I have played 3,4 and 5 with no TC at some point and time. It is a very unique experience. 99% of the time, you can simply leave the room and let the sim run. It definitely simulates the sheer boredom and tedium of sea travel when nothing is going on. For a couple of patrols, I would actually record log entries manually, which became another banal exercise. When an encounter occurred, it was NEVER at a convenient time. I remember several months ago, I was trying to get some sleep this particular night, but I was "kicked" out of bed by a report of a ship sighting over my computer's speakers. Turns out it was a hunter-killer task force and I spent the entire night playing peek-a-boo with them until I was convinced they had gone. They never found me, but it sucked because I could not sleep knowing my boat was at risk. I didn't get any sleep until the next night, where I shut down the simulation and literally crashed. I have had similar experiences off and on during my no TC period. If you think aircraft are bad with normal play, they are worse with no TC because you are always worked up.
Playing no TC is a unique experience, but I would not recommend it for everyone. You WILL lose sleep, you will stress out and it will get to you after a while...just like real life. The only thing I was lacking was diesel fumes and the stench of a filthy crew.
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