I must be very lucky. Many of my crews never make it back home to face court martial. :O:

Oh wait... :doh:

I'm the worst Kaleu ever! :wah:

Log entry- U-433

Date: 13/06/41
Time: 1056
Position: Grid CF83 (14 days out of Brest)
Weather: Calm seas, Light wind, visibility excellent.

Comments: At 0807 while cruising on surface watch sighted unknown submarine closing our track, bearing 330. Immediately went to periscope depth and began intercept. When submarine closed to 2000 m identified submarine as German type VII. Surfaced and successfully exchanged signals. Submarine was Rullman's U-227 with 7th Flot. Pulled along side and exchanged pleasantries for 45 min. Rullman reported sinking two ships in the last 30 days and would soon be returning to base. As we had not sighted anything up to this point in our patrol intend to take his advice and try grids farther south of our present position. Transferred the crew's mail for Rullman's return trip.

Maas

Game note: First time I have encountered a AI uboat on the high seas! Stranger still, though it was a Type VIIC it was a 'flak trap' with heavy AA both in front and aft of the tower. I don't believe these boats were in action until later in the war. Even so, it was fun to pull along side and pretend to talk shop for a minute.:yeah:

New career started.
Young officer Wilhem Harner and his crew on U 126 IXB set sail from Wilhemshaven Deutschland for grid BE 94 on December 9 1939.
Days of glory are ahead.

August 5, 1940
10:00 Hours
CG-89

U-111 is making its way back up to the Gibralter shipping lanes after spending the night near Casablanca bringing the remaining three fore externals inside. Again we stumbled upon the Toulan task force, but this time we were submerged, hunting a passenger/cargo when the hydrophone started picking up warships. Because of the proximity, I was able to sneak to just under 4500 meters of the force's course. Then, I waited, taking speed, course, and angle readings off the Hood, which was leading the formation. Being within range of my G7e torpedoes, I decided to use the two G7e on Hood, and then shooting the two G7a at fast setting at the Illustrious type following directly behind. I sent the E's on their way, and about 30 seconds later sent the A's on their way. All 4 detonated properly. Hood took one torpedo on the bow, with the other detonating right under the bridge. The hit on the bridge set off a chain reaction in the Hood's secondary guns, quickly sinking it. About 10 seconds after the Hood was hit, the Illustrious type was hit twice in the bow region. It took a while longer to sink, but was clearly doomed. Because of the long range of the engagement, the destroyers did not have a good idea of where I was, and their depth charge patterns were ineffective. We surfaced and headed to the African coast near Casablanca, where we loaded the externals. Then, I saved. Then I saved again under a new name. Then I exited and reloaded to make sure I didn't have a stinking corrupted save again. So. U-111 reporting the Hood is resting on the bottom, along with a fleet carrier.

So I see that people happen to run into REAL task forces and such? Could any one tell me the date and area these task forces show up in?? Ive got GWX 3.0 and SH3 Commander installed so yeah :arrgh!:

What GUI is this? I mean optics mod? Hitman?

Don't know what GUI it is, but do know it isn't Hitman's. Here is a link to Hitman's GUI:http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...=hitman+optics

It varies. I have engaged the Hood/Illustrious TF twice in the past month, both times in the last week of June 1940, in CG95. But as you see, Arael found it in August.

In early September '39, I have sometimes encountered a fat tanker convoy going NE out of BF14, with Rodney in the middle. Likewise, out of Loch Ewe, in late September 39, I have run across Hood (if I remember right) coming out several times -- though it's been a while and that is one of my favorite routes.

In short, I am sure our friendly GWX 3.0 modders (may their tribe increase!) have inserted plenty of variables to determine if and when the TF spawns.

I find keeping copious notes, even preparing a spreadsheet of all my patrols, to be a valuable indication of where to hunt, when.

That is ACM-GUI Reloaded - h.sie's Edition V1.15. I love that mod. It's got the whiz-wheel and everything. :D

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=159346

Occasionally I run into Hood running down to Loch Ewe in the early morning hours on September 15th.

March 21, 1940

Kaleun Casey Smith and the U-19 set out on patrol to AM23. En route we got reports of a convoy that we could intercept. We decided to head for it as it was heading Northerly and we were going NW (Around Scapa Flow). We found out that as soon as it came past a small peninsula that it turned course to North West, with rough seas we gave the engines all she had to catch up with the convoy. Luckily, it was 0000 hours when we caught up with the convoy and we spotted only one tribal class destroyer at the back. I figured since it was the only destroyer I saw to fire 4 eels at it, sink it then have a jolly time with the unescorted merchants. Well all 4 eels prematured due to weather (I know I know, magnetics but I really have a fondness for them and they never seem to fail on me). After we wasted four eels we waited for the destroyer to make a normal break away sweep and infiltrated right into the middle of the 2 column convoy. After we were in we decided to get ahead some more and pick our targets, soon, we decided to set up for 2 large merchants at the back, so we sped ahead close to the front of the convoy and sat at a 90* angle to their course. After the first crossed my sights, I put two eels right into her bow. The same for the second. All 4 exploded (They were magnetics btw) and only 1 went down right away, I also fired a aft shot at a granville type that did not sink. However, after the first hit, spot lights were on me and a shell from a destroyer wizzed over head. I dove and got ready to take a beating in 60 m water. However to my luck, they couldnt get an exact pin point on me. To my even better luck, the second Large merchant sunk and both went down nose first, leaving enough of the aft end out of the water that some how (I couldnt believe this) it got the third stuck between them both. I found this out after the relentless 3 hours of Depth Charges stopped. So with great pleasure I lined up and fired my last 2 eels in her from the bow. Then seeing as she wouldnt sink I turned around and as soon as I did, she sank. Seeing as how I had only 3 eels left, I decided to make a course for home, as I had pushed my luck already. Only after however a ASW trawler and another tribal came steaming my way and decided to depth charge me. Luckily, I ran silent again and got away. I ended the patrol with only 3 ships sunk (All large merchants) and about 32kts. That brought my total tonnage up to 125kt:arrgh!: Cant wait to do my next patrol!
I gotta get on downloading some more of the Mods I want though. Especially orders lite

August 5, 1940
12:30 Local Time
CG-89

I swear to god I'm not making this up. I'm sitting at 102 meters crawling away from a Hunt 1 class and a J/K class destroyer. They are escorts for a task force centered around an Illustrious class and two light cruisers. The odds that I should find another Illustrious one day after sinking another one is absolutely crazy. However, this Illustrious' escorts were more attentive. The Hunt spotted me from 10 kilometers away as I tried to overhaul the group. Figuring the further away from the Task Force I was, the better my chance of survival, I turned tail and ran at flank speed from the Hunt. He was gaining slowly, and It wasn't until I saw he had brought in a fleet destroyer to race me that I submerged. I crash-dived all the way to 115 meters, then went silent. I quickly noticed that at 115 meters the boat started making some high-pitched groans. So, I took it up to 103, where the groans fell back to the usual tone. It took the two of them about 4 minutes to get to my last known location. I'm not sure if they decided not to use their asdic or what, but after dumping a few patterns waaay off target, they split off and headed back towards the carrier.

1st patrol completed
 

U - 126 IX B has succesfylly completed her fisrt war patrol.
She left Wilhemshaven port on 9 Dec 1939 and returned at 12 Jan 1940.
It was a very easy patrol resulting 60.689 grt of British ships (17 vessels including 2 Q ships and 1 A&B class DD). Clear weather and no wind made the use of the deck gun possible and effective.
Upon return to port the flotilla commander was waiting Wilhem Harner to annouce to him presonally his promotion to Oberleutant zur See.
U -126 slowly entered her pen and stopped. The crew began exiting and falling into formation. They were all with a full beard and various outfits. But not he , not the captain. He exited the conning tower wearing his uniform,shaved as if he was never on patrol.
Kaleun Wilhem Harner saluted the flotilla commander and heard the good news. He was very proud.
But behind the commander was an other high ranked officer: An army colonel with the Pour le Merite at his neck. Herr Adolf Harner , his father stood there looking at his son with a smile at his face.
That was a new one. Colonel Adolf was an officer of Prussian origin coming from a family of Army and Naval officers. During WWI he was a member of the Flying circus under Manfred von Rictofen , the Red Baron. He was expecting no less from his son!
The whole crew was given a week leave. The men were more than happy now.
Wilhem Harner had to go Flotilla command for new orders......
He gave his report , alerting the commader about those Q ships he had encountered.
Next patrol grid: DT 85.

Excellent, I was curious as to how your first patrol in the new boat was doing, Harris. Good to hear that you had a successful hunt! It's wonderful when one gets a good streak of weather and can make use of the deck cannon.

