Recent encounter with Gibraltar

Incubus · 10-06-06, 04:37 AM

I had a patrol that took me off the west coast of Africa. I sank several Merchants on the way (as most of you, I sink more ships outside my patrol zone than in it) Being the most southerly patrol so far, I decided to do a bit of exploring after my objectives were completed, and snuck into Gibraltar. Taking some advice of fellow poster about the virtues of patience (and picking my battles!) I tried to avoid contact with enemy warships, but my fuel was running low at this point (25%) and combined with horrendous weather forced me to run surfaced at night and diving whenever my batteries were charged up.

While surfaced I was jumped by 3 destroyers, but the water was not nearly as shallow as I'd figure so close to the strait, so I crash dived and basically tiptoed around for 8 hours until I got a good amount of distance. I carefully headed into Gibraltar. Because of the Destroyers forcing me to go so damn slow it was already sunrise by now. In the harbor there was a tanker and a destroyer. I went after the tanker first, and fired two fish but somehow they MISSED

I don't know what the hell was up with that but I'm guessing it has something to do with trying to fire at ships without the little triangle thing about them (I play at 47% realsm). I fired my last bow torpedo at it which hit and set it on fire, but the damn thing didn't sink even though it was burning and the storm was making it clang into the harbor walls. Next I decided to use my last fish on the destroyer, which I shattered in two easily on my way out. By now the harbor was alterted to my presence and I was chased by a PT boat and a destroyer. Because the water was so shallow, a depth charge went off underneath my submerged VIIC and almost threw the entire hull into the air. The two ships perforated me pretty good before I managed to scramble under water. I somehow managed to lose them and get far enough away to take care of flooding/damage. I figured I'd sail into the Mediterranean far enough till it would let me end the patrol, but as luck would have it I spotted a coastal Merchant, and by now the weather had just abated enough that I could sink it with my deck gun

I had many close calls, and it was a lot of fun because it was such a harrowing experience- my sub had a hull integrity of only 14% when I finished.

So far it was my best patrol yet, with 23,000 tons sunk (7 merchants, 1 destroyer). Though it would have been more if I could have sunk that dratted tanker.

Warmonger · 10-06-06, 06:56 AM

Well, I did the same on an uneventful patrol but snuck into Freetown. It was dark, heavy fog, heavy rain and pre-radar time (11/40) so I felt safe on the surface...NOT!

I was suddenly fired upon from nowhere so I turned around at flank speed, hoping it was a corvette or sth slow. But it was a destroyer hunting me down and ramming me to death. As water was only 11m deep diving was not an option.

Thus ended my successful career after 10 patrols, 48 merchants with 244 000t and 3 warships (1 carrier, 2 DDs)...

I am playing at 94% realism btw.

AVGWarhawk · 10-06-06, 08:14 AM

Gibraltar is as bad as the channel with warships. I went in once and just creeped along. Quite boring actually. I'm not going back until BDU tells me too

Even then I might just point the boat to a sunny place like the Bahamas, park the boat on a beach and call it a day on the war

10-06-06, 04:37 AM	#1
Incubus Planesman Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 195 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Recent encounter with Gibraltar I had a patrol that took me off the west coast of Africa. I sank several Merchants on the way (as most of you, I sink more ships outside my patrol zone than in it) Being the most southerly patrol so far, I decided to do a bit of exploring after my objectives were completed, and snuck into Gibraltar. Taking some advice of fellow poster about the virtues of patience (and picking my battles!) I tried to avoid contact with enemy warships, but my fuel was running low at this point (25%) and combined with horrendous weather forced me to run surfaced at night and diving whenever my batteries were charged up. While surfaced I was jumped by 3 destroyers, but the water was not nearly as shallow as I'd figure so close to the strait, so I crash dived and basically tiptoed around for 8 hours until I got a good amount of distance. I carefully headed into Gibraltar. Because of the Destroyers forcing me to go so damn slow it was already sunrise by now. In the harbor there was a tanker and a destroyer. I went after the tanker first, and fired two fish but somehow they MISSED I don't know what the hell was up with that but I'm guessing it has something to do with trying to fire at ships without the little triangle thing about them (I play at 47% realsm). I fired my last bow torpedo at it which hit and set it on fire, but the damn thing didn't sink even though it was burning and the storm was making it clang into the harbor walls. Next I decided to use my last fish on the destroyer, which I shattered in two easily on my way out. By now the harbor was alterted to my presence and I was chased by a PT boat and a destroyer. Because the water was so shallow, a depth charge went off underneath my submerged VIIC and almost threw the entire hull into the air. The two ships perforated me pretty good before I managed to scramble under water. I somehow managed to lose them and get far enough away to take care of flooding/damage. I figured I'd sail into the Mediterranean far enough till it would let me end the patrol, but as luck would have it I spotted a coastal Merchant, and by now the weather had just abated enough that I could sink it with my deck gun I had many close calls, and it was a lot of fun because it was such a harrowing experience- my sub had a hull integrity of only 14% when I finished. So far it was my best patrol yet, with 23,000 tons sunk (7 merchants, 1 destroyer). Though it would have been more if I could have sunk that dratted tanker.

10-06-06, 08:14 AM	#3
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,253 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	Gibraltar is as bad as the channel with warships. I went in once and just creeped along. Quite boring actually. I'm not going back until BDU tells me too Even then I might just point the boat to a sunny place like the Bahamas, park the boat on a beach and call it a day on the war __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

10-06-06, 06:56 AM	#2
Warmonger Lieutenant Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 266 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	Well, I did the same on an uneventful patrol but snuck into Freetown. It was dark, heavy fog, heavy rain and pre-radar time (11/40) so I felt safe on the surface...NOT! I was suddenly fired upon from nowhere so I turned around at flank speed, hoping it was a corvette or sth slow. But it was a destroyer hunting me down and ramming me to death. As water was only 11m deep diving was not an option. Thus ended my successful career after 10 patrols, 48 merchants with 244 000t and 3 warships (1 carrier, 2 DDs)... I am playing at 94% realism btw.