Im not sure how far back to the classics you want to go. This subsim is not your "classic" point and click subsim. (think SH1 & 2)
if you click 100 meters depth on the gauge - you'll go there without doing anything else
if you click ahead full, the boat will do so without any other input from you
if you flood the tubes and have a firing solution and you click fire, the torpedoes shoot without you doing anything else but clicking the fire button
in that sense, this is a "classic" subsim.
however - without working "together" with your crew to manage damage, pump ballast, provision and equip the sub etc... you will die pretty quickly.
if you're looking for a subsim where the crew are lifeless mannequins that just pointlessly respond "aye aye! herr kaleun" whenever you click something then this is NOT your subsim.
some people out there assume that the crew management is overwhelming and meticulous - it really isnt. They are very autonomous unless you tell them to do something else.
its not like you have to click 100 meters on the depth gauge and then assign two men to the planes, then assign a crewman to the ballast control valve and then click each man off the conning tower, manually close the hatch, close off the diesel intakes, switch to electric motors, then assign crewmen to the electric motor compartment, then close main tank vents, and assign a crewman to the hydrophones. etc etc etc
no, you just order a dive and cross your arms, thats pretty much it. the crew automatically does everything above.
its really pretty SHIII-like until stuff hits the fan. Its when your boat gets holed that you have to prioritize repairs and strategize how you want to approach a certain severe damage situation.
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