View Full Version : Has Anyone Ever Made it the Whole War?
U-48Kriegsmarine
06-08-13, 08:11 PM
Has anyone ever played through the whole war, 1939 - 1945, without being killed? Even once? If so, on what realism setting and with what mods?
I'm actually about to start a new career with Sh4 Operation Monsun, and I believe I have a pretty good strategy to survive the whole conflict, but it'll take a bit of luck, that's for sure. My plan is to transfer to Flotillas with 'lighter' duties. IE, duties that avoid the North Atlantic after 1943.
'39 - '41, North Atlantic "Happy Times"
late '41 - '42, Drumbeat
'43 - '44 Gawd Help Me
'44 - '45 Deploy to the Indian Ocean (not going to be easy, I know, but I'd much rather be there than the North Atlantic!)
We'll see how it turns out!
desertstriker
06-08-13, 09:26 PM
Not in one career :har: but yeah I have made it. nothing special happens though you RTP (return to port) and its over. You still have to watch out for aircraft and warships because they will still try and sink you for some odd reason
Edit Mod wise i use NYGM with a whole other concoction of mods that changes every now and then. Realism settings are at 100% with Hsies patchkit and steiblers add-on pack
U-48Kriegsmarine
06-08-13, 09:50 PM
Yeah, I meant in one career, but I HIGHLY doubt anyone ever has. Just for the simple fact that most of the U-Boat aces I know of that survived the war conducted less than 20 patrols, and were sent to desk duty.
Unless someone comes up with a mod which transfers us off active patrol duty and just makes is sit there and do paperwork all day (no thank you), then we are forced to sea, and would conduct far more patrols than actual captains (that survived) would.
Add to this, the roughly 75% attrition rate of the U-Boat Waffen, and yeah.... a one career wonder would be a astounding.
But if anyone has ever done it, let me know!
Sailor Steve
06-08-13, 10:06 PM
I use SH3 Commander, which has a 'Forced Retirement' function. That said, I've never made past mid-1940. The problem isn't that I die so much, it's that every time some new mod comes out I start over. OCD, you see. Now there are so many mods my ancient computer won't run the games at all, so I'm not playing at all until I can get a new computer.
Of course there are some people who have reported completing the entire war in on career. I think the method was "reload saved games until you make it". :sunny:
desertstriker
06-08-13, 11:47 PM
A little off topic but i will be getting rid of this laptop in the semi near future Sailor Steve so if you are interested I am open to discussion.
@U-48 yeah it would be a wonder if anybody got all the way through which due to realism and some of our hard core and semi hard core players will never have done it because they more than likely have the retirement selected on SH3C
BossMark
06-09-13, 03:12 AM
Never made it in one career 1941 is the latest.
Yes, in vanilla SH3 and with a few RTP. Now with GWX+mods+DID+SH3 commander, etc, never!
I'm in the same boat as Sailor Steve, which is why I want to make a finalized mod list for myself and never touch it again (and maybe save the game on another HD so I don't have to go through all the work again should this one fail).
So far, it's proving difficult. One day...
Yes I have in WAW, using GWX, one time. I made it a second time to mid April 45 before being killed. I was a careful skipper and didn't take many risky chances since we play D.I.D. there.
:subsim:
Sailor Steve
06-09-13, 09:15 AM
A little off topic but i will be getting rid of this laptop in the semi near future Sailor Steve so if you are interested I am open to discussion.
I appreciate it, but I'm looking at putting myself together a desktop to go with my 28" monitor, one that will run anything I want.
BigWalleye
06-09-13, 10:51 AM
I'm in the same boat as Sailor Steve, which is why I want to make a finalized mod list for myself and never touch it again (and maybe save the game on another HD so I don't have to go through all the work again should this one fail).
So far, it's proving difficult. One day...
Luno, sounds like a wonderful idea! If/when you get to a "finalized" mod list, please post it. Hopefully your list will be so comprehensive that I will feel no compunction to "improve" it and have to start another career! (Sure!)
BTW, one of the attractions of SH3 over SH5 is that sometimes SH5 mods are released hourly(!) and they're all Must Haves. At least, with SH3, I can sometimes actually play a few patrols before I absolutely "have" to install the newest mod.
Never made it past mid '42. If I am not killed/captured then I have become bored with my career or boat and start over again in '39 with someone new.
Right now(Dec '39) I have U-51 since Sept 39 and will see if I can get to '42 and then upgrade to a type VIIC for the rest of the war.
