With the Bolds, it's all about getting the timing [to release them] right.
It's a relief to hear the pinging fade off in one direction while we're off in the other :D

Its also alot of fun to listen to the Brits pound a tin can to pieces with 50+ depth charges!

• Challenge:arrgh!:.
• Variation. After having started 10 000 careers in 1939, I long for something different.
• New radio messages, ships, planes, etc. coming into play.

Think that covers it:up:.

After 1943, sinking merchants actually feels like more of an accomplishment. The challenge allows you to be a lot more careful- there will be contacts that look like a sure thing, but using experience you'll know it may not be worth the risk to your boat. Often in many patrols I have to turn back after sinking only a few ships to ensure I make it back alive, since enemy surface/air presence gets larger and with radar and ASDIC there are very, very few places to hide.

I think that the reason so many people get googly eyed when we talk about the "stupid DD AI" is that there really isn't a widely available DD Evasion guide out there. There are mountains of guides on how to actually make a torpedo hit something. But after that info gets quite thin. Learning to evade DDs is mostly a self taught thing. I think that what we need to do with GWX is release something like a strategy guide.

What I can give you guys in the interim is a little synthesis of commonly accepted wisdom amongst more experienced folk.

Deeper is better (especially in the new GWX). DD ASDIC sensors have a cone and that cone gets narrower as you get closer and deeper. If you can get under him he won't be able to see you and he is blind in his baffles (his arse).

Keep your speed low when deep and accelerate in bursts when you won't be heard or when he is running over you in a Depth Charge attack when he has lost contact with you temporarily.

Use the Bold decoy the moment it is available. Effectively deployed it is excellent at throwing off a DD.

In the game you profile to the DD is important. Facing your bow or stern to him reduces your visibility.

That's my rudimentary set of tips. Maybe someone whos a bit better than me can add some detail (like how to use Bolds properly).

Cheers

I was just going to ask that. I've heard several people state that Bolds work well when "deployed effectively", how exactly is that done?

The only thing I'd add is to not be afraid to outrun them on the surface if you know you can. Flower corvettes have a max speed of 16 knots, and if you're out of range of their guns (or at least far enough away and presenting a small target) then you can hightail it outta there.

Remember, when you're submerged you're blind and very slow. If you can avoid putting yourself in that position, by all means do so.

Man i,m always complaining the destroyers are way to easy for me man .

In reply to raduz's original question, "why should I bother to play after 1943"? It really depends on what you're looking for in the game. If you just want to sink ships and have fun, play on the lower (easier) settings and go for it. Without any of the mods it's probably still fairly easy to sink the enemy and survive. You can safely add things like the Harbour Traffic mod and graphics mods yourself, and not change anything.

When you feel more comfortable at harder levels, or are crazy like some of us and want to pretend we're really U-boat Aces (yeah, right!) then you have to accept that the odds are you're going to die sooner than later. That's one of the beauties of this particular game-you can be as realistic, or have as much fun (or both) as you want. It all depends on your taste.

The supermods are tailored more toward the "realism" side of things. There is no rule that you have to use them. I personally use a hodge-podge mess taken from several different sources, though that may change with GWX.

We'll see.

If you have survived into -45, and see the message "Germany has capitulated, lay down your arms and return to base", then the game is won and you can call yourself a true U-boat kaleun :yep:

I always use bolds
And this is how i use them....Firstly keep your momentum going, roughly 8 Kts Submerged and keep your speed.
When the DD's get within around 1000-800m angle your boat down fully keeping your momentum going.
As soon as you hear the first Ping, Release decoy, kill engine, still on the downward angle..and hard to port/Starboard for a few seconds, back to rudders amidship this should take no more than around 20-30 sec..you still have roughly 4Kts forward momentum, rig for silent.. then slowly creep with a downward angle of about 10 degrees. You sound then be around 80-90m deep. and break starboard or port for about 10 mins ( if needs must ), you should escape without a scratch :|\\
This works almost all the time :up:

PS... only works for deep operations

Duty
Orders
Survival
Honour
Challenge

Get back out there and sink some shipping!
:D

As war progresses the player must change his mindset and "play" as a real Kaleun would do. Not waiting around in periscope depth to reload after the first salvo. DDs are more experienced and have better sensors. Depth is your only friend.

I understand that all players are accustomed to a way of playing the game. But the game evolves as well during the course of the years, so the player should evolve as well...especially in GWX. Tonnage is not everything in the last years. Getting away alive is.

Von

As far as progressing past 1943, for me it is the challenge of the hunt. As has been mentioned, when you are able to get into position and fire a bow full of fish and take a ship to Davey Jones' Locker, then survive the onslaught of the DD'S, it is a great feeling. In the earlier years of the campaign, I was actually bored. It was really no challenge to take multiple ships down and evade the DD's.
I have been involved with the Beta test of GWX. The AI is much better than the vanilla version by a long shot. Is also a little more challenging than GW1.1a. At frist I got owned a few times by DD'S. I just spent more time planning my runs, staying deep and in SR till the last possible moment, staying on the hydrophones and not comming up till I hear the front screen of DD's between me and the ships I am after. As soon as I launch my eels, crash dive for about 15 seconds then slow to 1-2 knots and make a hard turn, using my momentum from the crash dive, that will postion me for another shot later on at another ship. So far this tactic has kept me going strong with very little, if any, damage to my boat.
Just stick it out and I think you will find an even deeper appreciation of the game,and sence of accomplishment.
If you get GWX, I would practice on a couple of single missions to try it out and see how it goes before you start a campaign. There are several changes to the game and would help out just practicing a little before heading right into a campaighn. Or join us on a few MP missions. They can be very challenging at times as well.

One question for the BETA tester of GWX? Is it still wise for me to start in 1942 with GWX? :lol: I might take your advise and try some single missions first. I'm really looking forward to the new damage model. It's not that the current one (GW1.1) is bad, but sometimes it's a little out of balance form time to time.


Grtz Tijn

True :yep: :yep: :yep: :yep:

Hi, my advice to you is to start at 39 and work your way thru it; I would also recommend you play just the stock SHIII game leading up to the release. That way, you will appreciate more the fantastic changes that have been made. :D

Playing Stock SH3 ?:down: Ok maybe to just run the training course for the extra 1500 renown. Thnx for the advice though. I will start in 1939 and begin with that nice humble IIA boat.


Grtz Tijn

playing SH3 in 43' on, is like watching a beautiful life in war story, you realise that every second counts.

perhaps everyone here are just 'all wind and smoke'. :)

keep the crew alive, and bring the boat home in one piece. that in itself is worth bothering.

I don't see smoke here but more of a 'flame'.