Simulate BDU?
 

Just a thought - since Wolfpack tactics are an integral part of this game, it would be great to have a “BDU” simulated as well to help coordinate convoy attacks when a pack is attacking.

Historically, the first boat to make contact was the “contact holder”, whose task was to simply maintain contact with the convoy until other boats could be guided to the convoy. In WP we are all already in its vicinity so no need for that, but it does seem to me that if you have more than two boats on a convoy, coordination gets tough without some central “HQ” directing the boats.

Now, this could be done already by simply having someone sit in the fifth boat and plot everything out, Manning the radio and directing the other boats, but it would be better to have that as a role to assume. That person(s) would play Dönitz essentially.

I see it playing out as follows:

Boats spawn. The first boat makes contact, and radios this exact position of the convoy including course and speed to BDU. BDU Plots it. We’d use the numbering systems suggested in the SOPs thread in communicating positions. All boats radio own position to BDU also at the outset, and at that point BDU has enough information to direct the boats to disperse around the convoy. First contacting boat would keep BDU updated with contact reports at intervals. Once BDU has boats positioned (which is analogous to the “last boat” arriving in RL), it would issue the attack order to all boats.

Thoughts? To Neal: feasibility?

Not sure how feasible it would be, possibly something in a future cycle, but it would be really cool. Maybe there could be a slot for BdU in the start menu. BdU in this situation would make good use of the Enigma too. All the messages would be encoded.

I will definitely agree with this .. one step should be a solid crew and committed to playing the game.on a consistent basis with the same boat personal and roles under a captain of one boat!! People that are willing to do a process of learning and no instant gratification, possibly history buffs.I suppose are the ones that will prevail, Perhaps only this is my opinion. I don't know?

As a player of past simulations like Il2 & Combat simulator 2, You'd be surprised that there are people in the world that wanted historical accuracy and we made rules that would mirror that historical fact when it was not possible as being built into the software .. I was an IJA Army Commander of 68Sentai and had Japanese nationals playing with me as Tacyio. I learned how to speak Japanese as a result of interacting with these great human beings from Japan, well that was more than 10 years ago but it was a great league fighting a virtual airwar campaign in New Guinea

Wolfpack has this same potential

My 1 million dollar interjection of opinion

Can't you do this already by just taking up a boat's slot? i.e. U564 is BDU. Just sits submerged at 15m and directs / plots everyone else? You'd only need two on the boat - one Radio and one Nav - the Nav being the one in charge of the pack.

Just having 3 boats out there to engage a convoy is plenty.

If you want to try this out, I'd be game.

You bet, definitely can at this point but it would be nice, and fitting given the fact that wolfpacks are a big part of the game, to have it as an actual option. I’d say 1 person and an assistant or 2 to help keep coordination straight (definitely one on Radio and one on Nav at least).