Patrol area, then wandering off... Historic?

[Huncowboy]

This may have been discussed before.

When out on a patrol I end up going to my grid, spend 24h there (although I know with GWX 2.1 I will not get a thing for it which is fine with me) then go mostly closer to the shore or ports for hunting.

Is this historic? Did the skips wander of or did they stay in the area assigned. Staying in the area for 24h only makes absolutely no sense to me to be honest.

What do you think?

The reason I am wondering off all the time is that I am early in 1940 with a IIA. Not enough renown to upgrade but I also put in for a transfer to Wilhelmshaven. So with that boat it is kind of though to chase anything plus the hydrophones are weak. I need to position myself a bit better than just sitting in a grid somewhere in the middle of the North Sea.

[Venatore]

Originally Posted by Huncowboy

Is this historic? Did the skips wander of or did they stay in the area assigned.

If you decide to "wander off", ensure you have planned what you are going to do, have a purpose, work out "actions on" prior to arriving at the patrol grid. Study the map look at ambush sites, channelling points, known traffic routes, always choose the ground/area that you want to fight on, don't have the Brits decide for you.

Is "wandering off" historic :hmm: don't know, haven't read much on what U-boats did after they completed their patrol allocation, 9/10 they never made it to their allocated area of responsibility, weather, malfunctions, enemy contacts both sea and air, fuel and the good old just never heard from again rumour.

[Jimbuna]

U-boats were often moved from their allotted patrol areas by Control as reports of convoy sightings were evaluated.

If or when you play GWX2.1 it won't really matter because all patrol related renown is no longer included. The only renown awarded is for destruction of enemy units.

In RL, most U-boats that returned (especially in late war) failed to sink or even see anything.

Because of the Allies ability to accurately read German code, most convoys were diverted away from known U-boat locations.

[Huncowboy]

So I guess it is normal.

How do you guys decide what is a good spot? Is there a way to learn more about shipping routes for GWX2.1? There is that map, but anything else? I know GWX has scripted convoys.

I just sit around a canal or close to a port listening on the phones but with the IIA it is very slow. I can't wait to upgrade but renown comes in tiny bits toward me. Of course I badly suck with my manual targeting... I have not played for a few months. It is slowly coming back to me but I am happy if I can plug in 2 out of the 6 torpedoes. But I am having a much better time with SH3+GWX than SH4.

What other stuff do you suggest for finding the bounty :-) ?

Thanks!

[Jimbuna]

I'd suggest you try and get to a point 300km west of Gib...Oh your in a II aren't you forget it!!

Try lying off Hartlepool or another east coast port.

[Kaptain Hans Wolf]

interesting info on uboat movements, great to see people can talk the talk about historical happenings, not just simulation.

[Hanomag]

Or just go here and look at the map with actual locations from GWX, sent in by real kaluens ..er well us players anyways.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=116182

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Hanomag

Or just go here and look at the map with actual locations from GWX, sent in by real kaluens ..er well us players anyways.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=116182

Not as accurate as first presumed I'm afraid, since the release of GWX2.1 and the changes contained within

[danlisa]

As already mentioned, historically BDU would have issued new location orders.

However, in the absence of these within the game to keep within my assessment of what a RL kaleun would do if out of contact with BDU is conduct a search pattern/patrol of an adjacent grid to my assigned one.

I base this on the assumption that RL U-boats did not needlessly waste fuel traveling to a 'hotspot' when they may need the extra fuel in chase of a convoy/contact found within their original locale.

Not to mention that these 'hotspots' were probably the best patrolled/guarded by ASW forces. RL crews were not as 'gun ho' as most of us.

[danurve]

From looking at message research boats would often request a free hand via a certain direction. But they were tools of BdU.