I played SH3 a lot and had a long gap from playing, recently picked up SH4 and wasn't sure I could get straight back in to it, but it didn't take long for the familiarity to return.
I'm playing the 1.5 patched version with RSRD and TMO mods. Realism is at 8%5 I think, basically all aids turned off except the manual targeting. Playing no holds barred, if I get sunk on patrol, I re-start campaign from scratch. Luckily this has not happened yet. Playing this method really adds tension and enjoyment to the battles, real risk carries greater satisfaction.
Love it.
Ok, patrol story. Late 1942.
This Patrol I was sent to patrol just north of Truk, arrived on station and spent some time patrolling to no result. Got a flash message about the enemy bring supplies to the solomons and I could motor on down there in time to do a run through the slot.
Arrive in the slot and immediately found a string of military contacts heading down the slot at fast speed, turned to begin interception but the lead three picked me up straight away and I spent the next few hours dodging depth charges and slowly sneaking away.
After escaping I refueled and was going to head back out to do some hunting near Toko, but got another flash message about 3 convoys heading for Truk.
I had time to steam up there at Flank speed to catch the last two convoys. Arrived on station and sunk 3 merchants whilst waiting for a convoy to show up.
Then whilst down to the left of truk I picked up a radar contact moving fast. I tracked it's path (Marked A)and set a long course to intercept (Marked B) speeding at flank speed to stay in front of it and keep it just on the edge of radar range.
I arrived at my ambush location, dove to 100 feet and waiting to pick up a sound contact. After waiting a while nothing eventuated. Then I did pick up a sound contact, but this time North of me to the left. This showed up as a task force of two ships, I tracked their path and marked it on the map (Marked as C).
What to do? Do I wait it out and hope the warship I had been tracking had not turned direction? Or do I head for the new targets.
I decide to head for the new targets and start turning, now heading for the new contacts my initial contact appears travelling along it's path, bugger.
Now I have 1 military contact coming up the track from point A, and a task force coming from point C with me sandwiched in the middle. I decide to stick with my initial plan and attack the first contact. This then gives me an easier escape route south away from the task force who I figured would pick me up and come looking for me.
My target comes in to periscope view and is a light cruiser. So far the biggest target I have had.
On board I had a mix of Mark 14 and Mk 23 torpedoes. I launched 4 torpedoes at the cruiser, the two Mk 14 I set for resonance and the two slower Mk 23 I set for contact detonation.
Two dud torpedoes later I was wondering if I had just rattled the cage of a very large beast, with backup on the way, but thankfully the last two hit home and slowed the cruiser dramatically. I dove to 160 and watched. The cruiser slowed just north of me, a few explosions later it was on it's way down.
But, I had attracted the attention of the escort in the task force. So I dove to 250 and slowly crept away, I had a large lead so did not have to withstand any depth charges. Hiding further down south, I waited for the escort to give up. Just as he did and left, another sound contact appeared to the west, a lush convoy of 4 merchants arrived on the scene headed straight for me.
First picking off the three merchants, then the light cruiser and now some merchants served up on a platter with no escorts. What started out looking like a disappointing patrol was proving very fruitful.
Only 4 torpedoes left and with them having a liking for malfunctions I picked the largest merchant (Zinbu Maru) and headed for it. Hit it with 1 of three torpedoes which left it sinking in the stern. With only 1 torpedo remaining I headed for a smaller merchant, hit it but again, a dud.
Headed back for the Zinbu and laid in wait for nightfall ata bout 1500 yards. Surfaced and sunk 6 high explosive rounds in to her with return fire from bow and stern mounted guns, luckily no hits from the inbound fire. Returned to 100 feet and waited for my HE rounds to do their work sinking the Zinbu. Strangely no little sunk ship icon for the Zinbu.
Headed for home.