Hedgehogged! - Ive Been Hedgehogged!

Manock · 06-08-06, 05:03 AM

Hedgehogged! - Ive Been Hedgehogged!

Its June 1944, and I finally got hedgehogged. And I was suprised.

I was up top in surround sound just accelerating to flank speed 45 degrees 20m as the sonar ping stopped when there was this sound like a bunch of bow strings going off, and a bunch of splashes all around my sub position.

Ach! I quickly looked underwater, and a pesky lawn dart thing smacked right into my forward tubes section.

When I didnt immediately die, I figured everything was ok so signalled for periscope depth to fire a T4 at the destroyer now in front of me. I was looking through the scope wondering why I wasnt breaking surface when I looked at the depth guage reading 70m. Holy Breached Hull! In a stupor, I woke my only Repair Officer who got to work on the problem. Reversing engines didnt work so I ordered Blow Ballast, and went back to surround sound to look for tell tale signs my sub was going to point up rather than its present down.

Nothing was happening! & was now down to 100m in a damaged hull! I ducked back in, & saw my crew was still at silent speed. Chrst! Placed them back at full alert, & my repair officer finally went to work.

The sub finally reversed its free fall, & headed back up. I manned the scope again to line up that T4 shot. The scope cleared I began scanning for the destroyer when horrors the conning tower also broke surface. Now what! & jumped outside to see my sub take a broadside from the destroyer I was looking for. Signalled a dive but not a crash dive because I was afraid the sub would not recover from a crash dive. An eternity later and round after round into my poor sub, I was safely underwater with the crew hard at work at repair. But alas.

A sitting duck. The destroyer with deadly accuracy lined up a parallel strike directly overhead, and dumped a whale load of depth charges on me, and I was dead. Completely dead. As in you just cant get any deader than this. Dead. Pushing up daiseys dead. Kicked the bucket. Bought the farm. The big sleep. Taking the dirt nap. Croaked. Filed for divorce dead.

Heres the thing even as this was happening to me. This shouldnt be happening.

Im really good at this sim, I know my submarine, & submarine warfare theory cold. I started in 1939, and have never been seriously sunk. The whole scenario played out in a kind of surrealistic fog.

First - I knew I was detected, and went for that tanker anyway. I would never do that. At first contact I would have evaded and saved the tanker for a later day.

Second - OK the hedgehogs were a suprise but not completely unexpected. I knew the allies had them. I didnt even check the crew for damage, but instead immediately went for a revenge shot when I would have first assigned a damage crew to the area.

Third - When the sub began to head upwards I would have deployed a fizzler at around 60 meters to throw off the subs rise to scope depth. I did not.

Fourth - After the crew fixed the damage, I did not return to silent running but left the sub at noisy.

Fifth - I did not check my rapid ascent by sigalling for periscope depth but instead allowed the sub to break surface.

Sixth - I fired a T4 at the destroyer right before breaking surface, who at the time of the shot was not looking for me giving away my position even if I had not broke surface. I ordinarily would have commenced evasion techniques at scope depth.

Seventh - when it was obvious the destroyer was going to make the final attack run I did not temporily disrupt maintenance by signalling silent running but instead allowed the sub to remain noisy. This allowed the destroyer to rely on his hydrophones for the attack approach not giving me that little bit of time to accelerate and evade on a sonar approach.

When I checked my career, this is what it said.

6-6-6 Dead.

I really hate destiny.

Manock

By the way, what do you have do to find a convoy with a carrier in it. I mean its the middle of 1944, and havent seen one yet. Theyve been deployed since early 43.

U-Bones · 06-08-06, 10:08 AM

Lol nice story !

I was HH'd recently (GW) for the first time that I noticed. I was at about 30m on external view and watched this perfectly aimed and executed ring of death fall right over me. As it turned out, my sub fit perfectly in a gap - I had two bomblets just miss on both sides just aft of the deck gun. I was stunned at seeing it, and totally amazed at my good fortune.

Once I collected my wits, I ended up evading.

Cpt.Thorne · 06-08-06, 10:13 AM

For carriers...join the 11. and fight the war in the Norwegian sea as Bergen is constantly surrounded by a Carrier Task Force...Bogues can be found amongst large Russian convoy in the arctic too. That´s where I´d go looking.
Prost

Ula Jolly · 06-08-06, 11:31 AM

Cpt, where the -H- have you found a Bogue?

06-08-06, 12:27 PM

Great story, Manock!

Saintaw · 06-08-06, 12:37 PM

Nice read !

Cpt.Thorne · 06-08-06, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ula Jolly

Cpt, where the -H- have you found a Bogue?

Found one sailing within a large convoy from Russia to England from Nordlöwe IIRC 1942 December. As a commander of 11. Flotille during WaWI I had to restrict kaleuns sinking Carriers during the latewar period they were found in Norwegian sea and in Nordlöwe. 11. Flotille was known as Carrier destroyers. After 4 sunk during 2 patrols I had to enforce a rule not to sink any Fleet Carriers any more as that would have been unrealistic but few Bogues sttill got sunk during late war periods.
There was almost always a TF trying to ambush Uboote leaving Bergen right out of the fjords and fighters were on their tails and TF was heard almost always one Uboote was followed to Nordlöwe by one TF and constantly attacked by airplanes when surfaced.

The_Blockade_Runner · 06-08-06, 07:16 PM

The Red Baron also broke multiple rules of engaement that he had made, causing him to get shot down in WWI, he was the Ace of Aces, the trump card, but he started to believe in his invuranability, causing his downfall

Konnrade · 06-08-06, 10:58 PM

Hedgehogs are a formidable threat, just ask Dr. Robotnik

:p

HMCS · 06-09-06, 06:10 AM

My dad was on a River Class DDE at that period of the war - he told me about the one U-Boat kill he witnessed. It went pretty much like you described, except that they used the Squid to kill him; it happened in the Irish sea in '44.

Lots of U-Boats checked out that way.

Eichenlaub · 06-09-06, 07:14 AM

Quote:

The Red Baron also broke multiple rules of engaement that he had made, causing him to get shot down in WWI, he was the Ace of Aces, the trump card, but he started to believe in his invuranability, causing his downfall

I know this is rather off topic but...it wasn't so much belief in his invulnerability that led MvR to make such poor judgement calls that fateful day, 21 April 1918. It was more a case of combat fatigue -after all he had seen and been through- and the ever-felt pressure of performing well for the troops who found some relief when they peered upwards to see the red Fokker downing another victim.

Back to Manock's experience...

I hope you don't play DID...! The wrong decisions you listed as the causes of your untimely demise sound -rather worryingly- a tad too familiar...

I always go for just one more merchant...even when I see the escort ploughing towards me.

Kind regards,

Eichenlaub

Murdock · 06-09-06, 08:57 AM

Wow good story and i fully simpathise.
I play this sim very caushusly and think of my crew there wives and little sprites.
I want the glory but i also want to survive a fine line between the both.

The good thing about a sim is when its over it realy isnt but for a real u-boot captain well there not mutch left after dead.

I have learned a great deal of paitence and perseverance with playing this sim and have survived through being this way.

My real glory is getting my crew and ones self back alive.

Curval · 06-09-06, 02:14 PM

I've never been seriously sunk either. My girlfriend got a bit pregnant once though.

Murdock · 06-09-06, 02:57 PM

Ill be sunk tommorow if England dont win

lonehawknz · 06-10-06, 05:18 AM

If you're using external view, flank speed ahead when they come down. If you're being good and not cheating then yep, fraid you're screwed...

Re: Von Richthofen - don't forget he also had a head wound that left him debilitated and probably unable to compete in the air the same way as he had previously...

06-08-06, 05:03 AM	#1
Manock Bosun Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 68 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Hedgehogged! - Ive Been Hedgehogged! Hedgehogged! - Ive Been Hedgehogged! Its June 1944, and I finally got hedgehogged. And I was suprised. I was up top in surround sound just accelerating to flank speed 45 degrees 20m as the sonar ping stopped when there was this sound like a bunch of bow strings going off, and a bunch of splashes all around my sub position. Ach! I quickly looked underwater, and a pesky lawn dart thing smacked right into my forward tubes section. When I didnt immediately die, I figured everything was ok so signalled for periscope depth to fire a T4 at the destroyer now in front of me. I was looking through the scope wondering why I wasnt breaking surface when I looked at the depth guage reading 70m. Holy Breached Hull! In a stupor, I woke my only Repair Officer who got to work on the problem. Reversing engines didnt work so I ordered Blow Ballast, and went back to surround sound to look for tell tale signs my sub was going to point up rather than its present down. Nothing was happening! & was now down to 100m in a damaged hull! I ducked back in, & saw my crew was still at silent speed. Chrst! Placed them back at full alert, & my repair officer finally went to work. The sub finally reversed its free fall, & headed back up. I manned the scope again to line up that T4 shot. The scope cleared I began scanning for the destroyer when horrors the conning tower also broke surface. Now what! & jumped outside to see my sub take a broadside from the destroyer I was looking for. Signalled a dive but not a crash dive because I was afraid the sub would not recover from a crash dive. An eternity later and round after round into my poor sub, I was safely underwater with the crew hard at work at repair. But alas. A sitting duck. The destroyer with deadly accuracy lined up a parallel strike directly overhead, and dumped a whale load of depth charges on me, and I was dead. Completely dead. As in you just cant get any deader than this. Dead. Pushing up daiseys dead. Kicked the bucket. Bought the farm. The big sleep. Taking the dirt nap. Croaked. Filed for divorce dead. Heres the thing even as this was happening to me. This shouldnt be happening. Im really good at this sim, I know my submarine, & submarine warfare theory cold. I started in 1939, and have never been seriously sunk. The whole scenario played out in a kind of surrealistic fog. First - I knew I was detected, and went for that tanker anyway. I would never do that. At first contact I would have evaded and saved the tanker for a later day. Second - OK the hedgehogs were a suprise but not completely unexpected. I knew the allies had them. I didnt even check the crew for damage, but instead immediately went for a revenge shot when I would have first assigned a damage crew to the area. Third - When the sub began to head upwards I would have deployed a fizzler at around 60 meters to throw off the subs rise to scope depth. I did not. Fourth - After the crew fixed the damage, I did not return to silent running but left the sub at noisy. Fifth - I did not check my rapid ascent by sigalling for periscope depth but instead allowed the sub to break surface. Sixth - I fired a T4 at the destroyer right before breaking surface, who at the time of the shot was not looking for me giving away my position even if I had not broke surface. I ordinarily would have commenced evasion techniques at scope depth. Seventh - when it was obvious the destroyer was going to make the final attack run I did not temporily disrupt maintenance by signalling silent running but instead allowed the sub to remain noisy. This allowed the destroyer to rely on his hydrophones for the attack approach not giving me that little bit of time to accelerate and evade on a sonar approach. When I checked my career, this is what it said. 6-6-6 Dead. I really hate destiny. Manock By the way, what do you have do to find a convoy with a carrier in it. I mean its the middle of 1944, and havent seen one yet. Theyve been deployed since early 43.

