TYPE XXI - how to get the best comsumption rate?

[Daniel Prates]

Hi guys,

So, in the german career mode, i've been given the type XXI. I remember dealing with this sub from SH2, but of course that was not nearly as precisely depicted as it is in "u-boat missions". I've been finding myself with some problems. What's happening basically is that I cannot make the bastard to be fuel-effective. Even in ahead standard or lower speeds, I burn away all my diesel very quickly. I tried some different regimes of usage but they all make this sub seem too short-ranged, a thing I know to be untrue since the type XXI was supposed to have some excellent range carachetistics.

This is what wiki has to say about its' range: "15,500 nmi (28,700 km) at 10 kn (19 km/h)". Yeah, I tried that, and it does not work. Ten knots will leave me dry in the middle of the indic ocean, starting from batavia.

Apparently the game knows that, since the missions generated for me always send me very far - this time to capetown! - and there is just no way for me to get there, at least not the way I'm conductin it.

So, let's hear it, what are your experiences with the XXI? Running underwater all the time is the trick?

[WernherVonTrapp]

Sorry, I've never played the German U-Boats, but if you have a key (or tab, button) that tells you the maximum range at current speed (like in TMO w/the fleetboats), you can experiment with sequential changes in speed. Sorry, if you already knew this. It was just an attempt to assist.:03:

[Daniel Prates]

Actually I have not installed any mod other than the official 'u-boat missions'. If i had such tool I would have tried it already. The unmodded "sh4" is great but still very flawed in some issues, isn't it? For instance, bot the type IX and XXI had snorkels. No such thing appears in 'u-boat missions', which is a bit disapointing.

Look, since I joined this forum I hear a lot about TMO. Would you recomend it? For what i've been reading it seems to be, like, the best mod ever, not only correcting errors but also adding a lot.

Could you give me a hand and direct me, via a link, to it's download page? I am sure it is here somewhere but I reckon you must remember it by heart so far! :up:

[Anthony W.]

U-Boat Missions did a crappy job on the XXI. Not only does it not give you a snorkel, but it chopped your performance in half if not worse.

I'd give a lot for a mod that fixes that.

Here is the D/L for TMO 2.0

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/downloads.php?do=file&id=3001

And here is the update to 2.1

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/downloads.php?do=file&id=3002

[WH4K]

Um. Dumb question maybe, but I thought Trigger Maru Overhaul 2.0 and 2.1 only applied to doing American campaigns...right?

I have SH4+UBM (so, version 1.5) and have only been playing the American side so far. Been thinking it's about time to try a career on the Other side, but not sure what mods to use.

[TorpX]

I believe you are correct about TMO and German side.
I haven't played the U-boats, so I can't tell you what you need to play the dark side. :DL

[Aviv]

I noticed a similar problem with how to 'use' the XXI. The Type IX has a range of over 60.000km travelling at ahead standard (10kt), while the Type XXI can struggle with fuel. It does have the Walther turbine which allows you to get to speeds over 20kt even submerged, but I don't really know what the application for this is, because it runs on it's own fuel too.

I did read that the Type XXI was the first U-boat (and submarine) to be designed to cruise underwater, so maybe the idea is that you keep submerged with radar and only surface at night to recharge the batteries. Just a thought, I don't have it currently in my campaign, but I think the ahead standard speed while submerged is 7kt (correct me if I'm wrong).

I find that the Type XXI is a great boat, especially with it's fast reloading speeds, but it does suffer from fuel problems, especially compared to the Type IX.

[deceptiboat]

There's no type XXI in Stock silent hunter 4 1.5, Silent Hunter 1.5 only add type IXD2 sub and type XVIII uboat. XXI and XVIII looks similiar, but different. The XXI has a large battery capacity but doesn't have a Walther turbine, meanwhile the type XVIII has a Walther turbine but has a smaller battery capacity. The surfaced Range is also different, XXI has a longer surfaced range than XVIII. See this link below, compare XVIII and XXI

XVIII:
http://www.uboat.net/types/xviii.htm

XXI :
http://uboat.net/types/xxi.htm

[Anthony W.]

And a disappointing lack of even a single rear torpedo tube

[Aviv]

Oops my bad. I made a mistake. In that case when I said XXI I meant XVIII

[WernherVonTrapp]

If it's strictly U-Boats you're after, I've heard a lot of good things about the "Operation Monsoon" mod, though I haven't played it myself. In addition, I think I'm Going Down has been playing an Atlantic Theater mod that he's been raving about. You can either PM him or track down his more recent threads/posts for more info.
I don't think TMO does much in the way of changes for the U-Boats, but I could be wrong.

[deceptiboat]

if you want to play with u-boat, OM is your best bet, OM add the Atlantic U-boat campaign, Mediterranean U-boat campaign, and you still can play with U-boat in the pacific(Monsun Gruppe). You can play with the Type IIB,C,D, Type VIIIB,C,C/41,D, Type IXA,B,C,C/40,D2, Type XXIII, and Type XXI(Not Type XVIII). but it is not compatible with TMO, so you must decide which one you you want to play with. OM and TMO is compatible with RSRDC, so you still can play the US campaign with OM.

OM:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=134922

TMO:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=132330

RSRDC:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=123467

[Daniel Prates]

Guys, thanks a lot for the tips concerning the mods. This is indeed a great forum and has a great comunity of members. I'll be sure to check them all out. Thanks for the links too.

Oh and yeah, XVIII, not XXI. Thanks deceiptboat. Apart from the walter turbine and it's impact in battery sizes, they seem to be pretty much the same design concerning all other aspects. I think it is a great sub. The best improvements are clearly the better diving/surfacing speeds, slightly better underwater speed and range, and better reloading time - other than that, it feels much like a type IX when surfaced.

I've been playing this german campaing and was allowed to use the XVIII in 4 patrols (then the war ended). I was happy with this beast, though missing the deck gun a lot.