A tale of survival....1944

[Bubblehead1980]

TMO RSRD USS Baya(Balao Class)


After arriving on the last day of Leyte Gulf battle (started all way in Pearl Harbor) I missed the action, so headed to area.November 9, 1944...Area 9..Tsushima Straits...west of Fukue Shima. While patrolling in the AM before diving for the day, radar signals were detected and soon two large contacts with 3 escorts, all of which had radar appeared, these were important targets.Went to GQ and began tracking, fast movers so raced ahead,, dove and closed at flank speed submerged to cover the last 5,000 yards, came to scope depth, targets were two Ise Battleship(Late war carrier version) with two Matsu class DE's and an Akizuki Class DD escorting.Going back slow and right full rudder brought my bow tubes in position for good shot at the lead BB, only 1500 yards off and with Mark 18's with no wake, I couldnt miss.Raising scope to check for speed change, the lead Matsu spotted it, alarm went off and began firing, I went ahead flank, adjusting the angle and fired all 6 at the Ise, diving as the last two left the tubes, the Matsu had moved in quicker than I though.As I passed 80 feet, all 6 Mark 18's slammed home into the target, leaving her on fire.As I passed 100 feet, a large, accurate pattern of depth charges rocked my boat, damage all over the boat, including flooding in the after torpedo, and engine room.DC party went to work as we settled at 180 feet and began to take a down angle by the stern.The decoys I launched worked, as all 3 escorts relentlessly depth charged the decoys for the next 15 minutes as i crept away while crews fought the flooding. The Ise sailed on , listing, burning, and slowing down.The other Ise sped ahead.Planes arrived on scene and dropped bombs/charges into the water multiple times.Finally, the escorts located me again, showering me with depth charges, destroying bow tubes, now i had not 1 working torpedo tube on boat, compressed air was being use quickly to control the boat, Then the Aklizuki made a perfect run just as bulkheads in after sections repaired and flooding under control, a close pattern drove the boat down 100 feet and caused flooding in forward torpedo room.Soon the angle was gone but the boat was sinking, would not rise, were were headed for the bottom.As I went down I let decoys go at 300 feet, soon I hit bottom at 545 feet, which caused some hull damage. Soon I was sitting on the bottom as the escorts made 9 runs, most charges landed above on the decoys, but a few hit bottom and exploded nearby, causing more damage.Eventually, they left the area, convinced I was dead as crews worked to pump water out.After 6 hours on the bottom, water was pumped out.We sat for a while, then ordered scope depth and we began to rise, boat in shambles.

All torpedo tubes were destroyed, bow and stern dive plane transmissions w3ere destroyed, compressor nearly destroyed, batteries, diesels, elextrics damaged, deck gun heavily damaged, observation scope damaged, port prop shaft destroyed, starboard prop shaft damaged.Hull damaged. I found the Ise about 8500 yards off, dead in water, listing heavily but not sinking.The aggravation, no ability to fire torpedoes to finish her off

Set off and unloaded the repaired deck gun on her, started fires but she still wouldnt sink, soon a patrol raced into the area, forcing us to retreat and head for Pearl Harbor.

After dodging air and surface patrols , let the crew use the deck gun and 40 MM to take out some sampans.Finally, made it home on December 4 1944.

First time I ever managed to really sit on the bottom without taking damage, I simply ordered 600 feet once touch bottom and was at all stop, sat on bottom with no damage from touching.Really wish game would give renown for severely damaging a capital ship.

Definitely was short, but trying patrol and waiting out the escorts while sitting on bottom was intense.Definitely sucks to not be able to finish off such a target as a BB.Love Mark 18's but they seem underpowered sometimes.6 Mark 14's would have done the job.Ah well

The USS Seahorse suffered a similar situation in the same area on her last real war patrol.Thinking she was closing on merchants, she found two fast, new Destroyer Escorts on patrol, which spotted her and gave chase.Unable to to outrun them and being fired up with their deck guns, she submerged.Multiple accurate patterns blew her to the bottom, where she settled, heavily damaged.For hours they sat on the bottom conducting repairs, which escorts bombarded them with charges.Luck saved the Seahorse as escorts were setting charges shallow, thinking the bottom was not as deep as it actually was.The Seahorse, in shambles, later surfaced and returned home.

Some screen shots..

[TorpX]

I wouldn't feel bad about not sinking the BB. From the sound of it, I think you were lucky to get out of it alive.

