Tell us what you're up to in current campaign (lets get this one going lol)

[EddieLyons]

25 Dec 1941 00:15
132°14’E, 32°41’N.
At 00:01 lookouts reported a ship at 042, long range. Binoculars showed it to be a sail equipped fishing vessel, so I ordered speed reduced to two thirds ahead to limit our chance of being seen. A binocular sweep showed it to be just the closest of five such craft, so I ordered a dive to periscope depth at 00:09.
I had hoped to get further into the Bungo Suido before having to submerge. But now that’s out of the question. We’ll continue from here submerged, at two thirds ahead, making 4 kts. I intend to probe the channel as far as is feasible -- I figure wherever fishing boats go, there’ll be no mines!
The crew is tense, which is to be expected. What a way to start Christmas Day! At least the hydrophone is clear, so there are no patrols within range.

02:10
132°13’E, 32°49’N.
I have decided to surface. Two fishing vessels remain within sight with the periscope, but far enough away not to be a concern. I have both ahead, one off the port bow, the other off the starboard. I can be reasonably confident there are no minefields in the vicinity. I’ve reduced speed to ahead one third, course 359°, to ensure we don’t overhaul the fishing vessels too soon.
Hydrophone also shows no sound contacts, so it looks like there are no patrol vessels in this part of the channel. Surprisingly! The Japanese don’t celebrate Christmas, do they? But wouldn’t it already be 26 Dec on this side of the International Date Line?

02:45
Only one fishing vessel remains in sight ahead, at 355, so I’ve increased speed to two thirds ahead. They seem to be moving faster than I thought!

02:55
I changed course to 004°, ahead standard. This puts us on course to make a change of course about 10 NM ahead, remaining in the deepest part of the channel. However, the one fishing vessel still in sight seems to be making for a shallower part of the channel, on the west side.

03:00
Lookouts spotted another fishing vessel ahead, bearing 344 and on a NNW course. A binocular sweep showed at least three others. I’ve reduced speed to one third ahead again, but maintaining course and staying surfaced. I think we’re far enough behind to remain out of sight, while observing their course. I’ll have to rethink our plotted course if these vessels are indeed heading through the shallower part of the channel.

03:30
Have increased speed once more to two thirds ahead. The fishing boats have pulled ahead, barely within binocular view. We’re also beginning to lose the moon -- won’t be long before it sets. I had hoped to be further into the channel before losing the benefit of its light.

04:00
Have reduced speed again to one third ahead. One of the fishing boats almost directly ahead is getting too close for comfort. But, unlike the one we have been tracking, which is on course for the shallower part of the channel, this next one is much nearer to our plotted course. This is reassuring, since it might well mean there is no minefield in our path. We shall proceed with caution.

[Bubblehead1980]

TMO Update V2.0
Donation Narwahl Mod
100 difficulty, cams off, map contacts on.



18 September 1944

0000

Position 3-16 N 122-33 E in Celebes Sea, cruising on course 295 at 8.5 knots
en route to Cebu and Mindanao for special assignment. Passengers and cargo aboard.

0040 Lookouts spotted vessel bearing 073 range 5000 yards closing fast! SJ was off at time as "sweep" is made every fifteen minutes. OOD turned away at flank speed, vessel, now identified as a DD or DE, continued closing.

0041 GENERAL QUARTERS. I rushed from my cabin to the bridge.

0044 Spotted vessel closing. Large DD, possibly Shimakaze class.
Planned stern shot, but vessel began to zig and fire guns. Ordered
boat to dive, splashes close!

0046 Ordered 300 ft. Rigged for Silent Running and Depth Charge.

0050 DD roared above as NAUTILUS passed 220 feet.

0053 DC explosions. Real tooth shakers.

0055 Serious damage reported forward torpedo room. Damage Control Party
dispatched.


Damage Control Report


1. Leaks in Forward Torpedo Room, flooded bilges and resulted in about one
foot of water in compartment. DC party stopped leaks at 0100.

2. Hull damage reported forward.


3. Forward Batteries


4. JP Listening Gear


5. Forward Dive planes Transmission


6. High Pressure Air line leaks


7. Light bulbs and glass fixtures


8. No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4 torpedo tubes damaged, likely non operational.



0134

NAUTILUS at a depth 350 feet, pinging and depth charge attacks continue. Due to possible hull damage, not advisable to increase depth.


