AOD Patrol Reports

[Sailor Steve]

Well, I did it. I haven't been playing SH3 because I want to run all the latest greatest mods and I have to wait for a new computer. I don't like waiting for the long loading times just so I can sit and whine about all the stuff I'm missing.

I haven't been playing SH4 because, while it's better than SH3 in most departments, it doesn't have all the cool mods, so the harbors look naked and that drives me nuts.

I haven't been playing SH5 because I refuse to buy it until the DRM is completely gone.

So my solution, after reading Howard313's thread on torpedo problems, is to play Aces Of The Deep again.

Why? It looks awful.
Answer: looks aren't everything.

It sounds awful.
Answer: Not really. It's got nothing on the modern games, but everything's there.

If you don't play the others because of the missing goodies, why play one that has none of those at all?
Answer: Because it doesn't pretend to. In the SH series the goodies help make up for the lack of gameplay. In AOD the gameplay is nearly perfect, so the other stuff is not needed.

It's old.
Answer: It loads in about 15 seconds, it saves well every time, Time Compression works perfectly, the AI is so random it seems real. It may not look so hot, but it still plays as well as anything out there.

Truth to tell, I'll probably drop it as soon as I have a newer computer, but for now this is fun.



So, here is my first patrol report.



Gerhard Ansel
U-113: Kiel

5.10.39
1638 Departed Kiel.

6.10.39
0548 Passed Brunsbuttel locks.

7.10.39
0600 Report: AN4896. Course 300, 9 kts. Partly cloudy, Sea rough.
2220 Arrived AN4499.

8.10.39
0600 Report: AN4459. Course 305, 3 kts. Heavy fog, Sea light.
0929 Destroyer sighted, very close. Periscope depth, slow speed. Course 090.
0930 Merchant bearing 050 relative, 4 kts, 3550 meters. Escort, 8 kts, 2870 m.
0932 Sound reports 1 merchant and 4 escorts!
0937 Can see 2 merchants and 3 escorts.
0944 Lining up on medium tanker, 4 kts.
0947 Fired 2 eels.
0948 Both duds!
0952 Have determined tanker to be in 9000-ton class. Fired last eel, diving to 70 m.
0953 Heard it hit!
0955 They're looking out in front of us. Seem to be safe, ordered reloads. No breaking-up noises. Sound reports 3 merchants, 2 escorts.
0956 Depth charges, far off.
1002 Merchant propellor sounds approaching.
1006 He's directly overhead, barely faster than we are.
1007 Sound now reporting 4 merchants, plus the two escorts.
1008 Propeller noise becoming fainter. Coming to periscope depth.
1013 How wrong could I be? We're in the middle of a big convoy! At least 10 merchants and 4 escorts!
1019 Both torpedoes now loaded.
1021 Plotting intercept course on small tanker.
1024 Fired tube 1.
1025 Got him!
1026 Escort coming! Diving to 70 m. Depth charges nearby.
1028 Heavy pinging.
1032 One of them is right on top of us. Evading. Sound reports breaking-up noises.
1033 Heavy depth-charging nearby. Some of them close enough to shake us.
1034 They seem to have moved off. Ordered silent run.
1035 They're coming back! Ahead flank, hard starboard, 110 meters.
1036 Several bombs, one very close.
1037 Silent run.
1039 They're back for more. Ahead flank, hard starboard, 130 meters.
1045 Ahead slow, back to 80 meters, course 180, trying to stay in contact with convoy.
1047 They're coming back again. Flank speed, hard port, 100 meters.
1048 Still turning, 120 meters.
1054 Twisting and turning, 150 meters. They're all over us. Silent run.
1055 They're moving off again.
1100 They're far off now. Coming to 70 meters.
1125 Periscope depth.
1128 Escorts about 8000 meters off. Resuming patrol course.
1130 No damage to boat.
1700 Surfaced.

9.10.39
0600 Report: AN4416. Course 090, 3 kts. Light fog, Sea smooth.

10.10.39
0600 Report: AN4497. Course 265, 3 kts. Partly Cloudy, Sea medium.

11.10.39
0600 Report: AN4417. Course 100, 3 kts. Heavy fog, Sea moderate.

12.10.39
0600 Report: AN4449. Course270, 3 kts. Partly cloudy, Sea rough.
2203 Destroyer spotted.
2205 Two of them. Moon rising, 1 eel left. Think we'll give this one a pass.
2222 Apparently a small task force - no merchants in sight.

13.10.39
0600 Report: AN4451. Course 000, 3 kts. Partly cloudy, Sea rough.
0654 Lookouts report smoke on the horizon.
0730 Lost sight of it. Pursuing with no luck.
1408 Lookouts report ship closing on us. Seems to be a lone merchant.
1420 He's definitely heading our way. Setting up intercept.
1525 Range now under 8000 meters. Going to periscope depth.
1540 Freighter, about 4000 tons.
1708 Fired last eel. HIT! He's sinking quickly!
1724 Target sank. Heading home.

14.10.39
0600 Report: AN4347. Course 135, 8 kts. Sky clear, Sea calm.

15.10.39
1640 Passed Brunsbuttel, into Kiel Canal.

16.10.39
Tied up at Kiel

Final Report: Six days at sea.
SS President Sergent (French tanker) 5309 tons.
MV Alfred Jones (British freighter) 4000 tons.
Total 9309.
Career Total 9309.




ps If you're playing, feel free to join in the fun! Patrol Logs, stories, screenshots...well, maybe not screenshots.