I've joined the 100K Patrol Club!

[predavolk]

I didn't think that I would be able to do it without some really big ships, but I managed to sink over 100K of shipping thanks to a nice range of ships and some fat tankers. I think my total was 11 merchants, 3 tankers, and 1 warship. I cruised in my IXB from Lorient down the African coast, hitting 4 convoys, then lots of ships off the African coast before some parting shots near Gibraltar on the trip back. Some memorable moments:

1- Using my final torpedo to hit the stern of a large tanker and watch it sink. That put me up to 98K tons! I was simply hoping to break 90K.
2- Waiting around Gibraltar for days in the hopes of catching a lone merchant. Nothing came, until a flood of ships started pouring through! My first stalk was ruined by a convoy right on its tail! But with a bit of patience, I was able to position myself bow on bow with a large merchant, then a Granville. I find that if you surface at flank, blowing balast, at 1500M, you do enough damage to hit periscope depth before they can turn their ship enough to bring their rear guns to bear. The Granville had the nasty surprise of a forward cannon, but it was quickly taken out of action.
3- My 2nd favourite kill was attacking a small convoy of 4 ships escorted by a destroyer. With the destroyer out front, I let a coastal merchant go by, then hit a small merchant, a medium cargo, and finally an ore freighter. The best part was that the ore freighter was tricky to line up, and the destroyer was coming up my tail for a depth charge run! So I made a point-blank frontal shot, dove under the freighter, then watched as the destroyer had to desperately try to stop before ramming the freighter! The freighter then served as a very convienient blocker while I made my getaway!
4- My favourite kill was a gratuitous kill I couldn't resist. In real life, Captains didn't "trophy" hunt. So when I saw a coastal merchant escorted by a corvette, I decided to take it. But then, the two were sailing so close together, and in such perfect synchrony (no zig-zagging for either), I ended up "wasting" a torpedo on the corvette too! At 400M, 2M depth impact, the poor corvette broke into two immediately. The coastal merchant behind was too stunned to do anything in the 10 seconds it too him to also blunder in front of me, and he was also sent to the bottom with a quick torp.

Good times!

[richardphat]

OMG here is another pro ! Gratz are you using GWX? I wonder how can you face 4 convoy near africa! I never have the occasion to face with them And also i feel weird......the destroyer ramm into the freighter........ while you are hiding under it.........
I thought it would pull you down!

[predavolk]

Originally Posted by richardphat

OMG here is another pro ! Gratz are you using GWX? I wonder how can you face 4 convoy near africa! I never have the occasion to face with them And also i feel weird......the destroyer ramm into the freighter........ while you are hiding under it.........
I thought it would pull you down!

I use GWX 2.1, 100% realism with the 16K mod and some minor mods (e.g., red contact line). I wasn't hiding under the freighter, I went under it with the intention of diving deep and getting the hell out of dodge. It just so worked with the timing that as I went under, the ship above slowed down (due to my torpedo's damage) enough to interfere with the destroyer's chase!

And as I mentioned in another thread, the convoy line between Freetown and Gib, in the DT area (right side) has been VERY productive for me. I've met at least 2 convoys on each of my three trips (once 2, another 3, this time 3+ the small convoy in this example, which was actually south of Freetown).

1,000,000 tons, here I come! I still have yet to nail a really big capital ship though. I'd really like a battleship or carrier to my name!

[totodog]

Wow! Sometimes when I go patrolling I see a lone boat and sink it. I get like 5k tons most on a patrol. Most patrols are just not sinking anything. Patrol grid and back. When my radioman detects radar signals it is Ahead slow! Periscope depth! Report on nearest contact (always a warship). I wait in like 32x tc for it to pass then I go back to the course. I always dive and never fight back against a destroyer. I have stock sh3. If you'd like to share some tips with me, feel free to post back or drop me a PM.

Thank you.

[Bismarck]

GWX adds tons more boats, models, ports, and ships to SH3 i suggest getting that if you want to be one of the 1337 boys

[gord96]

i dont think i will ever hit the 100k club in my boat....