Stories and Patrol Logs + Screenshots and Videos (merged)

[CalolinaCoyote]

OOC: lol something happen so i have to redo the career.


Lieutenant Commander Taffy Owain
USS Sealion (SS-195)
December 7, 1941

The Japanese have bombed Pearl Harbor, us and other bases in the Pacific. We have been ordered to sea, under the orders of Admiral Hart, to begin unrestricted warfare against the Japanese. Our first order is to patrol off the coast of Indochina, were we will strike back at the Japanese.

[joefremont]

October 25, 1944. On the evening of the 24th I had positioned my boat at the south end of the San Bernardino Strait hoping to intercept the Japanese fleet on its way to the battle off Samar island and hopefully bag my first Yamato class BB. As expected an enemy fleet appeared coming in fast from the west but this was bigger than I expected, had more than 6 BB's including two Yamato's, a Fuso and an Ise.

I lined up to get in front of the fleet and submerged waiting for the lead DD's to pass over me. Once the periscope came up I saw a Yamato coming up in front of me and a CA about to pass behind me. Fired all 6 mk18's at the yamato and 3 at the CA. Unfortunately the CA was too close and the torps failed to arm, but there were six nice explosions along the side of the Yamato and she started to slow down and list to one side. I went as deep as I could to rearm and tried to follow the fleet.

On other task forces I have encountered, if you cripple the capitol ship the others will circle around and you can sneak away, rearm and come back for more, but not this time. They left the Yamato alone and dead in the water and steamed on up the San Bernadino strait. Three more mk18's and the BB sank below the surface and I proceeded to follow the fleet.

I found a Kongo BB at the edge of the shallow water leading to the strait like it was hung up on something. My first salvo went wide to the right, seams the TDC though it was going 4kn when it was stationary. So I got closer, aimed behind her enough so the torps would hit home and dispatched my second BB of the day.

The rest of the task force was way ahead of me and now having only one rear torp left I headed home. I tried to report the contact but of course since a 'convoy' was not in view SH4 would not let me.

Now historically this task force was too big. Musashi was sunk earlier on the 24th so there should not have been two yamato's in admiral Kurita's center force that evening, and there should have been only four battle ships total. I suspect that had an actual sub had the success I did Kurita would have turned around and headed home. Having lost two more of his BB's and having his position discovered would have been too much for him to continue and the battle off Samar would not have happened.

Balao class sub using GFO mod.

[Armistead]

{Here's an old report I posted at Ubi, not sure if I ever did here, but who knows}

My first patrol was to Lingayen, so off we went. I forgot I had added some subkillers patrolling Lingayen, so in an old S boat without radar I go in at high TC....BAM.......escort saw me and scored a hit before crew got a visual. Didn't get a SS of the hit, but he got one good


One hit dang near destroyed my sub right off. My stern engine room was flooded, the sub took a terrible down stern angle, maybe worse one I've had. The escort was still far, but coming.. If I used any speed, because of the angle, I just popped up out of the water.

At 1/3, I was able to hold it still, but wasn't going anywhere. Only way to gain some depth was to cut engines and in seconds I was heading to the bottom at 7kts before I could use tactics to pull out of the dive...Seems all I could do is bob up and down with my nose almost out of the water.



Escort came on , actually rammed my nose doing damage to himself and dropped a pattern, but due to angle missed me.



Since he had only bow guns I blew tanks and came up behind him and started shooting, keeping my nose to his stern so he couldn't aim. After several rounds he sunk, never got a shot off.



So we escaped that one, but stern engine bulkhead destroyed

I then notice smoke on the horizon, guess this is another one I added and his buddy had called in, He was coming full speed.



I had some distance, so I turned south away hoping to escape on surface, making 8kts best speed due to damage with battery charge off. I hadn't got far when I saw flashes....with my mod setup your lucky to survive one shell, two is bad, but he scored before I could get under, not as bad, mostly deck damge on that last shot. You can barely see escorts smoke on the horizon, left to the sunk ship smoke, about 6nms away.




