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Old 10-05-14, 05:49 PM   #1
Threadfin
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Default [OM] War Patrols of U-47

This is also being posted at SimHQ, but I thought I'd put it up here as well. OM is a great mod, and I've enjoyed it so much I decided to detail some of my experiences and share some of the highlights -- and lowlights! -- of my career. This career is in the 7th Flotilla using a September 1939 start., in U-47 a Type VIIB. It is being played dead is dead, no reloads, at 88% difficulty with only map contacts enabled. My main goal is to survive the war, if that's indeed possible. With that in mind, the decisions I make are tempered with caution, though when a major warship is encountered, caution is sometimes thrown to the wind. I am playing OM 7.20 with OMEGU, the KiUB mod and Webster's no plankton.



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U-47 set sail from Kiel on Sept 3 1939, bound for grid AM52, on the western approach to the British Isles. Enroute between Scapa Flow and the Shetland Islands, we encountered a huge Dutch freighter of 9,000 tons, and another ship, west of Stornoway, a 5000 ton Panamanian steamer, both of which were sent to the bottom in straightforward periscope attacks.

After sinking the second ship we surfaced to put distance between U-47 and the scene, expecting aircraft to arrive shortly to investigate. Soon, we dove to avoid it's arrival, and as we did so, warship screws were detected closing from the south. Once the aircraft had departed, surfaced and made a flank speed surface dash to close the track and pulled the plug upon sighting a flank escorting destroyer. Continuing to close submerged, a fleet carrier emerged from the light fog 3500 meters distant.



Slipped inside the port screen, and using the pencil, stopwatch, compass and nomograph, determined a speed of 18 knots after a 3 minute plot. A ship making 18 knots covers 1650 meters in 3 minutes, so I quickly spun the dials, set the torpedos for 4 meters, fast, impact, and opened all four bow tubes, which were loaded with steamers. Dialing in an AoB of 72 port, bearing 020, range 700, speed 18 knots, resulting in a gyro angle of triple zeros, I placed the scope on 020 and 2 minutes later the Illustrious crossed the wire. All four tubes were fired at intervals to spread the torpedoes along it's length. Fortune was with us as all four struck the carrier and detonated, and the Illustrious, 23000 tons, plummeted to the bottom of the ocean, 6 minutes after sighting.



We did not see it sink as we were already on the way down to 160 meters. The escorts were not able to find us despite their best efforts, and we slipped away to the south. A good start to the career of U-47, 3 ships for 37k in the first 10 days of the war, but I know it is unlikely to last.
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Old 10-05-14, 05:49 PM   #2
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After the success of the first patrol, U-47 continued to makes forays in to the Atlantic from Kiel. Three more successful patrols followed, including the fourth, in support of the Invasion of Norway. Averaging about 50k tons per patrol, we found mostly lone merchants, with the occasional convoy to pick a target or two out of. The waters northwest of Loch Ewe, off the coast of Stornoway proved most productive.

A few task forces were sighted, but we were unable to close to an advantageous position, and in each case they got by without an attack being made. In the fourth patrol in the Norwegian Sea, a task force of one troop ship and many Armed Auxiliary Cruisers was found lying to. Made a submerged approach and torpedoed the troopship. Follow up attacks against one of the Auxiliaries failed as torpedoes striking the ship caused a crash to desktop. After two more attempts I gave it up as a bad job, but something is not quite working right with these ships. I don't reload in sub sims, but the crashes forced me to.

Later in the patrol we sank a large tanker escorted by 4 patrol boats, who evidently were not equipped with active sonar. Finally a convoy was sighted heading for Russian waters and several ships went to the bottom from this.

Countermeasures so far have proven ineffective, but airplanes are a real threat, and one needs to be ever vigilant and quick on the diving alarm. However I know this will not last for long, and more destroyers are being encountered as we head in to late 1940. In June of 1940 U-47 departed on her fifth war patrol. As I mentioned in my previous posts, I hoped starting at the beginning of the war would allow the crew to gain more experience, and many of the crew have seen promotions and have acquired specialties as I believe that only a highly experienced crew might allow us to survive the war, insofar as that may be possible.

