Tell us what you're up to in current campaign (lets get this one going lol)

[EddieLyons]

In the spirit of this thread (having hijacked it to ask questions about minefields and anti-sub nets!), here's my current campaign:

USS Nautilus - departed Pearl Harbor on 9 Dec 1941, bound for Hiroshima, Japan, to reconnoitre its harbour. (Nice and easy one to start the war with, then!)

Used ahead full to expedite the passage to Midway to refuel. Currently en-route to Japanese home waters at ahead standard, making good progress in fair weather. No ship or air contacts for days; currently north of Marcus Island, about halfway to our destination. Current date is 16 Dec 1941.

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by EddieLyons

In the spirit of this thread (having hijacked it to ask questions about minefields and anti-sub nets!), here's my current campaign:

USS Nautilus - departed Pearl Harbor on 9 Dec 1941, bound for Hiroshima, Japan, to reconnoitre its harbour. (Nice and easy one to start the war with, then!)

Used ahead full to expedite the passage to Midway to refuel. Currently en-route to Japanese home waters at ahead standard, making good progress in fair weather. No ship or air contacts for days; currently north of Marcus Island, about halfway to our destination. Current date is 16 Dec 1941.

Yikes lol I would just ignore that mission as impossible (no sub would have been ordered to do that lol) and conduct patrol in area 7 off bungo suido, sink ships, earn some renown. Unfortunately last release, I did not make it around to changing up patrol objectives. Upcoming release, this has been done. I have eliminated these hollywoodesque photo missions, photo missions in v2.0 are of a more historical and realistic nature as are all special missions. Now more generic, exceedingly boring special assignments. I am currently in the Nautilus myself (Donation Narwhal model, love it) started in Dec 1941, now in June 1944 , based in Australia running supply missions to Philippines, actually been quite enjoyable and challenging. These are part of forthcoming V2.0 of mod.


In fact, I've completely overhauled the orders for variety of patrol assignments/areas for all boats, the language to be more historically accurate (based on actual orders in patrol reports etc have read in research).


Thank you for joining in on the thread though, keep it coming lol. Really hope we can get this going like SH III

[Bubblehead1980]

TMO Update BH V.20
USS Nautilus SS-168



4 June 1944

0600 Entered Moro Gulf South of Mindanao, Philippines for approach to Illano Bay and special mission at Turukan, Mindanao.

0700 Submerged in Moro Gulf.

0745 Sound reported warship contact closing fast. Went to periscope depth, spotted a Auxiliary Subchaser, smoking heavily heading in our direction. Rigged for Silent Running, Depth charge and went to 300 feet.

Subchaser located NAUTILUS and dropped several close depth charges, real took shakers and continued hunting. Curiously, no pings were heard, assuming this aux vessel did not have active sonar, but proved to have one fine set of hydrophones, as at 0913, he laid a pattern of charges above , with one coming quite close and causing serious damage to the boat. Most serious of which being nearly disabling the trim pump, flooding in forward torpedo room, and as would discover later, damage to No.1 (control room) and No.2 (conning tower) periscopes, not functional. (Hull damage was pushed to 27 percent also. I hate the hull damage indicator btw lol)


Went to 350 ft and endured numerous depth charges until 1400 when the subchaser continue hunting nearby, staying with NAUTILUS but ceased dropping charges, either because did not have definite contact or depleted his supply.


5 June 1944

Finally lost contact with enemy in Moro Gulf at 0226. Came to periscope depth at 0330 to find neither scope functional. Eased to SJ radar depth, to find contact just 6000 yards astern, "creeping". Went back to 350 feet, heard SC crank up speed ran above NAUTILUS and splashes about one minute later, she dropped two depth charges well ahead of NAUTILUS. Obviously, she heard us, but did not have a fix.

At 0530 came back to radar depth and the contact was 12000 yards ahead to port, apparently stationary. Seas had grown heavy, which no doubt aided NAUTILUS. Secured silent running and surfaced after 22 1/2 hours submerged, under attack*, began repairs and battery recharge.


Submerged at noon to avoid single engine floatplane (PETE) patrolling area and made way towards mouth of Illano Bay in preparation to conduct special mission. Also, avoided the same subchaser twice as swept through the area.