So I'm back to bobbing like a cork being teased by a well fed fish...can't get anywhere. I would cut speed to dive down, blow tanks, flank to pull out, but the S boat rockets in either direction. I knew I wouldn't survive if he made some good runs and knew he would find me. I decided to try same tactics, let his make a run, pop out and take him out or at least blow his charge racks off so he couldn't use them. However, getting careless I let my boat get out of control, waited a lil too long to pull out, did all I could to save her, but she hit speeds of 12 kts going down, I couldn't pull
out...



As we were headed to the depths, my Exec Wernher looked at me with one last word of encouragement.



.

[GavJam]

thats a great story hahahah and that last screenshot is hilarious. I created a twitter account tonight to log my travels, I play at 1x so it's all in real time too. If anyone is interested check out @sh_captinsLog

[CalolinaCoyote]

LCDR Taffy Owain
USS Sealion (SS-195)
December 26, 1941

We drew blood for the first time, ran into a enemy convoy off Saigon. One sub chaser and a Kuma cruiser with transports. We got two ships, medium and large composite freighters with a tally of about 4900 tons. I tried to get the Kuma but the torpedoes missed, also I did not suffer any failures with the fish, must've had a good batch. We were ordered to Java, the Japs are pushing on Manila, and we are now operating from some dump in the Dutch East Indies. Our next departure is Jan 12, 1942. I suspect we will find more targets, and maybe some very good ones.

[Armistead]

This is testing for Bubble,

Bubble this is what I mean by moonlight, not to be confused with halo. Now this is rather extreme, but you get the point.



If you have a good video card, the light looks fairly good, cheaper system and video card, the moon light will get some banding effect. This amount of light greatly increase visuals. I don't think you would see hardly any light where we are now, but may add some. Only downside is certain things really reflect, clothes, flags, etc.

Again, this is extreme, but to get the point. Notice reflection going to the horizon? Are you getting that or is the water only reflecting in the sub circle?
I can make the reflection wider, but keep light down, that may give a better chance of attacking with enemy behind moon.



I think this is where we are now. Little light on clouds. I attacked two ships, one about 2000 yards, another about 800, scoring hits on both. Closet escort about 1500 yards away.



I also don't like the clouds, er, that we're using at moment. I think clouds in game spawn almost like they're going in a circle over the horizon, instead of coming at you more flat like sh5....if that makes sense. You can spawn them where you want above the horizon. Now these are too high, but think something like about half way in between.



Anyway, I'm gonna do something like above, just lower and bigger more blurred clouds.

This is one of my old env mods, I liked these clouds, so will aim for this, but I'll leave sunset colors TMO.


Let me know about reflection and please post SS so I can see and what video card you have. I don't trust mine now.

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by Armistead

This is testing for Bubble,

Bubble this is what I mean by moonlight, not to be confused with halo. Now this is rather extreme, but you get the point.



If you have a good video card, the light looks fairly good, cheaper system and video card, the moon light will get some banding effect. This amount of light greatly increase visuals. I don't think you would see hardly any light where we are now, but may add some. Only downside is certain things really reflect, clothes, flags, etc.

Again, this is extreme, but to get the point. Notice reflection going to the horizon? Are you getting that or is the water only reflecting in the sub circle?
I can make the reflection wider, but keep light down, that may give a better chance of attacking with enemy behind moon.



I think this is where we are now. Little light on clouds. I attacked two ships, one about 2000 yards, another about 800, scoring hits on both. Closet escort about 1500 yards away.



I also don't like the clouds, er, that we're using at moment. I think clouds in game spawn almost like they're going in a circle over the horizon, instead of coming at you more flat like sh5....if that makes sense. You can spawn them where you want above the horizon. Now these are too high, but think something like about half way in between.



Anyway, I'm gonna do something like above, just lower and bigger more blurred clouds.

This is one of my old env mods, I liked these clouds, so will aim for this, but I'll leave sunset colors TMO.


Let me know about reflection and please post SS so I can see and what video card you have. I don't trust mine now.