After departing Kiel, U-47 sailed to the north, passing Scapa Flow and entering the Atlantic. We managed to put a 6000 ton passenger/freighter on the bottom near our objective in the northeast quadrant of the AM grid. After several weeks of fruitless searching I decided to move south, in to CG grid off the coast of Spain. This is a common route for ships coming up from Gibraltar and the Med. Eventually a convoy was spotted, and in one of my most successful attacks in German boats, all 5 torpedoes were fired. The stern tube sank a 5000 ton steamer, two bow tubes sank a 7000 ton freighter, and the final two tubes were fired at an 8300 ton tanker in the far column. The first torpedo hit, but the second was a dud and she sailed on, with a slight starboard list and with flames visible near the forecastle. When moving in on this convoy, the lead escort had been too far out to port as we closed from starboard, and the starboard escort too far out of position to the rear and way out on the flank, leaving a yawning gap for us to slip through.

We dove to evade, and after being held down for 5 hours, we surfaced to trace the convoy's route and hopefully find the tanker straggling. After running up their track for 30 kilometers, the tanker was sighted and we made a submerged attack, first firing the stern tube for a dud, then another dud from a bow tube, and finally one the hit near the stack and the ship exploded and sank.

Cleared the area to the south. As the U boat Flotillas were in the midst of shifting to French coast bases, I decided to make this a double-barreled patrol, and put in to Lorient for a reload, with the view to patrol until our new base would be ready in St Nazaire in the middle of September. The we left for the waters west of Gibraltar in the hopes of making contact with heavy men-of-war.

Soon after arriving on station, the bridge watch spotted the tops of warships on the horizon closing from the east. Ordered a flank speed surface dash to close their track, and plotted their speed at 19 knots. If they kept on, the best I could hope for was a shot on a broad angle at around 4000 meters. However, in the clear weather in bright sunshine we were spotted and as the destroyers escorting the heavies showed a zero angle and bones in their teeth I pulled the plug and continued to close, albeit at a much slower speed.

But after being sighted, the big ships, which we now identified as a battleship or battlecruiser and a heavy cruiser, slowed and began that constant helming that alerted ships in Silent Hunter do. Soon our plot showed them at 12 knots along their base course, which would allow us to reach a suitable firing position. As the lead ship's angle broadened slightly we were able to see she was the majestic Hood.



We continued to close the Hood's base course and set up the shot. Here is a water-lapping exposure to check bearing and AoB.



All four bow tubes with steamers loaded were opened, depth 4 meters, impact, fast. AoB 80 starboard, bearing 350, speed 12 knots, range 600. As the Hood crossed the wire, all four tubes were fired at intervals to spread the torpedoes along her length. Firing torpedoes like this is also a fail-safe against speed or range errors, and it virtually ensures that at least three of the four eels hit, unless the data is very far off. In the event, all four hit and detonated, and Hood exploded.



With the escorts still off depth charging the area where we submerged after being sighted, I lingered to observe our handiwork and watched as she began to slide below the waves. Then we started the descent to 160 meters and began evasion.

Here the fourth and final torpedo strikes Hood near the stern moments before she went under.



It appears to be business as usual for the crew of U-47 despite the sinking of the 48,000 ton battlecruiser.

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Old 10-05-14, 05:52 PM   #3
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U-47 was now based in St Nazaire, France. This allowed direct access to the Atlantic, shortening the route, and allowing us to remain on station somewhat longer. However, it also means we have to traverse the Bay of Biscay, which is heavily patrolled by Allied aircraft, and so far we have managed to spot them in time, but it will only take one moment of relaxed vigilance to end the war for us all.

War patrols six and seven were successful, with a number of merchants sunk, and we made several surfaced attacks on convoys. Doing so requires firing from longer range, but we can attempt to escape at high speed on the surface. It is risky, but if the shot can be taken without being spotted it is worth the risk as we aren't subjected to counterattack. I look for overlaps and fire all four bow tubes then get the hell out of there, usually firing off the stern tube as we come around. I will only attempt this in heavy seas, and thus far it has worked very well. But as we move in to late 1941 I will have to consider curtailing surface attacks as I expect the escorts might soon begin to be equipped with radar.

U-47s eighth war patrol left St Nazaire for the AL grid south of Iceland. After several weeks chasing convoy reports without success I made for our old hunting grounds west of Stornoway, as this is the route ships travelling to and from Loch Ewe tend to use. And sure enough, soon after arriving on station, the bridge watch spotted a destroyer standing out in to the Atlantic. Soon after I spotted the faint outline of a battleship and began the plot and ordered flank speed to get in position. A Kaleun needs to be quick and measured in such situations, as ships moving this fast will get by quickly, particularly so when they emerge out of fog, which drastically reduces the range at which they are first spotted. We clocked the force of one battleship and four screening destroyers at 21 knots and closed the track, attempting to get in ahead of the port side screen.



