[Threadfin]

I know I'm rather late to the party, and there isn't much traffic here lately, but I've recently installed PA and am having a great time with it. Thanks to all the team that put in the hard work to make this mod!

I'm very interested in the Pacific submarines, and have the obligatory stacks of books and have read every patrol report on the web.

I get sunk too often, too aggressive, only one of my 10 careers has made it to my 5 patrol limit. Good old Wahoo We sank a Kongo class in good old Wahoo.

So far in those careers we've sunk two Takao and one Myoko class CA, the Kongo BB, and just last night, Soryu. A little story if it's OK.

Had an interesting series of patrols yesterday. I was commanding Sealion (which incidently was the first US sub sunk in the war while tied up at Cavite a couple days after Pearl harbor), out of Corregidor in '42. On the third patrol we were assigned an area off the southern coast of Shikoku. After sinking a medium sized merchant enroute we made contact with a task force. Using flank speed we were able to get in a good position ahead and submerge.

When they came into view it was 5 or 6 DDs, with Yamato! (or Musashi) at the lead, followed by two Kongo class BBs, followed by Soryu and a heavy cruiser which we identified as Takao class, but wasn't paying much attention to him!

Which target to attack?!?

Sealion is a Sargo class, and has 4 tubes on each end. The plan was to fire the bow tubes at the carrier, then spin around and fire the stern tubes at the carrier, or another target if the carrier were hit hard.

We worked into perfect postion, the huge Yamato sailing past the periscope at 1000 yards making 20 knots. Then the two Kongo class BBs. Ah man, it was all I could do to restrain from firing. Finally all bow tubes were fired at Soryu and we started to spin around, but the escorts forced us deep before we could complete our turn.

Impact! Dud. Dud. Dud. Doh!!! And over the hill they went.

3 weeks later we were patrolling just east of Okinawa and made contact with another task force. Again, using flank speed got ahead and submerged. It couldn't be. Yep, the same task force we attacked 3 weeks before, with the carrier still lightly damaged from our attack. Now we had just 3 bow fish, and one aft. All bow tubes fired, and all hit and detonated. Damaged heavily, Soryu went over the hill. Dammit.

Sealion was sunk in the Yellow sea on the fourth patrol.

Move forward to next career, now commanding a Balao class boat, Perch, in '43 out of Midway. Our first patrol was off the coast of Honshu. Contact with a task force. Now equipped with an SJ, we gained position ahead and submerged. This time the force was making 14 knots and when they came into view it was again Yamato, two Kongos, Soryu and Takao. All six bow tubes fired at the carrier from 1100 yards. Again, the escorts forced us down before we could complete the turn to fire the stern tubes.

4 impacts and 2 duds. The carrier kept on however. Plucky bastard. After creepng away from the destroyers we surfaced and started an end around, while reloading the final 3 forward fish. It took 3 hours, helped by the SJ which enabled us to track the force while keeping out of visible ragne, about 9000 yards. The BBs were firing in all directions it seemd and some shells splashed close to Perch. None of them were 18 inchers I don't think

3 hours later we cut back in and submerged. Holding my breath we let Yamato pass for the third time in two patrols. Then the two Kongos, and finally let go the remaining bow tubes at the carrier. Two impacts and one dud. Heavily damaged she kept on, but slowed to 10 knots. When our turn was completed fired our final torpedo, which exploded under the island. The escorts forced us deep, and with heavy dissapointment we started to try and slip away. We had now hit this carrier with twenty torpedos in 4 attacks (7 duds).

20 minutes later the carrier blew up and went down.

Anyone else still patrolling the Pacific?

[Sailor Steve]

Fascinating story: frustration, hard work, boredom and more frustration-all part of submarine warfare. I'm glad you finally got the *&$%#*, though.

I have Pacific Aces Installed, but I'm so fascinated with SHIII I play almost nothing else these days. If SHIV doesn't work out (or is delayed long enough) when my SHIII careers get to December '41 I'll be supplementing them with new careers in PA...or maybe even SHI again!

Good story.

[Threadfin]

Thanks. I've been playing SH3 alot too, but my main interest is in the Pacific and the US boats, so I was very pleased to learn about PA.

-link removed-

I have high hopes for SH4.

[Sailor Steve]

Impressive! What level do you play on? I've only seen one warship (a fleet carrier) and I didn't manage to sink it.

Oh, nice reports, by the way.

[Threadfin]

In SH3? I play all realism options checked except for map contact update, so I don't have to man the 'phones all the time. Externals off, manual TDC, etc. I think that makes it 88%.

Thanks for the comments.

[Threadfin]

Need to work on my identification. Evidently the 'Kongo class' battleships i reported were actually Nagato. Sank one last night and debrief showed 39,000 tons, too heavy for a Kongo. This was another double attack. Attacked once for 5 hits, then found them again a week or two later to deliver the four coups-de-grace. I can report it takes 9 Mark 14 hits to sink a Nagato class BB