IXB or IXC

[Stix]

Is it worth buying a IXB ASAP or better to wait for the IXC and get the real benefits out of the type IX boat?

[danlisa]

If you want benefits of an IX boat you need to use the IXD2. If this is your first time of using an IX in GWX, I suggest that you get the IXB and start practicing as it's a whole new ballgame with these big boats.

You may want to adjust your tactics from one of Convoy attacks to distant operations and picking off single merchants/tankers.;)

[Corsair]

Is it worth buying a IXB ASAP or better to wait for the IXC and get the real benefits out of the type IX boat?

Thought german Kapt'ns were only allowed to command U boats, surprised they were allowed to buy them ?:D

[Krupp]

Is it worth buying a IXB ASAP or better to wait for the IXC and get the real benefits out of the type IX boat?

With IXC, you should quite easily do patrols in West-African coast, US East Coast, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico etc. Those areas are well within the range without refueling. Type IXD2 is not a that good (perhaps too large boat), unless you plan to command monsun boats. So I would (and did) wait for IXC.

It is somewhat slow in crash dives and maneuvers. But so is IXB.

[peterloo]

Is it worth buying a IXB ASAP or better to wait for the IXC and get the real benefits out of the type IX boat?

With IXC, you should quite easily do patrols in West-African coast, US East Coast, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico etc. Those areas are well within the range without refueling. Type IXD2 is not a that good (perhaps too large boat), unless you plan to command monsun boats. So I would (and did) wait for IXC.

It is somewhat slow in crash dives and maneuvers. But so is IXB.

I agree that Type IX is a bit slow in crash diving. But, I don't mind that since

(a) There are little planes in your patrol areas (mid Atlantic, Carnabbin...)
(b) You have got powerful flaks against lone planes (seemed unrealistic)
(c) Planes usually get little depth charges and no sonar. They cannot set their depth charge depth once they cannot see you. They simplily set it at PD but, if you are crash diving, you should be at 50m (or deeper) at the second run. They are just trashing the precious explodsives (Many shells, grenades and ... have to forgone if you want to make a DC)

The IXC is much better in terms of amount of fuel. It gives you more flexible patrol

I hate Type IXB mainly because of the small size of diesel fuel tank...

Take a Type IXC, and go to Carnabbin (a patrol place, full of tankers)

"Sink 'em all !"

[Subwolf]

You need the D2 if you want to do the far east patrols. It's only a huge fueltank compared to the C, and its dive time is around 5 secs slower.

Range of the B is too short, I would save the renown and go for the IXC.

[LeafsFan]

Well,

I'll disagree. The IXB is available so much earlier (1 Apr 1940 vs 1 May 41), it allows you to play for that much longer in the Happy Time. I don't mind the range limitation at all.

HB

[danlisa]

Well,

I'll disagree. The IXB is available so much earlier (1 Apr 1940 vs 1 May 41), it allows you to play for that much longer in the Happy Time. I don't mind the range limitation at all.

HB

Actually, the IXB is available from OCT 1939.;)

[LeafsFan]

Right You are!!.

Silly me I use the actual dates of the boats entering service.

HB

[Subwolf]

Well,

I'll disagree. The IXB is available so much earlier (1 Apr 1940 vs 1 May 41), it allows you to play for that much longer in the Happy Time. I don't mind the range limitation at all.

HB

I wouldn't use the XI in convoy attacks, it turns and dives too slow. When I played stock I used the XI in -42 and found a lot of easy prey along the U.S. east coast. From -43 I went back to a better equiped VIIC and survived the war with it.

[LeafsFan]

I wouldn't use the XI in convoy attacks, it turns and dives too slow.


Never said I did old boy.

My paradigm of succesful U-boat operations is that you hit the easiest targets, which essentially means independently routed shipping. The IX is well suited to this due to it superior weapons loadout, and fuel reservoirs, which allow you to be on the prowl longer.

