Early Atlantic [`40] boat upgrade Q

[danurve]

Working on the chance I might actually get past `40 and into `41 this time, it ponders an upgrade plan.
Type VIIB Boat, here is a breif crew manifest;
Officers - 5/5
P.O.'s - 14/16
Sailors - 26/30
The idea being a few less crew members should allow the Oxygen to last longer. Will the game mechanics understand my plan? :)
Working along side that plan I do belive once the Battery-upgrade becomes available I should snag it. Together I am hopefull this combo will allow the boat, crew & carrer to last longer while submerged. Either while making an attack or durring evasion.
Second question about the Hydrophones. The boat comes standard with the GHG I do fairly well with it, I think! The KDB is available but I'm wondering if it is so damage prone then perhaps stick with GHG for the time being. What extra benifits to the Hydrophones does the KDB system actually have for detection, accuracy?

[AVGWarhawk]

Less crew=more air....no
Get the better phones
Battery upgrade ok


Go for the IX if you can and call it a day:D

[Steppenwolf]

GHG has about a 20 degree blind zone in front of the sub and about a 60 degree blind zone in the rear. KDB eliminates the front blind zone and reduces the rear one to about 40 degrees.

[Jimbuna]

I would go for the battery upgrade or better still a type IX :up:

[Paajtor]

Is there a way to have both hydrophones installed?
Maybe use the same scale, but be able to switch between the 2 devices?

[Puster Bill]

I would go for the battery upgrade or better still a type IX :up:

I'd get the KDB and wait on the batteries. In all the times I have played careers, I don't seem to recall a time that I ran flat on batteries before I was killed.

Having ones with shorter recharge times, or are longer lasting, is great after 1942, but doesn't seem to come into play that much from 39 to 41.

The KDB, on the other hand, removes a sonar blindspot in your front, and reduces the one towards the rear. That is useful no matter what year you are in. Plus, its pretty cheap.

As for going for the Type IX's, I still don't see the fascination there. Sure, having a hefty torpedo load is great, but it takes freakin' forever to get to your patrol areas.

The VII is a perfect compromise between torpedo load, range, and manueverability. Unlike like the Seekuhs, I can actually 'dodge' wabos if I am paying attention.

[johan_d]

My advice: BE CAREFULL and dont go for tonnage, survive, work with opportunities, and let go trouble.

[AVGWarhawk]

My advice: BE CAREFULL and dont go for tonnage, survive, work with opportunities, and let go trouble.

I like your thinking....wanna join my club?(see below):rotfl::rotfl:If I followed what you said here I would not have started the club.

[johan_d]

Naah your club is short of beer..:down:

You can survive if you keeo to my rules, now in december 1941, and still lucky after many patrols. The first one ended by accident..so I dont acknowledge that much.
I am now my virtual brother.. and will survive the war. The crew has planned to be in normandy in july 1944, the war will be over then at that time they say.
:know:

[johan_d]

Did I told you WE sunk 7 ships on the 3th Med patrol? Marleine is playing thru the grammaphone as I key in this coded message on the way to the choke point called gibraltar..

[AVGWarhawk]

Naah your club is short of beer..:down:

You can survive if you keeo to my rules, now in december 1941, and still lucky after many patrols. The first one ended by accident..so I dont acknowledge that much.
I am now my virtual brother.. and will survive the war. The crew has planned to be in normandy in july 1944, the war will be over then at that time they say.
:know:


Short of beer???? Fine by me because we are scotch drinkers on my boat:up:

[melnibonian]

Short of beer???? Fine by me because we are scotch drinkers on my boat:up:
Oh Dear......we have a posh boat aren't we;) :p :rotfl:

[danurve]

I must have missed the Beer upgrade option :stare:

I like the VIIB, plus I don't belive the 1st. Flotilla will have an option for other boats - but dual Flak would be nice.

I'll go for the Hydrophone upgrade.

Logicaly with less crew you use less O2. Hard to belive the game doesn't deal with that.

[Jimbuna]

As for going for the Type IX's, I still don't see the fascination there. Sure, having a hefty torpedo load is great, but it takes freakin' forever to get to your patrol areas.

You also have the option of choosing your own patrol grid using SH3Cmdr :yep:

[STEED]

Get a IX Boat and that's an order from Bdu.

