An Accidental Beautiful Day - an AAR (sort of)

Kafka BC · 10-14-11, 03:26 PM

While working on my environment mod, I loaded one of my test careers to try it out. While crusing to my patrol area a Task Force was reported near enough that I decided to play through and try to have a bit of fun. It turned out so well that it became a keeper.

I took a bunch of screenshots, most were of the horizon and convoy through the Uzo and Bonoculars because I was checking out my changes to the fog distances. But I got a few good ones, enough to storyboard the encounter so I tought I'd post it because it felt so damn good.

-:-

September 14, 1942, storm season had started, the weather was dreary, oppressive and depressing (both here and in the game).

About fourty minutes before sunrise, Southwest of Iceland, U-134 arrived at my guesstimated intercept location and was about to do a Hydrophone check when the Watch crew spotted a ship. A destroyer coming out of the mist at about 14500 meters bearing 287º. Within minutes, the outlines of other ships in the convoy could be seen.

I had arrived on time and in a perfect postion, I have never done better. [Satisfaction Point 1]

When they had cleared the fog enough I counted at least seventeen ships and four escorts, two Flower Class Corvettes on the flanks and two "Town" class destroyers (I refuse to call them Clemsons when under Empire colors), one in the van and the other in the center. I assumed there might be another Flower bringing up the rear but I couldn't see one.

Turning towards the convoy to set up for a classic side on attack I submerged at about 7000 meters from the "Town" in the van. Checking ranges with the periscope, I noticed she had stopped her weaving and was proceeding in a straight line on the convoy's course and speed of only 7 knots. Why, I don't know.

Now, when I used to play wargame simulations and sand table battles many years ago with my friends, it always felt nice when an effective diversion made your main thrust easier. I wasn't sure if it would work here but I decided to hazard the opportunity and adjusted my course and increased speed to close the range and see if I could get in a good long range shot at her. At about 1600 meters I fired a single G7e and hoped she wouldn't make a course or speed change.

The torpedo struck her square on, and beautifully. Sure enough, as she slowly foundered, the other "Town" and a Flower sped towards her position and commenced a futile search pattern. I was nowhere near. [Satisfaction Points 2, 3, and 4]

Presetting the TDC for a full spread at 2º, I popped the periscope when tube 4 finished reloading. The convoy had started to scatter, I wasn't where I wanted to be, and a Flower was coming up on my port side. Quickly sighting on a T2 in front of me, I let all four fly and dove to 50 meters. One missed, two hit the T2 which broke her back, and the forth slammed into the engine room of a T3 that was behind her. A very lucky hit, for I hadn't even seen her. [Satisfaction Points 5 and 5 1/2 - half point for the lucky shot]

Coming up to peek on the other side I saw the T3 dead in the water and down by the stern. Abandoned by her escorts, she wallowed there until a shot from my stern tube sent her up nicely. [Satisfaction Point 6 - the other half point for the dead duck kill]

This attracted the attention of one of the Flowers which returned, but it didn't stay long. After it left the area, I surfaced and set course to trail the convoy, saved and exited the game, looked at my screenshots, fed my cats and went to bed with two purring contentedly next to me. [Satisfaction Points 7 and 8 - for the cats]

Not one DC dropped, not one ping heard throughout. And my fog values looked good. [Satisfaction Points 9 and 10]

Ten out of ten. Turned out to be a beautiful day after all.

Fish In The Water · 10-14-11, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kafka BC

Not one DC dropped, not one ping heard throughout. And my fog values looked good. [Satisfaction Points 9 and 10]

Ten out of ten. Turned out to be a beautiful day after all.

Can't ask for much more than that. Congrats on a very memorable patrol!

Kafka BC · 10-14-11, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish In The Water

Can't ask for much more than that. Congrats on a very memorable patrol!

Thanks. The patrol is not over yet, I still have seven torpedoes left internally and two externally. I'm going to have another go at the convoy. If it happens again I will have to conclude that I have become very lucky or that the escorts are "green". Usually I have a much harder time than this, I normally don't get away without a little bit of damage at least.

Kafka BC · 10-19-11, 12:24 AM

Update:

My second go at the convoy did not fair as well as the first. Burned most of the daylight going around it to get in front. Had to scold my cat Casey as she kept trying to climb my keyboard and hit the fire button too early.

Got detected by the flanking corvette nearest me as I turned to get into position, so I fired another preset full spread at a C2 that was close enough and aligned well enough for impact detonators and dove. Two hit and sent her down, the other two missed.

Underwent a grueling tag team series of DC attacks by the corvette and the remaining "Town" (Clemson). End result, Flak guns gone, conning tower severly damaged, casing damage, flooding at various times in the Aft Torpedo Room, Electric Engines, and Command Room, Hull Integrety down to 82% before I got away.

Captain and crew are unanimous in calling it a day and heading home for repairs.

