Aug 39/2nd Flotilla/What to do?!

[Dogfish40]

I think I touched this subject in another post, but not as a direct question.
Knowing I am playing a game, at the same time I'm a bit of a History student, I keep restarting my career for various reasons, (mostly getting the mods tweaked in just right). The question is, in Aug 8, 1939 I'm sent out on patrol. The mission orders state "1st and 2nd Flotillas should go out on a 5 day Shakedown then come back in." 3rd Flotilla whatever, I need only know the 2nd which is mine.
Since the U-Boats (Historically) did not put out to sink British merchant shipping until Sep 3, 39, should I be sinking anything??
The notes refer to enemy shipping and give me a patrol sector of BF16 or something, a five day shakedown doesn't specify to sink enemy shipping.
The reason of my concern is, I don't want to lose renown for sinking ships before hostilities start.
What do you think? Am I too serious about the dates or should I hold fire until September?
Thanks
D40

[Osmium Steele]

Use the time wisely. Scout the entrance to Scapa Flow or other ports. Gunther Prien did in 1937. You can sail right in until hostilities start. Lay off a particularly good part of the coast and log the traffic. Make fake torpedo attacks against anything, drill your crew, practice crashdives, field day the boat... um... I seem to be getting a bit carried away here, but, if you are truly a student of history, you probably should not begin attacking until ordered to do so.

No reason you cannot start a new carrer on Aug 29th. That should give you time to get into position prior to the GO message.

[Sailor Steve]

No, you shouldn't be sinking anything. I run three separate careers simultaneously, one from each flotilla.

2nd Flotilla: I used SH3 Commander to allow a Type IX from that flotilla. I start the career on August 1. The first patrol consists of sailing from the pier to the outer harbor, turning around and docking again. I then go to Commander and set up all my crew the way I like them. I then set Commander's 'Days In Base' for 18. Fdu historically sent 14 boats out on the 19th to await...whatever (I don't think they were told why). So I sail through the Channel to my assigned grid and wait for futher orders.

7th Flotilla: I take a Type VIIA (using Wreford-Brown's lovely little conversion) and do the same.

1st Flotilla: I take a Type II (of course), but start on September 1. After my "turn-around" patrol and setting up the crew I change 'Days In Base' to Random, and leave it there for the rest of the war.

[frau kaleun]

If you're looking for realism, no, you should not be sinking anything prior to the start of hostilities - 9/1 for Poland, 9/3 for England and France.

In terms of how the game awards/deducts renown, every ship is a neutral ship in August 1939, so if you sink any ship in August it will count against you and you will lose renown for it. In addition, by sinking a neutral ship you will have started your own private war with someone whose forces will then attack you on sight for the following 24 hours of game time. It works that way with all neutral shipping for the duration of the war.

And just so you know, if you ever start a GWX3 career from Konigsberg in August 1939, you will get orders to go on a 4-5 day shakedown cruise AND use the ships in the bay for target practice. You can do that if you want, but if you sink them you will still lose renown and be subject to retaliation if you get too close to another armed ship or the weapons of the naval bases in that area. GWX gives you extra renown at the start of a career in that flotilla (the 7th IIRC) to make up for what you lose if you sink anything before the war starts, and the expectation is that you will teleport back to base when the orders come through to return and thus not have to worry about getting attacked if you try to sail all the way back to base instead.

[Paul Riley]

Dogfish40,

After hostilities start attack anything 'blacked out' ,they should be sailing with lights on if they are neutral or friendly.Also,anyone suspected of carrying troops to insertion areas for major offensives is a very high priority and should be attacked without hesitation.However,beware of passenger liners and hospital ships for you will be penalised pretty heavily for sinking them,not to mention the oh so chivalric moral implications of such a ruthless deed.I once came very close to attacking a liner and only aborted after a closer inspection of the vessel (quite difficult on dark nights).
I know how you feel though,having to hold fire all the time for 'this' or 'that' is very frustrating.Dont worry,your jaws will be stained with their blood before long.Become a terror to your enemies and victory will be yours...good luck

[GoDeep]

As people above have said, don't attack anything until the game tells you that the war has started, which, as also has been mentioned, isn't until September. So you've got a whole month of "practice". In the current career, I did just that. I sailed out on August 1, went to my designated patrol area and held drills. Track ships, practice calculating the intercept path, practice torpedo runs, etc. Also did crash dives to see how fast the crew got the boat under. Tested to see how deep I could dive safely.

