Patrol Lengths

[ddiplock]

How long does you're average patrol last?? I've just brought U-50 home from her 5th patrol with 8 ships sunk for a tonnage of 21,000 tons. I was hoping to get the Ritterkreuz after this one, but alas it was not to be. Patrol 6 though....we'll see.

I have a habit of playing Das Boot on my Tv next to me when i'm out on a patrol.....you know Das Boot is a long film, well this last patrol lasted the entire film....some 3 hours :up: Sunk an 8000 ton ore carrier, and the success just kept on continueing. A fair amount of sinkings I credit to my "gunner" qualified crew. He grabbed himself the Iron Cross 2nd class on our return to Kiel as I promised him :D

That was a lengthy patrol. How long are some of you guys at sea for?? In real time, this patrol was 3 hours or so. In game time, it was 27 days at sea for U-50 and her crew.

[Kaptain Hans Wolf]

hi again mate. you seem to have the same habit as me, watching das boot whille patroling is a must! also reading the book is good for passing time when im on my way to the patrol grid. patrol time wise, mine usually last 2 to 3 hours real time, but of course the destroyers can shorten my patrol time significantly.

good hunting U-50:up:

[flag4]

today is sunday, 10.14am

and after a harty breakfast of eggs and bacon i'm off on patrol.

i expect this patrol will take alllll day with breaks for the loo and food and a stroll out on deck - occasionally: not much room to walk the dog, so i'll go to the park while my hydro guys are listening 30mtrs below.

if i'm lucky i'll strike once or twice today with little or no damage to myself and finish my patrol tonight - before i go to bed...

edit: patrol last from 2 - 3 weeks in the north sea, for me.

[DirtyACE]

My average patrol lasts around a month I'd say, and I think that's average for anyone commanding a Type VIIB U-boat.

[Kaptain Hans Wolf]

mmmmmmm, bacon and eggs, oh sorry, having a day dream:D

good hunting herr kaulen, make sure the crew get a hearty brekfast as well!

[Blue_Ninja63]

My patrols with a VIIb have averaged a month, give or take a day or so game time. In real time it varies, as I run Seedrache U-Flotillen (see link in sig), usually I can finish a patrol within seven days of playing time.

[ChrisG2100]

Mmmmmm, bacon. Mine usualy last the same, a month at sea and 2 to 3 hours real time. Good Hunting.

[papa_smurf]

For me its around 3-5 weeks in a type VII, and upto 8 weeks in a type IX/D.

[ddiplock]

Whoo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!! U-50 returns from her 6th patrol. Marten Braune is now the proud holder of the Ritterkreuz. :D Now, to work towards getting the oak leaves for it!!!!

Drinks are on me in the bar lads!!!! :rock:

[Hanomag]

Kaluens,

My patrol experience begins much like Flag4's. Breakfast, coffee, depart.

In '39 my patrols last maybe 3 hrs. I always run an IX boat so in '41 I cross the atlantic and hang out near the Gulf o Mexico. That adds an hour to my patrols as convoys and shipping dont seem to be as frequent off cancun as my nord atlantic hunting spot. :arrgh!:

[ddiplock]

Oh, and despite me getting the Ritterkreuz on my return from my 6th patrol, before I left I recieved news that one of my crewmembers had been KILLED by "local partisans".

I'm based in Kiel, in Germany. How on EARTH can there be partisans in Germany?? :P

[ChrisG2100]

The Brits are everywhere. :D

[Generis71]

Dipplock, may I ask if you manually select a patrol grid (using SH3 Commander) or let the game select one for you. The reason I ask is I've tried starting a career a couple of times and been a bit surprised on the location its asking me to go to, i.e for my first patrol it wanted me to go to AM18 which is near the Rockall Bank kinda NW ish of Ireland. First I thought that it was a bit of a trek for a first patrol, but then I thought well, I guess you go where your told. But wondered what kinds of ranges uboats were capable of (taking into account decent fuel management of course hehe). I can't remember if I saw a thread somewhere talking about the game not being incredibly reliable on selecting realistic patrol grid locations.

