Dont see this one every day

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p1t1o
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Dont see this one every day

Post by p1t1o »


New contact! Designated GOBLIN #19 - Detected by HMS Leander [Sensors: Mk1 Eyeball] at 9deg - 0.4nm

Turns out it was biological at periscope depth.

My lookout just called in a whale breaching as a goblin.

Do you reckon he just yelled "Thar she blows!"?
SunlitZelkova
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RE: Dont see this one every day

Post by SunlitZelkova »

ORIGINAL: p1t1o


New contact! Designated GOBLIN #19 - Detected by HMS Leander [Sensors: Mk1 Eyeball] at 9deg - 0.4nm

Turns out it was biological at periscope depth.

My lookout just called in a whale breaching as a goblin.

Do you reckon he just yelled "Thar she blows!"?

The interesting thing is, in WWII at least, whales and things like drift wood did often get misreported as submarines, leading to the deaths of many an innocent sea creature.

A drift wood unit would actually be nice to have, now that I think about it.
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RE: Dont see this one every day

Post by DWReese »

My lookout just called in a whale breaching as a goblin.

At least the lookout had his eyes open and he wasn't asleep on duty. <lol>

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Randomizer
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RE: Dont see this one every day

Post by Randomizer »

All good "fog of war"stuff.

1 September 1914 and the Grand Fleet fought the Battle of Scapa Flow against one, possibly more seals. We'll let CinC Admiral Sir John Jellicoe describe the action from his memoirs:
At 6 P.M. the Falmouth reported the periscope of a submarine in sight inside the harbour, and immediately opened fire, four rounds being fired by this ship; she reported having probably hit the submarine. Directly afterwards the Vanguard, one of the outer line of battleships, also opened fire on an object reported as a periscope, as did one of the E class destroyers, which was patrolling between the Fleet and the Hoxa entrance.

The 1st Light Cruiser Squadron was directed to weigh immediately steam was ready, which was at 8.30 p.m., and to endeavour to locate the submarine and keep her under. The 2nd Flotilla, lying at Longhope, at short notice was also instructed to weigh at once and search for the submarine. The whole of the ships present were ordered to raise steam with all despatch, and to prepare for torpedo attack, and the small craft, such as drifters, steamboats, motor-boats, yachts, etc., which had steam ready and which could be collected, were at once organised in detachments to steam up and down the lines at high speed and outside the Fleet, with the object of confusing the submarine and endeavouring to ram her, if sighted. Colliers and store-ships which had steam ready were directed to weigh and to go alongside the battleships that were not fitted with torpedo nets, in order to act as a form of protection against torpedoes fired at these valuable vessels.

All ships in the outer lines were directed to burn searchlights to locate and confuse the submarine. At about 6.30 p.m. the Drake reported a submarine in sight from that ship, thus confirming the earlier reports. The Fleet was directed to weigh by divisions as soon as steam was ready and to proceed to sea. By 9 p.m. the weather was exceedingly thick inside the harbour and considerable difficulty was experienced in getting the Fleet out, as at this time there were no navigational facilities of any sort for leaving the harbour at night or in thick weather; but by 11 p.m. all the ships had left the harbour without accident, and, although there was a dense fog outside, the Fleet cleared the Pentland Firth successfully.

The Assistance was ordered to Loch Ewe, and left after the Fleet, reporting having sighted a submarine in the entrance whilst going out. The 2nd Flotilla was left behind to locate and, if possible, destroy the submarine, and the 4th Flotilla was stationed outside the Hoxa and Hoy entrances during the night, and directed to meet the Fleet at 7 a.m. on the 2nd. The only ship, as distinct from destroyers, remaining in the harbour was the Cyclops, lying off Scapa with the telegraph and telephone cables on board, and directions were given to Rear-Admiral Miller to endeavour to locate, by means of the minesweeping gunboats, the submarine reported sunk by the Falmouth.

No trace of a submarine was discovered, and subsequent investigation showed that the alarm may have been false, the evidence not being conclusive either way. The incident, however, made it clear that protection against submarine attack was an absolute necessity, as the Fleet could not remain at a base that was as open to this form of attack as Scapa Flow.

