[John "Mc B" McBurnie]

Today I started my first campaign with limited everything and manual torpedo's. So I leave for the Celebs Sea from Manila even though in the Luzon Straight and came within two meters of beaching the S 34 onto a sandbar that you have to be on almost max magnification to see. Its at 119 40 E, 5 50 N to see what I mean. Ran into nothing at all on that patrol and headed to Java port and ended the patrol with all my fish, 1/4 tank of gas and a very frustrated commander. The second patrol went much better as they put me up in the Luzon Straight and I had a party. The first thing I came across I shot off a torpedo by accident which missed, then two more on purpose that missed and one dud. In anger I surfaced the boat and sunk the bastard with the deck gun. Who needs torpedo's anyway right? I passed the same sandbar on my way due to changing course to engage the ship so I took a picture. Continued on up and found a lone composite freighter which again, misfired one torpedo while again attempting to use the height gauge, but the other two hit it right in the nose, though I did have to surface and pelt it with shells to make it go down. First torpedo hit though manually. I try to get the speed before I engage the target because I have no idea how the TDC does it, though because I use metric I have to convert. I also try my hardest to keep my patience with getting a new ship. I like the S boats and all but not having aft torpedo's and a surface speed of 10 knots makes getting places take forever. I do like the mark 10's though. Very straight shooting. I had a mark 14 swing round and hit me once and that was it for me.