I use what I call a 'steady-wire' firing technique. That is, I plot the target's course and speed, and then attempt to predict the firing point and position. I then dial in the solution for this spot and place the periscope wire on that bearing. As the target crosses the wire, the torpedoes are fired, usually with specific features of the target used as aimpoints, such as leading mast, bridge, stack, after mast, etc. In the 3 attacks shown in this thread, I instead fire all torpedoes considering the size of the targets and the improbability of follow up attacks, and fire them at intervals to spread the eels along the target's length. As mentioned before, this sort of 'single-shot salvo' provides a failsafe against targeting errors. For example if I have the speed too slow, the first 3 should hit with the fourth missing astern, or too fast and the first will miss ahead but the remaining three should hit.

In this case I dialed in an AoB of 80 port, bearing 020, speed 21 knots and range 1200 meters. The AoB was a mistake, as I meant to put it at 70 port which would match the 020 firing bearing since U-47's heading was at a 90 degree angle to the target's course. This introduced a 10 degree AoB error that fortunately didn't come back to haunt me. In such conditions, and with the target moving so fast, there is little time for double checking, and the mistake was mine.

As the battleship, now identified as Queen Elizabeth class, 36000 tons, filled my scope and crossed the wire, all four bow torpedoes were fired, set to run fast, 44 knots, with impact pistols and depth of 2 meters. After a run of about 24 seconds, the torpedoes slammed in to the battleship and she exploded.



As soon as the torpedoes hit the escorts began pinging U-47, and I swung the scope to starboard to see the port screen coming on at zero angle with a bone in her teeth and I ordered crash dive to 160 meters as we performed a corkscrew evasion to hopefully throw off the aim of the charging destroyer. As we passed through 70 meters a string hit close, causing moderate damage and minor flooding that we were able to get under control, but at the expense of silent running. Using the hydrophones (I don't use external cameras), we attempted to evade by reacting to the course changes of the escorts, but this is a real challenge with four of them up there. Eventually we were able to slip off to the northeast and after being held down for three hours we managed to lose them and surfaced and got the hell out of there.

Later in the patrol, with just three fish left and low on fuel, we encountered a group of HMS Repulse (battlecruiser), HMS Argus (escort carrier) and two huge liners northbound in column making 20 or 21 knots in the CG grid off the northwest coast of Portugal. Initial sighting was at 12,000 meters, and the force already showed a fairly large angle. Our flank speed allowed us to close to 9,000 meters before I felt it prudent to dive, less the Repulse open broadsides on us. Able to get no closer than 7,000 meters, the remaining torpedoes were fired at the battlecruiser, but all appeared to miss ahead and we headed for the barn, arriving at St Nazaire after 2 months at sea.
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Old 10-05-14, 05:54 PM   #4
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U-47 left St Nazaire on her tenth war patrol in late September 1941, bound for BF24, near Crow Sound in the western end of the English Channel. It did not escape me that this was the exact grid objective that saw the end of my previous career in U-46 as mentioned earlier.

This location is relatively shallow, with depths averaging about 110 meters. In addition, it is heavily patrolled by enemy aircraft. Aircraft have been very dangerous in recent patrols, and we have taken damage on no less than four occasions from near misses. As a result we have been spending more time conducting submerged patrols, which drastically limits our search radius, but spares us the calling cards from above. The hydrophones have good range though, and it is not a terrible disadvantage as we search for targets.

After completing the four days in BF24, we headed west to deeper water and came across a 5000 ton freighter which was sunk in a periscope attack. This is the first patrol in this career I have opted to carry G7e electric torpedoes. Recent patrols have seen the convoys escorted almost entirely by destroyers and Black Swans, replacing the patrol boats and corvettes of the early war. As a result we are making the switch to electrics to hopefully mask our position when making these attacks. The faults of the G7e have not been entirely worked out though, and our dud rate with these torpedoes is noticeably higher than with the G7a steamer. And of course they are slower and have a shorter range, which adds some complication to torpedo attacks. But the 'Happy Times' are over, and survival is the first consideration.

U-47 surfaces after torpedoing a British freighter of 5000 tons in the BF grid



As we have moved in to late 1941, finding lone merchants is proving difficult as the Allies utilize their convoy system more thoroughly. After conducting a mostly submerged patrol for close to a month in the BF grid south of Ireland, we finally detected a merchant heading for the Channel. It proved to be a small 1800 ton mast-stack-mast steamer which we hit with a stern torpedo that proved to be a dud. We extended, surfaced and ran an end around to submerge once again and sank her with a single bow torpedo at first light.

