Stories and Patrol Logs + Screenshots and Videos (merged)

[ShadowWolf Kell]

5th Patrol Log - USS Spearfish SS-190 - May 12th - June 6th - 1942

May 25th, 1942 - 0100 hours
The horrendous weather of the past 2 days finally cleared up. Under the cover of darkness, we slipped into Taipei harbor and sunk 3 ships. Two Nippon Maru tankers of about 10,000 tons each, an a Buzyun Maru freighter of around 4800 tons. Almost half the torpedos ended up being duds.


May 25th, 1942 - 0800 hours
I think we might have been spotted by a Jap search plane. Ordered depth to 150, speed 5 knots.


May 25th, 1942 - 1300 hours
Sonar picked up what appears to be a convoy to our northwest. At first I think it was a Jap hunter group but there appears to be a large merchant compliment. Going to investigate.


May 25th, 1942 - 1500 hours
Convoy consisting of at least eight merchant ships and two destroyer escorts. Escorts might have detected us with radar. Diving deep and attempting to get into a firing position. We don't have enough torpedos to nail the whole convoy. Wasted too many at Taipei.


May 25th, 1942 - 1520 hours
Fired two torpedos at a Nippon Maru, and two at a Buzyun at approximately 2200 yards. Missed the Nippon but managed to hit an Akita instead. Only one aft torpedo left and no time to change firing position. Destroyers are heading to our location. Diving deep to 245 feet.


May 25th, 1942 - 1530 hours
Destroyers are giving us a hell of a pounding. We have flooding in both the engine room and aft torpedo room. We're slowly sinking and I have to make a call between wasting our compressed air trying to maintain our depth, or letting the Spearfish slowly settle towards the bottom. Bottom depth is estimated around 300 feet.


May 25th 1942 - 1540 hours
Damage control has managed to get the flooding under control but we're having problems with the bilge pumps. The stern of the Spearfish has settled on the bottom, but we've managed to keep the bow up. This is complicating our repair efforts. We're still being depth charged with impunity and I don't know how much longer we can keep this up.






May 25th, 1942 - 1545 hours
We've managed to get the bilge pumps working and taken care of the flooding. We've suffered more damage, but the Spearfish is a tough old lady. I'm going to chance trying to make a run for it. If we stay put, we're gonners for sure.


May 25th, 1942 - 1557 hours
Setting depth to 250, all ahead flank. I'm going to see if I can shake these Japs. Failing that, maybe we can avoid some of these depth charges. They've been on us like glue.


May 25th, 1942 - 1704 hours
We've been trying every trick in the book. Flank speed and then coasting seems to be working. The destroyers are steadily widening their search pattern and their depth charges are getting further and further away.


May 25th, 1942 - 1742 hours
We managed to finally shake our pursuers. Did a very quick periscope check (our attack scope is badly damaged but the observation scope works) and then decks awash for a visual scan. No smoke on the horizon. Am ordering flank speed and a southerly course. We need to get out of this shallow water. Crew is a bit worse for wear. Many are lightly to moderately wounded but no fatalities to report.



May 28th, 1942 - 0524 hours
Sonar picked up a merchant contact. We only have one torpedo remaining and the deck gun is still shot. Going to attack to boost morale but also play it safe.


May 28th, 1942 - 0550 hours
Sunk a Taihosan Maru with our last torpedo. Hit her just behind the stack and she lit up like a Christmas tree. Should have heard the crew.


May 29th, 1942 - 0234 hours
Off the west coast of Panay we detected a very large convoy. Appeared to be a mix of warships and merchants. Decided to radio it in and give them a wide berth.


June 02nd, 1942 - 0150 hours
I was joking with the XO not an hour ago about running into the Japs in the middle of Lombok Strait. Sure enough, we picked up a Jap freighter. The deck gun is still damaged. No options but to sneak under them after radioing in their position.


June 04th, 1942 - 1802 hours
Approximately 550 miles out from Fremantle and we get the skinny over the wire that we kicked the Japs in the rear at Midway. Excellent news but I can help but feel that we're damned lucky to be around to hear about it.
　
　

[Dignan]

Great AAR. Very engaging. Are you running TMO or RFB?

