I'm tellin' y'all, it's sabotage!

[Reinhard Dietz]

So I'm cruising about while submerged at or about periscope depth. All of a sudden, I've got damage to the stern torpedo tube and minor, but extensive, damage to the electric engine compartment and 1% hull damage. My capable crew repaired all the listed items in two minutes of game time, but I'm left stumped as to what might have bagged me.

I don't have the malfunctions and sabotage option checked in SH3C and I didn't get hit by aircraft, so far as I can tell---that's usually deck and flak gun---so go figure. I'm still based at Kiel, so it wasn't an angry Frenchman that did something. I'm tempted to write it off (for log purposes) as mechanical fault---something that wasn't unheard for these boats---but I'd like to know what might have caused it.

Any ideas?

[Jimbuna]

[krashkart]

Bernard!

I've had wtf moments like that before but it was the result of my masterful underwater piloting skills in shallow waters.

Jim's probably right, though. It was a seagull blocking your view.

[Reinhard Dietz]

I'll get that seabird yet; I've got nearly a full load of 20mm for the AAA!

I was under the impression that mines were instantly lethal, but hey, if I get grazed instead of killed, that's fine by me. Meanwhile, I'm now trying to run down a merchant in near zero visibility using only occasional sonar fixes. Meh.

[Immelman]

Nice pick jumbuna I for a good 3 minutes!

I have been hit by a mine before while skulking about in the channel... Survived the mine hit but lost my ability to submerge, electric motors kaput! So an airplane nailed me while I was returning my IIA to Kiel

[Vipper]

If it was mine you are were lucky you did survive that. I did hit a mine once...Now i do avoid any place that looks like they might have mines planted there (like channels and british east coast).

[krashkart]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

That is a cute pic, though. It has me scratching my head wondering how you sandwiched the bird between the background and the graticule, too.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by krashkart

That is a cute pic, though. It has me scratching my head wondering how you sandwiched the bird between the background and the graticule, too.

Not my picture

[Paul Riley]

On my return from my 2nd patrol I am planning a return trip through the channel,but my only concern are the apparent mines which so far I have been unable to find as I have never hit one.Can someone tell me,are they laid across the dover strait opening in a line?,or are they dotted around the main ports?
I may abort this risky move and head around Scotland instead.

[Immelman]

I am assuming you are using GWX or NYGM mod. If so unless you have a death wish I would avoid the channel like the plague... Its infested with DDs it has mines and nets forcing you towards the center of the channel where the DDs are waiting to rip you a new one.

If you are running SH3 stock then by all means nothing to it.

[Reinhard Dietz]

Originally Posted by Paul Riley

On my return from my 2nd patrol I am planning a return trip through the channel,but my only concern are the apparent mines which so far I have been unable to find as I have never hit one.Can someone tell me,are they laid across the dover strait opening in a line?,or are they dotted around the main ports?
I may abort this risky move and head around Scotland instead.

If I were you, I'd do what I've done since the days of Aces of the Deep and run around Scotland, going north of the Shetlands and just south of the Faeroes. It takes (comparatively) forever, but your only risk in 1939-40 is the odd Hurricane or Swordfish. The routing that worked for me in late May/early June 1940 was using AF87-84-73-72-71 and then staying in the deep water near the coast of Norway.

I suppose I'll need to dig around and find if there's a mine barrage in The Minch in AM37 in the stock campaign---I'd doubt it since I was there for something like a week running all over the place. Oh well!

The good news is that little permanent damage was done and I went on to find a convoy that's now short a T3 and a T2. The epic 12+ hour sprint at flank speed of U-48 through the worst in-game weather possible to rendezvous with the convoy and stalk a pair of tankers shall always be remembered!

[papa_smurf]

It was Bernard. He likes to "help" in your u-boat, but ends up causing all sorts of trouble. The best way to avoid this is to either: 1 - leave him at port, or failing that; 2- stick him where he cant cause any damage, i.e the aft torpedo tube

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by papa_smurf

It was Bernard. He likes to "help" in your u-boat, but ends up causing all sorts of trouble. The best way to avoid this is to either: 1 - leave him at port, or failing that; 2- stick him where he cant cause any damage, i.e the aft torpedo tube

I did that once and then forgot he was back there. Got into a sticky situation with a lone destroyer and decided to fire a stern shot at her whilst I was making my escape. It was a direct hit.

He survived the impact, of course, hard-headed schwein that he is. Didn't damage the destroyer at all and being the gentlemen they were they fished him out and took him prisoner. I guess they thought his appearance in the water was evidence of our destruction because after that away they went with Bernard stowed safely away somewhere on board.

A couple hours later my sonar man reported what sounded like an explosion, long range off our starboard bow. All we could see when we surfaced was an orange glow and smoke on the horizon.

Poor buggers. But better them than us!

[Sailor Steve]

Unfortunately when you wake up tomorrow morning Bernard will be in the control room waiting for you. He's just that kind of guy.

You didn't really think you'd get rid of him that easily, did you?

[frau kaleun]