Oh Poop....What have I stumbled upon

[Chubster]

Started a new career and my first mission is a simple recon off Vigan Dec 10th...so off I trot home for tea me thinks.

Then the sonar guy reports contact moving fast closing, long range. Quick peak at the external and three DD's coming my way. (I know I know but i am a newbie) What they doing here then. So take the camera a bit further and OMG.....18 destroyers in a huge circle, all facing inwards and in the centre several large merchants, troop carrier and some large warship with a plane ramp on the back.

So whats a brewing there then.....and as I am on a recon mission should I engage...cant surface to report necause of the 3 dd's buzzing me.

Wish me luck comrades

[AVGWarhawk]

Find'em and sink'em

[Admiral8Q]

Take your photo recon if you can, then get the hell out of there!

[Falkirion]

Get in close and sink em all. Of course that could get dicey but for a bunch of targest that juicy why not take a shot.

[Chubster]

Originally Posted by Admiral8Q

then get the hell out of there!

But, but.....I could shorten this war by, erm......minutes. I GOING IN

[Reinhard Dietz]

Angriff ran Versenken!

[cdrsubron7]

Sounds like part of the Lingayen Invasion Force you've run into. Definately worth taking a shot at. Could be some nice cruisers or battleships in the mix.

[Admiral8Q]

Originally Posted by Chubster

But, but.....I could shorten this war by, erm......minutes. I GOING IN

Best of luck to you then!

It would depend on what realism settings and what mods you have installed. If it is stock, then I'd go in of course.

[theluckyone17]

I love that invasion force . Playing DiD and wanting to last the whole war gives me plenty of opportunity to take on that force.

Assuming you're using RFB2 and RSRD, I'm usually in the spot you're in right now... those three escorts seem to spot me and hone in quickly. I wonder if they're not simply screening for the rest of the force, though... and I just happened to be in their way.

Submerge soon enough, hope they don't notice that hole in the water, and they'll wander off.

I'll either wait for night, or simply slink in past the circle of escorts as quietly as I can. I'll wander a bit inside the circle, firing my fish off, sinking as much as I can... empty both bow and stern tubes. Depending on the escort situation and the weather (usually 5 m/s winds at that point), I might even stick around to reload tubes and get another shot off.

Staying at 'scope depth seems to help... but don't get too brave. There's been a few times where I swore that escort wasn't bearing down on me 'cause he knew I was there... and he sank me as a result.

[Chubster]

Using TMO and RSRD with a realism setting of 90 I think....just got the external camera on. Have to admit the destroyers here seem a bit dumb.

One of the three broke off and headed back to the main group and, luckily for me came right over my head on the exact same course. Thank you skipper Flank speed and follow her in

Ok I couldnt keep up but I managed to get all the way in without any of them spotting me. Up scope, troop ship sunk and damaged a large merchant. DIVE DIVE and thats where I am at the mo.....will hopefully finish off the rest later today.

Going to have to try and sort out this manual targeting so that I can use the aft torps better, currently I am using the Dick' OCane way and its a right pain having to swing the boat road to get into position especially when up close.

[raymond6751]

You have to ask what are your priorities and what effect one little sub can have, getting killed by an overwhelming force.

In real life, what would happen?

The sub would sneak off, radio a contact report, and proceed with his mission. If the radio report changed the mission to one of attack, then go back.

[Chubster]

Well yes, that is what would probably have happened in real life.... but I have a "save" button.


We attack at Dusk..

Actually after sinking the liner and damaging the merchant I did indeed slink off.....sufaced and tried to radio it in but it wouldnt let me ???

[Bilge_Rat]

Many U.S. subs spotted the Invasion Force as it was nearing the Lingayen Gulf. Most skippers chickened out, stayed far away and were soon relieved of duty.

"Moon" Chapple, commanding the old S-38 was far from the gulf when the force was spotted, he charged to the gulf at flank speed, snuck in and sank the transport "Hayo Maru", almost losing his boat to counterattacking DDs. He went on to many more patrols and retired as an admiral.

so get in there and show the IJN what a U.S. sub can do...

[Chubster]

That Hayo Maru name is very familiar, hey I is a hero ....cant check now as I have had to reinstall everything....

[Armistead]

There are several invasion forces that hit the Philippines early war about the same time..One is at Vigan, the other heads to Lingayen. There is also a large BB group that is near the Vigan TF, but more west. Others hit Aparri and Legaspi...think that's how they're spelled. Really depends on what sub you take to what orders you're given. You've run into the Vigan one or the one headed to Lingayen..After they reach their destination all the merchants mill around why all the escorts protect...Much easier to attack them before this why they're moving.

With RDRD, after you lose Manila and head to Surabaya, in late Feb and Early March the large Java invasion forces hit, one close to 60 ships...Just travel the Java coast about 30NM's out...you'll run into one.