Luno, sounds like a wonderful idea! If/when you get to a "finalized" mod list, please post it. Hopefully your list will be so comprehensive that I will feel no compunction to "improve" it and have to start another career! (Sure!)
BTW, one of the attractions of SH3 over SH5 is that sometimes SH5 mods are released hourly(!) and they're all Must Haves. At least, with SH3, I can sometimes actually play a few patrols before I absolutely "have" to install the newest mod.
Well, it's actually not that comprehensive. I'm fairly picky about some mods and some are just too good, and therefore don't really fit in with the rest of the graphics, if that makes sense. I've also made many personalized tweaks to suit my own taste, and which may not be appreciated by other users (which is fine by me), and I shouldn't redistribute other people's work anyway, no matter how tweaked.
Some mods that I'm using right now include OLC Gui with ACM reloaded, free cam, lots of extra ships, Rick's rec manual, etc, etc. It's actually nothing out of the ordinary.
I just want to set it up and forget it. So I can actually try to play a full career for once.
If you are looking for something comprehensive, there are several members who have gargantuan lists that you can take a look at. :dead:
desertstriker
06-10-13, 12:09 AM
hehe yeah some of us have those large lists.
What is really funny is I am never happy with my mod list all the time and i have 49 mods installed ATM. Sometimes I want different music so I slap a custom music mod together. Other times hey never tried that mod lets see what it does if I am happy I keep it if I am unhappy or don't feel any difference after a few patrols I delete it.
BigWalleye
06-10-13, 06:51 AM
Luno, I was being a bit tongue-in-cheek, since like you I am never able to resist trying out That New Mod, which often results in having to restart my career. And I misused the word "comprehensive" to mean "including all my requirements and desirements" rather than "including all relevant mods." I would be interested in seeing your mod list, and anyone else's, as I can learn from them all. For SH3/GWX, I try to keep the list as short as I can, in keeping with the spirit of the game. I understand what you mean about "harmonizing" the mods, particularly the graphics mods, to keep a consistent quality level. And I find it necessary to tweak some of the mods, to combine features that I like.
The trick, as you originally said, is to find a modload that you like and STICK TO IT. As Churchill liked to say: "Better is the enemy of Good Enough." Even with a platform as stable as SH3/GWX, I can find myself spending all my game time finding, evaluating, and tweaking mods while never actually playing the game at all. I am currently not playing SH5, because every time The Dark Wraith (inter alia) comes out with a new fix, it is such a significant improvement that I can't resist it. Which puts me back in the bunker!
Herr-Berbunch
06-10-13, 09:03 AM
The problem isn't that I die so much, it's that every time some new mod comes out I start over. OCD, you see.
I think you'll find it is CDO. The letters must be in alphabetical order. :D
Sailor Steve
06-10-13, 09:05 AM
I think you'll find it is CDO. The letters must be in alphabetical order. :D
But...but...Compulsive Disorder Obsessive? I can't read that without wanting to pick it right out of the screen and make it right. :wah:
I hiknt llouy dfin it is CDO. Eht eelrstt mstu be in aaabcehillpt deorr. :D
ahst't jstu acryz aklt.
U-48Kriegsmarine
06-12-13, 08:04 AM
ahst't jstu acryz aklt.
This :rotfl2:
Sailor Steve
06-12-13, 09:44 AM
ahst't jstu acryz aklt.
I pride myself on being witty, but I don't think I ever would have thought of something like that, much less been able to do it. Amazing! :rock:
maillemaker
06-14-13, 12:58 PM
I play "dead is dead", and then I start over at 1939.
About a year ago I finally made it through the entire war with 100% realism, with GWX and a handful of other mods.
It probably took 15-20 attempts prior to that career.
Here's are the keys:
Once you get past mid-war, never, never, never attack a convoy in water shallower than your maximum dive depth. Not only will you probably hit a mine, but you will get depth charged into oblivion.
You can't sit on the bottom like in Das Boot. They can see you and you will die there.
Never, never, ever attack a convoy unless your sub has 100% hull integrity so that you can dive into the orange. Your only hope at escape is depth. If you don't have a fully-healthy sub, don't bother attacking as you won't be able to dive deep enough to evade the escorts.
Late war, only run on the surface at night. Stay submerged during the day.
As soon as you can upgrade to any radar detector, do so. They will save you from aircraft and you can use them to shadow convoys without visual contact.
