How do you guys patrol?

[Hyfrydle]

Just wondered how people carry out patrols by sharing info we may all learn things.

I plot a course that takes me to my patrol objective via some areas where I hope to find high concentrations of enemy shipping. Then I check the time and TC at 256 or 512 on the map view keeping an eye on any contacts that are within range. I tend to spend most time in the day on the conning tower. Also wherever possible I stay surfaced.

Once I get into an areas close to the enemy I TC for 4 hours at a time then re-assess the situation. Once midnight comes around I head for the captains bunk and TC until 6pm or something happens.

I periodically check morale and if required order a meal for a meal time.

Another thing I try to do in possible enemy areas is submerge and scan with the hydrophone but this I find doesn't yield much info. I remember doing this in SH 3 and the feeling when you tracked and sank a target this way was fantastic.

Well that's a rough idea how I do things what about you guys?

[kylania]

Kinda the same without some of the immersion actions you're doing.

I'm still early war, so I'll set out from Wilhemshaven and sail west towards the channel. This leg I'll usually do at 1024x. Once I get to just east of Dover i drop down to 512/256x for the squeeze there. So far I've been really lucky and sneaked past the multitude of escorts there three times so far.

If I run into any ships on the way to the Atlantic I sink them. Then I'll head over to the patrol point. Usually I'll find a convoy or something, waste all my torpedoes trying to kill things, then rush home at Full speed :P

I spend most of the time on the nav map and in the attack scope room for quick submerges. Occasionally I'll walk the boat and talk to people, but till the morale bug is fixed that's worthless gameplay wise. During combat I usually try to stay on the bridge. I'm surfaced any time I can get away with it.

[MattDizzle]

i usually stay away from england to keep the planes at bay, with the VIIA i dont want to waste any fuel on recharging batteries, more fuel means more time on station waiting for a big convoy.

The tonnage i lose in coastal shipping is made up for because everytime i see a big convoy i have a full load of torpedos, and the fuel to stay with them night, after night, after night (position reports on the surface during the day)

Take out one destroyer on the opening attack to always keep a flank open, than play cat and mouse with the defences. As i said in another thread my sub hasnt so much as felt the ping of an asdic signal, much less a bullet or depth charge :)

January 1940, 81,000 tons, 1 Battleship, 3 destroyers, 7 merchants of various types., Full real manual TDC dead is dead

[SabreHawk]

Contrary to how some do, I will never waste a torpedo on a DD. They dont yield tonnage for spit and if you miss you've given yourself away, and risk getting killed, and at the very least you now wont have much chance of getting any of the merchant ships he's escorting.
The whole idea is to sink shipping, not DD's. DD's are to be avoided and evaded not attacked unless you have to. Uboats have so little chance against a DD that it's a foolhardy move to attack them, and draw their attention to you.

The most pleasure I get is sneaking in, and hitting the merchants and then escaping the DD's wrath, or even better having them never see you coming or going, and never getting a line on you period.

The Uboats only strong point, is stealth so use that above all else. Once that is lost, you may well be too cause you are no match for a DD any day. You are perhaps the slowest warship on the sea and your only advantage is stealth and must make full use of that being it is your biggest strength.

[utops]

Im going to the ordered area dive and listen to the sea. One day here, second day there and always some contact give a sound.
But when im bored or in not playish immersion mood, then i do the circles on 1/3 near ports or straits. But most of the time just intercepting red squares with tails on the map when they being reported by intelligence.