The Final Patrol

[banryu79]

Awsome endeavor, Kaptlt.Endrass!

[maillemaker]

You've survived up until the last few days of the war without dying? No offense but I don't believe it.

It is possible. I have done it once at "100%" realism, but with map contacts still on. I am now trying with complete 100% realism with all options set to maximum realism.

I made it to mid 1944 before dying so far.

I do "cheat" in that I edit the files so that I have effectively infinite renown so that I can "buy" any hardware I want.

The keys to survival I find are these:

Stay out of shallow water. During evasion, you need to be able to go to 200-220 meters.

Never attack anything where escorts are around without 100% hull integrity. During evasion, you need to be able to go down to 200-220 meters and with a weak hull you can't, so you'll die.

As soon as homing torpedo are available, load up. I fill my aft tubes and internal storage with them. Make your convoy attack, and then take out the hard-charging escorts with the homing fish. It can be hard to make sure the homing fish follow the escorts and not merchants.

Once hedgehogs are available, unless you have a load of homing fish and a Type XXI sub where you can run from pursuing escorts while spiting out homing fish, your best bet is to attack from long range with pattern running torpedoes and hope for the best for hits. Launch from 5000+ meters out and head to 220 meters silent. With luck, they will never find you. If they do find you and you have no homing fish you're screwed.

Steve