06-08-06, 10:13 AM	#3
Cpt.Thorne Torpedoman Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Helsinki, Finland Posts: 116 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	For carriers...join the 11. and fight the war in the Norwegian sea as Bergen is constantly surrounded by a Carrier Task Force...Bogues can be found amongst large Russian convoy in the arctic too. That´s where I´d go looking. Prost __________________

06-08-06, 11:31 AM	#4
Ula Jolly Samurai Navy Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Norway Posts: 567 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Cpt, where the -H- have you found a Bogue? __________________ I shall punish yee, landlubber! C'mere for spankings and popsicles!

06-08-06, 12:37 PM	#6
Saintaw Medic Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: .be Posts: 168 Downloads: 47 Uploads: 0	Nice read ! __________________ Saw blub blubb...

06-08-06, 07:16 PM	#8
The_Blockade_Runner Sparky Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 156 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	The Red Baron also broke multiple rules of engaement that he had made, causing him to get shot down in WWI, he was the Ace of Aces, the trump card, but he started to believe in his invuranability, causing his downfall __________________ U boat warfare, Product of German Engineering. German Engineering in da house

06-08-06, 10:08 AM	#2
U-Bones Grey Wolf Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Treading Water Posts: 847 Downloads: 56 Uploads: 0	Lol nice story ! I was HH'd recently (GW) for the first time that I noticed. I was at about 30m on external view and watched this perfectly aimed and executed ring of death fall right over me. As it turned out, my sub fit perfectly in a gap - I had two bomblets just miss on both sides just aft of the deck gun. I was stunned at seeing it, and totally amazed at my good fortune. Once I collected my wits, I ended up evading.

06-08-06, 12:27 PM	#5
Sailor Steve Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Great story, Manock!

06-08-06, 10:58 PM	#9
Konnrade Swabbie Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 10 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Hedgehogs are a formidable threat, just ask Dr. Robotnik :p

06-09-06, 06:10 AM	#10
HMCS Sonar Guy Join Date: May 2005 Location: Squaresville, daddy-O. Posts: 394 Downloads: 186 Uploads: 0	My dad was on a River Class DDE at that period of the war - he told me about the one U-Boat kill he witnessed. It went pretty much like you described, except that they used the Squid to kill him; it happened in the Irish sea in '44. Lots of U-Boats checked out that way.

06-09-06, 08:57 AM	#12
Murdock Mate Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Manchester Posts: 59 Downloads: 287 Uploads: 0	Wow good story and i fully simpathise. I play this sim very caushusly and think of my crew there wives and little sprites. I want the glory but i also want to survive a fine line between the both. The good thing about a sim is when its over it realy isnt but for a real u-boot captain well there not mutch left after dead. I have learned a great deal of paitence and perseverance with playing this sim and have survived through being this way. My real glory is getting my crew and ones self back alive. __________________ Enjoy the War for the peace will be Hell.

06-09-06, 02:14 PM	#13
Curval Navy Dude Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bermuda Posts: 177 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	I've never been seriously sunk either. My girlfriend got a bit pregnant once though.

06-09-06, 02:57 PM	#14
Murdock Mate Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Manchester Posts: 59 Downloads: 287 Uploads: 0	Ill be sunk tommorow if England dont win __________________ Enjoy the War for the peace will be Hell.

06-10-06, 05:18 AM	#15
lonehawknz Mate Join Date: May 2006 Location: Bristol, England Posts: 52 Downloads: 33 Uploads: 0	If you're using external view, flank speed ahead when they come down. If you're being good and not cheating then yep, fraid you're screwed... Re: Von Richthofen - don't forget he also had a head wound that left him debilitated and probably unable to compete in the air the same way as he had previously...