Wolfpack AAR: Pink's Dilemma

Started by GaryMc, December 01, 2019, 10:01:06 AM

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GaryMc

First off gents, going to take me a bit to get serious with this AAR, as today's a pretty hectic day, but I'll start it here, in part to make sure I follow through  :-".  I'll add to it as I can.

The Scenario I'll do is one of the smaller ones, "Pink's Dilemma". It's set during the convoy battle of ONS-5 in May 1943 ("Black May").  The Germans had made a coordinated attack on the convoy which was largely unsuccessful, but a small group of ships had separated from the main convoy, under the escort of the HMS Pink (a Flower-class Corvette).  Historically, the Pink prosecuted one contact with a sub, causing serious damage, but a second sub got into her mini-convoy (thus the dilemma).


GaryMc

So, looking at the image, I have two subs. Right now, I'm focused on the easternmost one. U-358.  Light clouds with a wind of 10kts. 

I have to leave in a second, but to give you a bit of idea of what you're seeing.  The sub is surrounded by a number of circles, wedges and the like.
1) The yellow circle is current visible range.  Though the clouds do break LOS.  Note, this is the range at which I can see them.  Subs are harder to see, but if you get close enough, they will spot you.
2) the Black 3/4 circle is your main gun.  You don't have an aft firing arc because the gun is blocked by the Conning Tower.  The gun fires automatically, though you can order it not to fire. (Handy for night battles when you don't want to reveal  your position.)
3) The two blue arcs are your fore and aft torpedoes.

You'll notice on the lower left minimap that you have another sub off to the west.

I have to scoot to work now, so over the next few days, I'll share my misadventures in submarining. Then, my even worse misadventures on the bridge of the HMS Pink  :D

JasonPratt

ICEBREAKER THESIS CHRONOLOGY! -- Victor Suvorov's Stalin Grand Strategy theory, in lots and lots of chronological order...
Dawn of Armageddon -- narrative AAR for Dawn of War: Soulstorm: Ultimate Apocalypse
Survive Harder! -- Two season narrative AAR, an Amazon Blood Bowl career.
PanzOrc Corpz Generals -- Fantasy Wars narrative AAR, half a combined campaign.
Khazâd du-bekâr! -- narrative dwarf AAR for LotR BfME2 RotWK campaign.
RobO Q Campaign Generator -- archived classic CMBB/CMAK tool!

besilarius

Thanks, so much for putting in this extra effort.
"Most gods throw dice, but Fate plays chess, and you don't find out until too late that he's been playing with two queens all along".  Terry Pratchett.

During filming of Airplane, Leslie Nielsen used a whoopee cushion to keep the cast off-balance. Hays said that Nielsen "played that thing like a maestro"

Tallulah Bankhead: "I'll come and make love to you at five o'clock. If I'm late, start without me."

"When all other trusts fail, turn to Flashman." — Abraham Lincoln.

"I have enjoyed very warm relations with my two husbands."
"With your eyes closed?"
"That helped."  Lauren Bacall

Master Chiefs are sneaky, dastardly, and snarky miscreants who thrive on the tears of Ensigns and belly dancers.   Admiral Gerry Bogan.

Tripoli

"Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?" -Abraham Lincoln

airboy

Can someone give me a link to the game page so I can understand the game basics?

JasonPratt

Game page: http://www.johntillersoftware.com/NavalCampaigns/Wolfpack.html?mc_cid=a93dd79bae&mc_eid=cddf15686c

Better than that, the manual is freely available from the game page as a pdf link! http://www.johntillersoftware.com/NavalCampaigns/Wolfpack/user.pdf

Though as an introduction the getting-started help file might be better? -- also linked on the game page. http://www.johntillersoftware.com/NavalCampaigns/Wolfpack/started.pdf

(I haven't bought the game yet but I'm interested; also in the prior Midway game using the same engine.)
ICEBREAKER THESIS CHRONOLOGY! -- Victor Suvorov's Stalin Grand Strategy theory, in lots and lots of chronological order...
Dawn of Armageddon -- narrative AAR for Dawn of War: Soulstorm: Ultimate Apocalypse
Survive Harder! -- Two season narrative AAR, an Amazon Blood Bowl career.
PanzOrc Corpz Generals -- Fantasy Wars narrative AAR, half a combined campaign.
Khazâd du-bekâr! -- narrative dwarf AAR for LotR BfME2 RotWK campaign.
RobO Q Campaign Generator -- archived classic CMBB/CMAK tool!

