The story of a shocked uboat commander

[Subwolf]

I got a copy of SH3 a few days ago, and went to sea in my little type IIA in September 1939. I was ordered to patrol AF87, outside the coast of Norway somewhere. What kind of a place is this to patrol, but I sailed up there and for a about a week I didn't see a single ship except a couple of Norwegian fishing boats, just as I guessed. So I decided to head for the eastern coast of England to hope for more action.

There I got a lot more action than I hoped for, it was impossible to stay surfaced during daylight since I was constantly attacked by aircraft. And suddenly I found myself surrounded by two destroyers and an armed trawler. The depth was 45m so I had nowhere to hide. They kicked my butt before I had time to spit.

So my question, is it really this hard to survive in this game, or was it just a very unlucky start for this poor uboat commander? :doh:

[Deimos01]

Well, the difficulty depends on what mods you are running. The stock version isnt too bad. Sounds like you caught an unlucky break there however. Never fun getting jumped by DDs in shallow water. :dead:

[Subwolf]

I installed a few mods but they shouldn't have anything to do with the gameplay, run it at around 50% realism.

I'll give it another try and figure out the right tactics, and hopefully get a better area to patrol. But I learned that you don't mess with warships in shallow waters as you say...

There is a lot to read here about how to become a successful captain, a great webpage for the sub community :up:

[Warmonger]

Well, when you cruise around in enemy's frontyard you have to expect continuous attacks. Look for some quieter areas with frequent shipping lanes (memorize the locations of contact reports of single ships on the nav map) and hunt there in relative quietness.

[mookiemookie]

Well, when you cruise around in enemy's frontyard you have to expect continuous attacks.

Quoted for truth. You brought it on yourself. :yep: Try shipping lanes instead of the coast itself, and I think you'll have a much better time.

[Tijn]

It depends on the area around England. Near Scapa Flow is crowded with DD's, but also some merchants. Better is to hunt lower near the Channel. Near Holland. I always hunt there when i'm using a Type II.


Grtz Martijn

[AVGWarhawk]

Well, when you cruise around in enemy's frontyard you have to expect continuous attacks. Look for some quieter areas with frequent shipping lanes (memorize the locations of contact reports of single ships on the nav map) and hunt there in relative quietness.

Yep, if you come to lift your leg on the enemies bushes, he is bound to chase you. Sounds like you need to learn your boat and what it can and can't do!!! Chaulk it up as a live and learn experience! Now go back to Kiel and get another boat....there's plenty back there!!!:rock:

Welcome aboard Swab!

[Subwolf]

Thanks for the advice! I'll go hunting in that area near the Channel and stay away from the British coastline. But I guess I should complete the mission objectives and patrol this one first.

Well I can only learn from my mistakes, but I understand that it's not gonna be easy to survive one career until war's end. If any of you did that with some degree of realism you can truly call yourself a uboat commander ;)

But SH3 looks like a great subsim worth the money.

[The Noob]

The channel could be mined. I don't know if some of the mods does this, but i once ran into a mine killing everyone on the boat.

[Kapitan]

I am new to SH3 as well and ive been sunk twice and ive completed the war and what have you.

Im now starting it afresh with full realism and i found it no hard task to sneak into scapa flow and sink HMS Renown i figured if i stayed at 3 knots then my battery would last for hours and since the DD's are dancing around like tits in a transe theres no way on earth they can pick me up.

Hence i got away.

My big downfall is that im used to commanding nuclear submarines my submarine is the K154 Vepr she is a 300 foot long 12,000 tonne attack submarine that realy does put even the type 21 to shame 35 knots submerged 575 meters crush depth and no need for surfacing and 14 torpedo tubes with over 30 reloads.

Plus the weapons are wire guided well some are and i have missiles so the whole issue here is just learning to point the sub in the general direction and fire from PD cause in the akula i can do the firing from 570 meters no issue.

But yeah you cobbed an unlucky streek but what ever you do dont try to flank speed it out of there cause the DD's will win 3 knots let them do the blind running and bobs your uncle.

Thats what ive found anyways.

[AVGWarhawk]

Thanks for the advice! I'll go hunting in that area near the Channel and stay away from the British coastline. But I guess I should complete the mission objectives and patrol this one first.

