Shortest Career - Ever!

papa_smurf · 10-10-09, 06:03 AM

Started new career Oct '43 from Bergen with the idea of making it to late '44 so I could get a XXI.

From the outset things didn't look good. As I just leaving port all heel breaks loose as the base is bombed by the Allies - manage to get out with no damage. During the patrol I have to crash dive on numerous occasions to avoid aircraft, and thinking this was how my patrol was going to be like this all the way to my patrol grid, I settled in.

All this changed 5 days in as I was just past the Skye my radar operator detected a radar signal, so thinking yet another attack I dived to 40m, but upon diving I picked up multiple hydrophone contacts, so I plotted a course to intercept and found a taskforce and in the middle was this!

I thought to myself - JACKPOT! So blined by the thought I launched 4 fish straight at it not even thinking of the consequences. Boy did I regret it! As soon as I launched I dived as I would normally do, but was set upon by 2 destroyers which found my straight away (blasted sonar) - tried to evade with barely any success, they always found me! After taking heavy damage I was forced to surface and "surrendered"
(Thats how I saw it, but in game was destroyed)

Note to self - Back to 1939, its safer!

Wreford-Brown · 10-10-09, 06:15 AM

Did you get her?

papa_smurf · 10-10-09, 06:17 AM

Not even close

Platapus · 10-10-09, 07:41 AM

Can't understand why you would want to start a career in 43. 43 is when the game gets really sucky real fast.

One I had my one full war career done, I usually stop my subsequent careers at about that time.

Accurate simulations are one thing, but this is also supposed to be a fun game too.

Good luck with it. Hope the XXI will be worth it for you.

Jimbuna · 10-10-09, 10:33 AM

BE MORE AGGRESSIVE!!

papa_smurf · 10-10-09, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Can't understand why you would want to start a career in 43. 43 is when the game gets really sucky real fast.

Because I thought - "What the hell", plus I've never had a career that far into the war. Have learned my lesson, and going back to '39 with the bathtub (i.e. Type II)

sunvalleyslim · 10-10-09, 02:40 PM

Papa,
You wouldn't have ever known unless you tried........

rik007 · 10-10-09, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Platapus

Can't understand why you would want to start a career in 43. 43 is when the game gets really sucky real fast.

One I had my one full war career done, I usually stop my subsequent careers at about that time.

Accurate simulations are one thing, but this is also supposed to be a fun game too.

Good luck with it. Hope the XXI will be worth it for you.

Still you can have successes. You should be able to control yourself not to attack unless your sure you can. A low tonnage but for sure fun.

Iranon · 10-11-09, 06:59 AM

I prefer DiD careers starting from the beginning of the war... so far I have a worse survival rate than real U-boat commanders.

After an illustrious career and tonnage already in the 100,000s, dodging death while also trying to improve my record is exhilarating. If I start my career later in the war, I end up thinking 'what the heck' and die in reckless attacks.

TarJak · 10-11-09, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Platapus

Can't understand why you would want to start a career in 43. 43 is when the game gets really sucky real fast.

One I had my one full war career done, I usually stop my subsequent careers at about that time.

Accurate simulations are one thing, but this is also supposed to be a fun game too.

Good luck with it. Hope the XXI will be worth it for you.

You do it for the challenge. I find late war careers very rewarding particularly if you can manage to survive several patrols. The challenge is all about survival and stealth not easy tonnage. Maybe I've got strange tastes but I like a challenge and up until late '42 things are relatively easy.

Wreford-Brown · 10-12-09, 03:14 AM

I saw an interview with a U-boat commander on TV a couple of days ago who commanded a type VII off the coast of the UK in late '44 and early '45. He said that when considering which targets to attack it was always based on risk vs reward - a tramp steamer wasn't worth attacking because it gave away your position and the Allies would flood the area with anti-submarine assets. He would only attack big targets where he had a good chance of getting away (which was probably why he survived the war).

In game, late war is a game of cat and mouse with the Allies and is a great challenge. Do I try and attack the convoy, dive deep and hope they don't catch me? Do I stick to single merchants where the reward is less but the chances of getting away are greater? Decisons, decisions...

Jimbuna · 10-12-09, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wreford-Brown

In game, late war is a game of cat and mouse with the Allies and is a great challenge. Do I try and attack the convoy, dive deep and hope they don't catch me? Do I stick to single merchants where the reward is less but the chances of getting away are greater? Decisons, decisions...

Precisely

10-14-09, 09:43 PM

This is another thing I learned from reading some of Sailor Steves posts long before I joined The Forum.

Up until this time around, I always played DiD, right from 1939.
It realy got to be a rut. Every carreer was all about getting my big, beautiful Type IXB.

Now it's the boats that have a carreer, and compete amongst each other.
Not Me competing against Me.

When one boat's carreer ends, another boat's carreer begins.
This time I'm forcing myself to stick with The 7. Flotilla, and what boats are available to it.
It's a whole new ballgame, and as much as I don't like the VIIC, I do like being forced to experience it.

It realy is intersesting and challenging, to start off later in the war with 0 GRT.

My current boat is U338.
Patrol 1: 24.feb.43 til 27.mar.43 32.918 GRT
Patrol 2: 24.apr.43 til 05.maj.43 0 GRT
Patrol 3: 02.jun.43 til 05.jun.43 0 GRT
Patrol 4: 03.jul.43 til 05.aug.43 25.353 GRT

It's also interesting to find out how long (or short) these late war boats will live.

Thanks, Sailor Steve!

Hartmann · 10-14-09, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Platapus

Can't understand why you would want to start a career in 43. 43 is when the game gets really sucky real fast.

