and this brings up a subject no one ever speaks much about but that newbies should learn: Tricks in Battle Maneuvering. If one just follows the usual routine it takes forever to bring a sub to battle depth (Periscope depth) from below 70 meters and some may find it dangerous to use the 'crash dive' in 30 meters of water.
Type VII
Fast maneuver to reach periscope depth from 70+ meters =
1. blow tanks - even twice
2. AHEAD FLANK speed forward
3. reverse engines to BACK EMERGENCY at 38 meters and
immediately reset the depth level command to 12 meters
4. set speed to AHEAD 1/3 forward at about 23 meters
Safe crash dive in 25 meters water =
1. Crash dive
2. reverse engines to BACK EMERGENCY just as the tower goes under
3. as forward speed slows to about 4, reset new depth command to 22 meters
4. then immediately reset forward speed to AHEAD 1/3
Quick crash dive to periscope depth =
1. Crash dive
2. reverse engines to BACK EMERGENCY just as the tower go awash
3. as forward speed slows to about 2 reset new depth command to 15 meters
4. set forward speed to SLOW
5. blow tanks once or twice IF NEEDED
6. use both forward and reverse engine commands as needed
7. once stable at 15 meters, go to faster forward speeds (as per needed) and come up to 11 meters.
These actions take a little practice and are a bit different from one sub type to another.
Using these Battle Maneuvers has allowed me to get away with murder in convoys heavily protected by DDs
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