Welcome back Kaleun! :arrgh!:

4 November 1939:
Panzerschiffe Admiral Scheer departs Wilhelmshaven on another short-term raiding mission.

Results:
Returned to Wilhelmshaven 23 November 1939 having sunk 14 ships for 41,405 tons. KL Hossel was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class upon return to port.

2 Large Merchants
1 Intermediate Tanker
1 Passenger / Cargo Ship
1 Small Freighter
1 Small Merchant
1 Tramp Steamer
2 Coastal Freighters
1 Fishing Boat
1 J/K-class DD
1 V/W-class DD
1 ASW Trawler
1 MTB

24 November 1939:
Panzerschiffe Admiral Scheer departs on her fifth raiding mission of the war.

Results:
Returned to Wilhelmshaven 8 December 1939 having sunk an impressive 35 ships for an incredible 168,327 tons.

Highlight of mission was finding a LARGE CONVOY off SW Irish coast. After sinking the two escorts (there was a sub with the convoy, but she couldn't do s**t), it was target practice time! :yeah: Left three Small Merchants afloat to tell the tale of what happened.

Returning North, was surprised off Faeroes by CRUISER SQUADRON consisting of one Southampton and two AMCs. SANK ALL THREE!:yeah::yeah::yeah:

Upon return to port, KL Hossel was called to Berlin, where he was presented with both his Knight's Cross and the Oak Leaves by a proud Fuhrer. He was then reassigned to Schlachtkreuzer Scharnhorst.

7 Large Merchants
2 Ore Carriers
1 Medium Cargo Ship
1 Granville-type Freighter
2 Passenger/Cargo Ships
1 Intermediate Tanker
1 Small Merchant
1 Tramp Steamer
1 Coastal Freighter
1 Coastal Tanker
1 Southampton-class CL
2 Auxiliary Cruisers
2 A/B-class DDs
4 V/W-class DDs
1 Tribal-class DD
2 Black Swan-class Frigates
2 ASW Trawlers
1 Elco-type Torpedo Boat
2 MTBs

just finished my eighth patrol. Sank a tanker and a freighter also sank two destroyers. Had to cut my patrol short as we had our torpedo stores full of those god awful electric torpedoes. Next we'll be patrolling off the US coast hopefully well sink a lot of shipping as the U-382 needs new diesel engines.

June 1942 all hands lost. :dead:

Start a new career this weekend in late 1941, I will revenge the lost of U-63 in the Caribbean.

9 December 1939:
Schlachtkreuzer Scharnhorst departed on her first raiding mission.

Results:
Returned to Wilhelmshaven on 30 December 1939 having sunk 10 ships for 44,764 tons. KL Hossel was awarded the German Cross in Gold and the Swords to his Knight's Cross upon return to port.

3 Large Merchants
1 Passenger/Cargo Ship
1 Small Merchant
1 Tramp Steamer
1 Coastal Freighter
1 Coastal Tanker
1 A/B-class DD
1 Tribal-class DD

Gone but not forgotten, a belated memorial to the crew of U-63 for their gallant service! :salute:

It's March 1940. I just finished getting a dressing down from Uncle Karl. I can't help it. I see a mostly red ensign fluttering and I start unleashing eels. Turns out I bagged my first german tramp steamer. :)

Funny thing was I didn't notice the swastika on the flag till I hit the fire button then immediately I was like :timeout:

The eel struck at the bow and the ship started immediately to suck down the water. As far as I know, I'm the only one who realized the mistake, however my watch officer was a little too inquisitive at first.

#1: Sir, upon further observation I think that may not be a british flag.

ME: No, I'm pretty certain it is. Let's get below shall we?

#1: But sir, there appears to be a black symbol near the center.

Me: Probably just an oil stain, Number one. Lots of petrol flies about in those explosion, you know.

#1: No, sir, it seems to me that-

ME: Man am I hungry! Anyone else here on the bridge hungry? Fritz? Willi? Helmut, you must be hungry by now.

#1: No, sir, I don't think we should leave till we are certain that-

ME: Wait. What's that?

#1: What? Where?

ME: There! In the sky!

