GWX 3 is evil in a good way

UnterseeBoogeyMan · 03-21-09, 10:18 AM

Well, my first career went to the bottom a few days ago, but ended gloriously with love of the Deutschland in the hearts of my brave gallant crew.

Ironically, we survive a depth-charging by 4 destroyers (hour long in real time)
without a scratch. Later, we get waxed by 3 Swordfish torp planes. Those planes are really sharp. They were bad enough in the first GWX, but now they're being flown by aces. Lesson learned; once they find you, stay down until the sun goes down..all the way down.

DD attack was in AN 17, 100 meters depth. Along comes a convoy of warships on the radio contact report,8 knots ENE. I set up my intercept like they tell you to in the SH3 Community Manual. I'm set up at p-depth, for a 90 degree shot on a Southampton class. I fire 2 fish at her. One under the two bow turrets and one under the smokestack. The first fish should be and was sufficient to kill her (secondaries from ammo),but at 15 knots and an escort of 4 J&K DDs,I didnt want to chance it.

One DD astern of me makes a sharp turn towardsmeright after the explosion. I crank it to flank,go to where I'm 10 meters off the sea floor. DD makes a depth charge run. As soon as the engine picks up RPMs and before the sound man says "depth charges in the water",I crank it backto Full and turn a hard 90. I go back to Slow until the next run. and the next run wasnt far off as the other three joined in the fun,pinging away with their ASDIC. So on and on it went, they'd make a run,I wouldmake a 90 or a 60 or a 45 degree turn at flank to dodge. At the time,I was too amped to tellif they were coordinating with each other. I'd say no, becuase 1.I'd lost them,and 2., they should have tried to box me in (anticipate where I'd turn and the next DD make his run at that spot). So,at this point in the patrol,I'm feeling pretty smooth.

Later North of the British Isles, between Lock Ewe and Scapa, in the deep end,I'm cruisin along. Radio Contact shows a Northbound Warship convoy, 18 knots. Woohoo,let's wreakhavoc. I plot and go to my intercept at fullspeed of 17 knots. 1hour later, watchman spots airplanes. I crash dive.
They're depthcharges dont cause damage,but they sound CLOSE!

I wait 1 hour,go up to p depth for a peek. Nothing, so I surface. 5 minutes later he spots aircraft at medium range! I cant spot him,I dont have time,I crank a few hard turns at high speed and order a dive. He shows up broadside to me,drops his bomb. I have minor damage but flooding in 3 compartments. Good thing I certified a helmsman as a repair guy, dontcha think? GET Er DONE!! or we die. He repairs us in record time. good job,repairman. I wait until 530 pm to go to periscope. The sun is setting, but stilllight out. It's been 4 hours. Surely those planes are gone. I surface and WRONG!!!. They are right on top of me, strafin my conning tower with bullets,people are dying. I order DIVE!! They bomb me. Every compartment is flooded. We are approaching 70,80,90 meters but the compartments are getting fixed one by one. One if left. Then as I hit 100 meters I hear valves bursting. Then I die from an overpressurized hull they tell me.

Back to it again,with a newfound respect for airplanes.

mookiemookie · 03-21-09, 10:21 AM

What have we learned here? Always pop your observation scope up and take a look around before surfacing!

Torplexed · 03-21-09, 10:26 AM

At least you died at the front fighting the enemy. My most recent patrol ended quickly and ignominiously when I inadvertently wandered into the minefields protecting Wilhemshaven while rounding a neutral ship coming into harbor.

Sunk within full sight of home.

Guess I'd better review those GWX minefield maps.

Lt.Fillipidis · 03-21-09, 10:49 AM

At least none of you had the un-luck to have two Catalinas smashed on your uboat in the same mission, in the same day, in the same attack, in the same damn airplane wave! I fired at the first, its wing blew away so i aimed the next one, near the first. I damaged it engine, a second later the first Catalina crashes between my conning tower and the flak guns, killing everyone and some minutes later, the second Catalina decides to flirt with my bow torpedo room after a looooooong loop.

Jimbuna · 03-21-09, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lt.Fillipidis

At least none of you had the un-luck to have two Catalinas smashed on your uboat in the same mission, in the same day, in the same attack, in the same damn airplane wave! I fired at the first, its wing blew away so i aimed the next one, near the first. I damaged it engine, a second later the first Catalina crashes between my conning tower and the flak guns, killing everyone and some minutes later, the second Catalina decides to flirt with my bow torpedo room after a looooooong loop.

Now that is what I call.....BAD LUCK!!

Sailor Steve · 03-21-09, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lt.Fillipidis

At least none of you had the un-luck to have two Catalinas smashed on your uboat in the same mission, in the same day, in the same attack, in the same damn airplane wave! I fired at the first, its wing blew away so i aimed the next one, near the first. I damaged it engine, a second later the first Catalina crashes between my conning tower and the flak guns, killing everyone and some minutes later, the second Catalina decides to flirt with my bow torpedo room after a looooooong loop.

Another lesson learned today: the correct response to any aircraft sighting is "ALAAAAAAARRRRMMM!!!"

UnterseeBoogeyMan · 03-21-09, 12:56 PM

All good points, everybody. that is lousy luck with 2 catalinas. lessoned learned there too. Don't fight aircraft on the surface if you don't need too.
The response is 'ALAARM!' and 'MOVE MOVE MOVE! I want to see steam coming out of you guys! All hands forward this is an ALARM not a pleasure cruise!' That bosun from Das Boot was all over it.

