Tell us whats happening in your current campaign
 

I reckon this has been done loads of times before,but I think some of us should talk about their current campaigns,and whats been happening lately for them.
Well,i'll get the ball rolling with whats been happening for much of today.
As some of you may know from my earlier posts I was engaging a huge convoy somewhere in AK48,heading about 53 degrees at 9kts.the date is early October in 1942.Military presence was very high,I suspected at least 6 warships :o . In my first attack on the convoy I managed to fire 2 at a T3 from a range of about 500m inside the perimeter,and sunk it for about 11.000t.I managed to evade the Dcs with no damage and set myself up (using tactics described in my earlier 'anti convoy tactics' post) for a second attack about 5 hrs later.Again the convoy came,and I was in position to engage a T.Transport,and fired 2 from about 1000m,1 hit the other missed slightly.The Transport slowly started to lag behind the convoy as he was obviously in some trouble.Again I did all the usual maneuvers and sustained no damage.Attack 3 was coming up.Nightime was upon me,and the sea was very calm.I picked out a T2 Tanker,and prepared myself.However,my PS must have been detected and a searchlight lit up over the top of me :o . I wasted no time and went into a steep dive at flank and headed out on course 140 degrees.Dcs came very close and shook the boat violently,from about 3 attackers,yet again I managed to crawl out with no damage.I also noticed I was being pinged at 200m,so I dropped to 2kts and things fell quiet again.I then decided that effectively penetrating and weakening this convoy was too much,at least for one u-boat and decided to break off from this attack.I was slowly being pulled closer to the air zone around the UK,and I needed to break away now!.
I have now picked myself a new spot on this same track but much further to the west,and this is where I am now in my campaign.I am patrolling AK01,roughly where the 1st T3 was sunk hours earlier.On my way back I bumped into the troop transport at night,and sent 2 into it from 90 degrees abeam,and killed it in the water.It needed a final killing shot,and eventually sent it to the bottom.BDU was finally informed,and I proceeded a few hours submerged,just in case the message was intercepted,which incidentally hasnt happened to me...yet.
I am now in position,and will be patrolling this area for a maximum of 10 days,and have planned to return to base on the 13th Oct no matter what happens.I estimate a further 11 days to return to base at 8kts,and should return on the 24th.The Biscay Gauntlet will no doubt slow me down 3 - 4 days mind you :nope:
If I return,I will have been at sea about 6 weeks,my longest patrol yet.

Conclusion - enemy ASDIC has noticably increased since my last patrol,and will be given priority for next patrol,with a possible consideration of applying alberich to my u-boat.


Current Patrol Tonnage

1 x S.Merchant for about 3.000 GRT
1 x T3 Tanker for about 11.000 GRT
1 x T.transport for about 9,000t GRT
Total - around 22.000 GRT

Though it has taken weeks in real life terms... because real life obligations have gotta come first...

May 1942,

U-153 (My current boat... Type IXC) is just NorthWest of Curacao after a slow trawl through the Bermuda Triangle and a few days hunting between Mobile Alabama and Galveston Texas.

The crew made mention of other boats sighting 'Ghost Ships' in the Triangle... but mostly I think the length of the trip and the monotony have them quite jumpy.

After a couple days off Curacao and later Port Au Prince Haiti... I'll start the trip home to Lorient.

Have sustained some minor damage from attacking aircraft near the tip of Florida... but so far we are dealing with it and pressing on.

Have sent five ships to the bottom so far. Nine eels remaining. Will save the final two for the trip home if the diesel holds out.

Lots of heavy weather.

KL

-End Transmission-

U-93 is currently shadowing a convoy NE of Madeira. Weather is good for hiding but bad for spotting. We are currently abreast of the convoy which has two escorts that keep us at a distance.

Trying to run ahead of the convoy to set up an ambush if we can get some headway in the heavy seas. Have radioed in the course and spped of the convoy and am hoping to get some assistance from other boats that may be in the area.

