It's interesting to me that submarine veterans are also split on the issue of whether war gaming is appropriate. However, the ones who don't have a problem with it are reluctant to offend their fellow vets and the ones who object do so loudly. The surest way not to get any information is to sashay into a veterans' bulleting board, mention that you want some information to include in a Silent Hunter 4 scenario.
Those guys were afraid for their lives. They are very aware that the opinion of many wargamers is that the Japanese were toothless grandpapas. They don't like that. And they have a problem with playing at war anyway. It's an oxymoron to them that lost buddies there and can't conceive of going to war for fun, even if it's not real.
Playing Silent Hunter 4 is a symbolic gesture, and like all symbols, it is prone to ridicule, dismissal as demeaning to its object, trivialization, abuse and neglect.
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