Damn this IIA!

[ryanwigginton]

I've completed 7 patrols now in GWX2.0/SH3Commander. 2 of them were hops from a refuelling base back to a home port. Everytime I get back I've been excited about getting the next sub but I've been stuck with this IIA since the start of the war. When does the next sub become available? I'm finding it tedious conserving every drop (at ahead 1/3 and diving whenever the batteries are charged) of fuel and still barely making it to my patrol grid and back.

Also I'm with 2nd Flotila at Kiel and I requested a transfer thinking this might shift me to Wilhelmshaven or some other start point where maybe a different sub was available, transfer was approved but I'm still starting from Kiel. The transfer seems to have had no impact whatsoever.

Got a brilliant crew now but just sick of this sub. And I have realistic career length selected in SH3Commander so I'm guessing, after 7 patrols, my times nearly up! Got 3k of renown and nothing to spend it on.

I forgot to check the date but I think it's around mid-November, '39.

[trongey]

I had exactly the same experience in my first career: made the same transfer for the same reason; got stuck sailing out of Kiel. I finally got relocated to the French coast, but never did get the option of a new boat. I didn't have SHIII Commander yet so I finally just retired the guy after 13 patrols.

I began my next career in the 2nd Flotilla during 1940. I started that career in a IXB out of Lorient. What a difference it makes having enough ammo and fuel on board to actually accomplish something.

Tony

[Hanomag]

Kaluen,

Since you are using SH3 why not start in a base with the IXB available in 39?? Many bases have different availablity dates on different models. I always pick 2nd Flotilla, starts in Wilhelmshaven then Lorient, it has a wide variety of boats as well. :up:

GL and Happy Hunting!

PS the SH3 game manual also has a chart in it with boats and dates of availability etc.

[3Jane]

Start in Willhelmshaven 39 with a VIIB. About five or six tours and you will be able to afford a IXB.

[TomcatMVD]

I started at Willhelmshaven and only had to do two patrols on my type II to get a Type VIIB

[flag4]

it is now late jan in 1940, iam still in a TypeII, i have not gained enough renown to get the next-up boat, i am about 500 points short. my crew is good now and i am getting a little itchy, like yourself,f about the old duck.

could have done with a couple of stern shots on many occasion.

guess i aint quite hot enough stuff to get the next-up boat.

i tried switching to Kiel made no difference AND the Englanders are laying mines all over our neck of the woods - around Heligoland for eg.

i need a change soon because i dont want to make a frustrated mistake and get sent to the bottom just as my boys are coming round.

i sympathise with your pridicament Herr Kaleun, maybe its because we just aint ready yet to leave the pond !!

[Pisces]

ryanwigginton:

I think with GWX you are supposed to go on-patrol as normal with your current uboot (or just sail to the new homebase if you don't want to risk your survival) when you have been approved for transfer to the new flotilla. And at the end of the patrol dock at the new homebase. Haven't tried it myself yet. Only hearsay

In stock SH3 you where magicaly transported there (or so I read in the forum's here), which depending on your viewpoint may not be realistic. Just the crew being transported by let's say train-transport across country to other bases would make sense. But if the currently assigned uboot also shows up at the new port, I would start to question reality. How did it get there all by itself?

[siber]

I find that, with the Type IIA, you have to build up a couple of missions experience before transferring (with sub) to Wilhelmshaven. Here, you get a bit of extra range, which will take you to Scapa Flow and back on your engines only (select the most economical speed - 5kts - on the speed dial rather than selecting ahead 1/3 or ahead full etc.)

Then, when you've enough renown, trade up for a VIIB and you'll have a slightly more experienced crew too.

Question: When sailing from Kiel, are you using the Kiel canal? This saves a lot of fuel over sailing around Denmark, but is not available in stock SH3.

[ryanwigginton]

Got the IIB! But still plotting courses around Denmark. The difference in range is vast, you can be half way to your patrol grid now and the fuel needles hardly left the top.

Just really have to stop sinking neutral ships though. I could have swore the last boat I sunk had a red flag with a small Union Flag in the top right corner! But it went down as neutral. :stare:

[papa_smurf]

I usually start with the Type IIA in 1939 at Keil, and after aobut 2-3 patrols transfer to Willhelmshaven.

[Elmer Kosterman]

By the way, I don't think one saves any fuel by travelling submerged. The batteries get charged with the diesel anyway and some energy gets lost in the process.

[Sailor Steve]

By the way, I don't think one saves any fuel by travelling submerged. The batteries get charged with the diesel anyway and some energy gets lost in the process.
I agree, but some have claimed that in SH3 the opposite is true; so much so that they explain how to do it in the game as if it really worked that way. Who knows?

Oh, and WELCOME ABOARD!:sunny:

[ryanwigginton]

By the way, I don't think one saves any fuel by travelling submerged. The batteries get charged with the diesel anyway and some energy gets lost in the process.

It would be interesting to test. In the IIA, the way I figured it was by travelling with the battries on charge at ahead 1/3 you only lose one or two knots in speed. But when submerged and not using diesel at all your sub will do 4 knots at ahead 1/3. I guessed this more than makes up for the couple of knots lost while charging batteries. On this basis surely it's an economy. What I've not done is taken into account the distance you lose that one or two knots for (ie charge time). Not sure about different subs.

