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gazpode_l 01-30-11 08:45 PM

U-93 continued it's career this evening and into small hrs of monday morning.. (RL time). :woot: :ahoy:

Un-eventful trip until just NE of Scappa Flow when we have a ship spotted report from the bridge....a few extremities later from the skipper he reports that he has spotted the HMS Nelson. Near scappa in March 1940. :timeout: :stare:

So A A flank was ordered and we decided to give chase. Tubes 1 & 4 were (with type II's inside) setup for shots with impact fuses and 5m depths and tube 2 setup for 4m depth @ fast speed. :yep:

Evident I had rumbled myself into a mid-sized task force. Not sure how big but spotted at least three in the group with a small escort. :rock:

Was going to wait until 2km away before firing, but I lost that chance when a sharp-eyed lookout amongst the allies spotted me. :doh::doh::timeout: So It was FIRE! immediately on tubes 1&4 before I ordered a crash dive to 50metres as the allies had opened gun-fire on me.

Barely a minute later "WASSEBOMEN" was heard exploding around us, luckily the allies aim wasn't great and they missed us. Cue a 30minute (real life & game time set to 1x speed) tussle between myself and the V&W destroyer chasing me... :gulp:

3mins after I fired the torpedoes, two explosions are heard. One was a definate hit on the nelson (thanks to event camera) whereas the other seemed to detonate behind her. No cheering was made from the crew which suggests a premature detonation was possible. :shifty:

R/L Time has beaten me to it, so I had to leave things as they were with V&W seemingly lost contact - for how long, I am not sure ATM. :zzz: :yawn:

Skipper Walter Suhr. :salute:

frau kaleun 01-30-11 11:24 PM

Live by the Swordfish, die by the Swordfish
 
25 Oct 1939
To: BdU
From: U-35

It is with great regret that I report the death in action of Bootsmaat Alfred Parzmair on 23 October.

During our current patrol southwest of the Faroe Islands Alfred had shown great discipline and skill in the downing of 18 British aircraft, most likely flying reconnaissance from the Illustrious class carrier known to be in the area.

On the morning of 23 October, what appeared to be a lone 19th plane was spotted and subsequently shot down by Bootsmaat Parzmair before making its first run at our boat. He remained at his post manning the AA gun until the "all clear" was given and the officer on watch confirmed that no other aircraft had been spotted.

He was halfway down the ladder into the conning tower when one of the watch spotted a second plane, coming in out of the sun and already homing in for an attack run at full speed. Bootsmaat Parzmair immediately returned to the bridge, likewise at full speed, pushing one watchman down and out of the line of fire in order to retake his place at the AA gun.

He was able to fire several rounds at the incoming plane but was himself wounded when it strafed the boat on its first pass. By then the alarm had been sounded and we were able to lower Alfred into the conning tower and then the control room as the emergency dive procedures were underway.

Damage to the boat was light and was subesquently repaired, however Parzmair died of his wounds shortly thereafter and was buried at sea in Grid AM2122 on 24 October.

As our return to Wilhelmshaven would have marked the completion of his second combat patrol, I would like to ensure that Bootsmaat Parzmair is posthumously awarded the U-Boat War Badge along with any other crewmen who are qualified to receive it at that time. I am also recommending that he be posthumously awarded the Iron Cross, Second Class for his service and the sacrifice it unfortunately entailed.

- Oblt. Kurt Schaaf, Kommandant

Walruss 01-31-11 04:38 AM

Captains Log, August 20, 1939

3 weeks we've been out at sea now- There was rumors of war when we left but so far nothing has changed. We've sighted several ships, including a German small merchantman who was kind enough to share some schnapps with us, however otherwise this patrol has been nothing more than dull.

The weather has not been terribly kind either- We have been stuck in rough seas and storms for over a week now, however as my XO pointed out, what's the worst it could do, sink us?

The men are bored, though I think my engineering officer has cannibalized enough parts to jury-rig a still down in the stern torpedo room... I must pay him a visit soon.

Damn, I hope this war starts or BDu calls us back... one way or another it would beat sitting around on these god-forsaken waves for weeks on end!

