First war patrol in LSH2015 - wow!

[K-61]

I started my first career in LSH 2015 [after doing the naval academy] pre-war at the Erpro flotilla. I enabled malfunctions and sabotage [though I wonder if the game models sabotage in German bases] and just about every realism setting I could enhance. Did my training patrol in IIA 'duck' and was surprised by the variety of new ships in the game. On my way to the training area where I had to sink the two target ships, I saw several Soviet military vessels at sea!

On my return, I transferred to 2nd Flotilla and took a duck to war. My patrol grid was off the northwest coast of the U.K. but I wondered if I was every going to get there. I played around with the speeds and navigator reports until I got a speed that would allow me enough fuel to traverse out and in plus allow me some cruise time in my patrol zone.

It didn't take long until the weather soured, slowing down my boat. Increasing the telegraph I noticed also led to worse fuel economy, so I reluctantly throttled back to five knots. On the way out I received a convoy report; yes, it is fun hunting for a convoy with a duck in bad weather. I made several sound checks by diving and eventually worked my way to within sight of a small convoy. Reluctantly, I had to let the convoy go as its speed was just high enough that I would be burning so much fuel trying to get into place, and that I would not be able to do it before daylight. The speed difference caused by the sea state decided me that the risk to reward was not worth it, so I veered off to get out of sight before daylight and returned to my outward course.

Off the north coast of the U.K. near the Orkneys, I encountered several single vessels and was able to maneuver into attack position. Over three attacks I expended all five torpedoes. One missed just to aft, the other four were accurate, but to my chagrin sailed way under the vessels without detonating. I set impact triggers on all of them, due to the sea state and set them to run about two to four metres, due to sea state and vessel draft. Arrrgghhh! One miss and four deep runners.

I am assuming this was due either to "malfunctions and sabotage" and/or the "torpedo scandal" modeled into the game, as well as the diminished accuracy of the weapons officer [I am using auto targeting]. On the one hand, I am disappointed that I had to report to Onkel Karl that I had wasted five valuable eels and a load of diesel to come back skunked. On the other hand, I am very much enjoying the uncertainty factor and it feels more historical to me. I am not a fan of an arcade experience, even when using auto-target. I have always imposed on myself my own "reality rules" so as to make my careers conform more to historical score levels. Without these, I could easily have "100K" patrols, but it never felt realistic. With these new settings, I can still use the Weapons Officer but still not feel as if I am cheating. I've tried in the past do do manual, but the math makes my head hurt. I really suck at estimating angles and speeds. I figure that if I use realism rules and procedures, I can "pretend" that I am the one giving the WO the inputs.

Anyhow, just wanted to say that I am very much enjoying being back at sea and my hats off to all of you modders who generously share your work with the community.