Transfered to Panang

[David I]

In May 1944 I and my Type IXC U-boat have been transfered to Panang (this is GWX3) and had successful hunting along South Africa's coast on my way.

In June 1944 I patrolled the Gulf of Aden, was forced under by aircraft about 4 to 6 times a day, narrowly avoided a large convoy with a bunch of destroyers (no torpedo shots) and for half my fuel gone only got 3 small and 1 medium transports for all that time. Headed for the coast near Bombay India, harrassed by aircraft constantly and never a sighting or sound detection.

I am now headed toward Ceylon, and ultimately with luck, home to Panang. This is shaping up to be the second worst patrol of this career (worst one was getting all the way to USA in 1942, only to get rammed in the fog by a destroyer and having to limp all the way back to Lorient without a torpedo fired). So my question is: Where in the East can I continue my career as a commerce raider? Which areas are "Heavy Traffic" zones?

Help me get away from "Airplanes, airplanes everywhere, and not a ship to sink".

DavidI

[Draka]

I am very much afraid that by '44 the life of a Kaleun is mainly "Duck the Plane" - with Allied escort carrier hunter-killer groups roaming the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, PBY's and Catalinas flying damn near everywhere, and damn near all ships in heavily escorted convoys (American industrial shipbuilding pumping out DD's and DE's, CVE's et all like never before or since), there are no more "safe" areas. It will get worse .....

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by David I

In May 1944 I and my Type IXC U-boat have been transfered to Panang (this is GWX3) and had successful hunting along South Africa's coast on my way.

COOL! I've never played past early 1940, so I don't do much long-range stuff.

[Hitman]

Theoretically there should be plenty of traffic hugging the african east coast from the red sea down through the Mossambic channel en route to Cape Town and from there, northwards to Freetown and finally the UK. The Indian coast should also be plenty of ships going along the coast and to and from the red sea. Finally, the northern australian coast might have some mild traffic, going to the more crowded east coast. You should choose those spots where ships must go through, and will find lots of targets. Those spots include the Mossambic channel, the Torres Strait, the Ormuz strait (Exit/entry to red sea) and similar.

Oh, and BTW did you transfer voluntarily or has the game automatically transferred you there? I'd like to start a campaign when I have time, but departing from France and not already at Penang.

Finally, a hint: While you stay in the Indian Ocean, enable the reduced GWX Indian Ocean files only campaign, which is in your mods folder. Will make loading times much faster, and allow better time compression and general running of the game.

[David I]

Hitman,

Since I posted, I redocked in Panang and am now setting out in August toward my patrol area of "O Afrika" ie Ost Afrika. I have noticed that there isn't a trigger spot to either change the "reach destination" nor the "patrol 24 hours" to completed in the Orders area key F8. I will use that as a basis to patrol East Africa from Madagascar (avoiding the buku aircraft near the Straits of Aden) down to South Africa.

The game (BdU) transfered me to Panang. I was in Lorient at the time and when I got my new mission it showed my "Return to Base" destination to Panang. Which was OK by me, as getting in and out of Lorient by April '44 was getting hairy. I hastily packed up my troprical's and set off.

Steve,

Playing the Game with the type IX is very different from the VII. You are much more in the role of commerce raider and much less that of convoy fighter. You can get orders to the Gulf of Mexico, Cape Town or Panang for that matter. By 1943 the Allies get possitively murderous. By '44 you are lucky to make it back at all.

DavidI

[David I]

16 August 1944

The U-129 leaves Panang for the East Coast of Africa. She is a IXC boat commissioned in 1942 but has the latest in radar, hydrophones, radar detection and Bold devices. I have loaded a full complement of Type III torpedos, with 2 Type IV homing torpedos (in tubes 4 & 5). I have just recently obtained the twin 37mm Flak gun, which has superior range and stopping power to keep the jabos away (I hope).

I have the honor to command a crew of experianced, decorated men who all have 7 missions beneath their belts.

Let's see how we fare.

DavidI

[Wreford-Brown]

Try the entrance to the Red Sea - loads of tankers and small convoys protected by inexperienced crews.