I wish about engines...
 

Hell yes.
I wish i would be able to put one engine "ahead" while other "back". It would really help to steer the boat in emergencies.
Than there should be an option to manually switch to electric engines for silent aproaching. It would be of course an option to save fuel (using engines only to load batteries).

Theres typically 4 engines but yes Ive been asking for this since SH2 :yep:

Furthermore we should be able to run the electrics on the surface if we want as well.

You can't run the diesel engines underwater if you don't have a snorkel, because the diesel engines need air to run.

but i want to be able run electric on surface. Not diesel submerged.

I completely agree. Typically a 'decks awash' attack was made on electric motors because they are silent. Also maneuvering in port is easier because you have much finer control with the electrics.

And you don't set off brit accoustic mines which I also hope is included.

Not to forget the combined diesel-electric propulsion for saving fuel on long journeys... that would be nice.

German boats up to the electro boot, had two direct drive diesels that had only forward ability. The electric motors acted as generators when the diesels were running but were clutched out when the batteries were full up.
The diesel engines had to be clutched in and out for operations. While in harbor the U-boat operated on only electric motors due to the limitations on backing.

Only Us boats, and the type IXD2 had more than two diesels and only the fleet boats from the very start had diesel electric-propulsion.

The S boats were very much like the German propulsion system of earlier boats.

The downside to a direct drive propulsion system IMO. Diesel propulsion too to a degree. But I remember Enigma had the option for individual propulsion controls, i.e. ahead flank on the stbd and back emergency on port.

god yes, order pivot port and your ship will heel and do its pretty tricks...ordered that a lot when avoiding torpedoes :D

You do not save fuel by running on electric power.

More fuel is required to charge the batteries and run on electric for 10 miles
than is required to run for 10 miles on diesel alone.
This is because some of the energy the diesel engines produce is lost when
they charge the batteries.

The only source of energy on the u-boat is the diesel fuel. You can convert
it to battery power, but that results in an overall energy loss. You can't get
'free' energy.

Electric cars save energy because they charge the batteries when there is
excess engine power and discharge when the engine would otherwise be at
it's least efficient. U-boats can't do this because their combustion engines
always run at speeds that are less efficacy when switched to electric and
there is never any spare engine power.

@Letum
Maybe my formulation was a bit unclear...

There´s a procedure described in many books... run diesel AND electric engines together. This takes some load off the diesels = saves fuel.

The engine technology is quite plain to me. It´s my job every day :D

I know that could be done to add half a knot to the top speed, but how did it save fuel?

I think I know what he's talking about.

One diesel engine would turn the electric motor and the propeller. The electricity from that motor would go to power the other electric, which was connected to the propeller, but the diesel on that side was off.

Exactly! Couldn´t have say that better.
Earlier i was too lazy to find that book... it was 1 o´clock in the morning here :DL