Sea of Japan / La Perouse Strait Orders?!?

groomsie · 09-24-08, 04:31 PM

Aack! July 1943 and I'm running TMO 1.5 / RSRD. Have a Balao out of Midway, just returned from war patrol 7, and my new orders are to penetrate into the SOJ via the La Perouse Strait, stay 7 days, then transit out and down the east coast of Japan. Whew! Going to spend that renown now and have a few at the O-Club, as you never know if you'll be coming home...

Seriously, I was somewhat surprised at the orders, since this was the orders for Wahoo's last patrol as I recall. Anyone have any tips / advice for this one? My orders mention mines but say Russian merchants seem to be transiting fine.

wireman · 09-24-08, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by groomsie

Aack! July 1943 and I'm running TMO 1.5 / RSRD. Have a Balao out of Midway, just returned from war patrol 7, and my new orders are to penetrate into the SOJ via the La Perouse Strait, stay 7 days, then transit out and down the east coast of Japan. Whew! Going to spend that renown now and have a few at the O-Club, as you never know if you'll be coming home...

Seriously, I was somewhat surprised at the orders, since this was the orders for Wahoo's last patrol as I recall. Anyone have any tips / advice for this one? My orders mention mines but say Russian merchants seem to be transiting fine.

advice: keep your head down.

Zero Niner · 09-24-08, 08:04 PM

Well I did that in Patrol #4 (#1 in the USS Balao - new boat out of Midway). Like you I too was apprehensive, since that was where the Wahoo was sunk.

The transit was ok though, albeit I encountered 3 merchants along the way. Which I sank of course.

The SOJ is quite a target rich environment, yo could expend all your torps there,

Te Kaha · 09-25-08, 01:58 AM

Looks like whenever one gets a Balao, this is the 1st mission.

It'll be patrol #7, out of Midway, first in a Balao - SOJ via La Perouse Strait

I got the exact same mission to accomplish now, running RFB with RSRDC. I have no clues either, but I don't think the Strait will be filled with mines every few yards. Maybe I will do some active sonar, or wait for a merchant heading the same direction as me and just follow through - to sink her afterwards

Or maybe I don't bother at all.

Quillan · 09-25-08, 06:16 AM

I've done this mission three times in three different careers, and that's exactly how I've done it every time. I've waited until dark, and then followed another ship through on the surface. Given that it comes up in a Balao, you will have SJ radar, so just stay well back out of visual range and make sure you're following a merchant rather than a warship. Also, plot the point-man's position every so often, that way you can get back out without needing to wait.

groomsie · 09-25-08, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Te Kaha

Looks like whenever one gets a Balao, this is the 1st mission.

It'll be patrol #7, out of Midway, first in a Balao - SOJ via La Perouse Strait

For me this is patrol #8, my second one with the Balao.

Some good ideas, following another ship through at night... I've got my crew rotations done, and have upgraded my AA guns to the 40mm that just became available (in case I get in trouble with aircraft and can't dive). I've also added to my loadout a Mk 27 "Cutie" aft (in case I need to "discourage" an attacker), and a pair of Mk18s (which just became available to me) forward; 1 in tube 6 and 1 as reload (in case I need a bit more surprise than usual).

I'm debating adding 1-2 more of the Mk18s but for me they are unproven so I hesitate to take a lot of unproven ordnance into battle, especially if the stakes get high and I can't afford malfunctions... Anyway, didn't have much time last night so I busied myself with base preps so I am now ready to put to sea. I also added the new mod changing medal structure last night, my brief look I liked what I saw.

Anyway, thanks for the advice guys.

Red Devil · 09-25-08, 12:34 PM

I had this a few times, transit the strait at night. I usually get keep radio silence too when in the sea of japan, whats the difference between that and anywhere else?

peewee · 09-28-08, 05:54 PM

psssssssst, don't tell everyone..................never found any mines there, but can you say 'anti submarine net' ??

Task Force · 09-28-08, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peewee

psssssssst, don't tell everyone..................never found any mines there, but can you say 'anti submarine net' ??

anti submarine net.

