SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post

GoldenRivet · 08-03-08, 01:04 PM

DAY 04

From: U202
To: Bdu

03AUG1941
1257 Hours
BF1442

RECIEVED CONTACT REPORT RELEVANT TO GRID BF15 :: GIVEN SPEED AND DIRECTION INDICATED IN REPORT THE TARGET IS UNREACHABLE :: CONTINUING ON PLOTTED COURSE :: NO CONTACTS :: WEATHER REPORT AS FOLLOWS :: HEAVY RAIN ROUGH SEA VISIBILITY APPOROX ONE KM :: WEATHER IN THIS AREA PREVENTS EFFECTIVE U-BOAT OPERATIONS AT THIS TIME :: END

____________________________

U-202 log book

This morning at around 0900 we received a contact report from a U-boat which was returning to port. The report gave indication of a single unescorted ship heading ENE at medium speed. Given the position, course and speed of the target we would intercept them about the time they arrived in port! the decision was made not to persue the contact. The rain is relentless. No sooner do we enter a rich hunting ground and the weather goes ape ****!

Weather is probably the biggest counter to U-boat operations. If the Allies could find a way to control the precipitation patterns in the atlantic ocean they could effectively render the kriegsmarine useless. The tactical considerations to a U-boat in poor weather are many. The visibility becomes so limited that sighting a ship becomes impossible therfore the boat must rely on hydrophones. This requires the boat to remain submerged which then limits the speed to a snails pace. If a commander takes the risk to charge ahead on the surface he will have a sea sick crew to contend with, and worst of all, a destroyer could come rushing out of the driving rain at any moment with no warning. on top of all that... if hydrophone contact is made with a potential target, intercepting it in such weather is not only a massive risk for collision, but an intercept of the target can be a time consuming if not impossible feat.

Unless the weather improves significantly in the next several hours, all optimism for enemy contact in this area will be completely shot! and our next opportunity to enter heavily traveled shipping lanes will not come for another 1,700 KM.

Frustratedly,
J. Wintergarten

08-03-08, 01:04 PM	#36
GoldenRivet Subsim Aviator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 8,726 Downloads: 146 Uploads: 0	DAY 04 From: U202 To: Bdu 03AUG1941 1257 Hours BF1442 RECIEVED CONTACT REPORT RELEVANT TO GRID BF15 :: GIVEN SPEED AND DIRECTION INDICATED IN REPORT THE TARGET IS UNREACHABLE :: CONTINUING ON PLOTTED COURSE :: NO CONTACTS :: WEATHER REPORT AS FOLLOWS :: HEAVY RAIN ROUGH SEA VISIBILITY APPOROX ONE KM :: WEATHER IN THIS AREA PREVENTS EFFECTIVE U-BOAT OPERATIONS AT THIS TIME :: END ____________________________ U-202 log book This morning at around 0900 we received a contact report from a U-boat which was returning to port. The report gave indication of a single unescorted ship heading ENE at medium speed. Given the position, course and speed of the target we would intercept them about the time they arrived in port! the decision was made not to persue the contact. The rain is relentless. No sooner do we enter a rich hunting ground and the weather goes ape ****! Weather is probably the biggest counter to U-boat operations. If the Allies could find a way to control the precipitation patterns in the atlantic ocean they could effectively render the kriegsmarine useless. The tactical considerations to a U-boat in poor weather are many. The visibility becomes so limited that sighting a ship becomes impossible therfore the boat must rely on hydrophones. This requires the boat to remain submerged which then limits the speed to a snails pace. If a commander takes the risk to charge ahead on the surface he will have a sea sick crew to contend with, and worst of all, a destroyer could come rushing out of the driving rain at any moment with no warning. on top of all that... if hydrophone contact is made with a potential target, intercepting it in such weather is not only a massive risk for collision, but an intercept of the target can be a time consuming if not impossible feat. Unless the weather improves significantly in the next several hours, all optimism for enemy contact in this area will be completely shot! and our next opportunity to enter heavily traveled shipping lanes will not come for another 1,700 KM. Frustratedly, J. Wintergarten __________________