Changing my play style for survival

[sharkbit]

Originally Posted by HW3

A patrol technique that works for me is to run submerged for 6 hours at slow speed (2-3kts), surface and charge batteries, which takes about 1 hour, run submerged for another 6 hours and repeat.

If you do that before mid 1943, you are just giving up way too much flexibility in patrolling. Just think of the area you can cover on the surface compared to the area that you would cover when submerged and the potential targets that may be spotted. I rather rely on my watchcrew to see targets than the hydrophone pick up targets.

I might submerge during the day and run on the surface at night in areas that are heavily patrolled by aircraft early/mid war but I think running submerged when you do not need to is giving up the huge advantage that patrolling on the surface gives you.
Most of the time though, I patrol on the surface and rely on my watch crew to spot airplanes. "Aircraft Spotted!"= crash dive.

Having said all that, I'm starting to get into late 1943 and aircraft are making things a wee bit more difficult so patrolling submerged in certain areas may be a wise thing to do.
Come 1944, I may be singing the praises of your technique.