Convoy encounter

Evil Duckie · 09-22-05, 01:15 PM

February 1st 1941:
Left St Nazaire in our trusty U-94 (a VIIC)

February 3rd 1941:
Spotted a lone C-class destroyer, sank it with one torpedo

February 4th 1941;
Got reports of a large, slow convoy near our position, heading north. Plot an intercept course and run into the rear of the convoy at about 5 am. Loop around and around 7:30 am, sun had just risen, make an attack from the east.

Convoy consists of roughly 20 merchants, mainly C2 and C3 with some small merchants in there as well. Hydrophone gives 4 warship contacts, one of which is at a totally different angle from the rest of the convoy and can't be spotted visually, it's assumed this is a lone patrol. The other escorts spotted are a Hunt-class DD, a Black Swan class frigate and a Southampton class light-cruiser. The Southampton, sailing in the center of one of the convoy's inner columns, is declared our main target.

Submerge and go to silent running. Pop up when the Southampton is within close firing range with a good solution and send 2 torps at her, followed immediately by 2 torps towards a C3 in the next column. I then go deep.

The cruiser is hit first and starts to list immediately. Then the C3 is hit.

Both sink within minutes

Stay deep until 2 front tubes are reloaded, fire them at a C2, but both miss. The convoy had started to go evasive and the other 2 escorts were coming in, looking for me. I get pinged just as the other 2 front tubes are reloaded. Fire them at a C2 and sink it, fire the rear tube at a Small Merchant, which is hit but manages to stay afloat. I go deep and silent

Escorts are now on top of me

Lots of DC, but nothing near me. I keep running deep and silent until, after about half an hour, they give up the chase and rejoin the convoy.

Rest of my patrol was uneventful, but I did get back home to promotions, medals and lots of renown. First time I got 2 promotions for my crew at the same time.

FAdmiral · 09-22-05, 01:45 PM

What grid were you in when you attacked the convoy?

JIM

Evil Duckie · 09-23-05, 01:30 AM

AM78, west of Ireland and quite a bit out of the coast. I thought it was a pretty odd grid for a northbound convoy actually...

FAdmiral · 09-23-05, 03:45 PM

I have been using BF13 for my happy times. It seems that a
convoy comes thru there going wsw at 6 kts about every 2 to
3 days. All are British, no neutrals. Always between 16 and
20 merchants with 3 to 4 escorts. No aircraft during the 40's.
This has amounted to about 80% of my tonnage on my last 3 patrols.

JIM

09-22-05, 01:15 PM	#1
Evil Duckie Watch Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 30 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Convoy encounter February 1st 1941: Left St Nazaire in our trusty U-94 (a VIIC) February 3rd 1941: Spotted a lone C-class destroyer, sank it with one torpedo February 4th 1941; Got reports of a large, slow convoy near our position, heading north. Plot an intercept course and run into the rear of the convoy at about 5 am. Loop around and around 7:30 am, sun had just risen, make an attack from the east. Convoy consists of roughly 20 merchants, mainly C2 and C3 with some small merchants in there as well. Hydrophone gives 4 warship contacts, one of which is at a totally different angle from the rest of the convoy and can't be spotted visually, it's assumed this is a lone patrol. The other escorts spotted are a Hunt-class DD, a Black Swan class frigate and a Southampton class light-cruiser. The Southampton, sailing in the center of one of the convoy's inner columns, is declared our main target. Submerge and go to silent running. Pop up when the Southampton is within close firing range with a good solution and send 2 torps at her, followed immediately by 2 torps towards a C3 in the next column. I then go deep. The cruiser is hit first and starts to list immediately. Then the C3 is hit. Both sink within minutes Stay deep until 2 front tubes are reloaded, fire them at a C2, but both miss. The convoy had started to go evasive and the other 2 escorts were coming in, looking for me. I get pinged just as the other 2 front tubes are reloaded. Fire them at a C2 and sink it, fire the rear tube at a Small Merchant, which is hit but manages to stay afloat. I go deep and silent Escorts are now on top of me Lots of DC, but nothing near me. I keep running deep and silent until, after about half an hour, they give up the chase and rejoin the convoy. Rest of my patrol was uneventful, but I did get back home to promotions, medals and lots of renown. First time I got 2 promotions for my crew at the same time. __________________ Quack!

09-22-05, 01:45 PM	#2
FAdmiral Pacific Aces Dev Team Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Atlanta, GA, USA Posts: 1,079 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	What grid were you in when you attacked the convoy? JIM __________________ If you\'re not taking losses, you\'re not doing enough. RAdm. Kelly Turner, USN ********************************** www.fairtax.org

09-23-05, 01:30 AM	#3
Evil Duckie Watch Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 30 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	AM78, west of Ireland and quite a bit out of the coast. I thought it was a pretty odd grid for a northbound convoy actually... __________________ Quack!

09-23-05, 03:45 PM	#4
FAdmiral Pacific Aces Dev Team Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Atlanta, GA, USA Posts: 1,079 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	I have been using BF13 for my happy times. It seems that a convoy comes thru there going wsw at 6 kts about every 2 to 3 days. All are British, no neutrals. Always between 16 and 20 merchants with 3 to 4 escorts. No aircraft during the 40's. This has amounted to about 80% of my tonnage on my last 3 patrols. JIM __________________ If you\'re not taking losses, you\'re not doing enough. RAdm. Kelly Turner, USN ********************************** www.fairtax.org