[JScones]

I've completed 7 patrols now in GWX2.0/SH3Commander. 2 of them were hops from a refuelling base back to a home port. Everytime I get back I've been excited about getting the next sub but I've been stuck with this IIA since the start of the war. When does the next sub become available? I'm finding it tedious conserving every drop (at ahead 1/3 and diving whenever the batteries are charged) of fuel and still barely making it to my patrol grid and back.

Also I'm with 2nd Flotila at Kiel and I requested a transfer thinking this might shift me to Wilhelmshaven or some other start point where maybe a different sub was available, transfer was approved but I'm still starting from Kiel. The transfer seems to have had no impact whatsoever.

Got a brilliant crew now but just sick of this sub. And I have realistic career length selected in SH3Commander so I'm guessing, after 7 patrols, my times nearly up! Got 3k of renown and nothing to spend it on.

I forgot to check the date but I think it's around mid-November, '39.
Do you have the "Use historic U-boat availability dates" option checked in SH3Cmdr? If so, your question will be answered very quickly by reading the SH3Cmdr Help file. If not, your question will be answered very quickly by reading the GWX manual (page 158). There's a pattern here. ;)

Not sure why you have a Type II in 2 Flotilla though as GWX (thus SH3Cmdr) doesn't come configured this way. I guess you transferred there from 1 Flotilla at some point.

[ryanwigginton]

Do you have the "Use historic U-boat availability dates" option checked in SH3Cmdr?

Yes.

I made a mistake in my first post I began in Kiel (not 2nd Flotilla right?).

And yes I should read manuals more, but as BT always said, 'It's good to talk (post)'!

[Brer Rabbit]

I made my first up-grade after a few missions to a IID, and was thrilled with the little boat. The range was great as was the submerged time. I didn't upgrade to a VIIC until after my 8th mission, and was transfered to Brest a few missions later. The IID is a super boat inspite of the limited torps, especially in the shallow waters off GB.. I upgraded for the deck gun.

[Hakahura]

Or you could trade in your "Dugout" for a shiney new S-Boot:hmm:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=130088

Well worth a cruise or 2.
And the fresh air make a nice change from the smell of Frentzen's toe jam.

[bigboywooly]

You cannot make a transfer till 3 patrols complete or at least 3 months in your current flotilla
7 Patrols by Nov 39 :o
Thats some going
Just over one a week inc port time

[Fenris_Wolf]

Enough is enough! Don't let women laugh at your tiny boat!

Your boat can only get BIGGER. Reach areas you could never reach before with your new huge IXB.

Transfer to the 2nd flotilla today! :up:

[Storabrun]

In the IIA, the way I figured it was by travelling with the battries on charge at ahead 1/3 you only lose one or two knots in speed. But when submerged and not using diesel at all your sub will do 4 knots at ahead 1/3. I guessed this more than makes up for the couple of knots lost while charging batteries. On this basis surely it's an economy. What I've not done is taken into account the distance you lose that one or two knots for (ie charge time). Not sure about different subs.

This would be correct, or at least a pretty good approximation, if your other engine was also running at 1/3 when charging batteries. But it's running at ahead flank when charging batteries, regardless of what engine setting you pick for propulsion. You can check this yourself, I think most subs have separate engine rpm dials in the control room and in the conning tower.

In this case this means that you do not only lose a few knots when recharging, you also burn diesel at a much higher rate (something like 5 times as much/hour for that engine compared to 1/3 ahead). So instead of using up x+x=2x tons of fuel you use x+5x=6x tons. The distance you gain submerged will make up for some of this, but not all, especially not if you chose the optimal speed setting for your boat which is somewhere inbetween ahead slow and ahead 1/3.

I think some of the confusion regarding this may come from the fact that you can always charge your batteries, even when completely out of fuel. But as long as you still have fuel it will be used when charging batteries.

[ryanwigginton]

You cannot make a transfer till 3 patrols complete or at least 3 months in your current flotilla
7 Patrols by Nov 39 :o
Thats some going
Just over one a week inc port time

lol, it turns out it was December '39, and 7 patrols in the log! Like I said 2 of them were hops from base to base. Still not bad going though, huh? Is there any benefit in sailing to your patrol grid, doing your 24 hours and heading home? Because even if you sink nothing you still get quals to allocate to your crew. And I notice, SH3 Commander base's it's realistic career length on days at sea and not number of patrols.

[tiger_tim_34]

DON'T submerge as soon as the batteries are charged. I used to think that 'porpoising' was the way to extend the range of my boat. Travelling at the most efficient speed ON THE SURFACE is the way to do this.

6 knots for a Type II. 9 knots for a Type VII. Erm, don't know about the other boats, sorry.

You will be DELIGHTED how much further you can now travel. :up:

[She-Wolf]

I was able to swap to a IID after only a couple, or maybe three patrols (Kiel) and on something less than 1000 renown.
The IID gives you longer range and submersion time.

I am playing GWX 2.0 and am still in 1939