GaryMc

Ok, getting back to it.  (My work schedule on Sundays is odd.  I have about 2-3 hours of free time mid afternoon, then gone for most of the day.)

Before I dig into the action itself, I'll note a bit more of the information on my sub.

If you look at the first screenshot, you'll see the sub info box (top left).  The sub is listed as 100%(100%).  The first number is the overall sub health. (Like John's other naval games, this one doesn't have detailed points of damage or the like.  You can get flooding or burning status, but nothing more in depth than that.)  Generally, as long as a ship is over 75%, it operates pretty well. After that, it begins to degrade. That said, subs are pretty fragile, so getting much damage can be a real problem.

The number in parenthesis is the current battery state. I'm running on the surface, so all is well.  My sub is a hair short on torpedoes, as I only have 2 reloads for my forward tubes.  This reflects the torps used in previous engagements against this convoy.

If you rightclick on that area, you'll get a bit more info on your sub, as in this screen shot.

Of note, you'll see that this is a Type VIIC U-Boat, and has armor by Reynolds :D

After this, I'll get into the AAR proper.


GaryMc

So, getting into the action.  It's 11:30 in the morning, and I'm hunting any stragglers from the convoy we attacked previously.  I have two subs, though they are too far apart to easily work together.  No enemy air cover is expected even though it's daytime, so I can afford to run on the surface.  For now, I'll run both subs on their current course (E), until I develop a contact.  After that, we'll see how things develop.

GaryMc

We have contact!  Enemy "K" (Corvette) at the far end of my view range (18000), ESE.  Looks like the enemy convoy is currently  headed WNW at 8kts.  Since this is first contact, I don't have a full clue of its base course quite yet.  I can likely stay on the surface a bit longer before the enemy corvette gets a peek at me.  It may help me read the convoy's zigzags and figure out the base course.  Still though, assuming it stays on a more or less W course, I'm well positioned to submerge and wait for them to come to me. 


GaryMc

#10
11:50:29

Enemy corvette is currently about 16500 out.  I've turned on the range grid, each dot is 1000y.  He's come to
SSW, so I'd guess that the base course is indeed, due W or maybe WSW.  At this point, I'm going to drop my lead sub underwater and bring it to due S at 2 knots.  If I've read his route properly, I'll come in on him from the north.  My second sub will continue to close at max speed.


GaryMc

12:47:43

Reacquired contact. I was getting a bit nervous. For a fair bit of time, I had a cloud covering the area I expected to reacquire, and it was hard for me to be sure if the plan was working.

I've now spotted an AK 9000 just off of SE.  I should be able to consider my basically south run with my lead sub, and will hopefully get a good shot at the merchie.


GaryMc

12:49:43

I've been pinged! You get an audio cue when it happens, and you can also see the line of bearing it comes from.  I should be ok still. I'm far enough out that he won't get a return, but I still got the signal that the Corvette is at it.



That's all I have time for right now. I'll pick up with things when I get back or tomorrow.  Am I more Prien or Klink? Tune in to find out!


TacticalWargames

Looking forward to this. Interested in the game as it's about subs unlike the excellent Steam and Iron and RTW2.

GaryMc

Back at it for the evening.  Just getting started, so not a great deal of new situation.

I'm headed due S at 4 kts.  I just took down my periscope, which will make it yet harder for them to find me.  To help me keep track of locations in my mind, I placed a marker on the map on the location of th nearer target, with some info (most recent course and speed. In this case, 8kts SSW)  As his zigzag seems to more or less have him on a SW-ish course, I should be able to get into good position on the flank of the enemy transports.  I have also turned my rearward sub to ESE, to better intercept the further course of the enemy.  It's still well out of spotting, so it's pulling full speed on the surface.