Just finished a career from August 1939 to May 24, 1945. Not overly realistic, but I wanted to see if I could pull it off in GWX. Started off in Wilhelmshaven in the 2nd, commanding a VIIB. Then I went to Lorient and commanded an IXB and then an IXD2. I had many excellent patrols and many close calls. This career was the first time I ever brought a boat home under 30% hull integrity. A good portion of that damage happened while duking it out with planes in the Bay of Biscay, literally just outside of Lorient. I didn't know the hull was in that shape until I reached port. (100% realism). Some of my tactics are a little aggressive for a sub skipper and I lost many good men. One patrol in particular saw one officer, two petty officers and five sailors dead. There were a few patrols where I was just plain lucky to make it back.
In 1942, I transferred to the 10th and was eventually attached to Operation Monsun in Penang. I found that I missed the action of the North Atlantic and in 1944, transferred to the 11th in Bergen, where I thought I'd finish out the war. I also took command of an XXI for the first time (My favourite is IXD2). After two patrols I found convoys scarce and airplanes a plenty and transferred back to the 10th. When I transferred, I was assigned to Lorient. One patrol later my base was changed to Penang. So, I set out for Penang in my XXI. I know. You're thinking "Gott Himmel!!". But I did make it without the presence of milchkuhe. As it turned out, the XXI has an impressive submerged range. I was easily able to stretch my diesel.
Once I reached Penang, I was immediately sent to Jakarta, where I cruised around Australia and attacked a few convoys. On March 7, 1945, we set sail from Jakarta and found a convoy about 800 clicks south of Port Moresby. We sunk all of the escorts and eight ships. Knowing I wouldn't make it to Jakarta and back out to sea before the war's end, I ported in Rabaul. I didn't need fuel, but I had no eels. I also knew that my boat would be stocked with nothing but TI gas torpedoes.
We set sail from Rabaul April 26, 1945, and on May 6, stumbled into a convoy just off of the southeast coast of Australia in the Tasman Sea. I was almost certain that we wouldn't survive an attack on the convoy using TI's this late in the war. I stalked the convoy, took out the escorts and scored five hits. I was hoping for more hits, but most of my eels were used fighting the escorts. As I floated just under the surface watching a large tanker and a large merchant burn, I received the news that we had surrendered and the war was over.
Once the tanker sunk, I set a course to travel all the way around Australia and up to Jakarta. Although it was a long war, I wasn't quite ready to give up command of my U-Boat. By the time we hit Jakarta it was May two-four (the Canucks will get that) and the war was well over. I was immediately retired at Jakarta and then assigned to the 5th in a training capacity.
On to the next battle,
Herr 20,000 Leagues
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