Another photo recon, TMO 2 to Koror, Dec 1943

I got within 5 miles of docks and 2200 yds of the star.
Took picture of patroling subchaser but no mission completion.
Went below thermal (200) ft at night to wait daylight.
Subchsaer circled closer and closer and then pinged me.
I went deeper (300) ft and stayed silent. But, he found me
and soon came DCs and another DD. So, how can I accomplish
this mission? I'm still learning, playing 15% realism, but can't
figure this mission out. This patrol has been good so far, expended
all torps sinking 30k plus tonnage. If I can get thru this
I expect to get to go to home base. Need some help.

[WernherVonTrapp]

I completed this mission quite a while ago so, my memory may be a little faulty. I remember that it took me quite a long time to complete. When I entered the harbor, it was full of warships, including a nice fat Kongo sitting out a ways, in the middle of the harbor. DDs were all around me and a couple even passed right over me. You should be at General Quarters but, it's very important to deactivate your repair crew before rigging for silent running. Otherwise, they still seem to remain at their stations and, I assume, make some noise for the escorts to pick up on.
I don't remember how close I had to get but it was somewhere in the neighborhood of the distance you listed. From what I've read in a couple of forums, the harbor isn't always as full of ships like it was when I completed it. There had to be a half dozen DDs patrolling in the immediate vicinity of the harbor when I was there. In all honesty, I don't know how I completed it w/o being detected. Patience is the key, and quiet running.
When the camera icon lights up (you have to lock onto the taget), just keep snapping pics till it goes off. Then it is completed. Good Luck.

This mission may do me in. Two subchasers found me at
200 ft, silent and stopped. They ran out of DCs on me
resulting in some damage. Managed to crawl away to deep
water when out came a DD. He's been dumping DCs on
me for over 6 hrs. It's now night but the 3 of them r still
up. How many DCs does their DD have???

[Armistead]

Different escorts carry different amounts. Some carry a crap load.

[mobucks]

This may also be a game issue.

Are you saving inside 20km of port? I reccomend not to.

Come into port outside of 20km on a fresh save. Make sure you are not spotted or even above water if it is daylight. This is important.

It sounds to me like you had been previously spotted and then picked up again due to the DDs already being in an agressive state.

I forget really, but i think agressive AI will be still aggressive when you reload a game that they werent hostile in previously if within 20km.

Saving is bad all around in this game. Some recommend to only do it completely stopped and surfaced with no contacts or land <20km away not before laborday and without reporting to your Subpac

GLHF you will get a lotta mileage out of this game starting at 15%

Well my saga ends well. Night was pitch black and I waited untill the 2 subchasers and DD lay stopped and silent. I slipped away silently towards the western reef without being detected. Got to the reef, surfaced, and bid those sub kilers Bon Voyage and beat a path to Halamehera to reload. Now on to sink a few more Marus, or whatever, and maybe just go back to Koror and try again.

[WernherVonTrapp]

Well, I'd ay that's cause for celebration. Pop the champagne cork. BTW, there's nothing that says completing an assignment has to be the first item on the list. I haven't done it often but, on at least a few occasions, I went out and sank alot of ships before even trying to complete my initial assignment.
The only other photo recon that I had a problem with, but eventually completed, was the recon for Osaka harbor. If I never get that assignment again, it won't be too soon.

Thanks for sharing. I didn't know you didn't have to complete all of the patrol objectives. I do have over 30k tonnage sunk so far. I sort of feel like you do about my photo mission to Koror. Think I'll just expend my new load of torps and then head for base.

[WernherVonTrapp]

You sink enough tonnage and they'll never complain about not completing an assignment. I've done that too. I've omitted completing an objective here and there, especially some of those loooong, drawn out, photo recons. If I sink enough stuff, I return to base and still have new renown added to the bank.

[flatsixes]

When the front door's locked... try the back.