Can't slow to crawl without sinking - help!

[9emini]

Greetings friends - it's been a while. I am as I write this plea in a Type IIa 110km directly east of Hull, UK. It is Feb 6 1940. I am attempting to intercept a convoy but after an ugly incident earlier with an ASW trawler (subsequently dispatched with the humble flak cannon ), appear to have been rendered unable to e.g. rig for silent running without the boat sinking to the nearby sea floor (resulting in more damage, of course). I've repaired all damage possible but the stern quarters appear to have taken on a little water (it is visible in the 'crew' screen). I wonder if this is to blame. I appear to be able to travel no slower than 3-4kts before losing 'altitude' uncontrollably. I don't know why this water remains. Suspiciously, clicking on the stern quarters under the damage control team (top left of 'crew' screen) turns the stern quarters yellow, while reporting 'no damage to repair'. The large text box near the bottom of the 'crew' screen says all is well with the stern quarters too. But (and this too is odd) I am unable to select the stern quarters by clicking on the 'crew' screen's "large" sub image.

Running GWX3.0 @ 100% realism. Please help, fellow submariners.

[Pisces]

I'm not sure if this is normal or if this is the result of damage received. But maybe you should consider this a suggestion of quiting while you are still ahead (= alive). The north sea isn't that deep to hide in. (I don't know how deep it is there.) Better to go home I think and patch her up for a new patrol. You probably lost quite some hull strength.

[Gunnar]

Umm, if there is still water showing in the compartment but all systems show 'working' I often find that by scrolling down the text box showing those words there is little clock and the term "Flooding Recovery".

I tend to put men in the compartment and also at the repair station, then scroll down the relevant text box until the clock shows and then speed the time up a little.

If there is enough manpower on the job, the compartment will be pumped dry and the flooding recovery clock will run down to zero.

[9emini]

Originally Posted by Gunnar

Umm, if there is still water showing in the compartment but all systems show 'working' I often find that by scrolling down the text box showing those words there is little clock and the term "Flooding Recovery".

I tend to put men in the compartment and also at the repair station, then scroll down the relevant text box until the clock shows and then speed the time up a little.

If there is enough manpower on the job, the compartment will be pumped dry and the flooding recovery clock will run down to zero.

Gunnar you're a legend my friend!!! I have 3 mins worth of water to pump and will then see how the boat handles undersea. Thank you!

@Pisces: Quite so - I'm only in ~30m of water! Hopefully all will be well in - ooh! 20secs! Excuse me... =)

EDIT: It's all good =) . Thank you once again Gunnar!

[Obersteuermann]

It's vital to keep a clear head when your boat's flooding. I very nearly lost U-93 in September 1943 when a lucky American destroyer dropped a depth charge that exploded right in front of my bows. All 4 for'ard tubes were destroyed and the boat started taking on water like a thirsty camel. Hull integrity 54%. I had to go to flank speed just to keep her from dropping below 150m while the damage control boys got the pumps running.

Had to blow ballast twice just to stop us from sinking into the depths. I was getting really nervous by the time we finally gained positive buoyancy again - we only had enough air in the lines for one more blow and the destroyers were getting really persistent.

Luckily we pumped all the water out before another tin can found us, and the boat was manageable after that. Have faith in your crew, and never give up!

[desirableroasted]

Originally Posted by Obersteuermann

It's vital to keep a clear head when your boat's flooding. I very nearly lost U-93 in September 1943 when a lucky American destroyer dropped a depth charge that exploded right in front of my bows. All 4 for'ard tubes were destroyed and the boat started taking on water like a thirsty camel. Hull integrity 54%. I had to go to flank speed just to keep her from dropping below 150m while the damage control boys got the pumps running.

Had to blow ballast twice just to stop us from sinking into the depths. I was getting really nervous by the time we finally gained positive buoyancy again - we only had enough air in the lines for one more blow and the destroyers were getting really persistent.

Luckily we pumped all the water out before another tin can found us, and the boat was manageable after that. Have faith in your crew, and never give up!

Wise words that I have failed to heed too often. When you get cracked like that, you worry about stealth later. They already know where you are, so might as well make a virtue of it.

[9emini]

That's an awesome story Obersteuermann. Crimson Tide's on tv right now - it's an ad break but the Alabama's <50' shy of hull crush depth! So here I am of course =)

[derrinurban]

Originally Posted by Obersteuermann

It's vital to keep a clear head when your boat's flooding. I very nearly lost U-93 in September 1943 when a lucky American destroyer dropped a depth charge that exploded right in front of my bows. All 4 for'ard tubes were destroyed and the boat started taking on water like a thirsty camel. Hull integrity 54%. I had to go to flank speed just to keep her from dropping below 150m while the damage control boys got the pumps running.

Had to blow ballast twice just to stop us from sinking into the depths. I was getting really nervous by the time we finally gained positive buoyancy again - we only had enough air in the lines for one more blow and the destroyers were getting really persistent.

Luckily we pumped all the water out before another tin can found us, and the boat was manageable after that. Have faith in your crew, and never give up!

I had a similar situation early on in my learning of this game, a destroyer got a couple of lucky hits on the bow. The front two compartments started taking on water heavily. The sub started dropping like a stone, I increased speed and my descent slowed, but did not stop. Even at flank speed, I could not maintain a constant depth or even ascend. Blowing ballast helped, but only temporarily. Soon I was once again on my way down. After several tries, I too was running low on compressed air and again plummeting to the depths. The repair crews were working frantically to try and get the flooding under control. I had just past 200 meters, was this the end.

I resigned myself to death and thought I would take one last look at my sub as she went down. Switching to external camera, I was stunned, dumbfounded, then cursing my stupidity. The flooding in the bow had caused the sub to become nose heavy. Looking from the side, the sub was nose down about 30+ degrees from horizontal. No amount of dive plane and speed is going to overcome that. I quickly realized I was literally driving my boat to the bottom, AT FLANK SPEED no less.

Quickly, back flank, there may be hope yet. Slowly, as I started to pick up speed in reverse, my depth started to decrease. Success. For the next four hours I dodged the destroyer and went ahead speed, driving to the bottom till I closed on 200m, slowing and reversing back up to 100m. I took a bit more damage but eventually got the flooding stopped and pumped out. Fortunately the destoyer had run out of depth charges by this time.

I survived to fight another day and learned a lesson I will never forget.

[Jimbuna]

Ah, the memories.