Advice for harbour raids

[Wreford-Brown]

Alexandria, July 1942.

Approach from the northeast and follow the headland to the north of the harbour down the walls into the harbour itself.

Inside the harbour were a Large cargo, Modern tanker, Liberty cargo, Small merchant, Small freighter and a C&D class (total around 50k tons). Also in the harbour were a number of neutrals - Hospital ship, Small tanker, Small merchant and Tugboat.

Defending the harbour were 3 x V&W class, 1 x C&D class, 1 x River class and 3 x MTBs.

Overall, tricky approach but worth the effort.

[harzfeld]

I was sailing in IXB during rain & fog on way to raid Southend again while running TC 256, can't see anything beyond 700m in AN79 on May 23rd 1940. The game got laggy, so to be safe, I went under. My sonar man picked up 6 warships NW, another 6 warships NE, and another 6 warships east of me, plus 2 warships SE (assuming ASW trawler & Elco boat) around 6000-10000m surrounding me. Before I surfaced and planned on to flank SW away from them, I didn't check the weather, sudden my WO spotted warships as I went wtf and saw sky clearing up and sunny. I hurry went back under silent running SW, and only see all of them were destroyers, no capital ships. Lucky none of them saw me due to high waves. At least I got to sink two large troop ships again.

Now I am heading to Dover again to sink another two large troop ships, plus a floating dock and Southampton cruiser. I never seen a mine around those docks. Only time I got stuck by a mine and caused serious damages near Firth of Forth, so I never bother to go there again.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Nuoz

Why didn't the germans do that irl? Too dangerous? really?

What was dangerous was the unknown. The only successful harbor raid - the only one they tried, really - was Prien's attack at Scapa Flow; and he didn't just go do it. Admiral Doenitz used the latest aerial photographs and spy information to plan the attack, and he personally recruited Prien for the job.

Other harbors were probably heavily defended, especially after Scapa Flow, but the real deterrent was the lack of information.

[Myxale]

MY only advice for Harbor raids is a TypeII.:hmm:

[Wreford-Brown]

Plymouth, Sept 1939.

Straight in approach from the south with no nets or mines seen.

Inside the harbour was HMS Hood (46k tons) and 2 x Tramp steamers.
Neutrals in the harbour were 2 x Tramp steamers.

Defending the harbour were 3 x ASW Trawlers and 2 x MTBs.

Overall, little risk for huge gain.

[a2oth]

Originally Posted by Blacklight

Lock Ewe and Scapa Flow are a cakewalk in 1939 if the weather is good and you stay slow and submerged. I never harbor raid from 1940 on. WAY too dangerous.

Took me for ever to get into Scapa Flow, and when I did----IT WAS EMPTY.

Have gon off ports a bit since.

[Sandman_28054]

Scapa-Flow, penetrated 1939-1941, sunk three auxilary cruisers, one battlship, one carrier. (entered from the south, exited to the west)

Lock-Ewe, 1939-1941 one V&W destroyer, one Fiji light Cruiser, two T2 tankers, one battleship, many merchants. (one way in, one way out)

Bristol, 1939-1941, many merchants, many destroyers. (one way in, one way out)

Gibralter, 1940-1941, merchants and tankers. Oooo, lots of DD's!

Freeport, 1940-1942, merchants

Halifax is scary! So is Galvaston.

Other than that, haven't tried many others.

There is a good list here:

http://edseek.com/archives/2005/05/0...urvival-guide/

That tells you what is where and when to expect it.

For example:

Entry Exit Ship Location
From:1939 0915 To:1939 1010 Auxiliary Cruiser Scapa Flow
1939 1004 1939 1014 BB Revenge Scapa Flow
1939 1101 1940 0105 BB Nelson Loch Ewe
1939 1105 1939 1205 BB Revenge Loch Ewe
1940 0301 1940 0501 Auxiliary Cruiser Scapa Flow
1940 0307 1940 0425 CV Illustrious Scapa Flow
1940 0401 1940 0601 Auxiliary Cruiser Scapa Flow
1940 0517 1945 0101 CL Fiji Light Cruiser Loch Ewe
1940 0524 1940 0630 CL Dido Light Cruiser Scapa Flow
1940 1211 1940 1231 BB King George V Scapa Flow
1941 0201 1941 0217 Auxiliary Cruiser Scapa Flow
1941 0210 1941 0320 Auxiliary Cruiser Scapa Flow
1941 0315 1945 0430 CL Fiji Light Cruiser Scapa Flow
1942 0203 1942 0228 BB King George V Scapa Flow
1942 0215 1943 0903 CV Illustrious Loch Ewe
1942 0215 1943 0903 Passenger Liner Bristol
1942 0915 1943 0903 CVE Bogue Escort Loch Ewe
1943 0903 1944 0630 CVE Bogue Escort Norfolk


Hope this helps.