There are some night shots, moon was out as can see.I still made, i was withing 2,500 yards of elite Akikaze and Matsu DD's without getting spotted(moon rise earlier than i planned behind me, was not aware, i ended up going to radar depth and shooting via scope since moon was behind me and didnt want to show my broadsides with moon behind me when pulling away) im sure if i had broadened my profile they wouldve spotted me but as can see moon needs just a little more brightness so reflects more on water.Thats actually the brightest ive seen it in a while.

[Armistead]

Ok, your reflection seems to be rendering OK, just need a tad more light and that will give reflection as well, give enemy a tad better visuals

[grislyatoms]

Originally Posted by CalolinaCoyote

LCDR Taffy Owain
USS Sealion (SS-195)
December 26, 1941

We drew blood for the first time, ran into a enemy convoy off Saigon. One sub chaser and a Kuma cruiser with transports. We got two ships, medium and large composite freighters with a tally of about 4900 tons. I tried to get the Kuma but the torpedoes missed, also I did not suffer any failures with the fish, must've had a good batch. We were ordered to Java, the Japs are pushing on Manila, and we are now operating from some dump in the Dutch East Indies. Our next departure is Jan 12, 1942. I suspect we will find more targets, and maybe some very good ones.

Bad time for Kuma-class cruisers...

[grislyatoms]

ComSubPac from Trout 8/20/1942
Wind speed 9 weather clear

2 Torpedoes remain, 100 rounds 4"

2x Kasagisan Maru for 5K tons south of Hokkaido
1x Akita Maru 4K tons off Tokyo Bay
1x Kuma class light cruiser 5K tons due south of Bungo Strait
1x Biyo Maru 5.4K tons south east of Okinawa

Cruiser action inexplicable. Closed to 5nm, Kuma spotted Trout and headed for us, firing forward batteries. Went to periscope depth. Kuma returned to original course/speed. Double checked plot. No evasive manuevers. Inexplicable. This action by Kuma got us several hundred yards closer to her track. At 2000 yards, launched 6 bow mk. XIV. minimal depth contact exploder high speed. 1 hit forward, 3 hit in engineering spaces, 2 dud. Massive explosion and fire. Kuma sank within minutes, her stern pointing at the sky with half her length out of the water. Would like to thank skipper Daffy Duck of the Kuma for such a nice gift.

[grislyatoms]

Tough old tub. One fish right under the funnel at 08:02.



After nearly 3 hours waiting for her to sink, 9 rounds of 5 inch finished the job.

[grislyatoms]

Great story and pics, Armistead!

[Caustic]

My attempt at creating a realistic night-time environment, it's a tough balance of reflections and sunlight (or moonlight). Some of this work will be included into my in-dev environmental mod.



Some historical concept art i have been using as a reference.

"Battle of Empress Augusta Bay"

[c13Garrison]

I do intend to write more patrol stories, but I'm struggling to overcome some authorial inertia. I don't want to write a new personality to life only to see him die just as myself (and others ppresumably) are getting to like him. Of my current career 2 patrols are so far noteworthy.

I could just report them in classic message traffic format of course, but I enjoy the full stories more.

[Bubblehead1980]

TMO RSRD

USS Sand Lance(Balao Class) Pearl Harbor November 17, 1943-January 4, 1944

Departed Pearl Harbor for patrol area in Philippine Sea(VESTIBLE) , refueled at Midway and arrived area on December 2, 1943.

Patrolling likely lanes from Japan to Palau Islands in open ocean, did not spot much, not even patrol planes way out here, must be a gap in air coverage.December 9, 1943 at 1800 hours, submarine spotted on surface, immediately put her astern and ordered a dive, went to GQ and began an approach at 100 feet, once close, had a surface japanese submarine making 12 knots.Closed to 1400 yards and fired four mark 14 torpedoes.Two hit, the sub exploded and quickly sunk.A large secondary explosion was felt and heard just after the japanese sub's conning tower slipped under the waves.