Surfaced at 2103 in Illano Bay, ten miles off Turukan, Mindanao and made way to landing area. Sighted security signal (red smoke ) and approached the beach, coming within 1500 yards, coming along several rafts carrying Col. Bowler and his troops. Sent cargo ashore in rafts beginning precisely at 2200 hundred hours, with operation completed by 0015 6 June.


6 June

0031 as was leaving area, APR-1 detected radar signals astern and SJ soon had a pip at 13000 yards. A apparent patrol was heading to area. At 0037 SJ detected another pip ahead bearing 346 18000 yards, both were closing. They appear to be moving to block our escape. Increased to flank speed and went to GQ with gun crews standing by. Waters were just 42 feet, not deep enough to dive.

Came within 800 yards of coast and skimmed along coastline using it as cover and slipped out of the ever tightening noose of the two contacts, both of which were radar equipped but apparently lost contact as proceeded to a area where NAUTILUS had been previously.


0300 Received orders to return to Darwin at best speed.

[Bubblehead1980]

TMO Update BH V.20
USS Nautilus SS-168


23 June

Transiting Sibutu Passage West of Tawi Tawi en route to Darwin (new home port) after two back to back patrols (special missions, arrived 11 June, departed 12 June for next)

0421 About half through pass, SJ made contact , two pips. APR-1 detected radar emissions. Attempted to open range but seems were detected. Possible escorts were alerted to presence shore based radar/observation posts (they are now a feature in TMO Update). Unable to outrun them, submerged and attempted "down the throat" shot on closet DD with three MK 23 torpedoes i bow tubes but all missed as skilled DD outmaneuvered them, barely.


Currently at 390 ft, rigged for silent running, and depth charge, being pinging.


40 minutes into attack...count is 54 depth charges, real took shakers.

[Mad Mardigan]

This report is from a career start done up for testing for BH1980...

U.S.S Albacore (SS-218)
Skipper: J. T. Mardigan, commanding
Base: Fremantle/Perth, Australia
Date: June, of '43


07/06/43

On getting orders from command, crew made all preparations for getting under way, & shoved off to begin our 1st patrol.

Uneventful for the 1st day or so, until radar watch, picked up an air signal, gave the order to crash dive then ran submerged for the rest of the day. On it getting dark, called for all stop & ran a sonar sweep of the area & getting a report back of nothing on sound, proceeded to do a sweep on the periscope.

On confirm of nothing in the area, ordered surface, so as to recharge the batteries. proceeded ahead 1/3 to continue to make for Sunda Straights, to break through there and proceed to our patrol objective area.



10/06/43

Succeeded on making it through 2/3 of the passage through Sunda... until mid-day, when we ran across a DD & a torp boat. Managed to get in close enough to get a rough ID on them, then had sparks call it in. Waited & kept close tabs on their movement while awaiting word back from HQ.

After a bit, got message from them, of congrats on sighting, but... to break off & make way for patrol objective. Other assets would be vectored in to hit them. After reading that, gave the order to break off, head west for a bit then make turns for getting back on plotted course through the straights.

After having got back on course, ran across another contact, & deciding discretion was the better part of valor, gave the order to submerge... ran submerged the rest of the day, encountering a couple of other contacts patrolling the straights.

At dark, and finally clearing the straights, ran a check as before and determining no contacts about, gave the order to surface.



11/06/43
Early morning, exiting the straights:



Early morning light made contact on a surface vessel. sonar reported it to be a merchant... gave the order to plot its base course, then having that in hand, ordered an intercept course.

After a couple of hours run at all ahead flank, got within sight of the target.

ID'ed her, as a Kigan Maru merchie, GRT 7390, ordered bow tubes 1 & 2 prepped in all aspects. Depth 6, slow runners & impact only. Having learned from the preceding months, on being 1st officer on another sub, the trials & troubles with the Mk 14's... how to best approach attacking with them, until Bureau of Ordnance can get it sorted out on fixing them properly.

As was still early morning, decided to make the attack while surfaced.

Closed within 3000 of her, still unseen, and not having any reports of aircraft or other surface ships about, gave the order to fire both fish, set apart by .75 degrees off either side of dead center.

While both fish were sent on their way, had crew manned & ready on the deck & flak guns... & turned to follow along at distance on the same base course of 052.

After their allotted run time plus or minus a few seconds... got the sweet reward of seeing both fish hit. With the 1st fish striking, watched the target go up in a massive fireball, and can only speculate that she must have been carrying ammo supplies or some other volatile cargo. The 2nd fish was just... icing on the cake, ensuring she went down faster. As she went under within just a few minutes of getting hit by both fish.

