Do you spend Renown to recruit crewmembers?

[Bosk]

Hi everyone,

I'm interested to hear your opinions on weather or not you think spending Renown to recruit experienced, qualified crewmembers is "good value" compared with spending it on upgrades.


For that matter, how much of a difference do you feel the experience & qualifications of crewmembers makes to the performance of your boat?


Thanks.

[XLjedi]

I usually don't spend renown on experienced crew... but occasionally I'll let a few veterans move on to bigger and better things and take on a handful of new recruits.

If you're handin out knights crosses to the engine crew, it might be time to let a couple of your officers move on to their own commands.

[Hakahura]

Your crew is your most important asset. However.....

If you use SH Commander, you can train, promote and award them as you their Kapitan see fit. Saving your renown to upgrade you boot instead.

[papa_smurf]

Nope, I only spend renown to upgrade my U-boat with better equipment.

Although, if one of my officers was killed in action, then I would recruit another officer with similar expereince/skills.

[dmlavan]

The only time I spend renown on the crew is prior to the first patrol, since (due to a bug) I can't spend it on upgrades until after the patrol. I'll see what officers I have, and if I don't have one who has the "watch" skill, I'll spend renown on one of those.

[Jimbuna]

Renown for upgrades only. When my crew are fully trained and qualified I hang on to them too.
I trained em, I keep em

[Kpt, Otto]

I only use renown for boat upgrades where possible. I am currently using SH3 commander and so sometimes a valuable officer or senior seaman may get transfered then if I am very short of experiance on the boat I might use up a little renown getting a better man in. But this is very rare.

The main differance I have found is that if you have not enough senior ratings on board then those that are there tire much more quickly because they are not senior but ordinary warrant officers. On a type II uboat its important.

[melnibonian]

Never. I use my renown for upgrades in the boat. My crew will get far more experience with the patrols I do. No need to spend renown on that.

[desirableroasted]

I have a question about this too....

Originally Posted by Bosk

For that matter, how much of a difference do you feel the experience & qualifications of crewmembers makes to the performance of your boat?
Thanks.

Qualifications count toward two things: how fast the man tires and how much efficiency he contributes to the compartment.

I set for zero fatigue through SH3 Commander. Perhaps not fully realistic, but -- as in the real navy -- I expect my department heads and leading chiefs to ensure good rotation between watch and rest.

So that leaves compartment efficiency and my questions:

1) it seems that if you load officers with 3 qualifications, they will contribute "qualifcation efficiency" to their compartments (ie. a Watch, Engineering, and Torp qualified officer contributes to the conning tower, the engine room and torp room). Is this true? The manuals are unclear.

2) while you can load warrant officers and sailors with qualifications through SH3 Commander, it seems to me that all but the first qualifcation to warrants and ALL qualifications to sailors are "eye candy" that make no contribution to compartment efficiency. I.e., if you give a Warrant Officer quals in Watch and Engineering, he will affect efficiency only on the conning tower. And a sailor contributes nothing, no matter the qual. Is this true?

To large extent, this reflects real life. Officers generally have more than one qualification, CPOs/Warrants generally have one. Sailors do, too, in many cases, though here the game seems not to reflect that.

I use GWX 1.03, by the way.

[Heibges]

1. You must move the officer to the proper compartment for the officer to effect the efficiency of that compartment. In other words, a Torpedo Qualified Officer cannot increase Torpedo Room efficiency if he is in the Control Room.

2. Warrant Officers are only allowed 1 Qualification. Sailors do no get a qualification. So to answer your question, only the Warrant Officers first Qualification is active, and no Qualifications for sailors will be active.

Sailor do contribute a little bit to compartment efficiency.

[TarJak]

Not unless I'm forced to. I use SHIIICommander to train my crew to meet my needs and only add zero cost officers and crew unless none of them are available.

[Cezbor]

I spend my renown for sub - new type, equipment and weaponry. Only before first patrol I recruit skilled warrant officers and some sailors from barracks. I think that's the most resonable tactics.

[Huskalar]

I use my renown for a new u-boat and upgrades only. One of the reasons is that it gives me more satisfaction to get an experienced crew this way.

[Petsman]

I spend renown for sub and upgrades.

But the first time i take ( I start with IIA in 1939)


1 Officer with Watch, repair
1 Officer with torpedoman
1 Ofiicer with Helmsman and Machinist
and I leave the fourth as helmsman

when i take a vII i add one with watch,repair,torpedo

also


I take 1 senior or chief senior p.officer for each of the 3 vital compartment.

Sonar/radio station , engine room and repair station.


then I fill in the missing crew with 0 renown guys.

[Canovaro]

Yes if necessary, but officers only, not petty officers or sailors.