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SUBSIM: The Web's #1 resource for all submarine & naval simulations since 1997
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02-24-22, 07:03 PM
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#1 |
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Impossible mission?! (Part 3)
25 Dec 1941 04:15
We are now visually tracking six fishing boats. Five of them are keeping to the west of the channel, with one ahead nearer the deeper part, Given their spread out disposition, they appear unconcerned about minefields. Could it be that the Japanese have none in this channel? Are they that confident in the security of their home waters? That alone would be useful intelligence for COMSUBPAC, even if we are unable to make it all the way to Hiroshima. 04:45 I have ordered ahead two thirds for a short time. We have fallen far enough behind the lead fishing boats to warrant it. So far they are holding steady on their course of about 348°. We will shortly make the first of our turns in the channel. Current course is 004°, new course, for a short leg of 5500 yds, will be 324°. 04:51 On course at 324°. Speed reduced to ahead one third to reduce closure rate on fishing boats to our west. I want to pass behind them on our next course change. 05:18 I have ordered ahead two thirds once more. On our next leg we should now pass behind the five fishing boats that are still in view. They still haven’t deviated from their course. 05:24 132°12’E, 33°06’N. Turned to new course 282°, speed ahead two thirds. 06:01 132°08’E, 33°07’N. Turned to new course 325°, speed two thirds ahead. We are now some 6000 yds west of the course of the fishing boats, on a diverging course. Only one remains in view -- we’ll lose sight of it soon enough. We’re on our own from here on in -- I’m surprised we have seen no sign of defences so far: no patrols, no mines, no shore emplacements. 06:35 I spoke too soon! We have spotted three fishing boats to starboard, now apparently on a converging course of about 305°. They must have changed course shortly after our last sighting. I have ordered speed reduced to ahead one third to avoid contact. Although this slows us down again, it has the advantage that I can keep them in front to pathfind any potential minefields. That’s very thoughtful of them! 09:10 132°00’E, 33°17’N. Course 326°. I have ordered speed increased to two thirds ahead. The fishing boats are far enough ahead and all but one have crossed our bow, so we will pass astern of them again. They remain steady on their course of 305°. Are they on their way to Oita? Or Tsurusaki? Or Bepu? If so, I can expect them to make a turn to port, on a diverging course from our plotted one. But, they’ve surprised us once with a course change -- they’ll bear keeping a close eye on for the time being. 09:30 131°59’E, 33°20’N. We are passing through the Hoyo Strait into the Seto Inland Sea. I am surprised, and grateful for it, that we have still not encountered any patrol vessels of any sort. I also have to thank our fishing boat “escort” for being most helpful thus far! Still no sign of them changing course. But we will, about 1 NM ahead! 09:45 131°58’E, 33°21’N. We have made our turn, to a new course of 018°, two thirds ahead. We still have six fishing boats in sight, all now to port and beginning to fall behind, steady on their course of 305°. 09:50 A binocular sweep has shown two more fishing boats ahead, off the port bow. With the first light of dawn appearing, and the horizon beginning to show clearly, I’ve ordered the boat to dive to periscope depth, ahead one third to conserve battery power to the maximum. This will be slow going, but I intend to remain submerged throughout daylight hours. 09:51 We finally have a hydrophone contact! Two vessels bearing approx 245. One certainly sounds like a warship, the other perhaps not. A merchant plus escort? A periscope sweep showed only the fishing boat fleet, so our sound contact is beyond visual range as yet. Possibly in the vicinity of Bepu, given the bearing. If we weren’t on a recon op, I would be turning to track and intercept. But I’ll have to let them go. This time! 10:39 131°58’E, 33°24’N. Hydrophone operator reports a warship bearing 225, closing at medium speed, long range. Taking a listen myself, there appears to be two warships and a merchant. 