BF31 Is it worth the risk...

[Murr44]

It's March '41 & BdU has ordered me to go to BF31. Including tonnage sunk in this 6th patrol, I've topped 152,000 tons & haven't suffered any casualties (except for my IIWO: removed by SH3 Cmdr - killed by partisans on last leave). I know that GWX removed the renown bonus for patrolling your assigned grid & I'd just as soon not go there if it's heavily mined. I'm at sea btw.

Any thoughts?

[Kipparikalle]

Screw it

[kylania]

As long as you're getting tonnage it should be all good. :)

My last patrol I never even made it to my patrol zone. Found a convoy, attacked it once, tried twice but ended up finding some other single ships. Then when I tried to get to my patrol zone, convoy after convoy kept showing up near me.

[Task Force]

I was sent there one carear ago, quite intresting, dicent tonage Too. depending on where your at. alittle shallow though.:yep: :yep: On the other hand, it 1941, I wouldnt do it. youl notice I said one carear ago.:rotfl:

[Murr44]

Thanks. I think that I'll play it safe & stay out of BF31. BdU can go there if he likes; I want my RK.:arrgh!:

[Graf Paper]

It's your command and you can play it however you like.

But...

Those who prefer to play it as close to historically real as they can get would follow orders or face serious disciplinary action, not to mention that avoiding an assigned patrol area because you're worried about staying alive in shallower waters might earn you a court-martial at the point of a Luger.

Me, I prefer to follow orders but I fight for me and my men.

[Commander Gizmo]

Just out of curiousity...

How would BdU know whether you got there or not? Without GPS or satalite imagry, couldn't you say you went there? Did the crew even know what your orders are before you told them?

I wonder how many captains did make that call and what happened to them.

[Graf Paper]

In the game...you can't lie about reaching your grid. BdU just "knows" when you reach a grid and if you patrol it for 24 hours or not.

Not that it really matters, since you have no benefit or penalty to renown for following or not following patrol orders in GWX 2.1. So do whatever you please.

It's all about tonnage sunk now so you're better off ignoring BdU and heading straight for the shipping lanes with the best targets.

In reality, such a lie to your superiors would be difficult, if not nearly impossible. All officers were debriefed after a patrol, so you'd have to persuade those officers to support you and share in the risk, assuming no other member of the crew contradicted your assertions. Not to mention falsifying documents to support the claim that your boat did follow orders.

The penalties far outweighed the risk of engaging in treason of that sort and you're also forgetting the effectiveness of the Gestapo in ferreting out such officers.

[Task Force]

I would just tell the guys at BDU they were crazy.:doh:

[Graf Paper]

When you consider the standing orders that Doenitz gave to u-boat commanders that got them killed like lambs to the slaughter and the idea that he could still win the war in regards to cutting off Britain's supply lines with only half the u-boats he esitmated he needed...

Yep. BdU was crazy. :88)

[Commander Gizmo]

It makes me wonder why there weren't any defections of boat and officers. Maybe not quite Red October style, but a defection none the less. I've never heard of anythink like that anyway.

[Murr44]

It makes me wonder why there weren't any defections of boat and officers. Maybe not quite Red October style, but a defection none the less. I've never heard of anythink like that anyway.

I remember reading in the book Neither Sharks nor Wolves about a commander & crew who were so demoralized & seasick that they just surrendered at the first chance they had. Unfortunately I can't remember the U-boat number or commander's name right now.

Can anyone give me an idea whether BF31 is heavily mined or not? After reading the GWX manual I know that the Strait of Dover is a bad area & BF31 is pretty close to that. Thanks...

[Murr44]

Decided to go to BF31 after all. On the way there I ran across an L-class AA destroyer (HMS Musketeer) at about 2am. Sank her with 1 torpedo. 2 hours later we destroyed a medium cargo. Got to BF31 & the weather turned foul: p*ssing rain & fog - at least it kept the enemy aircraft grounded. :up: Did our 24 hours there; found nothing so I decided to pack it in & head home. Finally got my first GWX RK!:rock:

[Graf Paper]

Congrats on getting your Ritterkreuz, herr kaleun! :up:

Glad to see that audacity and courage won the day. Keep pressing the attack!

[Brag]

I gp to wherever BDU sends me and do the 24 hours. Then, I go to wherever I think will give me tonnage. Life is tough enough without complications.

[Task Force]

That channel is a pice of cake once you figure it out.:yep: Stay on the german side as much as you can, dont use TC when submerged. Run at the highest speed as you can.:up: