Hi K-61
Wow, that was very detailed and a most enjoyable read.
I must next say congratulations on your recovery that must have been extremely worrying not only for yourself but also for your family.
No, you are definitely more daring than I am, which might be down to an age thing where I think when you are younger you are prepared to take more chances.
I will check out the F11 key but I am pretty sure that if you have the double winter garden set up with the 2 flak gun mountings you are able to go from gun to gun.
I think the ship you mentioned with the aircraft I remember sinking a Pyro Transporter 7100 tons that had an aircraft mounted above the bow.
The attack in Willy by allied planes I remember that also in one of my earlier games and like you my flak gunner did not hit anything.
You notice in port that all the ships are always manned.
It has however drawn my attention now and if I am leaving port or coming into port in daylight I now always have my flak guns manned.
I will take a look at the SH3 Commander qualifications.
This is my crew on patrol 12.
I have 3 officers showing actuals of 779,778, and 774
Don't forget that when you transfer to a new boat you take your crew and all qualifications, medals and points with you.
Your view on fatigue is similar to mine, as it is something that should look after itself.
As the captain I would expect the crew to address their own issues.
I think I may have to be a bit more daring with the deck gun and remember I am playing SH3 and not SH5.
I have never fired a salvo.
One thing I do find irritating is that the torpedo doors do not remain open when you go from one tube to the next.
You mention going to a beam position.
By this do you mean that you are between 2 rows in a convoy, parallel to them?
What is the shortest distance you have fired a torpedo from, and what speed did you use?
Patrol 12 off Gib has been quite rewarding.
I managed to attack the same convoy twice.
The first attack I fired 2 G7e at a Passenger Liner 21000 tons with a 12.6 draft in row 2 and 2 G7a at a T2 Tanker with a 9 draft in row 3 on fast settings.
I think I hit the Passenger Liner with 3 of them and number 4 missing everything.
The Liner was crippled but did not sink.
I had to wait for the escorts to disappear and then surfaced and used the periscope as the sea was at 15 wind speed and fired another eel and down she went.
I then managed to catch the convoy again and this time I did get the T2 Tanker.
As the convoy was beginning to reach the end of CG76 I decided not to pursue it again but I am currently making my way over towards BE71 and then later homeward to Lorient.
I think in these early days in the war the escorts have not developed the skills needed and so far I have only been damaged once by depth charges in the past 11 patrols.
I am sure both the air cover and the escorts will improve as time goes on but at the moment I am 5 months in to what was known as "Happy Times" so hopefully I can continue to make the most of it while it lasts.
Peter