It may seem useless to go out like that, but for me it was valuable practice. Also, if you're going to play the game for real, as a commander of that time, you don't have the knowledge that the war will start in 30 days. You're just following orders, as if being sent on a training exercise. There's tension in the air, sure, but no one in the Kriegsmarine at your level knew that in one month time, there war would be upon them.

Or, you could just sail into Scapa Flow, shout "Hey Tommy, look at this!", drop your pants and moon the Brits!

[Rhodes]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

7th Flotilla: I take a Type VIIA (using Wreford-Brown's lovely little conversion) and do the same.

Is it in the downloads section? Did not now that the mod was finish? I ama great fan of the type A.

[Paul Riley]

Originally Posted by Rhodes

Is it in the downloads section? Did not now that the mod was finish? I ama great fan of the type A.

Best thing about those little diving ducks is cooking your eggs for breakfast on that little stove at the back of the UBoat
If they could carry more torpedoes and fuel maybe I would have kept my old IIA longer,who knows.

[Jimbuna]

He's referring to the VIIA Paul

[Paul Riley]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

He's referring to the VIIA Paul

Damn,my mistake
Still,the IIA DOES have a nice little stove in it,I used to stand near it on many a cold day,right next to my old bed it was hehehe

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Rhodes

Is it in the downloads section? Did not now that the mod was finish? I ama great fan of the type A.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...o=file&id=1871

Or if you want SH3 Commander to activate it by date:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...o=file&id=1872

Note that this mod does not change the appearance of the boat in-game. It does change the max speed, range and torpedo loadout to represent the VIIA.

[SubConscious]

What if you just "happened" to be in Scapa Flow making a practice run on the Royal Oak when hostilities broke out?

"Well shucks, as long as we're here and have four eels loaded...."

[Dogfish40]

Originally Posted by GoDeep

As people above have said, don't attack anything until the game tells you that the war has started, which, as also has been mentioned, isn't until September. So you've got a whole month of "practice". In the current career, I did just that. I sailed out on August 1, went to my designated patrol area and held drills. Track ships, practice calculating the intercept path, practice torpedo runs, etc. Also did crash dives to see how fast the crew got the boat under. Tested to see how deep I could dive safely.

It may seem useless to go out like that, but for me it was valuable practice. Also, if you're going to play the game for real, as a commander of that time, you don't have the knowledge that the war will start in 30 days. You're just following orders, as if being sent on a training exercise. There's tension in the air, sure, but no one in the Kriegsmarine at your level knew that in one month time, there war would be upon them.

Or, you could just sail into Scapa Flow, shout "Hey Tommy, look at this!", drop your pants and moon the Brits!

Ya Mein Kaleun,
I try to play as if the war was happening now, in other words, nothing is given. I don't know the war will start in a month, and I'm using the time to stalk and evade. Too bad though,...all those wonderful sitting ducks!
I'm surprised at the submergence speed compared with the Fleet boats in SH4.
Once I call "Dive" the boat is shooting under in about 30 seconds.
Thanks (Danke) for the response (to everyone) and Good Hunting.
D40

[Dogfish40]

Where's the dang Helm????
I see the Bow and Stern plane wheels (and the crewmen assigned) and I see the "Helmsman" who doesn't appear to have a station at all, he's just staring me down.
I'm just curious as to the whereabouts of the actual wheel. And, is there just one, or is there two like in the US subs?
D40

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Dogfish40

I'm surprised at the submergence speed compared with the Fleet boats in SH4.
Once I call "Dive" the boat is shooting under in about 30 seconds.

Are you in a type VII? Compare the displacements. The Type IX takes considerably longer to get under. Also 35 seconds should be the time in a crash dive. A normal dive should also take a lot longer.