U-boat Tactics and Operations

[TazX]

Hi all,

Being a while since I got back to the sub world since the days of SHIII. I have been going all over the forums in order to obtain valuable information regarding U-boat tactics and operations, but no joy. Is there a document on the web or here at Subsim.com where I can get that kind of information?

For example, things I already know:

- Never go throught the English channel; always use the northern pass
- When patrolling, in order to obtain contact information do periodic 30 meter dives and let the hydrophone guy do its job
- ...

Any thoughts?

Regards,

[alexradu89]

Maybe try http://www.uboat.net/ :arrgh!: I don't think there's a more comprehensive website than this one, dedicated to U-boats.

[Dowly]

Welcome aboard! :salute:

And before anyone else says it; BE MORE AGGRESSIVE!! :O:

Right, there's plenty of tips you can find from the tips & tricks stricky thread on this board.

In addition to that, try reading the stuff written here (http://www.uboataces.com/history-tactics.shtml). Also, I'd advice to read some of the KTB's found here (http://www.uboatarchive.net/KTBList.htm) to see what real kaleuns did, after all they survived the patrol to tell about it so they had to do something right. :DL

Good hunting! :salute:

[TazX]

Hey great links!! :) I appreciate it! BTW, I've gone through the tactics and tips post but its like 90% technical tips and maybe 10% tactics.

[Coldcall]

Hi all,

Being a while since I got back to the sub world since the days of SHIII. I have been going all over the forums in order to obtain valuable information regarding U-boat tactics and operations, but no joy. Is there a document on the web or here at Subsim.com where I can get that kind of information?

For example, things I already know:

- Never go throught the English channel; always use the northern pass
- When patrolling, in order to obtain contact information do periodic 30 meter dives and let the hydrophone guy do its job
- ...

Any thoughts?

Regards,

I go through the channel to keep things exciting (and save some diesel) since stock SH5 is rather easy. Once your motor guy is buffed up with abilities he can push the sub to 23/24 knots which means you can weave your way through the channel at flank speed on a foggy night without much hassle at all.

Hopefully this changes later in the game but right now in early 40 its too easy to get through the channel. Its like a sight seeing tour. i usuall tune in the BBc and they are playing "white cliffs of dover" - perfect :-)

[Juliano]

Welcome aboard! :salute:

And before anyone else says it; BE MORE AGGRESSIVE!! :O:


Awwww...
I was going to say that :O:

[coronas]

Try returning alive and victorius to homeport. :03:
:salute:

[daft]

The U-boat Commander's Handbook (http://www.hnsa.org/doc/uboat/index.htm) might also be of interest. I think you can get a printed copy of it as well if you look for it online.

[Coldcall]

The U-boat Commander's Handbook (http://www.hnsa.org/doc/uboat/index.htm) might also be of interest. I think you can get a printed copy of it as well if you look for it online.

Thats brill thanks!

The sad part though is that SH - for the most part - hasnt been modelled so that those real-life tactics correlate with the game's mechanics.

It would be great if SH5 could be made to behave accordingly!

[daft]

Thats brill thanks!

The sad part though is that SH - for the most part - hasnt been modelled so that those real-life tactics correlate with the game's mechanics.

It would be great if SH5 could be made to behave accordingly!

It's a good read in any case. I got the book a few years back when I was helping an author out with some research.

[Safe-Keeper]

Yeah, the channel is incredibly easy, given three factors:


That you can see how far enemy ships can see on the map (grey circle and PacMan)
That they suck at hunting submerged subs and very often give up almost right away
As Neal notes in his review, damage is repaired almost instantaneously, and seems to have little to no effect on anything anyhow, as long as systems are not completely destroyed. The only two real threats are flooding and hull damage -- very rarely does damaged systems pose a threat.

A good tactic I want to share, though, is to lie in ambush ahead of convoys instead of attacking them head-on. Just mark down its course with the ruler, go to flank (cough, sorry, extreme:O:) speed ahead, get in front of them, and then dive and wait. Unless they change course, or you made a mistake in marking their course or positioning yourself, you can sit dead still right in their path and then blast away with torpedoes when you're in their midst.

As a side note, once in the River Mayhem historical mission I was suddenly surprised by a merchant convoy heading right at me. I had no torpedoes, I seem to recall that my boat was damaged, and the convoy had escorts. I dove, ordered Silent Running, and sat dead still as the big ships passed above me. If anyone has played Modern Warfare, think of the part of the Chernobyl mission where you lie dead still in the high grass in a ghillie suit, with a whole platoon of infantry and APC's on all sides, moving across the field oblivious to your presence.