Crew Promotions

[JSF]

I wanted to hear from people more experienced with this game about tending to crew promotions.....awards...etc.....I'm not exactly sure what is the best philosophy or approach.

[Average Joe]

Hello,

There's quite a few in-depth topics regarding medal/crew promtions.

I tried a search for 'Promtions', but that didn't work. Just can't seem to find those topics at the moment (probably need a better search-term to find them).

[scandium]

Two main approaches:

1) Award medals and promotions from the top down, as higher ranks benefit more (in terms of how they then impact compartment efficiency) than lower ranks.

2) Award medals based on merit: if, for instance, while on patrol your flak gunner shot down two planes and iron cross second class is available to hand out, he'd be a candidate for it in this approach.

I used to use method one, but now for more realism/immersion I use method two and fall back on method one only in cases where there are multiple crew eligible for the same promotion (in which case, all else being equal I award it to the highest rank eligible for it).

[jasondef]

I use a hybrid of method one and two. Deck out my officers first, as they have the biggest impact, then petty officers with the key qualifications next. Also for realism, I tend to award the sailors that have the most patrols first.

Then with the seamen, I like to award to the lowliest seamen first, to sort of boost up the rear and strengthen the weaknesses. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link approach.

[JSF]

Great!!....I appreciate the input....It seems after reading your methods that I have been doing just as you suggested all along....It's always good to ask.......Thanks!... :know:

[Quillan]

For qualifications, the very first thing I do is rate two petty officers for radioman. Those go in the sonar station. I give watch qualification to two officers (if they don't already have them) and one petty officer. My primary watch officer gets rated for Torpedoman. 4 petty officers get machinist. After that, I start adding Flak and Repair ratings to people.

For medals, the single most important thing to me is getting a Knight's Cross on my primary watch officer, followed closely by getting a KC on the two sonarmen. So, they get the Iron Crosses first. The other medals get passed out however I feel like it at the time.

For promotions, since you can only give them to people who've earned enough experience, I generally go from the top down as they become available.

[MarshalLaw]

One thing to keep in mind. If you give your officers the quals they need , they will green out a compartant. Torpedo etc.
As for petty officers 2 -3 for radio /sonar men 1-2 for watch and at least 4-5 repair. I learned this the hard way. Had a 40 plus career go down the tubes because I could not keep up with a bad leak. Even with a officer and 1 petty officer with Repair quals. :damn: :damn:

Plus if you play with commander you will lose people as you go along.

[scandium]

For repair: I give the qualification to two NCOs, both of which I promote over time upto Chief Warrant Officer plus I also give it as a secondary qualification to 2 or 3 of my officers. I find this way I can keep a dedicated repair NCO in my damage control team (by swapping the two in an out as they tire) and max it out at any time, should the need arise, by adding in the freshest officer with the repair qualification. I also learned too late how important repair is when I put that qualification off and got depth charged, causing critical flooding which my 2/3rd green bar repair crew (the most I could get it to) could not get under control in time.

Medics: one NCO who stays in the forward quarters plus I give it as a secondary qualification to my two watch officers (since one of them is always in the aft quarters).

Watchman: to 2 Officers and two (total) NCOs

Radio: 2 NCOs (who I alternate in and out of the hydrophone station only; for radio I just use seamen)

Machinists: depending on the boat either 2 (in a IIA or type VII) NCOs, who alternate shifts, or 4 in a type IX (two alternating groups of 2)

Torpedoes: I gradually increase this number upto 4 (type VII) or 5 (type IX) NCOs and give it, later in the game, to one or two officers as well.

Flak: give 1 qualification per flak gun to a max of two qualified flak gunners (NCOs). May also give it to one of my watch officers.

Gunnery: 1 qualification to one NCO

My priority is usually: 2nd machinist NCO, repair NCO, sonar NCO, repair officer as secondary qualification (or 2nd repair NCO if no officer's been promoted to take a secondary qualification), flak NCO, 2nd sonar NCO, 2nd repair NCO or Officer as secondary qualification, Officer medic as secondary qualification, 2nd watchman NCO, gunnery NCO (low priority because I do most of the gunnery myself), then 1 or 2 additional NCO torpedo qualifications and Officer repair/torpedo qualifications (as 2nd/3rd qualifications), etc to fill out the list above.

[TheJaguar]

I thought I had finally found the right thread but so close........
I now know that your patrol finishes the same, wheather you park it next to the nurses and press escape and "dock at ***" or stop 20 HM out and do the same.
But I have not been able to promote a single sailor and when I try it said "need to finish a patrol first."
I have finished 5 patrols, given medals and quals to my brave lads.

Please what obvious thing am I missing?

Desperate!

P.S. Thanks for the repair tips. Have not given any of thrm out yet but will.
Great web site. Wish I found it in the early ninties with the original "Harpoon"

Edward

[TheJaguar]

This thread had the answers I needed.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=92253&highlight=promotions

Thanks. Had the game 6 days and must sleep one of the nights.

When I get settled must see what GWT is.

Edward

[leet657]

I gave a few POs the repair facility as well as an officer - thought that I would need it (and as it happened I was proved correct):lol: . Repairs seem to get done quickly so I can "survive" a bit longer. I also used the same thread as you posted and promoted from the top.

[NipplesTheCat]

Is there a point in training most of your crew to repair? IE once the bar is full green can the repair crew get any more effecient?

[Brag]

You may want to read the article on survival strategy on my webbie :D

[Iron Budokan]

I also use the hybrid method...

[Iron Budokan]

Is there a point in training most of your crew to repair? IE once the bar is full green can the repair crew get any more effecient?

No, a full green bar is a happy bar. But it helps to have more repair men to spread around in other compartments when things REALLY get bad....

[Rykaird]

Is there a point in training most of your crew to repair? IE once the bar is full green can the repair crew get any more effecient?

Nope. But they can get killed or injured, or be exhausted and grumpy and not operating at their finest. Good to have backups.

[Wave Skipper]

as you may know you can take a sizeable renoun stack and just buy the crew you want all in one turn. For example you know how the game tried to limit you to buying one sailor worth 50 points, or two warrant officers for 200 points each? Well as you likely know but I will repeat it, you can just switch back and forth between awards and barracks to recharge the above options over and over, thus filling your U-boot in one turn (if you have the renoun) with the best crew Donitz ever saw. I don't even bother giving medals to sailors worth 20 points much less those who begin at zero. Screw it, Donitz is an old family friend.

The truth is the system SH3 SHOULD HAVE HAD would be to build up training or your men, such as real U-boats did. For example practice dives over and over until your U-boat can dive at optimum speed. You should not start out with boat that can dive at the best speed.

Now I know loafers are going to chime in and say "naughty, naughty, and blah blah..." And all I say is Waaa Waaa.