0143

After last DC run, which shook boat. DD went quiet, likely above listening for NAUTILUS.
Currently at 350 feet, just waiting this skilled DD commander out....




0550 Sound contact bearing 156, closing, long range.


0600 DD hunting in area. Maintained silent running.


1312 One hour since last sound contact. Ordered periscope depth.


1320 All clear. Fog and overcast with gray skies had set in. Light chop to sea.

1324 SJ sweep, all clear.

1326 Surfaced.

1400 Inspection showed that Torpedo Tubes No. 1,2,4, all non operational, heavily damaged. Torpedo Tube No.3
damaged, but operational. Damage Control Party formed to conduct repairs.

1700 Tube No.3 repaired, operational.



19 September


1000 Began transit of Sibutu Pass Northbound.


1235 SD contact 14000 yards closing.

1237 Submerged to avoid

1900 Surfaced in Sibutu Passage.


20 September

0100 Cleared Sibutu Pass.

0108 SJ contacts bearing 210 28550 yards, two pips. Likely a patrol NAUTILUS just missed.

1300 Torpedo But No. 4 repaired, operational.


21 September


1300 Passed into Bohol Sea, NEGROS visible to port, bearing 280 at range 11 NM, MINDANAO, visible to starboard
bearing 070, range of 18 NM. Clear day, sunny, calm seas. En route to Libertad, Mindanao for special mission.


1500 SIQUIJOR ISLAND visible to to port, bearing 285, 13 NM.


1606 SJ contact bearing 278 22700 yards. Single, fast moving pip, near SIQUIJOR ISLAND, likely a patrol.


1800 Torpedo Tube No. 2 repaired, operational. No. 1 remained non operational, undergoing repairs.

2100 Approaching designated landing area, preparations for landing of passengers made.


2155 Sighted security signal.

2200 Began deploying passengers via rubber boat.


22 September

0050

All passengers designated for Spot 1 deployed ashore via rubber boat. Mission Completed.


0700 Operations at Spot 2 off Cebu not scheduled until evening of 24 September. Proceeded to Bohol Sea away from shore, submerged at daylight, completed repairs until time to proceed to area arrives.

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by EddieLyons

25 Dec 1941 00:15
132°14’E, 32°41’N.
At 00:01 lookouts reported a ship at 042, long range. Binoculars showed it to be a sail equipped fishing vessel, so I ordered speed reduced to two thirds ahead to limit our chance of being seen. A binocular sweep showed it to be just the closest of five such craft, so I ordered a dive to periscope depth at 00:09.
I had hoped to get further into the Bungo Suido before having to submerge. But now that’s out of the question. We’ll continue from here submerged, at two thirds ahead, making 4 kts. I intend to probe the channel as far as is feasible -- I figure wherever fishing boats go, there’ll be no mines!
The crew is tense, which is to be expected. What a way to start Christmas Day! At least the hydrophone is clear, so there are no patrols within range.

02:10
132°13’E, 32°49’N.
I have decided to surface. Two fishing vessels remain within sight with the periscope, but far enough away not to be a concern. I have both ahead, one off the port bow, the other off the starboard. I can be reasonably confident there are no minefields in the vicinity. I’ve reduced speed to ahead one third, course 359°, to ensure we don’t overhaul the fishing vessels too soon.
Hydrophone also shows no sound contacts, so it looks like there are no patrol vessels in this part of the channel. Surprisingly! The Japanese don’t celebrate Christmas, do they? But wouldn’t it already be 26 Dec on this side of the International Date Line?

02:45
Only one fishing vessel remains in sight ahead, at 355, so I’ve increased speed to two thirds ahead. They seem to be moving faster than I thought!

02:55
I changed course to 004°, ahead standard. This puts us on course to make a change of course about 10 NM ahead, remaining in the deepest part of the channel. However, the one fishing vessel still in sight seems to be making for a shallower part of the channel, on the west side.

03:00
Lookouts spotted another fishing vessel ahead, bearing 344 and on a NNW course. A binocular sweep showed at least three others. I’ve reduced speed to one third ahead again, but maintaining course and staying surfaced. I think we’re far enough behind to remain out of sight, while observing their course. I’ll have to rethink our plotted course if these vessels are indeed heading through the shallower part of the channel.