[GT182]

Get a IX Boat and that's an order from Bdu.

Yep, BDU knows best. Get a Type IX and a D2 asap. Travel far. :)

Now if you're affraid of not surviving the war, head for South American early, beat the rush and relax. The Amazon, Chile, Argentina are all quite lovely this time of year. ;) You'll beat the rising cost of housing and maid service. And your crew will love you for the move. :roll: LOL

[STEED]

Get a IX Boat and that's an order from Bdu.

Yep, BDU knows best. Get a Type IX and a D2 asap.

Now if you're affraid of not surviving the war, head for South American early, beat the rush and relax. The Amazon, Chile, Argentina are all quite lovely this time of year. ;) You'll beat the rising cost of housing and maid service. And your crew will love you for the move. :roll: LOL

:lol: :rotfl: :lol:

[Jimbuna]

Get a IX Boat and that's an order from Bdu.

Yep, BDU knows best. Get a Type IX and a D2 asap. Travel far. :)

Now if you're affraid of not surviving the war, head for South American early, beat the rush and relax. The Amazon, Chile, Argentina are all quite lovely this time of year. ;) You'll beat the rising cost of housing and maid service. And your crew will love you for the move. :roll: LOL

Class GT :rotfl: :rotfl:

[GT182]

STEED, somehow I knew you'd love that. Especially with reference to the Type IXs. Hope you had a great birthday. :D

"Have Uboat Will Travel"

Thanks guys, it just kinda popped into my head. Spur of the moment stuff. ;) Would it be too big to put in my Sig? It has a catchy ring to it. LOL

[STEED]

STEED, somehow I knew you'd love that. Especially with reference to the Type IXs. Hope you had a great birthday. :D

"Have Uboat Will Travel"

Thanks guys, it just kinda popped into my head. Spur of the moment stuff. ;)

Cheers. :up:

Yea it was funny. :D

[GT182]

Now as to heading for South America, how many actually did it with their Uboats? I know the higher ups in the Reich did to escape the Allies, but did Uboat Kaptains do this too? I've not read anything on it in the few books I've come across.

[Ducimus]

As for going for the Type IX's, I still don't see the fascination there.

This is the best explanation ive ever been able to come up with:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=383361&postcount=8

[AVGWarhawk]

Short of beer???? Fine by me because we are scotch drinkers on my boat:up:
Oh Dear......we have a posh boat aren't we;) :p :rotfl:


Posh is right:up: we also have fine Cuban cigars. After a sinking it is caviar for the boys!

[Jimbuna]

As for going for the Type IX's, I still don't see the fascination there.

This is the best explanation ive ever been able to come up with:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=383361&postcount=8

First time I've come across this Ducimus :yep:
As for your last sentence.....yes I read it and enjoyed reading this :up:

[melnibonian]

Short of beer???? Fine by me because we are scotch drinkers on my boat:up:
Oh Dear......we have a posh boat aren't we;) :p :rotfl:


Posh is right:up: we also have fine Cuban cigars. After a sinking it is caviar for the boys!
How can I get transfered to your boat? In mine we have spam, spam, spam and a bit of spam on the side;) :D :D

[Woof1701]

As for going for the Type IX's, I still don't see the fascination there.

This is the best explanation ive ever been able to come up with:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=383361&postcount=8

First time I've come across this Ducimus :yep:
As for your last sentence.....yes I read it and enjoyed reading this :up:

Same here. Good thinking. I guess I'll get my Typ IX as soon as I got enough renown. So far the bases in France are still not occupied and I'm having fun in the North sea with the British :)

[danurve]

As for this 1st. Flottilla carrer the range of the VIIB is plenty. So far fuel shortage hasn't become a problem. You pick up conservation in a type II. If I had even more fuel at this point I would probably just be tempted to waist it, burn it faster. More fish? Hey going from 5 to 14 - logs are looking good.

[AVGWarhawk]

Short of beer???? Fine by me because we are scotch drinkers on my boat:up:
Oh Dear......we have a posh boat aren't we;) :p :rotfl:


Posh is right:up: we also have fine Cuban cigars. After a sinking it is caviar for the boys!
How can I get transfered to your boat? In mine we have spam, spam, spam and a bit of spam on the side;) :D :D

Ah, you might want to rethink that because, well, we only survive 2 patrols;) But we have a lot of fun:up:

[danurve]

Hey does Bernard vacation at the BdU?

