Have you ever...?
 

Have you ever, tried just because it was there, to dock your boat in a friendly port that was not your home base? And I am referring to your subs here, gentlemen, that's not a euphemism for anything :03:

Sure. If you travel to the Med, you will almost certainly have to. I've never tried a base that was not specifically a sub base, though.

In the Med I go to La Spezia.

Steve

I once, in the August '39 mission, sailed into Dundee (Scotland) and ended the mission there (docked). When I started again, my sub was on-shore, just about where Victoria Dock / Apex hotel is, and my sub listed back and forth on its keel, with the crew screaming and damage building until we were destroyed.

Surreal to say the least, but highly amusing.

Ha! I've never tried to dock at an "unfriendly" port before, I can just picture the scene now...

Well, reason why is because just the other night my little U-4 found itself out near Trondheim. I was planning to look for shipping, but suddenly, the label turned blue, indicating a friendly base. Since we were in need of resupply (I had 1 torpedo left), I figured that they'd be able to help.
With careful precision, we glided U-4 into the submarine pens and ended our 8th patrol there.
Starting the 9th patrol, our orders are simply to return to Wilhelmshaven, even though they did restock our ammunition (with cheap ol' T1s).
This time, we departed from the inside the sub pens rather than the docks outside, but someone turned the boat around in the meantime...
En route to home, I am looking for enemy shipping along the way...
Even now, years later, I am still learning new things about this game.

Oh, yeah, Trondheim's got great valet parking.

Except for my shock at the use of the "the reason why is because" phrase my experiences have been the same as yours. I left the Kiel base and later docked at Wilhelmshaven. Upon leaving Wilhelmshaven, I was ordered to return to Kiel.

I sank two C class destroyers on the way back and earned 203 renown and a U-clasp. I've haven't seen the captain earn a clasp before.
I should try that out again, starting a patrol from a base that is not 'home'. Usually, I don't sail back to dock, I just "teleport" from wherever I am.
I figure that sailing around on a simulated ocean just trying to complete the mission is tedious enough than to add a return trip to the mix.