Rank / Crew Proportions

[Joe's #2 son]

When you play a career, I realized everyone will be promoted way beyond what a real crew would be. I used different dice methods to rotate crew, but what I would really like to know is how many of a specific rank would have been aboard a typical uboat. This would help to know who gets the dice throw according to rank. I'm sure some of you that have had naval service experience could probably give a good ratio estimate of a crew. Again, thanks to this community.

[Draka]

This one is a tad hard to answer, as it is highly dependent on the type sub, the year and other variables. Basic rule of thumb, 4 Officers, 0-2 Cadets (especially in later years), 1 PO for every 2 Enlisted. Top 4 PO are CPO. That is a general rule - for more realistic crews, I use:

http://www.ubootwaffe.net/

to look up a specific ship, then convert her crew to SH3 terms. I use the crew listed as on board when lost, as that gives a good snapshot of the type/year/flotilla I am simulating for that career.

[Obltn Strand]

I have a similar system as Draka, except my crew rosters are based those of U-604 (Höltring) and U-564 (Suhren). Both boats made into literature.

Crew rotation is still a mystery to me. U-604's crew roster changed quite little during her 6 patrol career except for officers. Also very few crew members had prior patrols before U-604.

[Draka]

How's yer German? I found a good site that appears to answer all these questions, but my Deutsche ain't so hot!

http://www.deutschekriegsmarine.de/Organisation/hauptteil_laufbahnen/Unteroffiziere/Einstellung_und_Ausbildung/einstellung_und_ausbildung.html

[Obltn Strand]

How's yer German? I found a good site that appears to answer all these questions, but my Deutsche ain't so hot!

http://www.deutschekriegsmarine.de/Organisation/hauptteil_laufbahnen/Unteroffiziere/Einstellung_und_Ausbildung/einstellung_und_ausbildung.html


I took some german lessons 20 years ago:nope:

Nice site though.

[Raptor]

IMO, SH3 does a poor job of modelling the crew and where they are stationed, especially the officers.

Type VII Standard Crew:

4 Officers
Commander
Leitender Ingenieur (Chief Engineer)
IWO - 1st watch officer
IIWO - 2nd watch officer

4 CPO's or WO's (StabsOber.......):
Oberbootsmatt (Bosun)..........aka "Chief of the Boat (COB)
Obersteurmann (Navigator).....served as IIIWO
Diesel Obermaschinist (Chief Diesel Mechanic)
Elecktro Obermaschinist (Chief Electric Mechanic)

12 POs


Depending on boat type and war year, boats could also carry a medical officer, commander-in-training, LI-in-training, officer cadets, etc. However, SH3 does not model these. Hell, we don't even get a cook!