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by TorpX

I wouldn't feel bad about not sinking the BB. From the sound of it, I think you were lucky to get out of it alive.

True, just bugs me I missed out.One or two more torpedoes would have done the job but you are correct, I was lucky to make it out the ASW effort was intense between 3 top notch escorts and the planes, I was sinking after forward torpedo room took water and couldnt rise no matter what I did, luckily the bottom was below my crush depth, was in a Balao so was good to 700 feet but still.Lesson learned, even at 1400 yards dont raise the scope near a matsu escort, even a little.I had considered torpedoing the escort , at close range with mark 18, having his speed, could have nailed him but wanted to use all six on the BB.I will definitely take a visual on escort in next situation, was shocked on quickly it was on top of me.

[iambecomelife]

Nice story and pics. It may sound strange, but part of the fun of submarine sims is experiencing disappointments like this. You always think back on the "one that got away".

Whenever I play Trigger Maru I'm obsessively careful with the periscope - only using it to take quick peeks. Very impressive you scored six hits after being spotted - when that happens to me I usually have to break off the attack.

It's surprising that the BB survived - you'd think that six torpedoes would open up enough hull compartments to overwhelm damage control. Even taking into account the lower explosive power of Mk 18's. Better luck next time!

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by iambecomelife

Nice story and pics. It may sound strange, but part of the fun of submarine sims is experiencing disappointments like this. You always think back on the "one that got away".

Whenever I play Trigger Maru I'm obsessively careful with the periscope - only using it to take quick peeks. Very impressive you scored six hits after being spotted - when that happens to me I usually have to break off the attack.

It's surprising that the BB survived - you'd think that six torpedoes would open up enough hull compartments to overwhelm damage control. Even taking into account the lower explosive power of Mk 18's. Better luck next time!

I am too, usually i can get away with a quick peek, just barely raise the scope , matsu mustve been an elite escort judging by this and how quickly he closed in. Far as hitting the BB, was kind of a wild assed shot, i guessed his speed dropped from 16.5 to 13, turned into him so was firing directly at him, AOB was about 20, just spread the shots along, with having no wake, he didnt make an evasive zig based on torpedoes, just started turning to starboard after his initial hard zig to port when alerted, exposing his broadside, when I saw this I decided to fire, being at 900 yards, fish didnt have far to travel, some luck, some good estimation.I was surprised his did not eventually sink as well, running the fire damage mod and LST for TMO, which improves realistic damage and sinking, i expected him to capsize eventually, but he was going no where, appeared dead in water, but stable even after causing fires topside with my deck gun from 6,000 yards at night.


I agree, it's part of the fun but man it is frustrating, especially after enduring all that.Luckily it was a rainy day so i had time to sit there in real time while the repaired, i didnt dare do TC while sitting on bottom.Well once escorts were i gone i went to x4 to speed up water pumping.Guess making it through that, lesson learned, I know I can sit on the bottom now also.This is the very best of SH 4 with TMO RSRD to be honest.

[torpedobait]

Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980

I am too, usually i can get away with a quick peek, just barely raise the scope , matsu mustve been an elite escort judging by this and how quickly he closed in. Far as hitting the BB, was kind of a wild assed shot, i guessed his speed dropped from 16.5 to 13, turned into him so was firing directly at him, AOB was about 20, just spread the shots along, with having no wake, he didnt make an evasive zig based on torpedoes, just started turning to starboard after his initial hard zig to port when alerted, exposing his broadside, when I saw this I decided to fire, being at 900 yards, fish didnt have far to travel, some luck, some good estimation.I was surprised his did not eventually sink as well, running the fire damage mod and LST for TMO, which improves realistic damage and sinking, i expected him to capsize eventually, but he was going no where, appeared dead in water, but stable even after causing fires topside with my deck gun from 6,000 yards at night.


I agree, it's part of the fun but man it is frustrating, especially after enduring all that.Luckily it was a rainy day so i had time to sit there in real time while the repaired, i didnt dare do TC while sitting on bottom.Well once escorts were i gone i went to x4 to speed up water pumping.Guess making it through that, lesson learned, I know I can sit on the bottom now also.This is the very best of SH 4 with TMO RSRD to be honest.

Bubbles, do you happen to know the name of the fire damage mod? Is it still in downloads? I didn't see it. Thanks.