Scapa...surprisingly easy.

[Jager]

My first true visit to Scapa was the single player mission when I first bought the game...that did not work out so I did not try it again until a few months ago at 100%. I knew from the previous experience that the south extrance was just out of the question with the amount of escorts, search lights and that blasted sub net so I figured to go around the back, the western approach which proved almost as much as a challenge as it was guarded by three determined Hunt I's and one thick mine field. I was about to turn home and give up the chance of entering when I noticed a fishing trawler calming making its way across the minefield and turning around. This gave me the idea, if he can do it, so can I so I surfaced and headed the coastline of the Scapa flow inlet believing that the nearer to the coast I was, the less chance of hitting a mine. Well it worked and I got in to Scapa (minus two DD's that tried to catch me over the mine field). I found a perfect natural habour just 2km from the nearest gun emplacement and decided to rearm, recharge the batteries, and get 100% oxygen again. At 9pm I was ready to make the attempt. Four hours later, at ahead slow and at silent speed I made it to the centre of the harbour to only notice three Tribal destroyers, NO battleships! I decided to show the Britsh they had been truly breached, I torpedoed a Tribal in the middle of the harbour anchorage which sank rather quickly in two pieces. To my amazement, no DD's came after me and I continued at ahead slow, hugging the coastline back to my natural anchorage. At 4am I made it back to my natural anchorage and took a huge breath of relief, the deed was done but I still had to escape the minefield. I decided to take the same way I came in. Two hours later, I was out of Scapa Flow and on my way back to Kiel. This mission was conducted Sept. 1939 witha Type VIIB out of Kiel. Now to provide the eye candy:



The first DD to die near the Western approach to Scapa.



This was the second DD that had came from around the corner of the inlet. I decided to lead him into the minefield which detered him for a while, forcing him ultimately to run aground and be destroyed by one of my torpedos (the first three bouncing off).



The centre of Scapa flow with three Tribal DD's.



The targeted Tribal, notice the harbour lighthouse in the background.



A picture from my navigation chart showing my position within Scapa Flow.

After I had left Scapa I managed to catch three merchants trying to make the northly run to get to the eastern ports of the UK. I returned to Kiel on Sept. 12th.