My 2nd Patrol and Advice for promotions and upgrades..

[tycho102]

I upgrade my radio room guys, first thing.

The reason I do this is that I seem to get more information on my nav map concerning convoys and lone ships than when I'm running at 50% compartment efficiency. I get a rated masterchief (the game calls them warrant officers, whatever) in there working with a non-rate seniorchief. My first patrol I always buy the KDG hydrophones for 300 gold, and a masterchief for 200, so after the first patrol it's just a matter of rating that masterchief.

My radioroom guys also get first dibbs on medals and promotions. If there's a Gold Cross to be given out, it goes straight to the radioroom without a second thought.

After that, the priorities spread out. I always take another machinist chief, then a watch chief, and a torpedo guy. The engines get an extra knot of surface speed when you go from 50% to 100% manned compartment. The watch guys run ragged all the time, so I get someone to swap out with them. It's nice to have a fully manned rear torp room when you're inbetween convoy columns at the start of the war, too.