Sometimes, if they are too persistent and you can't shake them, your only hope is to attack the escorts.
One way to do this is with electric magnetic torpedoes "down the throat" like the Wahoo did. Rarely escorts will chase you in a straight line and this kind of shot is easier. Most of the time they will zig-zag in pursuit and only home in straight at about 400-300 meters. Since your torpedoes need 200 meters to arm this is cutting it very close, but you can do it.
The other way is to try to nail them as they cut across your bow by leading them with the torpedo as they circle you. It's hard. It's easy to waste a lot of torpedoes trying to hit them. Heaven help you if you can't shake them and you run out of torpedoes. Homing torpedoes can be useful here...if they chase the escort and not something else - like you!
Steve
The Dark Wolf
06-14-13, 05:27 PM
Yeah did the whole war by being REAL conservative averaged 10 - 20000 tons a patrol. Avoided aircraft and large convoys.
Started with U32 a type VII, got U123 a Type IXB, then U156 a Type IXC then U181 a Type IXD2.
I start with the 2nd flotilla in Wilhemshaven, get transferred to Lorient, then request a transfer to the 7th/13th in July of '44 to Trondheim, otherwise you get sent to Penang.
I ended the war sailing into Cruxhaven or Bremen.
The highlight of my career - being in SW corner of AM12 on May 21st 1941 and sinking Hood and Prince of Wales. :up:
Herbert_Moon
06-16-13, 01:26 PM
I think I got to 1942 once if my memory serves me right. I will always remember: I got sunk trying to pass Gibraltar into the med at night in fog, and got rammed by a destroyer. I think it is virtually impossible anyway with realistic settings as history says the attrition rate for U-boats was ridiculous and most of them died up to and before D-day anyway. Also you have to bear in mind the lack of safe port after D-Day would make the last year very difficult if you did anything but run and hide most of the time! I believe only a hand-full made it to V.E. day as active combatants.
All that being said I will keep playing SH3 until I do survive.
TabbyHunter
06-16-13, 07:16 PM
Playing GWX3.0 and my VIIb has made a number of lucky escapes, and we're only in April of 1942. And I fully plan to make my U-51 last the full war.
Though, as it's been about six months since I last played SH3, and I'm just getting back into it,...Well, the crew needs to wipe the bird poop off, give her a good rub down, and make sure Balz dosn't sneak aboard.
and make sure Balz dosn't sneak aboard.
I'd be more worried about Bernard. Better have your crew double check for farting bananas in the control room.:haha:
:subsim:
TabbyHunter
06-16-13, 09:48 PM
Ahh, right!....
Just goes to show what I remember....I think I had Bernard on board U-51 for 13th thought 19th patrols...Not a single ship sunk...While many where spotted.
Even the Aquitania!
AndreasT
06-23-13, 07:13 PM
I once survived the war, a while back. No idea about my realisms I had back then. Back then I liked it easy. Although it was hard. They spot you so quick damn! Late in the war I can never get close. I spend more time in port getting repaired than anything else.
vanjast
06-25-13, 05:44 PM
I got to End43, then got distracted by something else.
Was using 100%, NYGM+fixes, Real Navigation, No map updates = slave to the rhythm.
My Clues: Never signal BDU, pick target areas, submerged daytime - 2knots, Dive on radar contact.... don't chase, wait for ships. Average ships = around 3 sunk per patrol.
The only 'big ship' i got was an escort carrier in the middle of a convoy. I specifically targeted this first, via hydrophone (recognised the sound signature) and sinking a few more ships in the following days was easier without air escort.
Got hit badly 2x in '43 but made it back to base OK.
I want to do it again - must find the time though.
AndreasT
06-26-13, 05:53 PM
I got to End43, then got distracted by something else.
Was using 100%, NYGM+fixes, Real Navigation, No map updates = slave to the rhythm.
My Clues: Never signal BDU, pick target areas, submerged daytime - 2knots, Dive on radar contact.... don't chase, wait for ships. Average ships = around 3 sunk per patrol.
The only 'big ship' i got was an escort carrier in the middle of a convoy. I specifically targeted this first, via hydrophone (recognised the sound signature) and sinking a few more ships in the following days was easier without air escort.
Got hit badly 2x in '43 but made it back to base OK.
I want to do it again - must find the time though.
That is hard core, damn. I would be too chicken to do that.
Greatings from an expat out of Johannesburg now living in Berlin.