So I upgrade the Hydrophones and start a new patrol. I'm getting sent to AM41. AM41? :huh: Ahhh - it's not like my VIIB is leaving the French coast yet. Btw; I've not yet survived a carrer long enought to do so. Perhaps with some of that fuel conservation and some luck I will this time out. So far patrols have been mostly AN. Any way-point suggestions?

http://huntny.us/sh3/AM41_.jpg

[Abd_von_Mumit]

AM34 >> AM33 >> AM26 >> AM28 >> AM02 >> AM52 then straight west.

[melnibonian]

Short of beer???? Fine by me because we are scotch drinkers on my boat:up:
Oh Dear......we have a posh boat aren't we;) :p :rotfl:


Posh is right:up: we also have fine Cuban cigars. After a sinking it is caviar for the boys!
How can I get transfered to your boat? In mine we have spam, spam, spam and a bit of spam on the side;) :D :D

Ah, you might want to rethink that because, well, we only survive 2 patrols;) But we have a lot of fun:up:
As the good Kpt say 'It is better to live a short and meaningful life... than a long and miserable one'. Having Cuban cigars and good scotch qualifies for me as meaningful life;) :up:

[Brag]

Short of beer???? Fine by me because we are scotch drinkers on my boat:up:
Oh Dear......we have a posh boat aren't we;) :p :rotfl:

:smug: On my boat we slurp cognac and smoke Havanas, whole hoarding renown for a type IX sumbie. Maybe that's why We have sunk only 9K tons in 22 days? :hmm:

[GT182]

See, Brag has already gone off to South America. It's a wonder he came back at all with all those purdy native Amazon women looking for sailors to latch on to. Now he wants a Type IX boat so he can get back there faster. ;)

I've also heard he's planning on changing his name to Captain Jack Sparrow. :lol:

[Puster Bill]

Now as to heading for South America, how many actually did it with their Uboats? I know the higher ups in the Reich did to escape the Allies, but did Uboat Kaptains do this too? I've not read anything on it in the few books I've come across.

Yep. Two boats did it.

U-530, a Type IXC/40 under Oblt. Otto Wermuth surrendered at Mar del Plata, Argentina on July 10th, 1945.

U-977, a Type VIIC (take that, you Type IXiacs!) under Oblt. Heinz Schaeffer sailed all the way from Bergen, Norway and surrendered at Mar del Plata on August 17th, 1945. The trip is notable because it was at his extreme range, and the boat spent a record 66 days underwater, alternating between snorkeling and using his e-motors. Schaeffer wrote a book about it called, strangely enough "U-Boat 977".

He was accused of smuggling high Nazi officials, including Hitler himself, to South America, and wrote the book to debunk the idea.

[GT182]

Thanks for the info PB. :up: I'll have to find U-997 by Heinz Schaeffer one day soon.

[Puster Bill]

Thanks for the info PB. :up: I'll have to find U-997 by Heinz Schaeffer one day soon.

I don't think it's in print anymore. The book was copyrighted in 1952. I have the Bantam paperback version printed in 1987. ISBN 0-553-26730-2. That should help you find it in the library or on Amazon.com


Interesting story, mainly for the escape to Argentina.

He let everyone who wanted to go back to Germany off in Norway, and they reported to the Allies that U-977 had sunk, so no one was looking for it.

[GT182]

Thanks againb PB for the added info. :up: I'll look for it soon at the local library. Amazon is just up the road from us in New Castle, DE., so I might stop in and give them a visit... if it's possible. I've been by there numerous times and always wanted to drop in, so this is as good an excuse as any. LOL

[Morts]

Hey does Bernard vacation at the BdU?

So I upgrade the Hydrophones and start a new patrol. I'm getting sent to AM41. AM41? :huh: Ahhh - it's not like my VIIB is leaving the French coast yet. Btw; I've not yet survived a carrer long enought to do so. Perhaps with some of that fuel conservation and some luck I will this time out. So far patrols have been mostly AN. Any way-point suggestions?

http://huntny.us/sh3/AM41_.jpg
dont worry, the VIIB has enough fuel for 20000-23000 kilometers (8-9 knots)