Advice:
Turn off Windows (and all other) Automatic Updates, and scans.

Pull the plug on the internet before firing up SH3.

If possible, set your firewall to Game Mode (Deny access of all programs).

Use the firewall to stop Windows Error Reporting from running, at all.

Grant SH3 immunity from Windows Defender.

Hope there is something helpful here. I used to be plagued by the same problems, constantly.

U122 IXB. Our second patrol.
 

Departed Willy on 26.jul.40.
Arrived at Lorient on 10.sep.40
We were enroute back to Willy, and got turned around by a Base Change Message.

2 Freighters & 2 Tankers were sunk for 37.666 GRT.
This, for me, was a "Wow!" patrol.

Both tankers, and one freighter, were sunk from a Freetown to UK convy.

The remaining freighter was the only independently sailed merchant we encountered through the entire patrol.

On two occasions we encountered RN destroyers along our track into The Bay.

U122's history to date:
2 war patrols completed between 2.maj.40 and 11.sep.40.
7 ships sunk for 57.376 GRT.

U-4 IIA Patrol 7
 

My current career began in December 2010. The following protocols are observed:

no time compression, pausing 'frowned upon'
if u-boat destroyed, restart patrol
GWX3.0, 100% realism
begin with renown = 0
1st flotilla @ Kiel

I hope to have the 2500 renown needed for a better boat by the end of this patrol. This will require sending ~20kt of British steel to the sea floor (which I think is what I managed during patrol 6). Sadly, I can't seem to get past patrol 7, which invariably ends with my death at the hands of the escorts of a certain predictable convoy that makes its way down the east coast of Britain about 4 days after I leave Kiel. I'm currently attempting once again to intercept this convoy, having just entered the NW quadrant of AN73 from the North. Earlier today I took out both an ASW trawler and a coastal freighter with my flak cannon. (Having only 5 torps, I like to pick off the wee boats with the cannon. I'd rather have avoided the trawler, but thanks to 'periscope depth' often leaving the top of my bridge exposed, I was spotted despite the darkness of night. And I've learned that when faced with a single depth charge-spewing ASW trawler, it's better to surface and go toe-to-toe with it than try to survived its DCs).

January 1940.
Lt. z S. Wolfgang Grimm.
U-127, a Type IXB out of Wilhelmshaven.

Without going into much detail, we did not make it to BE68 for patrol 2.

March 1940.
Oblt. z S. Wolfgang Grimm.
U-127, a Type IXB out of Wilhelmshaven.

After dispatching a single merchant north of Ireland, we came across a large convoy. On the first strike, four ships were sent to the bottom. The escorts spat in the wrong direction.

The weather calmed down considerably. Under the cover of darkness, we surfaced and took out the two escorts in short order. Both were crippled by a torpedo each and then shelled. After that, the convoy was open.

Or so we thought. An enemy submarine had gone undetected, a guardian angel. We took heavy damage from shells and machine guns. Our gunnery officer was killed. We dove, put two torpedoes into the enemy and ran back to the convoy. The enemy sub probably sank.

From here on, it was a turkey shoot. A further ten merchants were sunk. We ran out of torpedoes, deck gun ammunition and FlaK. Our estimates were about 100,000 tons of shipping

Our return was slow due to engine troubles. A funeral at sea was held for Metzger.

I will try these things. Thanks!

U-505 IXC update
 

Patrol No 8
November 28 1940 15:13 hours
Left Lorient France with ordrers to patrol AE87 in Iceland

December 10 1940 Grid AD59
Convoy attack in bad weather
6 torpedoes fired 4 hits scored
22:32 hours Q ship sunk by luck as the torpedo was aimed at a whale factory ship
22:38 hours Medium merchant 38 sunk
Hydrophone showed one more ship hit and stopped
The escorts did not find us.

December 11 1940 Grid AD59
Came to periscope depth after reloading at 120m at 1kt.
00:30 hours Tanker 07 sunk with 2 torpedoes. The convoy has long gone.

December 17 1940 Grid AD59
05:00 hours Lone tanker 16 sunk with 2 stern shots

December 30 1940 Grid AM53
05:42 hours Enemy sloop sunk with the flak gun. Crew was allowed to abandon ship and given provisions and cigarettes.

December 31 1940 Grid AM53
02:39 hours Tugboat sunk by gunfire. Crew was agin allowed toabandon ship
05:12 hours Coastal freighter sunk by torpedoes. She was armed with a stern mounted heavy AA gun

January 1 1941 Grid AM52
Convoy attack
Starndard method of approach and attack followed
6 torpedoes fired 5 hits scored
19:52 hours Heavy merchant 01 sunk after huge explosion
19:52 hours Medium merchant 17 sunk (cut in half)
19:56 hours Heavy merchant 01 sunk after two hits

January 12 1941 some 300kms west of Lorient
15:37 hours heavy rain
U-505 surprised on the surface by a British Town class DD. Hiw first shells fell short only to raise water form the surface.
U-505 crash dived under fire.
The DD steamed on U-505 position. The first DC attack was well aft of the Uboat.
Hydrophones showed two more contacts: The DD was escoting two merchants.
The DD lost contact after his attack so U-505 dared to go to periscope depth to attack. A small merchant and a medium cargo were zigzagging at slow speed. 2 TIs fired , one at each ship but both missed. The DD was looking at the wrong place and U-505 had two more torpedoes left. Both were fired at the medium cargo , hit and exploded but she went on.
The DD was in the dark and U-505 dived to 100m and escaped.

January 14 1941 19:37 hours
Docked at Lorient France
48 days at sea
10 ships sunk
49762 tons sent to the bottom
223 men killed
1 narrow escape.

07 OCT 39

I'm currently in grid AM 51. The weather has been complete crap for a couple of days now. The seas are terrible and the rain is coming down in sheets.

I'm doing paperwork while keeping an eye on my Nav screen when all of the sudden I hear, "Ship spotted!" I look up at the screen and she's right on top of me! Holy Crap!! I jump to the periscope and raise it to see a British large merchant filling a good portion of the viewing area. Range...250m! :arrgh!: directly behind it.

So I slam on the breaks so to speak and wait for her to get to 300m. I quickly launch three eels running at 9m. All three find their mark and she's dead in the water; but she's not sinking...just sitting there.

I come up alongside and turn 90 degrees. At 300m I launch a 4th eel. This one from the stern tubes. An easy hit and at this point she definitely starts listing and taking on water.

I order "All Stop!" and go to the bridge so I can watch her go down. I would have thought that with four holes in her she'd go down pretty easy; but it was still almost a half hour (game time) for her to go into her death throes. 10600+ tons that won't make it to England. :yeah:

U-505 IXC update
 

Patrol No 9
February 3 1941 00:28 hours
Left Lorient with orders to patrol CG 73

February 11 1941 Grid CG94
04:30 hours Aircraft spotted. U-505 crash dived and avoided any damage
06:51 hours Aircraft spotted at medium range. No time to crash dive. Target engaged with the flak guns. 1 flak gunner died of mashine gun fire. A kingfisher was shot down. Damages to hull and engines from a close bomb hit.
10:03 hours Aircraft spotted U-505 crash dived but took damage from gunfire and bombs. Propeler damaged as well flooding in radio room. More hull damage.
12:55 hours Surprised by aircraft after surfacing. No time to dive. Target was engaged with flak gun. A kingfisher was shot down

February 12 1941 Grid CG95
10:30 hours Aircraft spotted once again. U-505 crash dived and escaped.
12:10 hours While at 30m sound contact is enabled. Two merchant at slow speed closing.
12:20 hours U-505 came to periscope depth to visualy identify targets. Both ships are armed.
12:48 hours All 4 bow tubes fired.
12:49 hours Medium merchant 28 sunk
13:09 hours Empire type freighter sunk after two more hits (stern shots)

20:00 hours Coastal freighter (armed)sunk by torpedoes
23:47 hours Passenger/cargo (armed) hit by torpedoes and finished off by gunfire

February 13 1941 Grid CG95
08:20 hours Aircraft spotted. U-505 crash dived but took some damage by 20mm cannon fire
09:48 hours Empire type freighter (armed) by 3 torpedoes

12:53 hours Aircraft attack. Two bombs fell really close despite manouvering at 15kts. Massive flooding and damages.
The Hurricanes did not make a second pass. It is tiem to return.

19:20 hours Aircraft spotted U-505 dived at flank speed to 40m and avoided damage. Not safe to go any deeper since various cracking noises were heard.

19:40 hours Multiple sound contacts. Convoy attack. Torpedoes were fired from 4500m and turned away.

20:23 hours Small freighter sunk
20:26 hours Dido class light cruiser sunk

21:00 hours Decided to return to Lorient running close to the coastline

February 15 1941 Grid CG58
18:13 hours Unarmed small merchant sunk by gunfire

February 17 1941 22:14 hours
Docked at Lorient
Damages to hull were almost critical, we were lucky to survive
Hull intergrity : 25%
Enemy airforce always present.
Where are our planes Herr Georing?
2 aircrafts shot down
1 crew member dead
8 ships sunk
34225 tons to the bottom
246 men killed
15 days at sea.
A long repair and resting period is ahead of us.

U122 IXB. Patrol 3.
 

Departed Lorient on 5.nov.40.
Assigned Grid DH32, thence southward along the Freetown lanes.

Remained on station for 2 days (13.nov.40 - 15.nov.40), without sightings.

On 20.nov.40, while transiting DU47, U122 recieved a radio dispatch:
"Convoy. DT38. N. 6 knots". And off we went to play catch up.

On 21.nov.40, while rushing north through DT35, we recieved a second dispatch on the same convoy:
"Convoy. DT35. N. 6 knots"
BDU was finaly relieved that we did establish contact.
(General location was W of The Canaries).

Hr VONHARRIS must have sent the original contact report as, half the merchants seemed to be missing. It was later established that there were 4 destroyers for escorts. At least 2 were of the Hunt Class.

This convoy was our only contact throughout the patrol.
(Clouds: None. Fog: None. Wind: 0 m/s. Moon: Two thirds. And yes, the moonlight was used for night submerged attacks. Was there any other option with these conditions, and all Elite escorts?)
Over the next 48 hours we made 6 attacks on the convoy itself, and 2 additional attacks on previousely damaged stragglers.

U122 docked at Lorient on 4.dec.40.
2 Tanker, and 4 Freighter penants were hung from the periscope.
Crew & boat healthy. (Only because of early war DCs, this time.)

Patrol results:
6 ships sunk for 40.874 GRT.
All 14 torpedoes expended.

U122's history to date:
3 war patrols between 2.maj.40 and 4.dec.40.
13 ships sunk for 98.250 GRT.

Thanks !!!:D

My next patrol area is DH41 some time in March-April 1941 depending on how much time repairs will take.

I am looking forward to meeting U-122 and her brave captain Kaleun Snestorm to unleash hell in the Limies convoys.
A wolfpack is starting to form!

U-456, Patrol 3, day 2
 

November 1941
Lt. z S. Erich Scheide
U-456 ("die Elster"), VIIC, 7.th Flotilla, St.Nazaire
Sunny, wind 1m/s
BF58
Orders: Patrol ET54 / report weather

Just began our third patrol, cleared the shallow part of the Bay of Biscay. No ASW groups, no airplane sightings and no enemy shipping to report.

ET54? In a VIIC?!
Ever think of getting a IXB or IXC?

Can't imagine how you pulled a Freetown grid with a VIIC, but good hunting.

Definetely no flank speed chases now!
 

We'll stop by Corrientes in Las Palmas, if need be, but we've been to Freetown before without refueling. I think we'll be able to make it. It's fuel saving RPM's all the way, though. No 150 km flank speed chases after convoys!

I've been toying with the idea of getting an IXC, but I have trouble sneaking away from the escorts as it is, so it's probably safer to stay with the smaller boat for now.

Thx for the good luck wishes, I think we'll need it!

U-505 IXC update
 

Patrol No 10
May 4 1941 19:17 hours
After a long repair period U-505 left Lorient for Grid DH41

May 10 1941
18:03 hours Small convoy spotted @stern torpedoes fired against medium cargo. Both hit but the ship survived. Disengaged with no problems

May 12 1941
08:00 hours Aircraft spotted U-505 crash dived but took some damage by near miss bomb.

May 23 1941 Grid CG97
19:30 hours Multiple hydrophone contacts of warships closing fast.
19:35 hours Periscope depth Enemy task force: HMS Glorious 2 Fiji class cruisers several destroyers. U-505 took attack position
19:50 hours All 4 bow tubes flooded and fired: 3 at the carrier 1 at a cruiser
20:00 hours Swung around and fired both stern tubes at the other cruiser
20:17 hours Fiji class light cruiser sunk
20:47 hours Fiji class light cruiser sunk
The carrier escaped despited being hit 3 times

May 26 1941 Grid CG95
15:26 hours Aircraft attack , minor damage to conning tower. The aircraft was driven away by AA fire

June 4 1941 Grid BF15
13:05 hours Lone Flower class frigate engaged and sunk.

June 11 1941 Grid AM52
02:15 hours Bdu radio message of enemy convoy
03:16 hours Large merchant sunk with torpedoes and gunfire.
04:20 hours U-122 Kaleun Snestorm updated the convoy position
06:11 hours Coastal freighter sunk
15:00 hours Convoy attack in bad weather , no other contact with U-122 made.
15:37 hours Ore carrier sunk
15:44 hours Medium merchant 15 sunk

June 14 1941 Grid BF42
02:11 hours Small freighter sunk

June 15 1941
14:56 hours Docked at Lorient
Ships sunk :8
Tonnage: 51270
Men killed: 591
43 days at sea
Hull intergity : 87%
Transferred to 11th flotilla , Kiel Germany

U-505 IXC update
 

Patrol No11
July 5 1941 10:10 hours
U-505 left Kiel setting course for the North sea through the Kiel canal

July 24 1941 Grid CF93
Small convoy encountered
12:35 hours Tramp steamer sunk by torpedoes
12:42 hours Medium merchant 38 sunk by torpedoes

July 28 1941 Grid CG97
06:54 hours Aircraft attack FAA Kingfisher shot down
07:21 hours Aircraft attack FAA Kingfisher shot down

08:02 hours Aircraft attack RAF Hurricane driven off by AA fire. Flak gunner killed by strafing fire. Crash dive and escaped with minor damages

August 3 1941 Grid BF17
Convoy attack with nice weather
06:35 hours Heavy merchant 01 sunk (exploded after secondary damages)
06:35 hours Motor tanker 02 sunk after direct hit
07:45 hours Whale factory ship sunk after being hit twice
at 06:42 hours

August 14 1941 Grid AM76
20:47 hours Coastal freighter sunk with torpedoes

August 15 1941 Grid AM54
22:50 hours Crash dive to avoid incoming destroyer.
Convoy spotted with hydrophones

23:06 hours Town class destroyer sunk
The convoy kept the same course (strange?)
5 torpedoes fired 4 hits scored
23:26 hours Medium merchant 39 sunk
23:31 hours Medium merchant 30 sunk
Spotted by the escorts , at least 7 warships
3 of them engaged , the rest followed the convoy
DC dropped like rain for 3 hours but U-505 laid silent at 160m and took little damage and a lot of shaking

August 16 1941 Grid AM54
03:56 hours Returned to periscope depth and found Empire-tyoe freighter dead in the water. Ship was finished off with 1 torpedo and gunfire
U-505 set course for Kiel

August 22 1941 16:18 hours
Docked at Kiel
1 crew member killed
Hull intergrity : 77%
10 ships sunk
55634 tons sent to the bottom
2 aircrafts shot down
49 days at sea
484 men killed
Request for transfer back to Lorient : APPROVED

U122 IXB. Patrol 4.
 

This boat is hot!

Departed Lorient on 29.jan.41 with orders to proceed toward grid AJ38 (S of Greenland).

2.feb.41
Grid BF41
During daylight hours, we got a sound contact, for a medium speed merchant.
The whole attack went like clockwork.
Daylight submerged attack.
3 torpedoes fired. 3 hits scored.
1 C2 Cargo sunk for 6.418 GRT . . . of neutral tonnage.
Uh oh. Not such a great start after all.

13.feb.41
Grid AK54 (Neighborhood S of Greenland).
At 0148, on a clear & calm night came "Ship spotted!".
With 1 strike against me, I closed for a good flag check.
By the time we could tell that he was a brit, our tracks were too close for a torpedo attack.
At just under 2 knots, and almost in his path, I ordered the deck gun manned.
My gunnersmate did a "smashing" job.
We didn't get run over, and we did sink an ENEMY (this time) C2 for 6.446 GRT.

At 1446, of the same day, while transiting AM46, we recieved a radio dispatch:
"Convoy. AK43 (1 grid north). ENE. 7 knots."
At 2012 we made contact.
We later learned of 2 Destroyers & 4 Corvettes, as escorts.

13.feb.41 - 1852 - AK43 - T2 Tanker - 10.871 GRT

13.feb.41 - 2210 - AK43 - Surface after long hard Escape & Evasion.
14.feb.41 - 0142 - AK01 - Fast dive for a too close DD. Undetected.

14.feb.41 - 0210 - AK01 - Surface for a wider end-around.
14.feb.41 - 0217 - AK01 - Wind up from 0 m/s to 9 m/s. Clear & moonlit.
14.feb.41 - 0435 - AK01 - Submerge along convoy's expected track.
14.feb.41 - 0456 - AK01 - Destroyer & Corvette sighted in periscope.
14.feb.41 - 0458 - AK01 - Sound: 2 DDs in lead. 4+ Corvettes.
14.feb.41 - 0516 - AK01 - Fire 1, 3, 4. New depth 150m. 5 degrees right rudder. (T1 torps).
14.feb.41 - 0518 - AK01 - C2 Cargo, 6.453 GRT, sunk. (Was not targeted) (Romper)!
14.feb.41 - 0519 - AK01 - T2 Tanker, 10.872 GRT, sunk. (HE was targeted). P I N G !

14.feb.41 - 0640 - AK01 - Surface. 1 bow & 4 stern torps remaining.
14.feb.41 - 0818 - AK01 - Corvette sighted. Evade on surface.
14.feb.41 - 0937 - AK01 - Diving on convoy's expected track.
14.feb.41 - 1030 - AK01 - Fire 5, 6, at C2 Cargo. 2 impacts followed.
14.feb.41 - 1232 - AK01 - Fire 2, at DIW C2 Cargo w/stern gun. Impact!
14.feb.41 - 1237 - AK01 - C2 Cargo finaly sinks for 6.448 GRT.

14.feb.41 - 1400 - AK01 - Surface for final attack.
14.feb.41 - 1730 - AK01?- Sound check reveals us to be behind. Surface.
14.feb.41 - 1907 - AK29 - Dive on convoys expected track. Nose to Noise.
14.feb.41 - 2208 - AK29 - Fire 5, 6, at first (and farthest) target.
14.feb.41 - 2210 - AK29 - 1 hit, sinking a Coastal Merchant for 2.042 GRT.

15.feb.41 - 0039 - AK29 (while submerged at TC x 64)
"Enemy is pinging us , sir". What?!
Kaleun VONHARRIS must have been conducting torpedo instruction, again.
3 sunk and/or sinking Corvettes surrounded us.
So that's why they weren't heard from on our last attack.
Thanks U505. Life is good.

The last message recieved, regarding this convoy, was:
"Warship. AK29. NNE. 7 knots".
Kaleun VONHARRIS must have been very busy, 'cause it wasn't us.

U122 docked at Lorient on 7.mar.41 in good condition.

Patrol results:
7 ships sunk for 49.550 GRT.
14 of 14 torpedoes expended.

U122's history to date:
4 war patrols between 31.maj.40 and 7.mar.41.
20 ships sunk for 147.800 GRT.

Only once, have I had a boat that scored like this.
Oddly enough, it was U48 VIIB.
(Still my highest scorer, by a long shot).

May I ask how you guys keep such detaild reports?? I mean do you jot everything down that happens then type it up here later or what?? When I give mine in here they're more like stories :X

Guilty as charged.
I try to write down "the big stuff".

This time was even worse, as I was testing my IXB speed mod at Silent Speed.
(Now Slow Ahead = Silent Speed. Got tired of having to always manualy find the setting.)

U-505 IXC update
 

From : U-505
To :BdU and every Uboot at grid AM51
URGENT --- URGENT
08:26 hours
Both diesels destroyed. Periscopes destroyed. Flak gun heavily damaged.
Attacked by Flower corvette with gunfire and DCs
Battery down to 10%

After that I gave my 3 years old daughter to roll a dice. If a 6 came up (chances 16%) then I would be saved , otherwise the war would end for U-505.
Guess what : The dice rolled 6. Hurah I am saved.

09:00 hours
Incoming message
From : U-122
To : U-505 BdU

vonHarris , I am coming at flank speed. Hold on. Will contact later. ETA: 3 hours

09:30 hours
From : U-505
To : U-122

Message received. Please hurry. Injured crewmen

13:00 hours
U-122 docks alongside U-505 in foggy weather. Spare parts for the diesels and periscopes were given. Kaleuns Snestorm and vonHarris had a discusion to decide further actions. It was decided that U-122 would take the wounded men and sail to Brest while U-505 would try to repair her engines and return to Lorient.

Finally everything worked fine for both Ubooten.

Since I am playing at 100% realism I can not teleport to base so I will continue this patrol from my last save point. What do you think?

Patrol 3, back in port
 

December 24th 1941
Ob.Lt. z S. Erich Scheide
U-451 ("die Elster"), VIIC, 7.th Flotilla, St.Nazaire
Orders: Patrol ET54 / report weather

Back in St.Nazaire after a long trip to Freetown and back. The crew is happy to get a leave just for Christmas and New Year.

The patrol was a month of rotten weather, no escorts seen, 18000 GRT, 35 % fuel left.

On the 5th of December at grid ET54 we met an escortless convoy with 2 American, one Mexican and one British ship. The only armed ship on the convoy was an American Liberty frachter with 2 heavy guns and 4 Flak Guns. One G7a shot against the British Alter Passagiersschiff and eventually sunk by gunfire. I was afraid that the American ship would fire at us when we surfaced just 3500 meters from them to finish the Alter Passagiersschiff, but they decided to follow their orders and stay neutral while we sunk the British ship. After a couple of days we got a radio message informing about war between us and the Americans. Next time we meet there'll be no hesitations - it's us or them.

One airplane sighted near Freetown, we dived to 50 meters and there was a sound of bombs hitting water, nowhere close to us.

U-505 IXC update
 

Patrol No 12
September 22 1941
09:01 hours
Left Lorient to patrol Grid BE86

October 8 1941 Grid AM52
02:19 hours Medium merchant 30 sunk with 2 torpedoes

October 9 1941 Grid AM1
convoy attack
10:30 hours Tanker 07 sunk direct hit and explosion
12:40 hours Tanker 07 sunk direct hit and explosion
14:12 hours Tanker CAM ship sunk with 4 torpedoes

October 10 1941 Grid AM51
U-505 is badly damaged by a Flower corvette. Both engines destroyed , periscopes destroyed.
Thanks to the assistance of U-122 (Kaleun Snestorm) U-505 managed to patch her engines and returned to Lorient.

October 12 1941 16:24 hours
Lorient
U-505 was declared a total loss and scuttled.
Kptltn vonHarris and all of his crew took the U-524 IXC Uboot.