Posting some thoughts right quick and then I'll be off to the evil propagandist lair of SH3 again.
I've read various arguments that "the modders will fix the game" (paraphrase). I know in some cases that was with regards to waiting for the patch. I just hope it doesn't become the fulcrum of how SH5 evolves as a simulation, nor the end-all be-all of popular expectations. Yes, modders can do a lot of things with their talents, but they don't have access to the most important part of SH5's functionality: the code.
Although I've not played it yet, I may look into Silent Hunter 5 later on as a possible addition to my entertainment suite. The time just isn't right, I think, for a complex endeavor such as SH5 to have been released. From the sounds of it, it still needs a lot of work done to it. I would much rather wait a couple more years for the major kinks to be worked out before deciding to put money on it.
If there is anything to be gained from this thread, the OP and the rest of us who have voiced our concerns must do more than simply post here at Subsim. If we want the companies to know that we want better quality out of an initial release, we must tell them directly. If we want Ubisoft to know that they have lost our customer confidence, we must tell them directly.