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Snestorm 05-02-11 07:54 PM

U122 IXB. Patrol 7.
 
5.dec.41 to 20.feb.42

Began the patrol along the Freetown - UK shipping lanes (What else is new?).
Upon completion was redispatched to the NW Atlantic.

1 convoy engaged, consisting of CA 24 merchants, and 5 escorts.
4 attacks were made, resulting in the sinking of 3 merchants for 17.103 GRT.

Although the weather was Clear & Calm, and the escorts were all "Elite", U122 remained undetected. In the escorts favor, they did keep us from getting near "The Queen Of The Convoy" (A T2 Tanker).

With the completion of this patrol U122 will be retired as a front boat, and begin a school boat carreer. Her history to date is:
7 war patrols, with 29 merchants sunk, for 211.398 GRT.

(The final tonnage count would have been historicaly good, had it taken a few more patrols. Guess I'll have to make sinkings a-little harder in the next campaign's early years.)

U159 IXC will begin her maiden voyage, to Cape Haterus (USA), in april of '42.

sublynx 05-03-11 01:04 AM

U-451, port
 
March 1942
Ob.Lt. z S. Erich Scheide
U-451 ("die Elster"), VIIC, 7.th Flotilla, St.Nazaire

A successful 44000 BRT patrol behind, most of the crew now on leave visiting their loved ones back in Germany.

I'm very happy that the boat is now being fitted with a launcher for small metal canisters filled with calcium hydride, nicknamed BOLD. The contraption is used to launch decoys when submerged. The escorts should start following the decoy and not our boat. We really need something to fool them, since the enemy's location capabilities seems to be getting better. The escorts detected our boat at periscope depth in two out of four attacks against our last target. My fellow Kaleuns have had good experiences with this new BOLD invention. Maybe with the help of it, we'll be alive to see the day this war ends.

On our last patrol, the enemy's escorts seemed to stay at a maximum distance of 2000 meters from the convoy in daytime and in good visibility. During nighttime we were twice forced to evade a lone destroyer. My estimation is that the destroyer was at least 5000 meters from the convoy. I am not sure of my estimation however. It might have been us being closer to the convoy than thought or the enemy sending one of the escorts to try to find us in worse visibility conditions. Thankfully the bridge crew were very vigilant, but we have to keep our eyes open when a convoy is near. After the sightings I changed the distance of following the convoy from about 10 kilometers to a distance of 20 kilometers and there were no sudden destroyer sightings after that.

Snestorm 05-04-11 02:42 AM

U159 IXC. Patrol 1.
 
Underway 17.apr.42.
BDU changed the patrol area from Cape Haterus, to the Freetown lanes.

Encountered 3 armed merchants.
3 torpedoes fired at lead ship (C2 Cargo).
2 hits scored with no apparent effect.
A fourth torpedo was wasted attempting to hit a second target. Miss.
Persuit was not possible, due to aircraft.


A convoy was encountered, and engaged via a moonlit submerged attack at dawn.
Weather was Calm & Clear.
A position was obtained just off the convoy's starboard side.
There initialy appeared to be only 2 destroyers as escorts (Fore and Aft).
3 G7E torpedoes were fired, scoring 2 hits, and sinking a T3 Tanker for 11.654 GRT.

U159 crawled down to 98 meters, at silent speed, evading detection for a prolonged period.

Then it happened!
3 more escorts showed up, from I don't know where, and detected us.
Ping, ping, ping. Tommy got his new ears, and they work well.
Down we crawled to 165 meters (max depth is unmodded).

For the next 2 hours we were haunted, taunted, kicked, and beaten.
Aft diving planes were destroyed, and the DC guys were kept busy throughout.
Decoys were eventualy depleted. I have no idé if they helped, but they sure didn't hurt.

U159 pulled into Lorient with the aft diving planes destroyed, and 2 piles of scrap that had been the flak and deck guns. Surprisingly the hull was not weakened through the ordeal. Guess we don't get any ekstra days off for repairs. 7 of 14 torpedoes were expended.

Things are getting rough now. Hope we make it.

sublynx 05-04-11 03:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snestorm (Post 1656237)
3 more escorts showed up, from I don't know where, and detected us. --- Things are getting rough now. Hope we make it.


This sounds really bad, more escorts (and apparently of a higher skill level) suddenly appearing and joining the fight. Thanks for the warning and I'm glad you escaped!

Snestorm 05-04-11 04:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sublynx (Post 1656261)
This sounds really bad, more escorts (and apparently of a higher skill level) suddenly appearing and joining the fight. Thanks for the warning and I'm glad you escaped!

I've got all the warships modded to CrewRating 4 ("Elite") right from war's start, but now they've got the equipment to match their skill.

Thanks for the kind words.
Checking the dates, your VIIC and my IXC seem to be in this thing together.
I hope we both make it to war's end this time. Could be realy interesting to watch the 2 types progress through the same time periods.

sublynx 05-04-11 04:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snestorm (Post 1656265)
Checking the dates, your VIIC and my IXC seem to be in this thing together.
I hope we both make it to war's end this time. Could be realy interesting to watch the 2 types progress through the same time periods.


I noticed that too and had the same idea in my mind:hmmm:. I seem to be one and a half month behind you so I'll use SH3Commander at a convenient point to fast forward a week or two, so we'll be even closer timewise.

I have realistic career length on, so my career as Erich Scheide probably ends in 7 - 8 patrols (or sooner, if the enemy gets me before :dead:). But I do intend to continue with a new career with a VII -type sub starting from the month Scheide's career ends.

It would be very cool to have another skipper facing the same kind of environment my current Kaleun is. We could change experiences in the bar room after the patrols, and one day maybe even having a drink to celebrate surviving the war :()1:

unterseemann 05-04-11 07:05 AM

This is a little sum-up of my carreer.

From sep'39 to may'45 I played with 7 kaleuns ( realistic carreer length)

Sep 39 to May 40:
Kptlt Heinrich Stolz
U-15 (IIA): 4 patrols 62 days at sea, 7 ships for 26.855 tons
U-53 (VIIB): 2 patrols 49 days at sea, 9 ships for 45.620 tons

Dismissed for having sunk a KM commerce raider...

May 40 to May 40:
Kptlt Ernst Bachmann ( former 1st WO)
U-53 ( VIIB): 1 patrol 1 day at sea, 0 ship

Lost with all hands near Heligoland ( british minefield)

Jun 40 to Jun 40:
Kptlt Wilhelm Bauer
U-48 ( VIIB): 1 patrol 13 days at sea, 2 ships for 2410 tons

Forced to surrender after heavy damages in celtic sea. POW

Jul 40 to Feb 42:
Kptlt Konrad Tietz
U-46 ( VIIB): 7 patrols 167 days at sea, 39 ships for 233452 tons
U-125 (IXC): 3 patrols for 148 days at sea, 23 ships for 150428 tons

In March 42 Tietz became commander of the 2nd flotilla in Lorient.

Mar 42 to Nov 43:
Kptlt Dieter Haguenau ( former Tietz' 1st WO)
U-125 (IXC): 10 patrols 341 days at sea, 53 ships for 301379 tons

Forced to surrender after heavy damages on his last patrol. POW

Nov 43 to Dec 43:
Kptlt Karl Schenk
U-702 (VIIC): 2 patrols 37 days at sea, 8 ships for 43541 tons

Lost with all hands in BE35 by escorts from HX convoy.

Jan 44 to May 45:
Kptlt Rudolf Eickmeyer
U-151 (IID): 4 patrols 57 days at sea, 12 ships for 55672 tons
U-1193 (VIIC): 2 patrols 69 days at sea, 5 ships for 34026 tons
U-2541 (XXI): 4 patrols 113 days at sea, 16 ships for 102838 tons


Total:

2 kaleuns lost, 2 POW, 1 dismissed, 2 survived

174 ships sunk (161/13) for 996.221 tons
1041 days at sea

1939: 5 ships
1940: 36 ships
1941: 39 ships
1942: 33 ships
1943: 22 ships
1944: 18 ships
1945: 15 ships

VONHARRIS 05-05-11 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unterseemann (Post 1656352)
Sep 39 to May 40:
Kptlt Heinrich Stolz
U-15 (IIA): 4 patrols 62 days at sea, 7 ships for 26.855 tons
U-53 (VIIB): 2 patrols 49 days at sea, 9 ships for 45.620 tons

Dismissed for having sunk a KM commerce raider...

