My first Conte Verde liner - It "blowed up real good"

Vaux · 12-03-10, 07:43 AM

TMO 2.0, auto-targeting and event camera on. Luzon Straits, April '42, Porpoise-class boat. After successfully completing a few objectives in the South China Sea, I received orders to find and sink any enemy shipping. The orders grant me full autonomy in doing this. I headed North figuring I'd check out the Jap coast.

About 3:30 PM, the weather is clear with only a couple knots of wind, when the Deck Watch calls out "Ship spotted!". It's a Momi destroyer at a little over 5 miles. A couple minutes later, I hear "Ship spotted!" twice more in quick succession. I look through the binoculars and see not one, but two Conte Verde liners in file behind the Momi. I do some quick observations, figure a rough course for them and discover that if I simply submerge, turn 90 degrees to port and wait, I'll be in a perfect firing position.

Since conditions are such that visibility is incredible, I submerge a lot earlier than I normally would. I call for silent running. I use my sonar, and periodically quickly raise and lower my A scope to monitor the convoy's progress. I note that the convoy is moving at 17 kts... wow!

Eventually, I get lined up on the leading liner, the pip turns green and I fire all 4 forward tubes along the liner's length as it passes through my cross-hairs. I'm about 3,500 yards out, much farther than I would normally attack from, but visibility is working against me. The torps are set to Fast, Impact, and set to 15 feet. After all 4 forward tubes are cleared, I call Ahead Standard and hard starboard to bring my 3 remaining torps in the stern to bear.

At this point, I notice the liners slowing and beginning to turn to starboard. Must have seen my torp wake. Not surprising, given that the ocean looks like a billiard table, and the sun's high in the sky. I loose my 3 remaining stern torps, call for a depth of 295 and, again, rig for silent running.

Of the 7 torps fired, only one of the stern torps hit, but that's all it took. It hit right between the 2 funnels and resulted in quite a spectacular series of secondary explosions. At one point, the entire ship was obscured in a huge fireball. Within a couple of seconds of the impact, I saw the lifeboats appear in the event cam and knew she was doomed.Now to settle in for a few, relaxing, game-time hours of DD evasion.

So, was this just a lucky shot on my part, or are Conte Verdes really that sensitive? Maybe she was carrying ammo?

WernherVonTrapp · 12-03-10, 07:46 AM

I tend to find these liners in the routes between the Philippine and East China Seas, just below Kyushu.

Armistead · 12-03-10, 07:53 AM

Never seen one in RSRD, nor do I think Lurker put any in as they weren't historical. However, the jps did have one that was sunk by a US sub.

WernherVonTrapp · 12-03-10, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armistead

Never seen one in RSRD, nor do I think Lurker put any in as they weren't historical. However, the jps did have one that was sunk by a US sub.

Good point. I don't recall what version I was playing when they crossed my path but they were called "Conte Verde" when they did. In stock they're simply called "Large European Liner" (or something to that effect). I don't think I saw any playing RFB/RSRDC.

andy_311 · 12-03-10, 08:13 PM

not seen that ship since i played the stock version of the game the biggest liner i see in FOTRS is the SS.Bergan and she always travels with a type 36 dd i think doing around 35knts,Ifound her 4 times and only sank her once and then i wasn't aiming for her .

Armistead · 12-03-10, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WernherVonTrapp

Good point. I don't recall what version I was playing when they crossed my path but they were called "Conte Verde" when they did. In stock they're simply called "Large European Liner" (or something to that effect). I don't think I saw any playing RFB/RSRDC.

No, none exist in RSRD. I think the WIP IJN merchant mod was going to add the one that did, but alas not yet to be. This Conte was the one that brought the JP spies to study Pearl. It left a few weeks before the attack.
It did make some forays and seems it was sunk in the China Sea near wars end.

12-03-10, 07:43 AM	#1
Vaux Torpedoman Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Florida Posts: 116 Downloads: 26 Uploads: 0	My first Conte Verde liner - It "blowed up real good" TMO 2.0, auto-targeting and event camera on. Luzon Straits, April '42, Porpoise-class boat. After successfully completing a few objectives in the South China Sea, I received orders to find and sink any enemy shipping. The orders grant me full autonomy in doing this. I headed North figuring I'd check out the Jap coast. About 3:30 PM, the weather is clear with only a couple knots of wind, when the Deck Watch calls out "Ship spotted!". It's a Momi destroyer at a little over 5 miles. A couple minutes later, I hear "Ship spotted!" twice more in quick succession. I look through the binoculars and see not one, but two Conte Verde liners in file behind the Momi. I do some quick observations, figure a rough course for them and discover that if I simply submerge, turn 90 degrees to port and wait, I'll be in a perfect firing position. Since conditions are such that visibility is incredible, I submerge a lot earlier than I normally would. I call for silent running. I use my sonar, and periodically quickly raise and lower my A scope to monitor the convoy's progress. I note that the convoy is moving at 17 kts... wow! Eventually, I get lined up on the leading liner, the pip turns green and I fire all 4 forward tubes along the liner's length as it passes through my cross-hairs. I'm about 3,500 yards out, much farther than I would normally attack from, but visibility is working against me. The torps are set to Fast, Impact, and set to 15 feet. After all 4 forward tubes are cleared, I call Ahead Standard and hard starboard to bring my 3 remaining torps in the stern to bear. At this point, I notice the liners slowing and beginning to turn to starboard. Must have seen my torp wake. Not surprising, given that the ocean looks like a billiard table, and the sun's high in the sky. I loose my 3 remaining stern torps, call for a depth of 295 and, again, rig for silent running. Of the 7 torps fired, only one of the stern torps hit, but that's all it took. It hit right between the 2 funnels and resulted in quite a spectacular series of secondary explosions. At one point, the entire ship was obscured in a huge fireball. Within a couple of seconds of the impact, I saw the lifeboats appear in the event cam and knew she was doomed.Now to settle in for a few, relaxing, game-time hours of DD evasion. So, was this just a lucky shot on my part, or are Conte Verdes really that sensitive? Maybe she was carrying ammo?

12-03-10, 07:46 AM	#2
WernherVonTrapp Admiral Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Now, alot farther from NYC. Posts: 2,228 Downloads: 105 Uploads: 0	I tend to find these liners in the routes between the Philippine and East China Seas, just below Kyushu. __________________ "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." -Miyamoto Musashi ------------------------------------------------------- "What is truth?" -Pontius Pilate

12-03-10, 08:13 PM	#5
andy_311 The Old Man Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Oldham, Lancs,England Posts: 1,312 Downloads: 82 Uploads: 0	not seen that ship since i played the stock version of the game the biggest liner i see in FOTRS is the SS.Bergan and she always travels with a type 36 dd i think doing around 35knts,Ifound her 4 times and only sank her once and then i wasn't aiming for her . __________________

12-03-10, 07:53 AM	#3
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,880 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	Never seen one in RSRD, nor do I think Lurker put any in as they weren't historical. However, the jps did have one that was sunk by a US sub.