In the words of naval historian Richard Hough, "That seal had much to answer for..."

-C
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.Sirius
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RE: Dont see this one every day

Post by .Sirius »

ORIGINAL: FlyForLenin

ORIGINAL: p1t1o


New contact! Designated GOBLIN #19 - Detected by HMS Leander [Sensors: Mk1 Eyeball] at 9deg - 0.4nm

Turns out it was biological at periscope depth.

My lookout just called in a whale breaching as a goblin.

Do you reckon he just yelled "Thar she blows!"?

The interesting thing is, in WWII at least, whales and things like drift wood did often get misreported as submarines, leading to the deaths of many an innocent sea creature.

A drift wood unit would actually be nice to have, now that I think about it.
afew got depth charged and torpedoed in the Falklands war
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RE: Dont see this one every day

Post by Rory Noonan »

I have personally reported a possub that turned out to be a small pod of whales. Water mist from a blow hole looks a lot like smoke/diesel exhaust to a jumpy 19 year old with little guidance other than ‘report anything that looks unusual’.

Other bridge watch highlights include a ‘fire on the horizon’ which turned out to be the sun rising (seen through NVG) and a ‘possible helo’ that was either a star or some other celestial body (through binos looked like a white beacon with red and green nav lights).

Thankfully this was all on exercise so no whales, suns or stars were harmed as a result.

Close visual ID is pretty reliable but spurious visual contacts are very common.
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RE: Dont see this one every day

Post by OldSarge »

ORIGINAL: FlyForLenin
A drift wood unit would actually be nice to have, now that I think about it.
While not exactly drift wood, there are False Contact objects in the database (#93, #94, #95) that would do the trick nicely. They work best at deceiving sonar, but I remember once they were detected by Mk1 Eyeball when one was placed on the surface. My AI skippers expended some ordinance on something that wasn't really there. [X(]
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RE: Dont see this one every day

Post by HalfLifeExpert »

I remember once hearing a story from early 1942, where a US carrier task force was steaming across the Pacific (I think it was the USS Enterprise), and someone called out a periscope sighting. The task force went on full general quarters, and I think some shells and depth charges were expended.

It turned out that some sailor had dropped a mop overboard, and it was the handle that was mistaken for a periscope...……

Sometimes confusion and blunders can lead to some serious and rather embarrassing incidents, such as the 'battle' of Karansebes in 1788:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kar%C3%A1nsebes

I also learned recently about the landing in 1943 to recapture Kiska island from Japan in the Aleutians. After the bloody battle to retake Attu, the US wanted to ensure they pounded Kiska sufficiently before landing.

So the island was bombed for two months before US and Canadian troops landed. They found no Japanese, though there were several deaths and injuries from friendly fire accidents when US and Canadian troops met (they landed on opposite sides of the island).

It turned out that the Japanese had evacuated the island over two months earlier under cover of darkness. A most embarrassing situation to be sure.


ORIGINAL: OldSarge

ORIGINAL: FlyForLenin
A drift wood unit would actually be nice to have, now that I think about it.
While not exactly drift wood, there are False Contact objects in the database (#93, #94, #95) that would do the trick nicely. They work best at deceiving sonar, but I remember once they were detected by Mk1 Eyeball when one was placed on the surface. My AI skippers expended some ordinance on something that wasn't really there. [X(]

Yes I remember using those in my one serious attempt at a scenario, and I intitally placed them just for the challenge, and I remember one of the very few testers saying that they actually liked it in the sense of over anxious sailors reporting false sightings. I had not thought of it like that, a happy accident I suppose.
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Dysta
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RE: Dont see this one every day

Post by Dysta »

Exactly how battle works out without solid informations, I am afraid. Misfire and misjudged targets would be as common as actually hitting enemies, so war can be very cruel at this point.
p1t1o
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RE: Dont see this one every day

Post by p1t1o »

Wow, very interesting, thanks guys.

I fully appreciated it as a "fog of war" event, mainly I was just surprised to detect an underwater contact with Mk.1 Eyeball when even active sonar was having a hard time. Naturally one doesnt expect much of a return from a shoal of fish, but you dont know that when you get a goblin almost right under your ship with zero ASW loadout, or your SSBN. Panic stations. I had this happen 3 or 4 times in this mission and it was a biological every time, this was the only one pinged by eyeball though.

