Here is the complete report for the last patrol we did, making 5 stops to refuel and rearm.


http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/w...saxman/1-1.png


Got into a small convoy, nothing left floating, then we docked at, we were far from over with this patrol.

http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/w...saxman/2-1.png


Managed to use nearly all my tubes on a task force.

All sunk. The escourts were havin a field day runnin at for me, but all they got was davy jones locker. Ran out of ammo after attacking boston, so it was back to U-461.

http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/w...nosaxman/3.png

Got some revenge!

Invaded New York again, and suffered no casualties. I even made sure it was dark and I was really a safe distance away, surfaced and shot 15 rounds into the statue of liberty. One for each of those heros.

Then it was back to U-461

http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/w...nosaxman/4.png

Here was our attack on San Juan.


http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/w...nosaxman/6.png

This part was very bad. The weather so bad. Sunk the large merchant, and on the way to Gibraltar we were informed last minute about a destroyer. By the time a crash dive was ordered, he were rammed. I though we were finished, we fell to 200 meters, half of the compartments were nearly full. I ordered an emergency surface, knowing full well that we would be to the mercy of the destroyer. On the way up, the sounds of creaking bulkheads sounded. The destroyer had sunk herself from the ram. That explanes the explosion.

The crew and I decided it was time to pack up and head home. We made it back home with no further incident.

Medals all around the crew for their excellent job in saving the ship.

End report

Oberluetnant z. S. Ernst Klein commanding U-551, type VIIC.

She definitely had the first patrol jitters. First thing we burned a good portion of our fuel trying to get up to Norway to intercept the tommies retreating. After the successful occupation of Norway, we headed to the Rockall banks to hunt for a convoy. NNW of Scapa, we engaged some swordfish aircraft, during which the flak gun jammed, getting my flak gunner blown in half, and the boat nearly sunk. We found a convoy and engaged, which after the second attack run we were moving into a position for a coupe de gras on an intermediate tanker when a 10m+ wave plowed over us, drowning out the diesels, destroying the port one. With only one eel in the tubes, and the weather worsening, we left the tanker to it's fate. Then the navigator informed me we didn't have enough fuel to make it home on one diesel before we ran out of food.:damn: I informed BdU of our situation, and was ordered to Brest for repairs. Maybe better luck next time.


26.5.40. 2004 Patrol 8
U-551, 7th/13th Flotilla
Left at: May 26, 1940, 20:04
From: Kiel
Mission Orders: Patrol grid AN23
29.5.40. 1322 Grid AN 36 Ship sunk! SS Elmbay (Coastal Freighter), 1870 tons. Cargo: Coal. Crew: 23. Crew lost: 1
30.5.40. 1016 Grid AN 35 Ship sunk! SS Hastings (Coastal Freighter), 1871 tons. Cargo: Coal. Crew: 22. Crew lost: 12
15.6.40. 1944 Grid AF 77 Aircraft destroyed! Swordfish
19.6.40. 2131 Grid AM 29 Ship sunk! MV Empire Norseman (Large Tanker), 12153 tons. Cargo: Aviation Fuel. Crew: 66. Crew lost: 10
2133 Grid AM 29 Ship sunk! SS Adrian (Coastal Freighter), 1873 tons. Cargo: Iron Ore. Crew: 20. Crew lost: 19
2138 Grid AM 29 Ship sunk! MV British Energy (Modern Tanker), 8692 tons. Cargo: Gasoline. Crew: 55. Crew lost: 29
26.6.40. 2347 Patrol results
Crew losses: 1 dead
Ships sunk: 5
Aircraft destroyed: 1
Patrol tonnage: 26459 tons
3 torpedoes left (couldn't load externals due to high seas)
U-boat damaged (HI 70.85%)

Received Swords for my Knights cross with oak leaves, and a promotion to Kapitanleutnant upon arrival at Brest.

U-109 IXB
 

Patrol No 9

27 October 1940
02:02 hours U-109 left Lorient under the cover of darkness. Destination : Grid DT26

31 October 1940
Grid CG54
13:42 hours MV Empire Seal (Ore Carrier), 8746 tons. Cargo: Copper Ore. Crew: 78. Crew lost: 33 - sunk by gunfire - 19 105mm rounds used

25 November 1940
Grid CG95
22:33 hours SS Bantam (Medium Merchant 40), 5928 tons. Cargo: Machinery. Crew: 61. Crew lost: 59
When the merchant was spotted it was engaged by the deck gun. After 9 rounds were fired a star shell appeared in the sky and a shell landed near U-109. We immediately dived to PD and fired 3 torpedoes at the -now- stopped merchant to ensure her sinking. A warship contact appeared closing fast. U-109 dived to 80m and escaped undetected.

6 December 1940
Grid BE39 - convoy battle
4 torpedoes fired - 3 explosions heard
02:52 hours SS Aberhill (Coastal Freighter), 1874 tons. Cargo: Paper Products. Crew: 23. Crew lost: 18
02:58 hours SS Pavon (Medium Merchant 22), 4292 tons. Cargo: Foodstuffs. Crew: 31. Crew lost: 7
06:59 hours MV Asperity (Coastal Freighter), 1873 tons. Cargo: Coal. Crew: 21. Crew lost: 10 - sunk 4 hours (game time) after the torpedo hit

Grid BF17
15:30 hours SS Silverpine (Medium Merchant 29), 4906 tons. Cargo: Steel. Crew: 41. Crew lost: 7 - sunk by 3 torpedoes (1 dud)

16 December 1940
Grid BE36
13:51 hours SS Armilla (Medium Merchant 40), 5929 tons. Cargo: Iron Ore. Crew: 30. Crew lost: 6 - sunk by gunfire - 26 105mm rounds used

18 December 1940
Grid BF14 - convoy battle
4 torpedoes fired - either missed or duds

Second approach - 6 torpedoes fired - 5 explosions heard
The convoy turned away so there was no chance to keep contact. When it was all quiet U-109 went to PD and two tankers were seen DIW
U-109 surfaced and engaged with the deck gun
16:16 hours SS Cadillac (Tanker 08), 12153 tons. Cargo: Gasoline. Crew: 47. Crew lost: 13
16:21 hours SS San Geraldo (Tanker 08), 12152 tons. Cargo: Gasoline. Crew: 58. Crew lost: 30
60 105mm rounds used on both tankers.

20 December 1940
14:28 hours Docked at Lorient
55 days at sea
9 ships sunk
57853 tons
No damages or casualties
20 torpedoes fired
114 10,5 cm rounds used

Andwii / U-174
A nice assortment of patrols here.
Congartulations on sinking the enemy carrier!

Roadrage / U-551
Well done on a safe return

danke Vonharris. Ein paar Patrouillen zurück, sank ich eine illustre Klasse Flugzeugträger!

Lets just say the tommies wernt so happy bout that one.

Sehr schon Herr Kaleun.
I hoffe dass Sie auch ein Schlatschiff senken werden!

Gute Jadg!

Kapitanleutnant Ernst Klein commanding U-551.

I think the boys at Brest got her sorted out. She runs like a fine tuned Mercedes now. Ran into a convoy on our way back to Kiel. Weather was bad, but not horrible, but getting worse. First attack, a Flower class spotted our scope. Depth charges destroyed the obs scope, and caused flooding in 4 compartments. Second attack run we emptied all our internals except for the stern, got depth charged again. After successfully evading the escorts, we surfaced. The sea was a little rough to load externals, but I let the men decide if they wanted to risk loading. I had to stop them from all going out on deck at once. After they got the externals in, I told them we were going to set a record for reloading the stern tube. They had the torpedo ready. Two ore carriers went down. All out of eels, we headed for home with 52k tons under our belt and some tired and beat up sailors, leaving some furious tommies behind.


26.7.40. 1227 Patrol 9
U-551, 7th/13th Flotilla
Left at: July 26, 1940, 12:27
From: Brest
Convoy Battle
4.8.40. 0808 Grid AM 51 Ship sunk! SS Santa Leonor (Medium Cargo), 3954 tons. Cargo: Tobacco. Crew: 36. Crew lost: 16
0823 Grid AM 51 Ship sunk! HMS Southampton (Southampton class), 10725 tons. Crew: 804. Crew lost: 498
Second attack run
1430 Grid AM 54 Ship sunk! SS Port Nicholson (Ore Carrier), 8753 tons. Cargo: Coal. Crew: 70. Crew lost: 44
1512 Grid AM 54 Ship sunk! SS Wyoming (Large Merchant), 11324 tons. Cargo: Explosives. Crew: 52. Crew lost: 50
Third attack run
1958 Grid AM 52 Ship sunk! SS Tyndareus (Ore Carrier), 8755 tons. Cargo: Bauxite. Crew: 79. Crew lost: 31
2011 Grid AM 52 Ship sunk! SS Port Caroline (Ore Carrier), 8754 tons. Cargo: Iron Ore. Crew: 63. Crew lost: 6
10.8.40. 0704 Patrol results
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 6
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonnage: 52265 tons
All torpedoes expended
U-boat damaged (HI 94.3%)

Upon arrival at Kiel I received the Knight's Cross with oak leaves, swords, and diamonds. Promotions and medals all around for the crew.

Nothing like tangling with some destroyers to get your heart rate up.

Kapitanleutnant Ernst Klein commanding U-551

I really don't know how we escaped this one without a scratch. Just east of the Rockall Bank, in thick fog <900m visibility, we literally ran into the middle of a convoy. First indication anything was around was a large cargo popping out of the fog 800m off the starboard bow. Needless to say we were detected, dove, fired off one single shot, two salvos and the stern tube at what we could see and got out of there. So we surface probably 1.5km from the convoy (escorts are blind as a bat, hehehe), load the externals and head in again. First thing that pops out of the fog is an empire type freighter at 500m. Dive, fire tubes 2 and 3, 2m depth, 15degree spread. One dud. Fire tube 1, hit. Ordered ahead full to get a shot at him with the stern tube. Sonar man says warship, bearing 330, short range. WHAT! Tube 1 ready. Out of the fog looms an auxiliary cruiser. Hard to port, salvo shot tubes 1 and 4, 2m depth, impact pistol, 15 degree spread. 2 hits and she's going down. Empire type capsizes. Now let's see what we can catch up to in here. Ahead flank, new course 140. Warship contact, bearing 160 closing fast, warship contact bearing 30 closing fast. Flower class comes racing around the auxiliary, fire stern tube, reload it fast. Miss. All hands to stern torpedo room! Tube 5 ready. Black swan frigate barrels out of the fog, dead ahead. Sonar man yells out, Destroyer on attack run! Hard to starboard, let him line up. Rudder amidships. Flower class is breathing down our necks, and we're on a collision course with the Black swan. Chief is cursing me, screaming to dive and get down out of the conn. Black swan is at 350m, dead ahead, fire tube 1, depth 4.5m 0 gyro. Spin the scope around, flower class less than 200m, screw it, fire tube 5, depth 5m, gyro 0, crash dive. New course 180. Brace for impact. Depth charges in the water. And they missed, and I missed.:hmmm: Lucky for them, taking on U-551 like it's some bunch of amateurs. Crawled away at 150m, surfaced and ran full steam to St. Nazaire, our new base.


31.8.40. 2237 Patrol 10
U-551, 7th/13th Flotilla
Left at: August 31, 1940, 22:37
From: Kiel
Mission Orders: Patrol grid AM17
0000 Radio orders, effective immediately our base is St. Nazaire. Our possessions at Kiel will be mailed to us. (Coulda just told us that an hour and a half ago when we were in base.:doh:)
14.9.40. 0818 Grid AM 19 Ship sunk! SS Sea Darter (Large Cargo), 9580 tons. Cargo: Mail/Packages. Crew: 60. Crew lost: 14
0819 Grid AM 19 Ship sunk! SS Penerf (Small Freighter), 1664 tons. Cargo: Timber. Crew: 33. Crew lost: 30
0823 Grid AM 19 Ship sunk! SS City of Carlisle (Large Merchant), 9907 tons. Cargo: Coal. Crew: 70. Crew lost: 69
1059 Grid AM 19 Ship sunk! SS Afghanistan (Empire-type Freighter), 6674 tons. Cargo: Trucks. Crew: 47. Crew lost: 47
1106 Grid AM 19 Ship sunk! HMCS Prince Henry (Auxiliary Cruiser), 13850 tons. Crew: 234. Crew lost: 37
17.9.40. 2243 Patrol results
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 5
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonnage: 41675 tons
No damages
All torpedoes expended.

Received the German Cross upon arrival at base, promotions and medals for the crew. Also was informed that I am to report back to Kiel immediately to take command of the 5th Flotilla.

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/...ErnstKlein.jpg

New Career.

Leutnant z. S. Hermann Bauer commanding U-551.

When I was selected to command U-551, BdU told me this crew was a remarkable one. I believe it 100%. The boat is too. She responds instantly, is quick on the dive, and when need be, silent as a mouse. Kapitanleutnant Klein has these boys whipped into shape. Too bad they didn't get to show me their stormy weather external reload technique. I wasn't about to let them out there in 8m seas. The weather cleared up about the time we got back to France, go figure. All in all, a pretty good patrol even with the externals still in their racks.


1.10.40. 1006 Patrol 1
U-551, 7th/13th Flotilla
Left at: October 1, 1940, 10:06
From: St. Nazaire
Mission Orders: Patrol grid BE61
Convoy Battle
9.10.40. 1841 Grid BE 61 Ship sunk! SS City of Dieppe (Large Merchant), 11787 tons. Cargo: Coffee. Crew: 107. Crew lost: 73
1841 Grid BE 61 Ship sunk! SS Glenroy (Large Merchant), 11785 tons. Cargo: Coffee. Crew: 90. Crew lost: 25
1842 Grid BE 61 Ship sunk! SCF, 2366 tons
1852 Grid BE 61 Ship sunk! SCF, 2367 tons
1855 Grid BE 61 Ship sunk! SS Talthybius (Ore Carrier), 8346 tons. Cargo: Coal. Crew: 86. Crew lost: 86
1900 Grid BE 61 Ship sunk! HMS Dunvegan Castle (Auxiliary Cruiser), 13850 tons. Crew: 115. Crew lost: 93
1904 Grid BE 61 Ship sunk! SS Halma (Medium Tanker), 7877 tons. Cargo: General Cargo. Crew: 37. Crew lost: 34
12.10.40. 0354 Patrol results
Crew losses: 0
Ships sunk: 7
Aircraft destroyed: 0
Patrol tonnage: 58378 tons
2 Torpedoes left (externals)
No damages or casualties.

Promoted to Oberleutnant z. S. upon arrival at St. Nazaire, promotions and medals for the crew.

Roadrage
Nice patrols

I noticed that in your reports the SCF (Q-ship) has no name.
To fix this, add the following block
[SCF]
CrewRange=60|80
0001=Q Ship HMS Antoine
0002=Q Ship HMS Brutus
0003=Q Ship HMS Chatsgrove
0004=Q Ship HMS Cyprus
0005=Q Ship HMS Edgehill
0006=Q Ship HMS Lambridge
0007=Q Ship HMS Looe
0008=Q Ship HMS Maunder
0009=Q Ship HMS Prunella

to the Ship names file in your \SH3 Commander\Cfg folder.

U-109 IXB
 

From : U-109
To : BdU
27 February 1941
14:26 hours
Grid AD83
Convoy attack


03 March 1941
No further contacts of U-109. Persumed sunk with all hands.

The crew of U-174 grief for such a loss.

We will write the names of all those lost on our torpedoes, as U-109 did for us.

U-101 VIIB
 

New career , as it seems I can not get past 1941

Patrol No 2
21 August 1939
21:38 hours U-101 left Wilhelmshaven for grid BF16

10 September 1939
Grid BF 14
convoy battle - 12 torpedoes fired in 3 approaches
18:48 hours SS Siljestad (Medium Merchant 22), 4290 tons. Cargo: Bauxite. Crew: 37. Crew lost: 31
19:39 hours HMS Rodney (HMS Rodney), 36000 tons. Crew: 1331. Crew lost: 971
Both ships were damaged in the second approach and finished off at the third.
I don't think I could have pulled this off later in the war

19 September 1939
10:15 hours Docked at port
2 ships sunk
40290 tons
12 torpedoes fired
No damages or casualties

I finally decided to get back to Hans Uberman's career, having taken more than half a year away. I tried the Type XXI, and while it was amazing, it didn't quite feel the same as a traditional u-boat.

Typical fluff text to legitimize my Type XXI joyride:

After testing a prototype Type XXI submarine, BdU has returned Hans Uberman to regular service. The Type XXI still has many issues that need ironing out, but it showed incredible promise. In the meantime, Hans is to retake command of his old vessel, the U-190, a Type IXC/40 u-boat. Much of the old crew has moved onto other vessels, but several will be rejoining the new crew. The engineers have given the U-190, a fast diving deck modification. (Schnelltauchback). For now, they are to remain based out of Bergen, with eventual reassignment to the 33rd Flotilla in Flensburg.

Four days before we were due to set out, Bergen was attacked by allied bombers, and while we downed several of them, the U-190 was heavily damaged. It will be in repair for several months.

BdU has decided to transfer me to a Type VIIC/41 boat, the U-1024. Command of the U-190 is to be given to another. With this, we lose even more of our former crew, but we shall keep our heads high as we patrols the waters around England and beyond! The U-1024 is an active sonar-equipped boat. We plan to make sparing use of it, as not to give our location away. Bernard wants to use it on icebergs. Why couldn't he have been amongst the old crew that we are leaving behind?