Shortest patrol ever

[Einzelganger]

04 Jun 1943, GWX 2.0

U-847, an IXD2 has left Bordeaux for her 3rd patrol when about 150 km out from port her watch spots 3 German JU-88 bombers flying ahead of us in the distance. So far U-847 under command of Oberleunant Horst Luddecke has been very succesfull in her previous patrols and although things on the seas are getting tougher there still seems to be little too worry about.

Suddenly IWO Werner Hess sees the Luftwaffe JU-88s are under fire as black puffs of smoke start lining the skies around the aircraft. Are the English this close under the French coast ? While looking on at the aircraft in amazement suddenly in the distance the watch spots, first 1, then quickly 2 and then 3 destroyers which have now divided their attention between their airborne prosecutors and the newfound threat on the surface.

Despite quickly diving shells start to fall around the U-boat and damage is being taken. Eventually the ships are identified as 2 Black Swans and a River escort and it seems they have caught the scent of blood in the shallow water.

Frantically searching for the U-boat 1 of the Black Swans passes behind her at 700m and is hit with a magnetic torpedo under the bridge which causes a massive explosive. The other Black Swan now has an idea where to look and starts a very effective depthcharge run.With damage and flooding in almost every compartment suddenly an opportunity presents itself when the River escort passes infront of us at about 800m. Another torpedo hits and breaks the escort in two.

After nearly an hour of evasive actions finally the last Black Swan is finished with a torpedo and U-847 surfaces to asses her damage. With suspected heavy damage to the pressure hull and numerous pieces of equipment being out of order the desicion to return home is made.

But during the next evening only 50km short of Bordeaux a pair of Sunderlands jump the IXD2 and diving is out of the question. The flakcrew manage to down the 2 aircraft and evasive manoeuvres prevent almost guaranteed destruction.

Finally, U-847 pulls into Bordeaux with only 3850 BRT and her captain and crew suprised they are still afloat but suspecting any new dive would've probably been their last.



This was my shortest patrol ever in GWX, in total having been out of port for perhaps only 3 or 4 days at most. I didn't see the Luftwaffe again and i think they left the area while i was being attacked by the DDs

If there ever was a clearer example of things to come in this career then this has been it. I'll still try to make it until the end of the war. This game is sometimes too exciting...

[Sailor Steve]

I just recently tried an experimental patrol, my first with GWX. I set sail from Kiel, turned on the 'Kiel Out' auto-navigator. Six hours later I ran aground.

[bigboywooly]

:rotfl:

Turn on the Kiel out THEN set sail
I just shot up the canal the other way at 512TC

@ Einzelganger

Tough start
Least you made it home

[Einzelganger]

@ Bigboywooly

Though start indeed, i think things in this war may start to change for the worst. This is my first career in a IXD2 after having played hundreds in VII and IXB/IXC boats so i'm happy i've survived this patrol. Not too sure about the rest of the war...

The only thing that bothers me, after starting SH3Cmdr my senior flakofficer has been put in hospital after a car accident..... That must be some luck

[bigboywooly]

Perhaps he knew what was coming

:rotfl:

[i_b_spectre]

I've had my boat run aground in the Kiel Canal a couple of times using the navigator's "toward Kiel" and "away from Kiel" waypoints. Now, I zoom-in and make adjustments to waypoints that are not centered in the canal. It's a bit time consuming, but so is the voyage through the canal and I just want to get through it as fast as I can without dinging my boat.