03:30
Have increased speed once more to two thirds ahead. The fishing boats have pulled ahead, barely within binocular view. We’re also beginning to lose the moon -- won’t be long before it sets. I had hoped to be further into the channel before losing the benefit of its light.

04:00
Have reduced speed again to one third ahead. One of the fishing boats almost directly ahead is getting too close for comfort. But, unlike the one we have been tracking, which is on course for the shallower part of the channel, this next one is much nearer to our plotted course. This is reassuring, since it might well mean there is no minefield in our path. We shall proceed with caution.

Well done thus far


Which mod(s) are you running or stock game? Curious.

[Bubblehead1980]

TMO Update V2.0
Donation Narwhal mod
100 difficulty, cams off, map contacts on

After completing special mission delivering ammunition and supplies at DIBUT BAY, LUZON, proceed towards SAN BERNADINO STRAIT but with orders to avoid area until 29 October. In between orders, decided to check in on SAN MIGUEL BAY. Usually some decent ships transiting in and out of the bay, running the coast up to LAMON BAY etc.


26/27 October 1944
14-14 N 123-8E
12 miles off entrance to San Miguel Bay , Philippines


As approached SAN MIGUEL BAY on the surface at night, sticking to deeper waters in the approaches off the entrance. Detected radar signals, then SJ made contact. 1000 ton aux patrol craft coming a long. Given do not get a lot of shots to sink vessels and figured she was worth a torpedo, went to GQ
to fire one of the four torpedoes in bow tubes (load reduced to just six, four forward, to aft, on special missions)

Submerged for approach but somehow was detected. Enemy turned in and NAUTILUS lined up for a "down the throat" shot. Fired tube No.1, but apparently misjudged the range. Torpedo hit, but did not exploded, likely did not have time to arm. Rigged for depth charge, silent running, went to 200 feet.

Passed a thermal layer 185 feet, leveled off at 190 feet. This for a time helped thwart the enemy above. However, after a while seemed to locate me.
Every 10-15 minutes, makes a run on us, dropping a couple charges.

Time is 0021 27 October 1944 , have made it into deeper waters and thus currently at depth of 345 feet, with bottom at 370. A second patrol boat type (judging by the sound) is en route from SAN MIGUEL BAY to assist, as can be heard making its best speed to join in from that direction.

[EddieLyons]

25 Dec 1941 04:15
We are now visually tracking six fishing boats. Five of them are keeping to the west of the channel, with one ahead nearer the deeper part, Given their spread out disposition, they appear unconcerned about minefields. Could it be that the Japanese have none in this channel? Are they that confident in the security of their home waters? That alone would be useful intelligence for COMSUBPAC, even if we are unable to make it all the way to Hiroshima.

04:45
I have ordered ahead two thirds for a short time. We have fallen far enough behind the lead fishing boats to warrant it. So far they are holding steady on their course of about 348°. We will shortly make the first of our turns in the channel. Current course is 004°, new course, for a short leg of 5500 yds, will be 324°.

04:51
On course at 324°. Speed reduced to ahead one third to reduce closure rate on fishing boats to our west. I want to pass behind them on our next course change.

05:18
I have ordered ahead two thirds once more. On our next leg we should now pass behind the five fishing boats that are still in view. They still haven’t deviated from their course.

05:24
132°12’E, 33°06’N.
Turned to new course 282°, speed ahead two thirds.

06:01
132°08’E, 33°07’N.
Turned to new course 325°, speed two thirds ahead. We are now some 6000 yds west of the course of the fishing boats, on a diverging course. Only one remains in view -- we’ll lose sight of it soon enough. We’re on our own from here on in -- I’m surprised we have seen no sign of defences so far: no patrols, no mines, no shore emplacements.

06:35
I spoke too soon! We have spotted three fishing boats to starboard, now apparently on a converging course of about 305°. They must have changed course shortly after our last sighting. I have ordered speed reduced to ahead one third to avoid contact. Although this slows us down again, it has the advantage that I can keep them in front to pathfind any potential minefields. That’s very thoughtful of them!