10:49 A periscope sweep shows at least one escort vessel plus up to four merchants, one of them possibly a tanker, on a course through the Hoyo Strait to exit through the Bungo Suido. Have the Japanese adopted an escorted convoy strategy? Perhaps they’re taking notice of what is happening in the North Atlantic. But, what a missed opportunity because of these damned orders from COMSUBPAC! Plus, we’re nearly surrounded by fishing boats! It would be just our luck to get entangled in their fishing nets! 10:54 According to the Nautical Almanac, the sun should now be risen. 12:05 We’ve lost hydrophone contact with the escorted convoy. We continue deeper into the Inland Sea, probing how far we can go. 14:14 132°01’E, 33°31’N. We have turned to new course 072°, ahead one third, remaining at periscope depth. Hydrophone contact at approx bearing 212 of a single warship. This is likely our first contact with a patrol! 14:25 Sound contact is now at bearing 205. I want to avoid using the periscope during daylight, given the number of fishing boats we have been encountering. 14:35 Sound contact now at bearing 196. It appears to be on a southerly course. 14:45 Sound contact now bearing 186, clearly showing through our own baffles. Still on a southerly course - headed out through the Hoyo Strait? 14:55 Sound contact now bearing 181, still clear through our baffles. 15:05 Sound contact still bearing 181. Clearly has changed course -- but towards or away from us? According to our charts, we have plenty of depth to play with for the next several hours at this speed, so I’m taking us a bit deeper, to 100 ft. 15:15 Sound contact now at bearing 178. Is it a bit fainter? 15:25 Sound contact now bearing 176. Definitely fainter. If he’s searching for us, he’s looking the wrong way! But I wonder if any of “our” fishing boats spotted and reported us? 15:35 Sound contact now bearing 175. Getting much fainter. The variation in bearings indicate changes in course. Is he searching? Or simply patrolling? 15:45 Sound contact very faint, at bearing 174. 16:00 Sound contact is no longer audible. Second Watch is now on duty. 19:04 Hydrophone reports a sound contact bearing 283, identified as a merchant. Another missed opportunity! 19:30 Hydrophone contact is now bearing 250, apparently on a course reciprocal to our own. 20:00 We lost the hydrophone contact at 19:55. I hope this mission to Hiroshima is worth all the missed opportunities! 20:48 132°13’E, 33°35’N. The Nautical Almanac tells us the sun is setting. I have ordered us to periscope depth. 20:54 Hydrophone and periscope sweeps are clear. When the sky is a bit darker, we shall surface. 22:00 It’s finally dark enough, so I have ordered the boat to surface, at two thirds ahead. We received the following Fox Traffic: HONG KONG HAS SURRENDERED TO THE JAPANESE X MANILA DECLARED AN OPEN CITY X US FORCES WITHDRAWING TO JAVA AND AUSTRALIA X MERRY CHRISTMAS X And a Merry Christmas to you too, COMSUBPAC! |
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02-24-22, 09:39 PM
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#2 | |
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Navy Seal
 Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Florida USA
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Quote:
Interesting read. Keep it up 
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02-25-22, 01:35 AM
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#3 |
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Navy Seal
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Florida USA
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USS BARB 3-8 JANUARY 1944
TMO Update BH V2.0
After 15 great patrols in NAUTILUS SS-168 from December 1941- November 1944, was sunk by "Friendly Fire" , a US John C. Butler Class Destroyer Escort off Morotai on 5 November 1944, en route Brisbane via Mios Woendi to end the 15th patrol. Started a new career, want to tested out some things did in 1944 for the upcoming TMO Update V2.0. I was assigned USS BARB SS-220. I was happy with this. Since January 1944 was before Fluckey was her CO, I looked up and used the name of LCDR JR Waterman. Will edit the file to reflect Fluckey's taking command in April 1944 when appropriate. Assigned to Area 8(one of the new patrol orders I added to campaign) , a real hot zone at this point in war, looking forward to getting there . 3 January ______________ 1300 Underway from Pearl Harbor in accordance with COMSUBPAC Operation Order 06-44. 1336 Exited channel and rendezvoused with BARB's escort, PC-461. 1515 Escort detached. 1530 Dive. Dive time 45 seconds. Will conduct drills to improve time. 1545 Surfaced 1550 En route Midway Island. 4 January ______________ En route Midway 0700 Dive. Improved time to 40 seconds. 