When I had command of the old U-194, i would run surfaced at night and chase radar co, ntacts. By day I would run submerged and, in general, take position in the shipping lanes and wait for targets. I would often attack on the surface with torpedoes and deck gun simultaneously if encountering un-escorted vessels.
When I was promoted, at 250,000 GRT, I was given command of a new Typ XXI in late 1944 U-796, I no longer had a deck gun, but I also had acoustic torpedoes. I would then sink the destroyer escorts before attacking the convoy.
On one mission, f.d.u. 33 directed me to intercept a liner that had been converted to a transport, between Fremantle and Port Elizabeth. That Titanic-esque liner was protected by 9 destroyer escorts. I literally spent around 6 hours in real time to complete that mission. It was difficult to pick off the destroyers, but i found that by using the liner as a shield i could fire around it.
Also beware of old shipwrecks. I have come close to hitting at least one in around 150 feet of water and ot wasn't on the map. I only saw it because I switched to underwater view by accident while playing the Gramaphone for my crew....
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