Nov-25th 1941

U-123 (ype IX-B) Just returned to Lorient

Last Patrol #15

Ordered to patrol off the horn of Africa, sank one merchant of a 2 ship convoy W of Gib but despite eating an eel the other continued on into a heavy storm,

Then Engaged a Northbound Convoy SW of the Canary Islands in heavy seas
Took out 2 Escorts and 6 Merchants of various sizes before the eels ran out

Minor damage to the conning tower due to collision with merchant in convoy

64,725 Tonnes

So looks like Xmas in port, It's not like anything important is likely to happen in December is it

December 21,1939.

U141 (IID) just docked in Kiel

Last Patrol:
Searched assigned patrol area and then swept down east coast of England. Encountered a small merchant (SS Bonifacio) and a coastal freighter (SS Adherence). Both were sunk with two torpedoes. Total tonnage: 4482.

After the last encounter rough weather proved to dangerous to continue with search and U141 returned to base with one extra fish. Crew was excited but sick from the six days of stormy weather. Damaged occurred in Kiel during docking (rough waves)

Jan

Great reports,keep them coming in :up:

Just a quick chat with you TarJak.You mentioned you reported the convoy's position to Bdu in the hope of getting some assistance from other u-boats.If only I could have had more help the other night,trying to infiltrate and weaken a HUGE convoy (I estimated at least 50 ships plus about 6 warships and a lead escort) seemed too much,if not impossible,by one u-boat anyhow.I didnt even get the chance to report them in as doing so would have meant surfacing and I was well within the screen at that point,and running the risk of being detected with that much military presence was too much for me I felt.The safety of the boat and crew was more important at that time.Early on in the war it was easy to report contacts in,before radar became available etc.
Has anyone ever managed to actually get assistance?,as I know I have'nt,I don't even think I have seen the Luftwaffe ONCE in my campaign :damn::nope:

*bloody Goerring,all wind and piss*

1939/40 Patrols on the east coast of England, I have several times, reported convoys then dived to engage,

The Luftwaffe usually shows up after half an hour or so in random numbers and proceeds to bomb the convoy / get shot down.

Just wish the fly boys would get the idea that if there are sinking wrecks and oil slicks behind the convoy, then it indicates that I am in the area and if they take out the remaining escorts then I can deal with the rest with the deck gun.

But Noo they have to go for the biggest merchants they can find :damn:

February-2, 1945.

Inshore campaign against British coastal traffic.
Type XXIII is an amazing experience but too late.
Heavy seas and hard "Hunter Killer" groups presence off east coast of Scotland
Two ships sunken: a light steam and a Liberty who sailed alone.
Out of torpedoes, returning to base at snorkel navigation.

15 Of February, 1941.

U-103 (type IXB) is currently recharging the batteries. We are near the Portuguese coast and with a storm over our heads! The Kaleunt is thinking that he need to find good weather and calm seas to load the external torpedos, since there is non on board! 33,000 tons of ships sunk, 1 dido class cruiser also sent to the bottom with only one torpedo aimed at the bow!

Herr Oberleutnant Z. S Willi Baumert is getting good!

And the save game had an error, bye bye patrol!!!

The crew made mention of other boats sighting 'Ghost Ships' in the Triangle... but mostly I think the length of the trip and the monotony have them quite jumpy.

Kpt.Lehmann , I liked that :up:

Boo!!

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/9206/43700949.jpg

Aug.24,1939. U-33TypeVIIA

Position approx. 40KM SSW. of Irish sea grid BF16.

Current mission is to provide weather reports and intelligence on English and French warships and merchant traffic.

Weather currently is partly cloudy, visibility is good, winds are at 6m per second.

I have plenty of petrol, 3/4 of a tank. Rations are good for approx. 3 more weeks. And my secret stash of rum is holding up nicely.:()1:

U-501 (Type IX/C)

Apr 12 - 1942

Am currently about half way to assigned patrol grid - CA54, have yet to encounter enemy shipping. Weather has got worse, with high winds and heavy seas. Crew are in a good mood, and I expect to rendezvous with Milch cow U-461 in a few days to resupply.