Osmium Steele · 10-19-11, 07:15 AM

Slapped in handcuffs by the law of averages!

Still, any attack you limp away from is a good one. Well, done kaleun.

Jimbuna · 10-19-11, 09:10 AM

Well done but I'm suprised they didn't spot your sporting that bright orange Umark

flag4 · 10-19-11, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kafka BC

Update:

My second go at the convoy did not fair as well as the first. Burned most of the daylight going around it to get in front. Had to scold my cat Casey as she kept trying to climb my keyboard and hit the fire button too early.

Got detected by the flanking corvette nearest me as I turned to get into position, so I fired another preset full spread at a C2 that was close enough and aligned well enough for impact detonators and dove. Two hit and sent her down, the other two missed.

Underwent a grueling tag team series of DC attacks by the corvette and the remaining "Town" (Clemson). End result, Flak guns gone, conning tower severly damaged, casing damage, flooding at various times in the Aft Torpedo Room, Electric Engines, and Command Room, Hull Integrety down to 82% before I got away.

Captain and crew are unanimous in calling it a day and heading home for repairs.

...I was just begining to wonder as i read your thread....

...and then, they got you!

you know, they even know when you leave port!

(on another point Kafka BC, are you working on a fog mod?)

Kafka BC · 10-19-11, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osmium Steele

Slapped in handcuffs by the law of averages!

Still, any attack you limp away from is a good one. Well, done kaleun.

Yeah, I think I got a bit cocky, thinking I had borked my sensor settings. I guess I didn't.

Hey, I see your a modeler. A 1/144 scale VIIC/41, Good Stuff.

I don't think I could do one now. I used to do miniatures painting and 1/72 and 1/48 scale aircraft in my day until my eyes went bad and computer games came along. Think I'll send off for a Squadron Shop catalogue and see whats new.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Well done but I'm suprised they didn't spot your sporting that bright orange Umark

Do you think I should switch to pink or put a racing stripe on it?

I find the Umark helpful for testing and setting up screenshots. I'll remove it someday.

Quote:

Originally Posted by flag4

(on another point Kafka BC, are you working on a fog mod?)

I am slowly working on an environment mod that I started from scratch that use my own settings and is not based on others. I am trying to make the North Atlantic in the game look somewhat realistic and like the ocean that I know, and it ain't green. I am going to call it Beaufort 7 as I am trying to adhere to the Beaufort Scale where 15m/s winds are just high winds and not a Gale, Storm, Hurricane or what have you. You can see some of the results in the above pictures.

Jimbuna · 10-19-11, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kafka BC

Do you think I should switch to pink or put a racing stripe on it?

I find the Umark helpful for testing and setting up screenshots. I'll remove it someday.

Oh, pay me no attention......play the game whatever way you prefer......I used it for long enough in the beginning and still use it on occasion when modding my installation, especially if you are checking your boats position on multiple occasions.

Kafka BC · 10-19-11, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Oh, pay me no attention......play the game whatever way you prefer......I used it for long enough in the beginning and still use it on occasion when modding my installation, especially if you are checking your boats position on multiple occasions.

I knew you were joking (I saw the wink), so was I (should have winked back).

Speaking of racing stripes, lately I have been thinking the fender decal for the 1969 Pontiac GTO "The Judge" would make an awesome U-Boat emblem. What do you think?

Jimbuna · 10-19-11, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kafka BC

I knew you were joking (I saw the wink), so was I (should have winked back).

Speaking of racing stripes, lately I have been thinking the fender decal for the 1969 Pontiac GTO "The Judge" would make an awesome U-Boat emblem. What do you think?

TBH I prefer the more realistic emblems....but each to their own, I have had a good chuckle in the past at some of the humerous selections

Kafka BC · 10-19-11, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbuna

TBH I prefer the more realistic emblems....but each to their own, I have had a good chuckle in the past at some of the humerous selections

I was joking again. I wouldn't dare plaster my U-Boat with that thing. A P-51 maybe, but not a U-Boat. I like the name though.

People say I am too dry and laconic and can't tell a story or a joke, I guess they are right.

Jimbuna · 10-19-11, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kafka BC

I was joking again. I wouldn't dare plaster my U-Boat with that thing. A P-51 maybe, but not a U-Boat. I like the name though.

People say I am too dry and laconic and can't tell a story or a joke, I guess they are right.