0715 Surface 0900 Gunnery Drill 1000 Emergency Drill 1300 Dive 1305 Torpedo Fire Control Drill 1400 Surface 5 January ______________ 0700 Dive 0730 Surface 1000 Crash Dive drills. Submerged in 38.9 seconds. 1015 Surface 6 January ______________ En route Midway 0630 Dive 0700 Surface 3 January ______________ 1300 Underway from Pearl Harbor in accordance with COMSUBPAC Operation Order 06-44 with PC-461 as escort. 1515 Escort detached. 1530 Dive. Dive time 45 seconds. WIll conduct drills to improve time. 1545 Surfaced 1550 En route Midway Island. 4 January ______________ En route Midway 0700 Dive. Improved time to 40 seconds. 0715 Surface 0900 Gunnery Drill 1000 Emergency Drill 1300 Dive 1305 Torpedo Fire Control Drill 1400 Surface 5 January ______________ 0700 Dive 0730 Surface 7 January ______________ 0630 Dive 0700 Surface 0800 Docked Midway Island Topped off fuel and stores. 1300 Departed Midway 1400 Dive 1430 Surface 1445 Course 270 to AREA 8 8 January ___________ En route to patrol area. Course 271 degrees. 14 knots. 0645 Dive 0700 Surface Last edited by Bubblehead1980; 02-25-22 at 01:45 AM. |
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02-25-22, 07:01 PM
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#4 |
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Impossible mission?! (Part 4)
25 Dec 1941 22:49
132°22’E, 33°3’N. Soundings show only 65 ft under our keel! Our charts are not the most up to date, because of Japanese secrecy in the last 20 years, but if the shallows between here and Hiroshima are like this, it might well be impossible to reach our goal and complete our mission. And I’m reluctant to use our sounder too much in case it gets picked up by enemy hydrophones. At our current speed (8 kts) on the surface, we could be at Hiroshima before dawn. Our charts, if they are reliable, show a couple of deeper areas where we could hole up submerged on silent running during daylight. A hydrophone record of shipping in and out of port would be valuable, in addition to our photo recon objective. But given the shallows and narrows we have to navigate to get there, I’m sceptical of our chances of success. Any further encounters with fishing boats, merchants or, worse, patrols, could find us in water too shallow to submerge. We’d be a very large tin fish in a very small barrel! We have another hour-and-a-half until our next course change. I’ll consult with my XO and nav officer at that time before I decide whether to proceed or not. 26 Dec 1941 00:45 We are at 132°35’E, 33°42’N, the last reasonably deep point on our charts before we would need to proceed into the narrows and shallows for the rest of our route to Hiroshima. Weather remains calm and clear. Visibility is good. Both for us and the enemy! Bad weather would be to our advantage, but the barometer is steady. Although we have encountered no further patrols, merchants or fishing boats, that surely cannot last. The lack of depth in the shallows, plus the lack of room for manoeuvre in the narrows, reduces our chances to remain undetected in the event of any such encounters. We would not last for very long so deep into enemy territory thereafter. After consulting with my XO and NO, I have decided to reverse course, to make our way back out of the Inland Sea. Being able to probe this far into the heart of Japanese waters in itself provides valuable intelligence. Our fuel bunkers are over 60% full, so we have sufficient reserves to loiter in the enemy’s home waters and wreak havoc on his shipping. We’ll spend as much time as possible on the surface tonight at ahead two thirds, but will have to spend daylight hours submerged once again. Tomorrow night, under cover of darkness, we shall endeavour to pass back out through the Bungo Suido. Then we can get down to business, and hopefully bag a late Christmas present or two for the crew, to make up for the lousy Christmas Day they have just had! 02:05 Hydrophone has picked up a contact at bearing 118. Sounds like a merchant to me. Faint, but the water here is too shallow to dive for a better fix. We’ll track it as best we can. 02:25 Hydrophone contact is at 120, seemingly parallel to our course. This could get interesting … 02:45 Hydrophone contact now bearing 132. Lagging behind, so going slower than our 8 kts. 03:05 Hydrophone contact now bearing 140. 03:30 Hydrophone contact now bearing 154. 