1) I seriously doubt that the training debut will have to be done more than once. Even if, what's so wrong with it? They said it's basically a training patrol. Supermods in SH3 moved the starting date before September 1939 to do precisely that!
2) this is the same as SH3 and 4, depending on your flotilla you start from the same harbour and you're given a variety of orders. And supermods for SH3 all thrives to do just that, see how many pages in the GWX manual about scripted/historical events, and all the radio messages in LSH and WAC to direct the player "where it's at", because participating in big events is more fun than sinking random ships in random convoys.
How the patrol actually pans out remains entirely variable, you may or may not encounter ships en route, on patrol zone, be attacked by aircraft, hunter killer groups, you name it.
3 & 4) same as SH3 & 4 and real life. Starting points = harbours. Depending on your flotilla you start in Kiel or Willelmshaven, move to the Atlantic bases, back to Germany or Bergen or any available harbours at a given date, including a possible transfer to the Med. What's the big deal?
Have some faith man
