Tight Passage Eh?
 

Hey gents. I have been away from SH for some time due to my last PC dieing on me. I Now have got several missions available for 'Total Germay'

The first (tut) is completed, as well as the coastal supplies one (first normal mission)

I'm now trying to do the northern patrol and know that the Ark Royal hangs out in southern England, My question is, Has anyone had any worthwhile success passing through the English channel (between England and France) to get over that way near the western approaches.

Every time i try it, I end up spending more game time Sneaking through there submerged most of the way with constant destroyer/frigate screens then if i just run surfaced and go the long way around to the north of England?

The fact that i often use half my eels just the get through doesn't help either :(

There's a reason the German boats took the scenic route around Scotland until they got their new bases in France (which is the same reason that they were in quite a hurry to build those new bases). :)

In response to your question: No. I've never had any particular luck sneaking through the Aermelkanal without ending up having to do what you're doing currently.

The Tommies were really protective about that stretch of water and the sim models that very well.

I figured as much. It makes stragic sense to shut that off. I guess i was just being hopeful there was some 'secret' to slipping through quickly

There might be, SubHunter88, and if so I'm sure that one of the many experienced Kaleuns around here will share. As far as my personal experience goes, however, I haven't been able to find an even remotely "easy" way of getting through there, and I've been trying since SH3. :)

Also, if you keep your cruise speed at around 7.5 knots you won't use that much fuel. At least not compared to what the VII has in the tank and how little you'll need once you're in the western approaches. The VII has plenty of range for that.

As to the long trip there, load up your Gramophone with good music and enjoy the visuals. This is actually one of the very rare sims where the visuals are so good that I sometimes find myself staying in TCx1 just to admire them from the bridge :DL

Or use Time Compression. Just remember: When outside of the comfort zone of the Fatherland, Travel Mode is NOT your friend. Be sure to disable it.

Welcome to the Kriegsmarine, Herr Kaleun! :salute:

There was also the little fact that High Command gave very specific orders that they were under no circumstances to use the Channel.
http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDUKTB30247.htm

Page 7.

I have an easy (well, less difficult) way. I plot my course through the deepest spots in the channel and as soon as I've gotten within a few KM of Dover, I go down to 20M, which appearantly renders ASDIC useless:hmmm:. when the channel widdens up I come. thats how I do it. :salute:

I'll have to give that a try. Im not so much concerned with real-time or fuel (it's not that far or that intensive a patrol). My concern was "Game-Time" the amount of weeks i lost passing back and forth for ammo and torpedoes. Ultimately made me fail the Blockade mission... All my trips back and forth combined must come close to a month of lost patrol time that could have been cut in half if i could quickly slide through the channel.