Well a campaign in '39 is pretty easy if you find targets. Fire on the unarmed merchants and run from the destroyers. From Kiel you can pick up a few Polish targets but there is alot of neutral traffic out there. The Med and Baltic seas have good traffic patterns. I use GWX with some custom traffic scripted in also so stock SH3 campaign files probably would be a little thin for traffic.
A small workaround for the range is to check unlimited fuel, go to the base you want, then start a new patrol from there. As stated above, most GWX ports start new patrols ok from them.
I also try to only hunt down the unescorted vessels and sink most of them with gunfire. Anything above 2500 tons gets one torp, 4000 gets two or three depending on how the torp hits them. I usually pick up anywhere between 1000 and 3000 tons a patrol. Also good for those hit and run attacks near enemy ports.
If you use manual targeting and steer an intercept course, firing at 0 gyro angles, you can have pretty good success with medium speed torp attacks. I try to avoid any shot over 60 to 120 degrees angle on the bow. I also try to close to within 1000 yards or less with 600 yards being the norm. (a good plotting wheel or MOBoard helps with this)
In the later years, it is a bit of a challenge and you must pick your targets carefully or shadow them till you get the destroyers patrol paths down.
All in all, using it in a campaign is a bit harder, but well rewarding.
Although the lack of bases will need to be addressed in the future, the number of contacts in GWX is sufficient for campaign play with it. The range is decent as long as you don't cruise around in flank speed all the time. Also using setkeys to remove some of the crew commands and customizing the steering controls can cut down on the mouse click - actual turn of the boat time lag. No major bugs found in campaign mode either
Looking forward to the next release.
