Attacking convoys is the best way to choose really juicy targets but the escorts in GWX are very good and after 1943 staying alive becomes just a matter of luck. It was just so in real life . . .

To enjoy the game, I often save my position while still on the surface. That way if I get sunk, I can try again, and again, and again, and . . .

So do I but we also gotta consider that lone targets are/were preferred, U-boots only started hitting convoys because lone merchants became increasingly rare

From what I've seen the game AI is pretty spot on with GWX. In the early years the DD's would maybe drop 3 sets of charges then give up. As the months go by they become more aggressive and are more willing to stay and see the job done. Once the American convoys start moving east in 42, they almost always have spare escorts to drop off and hunt you down, I just finished shaking off 3 destroyers trying to take down my IXC and just barely made it out in one piece. The only thing you can do is go silent and go deep, with the Alberich skin on my boat the pinging stops around 90 meters, and I always try to keep my ship in their baffles. When they turn away from you, change course they usually end up loosing track of you if you make a series of changes over a short period especially if you do it behind them.

As far as being realistic, I was listening to some of the U-boat survivors talking about getting depth charged the other night. One said around later 42 they got detected at night and the destroyer kept them down for 36 hours before they finally broke off. Johnny Walker lit a fire under those boys, when he died they were out for blood.

36 hours? didnt think they could stay under that long even WITH bottled oxygen :huh:

Its very likely that he was exaggerating a bit, but he did say that all non-essentials were told to go to their bunks and the rest were to lay on the floor to conserve oxygen. I can't find the documentary now but I'll post the link when I do.

As far as I am aware the USS Puffer holds the record of nearly 38 hours submerged during a depth charge attack but the consequences for some of the crew were serious.

http://muse.jhu.edu/login?auth=0&typ....4.sturma.html

Actually I got them mixed up. I was reading about depth charge attacks and saw the piece on the Puffer, don't know why I thought it was a U-boat.

This is the video I looked at, they were only down for 17 hours, not sure how I got the two ships mixed up. The sub commander talks about it at around the 10 minute mark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRcRcyIHnpQ

No problem matey :salute:

I think the RN crews in GWX have more than their rightful share of skill and luck! As an example, I encountered an 'S' Class sub on the surface while crossing the Bay of Biscay - with a very experienced crew and a superior 88mm gun against his WWI 3 inch pea-shooter, And with the benefit of surprise on my side, I reckoned I would be able to sink him. No such luck! Despite seeing many of my shells hit home, after only a brief exchange he was still afloat and I was down with 50 crewmen dead . . .

Yeah, I don't know if it's GWX or in stock (been so long since I played stock) but enemy subs are way, way, way overpowered.

I once shelled the poop out of one and it just would not sink, even after "She's going down!" I parked next to it for a bunch of screen shot photo ops.

Whatever the Brits are making their boats out of I wish we could get a shipment to make a few ourselves.

Probably dive to 1000 meters easy.

Steve

No allied subs in stock as I recall.

On the other hand, a few weeks ago in a Type IX I got in the way of one of my own pattern running torpedoes and got hit starboard side forward of the tower. The damage was not nearly as bad as I would have thought. It did not sink us.

Steve

Lucky Kaleun.

Well, to be honest in the game AI subs cannot fire torpedoes, so I would not be surprised if this was a way to compensate.
I do not have a complete breakdown of losses by cause but british subs sank a non insignificantl number of italian submarines and affected their operations; indirectly they might have caused additional losses due to friendly fire. How would you feel if your sub could be, at any moment spent on the surface, blown out of the water with no warning but that offered by torpedo trails? That would be a non trivial constraint.

Next time I disable one of those British S-class subs I'm going to lash it to the deck of my u-boat. We'd be unsinkable! :D

Steve