Well I can only learn from my mistakes, but I understand that it's not gonna be easy to survive one career until war's end. If any of you did that with some degree of realism you can truly call yourself a uboat commander ;)

But SH3 looks like a great subsim worth the money.

The British own the bay and it is a tough spot. I now play 'Dead is Dead' and do not reload a previous save if I get sunk. My last sub was 3 patrols and I was done. I got cocky and went into Scapa Flow....God rest their souls!!!!!

Anyway, this game is great and worth the money being the game can be had for about $20.00 now and the GW supermod is FREE:rock:

The only thing that limits this game is your IMAGINATION:yep:

[TarJak]

I am new to SH3 as well and ive been sunk twice and ive completed the war and what have you.

Im now starting it afresh with full realism and i found it no hard task to sneak into scapa flow and sink HMS Renown i figured if i stayed at 3 knots then my battery would last for hours and since the DD's are dancing around like tits in a transe theres no way on earth they can pick me up.

Hence i got away.

My big downfall is that im used to commanding nuclear submarines my submarine is the K154 Vepr she is a 300 foot long 12,000 tonne attack submarine that realy does put even the type 21 to shame 35 knots submerged 575 meters crush depth and no need for surfacing and 14 torpedo tubes with over 30 reloads.

Plus the weapons are wire guided well some are and i have missiles so the whole issue here is just learning to point the sub in the general direction and fire from PD cause in the akula i can do the firing from 570 meters no issue.

But yeah you cobbed an unlucky streek but what ever you do dont try to flank speed it out of there cause the DD's will win 3 knots let them do the blind running and bobs your uncle.

Thats what ive found anyways.

Modern doctrine doesn't work with WWII tech. You've got to stay slow and silent when peeing on your neighbours doorstep.

[Kapitan]

Yup i found that out to my expence

[HunterICX]

In late war, leaving the port is already a big risk...
I started an rumbling career IXD2 1943.
I left port...went 128 TC till I got a message of an Airplane spotted just 80 km from my port :o 2 RAF planes bombed the crap out of my IXD2 resulting in an instantly end of career.

[Tijn]

@HunterIX,

Was that with GW1.1A? I don't have the feeling that planes are a real threat in GW. Every once in a while i spot a plane. But very rare.


Grtz Martijn

[danlisa]

@HunterIX,

Was that with GW1.1A? I don't have the feeling that planes are a real threat in GW. Every once in a while i spot a plane. But very rare.


Grtz Martijn

There are lots of aircraft in GW. It has been mentioned before that you are more likely to encounter them at lower TC (below 256).

As for aircraft raiding your base, see my sig. That was leaving Lorient in 1943. 6 bombers decided to attack, the only way to avoid them is to leave the dock at flank speed. That way they concentrate more on the other docked ships.

[Tijn]

Do you guys play a whole mission with TC no higher then 256?!! :huh: Man i wish i had that much spare time :rotfl:


Grtz martijn

[danlisa]

Do you guys play a whole mission with TC no higher then 256?!! :huh: Man i wish i had that much spare time :rotfl:


Grtz martijn


I never go above 128. Just turn up the speakers & go and watch TV. It usually takes me about 1 week (real time) to complete a patrol, with the time available to me.

[melnibonian]

Do you guys play a whole mission with TC no higher then 256?!! :huh: Man i wish i had that much spare time :rotfl:


Grtz martijn

I know what you mean;)

I have the same problem. I love the game but I find myself having less and less time to play.

[Tijn]

And i can't ignore the fact that it's a bit silly to play @ TC 256 at places where a lot of planes are just to be attacked while normally you don't want to be attacked because then yopu stay alive.

Grtz Martijn

[Subwolf]

Sounds like it's quite common to get killed a few times during the war, how many realistic patrols have you all survived in one career?

Bombers attack bases :huh: can't feel safe anywhere. Does this happen in the stock game too or only with the GW mod?

[Tijn]

I play DiD, so from the 6 or 7 careers i've played i survived one till the end of the war. Sometimes i get killed early in the war because i got cocky but mostly somewhere between end of 43 and mid 44. Never before 1941 though.


Grtz Martijn

[Kapitan]

I managed 21 patrols in two U boats 1942 to 1945 i only sank 56,000 tonnes though.

This campaign ive done now 4 patrols 3 in a type IIA and ive sunk 30,000 tonnes.