U-45 "Der Wein" Second Patrol

[ECV56_PolTen]

I just finished translating my second patrol aboard the U-45. You can read the fist one here.
Submarine Type VIIB U-45 "Der Wein"
September 6, 1939.
Once again I get my orders to patrol a grid in the Atlantic for 24 hours; this time will be AN84, a short trip west.
I inform the crew as they prepare the ship.
September 21, 1939.
The european autumn marks the start of our second patrol.
At 5:10 AM we sail away from Wilhelmshaven.

A usual, the port is crowded with many types of ships, and the Type 34 meet us to give escort.

At 6:00 the escort leaves us on our own and we set course to the patrol zone.

6:45 We sail at ahead slow y go to periscope depth.
11:36 Message received, we are remembered no to attack french ships unless they fire first.
September 22, 1939.
02:10 We surface to freshen the air and recharge batteries. The navigator reports clear weather and 5 m/s winds.
05:30 With 100% batteries I order slow ahead and periscope depth. My Chief Engineer sugest that in order to get better results with the hydrophone we should go deeper... You learn something new everyday.
September 23, 1939.
01:10 We surface. The sky is partly cloudy and the wind hav increased to 6 m/s.
15:10 We reach AN84. At slow speed we patrol the zone.
September 24, 1939.
11:32 Contact report: Enemy task force at AM93; far away and on the other side of England.
13:38 We cross a neutral coastal merchant.
13:47 ALARM!! Two Walrus approaching. The watch goes down the hatch and up comes the gunner. Both planes shot down; curiosity killed the brit.

14:02 New message; we can freely attack french ships, it seems the war is getting serious.
14:17 ALERT!! Two more Walrus.

Two minutes later, both Walrus are destroyed.

[ECV56_PolTen]

A few minutes later a Hurricane gets close with a bad attitude. He shares the fate of its predecessors.

The Der Wein is an "ace".
14:48 Ahead slow and periscope depth, but I change my mind and surface again; I feel overconfident; that will be a mistake as we can see later.
15:47 A lonely Walrus changes its course toward us and pays dearly.

I begin to have suspicions about the "neutral" cargo we met earlier.
15:59 By the radio comes another message stating that we can only attack passenger ships with 120 or less passengers (What I am supposed to do? Board it and have a head count? Sheez!).
16:20 The RAF seems to have a big stock of Walrus.

16:23 Ahead slow and periscope depth. We have already found too many planes and I am stating to get worried.
20:10 In the dark of the night we surface. Having completed the 24 hours, without a single enemy ship in sight, I make the daring decision to set course to the nearby port of Lowescrol, maybe there we can sink a ship.
September 25, 1939.
04:43 Contact report: Task force in AN26.
06:35 Two Hurricanes get close very fast; the gunner tries to shoot them down, but one of them manages to drop its bombs, causing damages to the flak gun, deck gun, conning tower, electric engines, and killing a man in the bow torpedo room. Me and my adventurous ways!

I order the stunned gunner down the hatch, and yell crash dive as I close the hatch, I rapidly assign a damage control team to repair the electric engines as fast as they can. In the careless rush I forgot we are at shallow waters and crash loudly with the bottom, making more damage to the torpedo room and forward decks, and possibly attracting some nearby destructor with the loud noise.
I try to calm down the crew, and myself, and order all stop and level the boat.
The damage team repair one by one the damaged zones; my Chief Enginner estimates the hull integrity at 93%. It was a really bad idea get close to the british.
Submerged, we turn around and head for home, the experience was already very unpleasant, and the looks toward me are harsh; I can't blame them.

11:00 We surface and order to repair the tower and both guns.
11:46 Walrus... oh, well. I order ahead flank and to man the flak guno, but this time the pilot keep his distance. Finally, he retires.
13:19 Contact report at AM69, a convoy. Too far and I'm not in the mood.
September 26, 1939.
16:00 Wilhelmshaven at last.

After docking, I give the patrol report to the BdU officer; I have the right to give one of my men a medal. Without further ceremony, I give it to my Watch Officer for his job at warning every plane sight. I ask for a new man to replace the dead sailor.

I go to sleep without asking for new orders, they will come; I feel responsible for the death of the sailor. Next time I decide to have an adventure I should be more careful, or I should be shot in the head.

[kylania]

Sorry to hear about your lost crewman, but it's good that you had so much luck against the RAF!

Soon I have a feeling the war will escalate and you'll be able to attack those previously neutral ships you keep running across but can't attack.

[DanBiddle]

Great couple of reports! Sounds like your flak gunner's become an ace :p

Keep them coming!

[bookworm_020]

I would like to know where you got your walrus from?? I need sonthing new to shoot down!!!

[Dodger01]

Hey wait a minute! My boat is U-45!

In all seriousness, I've just returned from my 5th patrol, my tonnage sunk is probably not so good but my boat is without a scratch. I blame that on my own inexperience and eagerness to get back to that cute little nurse...

[ECV56_PolTen]

Originally Posted by bookworm_020

I would like to know where you got your walrus from?? I need sonthing new to shoot down!!!

If it's not in the "box" game I suppose it was introduced by the War ace Campaign mod I intsalled, I am not really sure.