#1: Huh?

ME: Coming out of the sun!

#1: I don't see anyth-

ME: Aircraft spotted! Short range! AAAALLLAAARMMM!!!

Whew! That was close.

:rotfl2::rock:

Man, some people can be soooo picky!

I've always wondered why Karl, when things started getting tough in '43, didn't arrange for some special boats to work the uncanny escorts, making it easier for the others to get at their assigned priority targets, the merchants. To study my theories I set up a mission with a XXI (much more fun than the other relics). It's late fall '44, U-2502 is operating out of Bergen with an averagely experienced crew. This is its 3rd mission and for the first time the engines are operating to their full potential. Leutnant z.S. Ludwig Horst is commander. Leutnant Horst is known for his cool head and excellent understanding of enemy destroyer tactics. He was shorted by being given only two Zaunkønigs but managed to acquire a third one by transferring a case of good French cognac to the port master. Most of the slow electric torps were interchanged for fast T1's.

After having sunk a loner north of Newcastle a small, heavily defended, convoy was detected in the same general area. The two first shots were at merchants with electric torps. One missed, these merchants were zig-zagging quite effectively. After that the escorts got into play. One Zaunkønig changed from its assigned target, a Captain II, and followed instead a small merchant which it executed nicely. Several escorts were done for in 45 degree shots on minimal range (400 meters) with T1's. In the end the last escort was finished with the last available torpedo.

The end result looked like this - 13 enemy ships in less than an hour. I bet Leutnant Horst appreciates his fast-loading crews. Then they rode into the sunset (moon...!...):

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...0/1641f73b.jpg

U-65 IXB Patrol No6
 

Patrol No 6
17 May 1940
09:12 hours Left Wilhelmshaven for grid AN29

26 May 1940
Grid AN14
23:56 hours SS Dalemoor (Medium Merchant 06), 5173 tons. Cargo: Textiles. Crew: 37. Crew lost: 20

03 June 1940
Grid AM52
08:21 hours SS James O'Hara (Large Cargo), 8577 tons. Cargo: Foodstuffs. Crew: 39. Crew lost: 14
09:16 hours SS Sloga (Medium Merchant 22), 4290 tons. Cargo: Copper Ore. Crew: 37. Crew lost: 14

05 June 1940
Grid AM23
11:38 hours HMS Laurentic (Auxiliary Cruiser), 13850 tons. Crew: 236. Crew lost: 146 In my world I took her down not Silent Otto Dedicated to the brave crew and Kaleun of U-63

10 June 1940
Grid AN14
05:52 hours SS Allerton (Ore Carrier), 8083 tons. Cargo: Phosphates. Crew: 68. Crew lost: 27 escorted by Elco TB

12:23 hours SS Port Adelaide (Ore Carrier), 8084 tons. Cargo: Bauxite. Crew: 62. Crew lost: 3 escorted by MTB

17:50 hours SS Liseta (Nipiwan Park-type Tanker), 2476 tons. Cargo: Crude Oil. Crew: 20. Crew lost: 15 escorted by Elco TB

Other: Damaged the HMS Rodney in convoy attack , during which U-65 was heavily depth charged and sustained medium damages

13 June 1940
15:54 hours Returned to port
28 days at sea
7 ships sunk
50533 tons
68% hull integrity.

Your loss will not be in vain.

U-63 was a IIC type U-boot. How did she reach the Caribbean?

Finished my 11th patrol, had to head back to base before reaching the patrol grid as a depth charge attack destroyed a good portion of our subsystems. the destroyer that attacked us was the USS Somers. we broke the surface and fired a torpedo at her as we fled. the torpedo exploded underneath her stern and she promptly sank shortly after. when we returned toLorientwe learned that 247 of her 295 hands on board were lost, wich doesn't surprise me as the torpedo explosion made mincemeat of he after section and the sea was quite heavy that day. miracualously not a single member of my crew was hurt or killed but I think it'll be a while before the U-382 puts to sea again.

patrol six: r hessler nd U111
 

after a weeks holiday for the RL skippr followed by enforced time away from all gaming, I resumed my career recently as r hessler, in yr 1941

JULY 22
departed lorient for allocated grid DH28 following refit after most recent patrol. Uneventful cruise across biscay and out into atlantic passing spain to our east.