Nukem5150
06-26-13, 09:10 PM
I've Only made it through twice so far and just now getting into playthrough #3 with everyhting but manual targeting and the no map contact enabled. Just not ready to get that hardcore yet.
If I remember correctly I made it through the first time in vanilla SH3 on "Easy" mode and it seemed crazy hard. Started out in Wilhelmshaven in 39 with a IIB and ended in Bergen 1945 in a IXC.
Second was in GWX 3.0 with a IXB via SH3 Commander. Still Easy Mode but it seemed much harder. Again tranferred to Bergen in 44 but ended the war by sailing to the Argentine (right after sinking a couple of juicy Brit ships in their harbor no less!).
Kinda torn right now between finishing up playthrough #3 in SH3 or getting crazy in SH4 with RFB2.0 and RSRDC mods. Go in and Sink, indeed.
Jimbuna
06-27-13, 05:20 AM
Only ever managed the full war in stock at 74% realism.....never in GWX because of the constant release of mods I could never resist installing.
vanjast
06-27-13, 02:40 PM
Greatings from an expat out of Johannesburg now living in Berlin.
Hello to you sir... my advice.. stay there, don't come back. We're looking to move out completely in about a year... and a middle finger on departing.
:arrgh!:
Oh! I forgot to mention the pulling down of the lower eye with the index finger as well.
:up:
AndreasT
06-27-13, 03:23 PM
Hello to you sir... my advice.. stay there, don't come back. We're looking to move out completely in about a year... and a middle finger on departing.
:arrgh!:
Oh! I forgot to mention the pulling down of the lower eye with the index finger as well.
:up:
Mmmm... actually I would like to go back. I have had enough of good old Europe. But this is not the place to discuss that.
nutworld
06-27-13, 03:30 PM
Only ever managed the full war in stock at 74% realism.....never in GWX because of the constant release of mods I could never resist installing.
I know the feeling. Even now, I still run across some great eye candy that I have to install and start over.
I pride myself on being witty...
...that's the funniest thing you've said in a long time...:woot:
Steve Gad
08-19-13, 03:44 AM
I take so many silly risks (which sometimes pay off jackpot fashion) that half of my free time is spent clicking 'load/career/saved career/in base before mission.
I am about to survive for a whole year at the moment, after learning a little caution, so I'll let you know. :up:
Steve Gad
08-19-13, 03:51 AM
I use SH3 Commander, which has a 'Forced Retirement' function. That said, I've never made past mid-1940. The problem isn't that I die so much, it's that every time some new mod comes out I start over. OCD, you see. Now there are so many mods my ancient computer won't run the games at all, so I'm not playing at all until I can get a new computer.
Of course there are some people who have reported completing the entire war in on career. I think the method was "reload saved games until you make it". :sunny:
Being a veteran of F-16 Fighting Falcon back in the 90's, I have no problem at all in "Doing the dance" as we called it, which is modding and starting from scratch. The reason I find this a breeze in SH3 is that modding F-16 meant following a hell of a strict list of what to install first/next/next, that getting the game up to speed could easily cost a full 10 hour day. Such was the instability if you put a single foot wrong.
So, I have no problem (with Steam) in clicking 'delete local content' install, mod, done. In fact this is almost a pleasure in comparison. I'm also in the (severe case of) OCD mod club. We should start some kind of members club. :salute:
Jimbuna
08-19-13, 10:09 AM
Being a veteran of F-16 Fighting Falcon back in the 90's, I have no problem at all in "Doing the dance" as we called it, which is modding and starting from scratch. The reason I find this a breeze in SH3 is that modding F-16 meant following a hell of a strict list of what to install first/next/next, that getting the game up to speed could easily cost a full 10 hour day. Such was the instability if you put a single foot wrong.
So, I have no problem (with Steam) in clicking 'delete local content' install, mod, done. In fact this is almost a pleasure in comparison. I'm also in the (severe case of) OCD mod club. We should start some kind of members club. :salute:
When installing a mod someone else has usually 'done the dance' already so the end user is usually always satisfied as everything goes to plan (until mod soup is introduced).
As an example...GWX took in excess of two years to complete, and many thousands of hours of creating and compiling by a dedicated team of over twenty people and a greater number of beta testers (the campaign scripting alone took over one thousand hours).
I can't speak for the other mods but I certainly can for the above.
Redbear
08-19-13, 12:09 PM
Not me. Made it to early 1943 once, but that's it.