2nd war patrol completed
 

U-126 departed from Wilhemshaven at 26 Jan 1940 after completing all neccesary repairs and refits. Every man was accounted for. At 01:00 the boat left the harbor.
At first dawn a S class British sub was spotted(grid AN 95). It is unknown what his intentions were but both Kaluen Harner and his IWO decided to engage him in a surface duel.
First shots missed by both ships but a very lucky shot of the deck gun of U-126 hit the enemy's conning tower destroying both his deck gun and AA gun. After closing in , three more shots sent the enemy sub beneath the waves. Nice start.
Days passed by. On 29 Jan 1940(Grid AN12) a large merchant was spotted. High seas prevented the use of the deck gun but two G7a sunk her.
Cruising now to their assigned grid they found bad weather , storms and really high waves. The boat was struggling to make 8 knots on the surface so Kaluen Harner ordered periscope depth. The date was 6 Feb 1940 when the hydrophones went crazy. Several contacts indicated a convoy coming their way and U 126 happened to be at an ideal attack position(Grid BE 97) The first convoy!
All six tubes flooded and torpedoes fired. 4 ships went down : 2xcoastal freighters , 1xempire type 1xsmall freighter.
They were not detected: Dive to 100m and escaped on silent running. The escorts did know where to look, not even a single DC was dropped.
21 days passed with no events. U-126 reached her patrol grid and started her return trip.
On 27 Feb 1940 while on the surface with good weather a ship was spotted(Grid AM 2) and many more appeared later. An other convoy, but this time a huge enemy was present : the HMS Nelson.
U-126 dived to periscope depth ad began to track the convoy with her hydrophones. Then something happened: May be the conning tower broke the surface for a while , three large turrets each mounting 3 16in guns swung and fired. Nine 16in projectiles tore through the air and landed.....
They did not score a direct hit but even the near misses caused heavy floodings , took out the forward batteries , destroyed the hydrophones , damaged the attack scope and devasted the heavy flak. Hull intergrity was down to 42%. Even in this condition they fired all 4 tubes. A hit was scored on a small merchant which was left dead on the water. Fortunately the Chief Engineer was a master of repairs and managed to hold the ship in one piece. The convoy went on but U-126 stayed there at 20m and waited. After five hours(game time) they went to periscope depth to check: Only the crippled merchant was there. They surfaced and finished her off with the deck gun.
Time to go home.
On 2 March 1940 they spotted a small coal tender(Grid AN 41). The deck gun crew sunk her without delay.
On 5 March 1940 U-126 returned to port. Wilhem Harner congatulated the repair crew and an Iron Cross (2nd class) was awarded to the Chief Engineer.
The crew was given 10 days leave to rest , while the welders began repairing the damaged hull of the U-126.
Kaleun Harner gave in his report : 26.075 grt (7 ships sunk)
He was awarded the Iron Cross (2nd class) as well.
His next mission : Grid AN81
This time no letter will be sent to Colonel Adolf Harner.
Next time , nobody knows.

Oct40 DEAD...:dead:

Sunk by one of Churchill's nasties, and this little b***er did a lot of damage so I couldn't dive lower than periscope depth, he was all over me out to kill me and thats what he did.

New career April 41 first patrol in my IXB was so boring held a competition with the crew who has the most hairy ass. :haha:

Number 1 won the competition. :haha: :haha:

just started a new mission patrolling grid AN84 :D and loveing the add on 3.0 running good.

Did well in May40 in my IXB on my second patrol, sent three tankers to the bottom. :DL

Type IIa, 8th patrol since the begining of the war, second Kaleun (Georg Storm accepted an in-shore post, leaving its old Type IIa in the hands of his Exec Jurgen Carlsen). 90% realism, 30.000 t sunk (yeah, I could have done better, don't know how you guys manage to sink 130.000+! envious here).

Patrol Zone: AN18; which I do not like.

After two dive drills to test the performance of the boat: 10 m in 27 seconds (manage do damage my boat at 157 m and the second drill was to verify the new SAFE diving depth: 150 m), I just received a message from Kpt. Lehman that states that all u-boats have to support Geisenau and the taskforce patroling the area near Harstad (secondary objective: sinking merchant traffic in the two ports still in norwegian hands).

It's June 4th 1940. Will I find something there? I checked the intel from subgen, found a Taskforce north of Norway, but no merchant traffic and no ennemy warships either in the coast.

Should I go or it is just inmersion, being to late for the Norwegian Campaign? Also I am still in my old Type IIA! The new patrol zone is 2500 km away. It will take at least 9 days to reach it. Any advice?

September 2, 1940
7:20 Local Time
AM-37

U-111 is heading out for a long and probably boring patrol of the area around Casablanca. Our last patrol was cut short when, in the middle of attacking a convoy just West of Gibraltar, some joker in a Tribal thought it would be funny to run over my conning tower. With no periscopes and no flak, I couldn't very well continue the patrol. It was a long trip back to Wilhelmshaven. Now, after about a month of repairs, we've been assigned to the same general area. I don't mind the area around Gibraltar, there are always a lot of targets, but getting there is another story. What's more, they've assigned me to patrol just off Casablanca. Why would the British ship things to Casablanca? The French are firmly out of the fight. I get the feeling that Bdu is punishing me for something. Will check in later.