JUL 25
early before skipper awake recieved radio inteligence of large convoy to our SSW. Will be tricky to catch them as they are around a hundred KM away to our south on a southerly course. A change in heading is though ordered.

A while later lookouts spot two distinct smoke plumes in distant. This CANT be the lg convoy but is obviously a small one nearby. A dive to periscope depth yealds five contacts. Two small and two large plus escort.

U_111 creeps fwd on intercpt course. Undetected a salvo of four torpedoes are fired, three at the large merchant and one for the medium. The LG merchant is sunk quickly and the medium is damaged but is able to continue making way.

A brief twenty minute cat n mouse exchange follows with the escort which aids escape of small convoy. A well judged snapshot takes down the escort but catching the merchants is now impossible due to worsening weather meaning the inability to keep boat above the high seas long enough allowing the diesels to get the boat above six knots.

A change of heading towards patrol grid is ordered and the boat descends towards 40m where calmness allows the crew to rest and the tubes to be reloaded.

SAVE ND EXIT OF GAME HERE....

VIIB U-51 - - - Patrol 6, May 1940.


I'm in trouble.

2 days out of port I intercepted a British task force east bound in AN49. 4 destroyers of varying makes. Fired two torpedoes at the lead two targets, struck and sunk one, and was able to disengage without detection. So far so good.

Here's where it all goes to hell. 2 days later, continuing my northwest track towards the Atlantic I have the opportunity of intercepting a convoy and taskforce, both converging at roughly the same time and location. AN18, a little close to the coast but I can't resist taking a peek.

Periscope depth, low speed 10 km out, I pick out the lead and side escorts, as well as a few of the merchants. No sign of the task force, but I've hunted more than one that have vanished into thin air, so I pay it no mind. I then notice a destroyer at perhaps 5 km, bearing down on me direct. It's alignment suggests it wasn't an escort, but just happened to be in the right place, right time, and saw my damn periscope.

I order a crash dive and alter my course 90 degrees. Of course this is where I am thoroughly screwed - I'm only in 80 meters of water. Running silent didn't help and ASDIC picked me up. I use the observation 'scope and hydrophones to dodge their attack runs for all I'm worth. I've got at least 3 ships running me at this point, and I only now notice the MINEFIELD I have been sailing through. In dodging depth charges I graze at least one, which knocks out my props temporarily. My chief engineer and the repair crew get that back up and running, and by this point I am desperate.

I bring the boat up the periscope depth and order submerged flank speed. I have A trawler and 3 DD's surrounding me. I set my torpedoes to their max speed setting and let fly with everything I have. 2 DD's go down, 1 fore and one aft, and I lose my periscopes in exchange. I submerge, sink to the floor and pray the other two will go away. They don't.

Having run out of depth charges, they are content to circle around me and ping away. I have been trying to evade them for over 5 hours, and nothing has worked. Bottoming out has failed. Staying in their wake only provides a 10 minute reprieve at best. All the course changes and silent running in the world have not helped. I am simply not skilled enough to pull off whatever needs to be done. My crew has held this boat together through sheer will and determination, and still I don't think we're going to make it home.

Its mid-afternoon. They're still up there. They're waiting until I run out of air, and they'll take me apart on the surface. We have enough air to last us into the night. My last hope at this point is to wait until after dark, surface at flank speed in their wake, man the deck gun as long as I can, refill our air supply and recharge the battery as best we can before we are forced to submerge again. We might have a couple minutes if done properly. While I'm wishing, perhaps the weather will worsen to the point we can creep away on the surface. I don't like our odds.

This is the first time I've been ground down in a waiting game with the enemy and forced to surface, and its been an eye opener.



UPDATE: Someone up there must love me. The bad guys disengaged just after dark, and when I finally dared surface the boat we were in the midst of a storm. I should not be alive. Time to limp back to Wilhelmshaven and lick my wounds, with some valuable lessons learned about screwing around with escorts in GWX.