09:10
132°00’E, 33°17’N.
Course 326°. I have ordered speed increased to two thirds ahead. The fishing boats are far enough ahead and all but one have crossed our bow, so we will pass astern of them again. They remain steady on their course of 305°. Are they on their way to Oita? Or Tsurusaki? Or Bepu? If so, I can expect them to make a turn to port, on a diverging course from our plotted one. But, they’ve surprised us once with a course change -- they’ll bear keeping a close eye on for the time being.

09:30
131°59’E, 33°20’N.
We are passing through the Hoyo Strait into the Seto Inland Sea. I am surprised, and grateful for it, that we have still not encountered any patrol vessels of any sort. I also have to thank our fishing boat “escort” for being most helpful thus far! Still no sign of them changing course. But we will, about 1 NM ahead!

09:45
131°58’E, 33°21’N.
We have made our turn, to a new course of 018°, two thirds ahead. We still have six fishing boats in sight, all now to port and beginning to fall behind, steady on their course of 305°.

09:50
A binocular sweep has shown two more fishing boats ahead, off the port bow. With the first light of dawn appearing, and the horizon beginning to show clearly, I’ve ordered the boat to dive to periscope depth, ahead one third to conserve battery power to the maximum. This will be slow going, but I intend to remain submerged throughout daylight hours.

09:51
We finally have a hydrophone contact! Two vessels bearing approx 245. One certainly sounds like a warship, the other perhaps not. A merchant plus escort? A periscope sweep showed only the fishing boat fleet, so our sound contact is beyond visual range as yet. Possibly in the vicinity of Bepu, given the bearing. If we weren’t on a recon op, I would be turning to track and intercept. But I’ll have to let them go. This time!

10:39
131°58’E, 33°24’N.
Hydrophone operator reports a warship bearing 225, closing at medium speed, long range. Taking a listen myself, there appears to be two warships and a merchant.

10:49
A periscope sweep shows at least one escort vessel plus up to four merchants, one of them possibly a tanker, on a course through the Hoyo Strait to exit through the Bungo Suido. Have the Japanese adopted an escorted convoy strategy? Perhaps they’re taking notice of what is happening in the North Atlantic. But, what a missed opportunity because of these damned orders from COMSUBPAC!
Plus, we’re nearly surrounded by fishing boats! It would be just our luck to get entangled in their fishing nets!

10:54
According to the Nautical Almanac, the sun should now be risen.

12:05
We’ve lost hydrophone contact with the escorted convoy. We continue deeper into the Inland Sea, probing how far we can go.

14:14
132°01’E, 33°31’N.
We have turned to new course 072°, ahead one third, remaining at periscope depth. Hydrophone contact at approx bearing 212 of a single warship. This is likely our first contact with a patrol!

14:25
Sound contact is now at bearing 205. I want to avoid using the periscope during daylight, given the number of fishing boats we have been encountering.

14:35
Sound contact now at bearing 196. It appears to be on a southerly course.

14:45
Sound contact now bearing 186, clearly showing through our own baffles. Still on a southerly course - headed out through the Hoyo Strait?

14:55
Sound contact now bearing 181, still clear through our baffles.

15:05
Sound contact still bearing 181. Clearly has changed course -- but towards or away from us? According to our charts, we have plenty of depth to play with for the next several hours at this speed, so I’m taking us a bit deeper, to 100 ft.

15:15
Sound contact now at bearing 178. Is it a bit fainter?

15:25
Sound contact now bearing 176. Definitely fainter. If he’s searching for us, he’s looking the wrong way! But I wonder if any of “our” fishing boats spotted and reported us?

15:35
Sound contact now bearing 175. Getting much fainter. The variation in bearings indicate changes in course. Is he searching? Or simply patrolling?

15:45
Sound contact very faint, at bearing 174.

16:00
Sound contact is no longer audible. Second Watch is now on duty.

19:04
Hydrophone reports a sound contact bearing 283, identified as a merchant. Another missed opportunity!

19:30
Hydrophone contact is now bearing 250, apparently on a course reciprocal to our own.

20:00
We lost the hydrophone contact at 19:55. I hope this mission to Hiroshima is worth all the missed opportunities!

20:48
132°13’E, 33°35’N.
The Nautical Almanac tells us the sun is setting. I have ordered us to periscope depth.