Heinz Buder

No boats at sea ATM.

1st Flotilla, May 1944, KptLt. Volker Vogel / U-632 preparing to depart for 8th patrol, to AK39.

2nd Flotilla, June 1944, Preparing to receive unspecified new boat and crew from training flotilla.

7th Flotilla, May 1944, KptLt. Ulrich Uhlig / U-266 preparing to depart for 7th patrol, to BE97.

10th Flotilla, May 1944, ObLt.zS Dieter Pohl / U-853 preparing to depart for 1st patrol, to DG21.

11th Flotilla, June 1944, Preparing to receive ObLt.zS Friedrich Niecke / U-315 from training flotilla.

12th Flotilla, April 1944, ObLt.zS Yngve Yung / U-196 preparing to depart for 3rd patrol, to BE63.

29th Flotilla, April 1944, ObLt.zS Erich Blauert / U-967 preparing for first patrol, location not yet assigned

33rd Flotilla, August 1944, KorvKpt. Georg Schewe has been instructed to establish a new combat flotilla in Flensburg.

11Nov39
I am back in Wilhelmshaven from my 2nd patrol and I am happy cause I get to see my freulin and throw back some beer. I have made it a personal vendetta to take out every destroyer I see to avenge my good friend Max Woerner who fell a few weeks ago. Managed to sink the HMS Sikh (Tribal Class). Looking forward to get back out to see tomorrow and putting a hard dent on those Bristish bastards and showing Churchill where to stick those cigars .

I have seen Herman's fluffy booted flyboys when near enough to a Luftwaffe base for them to get of their backsides and come and assist.

I'm playing mid 1941 right now and I just play realistically in that when a u-boat spotted a convoy they reported it. I dream of having other boats converge on the scene to wreak havoc on the convoy, but in SHIII it is still only a dream.

15 June 1940 My IX B U-5 (so sh3cmdr called it) is 350km north of Shetland into a storm; just sunk a tramp steamer with a single torpedo, and given some foodstuff and water to a small life raft of survivors barely floating.
We've half of the fuel, and heading to the Faroe Islands area.

5th patrol out of La Spezia, March '43.
3 ships sunk so far, mostly to the WNW of Malta, and we have 10 torpedoes, all up front:yeah:.

Took some damage from an ill advised gun battle with the last ship we sunk but we're fixed up with some hull integrity lost but not enough to turn for home.

A couple of days ago, had to dive due to aircraft. Soon after, picked up multiple warships on the hydrophone heading our way. Sighted 3 destroyers sweeping the area but we couldn't get in good position to shoot.
Went a little deeper to let them get out of the area and soon picked up another warship and 2 fast merchants closing. Went back to PD and sighted 2 troop ships escorted by a Captain Class frigate chugging along pretty quick. They were just too fast and we were not in a good position. I thought about a long range shot with about a 160 degree AOB or so but thought it wiser to save torpedoes.
We tried to surface and shadow and report in on them so the flyboys could take care of them but they kept pulling away and we never could get a message off.

Bad weather hit with zero visibility soon after and that has lasted a couple of days. Got a report of a convoy to the SE of Malta heading our way. Plotted an intercept course hoping that the weather will clear.

We are now on their track with moderate visibilty, and rough seas. We just picked up radar signals so things are going to get hot real soon.
:DL

Currently creeping through the Irish Sea with U-48 in November 1939. Spotted an Ore Carrier off the coast of Belfast and took four torps to sink her! The limeys then sent two motor vessels onto my predicted route, and I blew one of them out of the way with the deck gun, crash dived and am now waiting a few hours for the mayhem to subside.

Going to try my luck and see what I can find near Liverpool. Warships are about but don't seem to be aware of us yet.

Famous last words.

If your intent on going to Liverpool keep a close eye on anything of value aboard your boat :DL