U-637’s incredible fight for survival.

[Wulfmann]

Once in a while you have a patrol that is epic. Not because you sink a carrier or rack up a big score in tonnage but because you dug deep and found a way to bring your boat home when it should have been sent forever to the bottom.
U-637 had such a patrol.
I have a new super RND file with some new twist in my search for reality.
Basically, I made all the escorts competent instead of Elite and veteran and increased the number of escorts for the convoys to range (1943-45) from 8 or 9 to as many as 12.
This also required editing the depth charges and sensors to lessen those pin point sniper drops by widening the chance where it explodes (Instead of always at my depth) and reducing the effect to allow me to take more hits and prolong the agony of the sinking.
Well, that was the idea and hope and U-637 left St Nazaire in Fed 1944 to test the new mods.
I sank a lone coastal merchant off Portugal and ran into a small convoy (I have changed the local traffic for England, North Africa and Atlantic to small convoys of 2-5 merchants and 2-4 escorts) it only had two armed trawlers (elite crews but no Asdic) sinking a C3 and a liberty but having a tough go with the pesky trawlers but finally got away by going to 1 knot and silent running.
I headed north hoping to catch a convoy but with my RND mis files 3 ships for 16K in early 44 is actually a decent patrol.
After some bad luck I ran into a large north bound convoy. I planned to stay way wide and throw a spread of four fish in hopes of disabling something big and then using a T5 to take out the screen escort and then hopefully survive the counter attack.
But, the convoy turned and ran over me.
I was not only in side the screen, I was inside the first line of fat juicy merchants.
What a big convoy, 9 rows. It had the usual DD in front at least 2 frigates on the opposite flank but a DD and 2 DEs were on the convoys right side with one way out making my original idea perhaps not a good one.
As I slid across the unsuspecting line of merchants I decided to shoot from row 2 into a T3 leading row 3 then move across and attack the last ship in row 4 another T3.
All went well except I misjudged the speed of the convoy and both fish hit right on the stern of the big tanker. She did not go down, damn.
I noticed the 2 closer DEs on the flank turn in and I fired a T5 through the outside wall of merchants hoping the homing device would not activate until it was nearer the DEs. It worked, One DE went down.
I now tried to salvage the raid by making a better set up on the other T3 which I did. That brought my score close to 30K, not bad and if I could survive maybe that T3 disabled would slow or even stop and wait for me.
But, I had to sneak out the back and escorts were in a foul mood by now.
I ran along the side of a C2 which put one frigate and a DE looking behind me and that left only the rear right twins a C-Class and a DE.
As I came out the back they both turned on me and I hit the afterburners to get some space and the last bit of seconds needed to load the second T5.
I had the set up and as soon as it went green it went out and I shut down the motor and called for 260 meters. As soon as I heard the ka-boom I hit flank and drove U-637 deep as fast as I could so I could clear the convoy even further and reduce the number of potential suitors.
Boy was I lucky, Only the survivor of the right rear pair came after me although I was not aware of that just yet hearing many warships on the hydrophones but he was actually the only one on my trail. I counted 7 so with 2 sunk there were at least 9.

As I maneuvered to keep the DCes from hitting me I crept further south and finally realized I had only one escort to beat. For the next 4 ½ hours he made his runs but experience guys here know one DE can be predicted by careful listening and we can always zig then zag and I suffered only slight damage from a few close ones.
But, he would not give up. He had no more depth charges but kept making his runs. 500 klicks west of Portugal is too long to be underwater. I knew the tanker was still close by alone and I had one fish for him.
I also had a T5 for the escort.
Except it was the external storage.
I rose to periscope depth and delightfully lined up and sank the big tanker. My score was over 40K and when this guy got tired I could ride my glory back to France like the good ole happy times of the U-Boats.
But he did not get tired. I stayed down and tried everything.
I remained still, I went zig-zagging, I went one knot, I went in reverse, I did everything I could think of.
He could not kill me but I was running out of air as it was now 14 friggin, frelling hours since I crash dived and don’t remember how long before that I was under waiting for the convoy!!!
I would suffocate the crew before I would run out of electric power.
I tried to put up the snorkel but only had it shot up by the escort (anyone remember The Bedford Incident!).
I went deep again and finally had no choice, the line for CO2 was on the Red. I had to surface and hope to get enough air in a couple minutes and not be destroyed by gunfire.
I put damage control people on call and as soon as I porpoised I put the 2 Flak rated Chiefs (Did I mention I edited the crew cfg to be improved, LOL).
Now I got lucky, I usually pick 3 quad mounts for my C4 tower but this one time I thought I would give the twin 37MM a go because Werner in Iron Coffins stated how impressed they were with a single 37MM auto.
The DE blasted me straight away. I had flooding in 4 compartments with one very serious almost instantly. I jumped on the twin 37MM (The crew will not shoot at ships by themselves).
OK, this gun kicks Royal Navy buttocks. It can’t sink a ship but it sure makes a mess of everything else. I took out both turrets all the AA, the search lights the boats and DC rack and anything that could be was blown to bits by this Jesus (Savior) gun.