Mind you, I guess patrols over to the US Coast were months long, so I can't grumble with AM18 hehe. Forgive me if I'm missing the point a little, I'm trying to get the best experience with SH3. PS I use GWX2 also.

Thanks.

Gen

[Abd_von_Mumit]

Dipplock, may I ask if you manually select a patrol grid (using SH3 Commander) or let the game select one for you. The reason I ask is I've tried starting a career a couple of times and been a bit surprised on the location its asking me to go to, i.e for my first patrol it wanted me to go to AM18 which is near the Rockall Bank kinda NW ish of Ireland. First I thought that it was a bit of a trek for a first patrol, but then I thought well, I guess you go where your told. But wondered what kinds of ranges uboats were capable of (taking into account decent fuel management of course hehe). I can't remember if I saw a thread somewhere talking about the game not being incredibly reliable on selecting realistic patrol grid locations.

Mind you, I guess patrols over to the US Coast were months long, so I can't grumble with AM18 hehe. Forgive me if I'm missing the point a little, I'm trying to get the best experience with SH3. PS I use GWX2 also.

Thanks.

Gen
I'm just now chasing a small convoy with some big ships West of Freetown (starting in St. Nazaire). So please stop grumbling and sink your prey, Herr Commander! :arrgh!:

[Generis71]

As ordered Herr Kapitan... I'm soo glad I packed an extra pair of pants tho :)

[Jimbuna]

In a Type IX, approx 60 days, or 2 nights (8 hours) in RL :arrgh!:

[Turm]

I don't know how to play a whole patrol in 3 hours. In 3 hours I'm lucky to complete 3 days of game time!

Since GWX2 came out, I've been on my first patrol which was finally finished about a week ago. Lasted 29 days from Sept 1st 1939. In reality probably lasted 40 days!! That's how long it took me to play it :doh: And I was playing an hour or two maybe 3-4 times a week.

Always take my time when near ships, as the few times I tried to accelerate time to avoid the waiting, I ended up in a bad position, or a ship ended up far away from me (missed the intercept) etc. So now I just take it easy and slowly.

After playing patrol 2 for 3-4 days now, I'm just north of Scotland. I wish I could get through the game a little quicker, but I just can't seem to do it :88) Too much time following the mods on this forum is the reason :damn: ;)

[Jimbuna]

We've all been there matey...just play the game the way it suits you best http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/pirate.gif

[Abd_von_Mumit]

I don't know how to play a whole patrol in 3 hours. In 3 hours I'm lucky to complete 3 days of game time!

Since GWX2 came out, I've been on my first patrol which was finally finished about a week ago. Lasted 29 days from Sept 1st 1939. In reality probably lasted 40 days!! That's how long it took me to play it :doh: And I was playing an hour or two maybe 3-4 times a week.

Always take my time when near ships, as the few times I tried to accelerate time to avoid the waiting, I ended up in a bad position, or a ship ended up far away from me (missed the intercept) etc. So now I just take it easy and slowly.

After playing patrol 2 for 3-4 days now, I'm just north of Scotland. I wish I could get through the game a little quicker, but I just can't seem to do it :88) Too much time following the mods on this forum is the reason :damn: ;)
I could write that words as well, you described my way of playing, mate. Today started my way back from Freetown to St. Nazaire, probably two real days (and ~20 game days) more to get home (1 torpedo left, no much job to do though). :up:

Jimbuna: Are you sure you're not playing the S-Boot campaign? :rotfl:

[STEED]

Six months at sea now. :D

I miss home base but if there is a supply ship near by what the heck. :D :cool:

[Blue_Ninja63]

Jimbuna said it best,

Play the way that suits you best. I think it's better to have fun playing and enjoy the simulation than to rush through it.