On impact of the 1st fish, & seeing no reasons to hang around, gave the order to return to base course... with adjustments as needed then went below to rack out for some much needed & deserved rest. Before doing so, gave the 1st officer Tom, orders to proceed best speed to our objective and if anything, major cropped up before I got in some good rest, to wake Me. Otherwise wanted to get in a good 8 if at all possible.



14/06/43

After several uneventful days, managed to make it to our, insertion point... on route to recon the Singapore port and to snap photos as required of anything of import.



03:37 hrs
Picked up signals of a small group of ships, making turns on a course of 067 had nav plot out a reciprocal course, so as to pass by, ID, radio it in & plot an attack approach. After conferring with the 1st, to give him experience in skippering and in agreement with his recommendation, decided on a surfaced attack, staying on a 180 heading off the targets base course.

ID'ed the targets as 1 Wakatake escort 4 merchies in a 2 x 2 following on the escort, like it's a mother duck. After a bit, managed to ID 3 of the merchies...

1 Kanaga Maru, 1 Shajima Maru & 1 Koto Maru, the 1 directly following behind the escort... couldn't get a clear definitive ID on... but from what is seen of it, is a small fry, anyway. Got the report from Sparks, that HQ had messaged back & the orders were clear... Hit 'em... & hit 'em hard...

Ordered tubes 1 through 4 fore, and tube 7 made ready in all aspects. As before with the Kigan Maru, ordered fish to be prepped to 6 depth, slow and impact only.

On getting a good confirm of aft tube being on track for a clear shot at the escort, ordered 7 fired 1st, then proceeded to unload tubes 1 through 4, 1 fish each at the at the smaller merchie's of the 3 & 2 at the larger one of the bunch... the Shajima. Both fish to be set apart off center by the same as with the Kigan Maru

After sending the last fish off, gave orders to head on a course of 225, ahead flank.

Heard 1 fish premature, despite precautions taken to avoid any possibilities of such occurring. (Still have the odd ones that do that) a few moments later, 1st impact came... on the Kanaga... which like as with the Kigan Maru, went up in a tremendous explosion & settles under fast. fish aimed at the escort missed... likely due to the escorts reaction to the Kanaga going up... which threw off the intercept of it. Will have to see of having fish sent off on other targets and give time for the ones aimed at escorts in My 1st officers firing pinpoint drills. Other than that, not bad on their firing points otherwise... so far.

Not long after the Kanaga went up like a roman candle... heard & saw impacts on the Koto & the Shajima... with the Koto slowing down a tad.

By this time, could make out the escort in the general area where we had been, nosing about looking for us on the impression that the attack had come from a submerged sub. Little did the crew know that we were indeed making the attack on the surface.

After the impact on the Shakima, gave orders to proceed on course 275 for a bit then proceed to run on a heading of 300... working our way back around so as to parallel them on a base of 067 so that we could then give it another run to attack.

Had fore torp crew, begin loading up some new fish that HQ wanted in action testing of, as a replacement to the Mk 18's or maybe even a replacement to the 14's... not sure as to which but... orders are orders. Figured shoot off 2, 1 each at the Koto & the Shajima... & could always send off a pair of 14's if needed to.



04:10

After doing the final approach on the end run and in good posit, tubes 3 & 4, were ready in all respects... sighted on the Koto, which by now... was trailing a bit further behind owing to the damages inflicted by the 1st fish. Gave the order to fire 4... waited about 20, 25 seconds and after having a good bead on the Shajima, ordered 3 fired. after firing 3, gave orders to go to 045, with the deck & flak guns manned & ready.



04:11/04:13

1st of the 2 Mk 23's impacted & sent the Shajima on a 1-way trip to join their fellow crew men to Davey Jones retirement home for wayward sailors... but not before they got sight of us & began to fire. Seconds after they began, came the impact & huge explosion of the fish hitting. She went under pretty fast after the fireball rocketed skyward. A half minute maybe less... the 2nd Mk 23, tore into the Koto & sent it on its way to join the others. Have to say, if with the rest of those fish on hand... preform as well as those, will have to give a hearty recommendation to HQ, to get them out to the rest of the sub fleet in the flash message to be sent off after getting clear of this engagement.