03:35 Given the contact we have been tracking, I have decided on a change of plan. At ahead two thirds on the surface, it would be conceivable to make it through the Bungo Suido before dawn. That would allow us to lie in wait for this merchant out in open water -- assuming it is headed that way, rather than to one of the ports on the western shore of the Inland Sea. To expedite our passage, I’ve ordered ahead standard, at least for an hour or two. It’s more risky, but as long as our lookouts are alert, we should be able to avoid contacts, just like last night. Plus, now we can be confident that Bungo Suido is clear of minefields. That makes it more plausible to make the passage at a higher speed. 04:40 We are approaching our turn towards the Hoyo Strait, at 132°01’E, 33°31’N. Hydrophone has detected a warship bearing 350; not in visual range with binoculars. I have ordered us to dive to periscope depth, ahead two thirds. Course currently is 247°; after the turn we will be on 198°. 04:47 Warship hydrophone contact now bearing 348. Appears to be moving southwards, so towards the Bungo Suido. That should place us in his baffles before long. If he is heading out through the Bungo Suido, we can follow him through. If we have to remain submerged, we can’t make it through before daylight. So we would have to stay down for the next seventeen hours, until after sunset. 04:55 We have made our turn towards the Hoyo Strait. 04:57 Warship contact now bearing 018. Still heading southwards. 05:00 A quick periscope sweep shows the enemy warship within visual range, just off our starboard bow. Not enough light to attempt to identify it. It does appear to be steady on a course through the Hoyo Strait. We shall remain submerged for now, waiting for its range to increase. Then I shall reassess whether it is feasible to surface. In the meantime, my SO is tracking it, and I have ordered ahead one third to conserve battery power. 05:16 Surprise, surprise! My SO has separated out a merchant hydrophone contact on the same bearing as the warship. A quick periscope check shows that the shadow I saw previously is not the warship, but the merchant! This changes the paradigm! I’m going to surface and shadow this merchant. The warship is not a concern at present -- it is still heading away, and the merchant should provide some cover for us. 05:25 We are on the surface, ahead two thirds, course 198°. The target is off our starboard bow, heading NE into the Inland Sea. I have identified it as the Kiturin Maru, 6800 tons. This is too good an opportunity to miss! I am setting up to attack! 05:39 The target is on a course of 064°. I have turned to 138° to attack. Tube one flooded and ready. 05:41 Tube 1 fired! 05:50 Damn the torpedoes! Tube one missed, or was a dud. Whichever, it alerted the enemy crew, who caught us in a spotlight and opened fire with smallarms and 20mm cannon. So much for merchants being unarmed! I have broken off the attack, and turned north towards deeper water at flank speed, submerging to periscope depth as soon as we were on course. This will have stirred up a hornet’s nest, to be sure! 06:06 I am manoeuvering to a new attack position, this time submerged. The target is doing only 4 kts. We are at ahead standard, doing 7 kts, closing the range. I have him trapped between me and the south shore of the Inland Sea, so he has little room to do anything to escape, apart from a bit of zig-zagging. 06:16 Tubes 1 and 3 fired at 1600 to 1700 yds range. Both missed! I’ll try once more before breaking off, and concentrating on surviving the response that’s bound to arrive! 06:27 I’ll have to have my chief engineer check out the remaining torpedoes! Tube 2 proved to be a dud! Tube 4 missed - that was my fault; I misjudged the turning rate of the target. He manoeuvred smartly out of the way, even though I had closed to close range. But, finally, the Tube 1 reload did the job! Set to contact influence, shallow depth and high speed, I fired at almost point blank range as he turned away. The ship exploded and sank in a couple of minutes. Our first kill of the war. Now to survive the inevitable response! I am heading deeper into the Inland Sea, in anticipation that the enemy will expect us to try to slip out through the Bungo Suido pronto. We will lie low throughout the coming daylight hours and hope to make it through once nightfall comes again. |
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02-25-22, 07:30 PM
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#5 |
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Navy Seal
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Florida USA
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TMO Update V2.0
