1944, Bergen, Where do I go?

[derrinurban]

I have finally reached '44. Transferred to Bergen to hopefully try out a XXI. I was assigned to patrol AN64. So I head off and do my 24 hr. patrol of the area. Since it is late war and I am running in the shallows off the east coast of England I have been running the electrics till I get the 50% oxygen warning and then raise the snorkel to recharge.

I am guessing this is the safest way to patrol in the shallows?

I am nervous about sticking around too long in the shallows. I have stayed alive thus far by only hunting in deep water, where I at least have a chance of avoiding death by destroyers and aircraft. I decided to go hunt elsewhere. Looking at the map, I thought the deep water channel north and northwest of Scapa may offer more opportunities. I have patrolled the area for a week ( avoiding the numerous destroyers in the area) and the only merchant contact I got turned out to be a fishing boat.

Anyone have any better ideas of where would be a good spot to go and look for merchants? Looking for advice for the north and northeast of England.

[Immelman]

If you want to play historically U-Boats out of Bergen were assigned to the Arctic sector north of where the grid map ends in game. You can find some juicy convoys up there on the Liverpool to Murmansk convoy route.

Every time I have been up there has been very rewarding. Very little to no air cover tons of convoys with juicy targets, tankers, large mercs you name it. Some convoys are escorted by careers so make sure you don't get nailed by those avenger dive bombers.

Be extra careful when snorkeling do not exceed 64 TC because they do spot you and they do bomb you I have experienced it first hand

Does one credit for sinkings above the grids?

If so, how is the location noted?

[Immelman]

Of course you get credited for the kills and the notation of the ship's sinking is in Latitude & Longitude instead of Grid number. Its the same thing in my current campaign I am off the coast of Cairo no grid numbers there but the traffic is insane

You can use the following site to convert Lat and Long to Grid numbers if you wish: http://www.ubootwaffe.net/quadrant.cgi
It will come in handy because BdU reports convoys by Lat/Long up there so its kind of hard to find it otherwise.

Here is the extended grid coords of the Arctic: AC41 AC42 make for excellent convoy hunting grounds bound for Murmansk.

Originally Posted by Immelman

Of course you get credited for the kills and the notation of the ship's sinking is in Latitude & Longitude instead of Grid number. Its the same thing in my current campaign I am off the coast of Cairo no grid numbers there but the traffic is insane

A gold mine of information.
Thank you very, very much.

[Hitman]

In late war when the flotillas moved from France to Norway there was a massive reorganization. The 13th flotilla in Trondheim and the 14th in Narvik kept engaging arctic convoys till the bitter end, and it was the only theatre where the uboats more or less managed to keep the war as in 1943 (Look in U995 page, assigned to 14th flotilla, and check the wolfpacks in the arctic: http://www.uboat.net/boats/u995.htm). The reason is the lack of allied air cover (There were carrier support groups, but normally bad weather hampered their operations a lot) and in turn the air support for the uboats from bases in the north.

Good luck up there

[Jimbuna]

One small but important point not mentioned.....there are no minefields in the far north, unlike the east coast of Britain

[Immelman]

I have been in both ports of Barentsburg and Longyearby and I can confirm that I saw no mines or nets. I can't vouch for the rest of the place, its a damn big ocean

Oh and if them flattops give you too much trouble then just sink them on your first run at the convoy. Then you get a free ride all the way to Liverpool if you do not run out of ells first I sunk two of them my last time around a Bogue and a Casablanca class.

Oh and watch out for Icebergs!

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Immelman

I have been in both ports of Barentsburg and Longyearby and I can confirm that I saw no mines or nets. I can't vouch for the rest of the place, its a damn big ocean

Oh and if them flattops give you too much trouble then just sink them on your first run at the convoy. Then you get a free ride all the way to Liverpool if you do not run out of ells first I sunk two of them my last time around a Bogue and a Casablanca class.

I was making reference to the mines on the east coast not individual ports or harbours

[downunder]

Try south of Svalbard, near the Spitsbergen bank. Ive had a bit of luck there in the past.

[desirableroasted]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

I was making reference to the mines on the east coast not individual ports or harbours

So, whose fanny at BdU do I have to kiss to get that map?

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by desirableroasted

So, whose fanny at BdU do I have to kiss to get that map?

Normally I'd say "mine"

You could copy and paste it to your desktop then print it off (much better than your initial suggestion)

You could also open up the Mission Editor that comes with the game and open up the Campaign_Scr (which is what I did).

[Paul Riley]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Normally I'd say "mine"

And I was hoping 'mine'
Not fair!