Dismissed is an understatement in this case.
He should have been shot on sight or even better sent to the Eastern front to meet his doom there!

Congartulations on seeing the end of the war.

Salvadoreno 05-05-11 12:31 AM

I have a weird problem. Ive been hunted by a single DD for over 10 1/2 hours gametime 3 hours realtime!!!! It ran out of depth charges, but consistently locks on me with pings and just passes overhead not dropping depth charges. I think its a bug because its running a pretty consistent pattern. I cannot get away because of the constant contact i have silent running, been doing EVERYTHING but still constant contacty. The damN DD needs to go back to the convoy it was protecting. Or at least call in another hunter killer group.

VONHARRIS 05-05-11 12:39 AM

U-518 IXC
 
Patrol No 2 (6th for the crew)
June 20 1940
11:33 hours
U-518 set out to sea.
Destination : Grid AL 11

June 25 1940 Grid AN14
05:37 hours A swordfish poped out of nowhere and attacked. The 20mm flak took care of this "minor" issue.
08:08 hours A second one came to finish the job. Again my flak gunner shot it down. He is to be promoted and decorated after those succeses.

July 7 1940 Grid AL11
18:21 Twin engined bomber shot down (Hudson)
21:07 An other air attack. This time U-518 crash dived but a lucky bomb exploded next to the forward deck. Flooding and damages to the bow torpedo room ,quarters and batteries. Fortunately the plane did not return.
Flooding and damages were taken care of , but the LI estimated that U-518 couldn't dive below 90 - 100m.

July 18 1940 Grid AM52
Two ship convoy attack in very bad weather
19:47 hours Empire type freighter sunk 2 bow + 2 stern torpedoes
20:07 hours Ore carrier sunk in a huge explosion 2 bow torpedoes

July 20 1940 Grid AM51
10:25 hours Great lakes freighter sunk with 1 bow torpedo

July 23 1940 Grid AM29
Convoy attack 4 bow torpedoes fired 2 hits scored
14:47 Small merchant sunk by 1 bow torpedo

Finally we had a break in the storms that were hitting us from the beginning of the patrol.
External torpedeos moved in and loaded with no problem.

July 28 1940 Grid AL38
Convoy attack.
This time the standard procedure was ignored. U-518 managed to penetrate the destroyer screen and attacked at close range
6 torpedoes fired 6 hits scored
02:20 hours Turbine tanker T-2 sunk by 2 bow torpedoes
02:23 hours Medium merchant 04 sunk by 2 stern torpedoes
Whale factory ship hit by 2 bow torpedeos but she survived
The enemy pinged us twice but no DCs were dropped.

August 4 1940
16:42 hours U-518 docked at Wilhelmshaven Germany
Hull intergity was 70%
6 ships sunk
35803 tons
3 aircrafts shot down
46 days at sea.
New base : Lorient France.

sublynx 05-05-11 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salvadoreno (Post 1657080)
I have a weird problem. Ive been hunted by a single DD for over 10 1/2 hours gametime 3 hours realtime!!!! It ran out of depth charges, but consistently locks on me with pings and just passes overhead not dropping depth charges. I think its a bug because its running a pretty consistent pattern. I cannot get away because of the constant contact i have silent running, been doing EVERYTHING but still constant contacty. The damN DD needs to go back to the convoy it was protecting. Or at least call in another hunter killer group.


I guess you don't have any torpedoes left? If you have one left and he doesn't have depth charges, just sink the bastard.

Another trick might be just making your way away from the convoy at 1 knots. Given 12 hours or whatnot, it might eventually decide to join the convoy it should be protecting.

If it's a bug you're pretty much screwed, I think, so maybe you could even try saving when the other contacts are gone. If it happens to reload, the destroyer's routines are might be calculated again. But first I would really just keep on trying to lose him from your track until you absolutely need to surface.

sublynx 05-05-11 02:41 AM

patrol 7, U-451
 
29.3.1942
Ob.Lt. z S. Erich Scheide
U-451 ("die Elster"), VIIC, 7.th Flotilla, St.Nazaire
Orders: Patrol AL15
Location: Grid BE66
Weather: 0m/s, clear, no rain, visibility 11-13 kilometers

Raid on St.Nazaire. The start of the patrol was peaceful, no ships or aircraft sighted. However we just got a radio message from BDU, that that the British have made a raid at St.Nazaire. We were very lucky we sailed just a couple of days before the raid. It would have been no good facing a destroyer screen and probably air cover as well, in the shallow waters near the port.

