The real skippers and crew were just guys like us—only they had training. Does a simulator like SH4 contain anything that is coincident with that RL training? Sure. Assuming you use high realism settings you learn the trig required to make an attack. You also gain something that WW2 training lacked—a visualization of many engagements.
So from a practical standpoint, you gain a fundamental understanding of the torpedo fire control problem, and how to solve it. In addition you gain some insight into tactics for "fighting the boat."
What we lack are all the other aspects of training—which are myriad.
Knowing the limitations of the game simulation, a fair question might be; "assuming an Sh4 player had basic USN sub school training, would his hours of SH4 play make him more effective tactically than he would be otherwise?"
The answer? "Quite possibly."
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