Scapa Flow Strategies

[Rykaird]

Well, I was on my second patrol (yes, all time ever lifetime second patrol) and, having sunk a trawler or two, feeling pretty cocky, so I thought I would go into Scapa Flow and take out the battleship that is supposed to be stationed there in early October 1939.

I tried coming in through the shallow passages immediately to the east of Scapa past the maze of sunken boats they use as a fence. Came in at night but the depth was only 11m and I got picked up and rather thoroughly sunk.

So I tried coming in from the other side, traveling west and well below Scapa, and found a little trench at about 70m to hide in while waiting for darkness. At night I popped up for air for a bit and then submerged and started to head slowly towards the main south entrance when I picked up HMS Hood docked on the other side of a small island, reachable through some tiny inlets. Pleased was I to detect no destroyers stationed in these inlets between me and the Hood.

But you know what? Those tricky enemy English types had built an actual underwater metal fence to guard these shallow approaches, as I discovered when I bonked my poor bow on it. By surfacing and going flank I got over it but did some serious damage (I have realistic damage turned on). I did manage to sink the HMS Hood - took me four torps, unlike you experts - and scraped some more barnacles (and hydrophones, and bow planes) off hopping back over the fence in my escape.

I survived but it was about as ugly a way to do it imaginable. Even now, you are undoubtedly cringing at the idea of shoving a lovely Type VII over a metal fence while yelling "Chief! I need more power, damn you!" Ah, the hideous grinding sound as the hull screamed at this undeserved abuse, and the hiss of incoming water as the boat began to flood.

Anyway, I'm curious what strategies you all use to get into Scapa Flow, given how shallow it is and all the destroyers just loafing about. Must be a better way than mine.

Also, is their a Revenge in their too, or just the Hood? This was first week of October, 1939.

[bigboywooly]

HMS Nelson is in there then too
I go through the east
low and slow

When I feel suicidal that is
:rotfl:

[azn_132]

I mostly went through the westside of scapa nice and easy. Been there alot wit GWX.

[mookiemookie]

I stay the f*ck away, that's my strategy. It's always worked for keeping me alive!

[azn_132]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

I stay the f*ck away, that's my strategy. It's always worked for keeping me alive!

I survived scapa three times already.

[WOD]

I think I have made 15 (or so) attempts to invade Scapa Flow since playing GWX

All I know for sure 3 from the east side and 5 from the west side were successful. All others ended in death....so a bit over 50% success. But I only do this if my patrol grid is AMXX....and I find nothing to sink and in the beginning of the career til mid 40....(I hate to come home with a pretty empty log *lol*). I´ve no lust to drive from lorient right the way north....I prefer getting to close to gibraltar *lol*...although it ends in death not so often...only a few times.

[azn_132]

Originally Posted by WOD

I think I have made 15 (or so) attempts to invade Scapa Flow since playing GWX

All I know for sure 3 from the east side and 5 from the west side were successful. All others ended in death....so a bit over 50% success. But I only do this if my patrol grid is AMXX....and I find nothing to sink and in the beginning of the career til mid 40....(I hate to come home with a pretty empty log *lol*). I´ve no lust to drive from lorient right the way north....I prefer getting to close to gibraltar *lol*...although it ends in death not so often...only a few times.

U got guts homeboy.

[WOD]

Originally Posted by azn_132

U got guts homeboy.

The way in is the easy one....this was only 1 time my death....the other failed attempts ended up in death have been always resulted in the way out.

