First Wolfpack

[Tupolev]

Just had a wonderful experience h.sie's & Stiebler's wolfpack mod!

On my 8th patrol (5 on IIA U-63 and 3rd on VIIC U-554) and finally BdU finally requests hourly reports on a convoy!

First visual contact was smoke on the horizon (ahh the nostalgia!) my north, around CG-57. Spotted an escort on the starboard side of a north bound convoy and trail him to the convoy proper. Through the light haze (moderate vis, wind 0 m/s), I finally spot the outer-most merchant and begin my plotting for course and speed. As it is late morning in June (1941) I settle down for the long hours of shadowing.

About 5 hours before sunset, the wind picks up and blows the haze clear. I'm now in perfect visual range of the escorts. Turning to give the smallest silhouette, I'm never-the-less spotted by the lead and starboard side escorts at about 9000 meters. After a short chase at flank speed (Alles was drin ist, LI!) I crash drive when rounds splash off my port side about 50 meters away.

Neither escort spends much time attempting to locate me underwater, and I surface an hour later. Now hard pressed to get position reports to BdU before sundown, I attempt to regain contact on the convoy as quick as possible.

Just as dusk approaches, I find the convoy about 20 km west of where I expect them to be. They had changed course!

I'm able to send off 3 more reports to BdU while overhauling the convoy, receiving only "Full freedom of maneuver granted" in response. Drats!

Just before midnight, I begin my run in on the convoy. With high seas (13 m/s) and clear skies I'm easily able to avoid the escorts. I fire a fan at a Large merchant and single shots at 3 smaller freighters. On my exit run, I see 2 detonations on the large merchant, all the rest miss apparently. Then I start to see more detonations. A small tanker goes down in fiery fashion. A coastal freighter down by the bow. Ships I hadn't even shot at! Apparently I got the pack close enough!

Now that the escorts have their hands full, I run ahead of the convoy at full speed, then dive to reload my torpedoes. While the crew reloads, I give the hydrophone a listen. What carnage! Detonations, explosions, depth charges. Its unbelievable to hear.

Tubes reloaded, I surface an hour later and turn back to the convoy. I notice several more ships missing from the formation and the corvette guarding the starboard flank is gone. Thank you wolf pack!!

With this side wide open, I make another run in. I fire 5 more torpedoes, sinking a large tanker and an ore carrier.

All in all, I get 3 ships for 28,000+ tons. By my count, the pack sunk a corvette and probably 6 or 7 ships.

The sights and sounds of the battle were just awesome to behold. Its definitely a tribute to the guys who've worked so hard to give us these experiences.