Empfange Funkmesssignale!

[danoh]

I'm currently in a IXC based out of Lorient and am starting a patrol in December, 1943. I've never played this late in the war and have a couple questions about some equipment upgrades I have just purchased.

The radar detector seems wonderful. My current patrolgrid assignment is EJ 69, off Dakar in Africa, and crossing the Bay of Biscay I twice got the "Empfange Funkmesssignale" ("I am receiving radar signals") from planes about 12 km out. I had plenty of time to crashdive and turn on the gramaphone. Will this device also pick up surface radar?

I also purchased the active radar with the 360 degree sweep, but it never spotted the plane. This is just surface radar then?

I have read on this forum that the active radar is an invitation to Allied destroyers to come say hello. Is it correct I want to turn this off and never use it? Seems like it could be good if and when I run into unescorted merchants.

I also purchased a much bigger bridge and put all the AA guns I could afford on it (1 twin 37mm and 2 twin 20 mm guns). My career stretches back to August, 1939, and I've never shot at planes before. I got the flak crews on deck and duked it out with a Wellington bomber. The battle was at night and it was very cool to watch from the external camera. My boys shot down the Wellington, but not before he damaged a couple compartments with his depth charges. Even though that was loads of fun, isn't correct play to crash dive and avoid the planes alltogether?

And finally, I'm wondering if my flotilla at Lorient will eventually get a type XXI or XXIII submarine option, or do I need to transfer sometime in 1944?

Thanks for the help.

[meduza]

The radar detector seems wonderful. My current patrolgrid assignment is EJ 69, off Dakar in Africa, and crossing the Bay of Biscay I twice got the "Empfange Funkmesssignale" ("I am receiving radar signals") from planes about 12 km out. I had plenty of time to crashdive and turn on the gramaphone. Will this device also pick up surface radar?
It will.

I also purchased the active radar with the 360 degree sweep, but it never spotted the plane. This is just surface radar then?
I'm not realy sure, but I think it will detect airplanes also. But, it has a very short range, about 4-5km (I think - it's not an exat value, only based on my experience).

I have read on this forum that the active radar is an invitation to Allied destroyers to come say hello. Is it correct I want to turn this off and never use it? Seems like it could be good if and when I run into unescorted merchants.
True, the radar will attract Allied attention. Keep it turned off most if the time. the only time I use the radar is when I'm hunting a lonely merchant in poor visibility. But even then I prefer to use the hydrophones.

I also purchased a much bigger bridge and put all the AA guns I could afford on it (1 twin 37mm and 2 twin 20 mm guns). My career stretches back to August, 1939, and I've never shot at planes before. I got the flak crews on deck and duked it out with a Wellington bomber. The battle was at night and it was very cool to watch from the external camera. My boys shot down the Wellington, but not before he damaged a couple compartments with his depth charges. Even though that was loads of fun, isn't correct play to crash dive and avoid the planes alltogether?
If you play the stock game, you can shoot the aircraft as much as ypu like. In one patrol I shot more then 50. But if you play the GWX, don't even try. Crash dive.

And finally, I'm wondering if my flotilla at Lorient will eventually get a type XXI or XXIII submarine option, or do I need to transfer sometime in 1944?

Thanks for the help. IIRC, you can get the XXI only with 11th Flotilla ,so yes, you'll have to transfer.