Back in the Fleet Boat again!

[Rockin Robbins]

For the first time since the publication of SH4UBM I'm back to my Fleet Boat career in October of 1944! I'm all loaded up with the new TMO, RSRD and PE3, and I feel like I just came home again. Well, almost....

Ducimus, you screwed up my throttle settings! Where's my 9 kt 2/3 throttle? We're back to ahead standard as best fuel economy again. You been talking to those RFB guys again????

I cut my teeth on a long Medium Split Freighter. Set him up for a Dick O'Kane with radar, submerged and never raised the scope. Trashed him with two hits from two sonar fired torpedoes. Very satisfying! And coincidentally identical to my last attack from my U-Boat, so it was doubly satisfying.

Proceeded to Formosa Straight on assignment and picked a cool RSRD 14 or 15 ship convoy with five radar identified escorts. Three of them picked me up on radar or with a radar detector and lit out after me when I was crossing a flat with only 90' of water. I shut down the radar quick and hit ahead emergency. The smoke on the horizon with PE3 is amazing and scary! They got within 5 miles so I went to periscope depth. Now I'm running WFO toward the track of the convoy, hoping to put the three hunters behind me. I'll deal with the consequences when I get some hits on the merchies. If I get to the merchies.

I extended the radar antenna for the first time and what did I find? A lousy evil radar-equipped airplane headed for my last known position. I shut down the radar and lowered the antenna.

My batteries are boiling, I'm ahead emergency toward the track and eyeing my three escort buddies on the sonar. This is gonna get real interesting. Maybe TOO interesting the way I'm using up my batteries.

More power Scotty! More power! This is great!

[Ducimus]

No wonder you've been so quiet lately. :rotfl:

[Nuc]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

No wonder you've been so quiet lately. :rotfl:

Quiet Rockin Robin? Isn't that an oxymoron?

[Quagmire]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

For the first time since the publication of SH4UBM I'm back to my Fleet Boat career in October of 1944! I'm all loaded up with the new TMO, RSRD and PE3, and I feel like I just came home again. Well, almost....

Ducimus, you screwed up my throttle settings! Where's my 9 kt 2/3 throttle? We're back to ahead standard as best fuel economy again. You been talking to those RFB guys again????

I cut my teeth on a long Medium Split Freighter. Set him up for a Dick O'Kane with radar, submerged and never raised the scope. Trashed him with two hits from two sonar fired torpedoes. Very satisfying! And coincidentally identical to my last attack from my U-Boat, so it was doubly satisfying.

Proceeded to Formosa Straight on assignment and picked a cool RSRD 14 or 15 ship convoy with five radar identified escorts. Three of them picked me up on radar or with a radar detector and lit out after me when I was crossing a flat with only 90' of water. I shut down the radar quick and hit ahead emergency. The smoke on the horizon with PE3 is amazing and scary! They got within 5 miles so I went to periscope depth. Now I'm running WFO toward the track of the convoy, hoping to put the three hunters behind me. I'll deal with the consequences when I get some hits on the merchies. If I get to the merchies.

I extended the radar antenna for the first time and what did I find? A lousy evil radar-equipped airplane headed for my last known position. I shut down the radar and lowered the antenna.

My batteries are boiling, I'm ahead emergency toward the track and eyeing my three escort buddies on the sonar. This is gonna get real interesting. Maybe TOO interesting the way I'm using up my batteries.

More power Scotty! More power! This is great!

WOW! You are one lucky skipper. I am in the same area as you but it is April 1944. All I have seen is one lone merchant after another. I would do back flips if I could find a convoy.

Has anyone spotted a convoy using TMO and RSRD in April 1944? Lemmie know and we can virtually wolfpack together!
.

[Rockin Robbins]

Was interrupted by R/L but back at this battle. Sunk a nice tanker in the middle of the convoy. I decided I was the hunted and slunk away from the convoy to do an end around. I've sunk 2 escorts with cuties and still have three provisionally identified. Once I put them behind me by 5000 yards, I came to periscope depth for a look-see.

IT_SHAY!!!!! There is a subchaser 2000 yards directly ahead, playing possum and waiting for me to get careless. Open torpedo tube one, set for stationary target, bearing, mark! Fire one... A cutie going out on a first date. Awwwwwww!:p

Nine full minutes later, BOOM! as the subchaser hits the throttle. Too late, the cutie has blasted a nice hole in his stern. I watch as he goes down in 10 minutes.

Surface the boat! Radar get me a report! We've got 'em now! Prepare for another end around to the starboard side of the convoy this time! Ahead full!

Radar: DAMN!!!!!~!! What kind of report is that?


Damn turns out to be shorthand for it looks like we STILL have three escorts and plot shows one coming this way to party. The others have my planned starboard side of the convoy covered. Oh, joy. Ahead emergency! Course 90º! Let's see if he has the stomach to chase!

It's only a little after 21:00. Lots of time for more end arounds. The saga continues...

[gimpy117]

I say keep on your course and shoot a magnetic eel when he gets close like real close if your feelin brash.

[Arclight]

Originally Posted by gimpy117

I say keep on your course and shoot a magnetic eel when he gets close like real close if your feelin brash.

And pray to god the thing actually detonates.

[Rockin Robbins]

Pray is what I thought too. I headed south for another end-around. I was met by two friendly subchasers and forced down. I've sunk three of them and still can't get to to convoy for a second attack! My score so far is three subchasers and a nice tanker for 10,000+ tons. These two are plenty good. If I can get 1500 yards away from one I'll shoot a cutie his way. But they're both all over me.

Silent running at 1 knot at night with rough seas (I have to run 55' to see anything through the periscope) under a thermal layer and I can't shake 'em. Sonar conditions should be garbage but these guys have X-ray vision.

There's no problem running out from under (just remember the damn side throwers!) when they drop. Sitting at three hundred feet with a 41% damaged hull (from an earlier incident before I encountered the convoy) and daring them to make a mistake. I'll do my best to ensure it is their last.

[Arclight]

They can track you in those conditions?

I'm halfway '42, and if I run silent at 2 knots with 3 destroyers directly overhead, they can't get a bead on me. The only reason they're there in the first place is because they tracked the 2 torpedo trails leading back from the burning oilspill that used to be the lone european liner (japanese europian liner, funny ) they were escorting. Guess they failed that mission...

(Then again, I'm only running PE + NSM, so I guess the AI still has room for improvement.)

Tough boat you got there by the way, holding together at those depths with a buckled hull. Better be carefull they don't get in a lucky shot, doubt she could take much more of that kinda punishment.

Nah, that's no way of looking at things... give 'm hell, skipper!