Uberlt z.s. Klaus Sauerkraut,
O.C. U-35

Mike Abberton 01-31-11 11:01 AM

First Campaign
 
Hello All. First post here. P.aying SHIII with GWX.

Started a career out of Kiel in a IIA. Upgraded to a IID. Patrols 1-4, I'd sunk a couple ships but nothing too large (largest was a Granville class freighter - maybe 4600ish tons).

I just completed patrol 5 (Feb 1940) with a little better luck in the end. We were sent to patrol NW of Scapa Flow.

Started bad with a missed shot at a coastal freighter (didn't want to waste a second torp on such a small vessel). Then bad weather set in. Kept finding small ships, and didn't want to waste torps in the heavy seas at shallow draft ships.

Got a contact report and followed it with rough seas still. I get close expecting another mini, but see a beautiful large freighter in the scope. Nervous about the weather and my still spotty tracking skills (I'm manual TDC'ing everything), I let go with all 3 and get 3 hits!!! More than doubled my total haul in 1 salvo. Finished out the patrol with a coastal freighter with the last torp and headed home.

Mike

frau kaleun 01-31-11 11:52 AM

Welcome aboard, Mike! :salute:

Gryffon300 01-31-11 12:26 PM

Finally, back at Sea
 
09 Aug 1939
To: BdU
From: U-48, Flot Saltzwedel
Hi Hans. Thought I'd drop a line to you to go with the official report. Well, looks like your political hacks in the office got their way and managed to sheet home some blame for Konigsberg to my poor bloody XO. Sending him back to Sub School was a low act, but he had the last laugh.

He got his own boat! The U-51 with Flot Wegener. In his shake-down cruise, he got sent back to Konigsberg, WITH THE SAME TRIPLE-DAMNED ORDERS! How could those orders, to 'sink target ships in Konigsberg.... avoid damage', still be in the order packs for 1st Flotilla? What ever happened to German efficiency, eh? :nope:

Anyway, the sly bugger decided to carry out the orders in reverse order of priority - do his 24 hours in the harbour grid, THEN sink the target ships - reasoning that at least he wouldn't be under fire for the 24 hour AO98 grid patrol! What do you know???! :hmmm: The moment he completed his 24hrs, the "Target Ships" designation from the Enigma machine vanished & he was home free with a plesant sail back into port. I don't have a clue why or how the orders were changed, but you certainly still haven't caught the rat in the ranks there at BdU! :down:

Anyway, enough of that - I've had my own problems. I've been trying to put to sea for 4 days now, with no success. The Enigma machine just wouldn't process inputs, so I had to keep stripping out till I had the bare basic order set. I eventually had to resign my career with the old boat - it just wouldn't let me get out. First mission was very buggy, with a 'Crash Dive' on shake-down taking me to 150m, with no sign of stopping, then the Enigma reported 'date clash error', after I had loaded my boat for a second mission immediately after returning to port & put to sea from within the sub-pen, rather than going to his office & seeking The Commander's permission.

I guess after doing that (it worked, by the way), the Commander's paperwork didn't match up anymore, and, you know how beureaucrats are, he wouldn't let me to sea ever again, so I had to resign my career with that boat, too.

But now, at last, Ive just run a sweet shake-down with a nice new boat with no Enigma glitches. Crash dive even works to 70m, with surface the boat to manned tower taking 1min30sec to achieve, and 57sec with Emergency Surface. Damned fine performance from a new crew (especially as I sprung the test on them on a beautiful, calm evening out in BF17, with a magnificent sunset and some uplifting Wagner playing - the brass just resonates through the boat. Glorious! Just when they were all relaxed and comfortable - Bam! ALARM Bells! Love it!).

Anyway, I herd about Shaaf's gunner buying it. Damn shame - I heard he was a good man. Pass on my condolences if the occasion arises will you?

That's all for now. I have to zip over to speak with the boffins at technical about these damned Enigma's eccentricities to see if I can figure out how to let my Chief Engineer do all his favourite tweaks to the boat, and still have the Enigma remain reliable. I've had about thirty crashes in the last 4 days & no sea-time.

Apparently, I'm to go in a service queue behind some Kaleun who has forgotten his name. He keeps hitting his head against walls, too. I hear some crack like that after prolonged depth-charge attack. Pity, seems a good fellow otherwise.

Lt Kurt Ebert

gazpode_l 01-31-11 02:56 PM

Scappa encounter march 1940
 
Kaluen Suehr (u-93) Aka Gazpode: Analysing from a R/L perspective, I am beginning to doubt my initial ident during my patrol that I had encountered the HMS Nelson, But indeed is possible that it was actually HMS Rodney.

R/L Research suggest the nelson was hundreds of miles away in "pompy" having a major refit.

IF JIMBUNA and his crew have modeled GWX as realistically as I Think they have, then I premise that indeed it WAS the rodney I spotted...as R/L page mentions here:- http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-aContents.htm#type

Theusje 01-31-11 05:10 PM

What happened before: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...176809&page=11

To continue from where I left:

I finally got them rid of me and after a couple of hours of not hearing anything I decided to ascend to p-depth. Scanned 360°, twice, surfaced.

BAM Black Swan stationary at 8km. This was not good for my heart. I think this is the the Black Swan I got a hit on. Sneaky I got behind his stern and fired a torpedo but missed. Then moved to his port side and fired another one and she sank.

Tried to make contact again with the convoy but only got updates on a C&D and another Black Swan. Took my time, it was night and they only went 6knots, positioned myself, took out th C&D. Rinse and repeat for the Black Swan.

I then decided to raid* Freetown as my patrol grid was nearby (ET13). Scanned it's surroundings the first night, figured it was only defended by an ASW trawler. That night I also found a V&W and destroyed because it was running slow. Waited out the day in deep water nearby. The second night the ASW trawler was also moving slow and was going towards the harbor. Fired a torpedo and she sank. Freetown was now undefended. Took my time to figure out the subnet, got in and destroyed a tanker, small merchant and a something else.

Got a small 34,000 GRT
1 tanker, 5 merchants, 5 warships.
I'll give some more info when I'm back from my second patrol.

*I only reloaded once because I went into Ahead Flank due to a misclick and got the ASW trawler on my ass ...

Gryffon300 01-31-11 06:39 PM

Will someone get me another beer?
 
:wah:
Its SO good to see you FK. Maybe you can help me get legless or some perspective (preferably both). So, take off the Viking Helm, pull up a chair and let me be maudlin for a bit.

On this last patrol, I was in the Channel, running ESE on my way back from BF17 & had just got the signal that we were to go at it with the Brits. So, I reversed course and chased down a Medium Merchant that I had close inspected half an hour previous (it had been farily dark, so I had to get to 300 m to be sure of his flag - of course, he was running dark - boy, these merchants sure are twitchy - I guess the writing was on the wall though, about the war starting and everything, though how all these merchants get to waddle around ignoring the International Law of the Sea by not showing their running lights PRIOR to hostilities commencing, I have no idea!)

Sorry, I've had too much to drink already.

Anyway, we put him on the bottom with deck gun and I'm in BF32 (not BF33 - confused the GM line for the edge of the box for a minute), about 40k SE of Bristol just before 21:30 on the evening of September the 3rd (you remember, about half an hour before we got the signal that war had been declared on us by Aus, NZ, India and the rest of those pathetic remnants of the failed British so-called Empire). I picked up an indication of a ship at extreme range, went to flank and went hunting.

We spotted her at long distance in the dark South East of us going West like the Hounds of Hell were after him. It was a V&W. I was about to break North, when I got a second "ship spotted" call. After a bit of messing about, it turned out to be a Southhampton class. Now, I'm interested, so I bend my course due South to run an intercept. I'm doing 18 knotts to their 25, and doing my map work it looks like the closest I will get to their line of travel is 6.5kms. So I set my T1's to Medium (fast would have worked, but I would have run out of range).

I had just plugged in the torp speeds, when I get another 'ship spotted!", then a third and a fourth! Its a bloody Task Force! THREE Southhamptons in line astern, with at least 6 escorts.

It was sooo depressing. I had my Chief Engineer running the diesels WAY over the top of the green for over half an hour, but couldn't close to a worthwhile firing solution. Even when we first made contact and had settled on due South, at medium torp speed, at 7.5 kms, the first of the Southhamptons required a shot 25 to starboard. The tail-end-charlie was better at 10 degrees, but the total run distance (along the hypotenuse) was going to be too great. So close. So very close.

I know you understand the feeling, having missed the Hood, but, can you IMAGINE the glory and the impact that getting a couple of Southamptons on that night would have had on those weak, pallid Britishers? And then, if YOU had followed that up by taking out the Hood?! The war would have been over by Christmas! The British would have been cowering in their docks, afraid to put a little toe near the water!

Ah, the Sea, she IS a cruel mistress, no? Yes, I'll have that other Stein now, thanks. So, my Valkyrie friend, and the rest of you in this shout. What would YOU have done? Could I have got them somehow? Could I have bought glory to the Fatherland and a place in Valhalla?

frau kaleun 01-31-11 10:32 PM

I never had a chance in Hades of getting close enough to the Hood to do more than gape at her.

What hurts is the desperation shot I took at the carrier that probably spawned the Swordfish that killed my Bootsmaat. My last three forward eels, and not a hit among them.

Ah well, I knew it was a chance in a million when I gave the order to fire... but the task force she was in the middle of was making 18 knots by the time we intercepted it, the nearest destroyer had just peeled off and was heading in our direction, and I was never going to get closer or line up anything better.

Even one hit just to make the point would've been something.

We're down to just two eels aft now, and heading home. The weather's been too rough to use the guns ever since we said our last goodbyes to Alfred, and after three weeks at sea we have yet to see an enemy merchant. It's been nothing but RN task forces and those cursed bees. Maybe we'll get a chance at something on our way home, but even if it's the biggest merchant ever to sail the seven seas with a giant Union Jack hanging off the mast and a crew that's lining up to moon us over the railing, it's not gonna make up for missing that carrier.

Gryffon300 02-01-11 02:47 AM

Oh, the tales of Woe that I can bring!
 
After the fiasco of the missed task force, and sulking my way back to the last round of drinks with you, you'll never guess. And if anyone laughs, I'll take a sextant and shove it where the sun don't shine!

I bullied the crew back out to sea for our third patrol - back out to BF16. Ran the Channel no problems at full speed and got to within 100 kms of our box, when I got a 'diesel fuel at 50%' call. :-? Very odd. I didn't think I had used THAT much in the Full Ahead run. So, I figured at half ahead, I'd have no problems. (The Nav said that at that speed I had over 2500 kms to spare AFTER doing my full grid search.) So, I pressed on.

200 kms later, I get the 25% Diesel warning. Now I KNOW I have a major problem. Even dropping to one third, still 1000 kms short. Can't make the Canary's either. Getting a bit desperate for a fleet oiler or a milch cow about now. Believe it!

By now I had a 10% fuel warning (SOME MALFUNCTION! My Damage Control boys never did find the problem). Only thing I could do was head for Cork. At least in a port that was likely to stay neutral, I wasn't going to have my crew end up as POW's and my beautiful new boat in the hands of the Englanders!

But Cork? Really. Yep. I got the good news that, 'We are out of diesel, Sir!' 100 kms short of the target. But, you know those dodgy fuel tank gauges: we made it into Cork on the smell of an oily rag. Couldn't see any dock, so just pulled up about 500m from shore with 12m under keel, and requested to dock, which was accepted.

You think that's the end of the story? Nah, now it starts to get really weird - like I was on furlough in Midguard or something. The bog Irish were tut-tutting about, "himself being out of fuel, is it then?", being nice enough to offer that black dishwater they call beer, "Sure, its good enough to eat!" while I asked how they thought we might arrange to get back to Willhelmshaven. ("William's Haben, is it then? Diddli-o. Sure'n if I was going there, I wouldn't be starting from here! Diddli-i." Not sure if he was trying to be funny, or was a genuine cretin.)

So, I get in touch with the Commander, eventually, and he tells me its OK to start my next patrol from Cork, as long as we fix the malfunction and contact the Consulate for the Scrip to buy the fuel oil (and some provisions - the shore leave was not altogether terrible.)

So, all's well you think? Think again. Remember that 12m under keel? Gone. I wake up aboard when I think I was going to start our next patrol with the boat rolling from 45 degrees to port and starboard, like some Frost Giant has us by the throat and is trying to shove us down a latrine! And the racket! Great groans and thumps, things shattering - worse than any depth-charging I have endured. Within thirty seconds, I have lost 18 crew to this nonsense! :wah:

I had a brief chance to look outside and we were rolling around, high and dry on a mud flat or something. Big deal! So the tide ran out and left us aground. That still doesn't explain how or why we were being mauled by some invisible giant Leprechaun or something! So, YOU explain to me what the hell happened, cause I sure can't. And Gott und Himmell WHAT am I going to report to BdU??

The surviving crew fled to the dock, and tried again - this time pleading with The Commander to allow us to start our next patrol back home: we were all too spooked to try going back to that bewitched place! He acceded to our wishes, and all went well right up to the moment we were about to get aboard, when the damn Enigma went on the fritz again. Tried to go twice more, each time they kept us in port nearly a month, so the last time was for a January launch, but again we failed to get aboard.

That damned place was CURSED, I tell you! I had no option but to try and turn back time, by pretending that the intervening aborted patrols never happened, but The Commander would have none of that (you know how he is about dates and documents conforming.) So - reluctantly, I had to ditch yet another boat and restart my career on another VIIB. I wonder how many they will let me have?!! I'm getting awfully familiar with 1939!!

I'll have that beer now thanks. I've got a headache.

gazpode_l 02-01-11 07:45 PM

Walter Suhr u-93
 
Status Report:
Boat: U-93
Kaluen: W. Suhr
Grid: AM78
Torps Left: 12
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/i...3/p2sunset.jpg

At 3am we managed to escape the clutches of the deadly destroyer that had hounded us for the past three hours! We then managed to slowly bring her upto periscope depth with the DD seemingly disappearing into the distance and his signature on the 'phones going ever weaker.

Surface sweep with the scope showed nothing but waves. We surface and continue on with our run down to our assigned grid, AM78 in beautiful weather, the boys even had thier shorts out and the suncream on, IN MARCH (well it was +15'c!!)

Reached the grid on March 24th. Set about patrolling on a pattern decided by me, and whilst we did so I decided to grab a well deserved sleep whilst we dove to 50meters for a quiet night below the surface. (much more comfy down there wihout the bobbing on the waves).
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/i.../p2skipslp.jpg

On the journey back upto relevent depth, somebody discovered that bernard had been upto his old tricks again and had accidentally knocked one of the tube door switches to "open". I had been wondering for a day or so why she wld refuse to go above 15knts even at FLANK speed...here was the reason! BEEERRRNNNAAARRRDD!!!!!!! :mad:

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/i.../p2bernard.jpg

So here we are Admrial Doenitz, Sat in AM78 with not a ship in sight for miles. Think I might try an 'ol hunting grounds, the irish sea or even chance the channel!!!! :88)

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/i...us25031941.jpg

Regards
Kaluen Suhr
U-93
25/3/1941

kibeldede 02-01-11 07:55 PM

Official Documents: DKM Scharnhorst Patrol No.2

14-16 May 1942

The second patrol of the Scharnhorst was to be close to Cuban waters (DD65). Whilest en route to patrol sector, radar picked up a large Task Force south of our position on the 15th. Being the new enthusastic captain of this battlecruiser, I decided to engage the Force. The force was a juicy looking target. One of the illusive Illustrious-class fleet carriers was surrounded by destroyers. The target would've been decimated, but I reckoned without a King George V battleship in front of the carrier. Was engaged by C-class, J-class, Clemson-class and Tribal-class destroyers. They were too nimble for the 11in main guns to hit. Eventually came into range of KGV's 14in guns. Ordered that we turn broadside. Big mistake. Most secondary armament on starboard side knocked out by 4in - 14in artillery. Abandoned destroyers as target and focused on the carrier. Several secondary hits knocked planes off the deck. Took one 11in broadside to bottom the carrier. Flat-top was so damaged, she sank in less than a minute. Fire temporarily transferred to a J-class, which was destroyed. Fire then focused on KGV but all armament merely bounced off armored shell. Gave the order to disengage and come up behind them later, but rudder controls did not respond. Both rudders were lost. Flank Speed diminished to 28 knots. Was pursued by Tribal-class that eluded all gunfire. Eventually slowed and knocked it out with aft 11in triple turret.

About two hours afterwards, two small warships caught up with my crippled ship: a Hunt-1 destroyer and a Black Swan frigate. Once again, they eluded gunfire but eventually both ships were despatched.

With great difficulty, reached La Rochelle following day and taken back to homeport. Poor girl spent rest of the month in drydock for repairs. Estimated date till fit for combat: 1st June. Third patrol is also scheduled 1st June.

Overall enemy forces encountered:
1 Illustrious fleet carrier
1 King George V battleship
2 Clemson destroyers
2-4 C-class destroyers
2 J-class destroyers
several Tribal-class destroyers
1 Hunt-1 class destroyer
1 Black Swan class frigate

Own forces engaged:
1 Scharnhorst class battlecruiser

Enemy losses:
1 Illustrious fleet carrier :woot:(thats one less to worry about)
1 J-class destroyer
1 Tribal-class Destroyer
1 Hunt-1 destroyer
1 Black Swan class frigate

Own losses:
2 watch officers
1 Scharnhorst class heavily damaged

Two more watchofficers being enlisted to replace those lost.

End file.
_______________________
Mod used: Warship Mod 3.0

Walruss 02-02-11 05:28 AM

Verdammt!
A beautiful empty sea, a full moon, and a brillinatly illuminated target. Americans sailing around like they own the world. Oh I would so love to put an eel into that empire class....

Staying hidden until it passes before resuming patrol

Pappy55 02-02-11 02:48 PM

My first patrol in this campaign is proving to be a very quiet one.. Arrived in my assigned patrol area in the northern approach to Ireland/Liverpool

On route the weather turned foul..

So far this storm has lasted a week. I had 2 single contacts and 1 convoy contact. gave up on the convoy after 18hours of trying to find it in the soup and swelling sea. :damn:

I hate atlantic weather :wah:

UPDATE... (EDIT)

This is becomeing a real DAS BOOT patrol. I think maybe I should head down Gibraltar way and hope to catch somthing with its pants down.. The storm here shows no sign of clearing anytime soon.
I did have a strange moment when listening on the Hydrophones, Caught the unmistakeable sound of a ship breaking up underwater.. Must of been a small costal boat that sunk in the storm.

gazpode_l 02-02-11 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gazpode_l (Post 1588654)
Status Report:
Boat: U-93
Kaluen: W. Suhr
Grid: AM52
Torps Left: 12
25/3/1941

Well my friends
I have bagged my first tonnage! :yeah:
Ja Ja, It only 2,200 but it is tonnage at that. I fired a solitary torpedo at a small frieghter which I found steaming in AM52 (AM53) after I completed my standing 24hrs in Grid Am 78 a couple of days earlier. Decided to abort my plan for the channel and steam north after fellow kaluens reported good hunting in grid AM53.

Beautiful weather all patrol as declined slightly, as the wind has gone up markedly, my guess with the wave sizes, is that it must be blowing at least a four out there (BF4).

Anyway, got a ship spotted report and investigated it by heading to the bridge, mug of tea in hand (barely been up an hr!) true enough there was smoke on the horizon.

FLANK speed was ordered and was able to close to 2km. We descend to Periscope depth, and tubes 1-3 were setup with impact pistols in 1&2 and a magnetic one in tube 3, set to go-off at 1.5meters below the logged depth in the book (which stood at 6.9m)

Opened doors 1-3 and Got a good solution - I thought for a moment. oh ******* it I said and ordered tube 3 to selected and was duly fired.

A mere 90 sec's later and the young lad working the sonar has reported a direct hit!!! :yeah:

I raise the scope to get a glance on the damage - didnt seem to be much at first but as the next 20mins elapsed, it looks like he IS going to sink, with most of his bow dragging into the water and the stern so high in the air, the screws are barely staying afloat - not long now before she goes down.

Regards
Kaluen Suhr
U-93 (VIIB)
Grid AM52
9:30am 28/3/1941

kroll688 02-02-11 09:32 PM

Enjoying the luck.
 
5th patrol, March 1940, patrolling assigned grid in AM32. Recieved message restricting all Atlantic operations and forbidding operations off of Norway. I decide to reposition to grid AN11 in accordance with Atlantic directive :salute:, intentions to intercept any task forces heading north out of the Flow.

24 hours later enroute to southeastern corner of AN11, observe aircraft at high altitude, crash dive. No attack on my dive point, I must have seen him first. Decide to stay down until sunset.

1 hour before sunset sonar picks up a warship moving north towards our position at medium speed. Begin tracking to develope an intercept plan, then more warship contacts appear in the same track.

Once I determine the center mass of the contacts I position as best I can at PD. Leaving scope up and searching down the bearings sonar gives me. At last a destroyer comes over the horizon, zigzagging. to the east and west are flanking destroyers. Rig for silent running, set speed to one knot, begin dip scope routine.

Then I catch a glimpse of the smoke and topmast, must be a pair of heavies in line. I plot the heavies course, amazingly it runs within 800 meters of my position. Too much destroyer activity to manage an accurate speed calculation. Based on sonar call of medium speed and rough estimate set TDC for 12knots.

As the destroyer screen passes over I determine the sonar blips which belong to the two heavies and swing the bow towards the targets and prepare to fire. AOB about 80, range approx 1000 meters, speed 12kts, open all four tubes and up scope.

There she is, the Hood right in front of me :o, with a battleship in trail. I ignore the battleship and fire all four bow tubes at Hood. 1st at lead stack, 2nd at forward turrents, 3rd at the bow forward of turrents, and 4th at the aft stack. Down scope, set depth 100m, ahead slow. 24 sec and three hits all in a row immediately followed by the Nav calling the sinking. angle my course to stay several hundred yards away from sinking/ breakup noises. set speed back to 1 knot.

Several destroyers criss cross the area, no pinging no counter attack. Slide out to the south, surfacing 2 hours later to report success to Bdu.:up:

Gargamel 02-02-11 11:07 PM

Oct '40 - Dec '40

68 day patrol.

first 56 saw 8 ships, 6 were warships (Did sink another southhampton in a DD/CL group), 5 DD. Sent to patrol off Freetown. BORING.

Slid upto the Canaries to refuel and restock. Presence of a H/K group in the area prevented me from staying past sunrise, only had a couple hours, enough to restock the food. The men were happy with that.

Moved up to the Bay of Gibraltar (That's what I'm calling it now), Encountered an Inbound and Outbound convoy few days apart. Was able to pick 3-4 LARGE (10k ish) merchants from each. The men were really happy that I had burned up fuel chasing the convoys, and we used all our eels attacking.

Made it home for christmas.

EDIT: Ahhhh Hell.... only 8 days in port! You'd think after 2 months at sea she'd need more of a refit. Boys are upset. Left Lorient on the 18th. 2nd christmas in a row at sea. And we're to sit off Reykjavik.... we'll see... it's cold up there....

Edit2: Intel is reporting that Reykjavik is primed for a raid. Little to no defense, and some juicy targets.

VONHARRIS 02-03-11 12:54 AM

U-522 update
 
Kapitanleutnant von Harris
Current command: U-522 IXC
Position : Refitting at Bergen
Date : December 19 1943 - still alive

Patrols : 27 (I had plenty of time play)
Days at sea: 823
Merchants sunk : 182
Tonnage : 1204160
Warships sunk : 30 (4 x Cl 4 x Aux cruisers 1 x small depot ship 1 x CV 1 x CA)
Tonnage : 169173
Aircrafts downed : 8 (4 x Swordfish 1 x Kingfisher 1 x Sunderland 2 x Whitley)
Crew losses : 9 men

Constant aircraft patrols all over the Atlantic.
Transfered to Bergen
A lot of H/K groups encountered during patrol at grid AN16.
Rumors from the BdU say that the XXI type sub has gone beoynd the prototype level and is about to enter production.
At least we will have someting to confront the Allied ASW forces.

Gargamel 02-03-11 01:23 AM

Making it to late '43 itself is worthy of praise.


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