Long Patrols

[neves_rats]

Am relatively new to SH3, am currently based at Lorient and it is April 1942, my current patrol calls for me to patrol grid CA73 just off the US coast, I know from previous patrols around south africa that I wont have enough fuel, how do I complete the mission? have received a message informing me that in emergencies there is a refuelling uboat, but, how do you contact it to get refuelled? Any help would be much appreciated

[danlisa]

Welcome to Subsim matey.:up:

I assume you are playing SH3 1.4b (with no mods/supermods). If so, there are no refuelling boats in the game. There are however, friendly ports which might enable you to complete the patrol grid. Failing that, if you have the engine upgrades, you might be able to complete the patrol @ about 7-8kts. Ask your Nav Officer for 'Max distance at Current Speed' and then plot your route/+return to see if you can change speed and make it.

Or......pay no attention to your patrol grid and go somewhere else.;)

[Brag]

Welcome Neves!

What type boat do you have? Are you playing GWX?

With any type IX boat you should be able to cross Atlantic and return. Your most efficient speed is 7 -- 8 knots. Higher speeds will burn waaaay too much fuel.

Check with your navigator what is the longest range at different speeds.
Bad weather will also affect your fuel consumption.

In GWX, the position of available milkcow boats appears on the charts.

If you avoid long high speed chases, you should have adequate fuel for your mission.

Enjoy the forum! :D

[desirableroasted]

Note, too, that some friendly boats, such as the Corrientes at Las Palma (GWX 1.03), are closer to the US east coast than the French ports by 1000 km or more. When I have an IX boat and want to go to east coast US, I usually run BE37-BE39, then the Liverpool-Sierra Leone corridor to the Cape Verdes, then run up to Las Palma to top up on gear and fuel -- then go over. Usually I am up 50K tons before I go "over there."

I do my business, then back to Las Palma for a fuel top up, and then home. It ends up being 3 patrols, about 4 months at sea.

Now, 4 months IS a long time, but what with saltpetre in the gruel and 24/7 air attack drills, the boys are as docile as springtime lambs.

[neves_rats]

Thanks for the help, I am patched to 1.4 and am running GWX, not long after posting the thread I did notice the fuel cow on the map. One last point, if I refuel before going to mission grid it ends the mission? This seemed to happen once when I refuelled at corienntes. I am slowly but surely getting the hang of this game and the help and advice from the subsim forum is invaluable and to us newbies very much appreciated. Once again many thanks.

[danlisa]

Complete your assignment first, then refuel. You are assured the renown for reaching/patrolling the grid then.

[desirableroasted]

am patched to 1.4 and am running GWX, One last point, if I refuel before going to mission grid it ends the mission?

Yes. If you dock before completing your mission, the mission is over. You can restock on supplies and fuel, but you won't get credit for going to the patrol area.

If you want the renown points for the mission, go to the sector and stay 24 hours (you don't have to move if you are low on fuel, just be there). After that, you are good for the points... then you can either go home to get a new mission, or to a friendly port to restock on torps and fuel -- after which, go out and have fun.

Also.. you don't need to be in your patrol sector for 24 continuous hours.. you can come and go as you please. As long as you log 24 in the sector, you are good.

[seafarer]

Actually, even in a Type VIIB, you can make the US coast from a French base and return. You need to go slow and watch your fuel consumption very carefully, and you will not have any to waste on chasing down contact reports. Actually, you won't have much reserve to patrol once you make US waters either, not if you want to return, but the round-trip is possible. But you'll need to make the crossing at 6-8 knots, and plot the shortest, direct route. Of course, a type IX would be better for such a long range patrol, in terms of having a fair amount of fuel to use once in US coastal waters (even then, you want to make the crossing at a slow pace and not burn excessive fuel just getting to the coast).

In real life, type VIIB's like the U-85 were some of the first boats dispatched to the US during the start of drumbeat (she was sunk off Cape Hatteras).

[Jimbuna]

Complete your assignment first, then refuel. You are assured the renown for reaching/patrolling the grid then.

The echoes are deafening ;)

@neves_rats

Welcome aboard Kaleun :arrgh!:

[nikbear]

Welcome abooard Mr Rats:arrgh!:

[Spruence M]

Welcome aboard Mr. Rats:lost:

[Lafferty]

Yeah i had a bad experience i decided to slip into New York Harbor and accidentaly surfaced uh-oh 30 seconds later a destroyer rammed me.

[Heibges]

Travel submerged as much as you can, and try to travel at 1/3 or Standard while submerged.

It took Hardegan 23 days to cross the Atlantic practicing utmost fuel efficiency, and he had enough left to make the return trip in only 10.

[Shelton]

Actually, even in a Type VIIB, you can make the US coast from a French base and return. You need to go slow and watch your fuel consumption very carefully, and you will not have any to waste on chasing down contact reports. Actually, you won't have much reserve to patrol once you make US waters either, not if you want to return, but the round-trip is possible. But you'll need to make the crossing at 6-8 knots, and plot the shortest, direct route. Of course, a type IX would be better for such a long range patrol, in terms of having a fair amount of fuel to use once in US coastal waters (even then, you want to make the crossing at a slow pace and not burn excessive fuel just getting to the coast).

In real life, type VIIB's like the U-85 were some of the first boats dispatched to the US during the start of drumbeat (she was sunk off Cape Hatteras).

that's interesting - thanks

[seafarer]

Your welcome. I did that trip in SHIII in a VIIB within a week of the sim's original release (I was very big into max. range cruises when SHIII first came out - pushed the type VII's and type IX's about as far as they could possibly go on a round trip). Slow is the key word for that, slow and steady max's your operating range (and the discipline to NOT go after contact reports, no matter how close or enticing - focus on your course end point, not on the encounters along the way).

And, if you dive, the U-85 is a great wreck dive off Hatteras (it's in 90-100ft of water). I did it years ago, but my health doesn't let me S.C.U.B.A. anymore, else I'd drive down there some weekend and do it again.

[Lafferty]

Wow thats intresting i wished i dived.