WW2 Sub sim game vs. RL U-boat captain

[somedude88]

I have been thinking about making a U-boat management-style game, (kind of like "Uboot") but want to make it more like "Paper's Please" which is an odd game where it somehow makes the mundane rather fun/interesting.

The question that I need answered for design purpose is what the distinguishing differences are between what you're able to do in the SH series vs what RL U-boat captains would do. It sort of felt like you were doing all the calculating, navigation, sonar work and weapons management and I feel like that's not what a RL captain would spend his time doing. I'm just curious as to what a real U-boat captain would do/his involvement would be, in the typical situations such as spotting ships, torpedo runs, surface engagements, defending from air attacks, etc. etc.

Thanks for your answers. Cheers!

[Onkel Neal]

I enjoyed Papers, Please. Look forward to learning more about your game concept

[NeonSamurai]

The best resource you probably could find would be a book or 2 authored by a former Uboat captain.

The other issue you may find, is what the captain did on the ship, varied between captains, as some would be more hands on, and others would give orders and let the crew do most things.

Typically the captain would be the one who read the orders from command, occasionally would have to operate the enigma himself if the orders were for the captain only to read, he would control things like the periscope and TDC binoculars, he may also participate in watch shifts on the conning tower, and he mostly gave orders to the rest of the crew, such as speed, depth, heading, course plotting (sometimes he may do it personally), silent running, opening torpedo doors and firing, and pretty much everything else that happened on board ship that was important (though the XO may also handle some of this stuff too as would other junior officers).

[somedude88]

Originally Posted by NeonSamurai

The best resource you probably could find would be a book or 2 authored by a former Uboat captain.

The other issue you may find, is what the captain did on the ship, varied between captains, as some would be more hands on, and others would give orders and let the crew do most things.

Typically the captain would be the one who read the orders from command, occasionally would have to operate the enigma himself if the orders were for the captain only to read, he would control things like the periscope and TDC binoculars, he may also participate in watch shifts on the conning tower, and he mostly gave orders to the rest of the crew, such as speed, depth, heading, course plotting (sometimes he may do it personally), silent running, opening torpedo doors and firing, and pretty much everything else that happened on board ship that was important (though the XO may also handle some of this stuff too as would other junior officers).

Any book recommendations?

I've always had a problem trying to imagine a properly implemented game mechanic that would balance the play-styles of "hands-on" to "hands-off" because most players would rather micro-manage (hands-on) to maximize efficiency or avoid losing the game due to a mistake made by auto-management systems, (auto-management without mistakes would be unrealistic). If I could make any one thing perfect in this game, I would like to make both play-styles fun, intuitive and without micromanagement being a much "safer" or better option. I want it so that if a player micromanages, its because they prefer to run their U-boat that way, and not because they feel like they "have to" or it's better. And if there was a sort of tonnage score they have to beat at the end of the war/game, most would rather micromanage to have the best chance of getting that high score and not because they prefer to play that way.
Addendum: It would be interesting if more "hands on" captains in RL did better during the real WW2.

[Rockin Robbins]

Iron Coffins is one. Although some have said it might be highly fictionalized (nice way of saying the author didn't tell the truth) the descriptions of captain/crew interaction don't depend on that.

Das Boot, on the other hand, is so highly fictionalized that it really can't be relied on for very much at all. It's an anti-war propoganda book first and everything else takes a very back seat. Makes the German sailors seem to be a lot of wusses. They weren't.

Didn't Prien write a book? Others will have more suggestions.

As far as the American war went, Dick O'Kane and Eugene Fluckey were both "hands off" captains who emphasized crew proficiency and trusting their men. Their example shows that the more training, accompanied by decision making power you give to the crew, the better your boat performs. "Hands on" is a nice way of saying "you don't know Jack. My boat!" That almost always ends badly. It reduces the talents and capacity of 80 men to those of just one. Good people try to get out of a command and control organization and transfer into an advise and consent one. Therefore the "hands off" skippers accumulate the best sailors.

"Our boat" beats "my boat" just about every time. That seems like it's not the German way of doing things, but it was exactly how the German land forces worked, as opposed to the American command and control. Even odds in battle meant 3 American soldiers to every 1 German. That alone shows that "hands off," while possibly more difficult, is more efficient and effective.

[somedude88]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

As far as the American war went, Dick O'Kane and Eugene Fluckey were both "hands off" captains who emphasized crew proficiency and trusting their men. Their example shows that the more training, accompanied by decision making power you give to the crew, the better your boat performs. "Hands on" is a nice way of saying "you don't know Jack. My boat!" That almost always ends badly. It reduces the talents and capacity of 80 men to those of just one. Good people try to get out of a command and control organization and transfer into an advise and consent one. Therefore the "hands off" skippers accumulate the best sailors.

"Our boat" beats "my boat" just about every time. That seems like it's not the German way of doing things, but it was exactly how the German land forces worked, as opposed to the American command and control. Even odds in battle meant 3 American soldiers to every 1 German. That alone shows that "hands off," while possibly more difficult, is more efficient and effective.

A very interesting insight. Thanks! That was helpful!

[somedude88]

Originally Posted by Onkel Neal

I enjoyed Papers, Please. Look forward to learning more about your game concept

All I really know for sure is that it will be 2 or 2.5 D management so it will be a side view cutaway of the u-boat, will try to simulate every crewman and will try to emulate what a real U-boat captain did/was capable of at the time, so you will not be able to do SHIII levels of micromanagement and will possibly have some onshore leave aspect of gameplay like taking care of your family. And that it will be a passion project, and since I have other things on the burner, this will probably take a looooong time to make.