The title "Helmsman" needs to be corrected.
The Helmsman in almost all cases is a Seaman. He's the guy that takes orders and steers accordingly. The Chief Engineer should not be associated with this task in any way.
What SH3 refers to as the Helmsman Qualification should be changed to Quartermaster.
These are enlisted POs. They are also the guys that should be filling the Navigators slot.
A uboats Navigator was in almost all cases a Chief Quartermaster, or a First Class Quartermaster at minimum. There would also be a more junior QM to stand QMOW Watches.
I hope to see that officer slot replaced by an enlisted slot. The Chief Engineer should have the Repair and/or Engineman Qualification to perform his job, which includes overseeing Damage Control.
Convoys:
Reality should be easier than what we now have for the Devs.
Side to side spacing should be opened up to 800 to 1000 meters.
Front to back spacing should be at least 500 meters.
Zig Zagging is much to frequent and hapHAZARD. Every ship has to be making an effort to turn together. This is extremely difficult for so many ship of different charectoristics.
They should not be turning more than ONCE in twenty minutes. (If everybody is realigned after twenty minutes, they are doing an exellent job). Individual Zig Zagging is neither permissable or possable. Just getting around a torpedoed ship intact is both difficult and dangeriouse.
(Never served on a sub, but I have served on a Convoy Commadore Staff).
Although the See Chart is fine as is, it would be a great improvement for Contact Reports to contain a third numerical digit, asi in Grid BC433.
Snorkels should work properly. This includes removing the CO2. (Everybody forgot?)
Snorkeling in bad weather at night should render your boat invisable to aircraft.
In nice weather you should still be difficult to detect by aircraft at night.
Surface Ships are a completely different matter.
There should be a digital readout for (own) ships heading. Real uboats had it.
Keyboard input of courses would be a giant step forward. Getting the right course order out should not take 10 or 12 tries/trys (sp?).
Enemy Surface Units have to be alot smarter. Yes, that includes right from day one.
By the time SH3s Surface Units wisen up, it realy doesn't make that big a difference, because there is a plane "on every corner" (overkill).
Now to push my luck.
I'd like to see Type I, Type VII, and Type IX boats available from the first day.
To incorrectly state that, and perhaps make it more understandable: Type I, Type VIIA, and Type IXA.
Last but not least: Optional External Torpedoes.
They weren't always carried. F.eks. Hardegen during Paukenschlag carried none.
To have them onboard means BDU doesn't give you the "Return to base" message.
This can be problematic, especialy late war, when they were banned.
That's enough for now. Or perhaps too much?
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