But, on fire and toothless the DE that should have been named HMS Churchill for the bulldog never give up attitude now was hell bent on ramming me.

Does anyone remember the T5 in the outside storage compartment?
For the next hour I twisted and turned on the surface at flank speed while the DE tried in vain to run me down until I finally had my last chance to go home ready.
We all know these home boys don’t always work even when we have the idea down pat they are ifee.
I dove and he followed me and I turned hard with a 120 angle on the rear tube and when he got there I fired, shut off the motor and ordered 20 meters.
That was one of the sweetest explosions I have ever heard.
Never has the cheering crew sounded like it was for real like this time.
U-637 surfaced and headed home and not even Murphy was going to do anything but tip his hat to the saga of this one determined U-Boat.
She will likely succumb to a Sunderland 50 mile outside of port on the next cruise but, hey, the virtual crew is getting trashed off their butts tonight and I for you think they deserved it.
Over 14 hours submerged by that DE! I’m beginning to dislike them!
I gave the first Iron Cross 2nd class to the flak chief!

Wulfmann

Watching the DC fall and wondering when it will go off!


The evil DE. Called a River class it si not a River at all. This is a very nice model of the C Class types that were converted in 1942 as convoy escorts with extra fuel and DCes and less gun and torpedo armament. Their K-Guns are very deadly. I hate them! LOL

[Keelbuster]

Dude - that's totally wicked. The 37mm job was all ball. Now - was he an elite escort or just competent?

Kb

[Wulfmann]

Ge was competent although I have yet to see a difference from veteran in my testing but imagine there is at least a little.
I have not ever had one that did not go away when he ran out so am not sure what promyed this. If I did not have the extra T5 and the 37MM (The 20MM quads did not do the same damage) I would have been done for!

The 37MM was sort of a cheat to reality but so was the AI so they cancel each other, IMO! :hmm: :rotfl: :hmm:

Wulfmann

I agree, that was epic!

Good job surviving.

[Myxale]

:hmm:
That is worth a movie...hope you kept the KTB!

[GreyOctober]

Thrilling story!

[andy_311]

Great love to do it myself just like you did but alas when it comes to editing files am usless tried it once but sooner or later the game ctd on me.but if i knew how to edit the DC's(I do patricially) and the AI sensors I would be a happy bunny.
But all said and done I don't know how.
But a nice story abyhow.

[Wulfmann]

Fortunately U-637's second patrol was rather boring. But, it did show one thing of interest.
I did not even get close to a Yank convoy. I was driven under by 2 DEs and did not even site the merchants.
I sank one with a T5 but by the time I came up and the other left the convoy was long gone.
I felt this represented 1944 well.

Then it rained like Noah saw. I got my only convoy report of the patrol and snuck in with all the bad weather sank a liberty and a T3 and snuck out all quiet like. It rained and rained and I went home with 8 fish left but not enough fuel to continue.
At this rate Germany will lose the war!

If I get this where I feel it is close to right or at least close enough to be a step in the right direction I might package it and release it as a GW add on.
Not a sanctioned one just that I have been running GW so it would be what it is compatible to..

It is one thing to make it harder like it was it is another to eliminate the impossibilities that also deminish the realism, whatever that is!

Wulfmann

[XXi]

COngratulations for surviving !
Truly epic thingie