U-51's War Diary

[Gustav Schiebert]

U-51's WAR DIARY

A while back I wrote up a full War Diary, or KTB, for a patrol to the US coast. Well, I read it again recently and so enjoyed reliving a patrol that I thought I'd do another!

Also there's been a bit of chat on some threads about people's different motivations in playing, so some after that realistic immersive experience while others might just be after a relaxing submarine-style game with a bit more of an arcadey feel for it - and everything in between.

Hopefully, as well as being mildly entertaining, you can see a few of the decisions that were taken and I'd love to hear what you think! As with the last one, I've dressed it up a bit - it's written 'in character' and with a few colourful details added, especially with regards sinkings and speaking to crew etc.

It's about 10 pages but you can just scroll through and find the big blocks of solid text ... they're the sinkings! This was the start of a new DID tour, my first character is Josef Lutzow starting in Sept 1939. Enjoy!

U-51's WAR DIARY

[Karl Heinrich]

A superb read sir, has a feel of the period KTBs and love the "colour" elements such as the description of the SS Joy Tyrolt

[Sailor Steve]

Very nice! Ever since I saw someone do it with Aces Of The Deep I've been a fan of writing my adventures as actual patrol reports, rather than stories. I've never used anything like your official-looking KTB, but the result is similar.

One question: What method do you use to determine your four-number grid coordinates? I zoom the main chart until it matches the little 9-square example on the GWX pull-down chart, and measure as close as I can.

[HW3]

A good first patrol of the war!

[sublynx]

Keep these KTB's coming Following Prize rules, too. Great

[VONHARRIS]

Very good patrol report.
I admire your patience and courage to write the whole thing.
It has all the neccesary details.

Well done.

[Gustav Schiebert]

Thanks for taking the time to read, everyone! Appreciate the comments as well. Writing these up obviously makes a patrol a LOT longer, more like six hours real time as opposed to two. But I'm going to try and do a full KTB patrol for at least the first boat in my DID campaign.

In response to specific points:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

One question ... close as I can

Hmmm. Would you believe me if I told you I never noticed that? I looked it up on uboat.net and there seems to be a different one to the system I was using. I was doing each grid divided into nine squares, then (reading left to right, top to bottom) they go 11, 12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 31, 32, 33. If that's the wrong way to do it then I can't remember where I picked it up from. Oh dear. I usually use the ruler to measure my position in the grid (if it's not obviously one of the nine) but now I know about that chart I'll use that. Thanks!

Originally Posted by sublynx

... Following Prize rules, too. Great

Of course! And FdU not BdU as it's not 17 Oct yet... obviously the prize rules are just 'dressed up' as there's no way to replicate this on the game. I usually surface, sink the skip, then wait about an hour to represent the time I'd spend searching.

Amazing writing, I liked this diary even more than your previous one. I'm looking forward to reading a new KTB in late war when a patrol is more about surviving the endless waves of hunter-killer groups and aircraft.
One question: do you use any mod that weather during your patrol changes so often?

[Gustav Schiebert]

Originally Posted by allievo

Amazing writing, I liked this diary even more than your previous one. I'm looking forward to reading a new KTB in late war when a patrol is more about surviving the endless waves of hunter-killer groups and aircraft.
One question: do you use any mod that weather during your patrol changes so often?

Thanks allievo, glad you enjoyed. They do get a bit different as the war goes on, in this one and the first one I've never done any escaping depth charges so that will be a nice challenge - particularly trying to capture the technical aspect of the repairs.

I don't use a weather mod, but I remember thinking how lucky I was with it. No storm lasted longer than about 48hrs, not sure weather that was my proximity to land or not. I believe GWX makes the weather more changeable, however - but even factoring this in the weather was unusually good with a few brief storms.

[HW3]

Hmmm. Would you believe me if I told you I never noticed that? I looked it up on uboat.net and there seems to be a different one to the system I was using. I was doing each grid divided into nine squares, then (reading left to right, top to bottom) they go 11, 12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 31, 32, 33. If that's the wrong way to do it then I can't remember where I picked it up from. Oh dear. I usually use the ruler to measure my position in the grid (if it's not obviously one of the nine) but now I know about that chart I'll use that. Thanks!

Yes just take for example BE65, divide it into 9 squares and number them from 1 to 9 starting in the upper left corner and working left to right. Take number 3 for example you would now have BE653. To get the final number divide square 3 into 9 squares numbering them like you did square 3. Now you find your target in say square 5, the whole grid reference would be BE6535. Once you have practiced it a little while, you will get to where you can eyeball it really close.

[Gustav Schiebert]

Originally Posted by HW3

Yes just take for example BE65, divide it into 9 squares and number them from 1 to 9 starting in the upper left corner and working left to right. Take number 3 for example you would now have BE653. To get the final number divide square 3 into 9 squares numbering them like you did square 3. Now you find your target in say square 5, the whole grid reference would be BE6535. Once you have practiced it a little while, you will get to where you can eyeball it really close.

That's why I was getting confused probably! Thanks for that!

[HW3]

Your welcome! Glad to help out.

[Noonai]

Originally Posted by Gustav Schiebert

U-51's WAR DIARY

A while back I wrote up a full War Diary, or KTB, for a patrol to the US coast. Well, I read it again recently and so enjoyed reliving a patrol that I thought I'd do another!

Also there's been a bit of chat on some threads about people's different motivations in playing, so some after that realistic immersive experience while others might just be after a relaxing submarine-style game with a bit more of an arcadey feel for it - and everything in between.

Hopefully, as well as being mildly entertaining, you can see a few of the decisions that were taken and I'd love to hear what you think! As with the last one, I've dressed it up a bit - it's written 'in character' and with a few colourful details added, especially with regards sinkings and speaking to crew etc.

It's about 10 pages but you can just scroll through and find the big blocks of solid text ... they're the sinkings! This was the start of a new DID tour, my first character is Josef Lutzow starting in Sept 1939. Enjoy!

U-51's WAR DIARY

Old post and I don't even know if the author is still active but hope is free! What tool or software was used to create this report? I just started playing because I spent many hours reading KTBs and that's why I got hooked to this game. I want to track my patrols too and this reports are so cool... Thanks in advance!!

[Gustav Schiebert]

Not posted in a long time, but I do still have email alerts set up...


It was just created on MS Word, if you PM me I can email you a template to get started.



Have you read U-Boat attack logs? Most of the format and style I got from there: https://www.amazon.co.uk/U-Boat-Atta.../dp/184832118X

[Bear H]

There is my KTB (6th War patrol - Operation Drumbeat patrol to the US East Coast):

https://transfiles.ru/0p1m7