A few minutes after surfacing following this attack, the bridge watch spotted a destroyer closing from the northeast. I quickly plotted it's course and speed and took off ahead on it's track, hoping it may be the screen for a task force and heavy men-of-war. Curiously the destroyer was making just 12 knots by our plot and our flank speed quickly extended the range. After running ahead for five minutes, the watch spotted another ship off our starboard bow. Looking in the direction indicated, I could make out the faint outline of a fighting top in the light fog. We had found another battleship.

I plotted it's course and kept flank speed to pass her by and submerge ahead for an attack. The destroyers escorting were trailing by a considerable distance, effectively leaving the battleship unescorted as far as our approach was concerned. As we drew along her port beam, the battleship suddenly changed course to the south and headed straight for U-47. As she emerged from the fog, there was no mistaking the distinctive features of HMS Rodney with all of her main batteries forward.



As the situation presented itself, I imagined that the task force had encountered one of our kameraden, though there are no AI subs in this mod, but it gave the impression the destroyers were behind searching, and the battleship went ahead, and was zigging at 12 knots along her base course. U-47 submerged and closed the track, which swung from 135 to 160 degrees true.

We were able to close to 700 meters and using the same approach and firing technique outlined in previous posts all four bow electrics were fired on a 075 starboard track. Luck was with us as all four hit and detonated, but unlike other successful attacks on capital ships in this career, Rodney did not explode, but staggered and continued on, down noticeably by the bow and assuming a starboard list.



Ordering flank speed I maneuvered U-47 for a stern shot to finish her off. But I underestimated her speed and this torpedo missed astern. Our highly experienced crew had reloaded tube 1 quickly and we spun around to fire this torpedo before the escorts could close, but as we were ready to fire, Rodney capsized to starboard and slipped below the waves.



It's true that we have encountered and have sunk far too many capital ships in this career (three battleships and a fleet carrier) to be considered realistic in any way, but I must admit I absolutely love it. And for tonnage it's just way over the top, U-47 having surpassed even Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, the top scoring submarine skipper in history, who was credited with 453,000 tons in WW1. I am generally a stickler for realism, but it's just so damn fun to sink ships in sub sims

Here is my view as I relax that evening in the Captain's bunk as the the radioman pulls his shift.



After sinking the Rodney we remained in BF grid to hopefully rid ourselves of the few remaining torpedoes and found a big 9000 ton Panamanian freighter making for England and sank her with two electrics.

The Panamanian freighter, broken in two and sinking (hopefully the night time shots show up well)



U-47 returned to St Nazaire after two months at sea. All in all I am pleased we have survived this far, and we move on in to 1942. Transfers are available, and I am considering a transfer to the 23rd Flotilla in the Mediterranean, out of Salamis.

And this isn't from Operation Monsun, but a screen of my boat, USS Searaven in the South China Sea, in a recent TMO or RFB career. I like the shot so thought I'd share. It's my current wallpaper.

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Old 10-05-14, 05:55 PM   #5
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U-47 left St Nazaire the day after Christmas, 1941 on her eleventh war patrol, again bound for the BF grid south of Ireland on the western approach to the English Channel. We managed to put a 5500 ton freighter on the bottom while waiting out the objective. But targets were scarce. Aircraft seemed to be everywhere, and the patrol was conducted largely submerged. Coastal patrol vessels, mostly armed trawlers, crisscrossed the area. It was frustrating, because I would often make an approach only to see a target not worth a torpedo, and at the same time I hoped to avoid them as much as possible to reduce the likelihood we would be spotted, which always brings a swift reaction from Allied surface and air ASW assets.

After completing our objective, I decided to head south off the coast of Spain in the CG grid. This has proven a lucrative area, with essentially a convoy highway, and occasional heavy warship traffic. We managed to contact two convoys, but each time our approach was detected and we were driven off or held down as the convoy steamed past. We then moved west into the open Atlantic in the western edge of the BE grid. Did not make a single contact. Chased a few radio reports without success, then decided to head to the western approach to Gibraltar, thinking the bottleneck would aid us in developing contacts. And sure enough it did. Again, we made contact with convoys, but they were heavily and effectively escorted. More modern destroyers are being encountered, as well as Black Swan Frigates. In SH3 I developed a particular fear of Black Swans, they are exceptional ASW vessels, and I will not attempt to tangle with one. So again, we were driven off or held down and hunted each time we try to find an opening in the escorting screens of the convoys we found.

