If done properly and sparingly, minelaying could be quite exciting. After all, it usually involved silently infiltrating very near the most active Allied ports--almost always dodging destroyers and ASW trawlers. I know of at least one U-boat skipper who simply lost his nerve when ordered to infiltrate a major port and deposit mines despite heavy enemy ASW patrols. Donitz relieved him upon returning to port.
In that sense, I think being ordered, every once in a while, to do things like lay mines in a heavily trafficked harbor might be a real challenge, especially considering the mine storage requirements would leave you with few to no torpedoes and therefore reliant only on stealth, good judgment, and audacity.
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