20:54
Hydrophone and periscope sweeps are clear. When the sky is a bit darker, we shall surface.

22:00
It’s finally dark enough, so I have ordered the boat to surface, at two thirds ahead.
We received the following Fox Traffic: HONG KONG HAS SURRENDERED TO THE JAPANESE X MANILA DECLARED AN OPEN CITY X US FORCES WITHDRAWING TO JAVA AND AUSTRALIA X MERRY CHRISTMAS X
And a Merry Christmas to you too, COMSUBPAC!

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by EddieLyons

25 Dec 1941 04:15
We are now visually tracking six fishing boats. Five of them are keeping to the west of the channel, with one ahead nearer the deeper part, Given their spread out disposition, they appear unconcerned about minefields. Could it be that the Japanese have none in this channel? Are they that confident in the security of their home waters? That alone would be useful intelligence for COMSUBPAC, even if we are unable to make it all the way to Hiroshima.

04:45
I have ordered ahead two thirds for a short time. We have fallen far enough behind the lead fishing boats to warrant it. So far they are holding steady on their course of about 348°. We will shortly make the first of our turns in the channel. Current course is 004°, new course, for a short leg of 5500 yds, will be 324°.

04:51
On course at 324°. Speed reduced to ahead one third to reduce closure rate on fishing boats to our west. I want to pass behind them on our next course change.

05:18
I have ordered ahead two thirds once more. On our next leg we should now pass behind the five fishing boats that are still in view. They still haven’t deviated from their course.

05:24
132°12’E, 33°06’N.
Turned to new course 282°, speed ahead two thirds.

06:01
132°08’E, 33°07’N.
Turned to new course 325°, speed two thirds ahead. We are now some 6000 yds west of the course of the fishing boats, on a diverging course. Only one remains in view -- we’ll lose sight of it soon enough. We’re on our own from here on in -- I’m surprised we have seen no sign of defences so far: no patrols, no mines, no shore emplacements.

06:35
I spoke too soon! We have spotted three fishing boats to starboard, now apparently on a converging course of about 305°. They must have changed course shortly after our last sighting. I have ordered speed reduced to ahead one third to avoid contact. Although this slows us down again, it has the advantage that I can keep them in front to pathfind any potential minefields. That’s very thoughtful of them!

09:10
132°00’E, 33°17’N.
Course 326°. I have ordered speed increased to two thirds ahead. The fishing boats are far enough ahead and all but one have crossed our bow, so we will pass astern of them again. They remain steady on their course of 305°. Are they on their way to Oita? Or Tsurusaki? Or Bepu? If so, I can expect them to make a turn to port, on a diverging course from our plotted one. But, they’ve surprised us once with a course change -- they’ll bear keeping a close eye on for the time being.

09:30
131°59’E, 33°20’N.
We are passing through the Hoyo Strait into the Seto Inland Sea. I am surprised, and grateful for it, that we have still not encountered any patrol vessels of any sort. I also have to thank our fishing boat “escort” for being most helpful thus far! Still no sign of them changing course. But we will, about 1 NM ahead!

09:45
131°58’E, 33°21’N.
We have made our turn, to a new course of 018°, two thirds ahead. We still have six fishing boats in sight, all now to port and beginning to fall behind, steady on their course of 305°.

09:50
A binocular sweep has shown two more fishing boats ahead, off the port bow. With the first light of dawn appearing, and the horizon beginning to show clearly, I’ve ordered the boat to dive to periscope depth, ahead one third to conserve battery power to the maximum. This will be slow going, but I intend to remain submerged throughout daylight hours.

09:51
We finally have a hydrophone contact! Two vessels bearing approx 245. One certainly sounds like a warship, the other perhaps not. A merchant plus escort? A periscope sweep showed only the fishing boat fleet, so our sound contact is beyond visual range as yet. Possibly in the vicinity of Bepu, given the bearing. If we weren’t on a recon op, I would be turning to track and intercept. But I’ll have to let them go. This time!

10:39
131°58’E, 33°24’N.
Hydrophone operator reports a warship bearing 225, closing at medium speed, long range. Taking a listen myself, there appears to be two warships and a merchant.

