I try to keep things interesting by switching things up a bit: I'll do my ocean crossings at x1 and my convoy attacks at x1024. A word of warning, your calculations had better be good at x1024, otherwise you're in a heap of trouble...;)

128 (39,40,41) and 64(42 till death) when surfaced, 256 when submerged. I need a little more reaction time when them planes get thick:huh:

As fast as frakin possible for me... I pump the TC up any time I get the chance. I'm way too impatient and don't like wasting my time. :D

When on patrol, I never go higher than 64 and I spend a LOT of travel time underwater listening for targets durring that time. When my ammo is exhausted, I will usually pop up to 256 when heading for home or resupply(any higher than that and my computer lags so much that I can't turn the time compression off :damn: )

1024x or 2048x most of the time. I'm impatient, what can I say? Sure, it's sometimes resulted in... accidents in regards to convoys popping up out of nowhere, but it's quite useful for making the game less monotonous. I know it's realistic for it to be monotonous, but I as a game player do not want to experience that monotony. I still want it to be realistic, though, so I find 1024 or 2048 to work just fine. In action, 32x is the max TC I allow. Normally I use 1x when the torpedoes are in the water. In 1944 onwards, when things change, I use 256 when snorkeling and 1024-2048x otherwise.

I run typically at 128 submerged, going out to target area, 64 on surface when enroute to targer area. On return trip I do 256-512 submerged and 128 on the surface as I near friendly territory.

Once in the "Zone" I keep things betwee 8-64, depending on situation.

I spend my time reviewing tactics, and reading the printed articles that I have printed up from this forum and others.

I enjoy the slow pace of the subsim - - It approaches the old addage about real combat being days and hours of total boredom interspaced with hours or sheer terror.

Generally x256 (submerged) and x128 surfaced in operational areas.
If I'm submerged sometimes I checked sea around my boat by hydro because I noticed that I can hear more than my hydro officer.
When transfer to/from patrol area usually I switch x512.
I think there should be an option in the game, by which you can achieve selected point (home base/patrol area) automaticly without any possible contacts.

This is exactly why I asked. It can take forever at 128 or even 256, and to date, I haven't seen much of a 'contact detection' advantage at 128 that makes it worth not increasing time compression. I'm sure it's there, I just haven't seen it yet for the time.

In the past I used Commander to set my max TC to x4096. When I can play again I'm planning on going the x128 route and doing a lot of sound checks and enjoying the views.

256 surfaced, 4096 submerged

2048 surfaced 4096 submerged

I run at 128, 256 on return if out of torps.

x1024 unless its after 43 or I am in an air patrol zone in which case I use x256 max.

Over x256 when there are planes about and your fate is in the hands of the gods.

i used 1024 but since i havent spotted any planes my new carreer is max 256 tc.So one patrol is rather long but i read a book or something like that.

1024, set as maximum via SH3Commander. Higher than that and my fps isn't smooth anymore. As soon als it shows a slight "stutter", I drop back to 1 to do a hydrophone check of my surroundings. I know, it's kinda cheating, but sailing to NYC with my spanking new IXC at TC set at 256 just takes too long.