First GWX patrol

[A Very Super Market]

Playing GWX is real joy, and I'd like to thank the creators for making such an awesome mod for my favorite game. Still, I find it rather strange that I can sail past the british coast surfaced and running into fishing boats but not getting bombed to bits. Maybe its just that its only 1939.


So anyways, after a shakedown cruise from Konigsberg (which is an absolute pain to get out of) I was tranferred to Kiel (thankfully) in 7th flotilla. Since I started before the war began, I quickly ran over and parked myself in Scapa Flow, thinking I could snag a Battleship or two. There weren't any there, and I left time compression on too long so the destroyers quickly obliterated my painfully obvious U-boat. :\

Scratch that, new plan. I went over to Poland, and parked myself there to wait for some unfortunate ship to sail over the horizon. This time, some Polish destroyers sank me. I was dissapointed to die, but it was better than stock SH3 with no defence whatsoever for most navies

After these two humbling experiences, I decided to actually do my job and patrol square AM 53, going through the canal and cutting straight to the English coast to get a few free gun kills from some unsuspecting fisherman. They're probably high command officers in disguise anyways! Sadly, before I could perform my destruction of evil trawlers, a destroyer spotted me. I instinctively dived, hoping to escape my previous fates. BOOM.. I hit a mine

I really need to get better at this game....

[peterloo]

Welcome to GWX mod. That is really one of the greatest SH3 mods made.

As you've pointed out, the ability of AI to detect submarines has improved. So, you must exercise caution. Even in early war, the AI can kill you pretty easily. This is coherent to the real life scenario.

Here are some advices

(1) Try to stay in deep water (water depth > 50m) since it gives you more room to maneuvre when you are under attack. You can attack in shallow water, it is up to you, but be warned that your enemy can seek revenge easily.

(2) Avoid naval ports. Harbor raids can be fun and very rewarding if executed properly, but you better be careful. Britain is known to have laid an extensive minefield covering its ports during WWII, not to mention shallow water and lots of patrols. If you want a raid, check the minefield at the opening of the port (or follow the patrolling destroyers --- they know where the minefields are), plan your escape route if things gets bad, and if there are 1 or 2 destroyers as patrols, and if excess torpedoes are available, kill them simutaneously as your target (this can be hard as they keep moving in a eccentric way). Never try to shell inshore targets, or surface near coast. You will never know where a shore battery is, and when you know it, you probably get killed. The British Canal and most naval ports have shore batteries.

(3) Your job is to hunt down merchants not destroyers nor tug boats. BTW, you should never go into British canal. Again, the same reason

(4) Guns are used only when
(i) Your target does not merit a torpedo (generally, weight < 1000 tons) OR
(ii) Your target has been struck by torpedo(s) but still afloat. You do not want to waste another on it. AND
(iii) Your target is unarmed (no desk guns nor flak guns --- merchant ships get guns in later war) AND
(iv) There is no patrols nearby

Everyone agrees the westen approach is a decent hunting ground in early war, and it is still a decent one later in war (if you are skillful enough to evade the destroyers), since most ships will pass there, and there is deep water as well. If you command small boats (Type II, or Type XXIII) Easten British Isle is decent

(3) Never go to British Canals. That's the rule for any skipper.

Good luck. It's hard to get used to the difficulty of GWX but you can do it.

[Kpt. Lehmann]

Cheers Very Super Market,

Read Appendix "B" in the GWX manual included with your installation.

Originally Posted by peterloo

(3) Never go to British Canals. That's the rule for any skipper.

It's not a rule, but it is strongly recommended to avoid this area. At least untill France fells. My pal who's the neebiw to GWX has successfully raided this channel couple of times, before that I warned him of all dangers lurking there. Still got lucky to survive so it's matter of luck I think

Some instructions I'm making for safety first precautions before deck gun attack is always submerged hydrophone sweep, to asure the target is realy lonely. (no patrols around). This is mostly important to do when you decide to attack big ships with deck gun, that may take longer to destroy.

[Jimbuna]

Looking like revival time for old dependable......

STAY OUT OF THE ENGLISH CHANNEL

[mr chris]

Glad to hear you are enjoying the GWX Experience.

As Kpt. Lehmann stated above have a read through the GWX manual that came with the mod. The are some great tips and tutorials from the team in there.

Happy Hunting.

[papa_smurf]

Welcome aboard

Don't worry over time you'll get better. If you need help just look on these forums, or just ask. Thats what were here for.


Good Hunting!

[Laufen zum Ziel]

Welcome aboard. You will soon be an addict.

[A Very Super Market]

Sorry, I guess I wasn't very clear, I never went through the English Channel. I went through the Kiel canal. It was in the North Sea when I hit a mine.

And about the manual, its a really long read...500 pages. I'm up to about page 200.

Thanks everybody for the advice, and um.. addiction warnings, I'll steer clear of the channel anyways.

[snordin]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Looking like revival time for old dependable......

STAY OUT OF THE ENGLISH CHANNEL

Bah....the Channel's not THAT bad. Well, at least not from what I've seen. Although, that is where I've encountered those dirty fast freighters....so maybe....

Steve
Ignorance is bliss.

[Toshan]

Before i tell you of MY first patrol with GWX i want you to know that i haven't played this game for almost a year. So i'm re-learning everything (though i can't say it's much to re-learn since i hadn't played for a long time before i stopped).

So anyway, I'm heading out of Wilhelmshaven (at night) hoping that this first patrol with GWX will be a succesful one. Shortly after ordering "Ahead standard" i hear the sound of airplanes and after that something that i think are explosions. I assume that the airplanes are attacking the harbor (but now that i think about it, has the war started when you begin in 1939?) and ask my navigator for depth under the keel. The answer is 35 meters. "Then i can safely go down to 12 meters", i think. And at first there are no problems. But after a couple of hundred meters i hear that sound of metal grinding against the ocean floor. Then there start coming in reports of torpedo room damage, heavy flooding and basically damage all over the boat. 2 crew members are also killed instantly. I quickly order the boat to surface. But this doesn't help at all, instead the depth meter sinks to 15 meters (don't know why. I don't think i could sink much more) and nothing happens. The last things that goes through my mind before the boat is destroyed is: "I shouldn't have painted that giant 13 on the conning tower".

[YukonJack_AK]

@ Super Market - If you're looking to set your sights on a battleship try hunting just north of Londonderry (Ireland). Especially around mid to late 1940 - You'll usually spot a convoy escorted by the HMS Nelson or HMS Rodney! Sinking them is another matter entirely...

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by snordin

Bah....the Channel's not THAT bad. Well, at least not from what I've seen. Although, that is where I've encountered those dirty fast freighters....so maybe....

Steve
Ignorance is bliss.

Keep an eye out for the spikey things

[Brag]

Operate in deep water. Stay out of the channel--ports are for going home, not to attack.

[A Very Super Market]

Hehe, I've learned to avoid the temptation of ports is stock SH3. The ships there never seem to register even when I've hit them 3 times! Still, I'd like to see a nice, juicy capital ship sitting at moor. The only time I've done that is with the Nelson back in stock. BIG, GIGANTIC explosion.

Yesterday, just for fun, I tried to sail into the english channel in 1945. Lost with all hands before I even reached the Netherlands. oO