Latest casualty of the war - U-94 sunk

[Paul Riley]

Last entry from U-94

Nov 2nd 1942
Day 3 at sea
1160km west of France,recently escaped the bay of Biscay without harm.
During the night bumped into an Escort Carrier (no radar warning whatsoever) heading our way (first encounter with this type of ship).Forced under and prepared for a front on engagement,however multiple WSs heard in the area converging on our spot.Possible convoy/taskforce heading south,unsure.Forced to dive at high speed due to proximity of WSs to our position,detected immediately,carried on at high speed,reached 40m or so,WSs directly above us,DCs dropped,huge blasts erupted all around us,boat shaking violently,taking on major flooding,stern planes and aft torpedo tube destroyed,130m,blew half comp air,reached 100m still sinking,DCs fading slightly,major effort to stop flooding,approx 16mins to secure floo.....................

[Leg]

rest in peace... I've been reading your reports with interest

[Packerton]

R.I.P Kaluen.

Hopefully I will have better luck in my current career.

[Paul Riley]

Thanks guys,I appreciate your support.

Looking back I know what went wrong,a combination of night time,being unable to weigh up enemy strength properly,confrontation with a new type of ship (panic and excitement),but mainly I was desperate to get as much depth as possible and the high speed basically sealed our fate from the start.With that much activity above you,and not even at 50m yet,and an air of panic and confusion,and going at high speed...you know the rest

Well,I learned a few things from that disaster,be focused,calm,and keep that speed down.I also need to remain focused more during damage control.I'm also thinking of making it standard to dive during night time now,better to detect threats much further in the day,just like with aircraft.

[Leg]

Always better to be cold blooded; that's also the reason I use a type IX... It isn't safe to do anything without thinking about it twice

[sunvalleyslim]

Sorry to hear about your loss Kapt.
At least you can start a new career
Wasn't that way for most during WWII......
If I lose a boat I always start with a new Kapt.
Best Of Luck..............

[Paul Riley]

Again,thanks for the support,and best of luck to you all also.
@leg
I am a bit reluctant to go out in a type IX (at the moment),especially in areas nearer to Britain,I have tried em before and find they can't crash dive quick enough,but they do have a heavier AA armament.Realistically speaking,I think its better to dive at all times against aircraft,too risky to lose some of your watch crew because you couldn't cause enough damage with the guns,even more so for me now with a novice crew

[Paul Riley]

I think Roald Larson put a jinx on my U-Boat,he predicted,with quite unnerving accuracy that I would be sunk before Nov 2nd,but by aircraft I think he meant.Ironic though that our fate was met on the night of the 2nd
Strange happenings what can happen far out at sea,the souls of the lost cry on the wind

[Leg]

Originally Posted by Paul Riley

Again,thanks for the support,and best of luck to you all also.
@leg
I am a bit reluctant to go out in a type IX (at the moment),especially in areas nearer to Britain,I have tried em before and find they can't crash dive quick enough,but they do have a heavier AA armament.Realistically speaking,I think its better to dive at all times against aircraft,too risky to lose some of your watch crew because you couldn't cause enough damage with the guns,even more so for me now with a novice crew

Sure it is dangerous to patrol grids near Britain with a type IX; actually I use it to go to far areas; and currently I am still in the 1940 happy time. This sub is bigger and slower to dive; it is also heavier and submerged it takes a longer time to turn than the type VII; so you have to be prudent and think about every move and plan carefully your attacks. It is helping me to be more reflective than I was with the VII. When I am in areas I know there's big possibility of aircrafts I go desh awash; in the future; when the situation will get hot, possibly I'll switch to a type VIIC\41. I rather prefer to don't engage with AA enemy planes, but just dive.. except if I am reloading externals.

[Paul Riley]

I would like to use the decks awash tactic myself,especially when crossing the BOB,but problem with that is you can't assign your watch crew,and planes would be almost on me with no warning.
No,I think its going to be a struggle from now on,at least until a decent radar warning device is made,this one I am using is virtually useless,or the allies have changed their frequency preventing me from detecting radar signals
I'm looking forward to jumping into a VIIC/41,never used one before,hope they are slightly faster,with a better dive time.

[nikbear]

Bugger,that is tuff luck At least you can learn from the situation,Mind PR you mention that at decks awash you can't assign watch crew? You should be able to at just over the 7m mark,any higher and the watch crew will go down and also any radar warning will stop working also cause it thinks in game you are really diving Try to set decks awash literally just past 7m's and if its not to choppy you should be fine

[Paul Riley]

nikbear,

About decks awash,I am assuming you mean for GWX or any other version?,don't forget I am using the stock game with just commander installed.
My method of trying to attain decks awash is to first set for 8m,then just as I reach 8m I set for maintain depth,and the boat gets set at 7m,which is what I want.Problem is (and it might just be for the stock game) any depth lower than surfaced causes the watch to understandably go below deck.

[Leg]

Uh! As your last career's just ended, why don't you try the GWX? There the deck awash will work for sure.

[Paul Riley]

Because,I only have a dial up connection,and it would probably take about a year to dl.I don't have the money at the moment for a high speed connection.
I am however considering supplying my contact details to jimbuna,so I can have GWX shipped to me from the US on a DVD.
I also don't mind playing at least one campaign through to the end via the stock game,then when I am happy with my experience I shall finally transcend to GWX level

[sharkbit]

I may not totally understand how it works, but I think GWX3.0 is available via a "Torrent" download form the GWX website. It is supposed to be for dial up/slow connections.
I may be totally wrong though. If so, please forgive my ignorance.

I bet Jimbuna or one of the other GWX guys can enlighten us.