USS Barb SS-220 January 1944 Area 8 26 January _______________ TORPEDO ATTACK NO.3 0608 SJ contact bearing 343 27,340 yards. (Ship Contact No.3) 0610 Ordered course 309 Speed 20 kts to close contact. 0615 Multiple pips indicated convoy. GENERAL QUARTERS-TORPEDO-SURFACE 0633 Convoy course estimated 142 Speed Estimate 8 knts. Eight pips total, six vessels with two escorts, one forward, one rear. 0649 Sighted convoy bearing 087 10,170 yards. 0656 Contact Report Sent. Convoy Sighted 28-43N 133-00E Estimated Course/Speed 139 degrees at 8 knots 0658 Lead Escort appears to be Chidori Class Torpedo Boat 0700 Received reply to contact report. X ATTACK X 0719 Approached convoy 3500 yards off track, lead escort sweeping along path. Several tense moments as waited for him to pass by so could close in for attack. 0741 Fired Tubes 1,2,3,4,5,6 (two per target) at three mid sized AK in port column 0742 During torpedo run, convoy began turn for what appeared to be routine :44 zig, causing torpedoes at forward and rear target to miss. 0743 Torpedo impact! Two torpedoes hit the middle AK. Large fires and a secondary explosion followed. :01 0743 During BARB's turn away from convoy, received gunfire from merchant vessels as well as illuminated by searchlights :15 star shells. Trailing escort, identified as a Minesweeper/Type A Shimushu Escort, already in the midst of his "sweep" due to the convoys regular zig, began closing on BARB, firing several rounds from deck gun. BARB was racing away, but the escort was keeping pace. 0745 Observed Chidori Class escort now rushing to join the pursuit. Several shell splashes landed well ahead and well astern. 0746 With the closest escort keeping pace, obvious could match BARB's speed. Ordered engines put into overload with governors tied down (AHEAD EMERGENCY Ability) BARB was soon at a surace speed of 22.8 knots, pulling away from the Shimushu Escort. However, it appeared Chidori escort, which BARB could not outrun, increased speed and was closing. 0755 Both escorts 3500 yards astern, but slowed and began search patterns, apparently convinced BARB had submerged. This was confirmed when both dropped depth charges, while BARB disappeared into the night. 0815 After opening distance, set course to end round convoy for follow up attack before dawn if possible. Torpedo reload ordered. 0900 Escort rejoined convoy, one other remained in area of attack searching (Radar indication) 0933 Brought stern to bear for approach. Readied tubes 7,8,9,10. 0950 Fired tubes 7,8,9 2000 yards. 0952 Torpedo impact! All three MK 18 torpedoes hit as aimed. 0954 AK sunk in less than two minutes at 28-33N 132-55E. Chidori heading BARB's way BARB raced away at best speed. 1009 With dawn in just over a hour, secured GQ. Ordered stern tubes reloaded and moved ahead for follow up submerged attack at dawn. 1030 Dawn. SD contact 21200 yards (Aircraft Contact No. 5) 1032 Series of explosions above, astern. Aircraft apparently observed BARB, no damage. 1100 Periscope Depth. Observed flying boat (EMILY) 7000 yards astern bearing 176/ Ordered 150 feet. (Aircraft Contact No. 5) 1300 Depth 60 ft. Extended SD mast to check area. 1331 SD contact 12000 yards, steady. (Aircraft Contact No. 6) Ordered 150 ft 1421 Several explosions distant, astern, reverberated throughout the boat. Enemy aircraft depth charges likely source. 1500 Periscope depth. Raised SD mast. 1504 SD contact 28000 yards closing (Aircraft Contact No.7) 1505 Ordered 200 ft. 1510 Convoy likely out of our are by this point, decided to remain submerged until night fall due to persistent air cover in area. |
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02-25-22, 07:35 PM
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#6 | |
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Navy Seal
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Florida USA
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Quote:
Well done. i am enjoying this as don't believe I've ventured into those waters since stock game a decade ago lol. |
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02-26-22, 03:41 PM
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#7 |
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Impossible mission?! (Part 5)
26 Dec 1941 06:40
