So-So patrol turning into a great one.

[Bubblehead1980]

I worked late last night so didnt go out after I got home, instead I loaded up TMO 2.0 and went on my 3rd patrol out of Fremantle after two decent patrols in the USS Muskallunge in 1944.Left Port on May 27 , 1944 and decided for a challenge would patrol off Singapore and the approaches.After refueling at Exmouth Gulf and transiting Lombok Strait and Java Sea, arrived in area.Two days in I found a lone medium tanker and sent her to bottom with three Mark 23's. The next two weeks were nothing but diving for aicraft 2-4 times a day and fruitless searching, then finally on the side of my area closer to Borneo, radar contact, six ship, 3 escort convoy, moved in at 0330.I opted for a night surface attack since could only go to about 155 feet in the shallow waters.Half moon was out but a light fog was in air so should help.I moved in and soon spotted two large ships in outside column, decided each would get 3 Mark 23's from 3000 yards.I fired at each and began a turn to starboard to have my stern pointed at the convoy so could sprint away after torpedo impact.5 of six torpedos hit, the first one(turned out to be a Hakusika Maru of 8500 tons) suffered many secondary explosions, mustve had ammo on board.The second(Large Passenger/Freighter by miner) took two fish and was on fire but did not immediately sink.I was making 20+ knots and rushing away, the escorts did not spot me.Soon the second ship sank , 11,800 tons listed as her tonnage.Aroun 20k tons sunk in one attack, not bad.

After an end around, set up a submerged attack with Mark 18's from stern tubes, figured would chance it, I had enough depth to evade, storms moved in, couldnt attack until dusk but did, four Mark 18's, 3 at a Biyo Maru, one at a small freighter, all three hit he biyo which soon sank, the 4th fish missed the small freighter astern(damn gyro shots) An Etorufu escort was nearby and began pinging, I went to 100 feet.The escort soon rushed in, I went to ahead flank, right full rudder and ordered 150 feet, a massive pattern of charges exploded shallow but shook my boat big time.I passed a thermal layer at 135 feet.The escort then made another pass when I was 155 feet and unleashed a hellish pattern which exploded shallow again, looks like I had fooled him.The escort then moved away and killed some fish.I lost them.

I decided to make one more attack since following them would take me 100 miles out of my area.I decided the big Horai Maru I didnt know was in the convoy until last attack(but was out of range of mark 18's) would be the prey for my last 3 Mark 23 steam torpedos(went to sea with 12 steam and 12 electric, 12 steam forward, 4 electrics forward, 8 electrics aft)

I couldnt have asked for a better night.The night was so dark I could barely see my XO on the bridge.Around 0100 was 2400 yards off convoys track, the right flank escort moved off to check the flank, giving me a chance to move in.I moved in and fired 3 Mark 23's at the Horai Maru, then made a hard turn to run away.Just as they were about to hit, went to flank speed, all three hit, leaving the transport dead in water and burning.I slipped into the dark, the escorts never knew where I was.About an hour later, the Horai Maru sank, 9000+ tons!.

The crew was exhausted after many hours at GQ, we turned for our area and dove at dawn, spent the day submerged to recover.I then saved and went to bed, cant wait to pick this patrol up.Love how a so so patrol can turn into a good one

TMO 2.0
100 realism(no external cam, contacts off)

Update:Two days later I ran into a Taiho carrier, a Maya cruiser and four DD's leaving Singapore making 23.5 knots.Fired four Mark 18's from bow tubes, four hits on Taiho, which went dead in water and then exploded 10 minutes later and sank.Fired 4 remaining stern tubes at Maya, one hit but she kept going.Seas were rough so helped me hide at 155 feet from DD's they roared overhead a few times but never made contact or dropped charges near me.Ended the patrol with 74k tons.