[Tobus]

Note that I play with GWX and SH3commander, so answers below are represented in those mods.

-Does anyone ever use the command room? Or do you spend most of your time at the Nav station?

When I go for extra realism and turn off external view, I use it often. Otherwise, I am usually on the navmap (showing targets on map = on) or in external watching those nice explosions

-I have 49% realism set right now. I often get contacts 20-40 km away show up on my map. Are those contacts that are radioed in from other subs or airplanes? Or is that just a super-easy setting making the game easier? And what are the best ways to make contacts (I'm running a IIA now -- are my hydrophones worth anything, or should I always sit on the surface looking for targets)?

They are radioed in. I always cruise on top, except when fog is medium or heavy. Then I go to 50m and cruise slowly, often manually checking my hydrophones, only popping up to replenish air and batteries. In early war in fog, you just don't find any ships. In later war, THEY just always find YOU because of radar!

-I've sunk a few neutral units. Whoops! Is that a big deal at all? Do I have to wait until I can ID a flag on each ship before I sink her? That can be tough tough tough, especially at night.

Yep. Sinking neutrals costs you renown (although they ARE added to your tonnage I think). ID'ing is the best way to go. In GWX though, at night neutrals are showing all lights, including spots on the flag. If lights are on then don't shoot them.

-When sighting a plane, does everyone just DIVE DIVE DIVE? Is there any reason to stay on the surface and try to fight it out? And how deep do I need to be to keep a plane from spotting me?

In GWX planes are a nightmare. My tactic: as soon as sighted I go to max speed. If range is long then I crashdive. If range is medium (3-5 km) than I arm flakguns and turn perpendicular to the aircraft. When it dives to attack, I slam rudders full towards the aircraft. 95% of the time, his bombs will overshoot you. If my flakker hasn't brought him down, THEN I crashdive. Depth doesn't matter, although in rough weather you tower may sometimes breach. Crashdive to be safer, it's faster than normal dive too.

-I know that historically the U-Boats liked to conduct surfaced night attacks. How far away can my U-Boat be *seen* at night, assuming a minimal profile?

Without arousing suspicion you are generally safe at night. Greater speed gives greater bowwaves and thus possibly earlier detection. But when the first torpedo hits, zigzags start, starshells are shot and searchlights are lit. Note that at close range, searchlights CAN see you through the water when at periscope depth. I recommend doing long range shots from the surface or submerged shots from closer in. The first is better in early war, since escorts will shoot starshell in the convoy and do ASDIC searches in the convoy, while you are surfaced outside the convoy. In later war, escorts will find you by radar on the surface, so get close submerged, fire all torpedoes and go as deep as fast as you can, firing a BOLD if available, then running silent at depth while your torps hit.

A tip: get accustomed to a sub. I like the VIIc best, because of very quick diving time and manouvrability. I get higher scores (more torps) in a IX, but also die more in them because of lower manouvrability, slower divetime and being a bigger target to hit.

Good luck!