HB

[Subwolf]

I wouldn't use the XI in convoy attacks, it turns and dives too slow.


Never said I did old boy.

My paradigm of succesful U-boat operations is that you hit the easiest targets, which essentially means independently routed shipping. The IX is well suited to this due to it superior weapons loadout, and fuel reservoirs, which allow you to be on the prowl longer.

HB

I never said you did either old boy. But if you find a lot of lone ships around Britain and in the Atlantic after 1940 you're a damn good kaleun. There is a reason why they used the convoy tactics.

[Corsair]

@ Peterloo

" Take a Type IXC, and go to Carnabbin (a patrol place, full of tankers)"

Never found that on my map ?:D

[Krupp]

What comes in using big type IX's against convoys, they are exiting moments but not too difficult. It's autumn 1943 (NYGM 2.3) and I have always, when possible attacked convoys with IXC and escaped without any severe damage to my boat. The real danger comes from the sky IMO.

If you cruise and wait until you spot single ships, you miss a lot of opportunities. That is not very aggressive nor impressive way to command you boat. And I think that The "Lion" would pretty quickly send you to other duties, if you pass too many convoys...

"Be more aggressive"

[GT182]

I agree on the D2, more torpedoes and fuel. I've run one with no trouble hitting convoys in stock SHIII, but with GWX it might be a bit more difficult. But then again, GWX is a whole new ballgame.

And with using SHIII Commander you can choose the patrol gid you want. Far to the west or roam the midAtlantic if you want. Even a liesurly trip to watch iceburgs and sink shipping in the far north is a nice change of pace. ;)

[Stix]

Icebergs? Never seen those, but i've never been sent up north either. I don't use SH3 commander so i generally go where i'm sent for 24 hrs then go where i want ;-)

What flotilla is the first to get the IXC?

[LeafsFan]

What comes in using big type IX's against convoys, they are exiting moments but not too difficult. It's autumn 1943 (NYGM 2.3) and I have always, when possible attacked convoys with IXC and escaped without any severe damage to my boat. The real danger comes from the sky IMO.

If you cruise and wait until you spot single ships, you miss a lot of opportunities. That is not very aggressive nor impressive way to command you boat. And I think that The "Lion" would pretty quickly send you to other duties, if you pass too many convoys...

"Be more aggressive"

As the convoys become more common around Britain, you just have to go further afield. You need a fair bit of patience, especially as I do not use TC above 256, but you can do very well with this tactic. I'd disagree that Donitz would dissaprove, remember that as a class IXB was the most successful boat for boat. They were sent far afield to hunt lone ships, and the essentially unescorted convoys that could be found in those waters. The most successful patrol of the war followed my mission profile. Hey if you wish to duke it out with convoys in a VII be my guest. Just don't assume that it is the only historical way to command a boat in this game.

HB

One thing that SH3 and its mods do not model well is these convoys which were escorted basically by an armed merchant cruiser

[LeafsFan]

A good example of the latter was SC-7 out of Sydney, which was almost completely destroyed in the fall of 1940. At that late date, for most of its journey across the Atlantic, it had a single AMC as an escort, it picked up its soon to be overwhelmed escort group in the Western approaches.


HB

[Herr Russ]

I'm running an IXC in '42 and the only time I regret that choice is when I'm trying to crash dive and B24 Liberators are inbound :damn: On the plus side, regardless where I'm sent to patrol, I usually have enough fuel to run to the carribean and sink some tankers.. I patrol from the deep waters above the Port of Spain and head NW.. Once you sink 5 or 6 tankers, you'll see the route they all seem to take and know where to set up.. Can't beat the extra eels but would rather have a light double flak on deck than that slow heavy flak..

Good Luck..

[LeafsFan]

Herr Russ,

What kind of traffic would you find over there in 40 or 41??

