I guess I'm pretty happy with the realism aspect of the game when I played it. (I'm just waiting for the next patch and will go back.)
I like the physics of the sub, the detail and all the other graphics and gaming realism. I know it's kind of unusual (re: impossible historically) to sink this much tonnage....but when I go back to the game after the patch I'll be using manual so the tonnage will drop. Cool enough, imo.
Besides, I also expect the modders will tweak these aspects, too, given time. I don't mind waiting.