Amount of days at sea

[Kapt Z]

I usually start for home when we near 50 days at sea. My last two patrols were around that time and we only sank one ship on each patrol.

I've also tried playing around with the fuel consumption/speed. Trying to find the magic speed to burn enough fuel that I am forced to go home at around 40-50 days.

[Tessa]

At least as a VIIb is concerned, at standard speed (14 knots) your max range is around 6900 km, whereas if you just lower it a bit to 1/3 speed (10 knots) you're range increases to 13k. Using the manual setting for speed 8 knots is the sweet spot in terms of fuel effeciency and range, you get almost 20k max range.

Depending on the year, there's some spots that you can pretty much just camp out in and actually use the patrol patterns and get frequent hits - like the Irish Sea, North African Coastline, Straight between Tunis and Sicily, the Gibraltor straight and whole area west of it. If you're lucky you might run into a whole convoy, but at the least you'll usually catch several pairs or 3-4 ships going together unescorted.

[Kapt Z]

Originally Posted by Tessa

At least as a VIIb is concerned, at standard speed (14 knots) your max range is around 6900 km, whereas if you just lower it a bit to 1/3 speed (10 knots) you're range increases to 13k. Using the manual setting for speed 8 knots is the sweet spot in terms of fuel effeciency and range, you get almost 20k max range.

Yes, 8 knots seems the most efficient. This patrol I am using 9 knots and it drops the range about 6000 km so we'll see.

Depending on the year, there's some spots that you can pretty much just camp out in and actually use the patrol patterns and get frequent hits - like the Irish Sea, North African Coastline, Straight between Tunis and Sicily, the Gibraltor straight and whole area west of it. If you're lucky you might run into a whole convoy, but at the least you'll usually catch several pairs or 3-4 ships going together unescorted.

I know just what you mean, I've been to grids where it seems you run into a ship or two almost every day.

As frustrating as low tonnage patrols can be gameplay wise I actually don't mind them too much when they happen. Good reminders that many boats never sunk anything.

[CherryHarbey]

I let the fuel act as my way of modelling provisions on board as I'm always on the move. my logic being that if you can sail for x days at the most economical speed then you must have had that many days food too otherwise why take so much fuel?
that said I usually run out torps before fuel.

[papa_smurf]

On average my patrols last around 30-40 days.

[Tessa]

Originally Posted by Kapt Z

Yes, 8 knots seems the most efficient. This patrol I am using 9 knots and it drops the range about 6000 km so we'll see.


I know just what you mean, I've been to grids where it seems you run into a ship or two almost every day.

As frustrating as low tonnage patrols can be gameplay wise I actually don't mind them too much when they happen. Good reminders that many boats never sunk anything.

Recently started re-reading Clay Blair's U-Boat War set of books, looking through the appendices as you point out there were a lot of patrols even early in the war that came back without having expending a single torpedo or round of ammunition. Then just gets more depressing as the war goes on that instead of the boats returning with an empty patrol they just don't return at all.

One huge game enhancement for us is that we get to enjoy and immerse ourselves in all the history yet not have to take the risks with our lives like the sailor originally did. As glorious as it was the times where Prien, Topp, Kretchsmer and the other top captains came sailing back home they were treated like conquering hero's (albeit many times deserved) they all ended up dead or if lucky captured and sat out the war as POW's. We have hindsight as our "Monday morning quarterback" to help us guide our patrols and know when something baad is just over the horizon and enough time to get the hell outta there.

Driving around in a VII at 8 or 9 knots while realistic, can feel so slow that you're not even moving at times. Long as I know a milk cow is going to remain in place, personally would plan a run to someplace like Halifax and Nex York at a faster pace (prolly round 12ish), will definitely be out of munitions going to either or both those locations. Being able to go to the North Atlantic Milk Cow cuts the travel tiem down signicantly and doesn't require the use of a type IX creates a lot of new opportunities to travel to far and exotic places and sink their ships

[Jimbuna]

Yes...it's always a good/reassuring feeling when you know there is a milch cow in your planned vicinity, this really opens up many more options.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Tessa

At least as a VIIb is concerned, at standard speed (14 knots) your max range is around 6900 km, whereas if you just lower it a bit to 1/3 speed (10 knots) you're range increases to 13k. Using the manual setting for speed 8 knots is the sweet spot in terms of fuel effeciency and range, you get almost 20k max range.

As it should be. Maximum ranges for real-life boats seem to all be given for 10 knots.

[desirableroasted]

Originally Posted by Tessa

Using the manual setting for speed 8 knots is the sweet spot in terms of fuel effeciency and range, you get almost 20k max range.

In GWX 3.0, you'll find this is closer to 32K for the VIIB.