XXI question...
 

Just wondering if the type XXI u-boat is really worth saving up for.

Because from what I know, the type XXI comes out towards the near end of the war and that their effectiveness was highly limited because of this.
Hence, they sunk less, if not non of the Allied ships at all.

I just thought that because it is so late, is it really still worth it, in terms of sinking merchants and getting back alive?

Food for thought...

I think that even if time is passing, but it began in late 1942, so whether you feel like it, :yep:

Ah, my mistake on the date.

No, no mistake on your part, your boat is not at times before April 1944, I just said earlier, it became harder to hunt, at an earlier stage in the war, :yep:

In RL U-2511 (1 patrol) and U-3008 (1 patrol) were the only Type XXIs to go on war patrols, and both failed to sink any ships.

Playing the game with SH3 Commander and unchecking the historical U-boat availability dates means you can get one from 11th Flotilla as early as April 44.

There is a mod that allows you access to a Type XXI in September 39:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...o=file&id=1357

My own personal choice is to use my Type XXIII mod which replaces the Type XXI because the patrols are shorter and there were obviously a lot more Type XXIII completed and sent on patrol during the war.

Makes for a fun patrol to take her out for a spin in '39... :yep:

Not very historically accurate but....whatever floats your boat.

Or sinks them... :)

Whatever :DL

I like the idea of a XXI, but I'm not happy that it only has bow tubes. That's why I also don't like II's.

I have used this mod before, the one which make the XXI available in 1939. It was fun, being Silent Death in the North Sea and the Atlantic. Sunk HMS Nelson about 3 time in the first 3 patrol using it.

It was great, then I got a bit bored and decided to go back to the realism.

BTW, where can download the Type XXIII mod.

It's not a mod.
Tis a Jimbuna Due It Yourselfer.

It is available from my FF page (link above my sig).

http://www.gamefront.com/files/14171521/XXIII_GWX3_7z

Installing this mod means you will not have the Type XXI because the Type XXIII takes that submarine slot in the programme.

Just something different to try... Never stuck with it for long, but it does freshen things up a bit. :yep:

Oops. You did make it into a mod.
My last stands corrected.

No prob :DL

I think its had nigh on 2000 downloads thus far.

Can you build me a Type I?
Although it would be nice, I'm just kidding.

Thanks for the link.

Oh BTW the question still stands. Is a XXI worth saving up for?

A simple yes or no answer with an explination would suffice. :O:
Also, thanks for all you response so far.:yeah:

Just $0.02 but if you have ever operated in the GWX 1944-45 environment you are probably aware that it is not intended to be particularly U-Boat friendly. Nor is it.

The Type XXI is all about staying alive in an increasingly hostile world. It will get you out of scrapes that would see you sunk in a VII or IX but it is not invulnerable (unless you set the game accordingly). With a XXI you sacrifice surface speed and so long range interceptions tend to be more difficult. However, its greater battery endurance and reletively higher submerged cruise speeds allow submerged interceptions that you might otherwise be unable to achieve in an older boat. Besides, late in the war, surface interceptions and attacks are next to impossible in the North Atlantic so you might as well opt for the platform that increases your chance of survival.

Snorkel operations can be tiresome from a game standpoint but the firepower of those six quick-reloading forward tubes and the damage a well aimed salvo of FAT's or LUT's into one of those large late-war convoys can do make a XXI a pretty good investment in my books.

I would imagine that the Type XXIII provides similar survival bonuses but have never used that mod.

Both boats share similar speed and diving characteristics but the XXI has more eels/reloads...the XXIII only have two and no reloads but better suited to attacking on the coastline on short patrols as opposed to deep sea/longer patrols like the XXI.