In addition, aircraft seem to be finding us much more easily, and it is very dangerous to be surfaced. Twice, we were damaged by near misses as we attempted to crash dive after sighting one of these Angels of Death. One more convoy was spotted and I got in great position, submerged ahead and lay quiet, still and with the scope down as we traced their approach by hydrophone. But that allowed an escort to get very close, and suddenly we were being short-scale pinged. I went deep, but not in time and we took serious damage from depth charges but we managed to get the flooding under control and limped off to live another day.

Feeling we had worn out our welcome, we headed north to patrol off to the west of England, and on the way stopped in Portugal to top off the tanks. The patrol was six weeks old and I had managed to fire two torpedoes. We spent another 3 weeks in the AM grid without reaching position to attack. More convoys, more failed approaches. As they say discretion is the better part of valor, and as I hope to survive the war, I won't press my luck against alerted enemy destroyers. No lone merchants were found at all. It was frustrating the hell out of me, but it is what it is (and quite frankly I love it ).

Perhaps I let it all get to me, and I decided to try to sneak in the back door, headed for the waters inland of the Hebrides. I thought if I exercised caution, and stayed submerged, I could find some targets and maybe take the enemy by surprise. But soon, it was the enemy who would surprise me.

One morning in early March we had just submerged for the day when a merchant was detected on the hydrophones closing from the north. Soon the course and speed were plotted and we surfaced to flank speed to get ahead and submerge for a periscope attack.

U-47 makes the flank speed dash as the sun comes up with the 9000 ton British merchant visible on the horizon.



Our flank speed of 17 knots allowed us to reach the attack position and we submerged and waited for the ship to come on. I had plotted it's speed early after sighting, and had her at 9 knots. I dialed in the solution and prepared to fire two bow electrics, one aimed at the leading edge of the bridge and the second at the stack from a range of 500 meters.

It seems too serene and peaceful. The scene belies the fact that two torpedoes are on the way at thirty knots to destroy this beautiful ship



Either the ship had increased speed, or more likely my initial plot was incorrect, and the first torpedo struck near the after mast and the second missed astern. But one was enough and the ship blew up and went down by the stern. The mistake was mine in only getting her speed once. When time allows, multiple speed readings should always be taken to make certain, but perhaps my success had gone to my head, and frankly I'm lucky we hit her at all.

We then cleared the area to the north, submerged at periscope depth at 2 knots. After running for about 12 kilometers, an aircraft was observed through the periscope. I put the scope down and waited for it to clear the area. But this particular pilot had other ideas. Three minutes later U-47 was rocked by explosions as we were hit hard by either bombs or depth charges. Damage was severe and two men were killed instantly. U-47 plummeted to certain demise as the after compartments flooded. I looked at my diving officer and thought so this is how it ends. He screamed 'we are diving too deep!' and I looked at the depth gauge as it passed in to the red and neared our crush depth of 220 meters.

At 186 meters, a loud crash and we hit bottom. So I have I will have plenty of time to think about dying, I would have preferred it to be quick. But my crew was not about to give up so easily. Damage control parties went to work, and soon machinery was being repaired. After three hours on the bottom, the pumps were repaired, bulkheads shored and I decided to try and blow ballast. It was just like the scene in Das Boot, and I actually let out a cheer as the depth gauge started to move. We surfaced in a still sea and we cleared to the north hoping to recharge the batteries and fix anything we could and most importantly, not be caught on the surface. Soon I felt we were able to submerge and we headed for the open sea west of the Hebrides. But sure enough, in the restricted waters, a convoy came on heading straight for us. This time the escorts did not detect us and we sank one huge freighter and damaged a tanker and snuck away apparently undetected.

Later that night we reached the open Atlantic and set course for St Nazaire, arriving there after many close calls from aircraft after four months at sea.
I knew aircraft could detect submerged boats in TMO, but I didn't know it could happen in OM. Now, I do I have decided to transfer to the 29th Flotilla out of La Spezia in the Mediterranean. If I do not see Britain again, I will not miss it.
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Old 10-05-14, 07:06 PM   #6
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Nice
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Old 02-05-17, 05:28 AM   #7
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cool

What mods are you using?

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Old 02-10-17, 10:25 AM   #8
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I replied to the PM, but will also post it here.

OpsMonsun_V705
OMv705_to_V720
OMv720_Patch5
OMEGU_v300
OMEGU_v300_Patch7
KiUB_English
Magnified Hud Dials for OM+OMEGU_Medium

I think I also had the no plankton mod. I also used a nomograph mod, forum member max-peck made me a metric version of one that these old eyes can see without too much trouble.

This thread will give download links to all

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4297279/1

Thanks for reading the thread!
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