One I had my one full war career done, I usually stop my subsequent careers at about that time.

Accurate simulations are one thing, but this is also supposed to be a fun game too.

Good luck with it. Hope the XXI will be worth it for you.

because it´s hard and not easy. you have to get snorkel and radars as soon as you can, be cautious and silent, fire long shots, and wait targets of opportunity, forget stay surfaced during log times and go to far waters, caribbean ,africa.. and finally at the end you can use a XXI boat in summer of 1944 if you like the what if ... the key is survive patrols and become the most wanted "fish" of the ocean

And remember ...be agressive, not a fool

10-10-09, 06:03 AM	#1
papa_smurf Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: High Peak, Derbyshire Posts: 2,851 Downloads: 33 Uploads: 0	Shortest Career - Ever! Started new career Oct '43 from Bergen with the idea of making it to late '44 so I could get a XXI. From the outset things didn't look good. As I just leaving port all heel breaks loose as the base is bombed by the Allies - manage to get out with no damage. During the patrol I have to crash dive on numerous occasions to avoid aircraft, and thinking this was how my patrol was going to be like this all the way to my patrol grid, I settled in. All this changed 5 days in as I was just past the Skye my radar operator detected a radar signal, so thinking yet another attack I dived to 40m, but upon diving I picked up multiple hydrophone contacts, so I plotted a course to intercept and found a taskforce and in the middle was this! I thought to myself - JACKPOT! So blined by the thought I launched 4 fish straight at it not even thinking of the consequences. Boy did I regret it! As soon as I launched I dived as I would normally do, but was set upon by 2 destroyers which found my straight away (blasted sonar) - tried to evade with barely any success, they always found me! After taking heavy damage I was forced to surface and "surrendered" (Thats how I saw it, but in game was destroyed) Note to self - Back to 1939, its safer! __________________

10-10-09, 06:15 AM	#2
Wreford-Brown Sea Lord Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: In sight of Stonehenge Posts: 1,750 Downloads: 51 Uploads: 26	Did you get her? __________________ All my mods are available at MediaFire: SH3 Mods Other modders SH3 mods SH4 Mods ...you can't please all of the people all of the time...

10-10-09, 06:17 AM	#3
papa_smurf Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: High Peak, Derbyshire Posts: 2,851 Downloads: 33 Uploads: 0	Not even close __________________

10-10-09, 07:41 AM	#4
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,380 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	Can't understand why you would want to start a career in 43. 43 is when the game gets really sucky real fast. One I had my one full war career done, I usually stop my subsequent careers at about that time. Accurate simulations are one thing, but this is also supposed to be a fun game too. Good luck with it. Hope the XXI will be worth it for you. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

10-10-09, 10:33 AM	#5
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,621 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	BE MORE AGGRESSIVE!! __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

10-10-09, 02:40 PM	#7
sunvalleyslim Ace of the Deep Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles, Ca Posts: 1,142 Downloads: 267 Uploads: 0	Papa, You wouldn't have ever known unless you tried........ __________________ Crew member/ decommission member TM2(SS)(SD) 3/68-7/70 DIESEL BOATS FOREVER USS SEGUNDO (SS398)

10-11-09, 06:59 AM	#9
Iranon Loader Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 89 Downloads: 19 Uploads: 0	I prefer DiD careers starting from the beginning of the war... so far I have a worse survival rate than real U-boat commanders. After an illustrious career and tonnage already in the 100,000s, dodging death while also trying to improve my record is exhilarating. If I start my career later in the war, I end up thinking 'what the heck' and die in reckless attacks.

10-12-09, 03:14 AM	#11
Wreford-Brown Sea Lord Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: In sight of Stonehenge Posts: 1,750 Downloads: 51 Uploads: 26	I saw an interview with a U-boat commander on TV a couple of days ago who commanded a type VII off the coast of the UK in late '44 and early '45. He said that when considering which targets to attack it was always based on risk vs reward - a tramp steamer wasn't worth attacking because it gave away your position and the Allies would flood the area with anti-submarine assets. He would only attack big targets where he had a good chance of getting away (which was probably why he survived the war). In game, late war is a game of cat and mouse with the Allies and is a great challenge. Do I try and attack the convoy, dive deep and hope they don't catch me? Do I stick to single merchants where the reward is less but the chances of getting away are greater? Decisons, decisions... __________________ All my mods are available at MediaFire: SH3 Mods Other modders SH3 mods SH4 Mods ...you can't please all of the people all of the time...

10-14-09, 09:43 PM	#13
Snestorm Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	This is another thing I learned from reading some of Sailor Steves posts long before I joined The Forum. Up until this time around, I always played DiD, right from 1939. It realy got to be a rut. Every carreer was all about getting my big, beautiful Type IXB. Now it's the boats that have a carreer, and compete amongst each other. Not Me competing against Me. When one boat's carreer ends, another boat's carreer begins. This time I'm forcing myself to stick with The 7. Flotilla, and what boats are available to it. It's a whole new ballgame, and as much as I don't like the VIIC, I do like being forced to experience it. It realy is intersesting and challenging, to start off later in the war with 0 GRT. My current boat is U338. Patrol 1: 24.feb.43 til 27.mar.43 32.918 GRT Patrol 2: 24.apr.43 til 05.maj.43 0 GRT Patrol 3: 02.jun.43 til 05.jun.43 0 GRT Patrol 4: 03.jul.43 til 05.aug.43 25.353 GRT It's also interesting to find out how long (or short) these late war boats will live. Thanks, Sailor Steve!