I've done it once... but never again. lol
I ditched my boat in Argentina.
Kpt. Schaker
10-12-13, 02:14 PM
Me, I manage to survive the War in stock SH3:timeout:. I never got past 1943 in GWX 3.0 because I'm always adding in a new Mod:ping:!
0% realism yes but on 70% up noooooo.
Rammstein0991
10-17-13, 12:41 PM
Not as easy as it was in SHII, back then you could turn dmg to 0% and just laugh at the depth marshmallows they dropped on you :D
the dark knight
10-17-13, 05:51 PM
I made it one time in stock SHIII and got the Type XXI. But I have no illusions that I will survive GWX. The surface units are more aggressive, and it is still early in the war (late 42) for me.
Hinrich Schwab
10-17-13, 07:36 PM
I never make it the whole war because SHCommander keeps putting me behind a desk after a dozen patrols.:Kaleun_Goofy:
desirableroasted
10-17-13, 07:54 PM
I play D.I.D. and have only lasted into late 43 -- though that probably 30 times...
I have started "careers" in 44 and 45 just to try it... that is some pretty harrowing stuff!
It does make you speculate about how the game works out for you. If you constantly start new careers, which most of us do, we are hyper-experienced in 1939-41. When we issue forth in September 1939, we have dozens, hundreds of patrols behind us and have seen just about anything. It is no wonder we bring home 200K tons before Christmas 1939.
But when I start hitting that wall in 1943, I start wondering how the game seems to suddenly become many, many times smarter. As if the British and Americans were suddenly blessed with perfect intelligence and never-fail systems and my experience as a careful player over hundreds of patrols counts for very little.
I am not really complaining, because I love the game. But the Allies do go from zero to 100 in 1943.
allievo
10-18-13, 01:51 AM
I play D.I.D. and have only lasted into late 43 -- though that probably 30 times...
I have started "careers" in 44 and 45 just to try it... that is some pretty harrowing stuff!
It does make you speculate about how the game works out for you. If you constantly start new careers, which most of us do, we are hyper-experienced in 1939-41. When we issue forth in September 1939, we have dozens, hundreds of patrols behind us and have seen just about anything. It is no wonder we bring home 200K tons before Christmas 1939.
But when I start hitting that wall in 1943, I start wondering how the game seems to suddenly become many, many times smarter. As if the British and Americans were suddenly blessed with perfect intelligence and never-fail systems and my experience as a careful player over hundreds of patrols counts for very little.
I am not really complaining, because I love the game. But the Allies do go from zero to 100 in 1943.
Yeah, I've also realized it thus I start a new career in 1941-42 just like you. Then the skills you have already acquired early war (e.g. night surface attack) become almost useless and new quite new type of challenges need to be faced against the improved ASW of the Allies. What I like the most in SH3, there's not an assured method, with which you can sink dozens of ships during the entire course of the war. Instead, you have to accommodate to the newer types of difficulties.
Gustav Schiebert
10-18-13, 02:07 AM
Never made it past 1942 myself. IRL I believe the longest career, certainly in terms of time served as a frontboot commander, is Korvettenkapitän (later Kapitän zur See) Wolfgang Lüth (http://www.uboat.net/men/luth.htm).
15 war patrols in five boats, 640 days at sea, from Dec 39 to Oct 43. That's the longest career I can think of, any of you sea dogs care to correct me on that?
sublynx
10-18-13, 02:38 AM
I am not really complaining, because I love the game. But the Allies do go from zero to 100 in 1943.
I've just had my first career in NYGM and another career going on and I feel that the Allies with their improved sensors and more numerous escorts are difficult from the beginning of the war. Definitely not zero. Maybe 50 or 60 percent. I haven't yet experienced 1943 in NYGM. In GWX I survived once into late 1943 and the last patrols before being sunk were horrible. Aircraft, hunter groups, better escorts :down: I fear that if I somehow manage to survive into 1943 now with NYGM and air torpedo mod, it's not going to be that nice either.
jreid666
10-18-13, 04:26 AM
Furthest i have managed to get is mid 43. Always seem to get sunk in august, round about the same area. The aircraft and hunter killers are just starting to come into their own then so i dread to think what 44 and 45 must be like. I havent yet plucked up the courage to suicide my crew by starting a career in late war.
vBulletin® v3.8.11, Copyright ©2000-2025, vBulletin Solutions Inc.