[TorpX]

The use of 40 degree "standard" rudder is ridiculous, in any Navy. You're putting the rudder into the stops at 40 degrees, which is a good way to jam the rudder hard over. Depending on the design of the ship and the desired performance characteristics, "Standard" rudder is typically 15-20 degrees; "Full" rudder is usually 25-30 degrees and "Hard" rudder is normally 5 degrees less than putting the ram(s) into the stops. Instead of fixing the hydrodynamic drag for a 40 degree "standard" rudder, couldn't we change the normal rudder angle used to 20-25 degrees (and then tweak the turn rate & etc.)?

I had wondered about the 40° rudder thing.

The game 'crews' will always use the full 40, if left to their own devices, and the turn is more than ~20°. I don't think there is any way to change it. AFAIK, nobody has been able to change basic AI elements in this game.