RoaldLarsen · 03-21-09, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

What have we learned here? Always pop your observation scope up and take a look around before surfacing!

This reminds me of an episode of Deep Space Nine where one of the Humans tells the pet Kardassian (sp?) the fable of the boy who cried wolf. The Kardassian replies with "We have the same fable. Only the moral of the story is different. For us the lesson to be learned is: never tell the same lie twice."

For me, the lesson to be learned from UnterseeBoogeyMan's encounters with aircraft is: once spotted by aircraft, remain submerged for at least 24 hours.

03-21-09, 10:18 AM	#1
UnterseeBoogeyMan Ensign Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: The Land of Cholla Cactus and Red Chile Posts: 224 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	GWX 3 is evil in a good way Well, my first career went to the bottom a few days ago, but ended gloriously with love of the Deutschland in the hearts of my brave gallant crew. Ironically, we survive a depth-charging by 4 destroyers (hour long in real time) without a scratch. Later, we get waxed by 3 Swordfish torp planes. Those planes are really sharp. They were bad enough in the first GWX, but now they're being flown by aces. Lesson learned; once they find you, stay down until the sun goes down..all the way down. DD attack was in AN 17, 100 meters depth. Along comes a convoy of warships on the radio contact report,8 knots ENE. I set up my intercept like they tell you to in the SH3 Community Manual. I'm set up at p-depth, for a 90 degree shot on a Southampton class. I fire 2 fish at her. One under the two bow turrets and one under the smokestack. The first fish should be and was sufficient to kill her (secondaries from ammo),but at 15 knots and an escort of 4 J&K DDs,I didnt want to chance it. One DD astern of me makes a sharp turn towardsmeright after the explosion. I crank it to flank,go to where I'm 10 meters off the sea floor. DD makes a depth charge run. As soon as the engine picks up RPMs and before the sound man says "depth charges in the water",I crank it backto Full and turn a hard 90. I go back to Slow until the next run. and the next run wasnt far off as the other three joined in the fun,pinging away with their ASDIC. So on and on it went, they'd make a run,I wouldmake a 90 or a 60 or a 45 degree turn at flank to dodge. At the time,I was too amped to tellif they were coordinating with each other. I'd say no, becuase 1.I'd lost them,and 2., they should have tried to box me in (anticipate where I'd turn and the next DD make his run at that spot). So,at this point in the patrol,I'm feeling pretty smooth. Later North of the British Isles, between Lock Ewe and Scapa, in the deep end,I'm cruisin along. Radio Contact shows a Northbound Warship convoy, 18 knots. Woohoo,let's wreakhavoc. I plot and go to my intercept at fullspeed of 17 knots. 1hour later, watchman spots airplanes. I crash dive. They're depthcharges dont cause damage,but they sound CLOSE! I wait 1 hour,go up to p depth for a peek. Nothing, so I surface. 5 minutes later he spots aircraft at medium range! I cant spot him,I dont have time,I crank a few hard turns at high speed and order a dive. He shows up broadside to me,drops his bomb. I have minor damage but flooding in 3 compartments. Good thing I certified a helmsman as a repair guy, dontcha think? GET Er DONE!! or we die. He repairs us in record time. good job,repairman. I wait until 530 pm to go to periscope. The sun is setting, but stilllight out. It's been 4 hours. Surely those planes are gone. I surface and WRONG!!!. They are right on top of me, strafin my conning tower with bullets,people are dying. I order DIVE!! They bomb me. Every compartment is flooded. We are approaching 70,80,90 meters but the compartments are getting fixed one by one. One if left. Then as I hit 100 meters I hear valves bursting. Then I die from an overpressurized hull they tell me. Back to it again,with a newfound respect for airplanes.

03-21-09, 10:21 AM	#2
mookiemookie Navy Seal Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 9,404 Downloads: 105 Uploads: 1	What have we learned here? Always pop your observation scope up and take a look around before surfacing! __________________ They don’t think it be like it is, but it do. Want more U-boat Kaleun portraits for your SH3 Commander Profiles? Download the SH3 Commander Portrait Pack here.

03-21-09, 10:26 AM	#3
Torplexed Let's Sink Sumptin' ! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 5,823 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	At least you died at the front fighting the enemy. My most recent patrol ended quickly and ignominiously when I inadvertently wandered into the minefields protecting Wilhemshaven while rounding a neutral ship coming into harbor. Sunk within full sight of home. Guess I'd better review those GWX minefield maps.

03-21-09, 10:49 AM	#4
Lt.Fillipidis Weps Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Veria, Greece Posts: 365 Downloads: 44 Uploads: 0	At least none of you had the un-luck to have two Catalinas smashed on your uboat in the same mission, in the same day, in the same attack, in the same damn airplane wave! I fired at the first, its wing blew away so i aimed the next one, near the first. I damaged it engine, a second later the first Catalina crashes between my conning tower and the flak guns, killing everyone and some minutes later, the second Catalina decides to flirt with my bow torpedo room after a looooooong loop.

03-21-09, 12:56 PM	#7
UnterseeBoogeyMan Ensign Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: The Land of Cholla Cactus and Red Chile Posts: 224 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	All good points, everybody. that is lousy luck with 2 catalinas. lessoned learned there too. Don't fight aircraft on the surface if you don't need too. The response is 'ALAARM!' and 'MOVE MOVE MOVE! I want to see steam coming out of you guys! All hands forward this is an ALARM not a pleasure cruise!' That bosun from Das Boot was all over it.