[Eichenlaub]

I didn't vote, because my preferred option was unavailable: all of the above!

Having the historical facts impact on your missions would be enjoyable as well I think. For instance, during the Norway campaign in 1940, missions would more and more include safeguarding German capital ships, patrolling fjord entrances against English destroyers, or being sent to intercept English capital ships.
During the Battle of Britain, missions would include ordinary tonnage war, but also raiding British ports, rescueing downed German airmen and escorting German ships (usually these "escort" missions consisted of laying in a predetermined position since a sub's speed couldn't match surface ships' speed).

Missions would also depend on your boat and home port. For instance, if you were based in Bergen, you'd be given convoy intercept, capital ship intercept and support German capital ships/destroyers type missions. On the contrary, type IX boats from the Bay of Biscay would do all sorts of long range work: drop spies off in USA/South America/Africa, deliver and collect supplies or top secret materials to and from Japan (think of rocket scientists, radar sets, jet fighters). Of course, all of these are in addition to and not instead of the usual tonnage war.

Weather reporting or shadowing a convoy are useful missions, but only if the next version of the game allows for wolfpacks - otherwise shadowing has no use whatsoever.

To increase immersion, the interaction with BdU should be stepped up considerably. "Be more aggressive" and "Keep up the good work" do not cut it in my opinion. I wish that contacting BdU while at sea could result in new orders. When my IXC is just about out of torpedoes somewhere in the Caribbean, but still has truckloads of fuel, I would like BdU to despatch new orders like "Pick up agent in Newfoundland" or "Monitor harbour X" after I send my patrol report. Weather reporting, shadowing, picking up downed airmen are all missions perfect for boats that have expended most of their ammunition and wouldn't be able to add much to the tonnage war anyway.

Think about it.

Kind regards,

Eichenlaub