This game's getting more and more interesting...
 

In my previous career mode I had 23000 tons sunk in one patrol. It got corrupted, but it was my own fault. I put in the Armed Trawler fix mid-patrol. I think that would be why. Still, what was important was that I learned more about how to use a U-Boat well. So good-bye U-48. Hello U-123. ;) I set off on September 2 1939 in this new Type IXB. Everything was going great; Ileft port without a hitch. I got into the English Channel. I had torpedoed a tramp steamer during the night of the 3rd of September 1939. Broke her back and caused a large explosion. But that's not what's really interesting. Later, north of Calais, I saw a V & W destroyer while I was on the surface, so I thought maybe it was escorting something. The V & W wouldn't pose much of a threat since it wasn't heading in my direction in the first place. I could slow down at any time if I didn't want it to see mee. Anyways, I then submerged and listened on the hydrophone. I heard the V & W and I also heard 2, yes 2, merchants. I headed towards the one that seemed closer to me. 15 minutes later I raise the periscope and see it was a tugboat. :-? Tugboats are never worth torpedoing. I find them to be too small to be decent targets. So I sigh, lower the periscope, and check the hydrophone for the other merchant. It was at bearing 77 if I remember correctly. I kept surfacing and diving repeatedly to fix my course. Eventually I saw a trail of smoke off the horizon and I adjusted my course with the smoke trail. The ship eventually faded into view. My first large cargo, right here, without even getting a report beforehand. It's not often that I ever detect something sorely because of the hydrophones. Have you guys found much use in the hydrophones with finding surface ships? This is actually the first time they've been of use to me outside of finding where the destroyer chasing me is and whether she's detected me or not. So I got the firing solution for the large cargo and I had fired two T I torpedoes since it was nighttime and the ship was far away. As soon as I had fired the torpedoes I went to ahead slow, submerged the periscope, submerged the boat, and did a 180 degree turn. That is my routine; hey, you never know when there might be an escort nearby. Both torpedoes exploded underneath the keel. The large cargo's back was broken and she had multiple explosions. I never thought my hydrophones would be this useful. :hmm: I later sank another tramp steamer in this patrol. I'm still in the English Channel. I hope I'll get more tonnage sunk, these were satisfying kills. ;) Oh yeah, in Grey Wolves, is a Large Cargo equivalent to a C3, Medium Cargo equivalent to a C2, etc? I guess I never noticed what ship either looked like. :doh:

you can alsways set decay time to 0 on the oportunity target reports in ur cfg. you wont have the single merchants appear around you at random instances anymore. same goes to the convoy report icons on the strategic map tho. some find it poo, tbh i found it pretty nice, and realistic, since i have to search for the reported convoys now. actualy, i fail to find many of those, or i have to give them quite a chase.

I can't imagine playing without sonar. You should use it, love it, sleep with it, make it your love slave. The sonar is the one thing that can find boats to attack long before they're in visual range. Last night, I was running surfaced on my way home and, due to weather, I almost -ran in to- an english merchant. You'd think that in the whole damned ocean, they could sail elsewhere instead of trying to sit in front of me. Had I been submerged, I might have been able to line up a better shot due to the advance warning but as it was, I only got a glancing hit with my last aft eel and it failed to detonate. :nope:

But Kilamon, that was a very realistic situation you found yourself in. I have lost many boats in many different subsims at night , on the surface, in heavy fog.

If you are strictly looking to locate the greatest number of targets quickest definitely use the hydrophones.

I totally agree with Heibges.

With apologies to, Keenan Wynn..."You should hear what you're missing."

rgds,