What do you spend on first?

[RConch]

I spend mine on a WO who also has machinist skill.
Next is improved hydrophones.
What do you "buy" first?

[Redbear]

I assume you mean 'buy' using renown. I use minw to upgrade the boat (engines, batteries, hydrophone, etc.). As for the crew, I prefer to 'develop' their skills through their career, and make few if any changes to the roster.

[Sailor Steve]

I never 'buy' crew. If SH3 Commander doesn't give me a useful crew, I assume that's what really happened.

I also only upgrade equipment that I think would be realistic for the time.

Which means I hardly ever use renown at all.

[maillemaker]

SH3 Usually gives me officers that are all trained for helmsman duty, with one watchman. I make the watchman my first officer.

First thing I do is pick a weapons officer with weapons training (if available) and a chief engineer with machinist training (if available).

I make sure my first officer gets trained as a "top man", that is "above decks". I train him as a watchman, gunner, and flak specialist.

I keep a second floating officer available trained in torpedoes and repair, plus one other thing. This guy can float to damage control or a torpedo compartment to help with loading.

I get a petty officer trained in radio work for both the radio and sonar.

I like to have 4 torpedo officers, 4 machinists, and at least 2 in repair. A doctor, deck gun, and flak gun officer are nice, too.

In my last campaign, I bought every gadget for my sub that came along. Now I am being more sparing, so that I can afford awesome torpedoes later.

I think you want the best hydrophones available.

You want Bold.

Steve

[Jimbuna]

Well beer of course

[krashkart]

^ Why thank you Jim, I'll take the whole tub.

I let SH3Commander decide my fate as far as a new crew, always with the realistic crew option and random names/skills set. Then I fill the boat with 0-renown newblets.

I typically spend the most renown before the first patrol and start saving up for better equipment, in order of most useful to least useful.

[Sailor Steve]

Oh, I completely forgot: With SH3 Commander you can give any crewman any skills you like. No need to spend anything.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Oh, I completely forgot: With SH3 Commander you can give any crewman any skills you like. No need to spend anything.

Early signs of dementia?

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Early signs of dementia?

You don't wanna know.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

You don't wanna know.

If I had any sort of memory retention I would already know

First buy is the KDB Hydrophones, then it's a long time before Radar becomes available.
Like Steve, I don't do engine upgrades, and I don't buy crew.

[Damo]

I let SH3 Commander decide my starting crew and enlist the noobs to build up. I have realistic, random crew set and I like getting attached to my guys as the career progresses. As far as equipment goes, the first thing is the KDB and I get further upgrades if their renown cost doesn't cause me to drop a rank, the values of which I've edited so I don't get promotions/awards as easily as stock. Radar is something I steer clear of until late in the war as it doesn't work too well (for me anyway), and it just seems to act as a beacon to the allies, shouting 'here I am, come get me!!'.

Although I normally dive with incoming aircraft, I still upgrade my AA guns for that time when I get caught short or have to surface due to damage, so I have a better chance of duking it out, they normally get used on small fishing boats and sloops though.

If Commander decides to lose one of my higher ranked officers I'll spend a little renown replacing him with an equivalent rank/skill level, but will do this less in the later years to reflect lack of personnel.

[sergei]

Early war?
A good watch crew, followed closely by a good 'soung guy' (uuurgh)