HB

[Herr Russ]

I'm really not sure since I haven't been there earlier in the war.. I was assigned a grid outside of the islands and after completing the patrol, decided to venture in.. 3 patrols in a row there and over 50K tons of tankers and cargos each time.. Almost every ship is traveling at medium speed SE towards the Port of Spain.. Since the B24's are so devastating, I usually run SE at night on the surface & then head NW at dawn submerged at 1/3 and 25 meters. I have 2 sonarmen/radiomen qualified, so I always have good ears available.. Only warships I've run into were a couple of Elco's and a couple of destroyers in the distance.. My twin double flaks and heavy flak usually keep the P-38's and torpedo bombers at bay.. When I get home & can open the game, I'll post some very productive grid routes.. I'm running patched vanilla version of the game, if that makes a difference..

[Krupp]

A good example of the latter was SC-7 out of Sydney, which was almost completely destroyed in the fall of 1940. At that late date, for most of its journey across the Atlantic, it had a single AMC as an escort, it picked up its soon to be overwhelmed escort group in the Western approaches.


HB
Yes, Slow Convoy 7, at the time it was attacked by eight U-boats (3 IX's & 5 VII's), was escorted by only one ship: sloop Scarborough. But, they were looking for a local escort group of sloops Fowey and Leith + two corvettes,( so it would soon have been escort screen of 5 instead of 1 ship). It was a sloughter for sure, but the german claims were hugely overestimated (30 ships and 197 100 tons when in reality it was "only" 20 ships and 79 646 tons).

Big part of my sinkings are single ships also (128TC so lack of patience is not an issue), but I do attack convoys too, because type IX's were converged to attack convoys. Even heavily escorted Northbound Gibraltar convoys, which were forbidden to attack for some time in 42 namely because of the heavy escort screen they had (and the heavy loss of boats against those convoys). Type IX skippers were usually somewhat older (than new commissioned type VII skippers )and more experienced so Dönitz let them attack, even if the boat didn't fit well for convoy attacks and even some boats that actually were outbound to Caribbean etc areas, were ordered to attack convoys in reach.

[CCIP]

You just need to be more careful, that's all - but no need to deny yourself convoy attacks!

Especially in early war, Type IXs have one huge advantage even over Type VIIs in convoy attacks: surface speed. In smooth seas, I've driven Type IXs up to 22 knots!

[Hartmann]

Well,

I'll disagree. The IXB is available so much earlier (1 Apr 1940 vs 1 May 41), it allows you to play for that much longer in the Happy Time. I don't mind the range limitation at all.

HB

I wouldn't use the XI in convoy attacks, it turns and dives too slow. When I played stock I used the XI in -42 and found a lot of easy prey along the U.S. east coast. From -43 I went back to a better equiped VIIC and survived the war with it.

I did a lot of convoy attacks with IX-B early in the war during the happy times without problems.
It only required an adapted tactics with his size and turn rate

After a some patrols with VII i found that has a short range and a very limited load of torpedoes so i replaced with a IXB boat .
With 22 torpedoes and his high surface speed of 19/20 knts makes difference, also the 6 tubes are important in convoy attacks.

When U.S enter in the war IXC has a better range that allow drumbeat and other far operations. :up:

[Ducimus]

:roll:
Threads like this attract me like white on rice.

[Stix]

When is the IXC first available in game (GWX) and with what flotilla?

[andy_311]

I have used the IX boats now for 6 careers survived 5 of those to the end of war,so I would recommend the IX boats then the IXD2 when it comes available.
Hope I survive long enough in GWX to get one.

[Stix]

The IX D2 isn't even listed on the flotilla page of the manual.

What flotilla and when are IXC's and IXD2's available?

[Ducimus]

IXC first comes available around mid 1941, 2nd flot.

IXD2 first comes avialable.. i think like 12/42 or 1/43, and should be avialable in in the 2nd, 10th, and 12th.

[Stix]

IXC first comes available around mid 1941, 2nd flot.

IXD2 first comes avialable.. i think like 12/42 or 1/43, and should be avialable in in the 2nd, 10th, and 12th.

Cheers mate!