[Alky]

So how are these extreme close-ups done? My external camera will zoom in to a point and stop. What am I missing?

[Jan Kyster]

They are not even close to as how extreme it can get but you may try out the camera.dat from TMO.

[Nicolas]

[ShadowWolf Kell]

Originally Posted by Dignan

Great AAR. Very engaging. Are you running TMO or RFB?

TMO 2.0 with RSRD.

[Gunfighter]

[Gunfighter]

The 180Deg Roll don't you just love it

[Dignan]

Originally Posted by Gunfighter

Awesome. How did you get the water droplets on the scope? My new desktop wallpaper...

[Gunfighter]

Originally Posted by Dignan

Awesome. How did you get the water droplets on the scope? My new desktop wallpaper...

A little PhotoShop and a filter.Glad You Like it

[MaddogK]

U-47
Op Monsoon
4 July 40
Bernard Unfel commanding

Hunting Ghosts

After a rather uneventful half month denying shipping north of the Shetlands we decided to head south to the Irish coast in search of the 'Big ones' of U-47's career. First on the menu was Balmoralwood, a 5800 ton steam merchant part of the HX-47 convoy returning from Halifax to southern Ireland, but unfortunately didn't appear. Thankfully a steady stream of Panamanian 'Hog Island' cargo haulers kept us busy so we didn't miss the non-appearance of our intended target. San Fernando shoulda been close by, but again the convoy never appeared so the 13,056 ton tanker lived to sail another day.

Our second target took us north to intercept S.S. Arandora Star, a converted passenger liner of the Blue Star lines pressed into service as a troop transport. As we waited for the target to appear I decided to do a bit of research on her, and was quite shocked by my findings:
A first class passenger ship intended to provide 354 passengers with premium accommodations while making a trans-atlantic crossing, BUT during this war cruise to Newfoundland was carrying 1200 German and Italian internees arrested after the outbreak of war in the UK ( most of whom had been residing in Britain when Mussolini declared war ). Also aboard were 86 POW's, 374 British guards and crew.
The ship was painted Grey but NO Red Cross on her to signify civilians aboard,
insufficient number of lifeboats for the number of passengers as she was carrying, grossly overloaded for her design,AND UNESCORTED.


A tragedy to be sure, a single torpedo from U-47 sank her in 30 minutes 75 miles west of the irish coast with a loss of 805 souls. Bodies washed ashore for months afterward as far east as Wales.

Having used the waiting time to study history I've learned a great deal, and I'm not the least bit saddened that she never appeared in game. I've since returned to Kiel for re-supply, and a R/L rest from the game as I'm starting to worry myself for looking forward to playing a 'game', a game that depicts history, a history I'm learning that I know so little about.

[Elektroniikka-Asentaja]

First screenies so gotta find some good ones..

What happens when deck watch is sleeping:

I had ordered surcafing, shot down a fishing boat and went to take a look did I get any crew casualties when before that I met a destroyer who poured some cans on me. Suddenly I hear one hell of a "SKREEAAAAAAACH!!"



Ahead flank, lets go over it then



I manned the deck gun and waited.. suddenly I was in the merchant xD

[Diopos]

A completely new aspect of "penetration"!



.

[Elektroniikka-Asentaja]

Moar screenies:

Ship spotted. Bearing.. ermm.. anyway CLOSE range!!



This is weird one, all ships on the pic were burning but now they aren't.. Are the fires just some effect which doesn't show in screens..?? Anyway this is about my tactic, cripple everyone with one or two torps so they can't get far, engage destroyer with deck gun and then finish the merchants off with it



- BLOW BALLAST!!
- I'm trying sir, I'm trying! But this old lady isn't going anywhere



Typical sunrise photo, this time it's just howl to the moon style This looks surprisingly good with my terrible graphics... and yea, that rusty thing there spoiling the photo is called S-18 submarine..

[Jan Kyster]

Originally Posted by Elektroniikka-Asentaja

... and yea, that rusty thing there spoiling the photo is called S-18 submarine..

Nice... erhm... shooting!

May I recommend the small moon mod by Carotio?


Later in your career, you'll get this!
Cadillac of the Sea!