Newbie is learning to Hunt!

[Gunsilnger]

I recieve a contact report for a small convoy. I intercept and keep my distance, observing an escort ahead of and behind the convoy. I run paralell to their course, and then radio in a contact reports hoping that Command will send more U-boats my way(does this work without a mod?). I continue to shadow the convoy for a decent amount of time, but after a while I decide I must be too far away for a wolfpack to form. I turn 90 degrees, and go full speed toward the convoy, then go to periscope depth as I approach, and turn back paralell to their course. I slowly ease myself in between two ships in the first row, and match speed. Once in position, I target and launch at the ships in front of and behind me almost simulteniously, both hits. I check the escorts and see they've broke formation and are heading my way, someone must've spotted my periscope or the wake from my eels. I turn my boat toward the nearest escort and go max speed. Once lined up I stay on course and make sure the Destroyer is dead set on maintaining course, I launched 2 at max speed, and then crash dove to 30 meters and headed toward the other escort. My torps impacted the charging Destroyer right on the bow and split it wide open, sending it immediately to the bottom. I then came to scope depth and saw the other escort still charging my last position so I got a firung solution and launched two more, they impacted on the ships starboard side rear, and broke the ship in two. With the escorts now out of the way, I surfaced and easily dispatched the damaged merchants with my deck gun.

Thanks for reading, and Happy Hunting!

[Mr Quatro]

Keep the reports coming ... i'm playing as an arm chair captain

[Gunsilnger]

November 1940.

After leaving port we again head out to the North Atlantic patrol point. Before we reach the assigned location, we get a contact report, but with TC turned too high, I had little time to react. By the time I get to my scope, I see a Hunter-killer group of four warships, that have already spotted me and are halfway through their 180 degree turn. I immediately crash dove to 100 meters and turned 90 degrees to port. We maintained max speed untill we cleared the groups path, and then went to silent running, and turned starboard as the ships passed. After the group had passed I came to periscope depth and increased speed.

And that's when my brother said "You should try and sneak up and try and sink the one in the back and make a name for yourself!"

Well, being that I'm a new and somewhat opportunistic captain, that sometimes feels I have something to prove, I start to come around to starboard. About halfway through my turn, the group looks to be turning back toward me. Now the thoughts going through my head: "Did they see my periscope?" "Did they hear my props when I picked up speed?" Either way, it's clear that I'm not sneaking up on anyone at this point, and even a new captain knows not to go guns blazing head on into a group of warships. Again we crash dive, this time to 170 meters, and again go to silent running. I bring the boat perpendicular to their course again and slowly creep away as they charge my previous position. Once they've passed I again come to scope depth and see they're fairly far away. We bring the boat up to decks awash and go max speed away from the group.

Now en-route to assigned patrol point.

[gap]

Originally Posted by Gunsilnger

I run paralell to their course, and then radio in a contact reports hoping that Command will send more U-boats my way(does this work without a mod?).

yes, one of the patches by TDW brings wolpack startegies in game

[Gunsilnger]

November 1940.

Contact report of a convoy moving north-west. I intercept and approach from the south-west making contact at around 1 AM. It's a convoy of Troop transports, freighters, and tankers, with four escorts. I approached at full speed, decks awash, then submerged at around 5 km, and continued to close. I set my up my torpedoes for high speed, and target the farthest ship in the front row, a troop transport. At around 3 Km, I fire tube one then switch to salvo shooting. I then observe my first shots path for a bit, and satisfied with my solution, I fire a group of three about 500 meters behind the first. After my eels were away, I dive to about 100 meters and bring the boat parallel to the convoy, and around the same time, I get the first report of torpedo impact. Now the portside and rearward most escorts are looking for me, and when I come back to scope depth, I see them about a Km behind me relentlessly depth charging the area I used to be. I this point I take a look around at my targets and see that of the four torps fired, only one was a miss. I've already sunk one frieghter, and a large troop transport was on fire and sitting very low at the bow. (now you see why I target the most distant target, it gives my fish potential hits before the even get to their set target ) I then shadowed the convoy and finished off the damaged transport, and then scored hits and sunk another freighter. All while playing cat and mouse with the escorts. After shaking the escorts for a second time, I checked my torpedo inventory and saw I was down to only two internal, and one external for the front, and still a full compliment for the rear, so once again, I reluctantly go to minimum speed back, and watched what was left of the convoy sail away.

To be continued..

[Gunsilnger]

December 1940.

Fuel: 55%
Torpedoes: Forward tubes 2, Stern 2.
Hull integrity: 47%

Sent status report to command, receive orders to continue patrol. Shortly after setting course to our assigned patrol point, we receive a radio report for a small convoy. Low on forward torpedoes, I decided that if it's light enough on escorts, or at least has some easy targets, then it might be worth a shot. I adjust course to intercept, and running deck awash, we make visual contact around dawn. Approaching at scope depth I observe four escorts and two troop transports. Realizing that this would be a suicide mission with the low ammo and damaged hull, I turned the boat away from the convoy and set my original course to the patrol point. We'll continue this patrol as long as fuel will allow, but if we don't find an unescorted ship or convoy, then we'll have to return to port for refit and hull repair.

To be continued.

Thanks for reading, and Happy Hunting Friends!!

[Gunsilnger]

January 1941

En route to patrol area after refit and hull repairs, we receive a radio report of a merchant ship moving southwest, towards our potted course so I adjust course to intercept. After a short cruise we locate it on hydrophone, and shortly thereafter make visual contact, and find it's a lone liberty transport, unescorted and coming right toward my bow. We approach in darkness, high seas and heavy rain, while turning slightly to starboard, planning to turn back to port as the target passes to set up a broadside firing solution. We submerge about two kilometers off their port side when I realize I've misjudged the time it would take to line up broadside so I change plans decide to do a full U-turn and attack from their stern. I surfaced the boat briefly to gain speed, then and made my turn to port and went back to scope depth, and lined up for a perfect shot on her screws and rudders. At about 500 meters I fire two right at her stern, and watch on the event camera as the first blows a massive hole in her side and knocks out her propulsion, while setting the rear of the ship in flames and disabling the rear deck gun. With the second eel hitting in nearly the same spot, adding another huge hole. With the rear of the ship engulfed in flames I feel safe to surface and order the crew to finish her with the deck gun. Only four shells later she was sent to the bottom.

To be continued.