Operation Dynamo, May 1940

GoDeep · 06-21-10, 07:08 AM

Hello SubSimmers,

I've been gone from Subsim from quite a while, mostly due to busy family life (babies suck up a lot of time!) but also due to other gaming interests. However, I find I always come back to submarines sooner or later. So a few weeks ago I installed SHIII again and loaded GWX Gold. I'm having a blast again! I almost forgot how immersive and beautiful this game really is. Also, hats off to the GWX team for another winner!

I started a new career in 1939 and am having my best career so far, especially because I am being more careful than ever. Doing my best also to play realistically, so no loading externals at night in gale force winds for instance. And it's paying off! During my last patrol I was sent to Norway to support the invasion of German troops. In the waters near Narvik, I stumbled upon the HMS Nelson and sank her! My first capital ship.

In my current patrol, I was sent to patrol the channel. In preparation, I loaded only electric eels because in those shallow waters, I don't want a bubble trail leading the Tommies right back to me!
Upon arriving at my designated grid, I get a radio message that a lot of shipping has been detected to and from Dunkirk, probably the English retreating from French soil. I check the map...it's only 40 km...let's go have a look.

There's a terrible storm blowing, but visibility is excellent, though as I get closer to Dunkirk, the wind drops to almost nothing and the waves drop dramatically. Time to dive, because I can now be seen from miles away!
I dive to PD, cruising at 4 knots, and sure enough the sound man begins picking up contact after contact...mostly warships. As I get closer to Dunkirk, I check the periscope and sure enough, plenty of smoke on the horizon. Mostly destroyers, but a few merchants are detected too.
When a couple of destroyers get to close for comfort, I drop my speed down to 1 knot and order silent running. My estimate is they will cross my path at several hundred meters off the bow. I go quiet and wait, thinking that now it is time to find out how quiet diesel/electric subs really are. The answer, bloody quiet:

This destroyer sailed right over my boat and never knew I was there! Lucky break, or what?

Of course I could have taken both destroyers out, but I didn't want to alert the hornets nest before I was good and ready and with something more to shoot at than 2 destroyers.

My patience is rewarded about 30 minutes later. I am still continuing to creep slowly towards Dunkirk. Nobody knows I am here. And now, these guys enter my view:

Two troop transports and an old passenger liner, escorted by a couple DDs and a Fiji class cruiser. Jackpot!

On second thought...they're about 4 kms away...the water here is only 30 meters deep and I found a minefield on my way in. The nearest destroyer is about 1700 meters away. Do I risk the attack and can I get away from the destroyers? There are at least 5 or 6 of them in the vicinity. In such shallow water and that many opponents, do I stand a chance?

So, what would you do?

06-21-10, 07:08 AM	#1
GoDeep Planesman Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Netherlands Posts: 188 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	Operation Dynamo, May 1940 Hello SubSimmers, I've been gone from Subsim from quite a while, mostly due to busy family life (babies suck up a lot of time!) but also due to other gaming interests. However, I find I always come back to submarines sooner or later. So a few weeks ago I installed SHIII again and loaded GWX Gold. I'm having a blast again! I almost forgot how immersive and beautiful this game really is. Also, hats off to the GWX team for another winner! I started a new career in 1939 and am having my best career so far, especially because I am being more careful than ever. Doing my best also to play realistically, so no loading externals at night in gale force winds for instance. And it's paying off! During my last patrol I was sent to Norway to support the invasion of German troops. In the waters near Narvik, I stumbled upon the HMS Nelson and sank her! My first capital ship. In my current patrol, I was sent to patrol the channel. In preparation, I loaded only electric eels because in those shallow waters, I don't want a bubble trail leading the Tommies right back to me! Upon arriving at my designated grid, I get a radio message that a lot of shipping has been detected to and from Dunkirk, probably the English retreating from French soil. I check the map...it's only 40 km...let's go have a look. There's a terrible storm blowing, but visibility is excellent, though as I get closer to Dunkirk, the wind drops to almost nothing and the waves drop dramatically. Time to dive, because I can now be seen from miles away! I dive to PD, cruising at 4 knots, and sure enough the sound man begins picking up contact after contact...mostly warships. As I get closer to Dunkirk, I check the periscope and sure enough, plenty of smoke on the horizon. Mostly destroyers, but a few merchants are detected too. When a couple of destroyers get to close for comfort, I drop my speed down to 1 knot and order silent running. My estimate is they will cross my path at several hundred meters off the bow. I go quiet and wait, thinking that now it is time to find out how quiet diesel/electric subs really are. The answer, bloody quiet: This destroyer sailed right over my boat and never knew I was there! Lucky break, or what? Of course I could have taken both destroyers out, but I didn't want to alert the hornets nest before I was good and ready and with something more to shoot at than 2 destroyers. My patience is rewarded about 30 minutes later. I am still continuing to creep slowly towards Dunkirk. Nobody knows I am here. And now, these guys enter my view: Two troop transports and an old passenger liner, escorted by a couple DDs and a Fiji class cruiser. Jackpot! On second thought...they're about 4 kms away...the water here is only 30 meters deep and I found a minefield on my way in. The nearest destroyer is about 1700 meters away. Do I risk the attack and can I get away from the destroyers? There are at least 5 or 6 of them in the vicinity. In such shallow water and that many opponents, do I stand a chance? So, what would you do?