly fire another torpedo and am rewarded with a complete miss. Time to rethink as the Granville pulled steadily away.

New plan. I drop my speed and head North, letting the Granville gain more distance to the South East. When the Granville is about 2,000m + away I surfaced the boat and head North at high speed. The Granville sees the boat, started to zig zag and fired a couple of shots off with his stern chaser. I replotted a intercept course further down his anticipated course, but because I am recharging I am making only 11 to 12 knots in these seas. I stop the recharge at about 50% and the boat kicks up to 15 knots. Now I'm gaining on him. We kept just out of visual, used my radar to keep tabs on him I get ahead of the Granville. I began my starboard turn to intercept him when....

"Aircraft Spotted!" Crash Dive! He'd called the cavarly in and they were arriving just in time. The stern of the U-129 was still on the surface when the Wellington drops it's depth charges. Oh we are so dead. Bam. Bam. Bam. Leaks in three compartments, two of them serious. I rushed my damage repair parties to the worst hit. Gradually they started to get the upper hand. We hear more depth charges go off and I brought the boat to slow speed. Oh crap, my batteries are only 50% charged.

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/6...erescue.th.jpg

I waited for an hour and then surface. The pursuit began again. It was now getting dark, and my speed was slowed by the battery recharge, but this time I was determined to be patient. Got a radar fix, and stayed on it.

The pursuit went on into the early morning of the 6th of October, but finally I set up the shot I was looking for. I dove down for the attack.

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Flood Tube One. Torpedo Loos. The end of the Granville.

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All together we fired 7 torpedos (two premees one miss) for just under 10,000. I've got to do better.

Surface. Reverse course. Back to the patrol.

Crew is pretty tired, but morale is good.

great work, Kaleu! :salute:
your stories are always thrilling and exciting.
pls keep them going.

Good stories! Keep it up!:rock:

Small Fish - U-129 6-10-44 to 8-10-44
 

U-129 South West of Capetown

After the excitement of the 'Long Chase" the crew settles down and we search for enemy shiping. The seas remain high, but visiblily is moderate.
Minimal use of the radar during the day (I'm not sure it doesn't attact Allied Radar Detection). During the night, however, we get a radio intercept and an almost immediate radar contact. We set up the intercept and see it's a Coastal Freighter. In calm weather I would be tempted to take it on head to head in a long range gun duel (it's only packing a stern chaser) but the crappy weather stays with us.

Periscope level, flood tube 1, Loos....

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The next day another Coastal Freighter crosses our path. Fatally...

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With damage from the air attack and diesel fuel approaching 50% I'll hit anything that comes my way and go home. But in the hopes of bigger targets we move off to the West of Capetown.

Crew morale is good and they are recovering from the events of 5-10 and 6-10-44.

U-129 Patrol off Capetown 8-10-09 through 13-10-44
 

From 8-10-44 to 12-10-44 the U-129 patrols to the West and South West of Cape Town with absolutely no joy. The seas are semi-rough with moderate to unlimited visiblity but not a sighting, radio intercept, radar contact or sound contact. These were such rich waters in 1942, what has happened? All in convoys? Well fuel is becoming a concern so will patrol to the South of Capetown with a view of heading toward home soon.

13-10-44 just South of Capetown we got a radio intercept, drew an intercept course and soon had a sighting. Small Freighter doing 9 knots to the South East. We submerged and set up our shot. At 800m a bow shot torpedo hits the 2000 ton vessel.

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Her speed rapidly decreased to zero, and there she sat, and sat, and sat.
I wait one hour and then two. To hell with this. I hate to use two torpedos on a 2000 ton vessel. 2000 tons for one torpedo I can accept, but 1000 tons per torpedo is downright embarrasing. If the surface was half way calm I would move off her bow a sink her with gunnery. Damn. Reluctantly I set up a stern shot. Flood tube 6. Loos.

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She goes down like a rock, of course. Well time to move on, we increased speed to Ahead Full and prepared to surface. As I was swinging the periscope to the 0 degree possition, I spot another ship!

Sure enough there was a Passenger Cargo ship entering the arena! Sailing straight and steady. She must not have seen the other go down. On the other hand I got no hyro-sound warning from my sound room either (that's one petty officer that will hear from me later). We set up our boat for a bow shot since tube 6 is reloading. At 1000m we fire.

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She was hit and rapidly slowed to 0 knots, and then sat, and sat and sat.
Oh No, Not Again! Sure as big fishes eat little fishes, she's dead in the water and refuses to sink. Crap. Well this time I'm going to wait her out.
1 hour went by. 2 hours went by. 3 Hours! That's it! I manuvered to sink her with a stern shot, as I made my turn she listed slightly to port, her nose dipped and she began a long slow slide to the bottom.

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/7...oesdown.th.jpg

We surfaced and headed to the South East. I took the time to take stock of our situation. Fuel is more than half gone, I've sunk 32,599 tons, I've two bow TIII, one bow TIV, 1 stern TIII and 1 stern TIV torpedos and known and unknown damage - Time to head home 11,000 + miles away.

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/1...e131044.th.jpg

The crew is tired, but morale is high.