Testing BOLD. During the trip I made two test runs with the new Bold canister we now have in our boat. The canister is active for a period of five minutes and seems to sink about 13 meters during the time it’s active. The canister could be seen from the periscope quite nicely when launched at periscope depth. In five minutes of silent running at 2 knots I can only advance 300 meters, so I think it would be better to launch the canister at flank speed, then return to silent running, change course and dive about 20 meters deeper.

Action report. Tried to intercept a reported convoy, but estimated it’s position just out of reach of our G7e torpedoes. Course 235, speed 8 knots., BE66. Four escorts one on each side. Found a Black Swan trailing the convoy, making 2 knots, heavily damaged by something. Sunk it with one torpedo. The ship noticed our periscope and shot at it, but luckily they fired too soon and too inaccurate to make me pay for my mistake. Surfaced and noticed an inbound Liberty frachter. Simultaneously we noticed two ships making their way north. Estimated their course while simultaneously attacking the Liberty frachter. The first torpedo destroyed the engine room, stopped it, but didn’t sink it. Two next ones were duds (shot at a bad angle) The fourth one worked (AOB still 0, but torpedo set to magnetic and depth setting 10 meters). Raced to intercept the two unknown ships and managed to sink them – a walfabriksschiff and an alter kleiner frachter. An extremely busy day from about 0300 to 1200, contacts here and there. There were even some dolphin sounds on the hydrophone!

Situation report. We got another radio report informing us that the convoy we tried to attack is now heading south. There’s five torpedoes left and we are now chasing the convoy – I'd rather face a weakly defended convoy than patrolling our assigned grid AL15 which is protected by airplanes flying from Iceland.

Salvadoreno 05-05-11 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sublynx (Post 1657115)
I guess you don't have any torpedoes left? If you have one left and he doesn't have depth charges, just sink the bastard.

Another trick might be just making your way away from the convoy at 1 knots. Given 12 hours or whatnot, it might eventually decide to join the convoy it should be protecting.

If it's a bug you're pretty much screwed, I think, so maybe you could even try saving when the other contacts are gone. If it happens to reload, the destroyer's routines are might be calculated again. But first I would really just keep on trying to lose him from your track until you absolutely need to surface.

He damaged me pretty bad. All tubes destroyed, Hydrophones damaged and will take hours to fix. :(. THe convoy is long gone i have been trying to crawl to a shallow depth to sit and make repairs. All i wanna do is make it home. I reloaded but the pattern still persists. Never seen a bug like that.

However i will try 1 knot, see if he hears that.

I may have just ran into an "elite" destroyer. I keep thinking he is bringing up a hunter killer group, i hope not, because i am blind underwater! I did notice that numeours aircraft have arrived and patroled around the area. Dropping Depth charges (i am assuming where the DD directs them), then taking off. But i think if he called up a Killer group it would have came already. Maybe its the HMS Starling :ping:. :O: Lets hope not

sublynx 05-05-11 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salvadoreno (Post 1657133)
Maybe its the HMS Starling :ping:.


If it is, you might end up having to either join the list of sunken U-boats by HMS Starling or to surrender.

If it is a bug, another thing you could try would be to surface and dive again as soon as possible - in hope that the bug routine interrupts that way.

There's always the possibility of trying to hit in a gun battle with the deck gun. Maybe you get lucky and damage it's sound locating capabilities and manage to dive back to safety before he gets your boat too damaged.

Good luck to you!

P.S. Oh this came to my mind too, you had the game on time compression during the destroyer tracking you. I think this might be a factor in him reacquiring you pretty clearly. Try not using any time compression. He doesn't have any depth charges, so you can leave him circling for around you for some hours in real time, get a snack or a break, come back and try to shake him off again.

Hondo314 05-05-11 08:05 AM

Took a long break, trying to kick the rust off
 
I'm at the end of 1940, trying to camp out in the western approaches and harass convoys as much as possible. I got pretty comfortable with manual TDC on single merchants before taking a break, now it's time to climb the learning curve again.:know:


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