Possibly but that isn't a crime

10-14-11, 03:26 PM	#1
Kafka BC Planesman Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 197 Downloads: 163 Uploads: 0	An Accidental Beautiful Day - an AAR (sort of) While working on my environment mod, I loaded one of my test careers to try it out. While crusing to my patrol area a Task Force was reported near enough that I decided to play through and try to have a bit of fun. It turned out so well that it became a keeper. I took a bunch of screenshots, most were of the horizon and convoy through the Uzo and Bonoculars because I was checking out my changes to the fog distances. But I got a few good ones, enough to storyboard the encounter so I tought I'd post it because it felt so damn good. -:- September 14, 1942, storm season had started, the weather was dreary, oppressive and depressing (both here and in the game). About fourty minutes before sunrise, Southwest of Iceland, U-134 arrived at my guesstimated intercept location and was about to do a Hydrophone check when the Watch crew spotted a ship. A destroyer coming out of the mist at about 14500 meters bearing 287º. Within minutes, the outlines of other ships in the convoy could be seen. I had arrived on time and in a perfect postion, I have never done better. [Satisfaction Point 1] When they had cleared the fog enough I counted at least seventeen ships and four escorts, two Flower Class Corvettes on the flanks and two "Town" class destroyers (I refuse to call them Clemsons when under Empire colors), one in the van and the other in the center. I assumed there might be another Flower bringing up the rear but I couldn't see one. Turning towards the convoy to set up for a classic side on attack I submerged at about 7000 meters from the "Town" in the van. Checking ranges with the periscope, I noticed she had stopped her weaving and was proceeding in a straight line on the convoy's course and speed of only 7 knots. Why, I don't know. Now, when I used to play wargame simulations and sand table battles many years ago with my friends, it always felt nice when an effective diversion made your main thrust easier. I wasn't sure if it would work here but I decided to hazard the opportunity and adjusted my course and increased speed to close the range and see if I could get in a good long range shot at her. At about 1600 meters I fired a single G7e and hoped she wouldn't make a course or speed change. The torpedo struck her square on, and beautifully. Sure enough, as she slowly foundered, the other "Town" and a Flower sped towards her position and commenced a futile search pattern. I was nowhere near. [Satisfaction Points 2, 3, and 4] Presetting the TDC for a full spread at 2º, I popped the periscope when tube 4 finished reloading. The convoy had started to scatter, I wasn't where I wanted to be, and a Flower was coming up on my port side. Quickly sighting on a T2 in front of me, I let all four fly and dove to 50 meters. One missed, two hit the T2 which broke her back, and the forth slammed into the engine room of a T3 that was behind her. A very lucky hit, for I hadn't even seen her. [Satisfaction Points 5 and 5 1/2 - half point for the lucky shot] Coming up to peek on the other side I saw the T3 dead in the water and down by the stern. Abandoned by her escorts, she wallowed there until a shot from my stern tube sent her up nicely. [Satisfaction Point 6 - the other half point for the dead duck kill] This attracted the attention of one of the Flowers which returned, but it didn't stay long. After it left the area, I surfaced and set course to trail the convoy, saved and exited the game, looked at my screenshots, fed my cats and went to bed with two purring contentedly next to me. [Satisfaction Points 7 and 8 - for the cats] Not one DC dropped, not one ping heard throughout. And my fog values looked good. [Satisfaction Points 9 and 10] Ten out of ten. Turned out to be a beautiful day after all. __________________ Ah, for just one time I would take the Northwest Passage To find the hand of Franklin reaching for the Beaufort Sea Tracing one warm line through a land so wide and savage And make a Northwest Passage to the sea. - Stan Rogers (1949-1983) Last edited by Kafka BC; 10-14-11 at 05:28 PM.

10-19-11, 12:24 AM	#4
Kafka BC Planesman Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 197 Downloads: 163 Uploads: 0	Update: My second go at the convoy did not fair as well as the first. Burned most of the daylight going around it to get in front. Had to scold my cat Casey as she kept trying to climb my keyboard and hit the fire button too early. Got detected by the flanking corvette nearest me as I turned to get into position, so I fired another preset full spread at a C2 that was close enough and aligned well enough for impact detonators and dove. Two hit and sent her down, the other two missed. Underwent a grueling tag team series of DC attacks by the corvette and the remaining "Town" (Clemson). End result, Flak guns gone, conning tower severly damaged, casing damage, flooding at various times in the Aft Torpedo Room, Electric Engines, and Command Room, Hull Integrety down to 82% before I got away. Captain and crew are unanimous in calling it a day and heading home for repairs. __________________ Ah, for just one time I would take the Northwest Passage To find the hand of Franklin reaching for the Beaufort Sea Tracing one warm line through a land so wide and savage And make a Northwest Passage to the sea. - Stan Rogers (1949-1983)

10-19-11, 07:15 AM	#5
Osmium Steele Ace of the Deep Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Upper midwest USA Posts: 1,101 Downloads: 22 Uploads: 0	Slapped in handcuffs by the law of averages! Still, any attack you limp away from is a good one. Well, done kaleun. __________________ In the month of July of the year 1348, between the feasts of St. Benedict and of St. Swithin, a strange thing came upon England... My U297 build thread

10-19-11, 09:10 AM	#6
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,473 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	Well done but I'm suprised they didn't spot your sporting that bright orange Umark __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!