Sailing through the channel
 

Hello all! Just started playing awhile ago and I am at the end of '39 and was wondering if anybody could give advice or tips about sailing through the channel out of Wilhelmshaven. My patrol areas are obviously always on the other end and I like to patrol them even though its not needed, but I go ALL the way around and by the time I'm done hunting I'm almost out of fuel so I just teleport back which I want to stop doing. Thanks!

Wait for the night and pass through on surface. When you spot a patrol, adjust your course to avoid it. Only submerge as a last resort because the Channel is mined.
It's better to pass through in good visibility because you have more time to react. You don't want to spot a destroyer coming out of a fog, 500m away. :D

I have three bits of advice. :D

Stay out of the Channel
Keep out of Der Kanal
Entres pas dans La Manche

I was wondering how to do this also. I was thinking of trying to creep thru submerged, silent running but I don't think you would make it thru in time at low speed. :hmmm: In fact I was just about to go to the GWX manuel to see if they have any suggestions. I got killed on my first run last game. (during wartime, Sep 39):cry:

Well I have kind of a cheap idea and that is to sail dangerously close to either shore as long as periscope depth will allow and make a ruckus so that the DDs continue to hear and chase me and see if they follow me to the shore and run aground :arrgh!: I've never done this before and it seems like it'd be very time consuming always making manual course corrections and stuff.

The english channel should have a sign... saying...

Abandon All Hope, All Ye Who Enter Here
:rotfl:

Lol! Not to change the subject or anything but your name brings me to my next question...do the numerous task forces I see cruising around in GWX have a purpose? I mean historically speaking?

There is a taskforce... ive chased it... its a trick...

But yes. they simulate the movement of ships.

Stop at the Spanish gas station
 

When I ship out of the Fatherland bound for the Atlantic I patrol as much as I can and put int Thalia or the Portuguese refuel ship, later I would stop at the french Ports. This gives me two advantages, one I can make long patrols in each direction. I am able to also add new qualifications to my crew replace and any fired torps.

STAY OUT OF THE CHANNEL


good Hunting

Go through the Kanal during the prewar shakedown cruise and make that your last visit!! :yep:

I'm with Brag on this one...avoid it if you can.

the channel is not that deep so beware of crash dives

By the end of 1939 the U-Wafe had given up almost all operations except minelaying in the channel. The combination of shallow water, high volumes of anti-submarine forces and both enemy and friendly mines made it an extremely dangerous place to operate a German submarine.

About your fuel usage, I assume you are in a Type II, but even with that you should be able to operate in the Western approaches for a short period as long as you are careful.

Never cruise at above 7-8kts, only use full speed when overtaking or chasing down targets and only for short periods.

As long as you are careful you shouldn't need to teleport.

Ditto what TarJak said about the Type II, but even in that boat you will never be assigned a grid you can't patrol. Never go faster than 2/3 speed when cruising, and you should have enough fuel to go anywhere you need to in any boat, and have plenty of time left for patrolling.

I haven't had a problem in the Channel yet, except the odd patrol here and there. Is this due to my time frame? Currently December, 1940.