I've looked through the search function and haven't come across this particular question, so if it has been asked before, please forgive me and point me to it.
I play both SH3 and SH4, usually alternating back and forth depending on what book I'm reading at the time. Currently, I'm paging through "Silent Victory", so naturally I'm in a fleet boat at the moment, trying my hand at manual targeting (yikes!

). Basically, I'm curious as to how you all play. Does everybody here have their own set patrol routine? Or do you all play to your own taste...
Generally, when I leave port, I'll accelerate x256 to my area, set up a back and forth search pattern and run at no more than x32, doing underwater sweeps about every 6 hours.
I guess, specifically, what I'm asking is what sort of search patterns do all of you use. And in a nutshell, how do you play, going from leaving port to coming home? I'm just wondering how everybody else runs their simulator, maybe picking up a few ideas to change things some.
"He who has the most tricks always wins the audience."