Night Surface Attack...Two Escort Carriers sunk.(pic heavy)

[Bubblehead1980]

TMO 2.0
RSRD

March 1944, Gato Class USS Gurnard
Celebes Sea "Choke Point" South of Davao Gulf.

After about 8 days in patrol area with just one small freighter down, was getting bored when late in the evening, while fighting fairly heavy seas, radar made contact, set an intercept course for the 4 contacts plowing through single file.Soon only had three contacts.Seas were heavy and although phosphoresence was heavy, decided on a night surface attack but at 3800-4000 yards for safety...Within rang eof my Mark 23's loaded in bow tubes.

Soon was off the projected track and could see through the TBT, two carriers and one DD astern.Although concerned as to where the the fourth ship(most likely a DD) was, worried about targets.The carriers were moving at 19 knots, closed to 3600 yards and fired all six bow tubes at the leading carrier, identified as a Taiyo Class Escort Carrier.

The torpedo run seemed to take forever but all six hit, one dud but the others hit, leaving the carrier a flaiming wreck, she soon began to sink.The escort went into action but didnt see me as I slowly backed away.Soon the second carrier turned north and would pass near me, I couldnt speed up enough to get into position for a stern shot, so ordered a dive.After some tracking, had the second carrier moving at 13.5 knots, readied the Mark 18's in the stern tubes and fired, while firing the carrier's angle sharpened and closed the distance, the first two hit, the last two didnt run long enough to arm, so did not explode.

The carrier soon went dead in the water as I went deep to avoid the DD.
After 20 minutes, I came back to scope depth to find the DD off in distance and the carrier still dead in the water with a nice list and the bow area burning.After 10-30 more minutes(some in a little TC) the carrier finally sank

After looking over the map, i noticed a gray ship sunk mark on the map, back a few miles before made visual contact, apparently the seas swamped the lead DD or it collided, not sure.

Great patrol so far, 12 torpedos left.

[Armistead]

Great patrol. I assume you prefer red over green and have compared them. Looking at your shots I may give red a try as I turn my gamma way down.

I wonder if these were headed for Tawi Tawi, possible? You'll find all the captial ships in the harbor there as the jump off point for Battle of the Philippine Sea. Possible the traffic is such the ships come from different areas to join there.

[WernherVonTrapp]

I like the SS through the night optics Periscope and TBT. Makes for some cool visual effects. Nice patrol Bubblehead. I gotta try those optics. Which mod is that?

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by Armistead

Great patrol. I assume you prefer red over green and have compared them. Looking at your shots I may give red a try as I turn my gamma way down.

I wonder if these were headed for Tawi Tawi, possible? You'll find all the captial ships in the harbor there as the jump off point for Battle of the Philippine Sea. Possible the traffic is such the ships come from different areas to join there.

Yea I prefer red because it helps but its not night vision normally(kind of was in this situation due to the phosphoresence) green is too much of a help, basically like having night vision.I also turn my gamma way down.

Nah these ships were heading East and then NNE roughly, if they kept their heading, wouldve ran right into Palau, so assume they were heading to Palau.


I should be on patrol around June 44 going on current schedule, so going to try to patrol around Tawi Tawi to intercept some of the fleet.

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by WernherVonTrapp

I like the SS through the night optics Periscope and TBT. Makes for some cool visual effects. Nice patrol Bubblehead. I gotta try those optics. Which mod is that?

Thanks.

The night scope is the default night scope in TMO.The TBT Red Filter is a mod I requested a while back and as embarassing as it is, I forgot who created it(feel kinda bad) I believe the TBT filters are in the download section.I prefer red because its not night vision but helps, green is almost like night vision to me so I dont use it.

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980

Yea I prefer red because it helps but its not night vision normally(kind of was in this situation due to the phosphoresence) green is too much of a help, basically like having night vision.I also turn my gamma way down.

Nah these ships were heading East and then NNE roughly, if they kept their heading, wouldve ran right into Palau, so assume they were heading to Palau.


I should be on patrol around June 44 going on current schedule, so going to try to patrol around Tawi Tawi to intercept some of the fleet.

I'm guessing they should be there, course doubt you would want to harbor rape them, every captial ship lined up in a row. I can't remember exact date they spawn out with escort, but they go through the Celebes and just south of that island about in the middle exit west..You can almost sit behind it and get them...some mean escorts....I'm sure I got SS if you want closer directions.

I'm trying to find the battles where the BB's came near Savo in Nov 42. I see two surface battles happened then, so see if that happens.

[the_tyrant]

How do you pull off surface attacks anyways
How do you dodge radar?
and can you be sunk by one shot by a battleship?

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by the_tyrant

How do you pull off surface attacks anyways
How do you dodge radar?
and can you be sunk by one shot by a battleship?

Well in the stock(out of the box) game night surface attacks are pretty much impossible even on a lone merchant.In mods like TMO or RFB, night attacks are possible given the proper conditions.

Pretty much you plot an intercept course, try to get withing 2500-3000 yards, use the TBT to sight your target, set the proper info into the TDC...send bearing when read to fire and then fire as you would with the periscope.If you are on auto target, you just point the TBT and place the crosshairs over the desired point of impact and fire.

Well in stock radar is impossible to dodge, ubi gave IJN great radar which they didnt have in RL.The mods have changed it to be not ass effective.Also, in TMO you have the RWR(Radar Warning Receiver) which alerts you if the enemy has radar and you plan accordingly.

The carrier attack was in early 44 so they didnt have radar yet.

I've never been hit by a battleship's gun so not sure, my guess is in the game no BUT one good hit would prob wipe out some key systems like your engines or fuel tank, which would leave you stranded and since there is no abandon ship etc, youre done.