I would respectfully suggest that common saying is a little over-simplified.

39-41 = The Hunter (relatively easy pickings)
42-43 = The Soldier (highest loss rates on both sides, relatively even)
44-55 = The Doomed (loss rates become very one-sided)

You can still fight in 1943, but by 44 or 45, hunted isn't the right word. You're doomed unless luck prevails. I don't know the stats on this, but I suspect a lot of crews who survived did so because their ships suffered early minor damage or mishaps that forced them to abort many of their '44 or '45 missions. Otherwise, especially with the stay surfaced order, it was a (long-shot) toss of the dice whether you'd survive. Also, remember that unlike in this game, real crews spent part of the war safely in base as Doenitz suspended all offensive actions in response to unknown, but damaging, allied defenses.

My advice is thus to not just try and survive in '44-'45 if you want to be realistic. Actual crews still thrust themselves into the deadly breech that were late-war convoy attacks. Doenitz adopted the fatalistic logic of Hitler that even suicidal attacks on convoys were better at tying up Allied resources than leaving the convoys unmolested because the risk to his subs was too great.

I agree. In 1943 you can still inflict considerable damage to the convoys with relative ease. IMO, the escorts in '43 are not much better then those in '42.
It's '44 when they realy start to hurt you.

[quote=predavolk]Sad but true, three of my last careers ends just a few months before the end of the war. The last time, I can't resist the urge of attacking a task force of Heavy Cruisers in swallow water (about 100m deep, western aproaches). The cruiser took 1 torp , stopped cold, but lived, I manage to sunk 5 of the 6 escorts before the last one done me in. The last 2 torps aim at the last escort come heartbreakingly close too, when my HI is at 7%.

Moral of the story:

1. DDs WILL find you
2. DD are still quite vulnuerable during the circle back, if you dodge the first round of VERY DEADLY hedgehogs, K-Guns, and old fashing DCs.

May 1943 saw the heaviest loss of U-boats in a single month: 43, I think.

From then to the end of the war it cost 1 u-boat for each merchant sunk when that period is viewed as a whole.

It was not uncommon for u-boats to attempt wolfpack attacks only to fail to sink a merchant and lose a number of u-boats in the process.

You're referring to what those in the U-bootwaffe called "Black May".

When you consider 75% of all U-boat crews never made it home, and most of those losses occuring from 1943-45...well, that tells you that your odds won't be much better in this game during the same time period.

Sinking enemy shipping is still your mission on paper but knowing it's a 3 out of 4 chance that you and your crew will die makes it a victory every time you return home mostly intact and with at least some of your crew still breathing.

Maybe that's one of the reasons why this game is considered so much fun...being the underdog and beating the odds.

Those Butt heads are pains in the later years, Im starting to find that out agian.:shifty:

I'm playing a gwx 2.1 Black sea campaign at the moment.It's June 44 and it's like one big submarine picnic.A regular supply of lightly escorted merchants, no serious counter attacks and only a few easily dodged air patrols.I don't know if the ruskys are incompetent or whether I've just been lucky but I'm starting to long for a really good depth charging.

You can take my September '43 patrol off the coast of Ireland if you like :yep:

Not as incompetent as one would like.....but make hay while the sun shines http://www.psionguild.org/forums/ima...ies/pirate.gif