Patrol from Brest to Freetown

[PapaG39]

After 21 patrols I finely made it into Brest & traded my old type IID boat for a nice VIIC...Dang, but this this thing is long...
It is now October 1941 and this will be my first patrol out of Brest with the VIIC boat & I am to go to ET 26 off Freetown, Africa.

I don't know much about this new boat. I have the hydrophone KDB which says that the probes are on the top outside if the boat & prone to damage from DP's

I have the AFA 33 batteries which it says have a longer distance underwater, but not really how far or how long to recharge.

I have the engine GW kapsel... which is drive shaft driven.. Don't know if this is better then the other type or not.

There is a round antenna turning on the island, but I don't know if it does anything or is just for show.

If I read things right I'll be limited to about 8kts for best fuel economy. If I travel much faster for long distances I might not have enough to return. I don't see any gas stations along the way.

It also looks like I will have to stay way off shore to be out of aircraft range when I go by the Gibraltar area.

Where are some of the better areas along the way to Freetown where I might run into enemy traffic?"

I'm kinda lost this far south...Very new to me.

[Torplexed]

To Freetown in a Type VIIC? That's more Type IXB territory. Forget staying staying away from the shore. You're gonna have to hug the African coastline to make it fuelwise. Shame there aren't any U-Tankers about yet.

[3Jane]

Sadly the RDF radio direction finder antenna is just for show. I always find though that 9 Knots is best for fuel economy, at least in the VIIB. Don't know if the VIIC is different.

[KeptinCranky]

8 oe 9 knots will get you there and back...you'll have some diesel to spare for rushing after convoys and whatnot, but not that much...

The KDB is a must, it solves the problem of the port and starboard 10 degrees off your bow not having good hydrophone coverage...

The diesel upgrade will slightly improve your top speed but most economic setting is still 8 or 9 knots

better batteries are always good, they have no real downside :up:

the planes off Gibraltar, well yes be careful of those but don't go completely paranoid, you can still reasonably safely surface at night

as to gas stations along the way, depending on which mods you're using, there's 2 or 3 in neutral spain and one in the canarie islands, not in the stock game though.

If you're playing stock I suggest heading towards Freetown but then making a sharp left just past Spain and loiter off Gibraltar, lots of shipping there, taskforces with capital ships included :up:

Good hunting :arrgh!:

[Big Paul]

There is a round antenna turning on the island, but I don't know if it does anything or is just for show.

Island? are you on the Graf Zeppelin?:)

[PapaG39]

I don't know...lol.. what ever you want to call that thing in the center top of the u-boat where all the guys stand & watch the waves go by......

[PeriscopeDepth]

Sadly the RDF radio direction finder antenna is just for show. I always find though that 9 Knots is best for fuel economy, at least in the VIIB. Don't know if the VIIC is different.

IIRC from reading either the GWX or NYGM manual, the RDF does function...kind of. You get contact reports on ships very close to you from this occasionally.

PD