December 10, 1943-0400 hours, radar contact made at bearing 330, soon developed into a convoy, 6 ships, one escort. Night surface attack was out due to full moon so decided on night scope attack.0500, dove 1200 yards off convoys track.Forced to go 100 feet when the escort(a minesweeper) came too close while making sweeps.Back at scope depth, convoy was making 12 knots heading south towards Palau Islands.

Could clearly see targets in moonlit scope, visibility was excellent. Fired 3 torpedoes at a biyo Maru and 3 at a Zinbu Maru.Targets were 800 yards apart in the port column.Five of six torpedoes hit.The Biyo caught fire and sunk quickly. The Zinbu listed and slowed, mortally wounded it appeared.Endured 2 hour depth charge attack forcing boat to 600 feet.This escort was skilled but lost contact after a large pattern and a high speed run we made.Leveling off at 645 feet enabled an escape.

Surfaced and began end around when double back down projected path, could not make contact, convoy made a course change and slipped away despite running down all possibe courses, could not make contact within patrol area, resumed search.

December 10, 1943-1900 hours...RADAR contact made on south bound convoy.One escort, 5 ships. Night surface attack conditions were favorable due to light fog. Closed in 2500 yards off track and played chicken momentarily with a Minekaze Destroyer protecting her, once it passed, closed to 2000 yards off track and fired stern tubes, 2 at a nagara maru and 2 at a zinbu maru class merchant.All hit, zinbu sunk 10 minutes later a burning wreck.Nagara Maru listed and slowed, apparently mortally wounded.We moved out to 8000 yards, escort moved in postion where we were, star shells were illuminating area, DD was making high speed searchs coming too close, we zipped off at flank speed.Finally DD went back and became stationary, listening for targets.We closed in and fired one torpedo at the crippled nagara maru from 4500 yards, but it missed just ahead, target speed change during torpedo run.Now with target at 0 knots, fired one more torpedo from stern tubes(reloads) which hit.The ships burned and began to sink.The DD rushed in out way but we cleared out before he saw us, he soon began dropping depth charges.

Moved ahead to attack convoy again after sunrise but storms rolled in preventing attack in our area, contact report sent.With less than ten days in area, had four ships down, one submarine down and eight torpedoes left(6 forward, two aft.

December 11-Deember 21: No contacts made at all, open ocean.Drills and trim dives made daily.Patroled all sectors of area Vestible.

December 22, 0700-Radar contact on south bound convoy. By dawn was 1800 yards off trck, closed on this 6 ship, one escort convoy.Seems to be the standard in late 43.

Dawn-Using the rising sun to aid in use of attack scope, fired on two large nagara maru class freighters with tanks and truck on their decks, using three fish each.Forced to fire later than planed due to possible speed error(had speed at 10 knots, targets speed appeared to increase according to visual sighting by scope and sound confirmed increasing speed.Targets replotted at 12 knots.Fired on both, two hit the lead freighter, two hit the second in line while the third fish missed her but hit the small Kagasian Maru, which destroyed her as she exploded and quickly took a down angle by her bow.The escort, a full fledged destroyer of possible the Fubuki class began to make a run at us, went deep and quite.

The attack was determined but not skillful as only one charge came close at 500 feet, we leveled off at 600 feet.After 3 hours, we came to scope depth, both large freighters had sunk.We had just taken out three ships in one attack.Soon another merchant could be heard, had seen this on radar but assumed it was trailing escort.This was a mid sized freighter, making slow zigs, attached to convoy but apparently damaged somehow.We had two fish remaining in stern tubes so closed carefully avoiding the DD at 6000 yards while she continued to murder fish with depth charges.

At 1200 yards from the now identified Zinbu Maru Class freighter, we fired.Both hit, the freighter slipped beneath waves 20 minutes later.The DD closed in and pinged but never located us, we headed for Midway to refuel then home to Pearl Harbor with 49, 750 tons down(8 merchants, one submarine) Outstanding first patrol.

The real life Sand Lance earned a PUC for her first patrol as it was highly successful as well.Enduring a 16 hour depth charge attack.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_San...e_%28SS-381%29