MTB's are indeed weak and take only a few hits to sink. That being said, the machineguns they pack are more than enough to tear your gunnery officers apart by the time you can take them down.

Once when i was cruising around the british coast in my trusty old II-D i spotted an Elco Torpedo-boat heading towards me, he was clearly very very mad at my presence in his back yard and decided to sink me with his nasty machineguns. Boldly and bravely i stared into the gates of hell, headed straight towards him, my lone 20mm AA-gun blazing fire and death in his general direction.

I have deactivated hull integrity view so only wai i could know about my damages was the constant yelling from my CE that "WE ARE TAKING DAMAGE!" and the hizzing and ricocheting from the Elcos bullets. A dreadful and exhausting battle between these two titans (my II-D and the Elco) started, with me emerging as the victorious champion. I was out of torps allready so i headed home, just to discover i had 11,76% hull integrity after that patrol (accessed trough SH3 Commander). I was in chock and peril. I hadn't encountered anything dangerous earlier on than the Elco and yet it took almost 90% of my HI with the machinegun? What was he loading that gun with? Depleted uranium-tungsten high performance anti-capital-rounds? :doh:

Nevertheless i had the trusty mechanics at Kiel weld my tug together again and off i went, always remebering my near-death encounter with the most dreaded vessel of the seas.. the ELCO!

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...opgsUTBnlTGrUN
Fear the fast-moving, torpedo and MG-armed reaper!

Awesome replies, thanks everyone.

Just this ^^ are you speaking hypothetically, or are you saying that even if I'm starting in Wilhelmshaven I should go around the top of UK? Doubt if I'd have the diesel for that.

You have plenty of fuel if you use 2/3 speed rather than full speed.

As for speaking hypothetically, no, these were actual orders issued by high command to BdU.


Page 7 "Situation on 23/8", "Distribution of Boats".
http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB30247.htm

If you are bold and brave, and got the weather on your side (preferably bad weather) you should try to sneak into the western part of the channel and lurk there in mid to late january and early february 1940, you will have a great change at spotting the HMS Royal Oak (Revenge-class battleship, 31000 tons) in the middle of a big convoy there with a very weak destroyer screen mostly consisting of armed trawlers and ASW trawlers. Some large tankers and such will also be present. If you dare to get even closer to the western channel approach you might also spot the Ark Royal (Big fat carrier of some kind, never seen it myself though) protected by some nasty and skilled destroyers. A brave kaleun could easily get 50k+ tons in a single attack run there. I myself bagged the Royal Oak with one single (!) torpedo right at the tip of the ship and managed to get away without even one depth charge launched against me. No saves or reloading of game.

Do not engage anything unless extremely necessary if you are swimming the channel and if you really need to surface to charge batteries and get fresh air head towards the french coast as the french navy seems to be completely careless and neglecting in their naval patrols, the occasional trawler and lone Destroyer can be spotted. NEVER EVER EVER enter the channel during daytime and calm seas, enemy ships and planes (ansons early on) will make your trip into a pain and nightmare as they will be very mad and irritated about your precense in their front yard. If you manage to get past the straits of Dover you can sail close to the French coast as the proud French navy always seems to be on strike or vacation.

So, from my own experiences:

Enter the channel if:
The date is BEFORE may '40.
The weather is bad and it's night.
You are extremely skilled, brave or reckless... :rock:
You are hunting a very specific target or raiding harbours (as stated above by another kaleun)
You are extremely low on fuel and need the shortest route avalible back to Germany.

Do NOT enter the channel if:
Date is past may 1940.
You are sailing in anything bigger than a type-IID or VII-B/C (i.e an IX)
Weather is fine and the sea is calm.
You have not lost your mind.
You do not have serious business there.

However, i do recommend every kaleun to take a trip there at least once to experience true tension, challenge and planning, preferably before the fall of France so you will have enemies on both sides of the channel. Even if it's a-historical, one can always role-play a kaleun and crew in the hunt fore something special and that they will never tell anyone from the Bdu about the trip, or a reconnaissance trip from Dönitz or Raeder themselves, an order above whatever the Bdu says ;)

Haha I think I'm on my seventh patrol now and never realised that it was a no-go zone. I thought it seemed a little...INTENSE. :rotfl2::rotfl2:

Understatement?