First Patrol...

Dellinger · 03-07-12, 06:23 PM

Before the action, I wanted to take the time to thank the persons who have helped me get this game setup in a fashion that is much better than stock. Hopefully I can return the favor at some point in the future...now to the action!

'41 campaign, based out of Pearl, Porpoise class. Orders are to patrol in the Northern islands of the Marshall chain. Voyaged to Midway for refuel as per the notes in the readme file for TMO 2.5. (Even though it seemed to be close to a net wash for extended range...maybe not.)

I get to destination, hang out for 5 days in a quite amazing storm...big swells, 15-20 meter winds. White caps coming over the tower. Misson complete.

Being a rookie, I head off on some crazy course S-SE, through the chain and then head S-SW after I pass the last Marshall isles.

So about halfway between the Solomons and the Marshalls, I get a contact. It's about 18:45 and the sun is setting. Clear day, light chop, slight fog, 5meter winds. I'm thinking,..."Ok, this is good! I've never been this lucky in a game just starting out..."

So, I'm monitoring on the hydrophones and set course to close distance. Fast forward a half-hour...there they are spotted through the TBT on the bridge. One 4-holer (4-stacks) and a vessel I can't quite make out. It's almost night...not quite. So I dive, take a peek through the two periscopes... nada. Can't see a thing. I decrease depth to 47ft. to try to get a better vantage. Still nothing. I put the hammer down at Flank and 15 minutes later my batteries are already at 90% (wow!).

"Nevermind" I thought, I'll take her back up. So I get to the top and this 4-holer is steaming right at me...so I crap my pants and dive to periscope depth once again. Rig for silent, men to battle stations, 0kts., blah, blah blah. I wait for the inevitable... I knew it couldn't be this easy. Five minutes passed, no pings, no splashes, we are all ok.

Up goes the pariscop and still can't spot anything. (It's full dark by now.) Down periscope and surface is the order. I get on the bridge...nothing. Hop on the hydrophone... their course has changed and the sound signature speard in degrees has narrowed...so I thought- "I'm further away...they've changed course!"

I ring up a new one and off we go. Another 10 minutes passes... I can't see anything, so I resort to a 'ping'. I get 12,000yds. range. "Ok, I can close this..." I think to myself.

Well bottom line is, I get there, close within 5,000yds. and realize there are 8 ships. I still can't get a good i.d. on them. It appears, 4 warships: two Fuso's and two tin-cans, both with 4 stacks & 4 merchants.

They are in a double row- line formation with one of the tin cans out front doing some crazy circles. That was part of the problem with tracking the fools... the destroyer kept doing figure 8's (it seemed) in front of the pack.

So, I'm on the surface and am traveling almost parllel from them...trying to get ahead and set up a shot. An hour goes by. I within 3500- 4000 but am not pulling ahead fast enough. The wind is blowing in my face, some chop is about, and I can only manage 15kts. I estimated they are making somewhere between 12-14.

So I half my vector angle to close... sure enough as soon as I do this, that crazy tin can starts steaming my way... I finally get a solid look (the ship isn't a grey siloutte any more, it has colors) and, "Wait! What's this?...Really? Really?...An American flag is flying...horse manure!"

At this point I was down to 55% fuel and 4,300 NM from empty... and turned and headed back to Pearl with no further contacts.

Boo! I thought.

Sorry for the book... but the chase of the U.S. ships was fun while it lasted.

Armistead · 03-07-12, 06:30 PM

Hehe, least you didn't sink them, some around here have.

WernherVonTrapp · 03-08-12, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dellinger

I still can't get a good i.d. on them. It appears, 4 warships: two Fuso's and two tin-cans, both with 4 stacks & 4 merchants.

I'm just curious but, if you couldn't get a good ID on the targets, how did you conclude that there were two Fusos in the group?

Dellinger · 03-08-12, 11:03 AM

Sorry, bad story telling on my part...

I "thought" there two Fuso's (by trying to identify the features on the super-structure, masts, etc from the ID book in game)... turned out not to be as the closest ship in the column (the destroyer) was out front on the starboard side (closest ship to me) and I eventually noticed the American flag. All the other ships were a 'grey silloute' so obviously I couldn't be 100% on the ship class. Didn't stick around to i.d. all the other American ships of the taskforce.

But I did find it weird that an American task force with 2 destroyers, 2 cruisers (a guess on class, they had very tall super-structures), and 4 merchants were in this area on Dec. 23rd(?) 1941. But maybe I don't know the game well yet and random allied naval forces could be operating in various areas on the outskirts, i.e. heading to Australia and different ports not yet gained by the Japanese at this point.

Edit: the "...both with 4 stacks..." comment is incorrect, I meant just the destroyers had 4 stacks.

Hinrich Schwab · 03-08-12, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dellinger

Edit: the "...both with 4 stacks..." comment is incorrect, I meant just the destroyers had 4 stacks.

4-stackers=Clemson Class Destroyer.

WernherVonTrapp · 03-08-12, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dellinger

Sorry, bad story telling on my part...

03-07-12, 06:23 PM	#1
Dellinger Seaman Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 31 Downloads: 46 Uploads: 0	First Patrol... Before the action, I wanted to take the time to thank the persons who have helped me get this game setup in a fashion that is much better than stock. Hopefully I can return the favor at some point in the future...now to the action! '41 campaign, based out of Pearl, Porpoise class. Orders are to patrol in the Northern islands of the Marshall chain. Voyaged to Midway for refuel as per the notes in the readme file for TMO 2.5. (Even though it seemed to be close to a net wash for extended range...maybe not.) I get to destination, hang out for 5 days in a quite amazing storm...big swells, 15-20 meter winds. White caps coming over the tower. Misson complete. Being a rookie, I head off on some crazy course S-SE, through the chain and then head S-SW after I pass the last Marshall isles. So about halfway between the Solomons and the Marshalls, I get a contact. It's about 18:45 and the sun is setting. Clear day, light chop, slight fog, 5meter winds. I'm thinking,..."Ok, this is good! I've never been this lucky in a game just starting out..." So, I'm monitoring on the hydrophones and set course to close distance. Fast forward a half-hour...there they are spotted through the TBT on the bridge. One 4-holer (4-stacks) and a vessel I can't quite make out. It's almost night...not quite. So I dive, take a peek through the two periscopes... nada. Can't see a thing. I decrease depth to 47ft. to try to get a better vantage. Still nothing. I put the hammer down at Flank and 15 minutes later my batteries are already at 90% (wow!). "Nevermind" I thought, I'll take her back up. So I get to the top and this 4-holer is steaming right at me...so I crap my pants and dive to periscope depth once again. Rig for silent, men to battle stations, 0kts., blah, blah blah. I wait for the inevitable... I knew it couldn't be this easy. Five minutes passed, no pings, no splashes, we are all ok. Up goes the pariscop and still can't spot anything. (It's full dark by now.) Down periscope and surface is the order. I get on the bridge...nothing. Hop on the hydrophone... their course has changed and the sound signature speard in degrees has narrowed...so I thought- "I'm further away...they've changed course!" I ring up a new one and off we go. Another 10 minutes passes... I can't see anything, so I resort to a 'ping'. I get 12,000yds. range. "Ok, I can close this..." I think to myself. Well bottom line is, I get there, close within 5,000yds. and realize there are 8 ships. I still can't get a good i.d. on them. It appears, 4 warships: two Fuso's and two tin-cans, both with 4 stacks & 4 merchants. They are in a double row- line formation with one of the tin cans out front doing some crazy circles. That was part of the problem with tracking the fools... the destroyer kept doing figure 8's (it seemed) in front of the pack. So, I'm on the surface and am traveling almost parllel from them...trying to get ahead and set up a shot. An hour goes by. I within 3500- 4000 but am not pulling ahead fast enough. The wind is blowing in my face, some chop is about, and I can only manage 15kts. I estimated they are making somewhere between 12-14. So I half my vector angle to close... sure enough as soon as I do this, that crazy tin can starts steaming my way... I finally get a solid look (the ship isn't a grey siloutte any more, it has colors) and, "Wait! What's this?...Really? Really?...An American flag is flying...horse manure!" At this point I was down to 55% fuel and 4,300 NM from empty... and turned and headed back to Pearl with no further contacts. Boo! I thought. Sorry for the book... but the chase of the U.S. ships was fun while it lasted.

03-07-12, 06:30 PM	#2
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,880 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	Hehe, least you didn't sink them, some around here have.

03-08-12, 11:03 AM	#4
Dellinger Seaman Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 31 Downloads: 46 Uploads: 0	Sorry, bad story telling on my part... I "thought" there two Fuso's (by trying to identify the features on the super-structure, masts, etc from the ID book in game)... turned out not to be as the closest ship in the column (the destroyer) was out front on the starboard side (closest ship to me) and I eventually noticed the American flag. All the other ships were a 'grey silloute' so obviously I couldn't be 100% on the ship class. Didn't stick around to i.d. all the other American ships of the taskforce. But I did find it weird that an American task force with 2 destroyers, 2 cruisers (a guess on class, they had very tall super-structures), and 4 merchants were in this area on Dec. 23rd(?) 1941. But maybe I don't know the game well yet and random allied naval forces could be operating in various areas on the outskirts, i.e. heading to Australia and different ports not yet gained by the Japanese at this point. Edit: the "...both with 4 stacks..." comment is incorrect, I meant just the destroyers had 4 stacks.