Strange sinking ... bug?

[Spraug]

And another question. On my current patrol in my trusty Gato-class boat I had the strangest loss of my submarine ever and it occured multiple times in different occasions. It always happened upon attacking enemy ships guarded by DD when I submerged after launching my torpedoes. Even in silent mode, being careful and without the enemy showing any signs of having spotted me, upon reaching the depth of between 20-30 m (66-100 feet) I suddenly take damage and flooding EVERYWHERE at once.

Now, I have three different scenarios I'm thinking about:
1) The Japanese in my game (plain vanilla) developed ASROC 30 years before the US - somewhat unlikely, I guess;
2) a bug and I have computer trouble;
§) the game is so smart that it remembers the boat took some hull damage on this patrol and that even though the damage was repaired the hull does not withstand that much water pressure anymore and the "plugs pop out" when I dive too deep.

If the latter is the case, does an ordinary refit (e.g. in Tulagi) fully repair the boat, or doe I have to end my patrol and return to Pearl?

Thanks so much.

[pabbi]

End patrol is the only way to repair hull damages.

[THEBERBSTER]

I have noticed on a number of occasions especially where you have 2 DD’s escorting the Hora Maru type ship.

Even though I am a long distance away and is at night the forward DD always seems to spot me.

I am stopped and my periscope is only just above the water line.

I have to take evasive action as the DD heads straight towards me and then depth charges me.

I have now found the answer is to let this first DD pass a distance before attempting to put the periscope up for the first time.

[merc4ulfate]

Hull damage is never repaired. If you have taken hull damage in the past few days and you go to certain depths if the hull cant take it you die. I will not engage anything on the surface or with escorts with anything over 50% hull damage. It is better to take the boat in and get it fixed.

[Spraug]

Thanks a lot. Ending the patrol is terrible, because I'm in the Solomons and have to return to Pearl, but better than being restricted to Periscope depth.

[Spraug]

Sorry to ask some more but I can't figure out two other points of interest:

1) Crew torpedo solutions: are they better with battle stations because more people are involved?

2) Reporting a contact seems pretty tricky, because you have to be surfaced and rather close. Do you have to be 100& surfaced or is radar depth enough? And how close do you have to be? Sometimes I can't report a contact even though I clearly have it in my binocular sights.

Thanks