Decision time... IX or VII...
 

I'm an IX fan.

I love my IX types, love the reloads most, but also the aditional firepower from meh 105.

But I need some friendly, or hostile, advice :)

August 1940 - still early days I know, but I'm noticing my lovely boats weaknesses (thanks to GWX, hehe)

Firstly, the Cons:

Dive Time. Not something I ever worried about in stock SHIII, but now the RAF will spot me - I'll dive - they'll dive - I'll still be diving... - they'll drop - I'll be just about underwater when the bomb crashes down on my deck.

Size. Getting spotted even before I spot DDs sometimes, coupled with Dive time this isn't much fun for my nerves!

Maneuverability - kind of a follow up on size, on the surface it's not a problem, but underwater is another matter.

Now Pros:

Torps! More fishes than I know what to do with. Can use 2 on the larger guys without worry.

Speed - nice surface speed, even without any engine upgrades

Pros with cons, or vice versa...

Range - More room to chase but getting sent to the middle of nowhere kinda sucks.

Armament - 105mm ftw, but for how long before armed merchants?

To be honest, not much experience in VII types, I had a VIIB (who hasn't) but as soon as my lovely IXB becomes available I shift over, I've never had a VIIC - let alone the later /41 or /42s. Also I'm wondering if, as the VIIIC was the main UBoat of the war, if it wont get all the nice upgrades before my IX type, or maybe even get some that my IXs don't get?

Aaanyway, opinions please :)

I can't make my mind up, I love the boat to bits, but on my current patrol (alt tabbed atm) I've been bombed twice, straffed by Hurri's once, DCd twice and spotted by 3 Merchants on approach (probably me being careless but was about 4km out, maybe 5)

Amazing how often this comes up!

You can compensate for just about every weakness of a IXB - the question is, do you want to?

For example, I nailed my first ever liner in Freetown harbor - had to back into a narrow dock slip while submerged in order to get enough room for the torpedoes to arm. So a IXB can maneuver under water, it's just harder.

You can run decks slightly to fully awash to cut dive times, etc.

You get the idea. The question comes down to this, in my opinion: Do you want to regularly visit New York? Curacao? Galveston? Port Said? Then for sure get a IX.

But if your war consists primarily of cleaning grids like AM52, thrashing convoys night after night, and raiding local harbors like Scapa, stay with the VII.

And lastly, you can always switch back. I've never lived long enough, but you could always go from VIIB to IXB and then to a VIIC once the IXB starts to become too much of a sonar target.

hmm, that's a fair point, can always switch back!

Just used 12 torps on 4 ships, 50% duds - talk about bad luck - so sticking with my IX for at least one more patrol... also the VIIC involves a transfer - another pro as i HATE Lorient :)

The answer isnt to change boats - it's to change tactics.

Yup--it all hinges on whether you want to go to faraway places. If that is not important, stick with the VII.

I never got killed in a VII, whereas I got zonked twice in a IXB. If the Tommies will do it to me again, I'm switching back to the VIIC. :yep:

Again, tactics. A type9 takes patience. Its like that old joke, the one about the young bull and an old bull sitting on a hill watching a field of grazing cow?

The biggest adjustmet you can make is staying under during daylight, dawn, and dusk. You also HAVE to know when its too late to dive, and what to do when it is - this is a crucial decision you have to make in a couple seconds. A type7 is much more forgiving in this regard.

Well, hard decision.
Personally, I like the VII more than the IX. The faster dive times of the VII saved my live maybe more often than I could count. On the other hand, long travels around Africa or to the US west coast are a little bit too long in my opinion. Nothing is more frustrating travelling half around the world only to get killed by an airplane ;)
But, like already said, it is a questions of tactics (well, or personal favor) which boat to take. If you like long hauls, planning long-termed attacks on a convoy or simply seeing the world, the IX is yours. Otherwise, I think the VII will suit much better.

When I first got the game I travelled around with unlimited fuel, found most ports to be pretty inactive.

But, with GWX, I suppose there's a good reason to travel to the US Coast, India, Africa, etc ?

If someone can tell me that they're busy then I really don't mind putting in the extra hours, it's arriving and there being nothing that i find disheartening :(

The IXB has a place in meh heart... but... the RAF...

*runs off to start flipping coins and rolling dice

viic/41!



soon as i release it ;]

I´m fully agree with Ducimus. :yep:

Is matter of know the boat limitations and avantages

Also IX-B has a slight better dive times compared with IXC i think, but i´m not sure if is this modelled in the game or GWX.:hmm:

i´m always used big boats since aces of the deep and sh1 :up:

I hit Fremantle from my penang base a couple of nights ago and was surprised to find some tankers merchants, 2 big troopies and one other big ship whose ID is escaping me at the moment. Oh and a few subs too.:up:

My only problem was a half supply of eels after engaging a convoy on the way in. I still managed to make one hell of a mess though.:rock:


Surfaced a little too early on the way out (radar can see through fog) and took a simultaneous pounding from the remaining ships and lost 29 men (all my exp crew) in one massive hit....:dead:

Barely had enough men (blue shirts only, all browns dead) to run the motors and the command room, and could only limp away after resting on the bottom for a while to repair and rest my insufficient crew. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

I use VII boats most of the time.
The only reason for this is that I like to patrol the Western Atlantic. America is too exotic for me.

However, the IX is by far the best boat.

You might get more cans and bombs on you due to the poor dive time and sub-surface proformance, but the range and torp loadout ensure you can give twice as much as you get.:up:

Dive times "cough" "cough" seiously people how do you come up with this. A IXB will dive in 35 seconds a VIIB makes it down in 27. Not really a notable differance. However compared to a IXD2 which is 45-50 or so seconds that is a big difference. Anyway pick boat to how you like to play ive always loved the IXB because it seems like a boat for the more "precise" form of gamer. This is why so many people don't like it they try it and say oh gawd its too hard. When you get used to it its easy as and once you figure out it has 3 times as much torpedoes as a VIIB you'll love it even more. However it all depends on ths skill of the captain.

Both.

Start 2 careers, one in a VII, the other a IX. Alternate the patrols, one on each type.



Don't ever limit yourself to one boat, one flotilla, one starting year. SH3 is a fairly decent sim, play, have fun, experiment, explore, poke around, blow stuff up !

At times I've had 7 or 8 different careers going, just so I could do different things, try new boats or weapons, or just goof around.

I like the Idea of two carees. But would get bothered about the torpedo load out. I have tried both though the IX was not very successful. I found that the speed was down on the VII and that it seemed harder to submerge. The extra torpedos are nice but if you are killed on way in or out then they dont make the differance. I am trying a new career with a VIIB and am doing OK for now still early 1940 but three patrols down and some nice large target sunk so happy enough.

Also that last career was played using NYGMTW so the renown thing wasnt there. So I now have to save up to buy things :P

I am happy with my VIIB U-52 and I hope to sail her again tonight.