staffing crew question

[its a viic]

How do most of you split up your crews? What I mean is do you have more torp officers than repair or more engine room guys. What about Medics? I would imagine that having more repair guys available in later years of war would be best. :hmm:

[GreyOctober]

Using NYGM fatigue model, i try to keep most of the guys in their bunks. In general, i have a shift for every officer. when firing torps, i keep 2 guys in the torp room and for reloading i order everyone in for a fast reload then send them back again to their bunks. As for damage control crew, theyre on the job only when needed.

Cheers!

[Heibges]

Machinists=6
Helmsman=2
Radioman=2
Watch=2
Torpedomen=1
Gunner=1
Medic=1

IWO Watch, Helm, Torpedo
LI: Helm, Machinist, Repair
IIWO: Watch Gunnery, Torpedo
IIWO: Watch Helm Repair

What do the machinists do? I mean, do you get more mileage out of your diesels if you have your engine room maxxed out? Do you get to crank more knots out of them? I always just play with an officer (usually an oberfähnrich) as a machinist, and one of the warrant officers as a machinist. Should I be putting more into it or will I get no benefit from having my engine room full of machinists?

[U-104]

You will get the same number of knots, you'll just get them faster.

[andy_311]

torpedomen=5
deck guns=3
Machinests=2
Flack gunners=4
repair=2
medic=1
All above NCO's
Officers share helmsmen
torpedomen 1
repair 1

[eagleboy]

I have been playing in a small, little II-A, with real time fatigue early n the war (1940)

In the engines I always keep 1 officer, 1 NCO (rated machinist), and 4 seamen. I keep the same setup in the stern quarters and rotate the shifts on or off.

You have to have 3 at the helm, and I use three seamen. If submerged I keep an officer at the helm. I always keep 3 other seamen in the front quarters.

If submerged I keep an NCO at the sonar and radio. If surfaced, just at the radio.

If surfaced, I always have a WO, (who when submerged is at the helm). At night I keep 2 NCO on deck. During the day, I keep 3 NCO on deck.

My NCO's qualifications are as follows:

2 Machinist
2 Watch
2 Radio
1 Torpedo
1 Repiar
1 Medic (Don't know if he really helps, but you've got to provide access to good healthcare nowadays)
Nobody in torp room unless I am reloading, when I dump in all available hands.

Seems to work out pretty well on a smaller boat.

[its a viic]

Thanks for the ideas. I would think that you would want more torp officers in there for quicker reload times and I Like extra machinist's available because it seems everytime you need to get away quick or just get moving I get a report about not enough men in electric room. I also like having flak gunners promoted. I love watching them down those Brits planes.

[Keelbuster]

I don't bother with Torp NCOs - i launch all my torpedoes on every convoy attack, and i reload while overhauling for the next attack. There's no need for speed reloading - the only boat that can do that _within_ an attack run is the XXI.

Kb

[Heibges]

I agree with Keelbuster. You usually have at least 6 or 8 hours between convoy attacks, so it isn't really neccessary to be speedy.

[tycho102]

Originally Posted by U-104

You will get the same number of knots, you'll just get them faster.

I notice 1-2kts difference between fully staffed and half-staffed diesel machine room.

As for staffing:

1. I restart careers until I get a "free" engine officer.

2. I get two master chiefs in the radio room, first two patrols.

3. I train another machinist petty officer(in addition to the two you start with), and the three goats and the officer take turns. During attacks, everyone is on duty, of course.

4. I add another torpedoman, because I fire stern tubes as well as fore tubes, and I want them both reloading quickly.

5. After that, it's a mix of watchman, gunner, and cross-training. Having a cross-trained medic officer helps recharge fatigue faster rather than the officers' berthing space just going waste.

6. I don't fight out with the planes, but if you do, put a flaker in there with #5.

[VonHelsching]

I tend to be on the safe side.

In order of importance: Watch, Repair, Radio, Flak, Medic, Torpedo, Gun, Machinist

If you neglect your watch people you find yourelf being pounded by DDs in 2000 m without your watch crew having seen them!


Machinists=3
Helmsman=0
Radioman=2
Watch=2
Torpedomen=4
Deck Gun=2
Flak=2
Repair=1
Medic=1

Officer1: Helmsman, Medic, Repair
Officer2: Helmsman, Machinist, Repair
Officer3: Helmsman, Torpedo, Flak
Officer4: Watch, Flak, Gun
Officer5: Watch, Gun, Torpedo

[U-Bones]

My boats are underwater torpedo delivery platforms, everything else is secondary. Initiative is paramount for all naval platforms. For this you need Ears, Eyes, Legs.

How well you do everything else is less important because it usually fits well into the "hours of boredom" aftermath.

Anything related to surface combat is insane in my book and I never waste a rating on guns or flak.

IMO of course !

[U-104]

Originally Posted by tycho102

I notice 1-2kts difference between fully staffed and half-staffed diesel machine room.

hmm.

[Montbrun]

Using GW + NYGM + UC (NYGM Fatigue MOD), Type IXC boat:

1st Watch:

Tower Watch: 1 Watch Officer, 1 PO, 4 Ratings
Communications: 2 PO
Command Room: 2 Officers (filling Engineer Officer and Navigation Officer "slots"), 1 PO, 2 Ratings
Engine Room: 1 PO, 4 Ratings

2nd Watch ("On Rest"):

Tower Watch: 1 Watch Officer, 1 PO, 4 Ratings
Communications: 2 PO
Command Room: 1 Officer, 1 PO, 2 Ratings
Engine Room: 1 PO, 4 Ratings

Off Duty until needed: Torpedomen: 3 PO, 5 Ratings
Flak: 2 PO

I rotate the Tower Watch (1 Watch Officer, 1 PO, and 4 Ratings) and the Command Room Officers every 6 hours (2 Officers "on," 1 Officer "off" in the Command Room). All other compartments are rotated every 12 hours. This configuration leaves 4 rest quarters "berths" open for the current Tower Watch, when submerged, and keeps the Command Room officers in a decent state of rest.

Total: 5 Officers, 15 PO, 25 Ratings

I also use SH3 Commander to "tag" the Ratings with their particular qualification, to help keep the watches straight.