My strategy is invading at night with calm seas, in rough seas I´ve tried it 2 times...had no chance, couldn´t hold depth and conning tower always broke the surface....and on the way in I´m mostly all but not quiet. Every escort which comes in sight will be sunk...The only prob in the beginning is that he has to know where I am...but that´s quite easy. Driven with flank speed :-p....And when the time comes when he is on the way right towards my postion...I use steam-magnetics....350-400m...my course straight in his direction. So I have 5-6 eels less (for 5 or 6 escorts) when I´m in but I´ve got a bit of time til the next escorts will appear...but I´m able to sink at least 2 more ships whichs lay in port....The prob is always the way out....no torps and pretty much escorts. The most successful way out havent been directly east of scapa most time.....It was the way round west north then east ....then going home. And in the night at surface (if nothing is in sight) always with flank speed, so long it is possible...Its quite a risky manouver but no risk no fun....although how I already said only til mid 40 I pray sometimes for suicide missions :rotfl: From end 41 on I wouldn´t try to get in. In the early years the chances are quite good to survive with more or less boat damage....but surviving counts

[Deep-Six]

You have not lived it until you try w/ a IXB. I have done it and survived.

[TarJak]

I normally make the approach through the eastern entrance decks awash at night, though I've also done it at dawn and dusk, never in daylight. Always run silent even decks awash, (Those diesels make a hell of a racket but the Brits don't seem to be able to hear them too well).

When I get past the block ships I slip down to PD and make 2kts until I get into firing position. Rarely get picked up before firing unless I do something silly like broaching or leaving the scope up for too long or trying to go too fast. Never approach at higher than 32x TC either and only when I'm getting really bored with my slow progress and I've made sure the patrolling DD's and vettes are out of the way.

Fire everything you've got then run fast for a bit towards the exit, then go silent and 2kt again. Don't bother doing a reload unless you have taken out the patrols before killing the BB and merchies. Personally I rarely bother with the patrols and go for the big boys whenever I make a visit.

Als check out my Harbour rading tutorial at: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=96843


it was written before GWX but all the principals still apply cos the stock AI behaviour and depth of nets etc are all the same.

[WOD]

Originally Posted by Deep-Six

You have not lived it until you try w/ a IXB. I have done it and survived.

False

I´ve tried it 2 times with a IX B and all of that two times I survived...one time with Conning tower destroyed and Aft Torp room destroyed. The 2nd time with no damage. But with the IX U-Boats you have to have calm seas....with VII U-Boats it´s not necessary cause they´re not so big. But if the seas are rough it makes it 100% more difficult....2 reasons....conning tower breaking surface and evading on the surface with flank speed...but in rough seas flank speed is much less then on calm seas.

I think in calm seas with the IX Boats it´s even more easy to invade Scapa. Cause you have more torps to defend (or attack - call it how you want) yourself on the outbreak against escorts....That´s why I - when invading with a IX boat - always keep 2 eels in my front tubes and 1 in my aft tubes for the way out...that saved my ass all two times getting out of Scapa...although one time I have had a little prob...invaded one-two hour to late....and the morning comes to early....and finally got some trouble with planes. That´s why I´ve had the 2 completly destroyed parts in my boat. But reached home (ok 4 Crewmembers died - that has been the bad thing)

[Abd_von_Mumit]

The only good "Scapa Flow Strategies" fo me is to go around it in a distance as large as possible, at quite slow speed at night in bad weather, at as low TC as possible, and try to avoid being spotted in shallow waters.

No other strategies for me.

[Mooncatt]

i survived quite a few times in stock. i attempted it using GWX.......never again

[IceGrog]

Originally Posted by Mooncatt

i survived quite a few times in stock. i attempted it using GWX.......never again

i did it using GWX and loved it but once was enogh for me

[danurve]

On the current carrer I got into Scapa Flow with a type II at the time no capital ships were there.
Almost bit the dust somehow I managed to scratch two tin cans that found me.
A shortcut course to a grid NW of Scapa Flow in a VIIB through the lower channel turned out to be anything but a shortcut. Took me 4 days and a worn out crew but I managed to scratch 4 more tin cans & a trawler to get through it. Im finally in a carrer holding in mid '40. Hoping to make it into '41 this time around so around we go. If the destroyer holds course I figgered out a good way to scratch `em. But they get smarter and I don't like being in the shallows when they are steaming. More then one carrer ended that way.