My NO has provided the coordinates for the sinking of Kiturin Maru: 132°03’E, 33°27’N. 06:45 I have ordered ahead one third and a new depth of 150 ft. Course is 359°. Now we wait it out. 09:05 We have been running north for two and a half hours, gaining 6 NM from the sinking. I have ordered a course change to 065°. Hydrophone shows no sign of a response yet from enemy forces. 10:45 Sunrise according to the Nautical Almanac. 14:00 132°12’E, 33°37’N. We’re over 14 NM from the sinking, and still no response. Are the IJN asleep? 14:35 132°13’E, 33°37’N. I have ordered a course change to 270°. 15:09 Hydrophone has detected a warship bearing 263, long range. 15:30 Sound contact now bearing 207. On a course opposite to ours. My SO is tracking it. 15:47 Sound contact now bearing 170, still increasing range. I’ve ordered my SO back to normal sweep. 16:00 Hydrophone contact lost on warship. 16:21 New sound contact bearing 122. Sounds like the same warship to me, obviously searching for us. My SO is tracking this contact. 16:30 Contact now bearing 102, closing, medium speed. I have ordered silent running. 16:40 Contact bearing 060, moving away. 17:00 Contact now bearing 026, moving away. Most of First and Third Watches are sleeping. That’s good -- I’ll want them well rested and alert for tonight! 17:37 Contact lost bearing 018. I have secured from silent running. 18:08 Soundings show only 65 ft under our keel, so I’ve ordered a new depth of 100 ft. 19:10 I have picked up the warship on hydrophone again, bearing 005. The SO cannot yet distinguish it -- he clearly requires a lot more experience or training! 19:15 Contact now bears 014. Appears to be moving northwards. 19:40 Contact now bearing 028. 20:10 Contact now very faint at bearing 040. 20:30 132°02’E, 33°37’N. Depth under the keel is down to 62 ft. I’m changing course southwards to deeper water. New course 195°. The Hoyo Strait is about 18 NM ahead. Sunset should be in a few minutes. It should be dark enough by about 21:30 to 22:00 to contemplate surfacing. 20:36 Sunset, according to the Nautical Almanac. 21:00 Hydrophone has picked up an indeterminate contact at 355. We shall proceed with extreme caution -- it might be a stationary enemy just listening for an unsuspecting submarine! I shall bear away to westwards a little to open the range to this possible contact. If necessary, I shall stay submerged at silent running -- we still have over 50% of our battery capacity, but the air is getting a little bit stuffy, with CO2 reading just above 30. 21:20 The possible hydrophone contact is bearing 310 from our new course. Projected, that puts it directly in line with Hoyo Strait. Have the Japanese stationed a picket there? I guess we’ll find out! 22:00 132°00’E, 33°35’N. I am coming to periscope depth. 22:03 Our anomalous hydrophone contact has become clearer -- I do believe we have an enemy submarine in our vicinity, bearing 275, which is no longer in line with Hoyo Strait. I’ve ordered silent running. 22:15 Our “friend” now bears 256, apparently moving eastwards relative to us. I am returning to our plotted course, at 188°, hoping to move through his baffles. 22:32 Contact now bears 277, slowly increasing range. 22:45 Contact now bearing 258. 23:00 Contact now bearing 251, getting fainter. He might be coming about. The next few plot lines on the chart should show that. 23:15 Contact now bearing 245. Faint. No other contacts - it sounds clear ahead. 23:30 Contact now bearing 243. Very faint. He has definitely changed course, possibly coming back towards us. I have ended silent running. 23:37 131°59’E, 33°32’N. I have conducted a periscope sweep -- clear! Apart from our “friend” there are no hydrophone contacts. I have ordered the boat to surface, ahead full, course 188°! 23:45 Weather is still clear and settled. Pity. I could have done with a storm right about now! 27 Dec 1941 00:40 131°59’E, 33°19’N. We are passing through the Hoyo Strait. We made our turn to a course of 325° at 131°58’E, 33°21’N. In the moonlight I have spotted a shore emplacement on the island on the west side of the Strait, and another on the mainland beyond. No sign of activity at either one. Perhaps we’ve caught them asleep? I’ll maintain ahead full until we've gained more range. 01:00 I have ordered ahead standard, to conserve fuel and make us a little more stealthy. 01:05 A binocular sweep shows no sign of enemy vessels ahead, or any pursuit from behind. 01:50 132°08’E, 33°07’N. We have turned to a new course of 112°. At this rate we should be out of the Bungo Suido in about two hours. These waters were infested with fishing boats when we last passed through here. There’s no sign of them, now. Perhaps bringing the war to their home has put some fear into their hearts! 02:23 132°14’E, 33°04’N. Changed course to 184°. 