04:25

Have swung around to a heading of 265, to get clear of the area and making turns for all ahead full. Within a half hour, will give the order to head on a course of 225, to get us back on track for the course plot worked out by the nav crew... so as to proceed at best speed, before having to dive to make way to our prospective recon posit.

Left the last merchie & escort go... so that they can spread the terror & fear message... Is a Wolf loose & it's a very hungry Demon Wolf...

04:26
Had Sparks, send to HQ... an after actions report, to date... along with My, recommendations on the new fish, included in it.

Of the crew, they've performed well... with considerations for some in the forward torp room, of being recognized for going above & beyond, even after being injured.

Still, have to make that insertion point to do the recon & then... completing that, finding out just what HQ wants done after that.


End report... To, be continued...

After action tally, up to now... :





M. M.

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by Mad Mardigan

This report is from a career start done up for testing for BH1980...

U.S.S Albacore (SS-218)
Skipper: J. T. Mardigan, commanding
Base: Fremantle/Perth, Australia
Date: June, of '43


07/06/43

On getting orders from command, crew made all preparations for getting under way, & shoved off to begin our 1st patrol.

Uneventful for the 1st day or so, until radar watch, picked up an air signal, gave the order to crash dive then ran submerged for the rest of the day. On it getting dark, called for all stop & ran a sonar sweep of the area & getting a report back of nothing on sound, proceeded to do a sweep on the periscope.

On confirm of nothing in the area, ordered surface, so as to recharge the batteries. proceeded ahead 1/3 to continue to make for Sunda Straights, to break through there and proceed to our patrol objective area.



10/06/43

Succeeded on making it through 2/3 of the passage through Sunda... until mid-day, when we ran across a DD & a torp boat. Managed to get in close enough to get a rough ID on them, then had sparks call it in. Waited & kept close tabs on their movement while awaiting word back from HQ.

After a bit, got message from them, of congrats on sighting, but... to break off & make way for patrol objective. Other assets would be vectored in to hit them. After reading that, gave the order to break off, head west for a bit then make turns for getting back on plotted course through the straights.

After having got back on course, ran across another contact, & deciding discretion was the better part of valor, gave the order to submerge... ran submerged the rest of the day, encountering a couple of other contacts patrolling the straights.

At dark, and finally clearing the straights, ran a check as before and determining no contacts about, gave the order to surface.



11/06/43
Early morning, exiting the straights:



Early morning light made contact on a surface vessel. sonar reported it to be a merchant... gave the order to plot its base course, then having that in hand, ordered an intercept course.

After a couple of hours run at all ahead flank, got within sight of the target.

ID'ed her, as a Kigan Maru merchie, GRT 7390, ordered bow tubes 1 & 2 prepped in all aspects. Depth 6, slow runners & impact only. Having learned from the preceding months, on being 1st officer on another sub, the trials & troubles with the Mk 14's... how to best approach attacking with them, until Bureau of Ordnance can get it sorted out on fixing them properly.

As was still early morning, decided to make the attack while surfaced.

Closed within 3000 of her, still unseen, and not having any reports of aircraft or other surface ships about, gave the order to fire both fish, set apart by .75 degrees off either side of dead center.

While both fish were sent on their way, had crew manned & ready on the deck & flak guns... & turned to follow along at distance on the same base course of 052.

After their allotted run time plus or minus a few seconds... got the sweet reward of seeing both fish hit. With the 1st fish striking, watched the target go up in a massive fireball, and can only speculate that she must have been carrying ammo supplies or some other volatile cargo. The 2nd fish was just... icing on the cake, ensuring she went down faster. As she went under within just a few minutes of getting hit by both fish.

On impact of the 1st fish, & seeing no reasons to hang around, gave the order to return to base course... with adjustments as needed then went below to rack out for some much needed & deserved rest. Before doing so, gave the 1st officer Tom, orders to proceed best speed to our objective and if anything, major cropped up before I got in some good rest, to wake Me. Otherwise wanted to get in a good 8 if at all possible.



14/06/43

After several uneventful days, managed to make it to our, insertion point... on route to recon the Singapore port and to snap photos as required of anything of import.



03:37 hrs
Picked up signals of a small group of ships, making turns on a course of 067 had nav plot out a reciprocal course, so as to pass by, ID, radio it in & plot an attack approach. After conferring with the 1st, to give him experience in skippering and in agreement with his recommendation, decided on a surfaced attack, staying on a 180 heading off the targets base course.