Context: 1975, Northern Inferno campaign, "the one where you have to get HMS Resolution on-station"
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RE: Dont see this one every day

Post by NimrodX »

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SunlitZelkova
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RE: Dont see this one every day

Post by SunlitZelkova »

ORIGINAL: OldSarge

ORIGINAL: FlyForLenin
A drift wood unit would actually be nice to have, now that I think about it.
While not exactly drift wood, there are False Contact objects in the database (#93, #94, #95) that would do the trick nicely. They work best at deceiving sonar, but I remember once they were detected by Mk1 Eyeball when one was placed on the surface. My AI skippers expended some ordinance on something that wasn't really there. [X(]

I didn't think about using those as drift wood, that's a good idea.

I do recall multiple underwater contacts being spotted by eyeball around the shore while I was reenacting the Battle of Savo Island. I didn't think much of it then, so I kept dropping the contacts until they went away.
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RE: Dont see this one every day

Post by tjhkkr »

ORIGINAL: p1t1o
New contact! Designated GOBLIN #19 - Detected by HMS Leander [Sensors: Mk1 Eyeball] at 9deg - 0.4nm
Turns out it was biological at periscope depth.
My lookout just called in a whale breaching as a goblin.
Do you reckon he just yelled "Thar she blows!"?

What a GREAT story! That is a hoot and a half!
I keep forgetting about biologicals...!
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tjhkkr
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RE: Dont see this one every day

Post by tjhkkr »

ORIGINAL: .Sirius
ORIGINAL: FlyForLenin
ORIGINAL: p1t1o


Turns out it was biological at periscope depth.
My lookout just called in a whale breaching as a goblin.
Do you reckon he just yelled "Thar she blows!"?
The interesting thing is, in WWII at least, whales and things like drift wood did often get misreported as submarines, leading to the deaths of many an innocent sea creature.
A drift wood unit would actually be nice to have, now that I think about it.
A few got depth charged and torpedoed in the Falklands war.

I am surprised there was not animal rights complaints against the English.
Remember that the evil which is now in the world will become yet more powerful, and that it is not evil which conquers evil, but only love -- Olga Romanov.
SunlitZelkova
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RE: Dont see this one every day

Post by SunlitZelkova »

ORIGINAL: tjhkkr
ORIGINAL: .Sirius
ORIGINAL: FlyForLenin

The interesting thing is, in WWII at least, whales and things like drift wood did often get misreported as submarines, leading to the deaths of many an innocent sea creature.
A drift wood unit would actually be nice to have, now that I think about it.
A few got depth charged and torpedoed in the Falklands war.

I am surprised there was not animal rights complaints against the English.

Apparently it was revealed just a few years ago. Also, compared to intentional abuse, this (killing whales with torpedoes) was an honest accident, which is hard to protest over.
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Andrea G
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RE: Dont see this one every day

Post by Andrea G »

ORIGINAL: FlyForLenin

ORIGINAL: tjhkkr
ORIGINAL: .Sirius

A few got depth charged and torpedoed in the Falklands war.

I am surprised there was not animal rights complaints against the English.

Apparently it was revealed just a few years ago. Also, compared to intentional abuse, this (killing whales with torpedoes) was an honest accident, which is hard to protest over.

Sure there were.

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/04/10 ... 387262800/
SunlitZelkova
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RE: Dont see this one every day

Post by SunlitZelkova »

ORIGINAL: Andrea G

ORIGINAL: FlyForLenin

ORIGINAL: tjhkkr



I am surprised there was not animal rights complaints against the English.

Apparently it was revealed just a few years ago. Also, compared to intentional abuse, this (killing whales with torpedoes) was an honest accident, which is hard to protest over.

Sure there were.

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/04/10 ... 387262800/

I didn't realize that. Interesting to know though. This doesn't look like a protest though as much as it is asking the British military to be more careful when engaging underwater contacts.
Formerly known as Project2035, TyeeBanzai, and FlyForLenin
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