Good luck and good hunting,

[T.Von Hogan]

hi again mate. you seem to have the same habit as me, watching das boot whille patroling is a must! also reading the book is good for passing time when im on my way to the patrol grid. patrol time wise, mine usually last 2 to 3 hours real time, but of course the destroyers can shorten my patrol time significantly.

good hunting U-50:up:

Personally i doubt you will find many kaleuns that have the same habits of you herr Wolf. Most like myself play this simulation at higher difficulty levels and strive for the history associated with it. I've seen exchanges take longer than your missions
...to have 10 missions completed heading towards 11 in 1940 is "gamish" at best. Most careers will be between 4 and 6 missions if they are still alive at that point of the war sir.

Now don't get me wrong, feel free to enjoy this game any way you wish to it has been put there for that. It don't matter what level you play only that you play. But those who watch know...they been there, done that, and reported most of it here already.

[Turm]

I could write that words as well, you described my way of playing, mate. Today started my way back from Freetown to St. Nazaire, probably two real days (and ~20 game days) more to get home (1 torpedo left, no much job to do though). :up:
Thanks - glad I'm not the only one! Well, I knew I wasn't, as there are the 1x TC players out there, and my hat's off to them! I'd like to try it but it would get a little too boring for me unless it was in a Type II. But it's just embarrassing when I think that the 1x TC players sometimes complete a patrol faster than I do! :rotfl:

Indeed, I won't rush, and shall continue to enjoy the game at my own pace. My only frustration is that I have to wait so long for all the technological advancements - as long as they had to wait for real in the war I expect! I know I won't enjoy the war in 1943, but all this time in 1939 is hardly challenging enough :arrgh!: (haven't met an angry group of DDs yet though). Had SH3 almost 3 years now and I've never used radar or fired any of the fancy late-war torpedoes. I could use single missions but that would spoil the suspense of waiting for them in the campaign! :D

[Abd_von_Mumit]

Turm... let's make things straight, ok?

IF you have played SH3 for THREE years, and it's still 1939 in your game... the 1 TC players should bow to you. :arrgh!:

:rotfl:

;)

[Sailor Steve]

.....you know Das Boot is a long film, well this last patrol lasted the entire film....some 3 hours :up:
You're not watching the 5-hour version?

That was a lengthy patrol. How long are some of you guys at sea for?? In real time, this patrol was 3 hours or so. In game time, it was 27 days at sea for U-50 and her crew.
My patrols last anywhere from 20-70 days, depending on the boat and the conditions. Real time? Between 10 and 40 hours, depending on my mood. 128x compression max.

[Turm]

Turm... let's make things straight, ok?

IF you have played SH3 for THREE years, and it's still 1939 in your game... the 1 TC players should bow to you. :arrgh!:

:rotfl:

;)
True :rotfl:

Fact is, I held on to my stock career for as long as possible in the hope of completing it one day (got to Sept 1940). That was 2 years of playing it on and off. Then I gave up and tried GWX 1.03, started a career, completed 1 patrol, then GWX 2.0 came out, so I started again. Now it's October 1939. I might see 1940 again one day, just before SH5 is released :rotfl:

I stick to max. 128x TC also, as Sailor Steve. Occasionally 256 on the way home when there are long stretches.

[Sailor Steve]

Can't get as far as 1940, eh?:rotfl:

I started playing SHCE in 1998, and got into the habit of running concurrent patrols; one out of each available port. If a captain died or retired I would start a new career out of that port starting the same month. I never got past early 1943. In 2004 I finally got a copy of AOD, and started over in 1939 doing the same thing. I planned to start SHCE over when my AOD careers reached 1942, but then SH3 came along. Every time some great new mod came along (anyone remember when there was no Kiel Canal?) I'd drop everything and start over. Now I have SH4, but my computer won't run it, and SH3 is on hold while I work on my latest project.

So no, I've never been past early 1940 either...except in the Pacific, where I once made it as far as June 1943.:dead:

[danurve]

Six months at sea now. :D

I miss home base but if there is a supply ship near by what the heck. :D :cool:

Amen to that. I've used more supply ships and a few friendly ports then bothering to return to homeport. When the upgrades I'm after are available that's one thing but tonnage is still tonnage.