So, what boat you got?

[dean_acheson]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

Proud skipper of the P-class USS Plunger, off to engage merchant shipping in the southeast Celebes Sea. Asiatic Fleet 12/41

You, my friend, are officially a bada@#.

[Gildor]

USS Perch out of PH, Dec 1941

[stabiz]

Stabiz is wobbling along in the USS Trout, Tambor Class. The crew hates me allready, since I keep putting the boat in reverse. Damn you, SH3!:rotfl:

But luckily I kept my Luger, so they have kept the mutineering at a level of glowing looks and un-flattering caricatures in the toilet.

[Skorn]

Got the lead boat in the Gar class in '41 out of Pearl.

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by dean_acheson

You, my friend, are officially a bada@#.

Here I thought I was fudging a bit by not taking an S class! Plus I wanted to be right in the action with the Asiatic Fleet...forget this Pearl Harbor pleasure cruise business!

I've got the gramophone loaded up with period-correct Artie Shaw music (he played for the troops in the PTO, like Glenn Miller did for the boys in the ETO), and I'm off on war patrol. Wish me luck!

[NefariousKoel]

I started with USS Pompano P-class in the Asiatic fleet out of the Phillipines '41.

After a very uneventful patrol in the Celebes Sea, I decided to head into the South China Sea after seeing regular convoy reports from there. I will find something there, I think, oh yes.

Not long after I am travelling through the South China Sea towards the port of Saigon, the weather becomes extremely bad. God is p!ssing all over me and the waves are getting nasty.

I get numerous reports over a two day period (aunt flow was NOT visiting, no) and they indicate a big shipping lane right down the middle of the South China Sea (SCS).. all heading southwest for the most part.

I turned around in this nasty weather. How the hell will I find anything in this mess? I have no radar installed.

I get a contact report behind me, only 17nm or so. Once again, I turn around and set my best estimate on intercept. On contact reports, I try to guess their general heading, use the speed report, and I aim ahead of the convoy making sure I arrive at the intercept point well before they do. Then I turn back into the direction they're coming from and set a very slight zig-zag on their line of approach. Rarely does it fail. This time it might have due to the weather but I started regularly diving to 60ft and checked sonar. After a few of those, I picked up a Warship sonar contact. This had to be one of the escorts for that convoy.

I didn't have a good bearing of advance on it but I alternated diving to check sonar, going to periscope depth to spot something, and running on the surface to get ahead of their estimated path.

Bad weather is a definite curse, but also a boon. I was able to get inside the escort screen easily. The problems began when I realized I couldn't see a d@mn thing due to such horrid weather. My tension level rose when I realized I had sonar contacts within 1nm that I couldn't see. Knife fightin' time!

Well, not so bloody just yet. I found myself alternating between diving to check sonar and surfacing to get ahead based on the sonar contact's estimated heading. Those b@stards sure do zig and zag!

It's during one of the Surfaces when the sh!t hit the fan. I know an enemy destroyer is close astern. With the visibility so horrible, I'm thinking he won't even see me get back in the middle of the convoy. When I pop up out of the water, I hear a watchman report a sighted contact off my starboard quarter. I quickly jumped on the TBT and spun it towards aft. I found him in no time as he filled up my TBT view. He was so close I could smell Sake. Being as I had it on easy mode at the moment ( I have reasons, I'm sure you understand in the current state) I lined it up and fired an aft tube. The destroyer was moving so slow in this bad weather and at such short range (indeed, I wondered if it was under the minimum arming distance), it took the fish right up the gut. I didn't break her back but she blew all to hell and I got a "ship sunk" message almost instantly. I believe she was at around 350yds or less when I fired.

cont..

[NefariousKoel]

At this point, I'm wondering just when the other 3 escorts will come after me.

They seemed pretty confused in their coordination. I'll chalk that up to such horrible weather. I continue to head towards the center of the convoy. Dive, check sonar, surface, the usual.

And out of the blue I get a Freighter. At a range of 400yds. This point blank range nonsense is really giving me the willies. I line up a shot from the #1 and #2 fore tubes and..



Notice I had to raise my depth a foot or two from periscope depth to get above the waves. My periscope was still getting washed out quite enough. Anyway..

I continue on paralleling the convoy course as best I can after diving to 60ft and listening to sonar contacts. When I think I'm ahead enough to bring my bow towards the next target, I didn't realize how close I was. I moved to periscope depth first because I knew I was close to a Merchant. When my scope was clearing the water, I had made a mistake. It was right in front of me. I knew there was no way of avoiding a collision. All I could do was hit All Back Emergency, select a deep depth and watch the carnage.

I was waiting for the big bang. All I got was a fender bender. I guess my All Back order helped quite a bit. I put the scope up again and the Merchie started taking evasive maneuvers. I was too busy laughing off my luck. I figured that one was bad luck so I dropped down to check sonar and find the next one.

I spotted the third target at a bit over 500yds. D@mn I'm starting to get good at working in this mud. Two fish later, yet another victim. By this time one of the escorts was getting close and still closing. Time to get out of this rough situation. Easily done after diving below the Thermal Layer and he still too far away.

I've been having a great time on my first patrol, even considering the current situation.. including my "easy-mode".

[Nightmare]

Picked up the game yesterday, patched it, and spent the time going thru sub school. I set my first career with a Tambor class but I forgot to change the name from "John Doe." Promptly quit the career and this time I selected a Gato class out of Pearl in 1942, and I'm the proud skipper of the USS Wahoo.

Currently enroute to Midway for refueling before heading to the East China Sea.

[sea enemy]

I got the USS Tarpon (SS_175) Sailing in MacArthur's Navy!