"Realistic" transfer to Mediterranean

[nikbear]

Looking forward to further posts

[meduza]

(Apr 9) 07:55 I decided to do a test dive, to see how deep she can still go. I can't enter the dangerous water ahead without knowing that I can rely on the boat. Diving to 120m, ahead standard.
08:00 The chief leveled the boat at 123m. So far so good, except for the green faces of my men. Going deeper, slowly, at 1kt.
08:04 140m.
08:06 150m. The boat is holding. So does the crew.
08:07 160m. The chief expressed his concern. Some disturbing can be heard from the hull.
08:09 170m. First signs of trouble started to appear - some pipes leaking water, a few rivets went off. We blew the tanks and the boat dropped to 173m before starting to raise. No damage.
Going to surface and resuming our course. I guess the maximum depth of 170m is not bad, considering all the damage we took. I'll have to be more careful in the future.

09:37 SO reported a contact, merchant, bearing 98. To me, it sounds like she is escorted by a small warship that sounds like a trawler or patrol boat. Going to investigate.
10:09 We have visual contact. It's a friendly convoy, two Albanian and one German ships, escorted by the Raeumboot. Approaching to greet them!

13:37 Aircraft spotted. I didn't expect to see enemy planes in this area and stayed on surface. When I saw the plane is turning in our direction, I ordered to dive. Two bombs exploded above, but we were deep enough. No damage. Position CJ8881.

Apr 10
05:39 Sound contact, warship bearing 45. Maybe one of ours. Will investigate.
06:17 It looks like there is one merchant behind the warship. Still out of visual range. Estimated course NW, going slow.
06:59 Visual contact. It's a small freighter, escorted by a corvette. Not sure of natonality. Submerging for the attack.
07:18 I have just witnessed an air attack on the ships. They sank the merchant and damaged the escort. I'm going deeper and leaving the area.
08:31 Surfaced. I can see the debris from the merchant in the distance. No lifeboats. The escort is long gone, out of visual range. So are the planes.

After patrolling around grid CN22, we are returning to SE course. We'll pass near the Pantelleria base soon.

13:08 Faint propeller sound, bearing 200. Sounds like a small warship, probably one of our patrols around Pantelleria. Proceeding on present course.

14:31 Position CN26, 280km WNW from Malta. We will go on submerged until dark.

17:26 Sound contact, merchant, bearing 353, closing.
17:57 Visual contact. It's an unescorted small freighter. We're approaching for surfaced attack.
18:10 A torpedo fired from 900m hit the ship in the middle. She didn't sank, and even manage to find us with searchlight and fire a few shots from stern gun. No hits.
18:18 The ship is still afloat, but motionless. The impact must have destroyed the engines. I'll finish her with deck gun, staying clear of her stern gun.
18:28 She sank.

Apr 11
04:19 Sound contact, warship bearing 020, closing. If she comes too close, I'll attack. Judging by the sound, it's destroyer.
04:24 SO reported to hear a merchant near that destroyer. I must admit I can't hear it. Anyway, we are on a collision course and we'll find out soon.
04:44 They came in visual range - medium cargo escorted by destroyer. Preparing for submerged attack, silent running regime. Only two TII torpedoes left.
05:05 Here comes the Luftwaffe again! The ships is burning, with visible damage. I'm only a few minutes from attack position, and will proceed as planed. If the ship doesn't sink first...
05:15 The merchant sank before I could attack. So I fired one eel at destroyer and missed. I want to forget this encounter as soon as possible.
Resuming our course, submerged at 20m, ahead slow.



(to be continued...)

[meduza]

09:55 Sound contact, bearing 056, closing. Sound like a small merchant, unescorted. Intercepting submerged, full speed.
10:48 Visual contact, small freighter. I hope the Luftwaffe is engaged somewhere else.
11:10 The Luftwaffe in action again! I saw a single Stuka bombing the ship. Fortunately I was quicker. The ship sank after one hit in the middle, from 1000m. She was badly burning at the moment.
I see now that my staying in the Med will be a constant race against my fellows in the air...

Looking at the ship going down, I noticed she wasn't armed. I could have sunk her with deck gun. I wasted my last torpedo, and now, all I can do is head for home, avoiding any trouble.

16:09 Surfacing. Position CN37. Weather still very calm.

22:45 My watch crew was completely caught off guard by an enemy aircraft. We sustained some serious damage and had flooding in almost all compartment. Multiple systems damaged, but nothing destroyed.
It seems that now the darkness doesn't offer the cover like it use to. As soon as we surface, we'll go full speed to leave Malta behind.

Apr 12
01:07 Sound contact, destroyer bearing 282. My SO didn't report anything. No medals for him this time!
Position CN62. Maintaining our present course, going deep and silent.
01:31 It seems there is a large task force ahead of us. I think I can hear at least one battleship. Too bad I don't have any torpedoes left. Position CN6283. Task force is sailing south.

08:07 Back on surface, doing some repairs on a deck from the last night's attack. Weather still calm, visibility 10km.
We should be out of the range of Malta based aircrafts.
08:17 I guess I was wrong. Two aircrafts spoted. Crash dive. Two explosions above. No damage. Where's the Luftwaffe now?

12:13 We have surfaced. Heading ENE, full speed. I expect us to be in Salamis day after tomorrow, drinking beer at the officer's club.

12:25 Aircraft spotted! Don't they have something better to do? We'll stay submerged for a while.

19:11 On surface. I had to slightly adjust my planed course to move us away from Malta as fast as possible.


Apr 13
03:48 The sun just came up, it's a nice and peaceful morning. The visibility has considerably improved over night. We are going on ENE course at 17kt. If nothing unexpected happens, we'll dock at Salamis tomorrow, before noon.

Apr 14
03:35 We are passing between Greek mainland and Crete. We should see our port within 10 hours. The uneventful day yesterday gave everyone the opportunity to rest.

12:18
We came to 30km from Salamis, but it looks as though we came at wrong time! There's a small boat far away in front, and I can clearly see she's firing at something, but can't see at what. Possible an air raid? I checked, there's 100m of water bellow our keel. Enough for a crash dive. At least we got plenty of practice so far.

12:24 There are two boats now, firing. And to the port, there is a cargo ship, in flames. I sent my crew to man the flak gun.


12:40 I finaly found out what was going on - the boats were attacking a cargo ship. It was Greek. So we joined the gunfight and sank the ship. I wander what she was doing there?

Proceeding towards Salamis. The escort will lead us in.


(to be continued...)

[Kaleu_Mihoo]

It's really a pleasure to read your reports, please keep them comming
Reading them makes me wanna go on patrol again
Thank you!

[meduza]

Originally Posted by Kaleu_Mihoo

It's really a pleasure to read your reports, please keep them comming
Reading them makes me wanna go on patrol again
Thank you!

Thank you, mate! It was my pleasure.



14:08 Finally entering the Salamis harbor. What, no one's cheering from the docks?



U-371 entering Salamis harbor


From Brest to Salamis



The end.

[Hitman]

Yay, they are really nice to read will be starting my own campaign in the Med soon if I keep reading this

I have to agree, the Luftwaffe in GWX seems to pop up too frequently for my taste, and steals my kills

Anyoen has an idea what to tweak so they are less frequent?

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by Hitman

I have to agree, the Luftwaffe in GWX seems to pop up too frequently for my taste, and steals my kills
Anyone has an idea what to tweak so they are less frequent?

Shoot Goering. Put Doenitz in charge.

[Kaleu_Mihoo]

Originally Posted by Hitman

Yay, they are really nice to read will be starting my own campaign in the Med soon if I keep reading this

I have to agree, the Luftwaffe in GWX seems to pop up too frequently for my taste, and steals my kills

Anyoen has an idea what to tweak so they are less frequent?

AirStrike.cfg I would say,
you can find there all the strike probabilities etc. just adjust them for you taste.

@meduza

Now, it was a nice trip.
it would be a pleasure to read some new combat reports so keep them coming

greets

[Task Force]

Reading thi is makeing me think about not going back to france form my rade at Gibraltar. Good read meduza.

[nikbear]

Really enjoyed the reports of your successful mission to the Med MeduzaIts been very inspirational to me to start my own mission to the med.
As soon as my current patrol has finished,Kaleun Otto Schnedier in U-98 will be heading off to the Med to meet you in Salamis,Tell them they need to order some more crates of Beck's in the officers mess,we will need a drink after hopefully getting through the straights........

[meduza]

I'll save you the best seat in the bar.

[meduza]

Something just crossed my mind: what will happen when the flotilla disbands? Will I be transferred to another one, and automatically taken there? Or will I have to go through the Gibraltar again? In 1944?

Has anyone been in such situation?

[joegrundman]

I crossed Gibraltar once, even managed to sink a cruiser on the way. Best of all as soon as i crossed into the med i spotted a non-german submarine on the surface in daylight making about 12 knots (I was already submerged) and fired a 3 torpedo spread and sank it. It was Italian. I decided not to report it when pulling in at La Spezia.

[meduza]

Originally Posted by joegrundman

I crossed Gibraltar once, even managed to sink a cruiser on the way. Best of all as soon as i crossed into the med i spotted a non-german submarine on the surface in daylight making about 12 knots (I was already submerged) and fired a 3 torpedo spread and sank it. It was Italian. I decided not to report it when pulling in at La Spezia.

Was it this one? I saw it also, near Gibraltar, on some other patrol. We almost collided in bad weather.

[joegrundman]

Yeah that's the fella!