Black Sea ops
 

I decided I needed a break from the North Atlantic (mainly I'm tired of the storms!!), so I've just started a new career in the 30th Flotilla out of Costanza, October 42. And besides, it's kinda cozy back on the duck :D Anyway, I'm curious whether any of the Black Sea veterans out there have any words of advice on prime hunting areas, areas to avoid, Russian oddities, etc etc. Looks to me at the moment like I make a beeline eastbound from Costanza and then hang out off of the Caucasus coast ... any thoughts?

Good starting point mate. :up: I presum you are running GWX? Read the manual as it has some info about how events unfolded historically. Keep the Soviet advance in mind from 1943 onward as well. Stay away from harbours as usual. :arrgh!:

Thanks Joea ... RTFM, eh? ;) Anything I should know about those dastardly Communists? Do they have their own version of the Black Swans? <involuntary shudder> Significant air cover? Lots of convoys, or more lone merchants?

If you feel like raiding a port, there is a 35,000 tonne BB sitting in leningrad for the duration of the war...........

Ah, very interesting ... I'll deploy the super secret Type II Batwing Jetpack to get from Costanza to the Baltic, and then sneak ever so quietly into Leningrad's harbor ;)

I haven't even thought about a Baltic career -- what's that like? Does GWX model the ice conditions?

I'm getting started on my 5th Black Sea patrol. I have to say that overall I've found the black sea to be a bit boring. I always find the same convoys going from the south east to the north - passenger liner, small tanker, small merchant, coastal tanker, DD and DD escort - all russian. I cherry pick the p-liner and the small tanker, then find another instance of the same convoy, rinse and repeat. These convoys are everywhere. I've found lone coastal tankers and discovered that you can sink them with AA guns for a cool 1400 tons a piece. That's all i've seen though - i'm kinda bored. I'm sorta looking forward to the closing of Contanzsa, and my escape through the med. I'll have to go check out leningrad though for that BB.

Has anyone found another type of convoy in the black sea?

Is the pope catholic?:up:

Ha! So seriously, you can get iced into Kiel or something like that?

Keelbuster, I was worried that it might be dull, although that might not be a bad thing for a change. My current Atlantic patrol is in the Gibraltar approaches, and stupid me managed to get a little too aggressive heading into the Strait. Apparently the Tommies didn't appreciate my presence -- no less than 4 DDs held me down for the better part of four hours :o I managed to slip away, but now I'm in the middle of a complete weather mess, and I'm thinking I might bail and head northbound. (March 1940, so I have to head home around the top to Wilhelmshaven) So a little quiet hunting in the Black Sea has its attraction :cool:

Not sure... he looks alot like the bad guy in Star wars... Emperor what's-his-name :hmm:

Ehm, ehm.... not very easy to reach Leningrad from the Black Sea... but, who knows? :D:D:D

I am into a Black Sea campaign (see my sig), most important targets are found off Tuapse. Most convoys are made of a troop transport (the most juicy target) a tanker and some small merchant, plus DD escort.

BTW here is where SH3 Commander shows its limit, it's strange sinking "S.S. Cotton Valley" as a Soviet ship in the Black Sea!!!

Maraz

Was the Pope in Star Wars? :huh:

Yeah he was the old guy in the hood who Vader threw down then hole!:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Talking seriously, in med 30-ties Stalin built a channel between Baltic and White Sea, :yep: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Sea-Baltic_Canal. Who knows one day, maybe there will be Baltic and Black Sea Channel

Yeah, that was my first patrol in GWX... wanted to try something different.

I found that (for me) the black sea was like a port raiding tutorial.

Likes:

New playground
The deep-water ports give you a lot of room to maneuver
Good size area for the Type II boats



Dislikes:

The Russians seemed retarded at times... The easiest way to avoid a DC attack was to be detected and let the DD run right over top of you. Then they launch DC's to the left and right, but don't roll anything off the back. You can just sit still and the DC's will detonate harmlessly to the left and right.

I didn't find too much convoy traffic, it was easier to wander into the ports and sink stationary whalers.

Overall, just not as satisfying as sinking British and US ships.

You kinda get this feeling like you must've been a reject or something to be stuck in such a place.

Did the Emperor wear red shoes as well?:huh: