Hallo zusammen!
Our boat (Typ VIIB, November 1940) was slicing through choppy Atlantic waters and thick fog. Ordered to patrol the northern most lanes of the Atlantic, we had been running along the Southern coast of Iceland for two days. I was about to give the order to submerge when our watch breaks the silence: Rauchfang am Horizont, Herr Kaleun! Smokestacks! How the watch saw anything in the weather I have no idea, but I plot a course parallel to the convoy to give me time to formulate an approach. We were lying directly NE of an extremely lightly guarded convoy; only two escorts flanked either side of the convoy, both approximately 1,000m out. Chugging along at 8 knots, the convoy consisted of a dozen merchants. Checking my watch, I noticed that it would soon be sundown. Coupled with the foggy seas and overcast skies, this would mean a surface attack could be achieved....I began to smile: only two escorts? Optimal weather conditions for a surface attack? I could not believe our luck!
Suddenly, a get another report from the bridge: Ship bearing 180 degrees sir, coming fast! Swinging my binoculars to our stern, I see not one, but FIVE destroyers closing in on our position. Verdammt! I knew having two escorts was too good to be true. What were the destroyers doing so far from the convoy? They were lagging a good 2-3 km behind the main body of the merchants. Finding ourselves sandwiched between destroyers on our stern and the main convoy with escorts on our bow, I radioed in a contact report to BdU before running our boat down to 215m. Although it is an extremely dangerous depth, I decided to risk it. I knew that it would allow us to slip into an optimal position for attack without being detected. We ran at 2/3 speed until we were laying directly in the path of the oncoming convoy, roughly 1km out at this point. With the escorts still sweeping the flanks and the destroyers still to our back, we go to PD so I can assess the situation better.
Merchant - 3000 tons, Merchant - 4000 tons, Merchant 2,000 tons Okay, nothing spectacular so far.....I aim the scope at the second row of ships and ask the WO for an ID: "Troop Ship -18,000 tons. Tanker- 12,000 tons, Troop Ship - 14,000 tons Herr Kaleun!"
Bingo!
We crawl along at 1/3 Speed to get into position for an attack. Sweeping the periscope for threats and noticing that the clouds are still obscuring the moon's light, we surfaced. As we lay in wait, a transmission from BdU comes through: No Uboats in area, commence attack at will. I went to the bridge and prepared to ID our first target; the 18,000 ton Troop Ship. The seas have subsided a bit, but are still choppy and it was making it difficult to get a fix on the target. However, thanks to my Elite crew, we've managed to position ourselves 45 degrees abeam of the ship just 800m away. 340....345....350....355....I wait until the stacks of the ship are in my crosshairs before "dumping some extra weight". "Los! Los! Los!" Popping out of the UZO, I take one last glance at the Troop Ship in front of us, as our three eels silently speed towards her. Our bow is completely dark, and the convoy is chugging along at 8 knots; they have no idea we are here. Quickly, I order the Chief to take us down to 200m again, running silent into the midst of the convoy.
Boom! Boom! "Torpedo Treffe!"
We waited on the third, already 5 seconds late...
A muffled explosion: "Torpedo failed to detonate, Herr Kaleun!"
Scheisse! By now, we were underneath our target. No death rattle, and I can hear her engines straining to keep her afloat. She was badly crippled, but not done for yet. At this point, the inside of our boat is pierced by the pings of one of the escorts. Soon another joins in, and finally another. The ping was constant, uninterrupted and unrelenting. I take us down to 220, running silent. My Chief informs me that our bilge pumps can barely keep up with our depth, but I decided to risk it. Suddenly, the engines of a destroyer are heard overhead. Waiting for it to pass, I immediately order flank speed, 90 degrees towards the destroyer. The boat is rocked by depth charges, but no damage reports came in. I made a depth change for 170. We were still keeping up with the convoy, and after an hour submerged, we had given the escorts the slip. Going to PD, I wanted to finish off the last of my eels before making an escape, and decided that I would fire at any ship that was directly in front of me. Imagine my luck when the 12,000 ton tanker is sitting 700m away! I let loose the remainder of my torpedoes, submerge, and plotted a 90 degree course away from the convoy, planning to withdraw from the engagement in order to reload our torpedoes. We suddenly heard the death rattle of a sinking ship, followed by more pinging. For three hours, we sat at 200m, enduring depth charge after depth charge. When our attackers finally relented, the convoy was long gone. I surface and plot a course to catch up with the convoy. 30 minutes later, I hear "ship spotted!". Going to the bridge, I peer through my binoculars and see the original Troop Ship that we had first shot at! What luck that we found it again! She is smoking badly and I assumed that she had broken off with the main convoy, unable to keep up with their speed. Approaching the ship, I sent the final coup-de-grace.
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Sorry for the long post, I didn't intend for it to be this long! At this point in time, the patrol isn't finished yet. After we sunk the troop ship, we continued our search for the original convoy. A few hours later, I submerged to see if a sound contact could be picked up. Not only do I get one, but we ALSO heard depth charges. I surface and run flank speed toward the sound contact, finding the original convoy in ADDITION to another Uboat! So now this is the situation I am currently in. I feel incredibly bad for my fellow Uboat skipper (the same destroyers that were DC'ing me are now DC'ing him), but I'm moving to the opposite side of the convoy as we speak while he keeps them occupied.....
Unfortunately, it's almost dawn and the sun is about to rise. I guess I'll shadow the convoy during the day and hope the other uboat survives. Maybe we can get some wolfpack action going on tonight.
AOTD is amazing. I love this sim, and despite the amazing talents/efforts that were put into GWX, I always find myself going back to "Die Asse der Tiefe"!