Your typical patrol

[commandosolo2009]

Hey guys,

I always wanted to know your typical patrol routines. Like where and speed, camp spots. In other words, your route from pearl, midway, fremantle, Brisbane, etc...and how long you stay there, and how to use the search pattern.

The patterns are 3 , but are they for submerged daylight patrols, or searching for reported enemies end-arounds?

Also, I'm not expecting a regular detailed patrol report (could find them in stories thread).
This is like a dinner invitation and we're eating, drinking cold beer at the Royal Hawaiian, and gossip with fellow Capts. Nothing too formal.

[Weiss Pinguin]

When I'm operating out of Pearl/Midway I usually make a home along the Japan-Luzon shipping lanes, my favorite spots so far are in the Ablaze/Abduct/Abandon patrol areas. Last patrol I ran into several Nippon Maru (10000 tons each). In the South Pacific, I usually just go around completing as many tasks as I can. I haven't really found a reliable hunting area, yet.

Running TMO 2.1 and RSRD.

[Armistead]

With RSRD at the beginning all the action is around the Philippines then heads south, so I start there. I'll usually hang around Java in Feb of 42 or above Timor to catch the large TF heading into the Indian Ocean. July to end of 42 hang around the Solomons for all the battles. In 43 usually Truk to Home Waters shipping lane and around Truk and Bismark. In 44 the best shipping lane appears to be along the west coast of Borneo, many large convoys travel from Singy to Kuching along Borneo through the Palawan to Manila or on to Japan. Around Oct.18-22 many TF come into Brunei Bay to prepare for Leyte, you can catch them coming in and heading out, then after the battle they return and head out again in mid Nov. Formosa is also very busy with large convoys in 44, but a deadly game there. In 45 I'll hunt Formosa early then most traffic, any decent convoys toward the wars end near the Korea Strait.

[0rpheus]

West of Celebes, all the way up the Makassar strait, and then sit just west of Tawi Tawi in the Sulu Archipelago. The tiny corridor west of Tawi Tawi has lots of traffic and you can just park up and let them come to you

[commandosolo2009]

Originally Posted by 0rpheus

West of Celebes, all the way up the Makassar strait, and then sit just west of Tawi Tawi in the Sulu Archipelago. The tiny corridor west of Tawi Tawi has lots of traffic and you can just park up and let them come to you

But isnt that somewhat forgranted? I mean in real life, if ships were sunk in that area, Japs would divert all ships to another route?

[0rpheus]

Yeah you're probably right, I didn't say it was realistic

[WernherVonTrapp]

When I first saw this thread, I wasn't sure how to respond because by patrols are anything but typical, from my own perspective anyway.
Notwithstanding, I (now) usually start in a Pigboat out of Manila and patrol in as much as fuel availability allows within the given historical context (e.g., the fall of Manila). Transfer to Fremantle and patrol the Makassar Strait, transfer to Brisbane, patrol the Bismarck Archipelago, the Solomons and Micronesia. Transfer to Milne Bay and patrol the same previous group along with the Palaus, the Philippines and the Marianas.

I'll always spend some time raiding various ports as to afford the enemy no safe harbor, though I've noticed the defenses tend to beef-up after each successive raid (probably just coincidence). I often change course when I'm near airbases to try and diminish detection by air. If I'm in an area that's close to an historic battle, I can remember it and I'm aware of the current date, I'll make an attempt to join in the engagement. I don't engage aircraft, I don't make it a habbit to take on DDs in battle, I don't stay submerged for too long and I don't do windows.

For the most part, that just about covers it.

[commandosolo2009]

thanks for sharing!