SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - Great to be back...convoy attack

After a couple months of no SH 4 TMO play, I started up a career last night(100 realism) in January 1944 out of Fremantle with a Gato, USS Muskalunge(sp) Departed on patrol for Area G4 off the Celebes in the Celebes Sea.After 10 days of patrol with nothing but diving to avoid a few patrol planes and navigating around some fishing boats, patrol in area was complete and moved to the chokepoint at the entrance to the Makassar Strait between Borneo and Celebes.After one night there, made contact with a four ship convoy with four escorts heading NW towards the Sulu Sea most likely, must be important.Went to flank speed to get ahead, then general quarters and dove at 1220.

Around 1315 the convoy came into view but due to choppy seas and a light fog was difficult to sea at a distance.Finally, two merchants and two tankers in a box formation with four escorts came into view.The closest column had a small Haruna Maru tanker with a mid sized freighter behind it, second column had a large Nagara Maru class freighter with a second Haruna Maru trailing it.Since tankers a priority I decided to attack the first Haruna Maru and then the Nagara Maru.I felt lucky because the starboard escort went way out in the field to search and left his side wide open for me, so figured had plenty of time to get in close for a good shot.Tracking showed convoy moving at a slow 7 knots.I readied all six forward tubes, two fish for the small tanker and four for the big merchant.Plans changed somewhat on next observation when noticed the escort had returned quicker than anticipated from his trip into right field and would be close and most likely detect me by the time I had the desired shot.

I fired at the small tanker first with tubes 1 and 4 with a 50 degree gyro but at only 1400 yards, great chance of a hit.Fired four with a 70 degree gyro at the big tanker, then dropped scope. As time ran out for first torpedo to hit, upped scope to see a momi class DE at bearing 270 closing fast but not aware of my presences yet.Just then I could see one torpedo missed the small tanker astern but the second one slammed into the side just under the stern smokestack, a huge explosion and fireball erupted from the tankers stern area.Pinging then began but I waited it out for visual on the big freighter.First torpedo ran deep, second impacted dead center and set her afire, third ran deep also, fourth hit just behind amidships area.I then ordered silent running and a dive to 300 feet as the momi closed in pinging loudly.

Following standard evasion tactic I use, I leveled boat off at 200 feet As DE roared overhead, went to ahead flank for 30 seconds and ordered 300 feet again.With a large down angle, we were on our way.As I passed 250 feet, 4 depth charges exploded astern of me, fairly close but no cigar.I went to all stop and 20 degrees port rudder, allowing momentum to carry me through the turn, then to 1 knot and leveled off at 300 feet.Soon could hear 3 escorts in my area pinging and dropping charges but none seemed to have me as I slowly crept away.One pattern was from the Type D lead escort I spotted before I attacked, counted over 10 spaslshes and detonations, these have multiple launchers and stern racks, just glad I was not near him when he dropped.

After 3 hours of evasion and a couple close calls.I popped up to surface to find the big transport gone(had credit in log for nagara maru sank) and the small tanker down by the stern with its bow in the air, smoking and an aux subchaser circling in the area.I was 2200 yards away, readied two stern tubes and fired one at the tanker for the coup de grace.The Mark 14 hit and caused a huge fireball, the tanker quickly sank and I was awarded credit.I then went back to 300 feet at the small subchaser searching for me, unsuccessfully.7 torpedos fired for two ships down, not too bad given the deep runners and having to fire before I wanted to.

I surface after another hour, secured from general quarters and headed out for the other two ships, reestablishing contact and moving ahead, nightfall was fast approaching and conditions should be perfect for a night surface attack.

I then checked the clock to see it was 4 am and I had to be awake in a few hours, so saved game and went to bed.

I really missed playing this sim, so glad I have some more time for a while to indulge now and then, grea to be back.

Update:Pursued convoy into the night wih a half moon and light fog.The four escorts were on their A game protecting the remaining two ships but finally the port escort went way out on a sweep and I moved in, decided to fire with stern tubes so could run away easier, a decision that would turn out saved my boat later.Convoy closing in I could make out a mid sized merchant and a small Haruna Maru tanker just behind it.I found myself 2000 yards from the targets, fired two Mark 14's to each on slow speed and went to ahead standard to get out of there.As torpedos were making their run, the port escort came back sooner than expected(had watched his pattern and thought he'd be gone longer) oh well, nothing to do but wait then pour on the coals, a dive would attract too much attention, plus I had pulled this off many times before.The port escort was now moving at high speed and just 1300 yards astern of me but did not spot me.

Seconds later, two torpedos hit the small tanker, which full of fuel, erupted in a huge fireball from bow to stern and quickly sank.Soon star shells were fired and before long a spotlight was on me.I was manning the aft TBT and worked a quick solution on the escort in case I needed to fire my newly reloaded tube number 10.Automatic fire from the escort began splashing around and soon big splashes from their main guns were landed while I was moving away at flank speed.I ordered the read mounted 40 MM manned and opened fire, no visible results but did score some hits.Soon the auto fire became accurate and could hear the rounds impacting my hull, but luckily the big guns were missing, just glad I decided to attack with stern tubes beforehand.Just then two torpedos hit the mid sized merchant as I raced away with the Type D in pursuit.When I began taking hull damage from auto fire and big shells were landing too close for comfort and despite having opened the range a bit, I ordered a dive and was soon slipping beneath the waves.Considering the hull damage, I tried to not to go too deep but was forced to 300 feet after enduring many close depth charges, including some the damaged bow tubes and pumps.

After several hours I came up to find the escorts were gone and surfaced at dawn.I could clearly see two debris fields(love havingthe mod that has better debris field and floating bodies, adds to the immersion) A check of my log shows credit for a Haruna Maru tanker and a Biyo Maru freighter, so in two attacked I managed to sink all ships in convoy.

After surfacing all torpedo tubes were repaired as well as other damage.I did sustain 23 percent hull damage from the auto fire and dept charges.I considered heading for home but decided to stay in the fight since I have 81 percent of fuel and plenty of torpedos left and can safely go to test depth as proved in last evasion.

Good first patrol back thus far.