Red Devil · 09-28-08, 06:51 PM

I have only found one up to now, surrounding a lagoon with two cargo ships moored, in the Marshall Islands, I think? It was a while back, in a finished war career.

There was a place where I could pass underneath it at approx 200 depth, but it took some finding (east to west transit).

09-25-08, 06:16 AM	#5
Quillan Samurai Navy Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 579 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	I've done this mission three times in three different careers, and that's exactly how I've done it every time. I've waited until dark, and then followed another ship through on the surface. Given that it comes up in a Balao, you will have SJ radar, so just stay well back out of visual range and make sure you're following a merchant rather than a warship. Also, plot the point-man's position every so often, that way you can get back out without needing to wait. __________________ We, the unwilling, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, for so long, with so little, that we are now qualified to do anything with nothing.

09-28-08, 06:51 PM	#10
Red Devil The Old Man Join Date: May 2004 Location: Sutton Coldfield England Posts: 1,540 Downloads: 305 Uploads: 0	I have only found one up to now, surrounding a lagoon with two cargo ships moored, in the Marshall Islands, I think? It was a while back, in a finished war career. There was a place where I could pass underneath it at approx 200 depth, but it took some finding (east to west transit). __________________ > > Captain!, there's a destroyer on the por........ periscope is flooded Sir! > Darkness is only the absence of Light; Ignorance is only the absence of knowledge © www.worldwartwo.uk www.captainwalker.uk

09-24-08, 04:31 PM	#1
groomsie Electrician's Mate Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Stoughton, WI Posts: 140 Downloads: 50 Uploads: 0	Sea of Japan / La Perouse Strait Orders?!? Aack! July 1943 and I'm running TMO 1.5 / RSRD. Have a Balao out of Midway, just returned from war patrol 7, and my new orders are to penetrate into the SOJ via the La Perouse Strait, stay 7 days, then transit out and down the east coast of Japan. Whew! Going to spend that renown now and have a few at the O-Club, as you never know if you'll be coming home... Seriously, I was somewhat surprised at the orders, since this was the orders for Wahoo's last patrol as I recall. Anyone have any tips / advice for this one? My orders mention mines but say Russian merchants seem to be transiting fine.

09-24-08, 08:04 PM	#3
Zero Niner Ace of the Deep Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,033 Downloads: 69 Uploads: 0	Well I did that in Patrol #4 (#1 in the USS Balao - new boat out of Midway). Like you I too was apprehensive, since that was where the Wahoo was sunk. The transit was ok though, albeit I encountered 3 merchants along the way. Which I sank of course. The SOJ is quite a target rich environment, yo could expend all your torps there,

09-25-08, 01:58 AM	#4
Te Kaha Navy Dude Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Austrian landlubber Posts: 178 Downloads: 75 Uploads: 2	Looks like whenever one gets a Balao, this is the 1st mission. It'll be patrol #7, out of Midway, first in a Balao - SOJ via La Perouse Strait I got the exact same mission to accomplish now, running RFB with RSRDC. I have no clues either, but I don't think the Strait will be filled with mines every few yards. Maybe I will do some active sonar, or wait for a merchant heading the same direction as me and just follow through - to sink her afterwards Or maybe I don't bother at all. __________________ "E hoa, ka whawhai tonu mātou, Āke! Āke! Āke!" (Friend, we will fight on forever, forever and forever!) Rewi Maniapoto's reply to British calls for surrender, Orakau, 1864

09-25-08, 12:34 PM	#7
Red Devil The Old Man Join Date: May 2004 Location: Sutton Coldfield England Posts: 1,540 Downloads: 305 Uploads: 0	I had this a few times, transit the strait at night. I usually get keep radio silence too when in the sea of japan, whats the difference between that and anywhere else? __________________ > > Captain!, there's a destroyer on the por........ periscope is flooded Sir! > Darkness is only the absence of Light; Ignorance is only the absence of knowledge © www.worldwartwo.uk www.captainwalker.uk

09-28-08, 05:54 PM	#8
peewee Electrician's Mate Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Iowa Posts: 135 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	psssssssst, don't tell everyone..................never found any mines there, but can you say 'anti submarine net' ??