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Skubber · 10-02-06, 07:46 AM

I have just reached October 1944 in my current patrol.

- The air attacks were quite difficult for awhile until my u-boat was equipped with a snorkel.

- With GW, my U-boat twice had to fight off air attacks while entering/leaving the base at Lorient! (Somehow I thought to man the flak guns when I got the "aircraft spotted" signal. Didn't know they were enemies – but hypercaution is why you survive. Still, I was pretty damn surprised when they started dive bombing us!)

It was very exciting to see the whole harbor open up with anti-aircraft fire. But I tell you, I've never made it into the sub pen that fast!

- Enemy radar range gets better and better. It can be really hard to flank a convoy when radar picks you up at 15-20 kms.

- The only time my sub has been badly damaged this career was from hedgehogs. Probably those should have killed us.

- Hunter-killer groups. Lots of destroyers patrolling around out there.

- Fewer ships. Convoys are bigger, better protected, and harder to find.

On the plus side:

- The snorkel is really great. I wish it would break down now and then in the early going, because my impression is they didn't work so well at first.

- Fun to toy around with ladder-pattern torpedeos and acoutic-guidance torpedoes.
(Sometimes you have to fire torpedoes early, due to convoy escort pressure, and it's nice have your eel hit a ship after a second or third pass.)

- Radar detection. With this you have a chance to avoid the threat from the skies. Also, it can help you pick up targets. I have had instances where radar detection identifies the enemy before he identifies me. I have no idea if this is historically accurate, though.

- There is a certain "last man standing" quality that I like in the late game. Your comrades are being sunk in droves. The war effort at home is collapsing. The bases in Lorient and Brest are no longer operational. Your enemy is smarter and is getting better and better technology. Your only advantage is your experience, your wits, and your determination to save your crew from certain death.

10-02-06, 07:46 AM	#6
Skubber Officer Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Rochester, NY, USA Posts: 239 Downloads: 36 Uploads: 0	I have just reached October 1944 in my current patrol. - The air attacks were quite difficult for awhile until my u-boat was equipped with a snorkel. - With GW, my U-boat twice had to fight off air attacks while entering/leaving the base at Lorient! (Somehow I thought to man the flak guns when I got the "aircraft spotted" signal. Didn't know they were enemies – but hypercaution is why you survive. Still, I was pretty damn surprised when they started dive bombing us!) It was very exciting to see the whole harbor open up with anti-aircraft fire. But I tell you, I've never made it into the sub pen that fast! - Enemy radar range gets better and better. It can be really hard to flank a convoy when radar picks you up at 15-20 kms. - The only time my sub has been badly damaged this career was from hedgehogs. Probably those should have killed us. - Hunter-killer groups. Lots of destroyers patrolling around out there. - Fewer ships. Convoys are bigger, better protected, and harder to find. On the plus side: - The snorkel is really great. I wish it would break down now and then in the early going, because my impression is they didn't work so well at first. - Fun to toy around with ladder-pattern torpedeos and acoutic-guidance torpedoes. (Sometimes you have to fire torpedoes early, due to convoy escort pressure, and it's nice have your eel hit a ship after a second or third pass.) - Radar detection. With this you have a chance to avoid the threat from the skies. Also, it can help you pick up targets. I have had instances where radar detection identifies the enemy before he identifies me. I have no idea if this is historically accurate, though. - There is a certain "last man standing" quality that I like in the late game. Your comrades are being sunk in droves. The war effort at home is collapsing. The bases in Lorient and Brest are no longer operational. Your enemy is smarter and is getting better and better technology. Your only advantage is your experience, your wits, and your determination to save your crew from certain death. __________________ "I wish to have no Connection with any Ship that does not Sail fast for I intend to go in harm's way." - Captain John Paul Jones, 1778 Last edited by Skubber; 10-02-06 at 07:51 AM.