ID'ed the targets as 1 Wakatake escort 4 merchies in a 2 x 2 following on the escort, like it's a mother duck. After a bit, managed to ID 3 of the merchies...

1 Kanaga Maru, 1 Shajima Maru & 1 Koto Maru, the 1 directly following behind the escort... couldn't get a clear definitive ID on... but from what is seen of it, is a small fry, anyway. Got the report from Sparks, that HQ had messaged back & the orders were clear... Hit 'em... & hit 'em hard...

Ordered tubes 1 through 4 fore, and tube 7 made ready in all aspects. As before with the Kigan Maru, ordered fish to be prepped to 6 depth, slow and impact only.

On getting a good confirm of aft tube being on track for a clear shot at the escort, ordered 7 fired 1st, then proceeded to unload tubes 1 through 4, 1 fish each at the at the smaller merchie's of the 3 & 2 at the larger one of the bunch... the Shajima. Both fish to be set apart off center by the same as with the Kigan Maru

After sending the last fish off, gave orders to head on a course of 225, ahead flank.

Heard 1 fish premature, despite precautions taken to avoid any possibilities of such occurring. (Still have the odd ones that do that) a few moments later, 1st impact cam... on the Kanaga... which like as with the Kigan Maru, went up in a tremendous explosion & settles under fast. fish aimed at the escort missed... likely due to the escorts reaction to the Kanaga going up... which threw off the intercept of it. Will have to see of having fish sent off on other targets and give time for the ones aimed at escorts in My 1st officers firing pinpoint drills. Other than that, not bad on their firing points otherwise... so far.

Not long after the Kanaga went up like a roman candle... heard & saw impacts on the Koto & the Shajima... with the Koto slowing down a tad.

By this time, could make out the escort in the general area where we had been, nosing about looking for us on the impression that the attack had come from a submerged sub. Little did the crew know that we were indeed making the attack on the surface.

After the impact on the Shakima, gave orders to proceed on course 275 for a bit then proceed to run on a heading of 300... working our way back around so as to parallel them on a base of 067 so that we could then give it another run to attack.

Had fore torp crew, begin loading up some new fish that HQ wanted in action testing of, as a replacement to the Mk 18's or maybe even a replacement to the 14's... not sure as to which but... orders are orders. Figured shoot off 2, 1 each at the Koto & the Shajima... & could always send off a pair of 14's if needed to.



04:10

After doing the final approach on the end run and in good posit, tubes 3 & 4, were ready in all respects... sighted on the Koto, which by now... was trailing a bit further behind owing to the damages inflicted by the 1st fish. Gave the order to fire 4... waited about 20 25 seconds and after having a good bead on the Shajima, ordered 3 fired. after firing 3, gave orders to go to 045, with the deck & flak guns manned & ready.



04:11/04:13

1st of the 2 Mk 23's impacted & sent the Shajima on a 1-way trip to join their fellow crew men to Davey Jones retirement home for wayward sailors... but not before they got sight of us & began to fire. Seconds after they began, came the impact & huge explosion of the fish hitting. She went under pretty fast after the fireball rocketed skyward. A half minute maybe less... the 2nd Mk 23, tore into the Koto & sent it on its way to join the others. Have to say, if with the rest of those fish on hand... preform as well as those, will have to give a hearty recommendation to HQ, to get them out to the rest of the sub fleet in the flash message to be sent off after getting clear of this engagement.



04:25

Have swung around to a heading of 265, to get clear of the area and making turns for all ahead full. Within a half hour, will give the order to head on a course of 225to get us back on track for the course plot worked out by the nav crew... so as to proceed at best sped, before having to dive to make way to our prospective recon posit.

Left the last merchie & escort go... so that they can spread the terror & fear message... Is a Wolf loose & it's a hungry demon Wolf...

Of the crew, they've performed well... with considerations for some in the forward torp room, of being recognized for going above & beyond, even after being injured.

Still, have to make that insertion point to do the recon & then... completing that, finding out just what HQ wants done after that.


End report... To, be continued...

After action tally, up to now... :





M. M.

Nice

[Mad Mardigan]

Thanks... & with this... makes like... the 2nd stab at, aka... go at doing up a detailed & as close to theirs, patrol report.





M. M.