November, 1939. 175km SE Scapa Flow. Truly the WORST weather I've ever seen in this game.
Even when 'surfaced' the watch officer is telling me 'Depth 10 meters' 3-4 times a minute. My diesels are choked off, I am making little headway.
I would have called BS except I am currently reading
U-boat Killer: Fighting The U-boats In The Battle Of The Atlantic (MacIntyre) and he describes similar situations a number of times in which his H Class destroyer was brought to a standstill, barely making enough headway for steering into waves.
I do manage to kill a medium cargo. Go me.
I try to chase down another contact and lose the race. Sad face. I cannot begin to fathom living this reality.
I determine to only chase down closing contacts (obtained only via sonar mind you, vis is moderate to poor.)
I make another contact and manage to get in visual range and firing position. It is TINY on the map, identified only as Coastal Craft. It is making 8 knots. I am doubtful I will try a shot. The depth setting will have to be so shallow the torp will porpoise. I am at the TDC setting up my torps when my crew cheers.
???
???
???
I look at the map and there is a red sunk icon 2500 meters away. Wasn't me. Is there another U-boat around?
I search the area carefully with my hydrophone and hear nothing.
An hour later the scenario repeats except this time the ship is destroyed outside my visual range. (edit: Have recalled this second contact started as radio contact. Could only have been a Uboat. Even seagulls are hiding)
There was no crew cheer, my only clue was the sudden disappearance of the sound.
But there is another sunk icon, this time in pencil gray. I have no idea what this color means, I know red is enemy, green is I screwed up and blue is I am to be shot.
So is the weather killing these ships? Am I next?
And what means this grey color of the sunk ship icon?
Another thought! I am using Commander and have Malfunctions turned on. Is it possible my sudden lack of sea keeping is some problem I am unable to perceive? I have hundreds of hours in SH3 (GW and GWX) and SH4 (TMO) and I have NEVER struggled like this in weather before.