10:49
A periscope sweep shows at least one escort vessel plus up to four merchants, one of them possibly a tanker, on a course through the Hoyo Strait to exit through the Bungo Suido. Have the Japanese adopted an escorted convoy strategy? Perhaps they’re taking notice of what is happening in the North Atlantic. But, what a missed opportunity because of these damned orders from COMSUBPAC!
Plus, we’re nearly surrounded by fishing boats! It would be just our luck to get entangled in their fishing nets!

10:54
According to the Nautical Almanac, the sun should now be risen.

12:05
We’ve lost hydrophone contact with the escorted convoy. We continue deeper into the Inland Sea, probing how far we can go.

14:14
132°01’E, 33°31’N.
We have turned to new course 072°, ahead one third, remaining at periscope depth. Hydrophone contact at approx bearing 212 of a single warship. This is likely our first contact with a patrol!

14:25
Sound contact is now at bearing 205. I want to avoid using the periscope during daylight, given the number of fishing boats we have been encountering.

14:35
Sound contact now at bearing 196. It appears to be on a southerly course.

14:45
Sound contact now bearing 186, clearly showing through our own baffles. Still on a southerly course - headed out through the Hoyo Strait?

14:55
Sound contact now bearing 181, still clear through our baffles.

15:05
Sound contact still bearing 181. Clearly has changed course -- but towards or away from us? According to our charts, we have plenty of depth to play with for the next several hours at this speed, so I’m taking us a bit deeper, to 100 ft.

15:15
Sound contact now at bearing 178. Is it a bit fainter?

15:25
Sound contact now bearing 176. Definitely fainter. If he’s searching for us, he’s looking the wrong way! But I wonder if any of “our” fishing boats spotted and reported us?

15:35
Sound contact now bearing 175. Getting much fainter. The variation in bearings indicate changes in course. Is he searching? Or simply patrolling?

15:45
Sound contact very faint, at bearing 174.

16:00
Sound contact is no longer audible. Second Watch is now on duty.

19:04
Hydrophone reports a sound contact bearing 283, identified as a merchant. Another missed opportunity!

19:30
Hydrophone contact is now bearing 250, apparently on a course reciprocal to our own.

20:00
We lost the hydrophone contact at 19:55. I hope this mission to Hiroshima is worth all the missed opportunities!

20:48
132°13’E, 33°35’N.
The Nautical Almanac tells us the sun is setting. I have ordered us to periscope depth.

20:54
Hydrophone and periscope sweeps are clear. When the sky is a bit darker, we shall surface.

22:00
It’s finally dark enough, so I have ordered the boat to surface, at two thirds ahead.
We received the following Fox Traffic: HONG KONG HAS SURRENDERED TO THE JAPANESE X MANILA DECLARED AN OPEN CITY X US FORCES WITHDRAWING TO JAVA AND AUSTRALIA X MERRY CHRISTMAS X
And a Merry Christmas to you too, COMSUBPAC!

Interesting read. Keep it up

[Bubblehead1980]

TMO Update BH V2.0



After 15 great patrols in NAUTILUS SS-168 from December 1941- November 1944, was sunk by "Friendly Fire" , a US John C. Butler Class Destroyer Escort
off Morotai on 5 November 1944, en route Brisbane via Mios Woendi to end the 15th patrol.


Started a new career, want to tested out some things did in 1944 for the upcoming TMO Update V2.0. I was assigned USS BARB SS-220. I was happy with this. Since January 1944 was before Fluckey was her CO, I looked up and used the name of LCDR JR Waterman. Will edit the file to reflect Fluckey's taking command in April 1944 when appropriate.

Assigned to Area 8(one of the new patrol orders I added to campaign) , a real hot zone at this point in war, looking forward to getting there .



