Uneventful first patrol: normal?

zeropoint · 05-02-07, 07:34 AM

I am in the middle of my first patrol near the coast of Englad. I have set myself up a search pattern in my designated grid and am alternating between searchig visually at standard on the surface and searching with the hydrophones while at slow and periscope depth. So far, nothing. I have begun to exceed my 24 hour stay and I am wondering if I should just head back home, keep at the search, or head towards England where it seems likely that I will find more activity.

Is it normal to not have any contacts on an entire patrol, keeping in mind that the war just started of course.

Jimbuna · 05-02-07, 08:04 AM

If you've enough fuel go to approx. 100km off the port of Hartlepool and shake hands with the merchant traffic as it enters and leaves.

What version of SH3 are you playing ? :hmm:

Raus · 05-02-07, 08:11 AM

I reached my patrol grid on my first patrol with U-48 in GWX 1.03, sailed there mostly at 8kts. Patroled it up and down for 24 hours, and i have like 88% of my fuel left. As suggested above, if you have enough fuel, sail wherever you want to go, find some good shipping lanes or chase a convoy report. It's all up to you how long you want to be out at sea if you have the fuel and torpedoes.

Stoli · 05-02-07, 08:13 AM

If you have completed your orders with fish and fuel to spare, I would assume most U-Boats would stay out on the Hunt. Moving up the England coast line will increase your chances of finding some prey.

The harder the Hunt the more satisfiyng the Kill will be.

wireman · 05-02-07, 08:50 AM

Mission done. Sail into a british port, tie up and go ashore for a pint. Lock the hatches and take the keys as dubious types seem to hang around the docks.

zeropoint · 05-02-07, 12:42 PM

Thanks all for the good advice. I took it and ran smack into a destoryer near the coast of England. I thought I was pooched... but he didn't notice me. He was kinda far off but I decided to put my brand new torpedo techiques (that I learned here) to use and shot off a fish at him. To my suprise, my shot was bang on. He started to run but it still hit him in the hind end and HE SUNK! I was shocked. Bring on a battleship.

I am running 1.4b with GWX 1.3

Aaron

meduza · 05-02-07, 12:57 PM

I very rarely encounter merchants in my patrol zone, so after doing my duty I set my course to a richer hunting grounds. I'm not returning to base after all of my torpedoes are spent.

siber · 05-02-07, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meduza

I'm not returning to base after all of my torpedoes are spent.

LOL!!! :rotfl:
Surely you mean 'UNTIL all my torpedoes are spent'? I had a good chuckle imagining your crew spitting at merchants as they sail past in the hope that you'd sink them.

I suppose you could use your guns (but in a type II, all they do is chip paint)?

meduza · 05-02-07, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by siber

LOL!!! :rotfl:
Surely you mean 'UNTIL all my torpedoes are spent'?

right, I meant UNTIL... my mistake...

Quote:

Originally Posted by siber

I had a good chuckle imagining your crew spitting at merchants as they sail past in the hope that you'd sink them.

:rotfl:
well, I never got that desperate, but I might consider throwing empty beer bottles at them. Of course, not UNTIL all my torpedoes and deck gun shells are spent

Umfuld · 05-02-07, 03:43 PM

No need to go to the British coast to find ships. You'll just find mines and subnets and general trouble there.

Use the map that came with the game. It shows where you are likely to find targets - be they convoy or single merchs.

The patrol grids are mostly random and aren't always in a spot that has traffic normally. Tell the truth I usually just sit in one spot for 24 hours and then go off to the convoy routes.

05-02-07, 07:34 AM	#1
zeropoint Watch Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 27 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Uneventful first patrol: normal? I am in the middle of my first patrol near the coast of Englad. I have set myself up a search pattern in my designated grid and am alternating between searchig visually at standard on the surface and searching with the hydrophones while at slow and periscope depth. So far, nothing. I have begun to exceed my 24 hour stay and I am wondering if I should just head back home, keep at the search, or head towards England where it seems likely that I will find more activity. Is it normal to not have any contacts on an entire patrol, keeping in mind that the war just started of course.

05-02-07, 08:04 AM	#2
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,539 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	If you've enough fuel go to approx. 100km off the port of Hartlepool and shake hands with the merchant traffic as it enters and leaves. What version of SH3 are you playing ? :hmm: __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

05-02-07, 08:11 AM	#3
Raus A-ganger Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 79 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I reached my patrol grid on my first patrol with U-48 in GWX 1.03, sailed there mostly at 8kts. Patroled it up and down for 24 hours, and i have like 88% of my fuel left. As suggested above, if you have enough fuel, sail wherever you want to go, find some good shipping lanes or chase a convoy report. It's all up to you how long you want to be out at sea if you have the fuel and torpedoes.

05-02-07, 08:13 AM	#4
Stoli A-ganger Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 74 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	If you have completed your orders with fish and fuel to spare, I would assume most U-Boats would stay out on the Hunt. Moving up the England coast line will increase your chances of finding some prey. The harder the Hunt the more satisfiyng the Kill will be.

05-02-07, 08:50 AM	#5
wireman Sparky Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 155 Downloads: 18 Uploads: 0	Mission done. Sail into a british port, tie up and go ashore for a pint. Lock the hatches and take the keys as dubious types seem to hang around the docks.

05-02-07, 12:42 PM	#6
zeropoint Watch Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 27 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Thanks all for the good advice. I took it and ran smack into a destoryer near the coast of England. I thought I was pooched... but he didn't notice me. He was kinda far off but I decided to put my brand new torpedo techiques (that I learned here) to use and shot off a fish at him. To my suprise, my shot was bang on. He started to run but it still hit him in the hind end and HE SUNK! I was shocked. Bring on a battleship. I am running 1.4b with GWX 1.3 Aaron

05-02-07, 12:57 PM	#7
meduza Ace of the Deep Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: on patrol Posts: 1,035 Downloads: 40 Uploads: 0	I very rarely encounter merchants in my patrol zone, so after doing my duty I set my course to a richer hunting grounds. I'm not returning to base after all of my torpedoes are spent.

05-02-07, 03:43 PM	#10
Umfuld Captain Join Date: May 2006 Location: USA Posts: 503 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	No need to go to the British coast to find ships. You'll just find mines and subnets and general trouble there. Use the map that came with the game. It shows where you are likely to find targets - be they convoy or single merchs. The patrol grids are mostly random and aren't always in a spot that has traffic normally. Tell the truth I usually just sit in one spot for 24 hours and then go off to the convoy routes.