God Bless

Till all are one

[Kaleu. Jochen Mohr]

harbours: all Britania's harbours, all enemy ports in the med (including gibraltar), Penang and the harbour a little bit southeast of it on the map. all raided with my IXB

(but my fav is scapa flow)

my advise:
well... just ask wich harbour and il give you the advise

[Jimbuna]

Welcome aboard a2oth

[predavolk]

Originally Posted by Kaleu. Jochen Mohr

harbours: all Britania's harbours, all enemy ports in the med (including gibraltar), Penang and the harbour a little bit southeast of it on the map. all raided with my IXB

(but my fav is scapa flow)

my advise:
well... just ask wich harbour and il give you the advise

I got useless AN 34 to patrol in May 1940 (off the coast of Sweden- woohoo ), so I decided to take a detour to Scapa Flow. I came in from the West South West, and am no sitting at the bottom of the channel. I've slipped past two destroyers, but there's a third right in front of me. After that, as far as I can tell, it's smooth sailing. I realize this is generally a really stupid idea, but I'm in U-47 and figured I should give it a shot. So I'll take any advice I can get!

[Tessa]

Originally Posted by sturmer

in 1 of Scapa Flow's alleys there is a kind of barrier made from shipwrecks, in the other alleys u have to watch out for destroyers.

Dunkirk has a small subnet about 1500 m of shore.

Reykjavik is not a smart idea to go into, lots of targets but allot of dc's too lol.

its better to stay out of the harbors

sturmer

The Eastern route is full of sunken ships, rendering it completely closed whether you are submerged or on the surface. The South enterance has a nasty subnet and a minefield (heard others mention about it, never encountered it myself), and the West (least early in the war) is the only safe way to get into Scapa Flow. There's no sub nets and no sunken ships to block you. Just need to mind where the DD's are so you can dive when needed and proceed on silent speed till you're in range of your target. Though later on I believe that the Brittish start putting DD's in the Western chanel or at least outside to help improve their coverage.

[Kaleu. Jochen Mohr]

Originally Posted by predavolk

I got useless AN 34 to patrol in May 1940 (off the coast of Sweden- woohoo ), so I decided to take a detour to Scapa Flow. I came in from the West South West, and am no sitting at the bottom of the channel. I've slipped past two destroyers, but there's a third right in front of me. After that, as far as I can tell, it's smooth sailing. I realize this is generally a really stupid idea, but I'm in U-47 and figured I should give it a shot. So I'll take any advice I can get!

alright.

get to the most north passage of the west enterance, sail past the shipwrecks and evade the trawler sailing there.
once inside head towards the harbour, you will cross 2 stationary DD's south of the harbour, shoot them with electrics or steam at night.
continue to the harbour and you will see 3 DD's southeast of the harbour, repeat the last step.
then sink everything in the harbour and head back out the same way

[Danelov]

When I sail back to base(Kiel or Willhelmshaven)in the early time 1939-1940 and I have maybe a remmants one or two torpedos and fuel situation permiting , I pay a little visit to Hartlepool.There always in port something, and the ASW trawlers, mines and the antisub-net are not so a big obstacle.

[Kptlt. Neuerburg]

I've raided Scapa, Plymouth, Dover, Dunkirk, Hartlepool, Loch Ewe, New York, and Gibraltor. So yeah I've done it all. Seen mines,subnets, and the normal destroyers. Well lets see if raiding Scapa go North and come in from the Western Entrance, Dunkirk has mines and nets, but has a back door on the Eastern side you can follow the net in and sink some. Dover nothin' but DD's and PT's. Hartlepool is the best one to raid with a few DD's and some mines here and there. New York and Gibraltor are good targets but be very careful!!!

[NealT]

I still prefer Lock Ewe...