02:27 Hydrophone contact ahead. Warship bearing 351, long range, constant distance. I knew this was too good to last. But, we are in good shape, with batteries recharged above 80%. We have detected only one warship, so we should be able to avoid him. 02:44 I have spotted two distant ships in binoculars, bearing 350, long range. I have ordered periscope depth and silent running. We proceed with utmost caution from here. 02:50 The enemy is patrolling the centre of the entrance to Bungo Suido. I have ordered a change of course to 214°, to the west side of the channel, to maximise our separation from them, and a new depth of 120 ft. 03:09 One warship is closing our position, slowing down. I have ordered all stop. 03:18 Hydrophone contact bearing 032, medium speed, closing. 03:20 Active sonar! Ahead flank, hard to port! New depth 200 ft. 03:23 We have taken major damage from multiple depth charges - flooding, forward batteries -- much more. I have blown ballast to halt our sinking. 03:28 We are being attacked again! 03:29 Multiple close depth charges. I have blown ballast again to control sinking. 03:33 Active sonar again. We are sinking. I have blown ballast for a third time! Flank speed gives us only 2 to 5 kts. I am attempting to reach shallow water to abandon ship. But we are under attack for a third time! 03:37 Another six depth charges, but no further damage. 03:38 Blown ballast for a fourth time. We don’t have much compressed air left! More active sonar! Making only 2 kts at flank speed. 03:42 We are sinking again. 03:43 I have blown ballast for a fifth time! 03:45 We are under attack again! Making only 1 kt at flank speed. 03:48 We have struck the bottom. Depth 260 ft. Still alive! I have ordered all stop. Latest attack was only one relatively distant depth charge! 03:51 Forward torpedo room is pumping out water. The forward dive planes transmission is shot. The enemy is attacking again, directly overhead. Four depth charges that stirred us a little, but otherwise no new damage. 03:57 We are under attack again. Only three depth charges, no further damage. Depth gauge shows 270 ft. 03:59 More active sonar. Hopefully we are now mimicking a big rock! My NO reckons we are at 132°12’E, 33°00’N. 04:03 Five more depth charges, but no damage. We are probably too deep! But he knows we’re around here, somewhere. 04:06 More active sonar. My crew is holding up well. Several injuries, mostly minor, but no fatalities. Water is being pumped out of the forward torpedo room. Forward batteries are under repair, but that is a slow job. We had some flooding in the control room earlier, but that has been pumped out. It looks like the forward part of my boat took the brunt of the damage, but all bulkheads are intact. Biggest concern is that our compressed air is down to only 18 per cent, and slowly decreasing. We must have a slight leak somewhere. 04:07 Five more depth charges. A little shaken, but no additional damage. 04:09 Active sonar. 04:11 We are under attack again. Only two depth charges nearby, and three further away. 04:15 Active sonar. We are under attack again. Only three depth charges, two somewhat distant, one closer, but obviously not deep enough. 04:19 More active sonar. 04:20 Another attack. 04:21 Massive explosion nearby. Damage taken … [CTD] NOTE: Unfortunately, at this point I had a CTD. Rather than returning to a save file, I regard USS Nautilus as lost with all hands, 27 Dec, 1941. |
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02-27-22, 12:42 AM
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#8 | |
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Navy Seal
Join Date: Apr 2009
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Quote:
Ahhhh almost made it, but that is the nature of the beast I really enjoyed the patrol reports on this, kept it interesting. I think the Inland Sea areas may be too lightly defended in early war. I mean, I wanted it to reflect when Japan beefed up against submarine incursion as war went on, so in later periods its much more difficult but may be too lightly defended, esp in terms of mines controlling traffic. Something I will work out. I left it a lone because I assumed like me, most people just disregarded those orders. Again, you kept it interesting. I hate you CTD but that does happen when sitting on the bottom sometimes, in stock or mods. Devs were idiotic in not designing it where subs can set on the bottom. They take hull damage and being depth charged when on bottom san "sink" you into the seafloor which will eventually cause a CTD. Again, really enjoyed the reports though. What is next? New career? Same class or boat/time period or moving on ? |
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Hybrid Mode