3 January
______________


1300 Underway from Pearl Harbor in accordance with COMSUBPAC Operation Order 06-44.

1336 Exited channel and rendezvoused with BARB's escort, PC-461.

1515 Escort detached.

1530 Dive. Dive time 45 seconds. Will conduct drills to improve time.

1545 Surfaced

1550 En route Midway Island.


4 January
______________

En route Midway

0700 Dive. Improved time to 40 seconds.

0715 Surface

0900 Gunnery Drill

1000 Emergency Drill

1300 Dive

1305 Torpedo Fire Control Drill

1400 Surface



5 January
______________


0700 Dive

0730 Surface

1000 Crash Dive drills. Submerged in 38.9 seconds.

1015 Surface


6 January
______________

En route Midway


0630 Dive

0700 Surface



3 January
______________


1300 Underway from Pearl Harbor in accordance with COMSUBPAC Operation Order
06-44 with PC-461 as escort.

1515 Escort detached.

1530 Dive. Dive time 45 seconds. WIll conduct drills to improve time.

1545 Surfaced

1550 En route Midway Island.


4 January
______________

En route Midway

0700 Dive. Improved time to 40 seconds.

0715 Surface

0900 Gunnery Drill

1000 Emergency Drill

1300 Dive

1305 Torpedo Fire Control Drill

1400 Surface



5 January
______________


0700 Dive

0730 Surface




7 January
______________


0630 Dive

0700 Surface

0800 Docked Midway Island
Topped off fuel and stores.

1300 Departed Midway

1400 Dive

1430 Surface

1445 Course 270 to AREA 8


8 January
___________

En route to patrol area.
Course 271 degrees. 14 knots.

0645 Dive

0700 Surface

[EddieLyons]

25 Dec 1941 22:49
132°22’E, 33°3’N.
Soundings show only 65 ft under our keel! Our charts are not the most up to date, because of Japanese secrecy in the last 20 years, but if the shallows between here and Hiroshima are like this, it might well be impossible to reach our goal and complete our mission. And I’m reluctant to use our sounder too much in case it gets picked up by enemy hydrophones. At our current speed (8 kts) on the surface, we could be at Hiroshima before dawn. Our charts, if they are reliable, show a couple of deeper areas where we could hole up submerged on silent running during daylight. A hydrophone record of shipping in and out of port would be valuable, in addition to our photo recon objective. But given the shallows and narrows we have to navigate to get there, I’m sceptical of our chances of success. Any further encounters with fishing boats, merchants or, worse, patrols, could find us in water too shallow to submerge. We’d be a very large tin fish in a very small barrel!
We have another hour-and-a-half until our next course change. I’ll consult with my XO and nav officer at that time before I decide whether to proceed or not.

26 Dec 1941 00:45
We are at 132°35’E, 33°42’N, the last reasonably deep point on our charts before we would need to proceed into the narrows and shallows for the rest of our route to Hiroshima. Weather remains calm and clear. Visibility is good. Both for us and the enemy! Bad weather would be to our advantage, but the barometer is steady.
Although we have encountered no further patrols, merchants or fishing boats, that surely cannot last. The lack of depth in the shallows, plus the lack of room for manoeuvre in the narrows, reduces our chances to remain undetected in the event of any such encounters. We would not last for very long so deep into enemy territory thereafter.
After consulting with my XO and NO, I have decided to reverse course, to make our way back out of the Inland Sea. Being able to probe this far into the heart of Japanese waters in itself provides valuable intelligence. Our fuel bunkers are over 60% full, so we have sufficient reserves to loiter in the enemy’s home waters and wreak havoc on his shipping. We’ll spend as much time as possible on the surface tonight at ahead two thirds, but will have to spend daylight hours submerged once again. Tomorrow night, under cover of darkness, we shall endeavour to pass back out through the Bungo Suido. Then we can get down to business, and hopefully bag a late Christmas present or two for the crew, to make up for the lousy Christmas Day they have just had!

02:05
Hydrophone has picked up a contact at bearing 118. Sounds like a merchant to me. Faint, but the water here is too shallow to dive for a better fix. We’ll track it as best we can.

02:25
Hydrophone contact is at 120, seemingly parallel to our course. This could get interesting …

02:45
Hydrophone contact now bearing 132. Lagging behind, so going slower than our 8 kts.

03:05
Hydrophone contact now bearing 140.

03:30
Hydrophone contact now bearing 154.

03:35
Given the contact we have been tracking, I have decided on a change of plan. At ahead two thirds on the surface, it would be conceivable to make it through the Bungo Suido before dawn. That would allow us to lie in wait for this merchant out in open water -- assuming it is headed that way, rather than to one of the ports on the western shore of the Inland Sea.
To expedite our passage, I’ve ordered ahead standard, at least for an hour or two. It’s more risky, but as long as our lookouts are alert, we should be able to avoid contacts, just like last night. Plus, now we can be confident that Bungo Suido is clear of minefields. That makes it more plausible to make the passage at a higher speed.

