So let me get this straight (about contacts)
 

I've been playing this game a while now and I still don't entirely undertsand some things. Admittedly, I'm the polar oppostie of the guy who plays a game to death. I linger on a game until it gets obselete and move onto something else having delved into the game 30-40 per cent at most. I hardly ever "finish" games and I doubt I'll ever see a Type XXI. So please bear with me.

1) On the navigation map...those ship icons (which in stock SH3 were either green or red and in GWX are black) which mean a "contact". How do they come about? Is it supposed to be BDU who tells you? And how does BDU know? From the Wermacht spotting ships? Or spies at the port? Or is it something entirely different like the Radioman intercepting radio signals? I've never understood this...

2) How do you exactly send a contact report? Because what I do at the moment is...chase a contact, fire torpedos...if I have no more torpedos I then call in the contact out of spite. But where do they get the contact info from? From my Watch Officer with his visual sightings? From my targetting data? And should I update this info just before sending the Contact Report?

3) Why does GWX replace "BDU" with "FDU" and what is FDU?

Ok

1, The contacts are meant to represent sightings by other subs\Luftwaffe and radio intercepts

2,Not a lot of point in sending a contact reort for a ship thats sunk
:rotfl:
That would be a patrol report

Contact reports are only really worth sending for convoys

If you are close to Axis occupied land you may get help from the Luftwaffe from that report
Not sure if other AI subs\surface units respond too though

3,FdUFührer der Unterseeboote
Chief/Leader/Head/Commander of U-boats.


BdUBefehlshaber der Unterseeboote
Commander-in-Chief for submarines, Karl Dönitz from 19 September, 1939

The FDU is like an S-3/G-3 (Operations Officer) in the American Army.

There were actually three FdU's during the war. One located on coast of France, one in the Med probably west coast of Italy and then Toulon, France and one in Northern Norway at Narvik. It should be obvious what combat areas they controlled.

Probably the most famous of these was Teddy Suhren who was stationed at Narvik in the last year or so of the war. His book Teddy Suhren: Ace of Aces, Memoirs of a U-boat Rebel is well worth the read.

In my experience, a contact report can only be sent when you spot a convoy, meaning that the large square convoy icon must show on the map. I've not had any success sending contact reports for single ships.

you have to have the whole convoy in visual range i believe. i sent contact report on that occasion and got help from 2 VIIC u-boats sailing side by side :rock: i was heading in the other direction coz id used all my fish on the convoy and was going home.
it does take them a while to reach you so by the time you have sent the report they will probably arrive when your getting out of there

I really wonder what those two subs did to the convoy :-?

Deck gun? :dead: