SH3 Commander confusion

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by ntz

1) is it okay, that for stock crew I can add at the very beggining of the campaign (after first patrol usually still before ww2 started) unlimited amount of promotions and some badges, so I can turn initial 3 hellsmans + 1 watchman to four 3-skill officers each + same with adding skill to each Petty Officer ? How is it meant and what will it do with original concept of campaign, which should be that you receive these promotions and *skills as reward for service .

As U Crank said, in real life there is no such thing as an "unqualified" petty officer. It is the qualification that makes him a petty officer in the first place. Skills are not a reward for service. They are a part of a sailor's training. The radioman went to a school to learn those skills, and he may have served on another ship before becoming a submariner. Your "new" radioman may actually have more service experience than you. Giving them skills is more realistic than the way the game does it.

2) When I start with "Realistic" crew when starting new campaign in SH3cmdr i have to suffer first mission (usually before ww2 starts as in Aug/1939) with given set of 2 watchmans + 1 repairman and after first mission i can give them all promotions and skills same like described above .. how is this feature meant ? Why I can give Iron Cross to anybody before first encounter ?

No, it's not realistic to have a bunch of medals before the war even starts. On the other hand the game lets you give a few u-boat badges and one medal per patrol. If you have serious trouble and several crewmen deserve medals, then SH3 Commander becomes very helpful. Yes, you can use it to give out Iron Crosses to everyone, but that's up to you. As Rockin' Robbins once said, "Realism is in how you play, not in the game settings."

Like U Crank, my career starts with a shakedown patrol, which for me involves cruising to an open part of the harbor and then going right back to the dock. I then make sure that every PO has a skill before going on my first real patrol.

3) What do you think and do you use the feature of changing next patrol location as you wish ? Isn't AI making some global tactic decisions like covering with AI controlled captains other areas by some key ? why can single captain select his next mission targets ?

No, in real life the captain didn't select his patrol grid. On the other hand he went to the grid he was assigned and stayed there until further orders, not 24 hours as in the game. Since the game doesn't do that I stay in my assigned grid for a week, and if I don't see anything I roll a die. If I get a '6' I then pretend BdU assigned me a new grid and pick one nearby. Gallivanting all over the ocean because I already know where the easy pickings are.

Commander letting you pick your own grid is neither more nor less realistic than the way the game already does it.

[Steve Gad]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

.... my career starts with a shakedown patrol, which for me involves cruising to an open part of the harbour and then going right back to the dock. I then make sure that every PO has a skill before going on my first real patrol.

.

I hadn't realised that was possible. What I do to get decent crew, is to go to the boat outfitting screen, then right back to the barracks and I will find crew with 200 or so renown waiting - if renown allows of course.

[Pisces]

Originally Posted by Steve Gad

I hadn't realised that was possible. What I do to get decent crew, is to go to the boat outfitting screen, then right back to the barracks and I will find crew with 200 or so renown waiting - if renown allows of course.

There's this bug with renown awarded during your first patrol. If you modify anything to your boat before the first patrol, you'll likely loose the renown gained during it. So that includes crew changes. Been there, done that.

[Telemon]

Greetings all,

My own method with a new career is to dismis two of my 'helmsman' officers for zero cost ones with different skills, there might be a torpedo, engine or repair specialist. Having done that and as my career starts in Aug '39 I usually go on a couple of short 'shakedown' patrols into the Heligoland bight. Completing them gives me two opportunities to get a couple of my POs upgraded. As for the fifth officer slot I'll see what is on offer for my money(prestige points) and if there's no combination of skills available I'll wait 'till I complete my first patrol.

[irish1958]

Originally Posted by Steve Gad

I hadn't realised that was possible. What I do to get decent crew, is to go to the boat outfitting screen, then right back to the barracks and I will find crew with 200 or so renown waiting - if renown allows of course.

As noted above. Use CMDR but after the first patrol..