04:40
We are approaching our turn towards the Hoyo Strait, at 132°01’E, 33°31’N. Hydrophone has detected a warship bearing 350; not in visual range with binoculars. I have ordered us to dive to periscope depth, ahead two thirds. Course currently is 247°; after the turn we will be on 198°.

04:47
Warship hydrophone contact now bearing 348. Appears to be moving southwards, so towards the Bungo Suido. That should place us in his baffles before long. If he is heading out through the Bungo Suido, we can follow him through. If we have to remain submerged, we can’t make it through before daylight. So we would have to stay down for the next seventeen hours, until after sunset.

04:55
We have made our turn towards the Hoyo Strait.

04:57
Warship contact now bearing 018. Still heading southwards.

05:00
A quick periscope sweep shows the enemy warship within visual range, just off our starboard bow. Not enough light to attempt to identify it. It does appear to be steady on a course through the Hoyo Strait. We shall remain submerged for now, waiting for its range to increase. Then I shall reassess whether it is feasible to surface. In the meantime, my SO is tracking it, and I have ordered ahead one third to conserve battery power.

05:16
Surprise, surprise! My SO has separated out a merchant hydrophone contact on the same bearing as the warship. A quick periscope check shows that the shadow I saw previously is not the warship, but the merchant! This changes the paradigm! I’m going to surface and shadow this merchant. The warship is not a concern at present -- it is still heading away, and the merchant should provide some cover for us.

05:25
We are on the surface, ahead two thirds, course 198°. The target is off our starboard bow, heading NE into the Inland Sea. I have identified it as the Kiturin Maru, 6800 tons. This is too good an opportunity to miss! I am setting up to attack!

05:39
The target is on a course of 064°. I have turned to 138° to attack. Tube one flooded and ready.

05:41
Tube 1 fired!

05:50
Damn the torpedoes! Tube one missed, or was a dud. Whichever, it alerted the enemy crew, who caught us in a spotlight and opened fire with smallarms and 20mm cannon. So much for merchants being unarmed! I have broken off the attack, and turned north towards deeper water at flank speed, submerging to periscope depth as soon as we were on course. This will have stirred up a hornet’s nest, to be sure!

06:06
I am manoeuvering to a new attack position, this time submerged. The target is doing only 4 kts. We are at ahead standard, doing 7 kts, closing the range. I have him trapped between me and the south shore of the Inland Sea, so he has little room to do anything to escape, apart from a bit of zig-zagging.

06:16
Tubes 1 and 3 fired at 1600 to 1700 yds range. Both missed!
I’ll try once more before breaking off, and concentrating on surviving the response that’s bound to arrive!

06:27
I’ll have to have my chief engineer check out the remaining torpedoes!
Tube 2 proved to be a dud! Tube 4 missed - that was my fault; I misjudged the turning rate of the target. He manoeuvred smartly out of the way, even though I had closed to close range.
But, finally, the Tube 1 reload did the job! Set to contact influence, shallow depth and high speed, I fired at almost point blank range as he turned away. The ship exploded and sank in a couple of minutes. Our first kill of the war. Now to survive the inevitable response!
I am heading deeper into the Inland Sea, in anticipation that the enemy will expect us to try to slip out through the Bungo Suido pronto. We will lie low throughout the coming daylight hours and hope to make it through once nightfall comes again.

[EddieLyons]

Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980

Well done thus far


Which mod(s) are you running or stock game? Curious.

I'm using your TMO Update.

Map contacts are on. Manual targeting off. Event camera off. External camera on, but only for some "beauty" shots while cruising -- otherwise I play strictly first person. My save files include Replay, so it's available if ever I want to go back and check what happened in an action.

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by EddieLyons

I'm using your TMO Update.

Map contacts are on. Manual targeting off. Event camera off. External camera on, but only for some "beauty" shots while cruising -- otherwise I play strictly first person. My save files include Replay, so it's available if ever I want to go back and check what happened in an action.

Nice! I was wondering if were using my TMO mod.