A few questions for the Pros here...

[Tobysmall]

I'm a newbie to this particular sim, but no stranger to sims in general. After more than 20 hours at this (it IS addictive!), I'm still starting. I haven't figured out a few things, even after browsing through and reading the posts here...

How exactly do the Mission Completion objectives work?

I restarted the game, figuring that I now had a game-plan in hand, after botching (but learning a lot) on my first campaign. I take the mission for "British Coastal Waters", and after I'm in the Patrol Area come across a Task Force. A few reloads later (I don't think I like Warships trying to interrupt me while I'm taking out Merchies!) I cruise home totally winchester and refit at Brunsbuttel, on the sea end of the canal SW of Kiel. (Didn't know you could refit at other bases?). I received "Objective Completed" after I had sunk my first ship, but had to return to the area to complete the require tonnage (50,000T). 2nd trip went well, and returned again - this time to Kiel, with over 70,000T Merchant total - and of course, winchester again. I figured that since I had the "Objective Completed" and the required tonnage (all taken in that area) that I would have completed that "British Coastal Waters" mission? No. No completion and no German Cross on the board at the top left of the map screen. What went wrong here?

So, I took the next mission from the chief - "British Supplies" - and made sure to go all the way to the "mark" before I killed my first merchie. Believe me, I had lots of opportunities cruising through the Channel - but I wanted to keep my load for ships that "counted". Is that what you have to do?

Just exactly what are the requirements to complete these first missions? Am I missing something?

Oh - and I read advice in a few places to RUN/HIDE from warships. Well, I shoved a torp right down ones throat as he was bearing down at me at 35 Kts. One shot. One kill. He went down a lot easier than freighters do!

Any help would be appreciated... :salute:

[DVAFP]

on the mission box, everytime you sink a ship on or around the objective area, there is a white bar that grows till the mission is completed and the bar is fully white. If thats not happening then maybe you haved a cracked copy of the game, before i bought the game i tried a pirated copy of it and the missions wouldnt complete. Hope this answers your question.

[Tobysmall]

Where is this white bar that fills up? What screen?

In the Total Germany Campaign, there is a box at the top left of the map that has "Total Germany"; then the date; and a row of 8 German Iron Crosses - of which only 1 is filled in for me so far. Is that the "bar" you are speaking of?

You may notice that I deftly ignored your inference about piracy. I understand it's discussion is against forum policy...:dead:

[THE_MASK]

No , on the navigation map there is an iron cross icon in a little round circle where you are suppose to patrol . Click on that . When you were in the bunker and spoke to the 2IC did you ask for orders and then choose what area to patrol ?

[Tobysmall]

Yup - I know where that "white bar" is now. Just never noticed it before - like a lot of the important instructions for this game!

Guess I still need more tonnage. What counts as tonnage for a certain patrol? Just the ships you sink in that patrol area? - or can you sink ships going to and returning to base (and have them count...)?

[THE_MASK]

It would be just in that area .

[THE_MASK]

Here is the eastern and western areas .
http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/9229/23239968.jpg (http://img535.imageshack.us/i/23239968.jpg/)

[DVAFP]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/WoodShaver/sh5/SH5Img2010-04-08_023049.jpg

a bit too late but here it is

[DVAFP]

the crosses are what you get towards the campaign for finishing that mission

[Tobysmall]

Thanks! :up:

Y'know... there are SO many little important details in this game that are never explained anywhere in the game, or "manual" (to use the term loosely). For someone playing this this without ever playing earlier versions of it - it can be a little rough. How is someone supposed to know that if they click on that Iron Cross icon that there is a progress bar at the bottom?!?! Pretty easy to miss/not notice it.

I only found out by accident that if you roll the mouse wheel while on the bridge - you get Binoculars... and once you have Binoculars, you can order your crew to fire the Deck Gun... The game is full of stuff like that, that a newbie couldn't possibly know when he starts the Campaign!

It's like opening Christmas presents. :rotfl2:

[mcarlsonus]

One other thing! Yes to, "in the area," but, also if the mission states you have to sink "x" tons of shipping carrying, "War Supplies," you'll have to identify by eyeball and Recognition Manual just WHICH of those otherwise identical heavy freighters are actually carrying, "War Supplies" to get credit for that portion of the campaign! My understanding is that the, "War Supplies" freighters have stuff like Toyotas lashed to the top deck in full view of the attacker...and the lawyers...