SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - AAR 1968 Moskva Single Mission

I have Cold Waters for about three weeks now and I must say that I really love it!

https://imageshack.com/i/poOYPfpLj

Wanted to share this 1968 single mission. I got very lucky in this engagement, seeing that ASW helicopters could not locate me and was never a factor. I also endured several RBU attacks by the Moskva; but was lucky enough to survive. My Sturgeon class sub took some damage though.
I couple of torpedoes were launched at my boat but none was able to acquire.

I was also very much surprised by the effectiveness of the Mk-37 and Mk-16 torpedoes. I had a 100% hit rate with my torpedoes in this single mission. Seven Mk-37 (If memory serves correct) and one Mk-16 launched at targets during the mission.
For the record: I use realistic difficulty with external views and event camera.

I started out the single mission with the Moskva battle group moving eastward. There were three warships roughly to the south-east of me travelling almost directly east. Roughly to the south-west there was I single enemy merchant.

https://imageshack.com/i/pmV5JAdGj

After trying to give chase to the Moskva for a very short time I realised that I will not be able to do it.
I kept deep for most of the mission and only came closer to the surface for for periods to launch torpedoes.
When I had a good solution to the merchant I went to 100ft and launched a single Mk-37. I enabled it after a little separation from my sub and guided it back to lead the target if the wire broke. Then increased depth again to 600ft (Can't remember if I increased depth after launch or after impact. I break a lot of wires that way). I have found that small merchant ships do not survive a Mk-37 hit, although I was surprised that it started sinking immediately.

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(You know you have one Hell of a sonar operator if he not only correctly classify a sonar contact; but that he even knows it is flying the GDR flag!)

https://imageshack.com/i/pmdFPH0ej

After that the Moskva and a Kashin turned around and started searching for me.
The Kashin was the closest so I attacked it first. I stayed silent and fired a Mk-37 just outside RBU range. I immediately activated the torpedo and the Kashin started to circle at high speed with the Mk-37 in tow. All this was taking place on top of me, so that was a tactical blunder. Fortunately I did not get return fire or acquired by my own torpedo.

https://imageshack.com/i/po9LeiLWj

I got some distance from the Kashin to turn around and fire another Mk-37, letting it go into the turning circle from the opposite direction. The Kashin took a torpedo from the bow and shortly afterwards one from the stern, sinking it. I ended up almost under it again as it got hit.

https://imageshack.com/i/pmJJ8JJdj

Then came the Moskva into attack. It launched a Mk-65 at my Sturgeon; but completely inaccurate. Once again I fired just outside RBU range and activated the Mk-37 the Moskva started with evasive manoeuvres; but when it got in range, it started firing RBUs at poor little old me! I took damage and flooding. I decreased depth to 300ft to prevent the flooding from getting out of control. I also increased speed to flank and started manoeuvring wildly with RBUs raining down on me.

https://imageshack.com/i/plgIjoshj

While I was dodging RBUs and gaining separation to turn around and slow down to fire another Mk-37 I got lucky again. The Moskva was apparently not as nimble as the Kashin and took a hit in the stern from my Mk-37. I didn't see this because I was manoeuvring to avoid the counter fire.

https://imageshack.com/i/pocK3Qnrj

I ended up directly astern of the Moskva within RBU range. I decided fire immediately so I slowed down, launched another Mk-37 and changed direction. The Moskva fired RBUs immediately after launch over its shoulder at me. They landed close to my starboard side; but missed.
The Moskva went off with the Mk-37 in tow (I enabled and corrected course immediately after launch).
At some point, after I felt safe (I mean less scared) of attack I went to fifty feet and the damage control team was able to get the flooding under control.
With me cowering and waiting for Mk-37 to hit, the Moskva opened up a big lead (After it took a torpedo hit it slowed down so I thought the Mk-37 would be able to chase it down, but it increased speed once it detected my second Mk-37).

https://imageshack.com/i/poBRzDc5j

I increased speed, went to 600ft and lost the wire. I had just Mk-37s in the remaining loaded tubes so I decided to load a Mk-16. The Moskva opened the lead up to just over 2000 yards. I have no screenshot proof, so you just have to take my word for it. I swear on Robert Mugabe's grave!
I went to 5 knots and 50 ft, pressed Tab to get the full tactical view map thing, and zoomed in a lot to make sure that the aiming point is as accurate as possible, then launched the Mk-16. I was also directly astern from the crippled Moskva, though just over 2000 yards away. I then went to flank and dived back to 600 ft, checking for flooding and worrying about what else is out there.

https://imageshack.com/i/poLFUnROj

I did not expect a hit; but as the minutes ticked by the Moskva kept running straight. The Mk-16 kept getting closer. Then to my utter surprise the Mk-37, that the Moskva was running from, hit it! A minute or two later the Mk-16 hit it and it started sinking! I was elated by the long shot on a warship with an unguided torpedo!

https://imageshack.com/i/pni9AesPj

The last Kashin came searching, but I was able to take it out using the same method as I used on the first Kashing. It is basically the pincer method that is given on the forums by some of the old hands in the buisness; but I just wait to see if the quarry starts circling defensively before I launch the second Mk-37. The two Mk-37 impacts was roughly 40s apart.
I was very lucky in this single mission on several occasions, but I still feel very happy about the outcome.