What combo of skills for officers

[RConch]

I am always looking for an edge in this simulation.
I set up my officers this way:
"Outside" officers are watchmen, machinist, and flak\gunner as the three skills.
"Inside" officers are helm, torpedo, repair as the three skills.
What other combos do you guys use if any?

[Paul Riley]

I tend to use this setup.

1st Watch Officer - Watch + Flak Gunner + Medic

Chief Engineer - Machinist + Helmsman + Repair (even though the helmsman skill is minimal !)

Navigator - Helmsman + Machinist (helps with the Chief's jobs when Chief is away doing repairs) 3rd space free for whatever I see fit at the time.

Torpedo Officer - Torpedoman + deck gun + FREE SLOT

*When the space is available I will also recruit a 5th officer who shall act as a dedicated engine officer,who works in either the diesel or electrics compartment.He will have skills as Machinist + Repair + FREE SLOT *

NOTE - My setup can change at any time depending on my immediate situation and current priorities.

[RConch]

I use a PO for the medic and also the leader of my gun crew.
Is there any increased value in an officer as a medic?

[Paul Riley]

Interesting point.I asked someone the same thing ages ago about the helmsman skill,because I used to appoint the WO in the control room as a helmsman (I wanted to max out the helmsmen available to try to decrease dive times when under air attack!),but was later told that the extra skills in helmsman are not taken into account,therefore rendered useless.He would probably be better suited as a medic or torpedoman in that case.
Stick around,someone will clarify this for you.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Rconch

I use a PO for the medic and also the leader of my gun crew.
Is there any increased value in an officer as a medic?

many debates have ensued regarding the usefulness of having a medic at all considering the crew are killed far more often than simply wounded/injured.

There are supporters to both positive and negative medic attributes.

Personally I don't believe there is any benefit in carrying a medic, similarly a helmsman.

[maillemaker]

I thought medics helped with crew fatigue in the compartment where they are?

Originally Posted by maillemaker

I thought medics helped with crew fatigue in the compartment where they are?

Sorry.
He does not help the crew sleep "more productively".

[Paul Riley]

I play at 92% realism I think,just have map contacts on,and also have 'no fatigue' enabled in Commander,I personally hate micromanaging crew shift patterns all the time,distracts me from more important events that may be happening
Cant imagine this would be seen as cheating?

Shame about the helmsman skills,I would have thought having say,the chief,the guy on the pumps,and maybe an officer in the engine room possessing helmsman skill improving dive times,reaction times in emergencies,levelling off underwater etc .In my opinion it would adequately reflect their skill and knowledge of all the UBoat's systems improving its performance

Later on in the war as air attacks become lethal I decided it would be prudent to give the watch officer 'medic' skills as in previous patrols I have had some of the watch crew either severely injured or even killed.Would this protect the watch somewhat for a time,as I scrambled to get them below?by being able to stem heavy bleeding as panic breaks out? "here,stick this towel to his stomach!!,his guts are hanging out!"

[frau kaleun]

The only thing I remember hearing that the medic was good for, was if you have a wounded man and then put the medic in the same compartment with him (I assume bow or stern quarters would be best), he is more likely to recover and/or recover more quickly and/or get back up to a higher "Health" status than he would have without "medical attention."

Since I've never had wounded crew during a patrol I've never been able to see if it makes any difference having a medic sit with them in their quarters to recuperate.

If I have a medic, he's a PO, and I prefer to have medic as his primary qualification, if he's otherwise qualified then it's only in something I'm already covered for by other crewmembers and the medic has it as a backup in case those guys are lost/unavailable.

I wouldn't have a WO who doubled as my medic, if I do have wounded I wouldn't want to have to send a WO to their quarters until they get better, lol. He can't be nursing wounded crew and function as a WO as well.

Edit: And no I certainly wouldn't consider using the No Fatigue model as cheating, in fact IMO it's completely unrealistic to expect a commanding officer to be personally responsible for seeing to crew "shift changes," that's just ridiculous. Ideally you'd be able to configure your crew into the necessary watches and then have them rotate on their own unless you specifically made a change to something during the patrol for whatever reason. THAT would be realistic. Unfortunately SH3 doesn't work that way, so the "No Fatigue" model removes it as an issue entirely.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by maillemaker

I thought medics helped with crew fatigue in the compartment where they are?

As already stated by Snestorm...I'm afraid not.

[Dissaray]

Personaly I like to have my chief of the watch have watch, deck gun and flack gun specialties. This gives a very good performance on all aspects on deck. Other than that I don't realy have many combinations. I generaly have one of my command room officers, useualy the navigator, as a repair specialist for those situations when every thing goes sixes and sevens on me.

[Paul Riley]

Good point frau,
I would like to enter the time of the shift patterns before the patrol and let them change shift automatically.But this is just the same as having no fatigue

[HundertzehnGustav]

VII, 1939
Kaleun: helmsman, watch , radio
WO1: Watch, AAA
LI1: Mechanic, Engine
WO2: Watch
LI2: Mechanic

+4 torps
+4 engine
+2 Radio
+1 Gun
+1 Medic
+2 Mech

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by HundertzehnGustav

WO1: Watch, AAA

AAA?

So if my batteries run down somewhere in the North Atlantic, can he come give me a jump?

[Paul Riley]

...naughty woman