Thoughts On Black Sea Career

[sharkbit]

Just wanted to share some thoughts on a Black Sea career that I started last summer and, after a short hiatus from SH3, resumed last weekend:

I've been running a couple of different careers. One in the Atlantic and one in the Med. I'm in the difficult period of late 1943 in both of those and after losing boats in both of them last summer, I thought I'd try out a Black Sea career as a change of pace and see what GWX had in store in that theater.

I had five patrols dating from 10/2/42 through 3/21/43. Overall, I thought it got pretty monotonous after the first couple of patrols. I would patrol the eastern side of the Black Sea around Tuapse and Suchumi and without fail, a 3 or 4 ship convoy, in line astern, escorted by 3 escorts would chug along, course NNW at 6 knots. Two of the escorts were in line with the merchants and the third would bring up the rear.

The first patrol, I thought "This is a cool change of pace." With five eels on my little Type IID, every shot needs to count.

The second patrol, I missed during an attack on a Soviet sub which proved exciting. Then I run into the exact same convoy in the same area.

Third patrol-same convoy in the same area.

Fourth patrol I thought I'd try a little harbor raid in Suchimi, but before I could get there.....I ran into that convoy again.

Fifth patrol......ditto, although after sinking a troop ship in that convoy, I let the convoy go and snuck into Suchimi and got a small tanker for my trouble.

After all the attacks on the convoy, the response by the escorts was lackluster at best. I don't remember any DC's being thrown my direction at all.

Over five patrols, I sank 40911 tons. Not bad, but a little repetitious and excessive. I'd be willing to bet that the tonnage exceeds what the five(?) boats did there in reality.
So I thought I'd give the Black Sea a break. I'll probably go back though. I want to experience the whole war there and hope that things will liven up a bit as the war progresses. Plus, I just love the little Type II's.

Now I'm back in the Med in November of 1943. Should be a piece of cake, right? I'll probably be crying for the Black Sea in a patrol or two, if I survive that long.

[Paul Riley]

Sounds interesting,spending the whole war in an area of your choosing,i'm going to do that myself someday,probably up on the arctic runs ideally operating against Russian shipping,the commie schwein!.I quite like the idea of me and my men contributing to the German forces fighting in places like Stalingrad etc
Glad you mentioned this,as its given me ideas for future campaigns.I take it you also assign your own patrol grids too? I will be doing this when the time comes.

[sharkbit]

There's only the OST and WEST patrol areas in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, so there is a lot of area to cover. I never made it to the Sea of Azov. That was assigned to my next patrol. I'll go there when I resume in the Black Sea.

You can assign/reassign patrol grids in SH3Commander, just like in other theaters.

I have careers in the Med, Black Sea, and two in the Atlantic-one from Lorient(VIIC) and one from Bordeaux(IXC). I'll eventually start one with each available flotilla.

I definitely want to do one from Bergen as well. I'll probably start that up when my current career in the Med comes to a screeching halt.

[danurve]

I did three GWX balck sea carrers.
At the end of each one I figgured what the frack and tried to sneak through the med and Gibraltar. Even made it through - once.

[Paul Riley]

Originally Posted by sharkbit

when my current career in the Med comes to a screeching halt.