Attention Type II Captains! Upgrade question

Deathfrombelow23 · 01-06-08, 02:15 PM

I thought about it, but there is something cozy about the type II's. Does anyone else know what I mean or is it just me? Staying relatively close to home... 5 torpedoes so you have to make them count... etc, etc. Plus a smaller crew means more commradery!

Now that I have a IID I may be able to venture out into the Atlantic a bit. Or, maybe I will try to sneak into Scapa. I'm playing GWX 2.0. Anyone try a Scapa penetration in a type II in GWX 2.0 yet?

Philipp_Thomsen · 01-06-08, 02:37 PM

Penetrate Scapa is a hard task, doenst matter the boat you're using. There's a small entrance at east of it, really tight, with some dead merchants blocking most of the path. And yet inside u'll find a large and a medium tanker, a troop transport and some DDs... and there will be 2 o 3 destroyers trying to hunt you down if you put your engines more then ahead 2/3 or when you fire your first torpedo... so its about 50k tons for a really hard escape, shallow waters and some anti-sub nets, so its almost not worth it... much easier is to penetrate Bristol, and a lot more to sink there...

But dont fool yourself, the war is gigantic and your boat is nothing compared to it, so why dont you get a bigger boat and go to the atlantic and do more damage to the british navy? There's a lot of ships out there, sometimes you can get way more tonnes then invading ports, and its much more safe, coz ur in the wide open ocean, and u can dive as deep as your boat can take to evade destroyers and depth charges.

About the upgrades you asked... the range surfaced and submerged of the type II is really humble... if you upgrade a humble engine, it will become a little less humble, but we are talking small stuff here... i really dont think it worth the cost.. and besides, 5 torpedos??? are u kidding me???

Deathfrombelow23 · 01-06-08, 02:57 PM

I know, 1 merchant for 1,950 tons after 4 patrols sounds like nothing. I'm playing 100% DiD GWX 2.0 and I consider myself lucky to have sunk that! Considering the extremely short range of my IIA and the horrible performance of my torpedoes thus far, I'm lucky to have 1 ship to my credit. Had my torpedoes all worked, I would have 5 merhcants for approximately 15-18,000 GRT. I am going to complete my 5th patrol in my IIA and then upgrade to a new VII on my return to port since I will have enough renown. Scuttlebutt is that there's a new VIIB going to be launched soon, U-102. All of your logic about a bigger boat is making too much sense! Plus with a VIIB and a transfer to the 7th flotilla, in a few months I will be in France, enjoying the French girls, new U-boat pens and a shorter transit to the Atlantic!!

Brer Rabbit · 01-06-08, 10:42 PM

I began my career in a IIa out of Williamshaven, patrolled East coast of GB hiding in the deeper holes along th ecoast. I had limited success in the IIA averaging one ship per patrol. I upgraded to the IID and inproved batteries and engines as soon as I got enough renown. Once in the IID I had much better success primarily due to the greater range, and by improvement in by manual targeting. I increased my sinking to an average of 2 ships per patrol. I upgraded to the Type IID after my 8th patrol, primarily because I needed a deck gun and more torpedos. My next patrol resulted in 4 sinkings. I have recently been ordered to Brest and am currently negotiating the channel between Ireland and England enroute to AM68. I sank one small cargo north in GB and misses a shot at a small coastal.

Hopefully I made the right deision to venture through this channel rather than going down th ewest coast of Ireland. During my three missions with the Type VIID weather has prevented full use of th edeck gun, but it has also spared me from the attention of air craft so far, though I have been bombed a few times.

Good luck on your career and enjoy your time in the Type II but you will really enjoy the Type VII. The type II allowed me to improve my targeting, and tactics, befor I ventured into long patrols.

Bring back alive

Graf Paper · 01-07-08, 09:44 AM

I've always preferred starting a career in 1939 rather than later in the war.

The Type II U-boat is a very good "warm-up" boat. It's smaller size and crew complement makes it much easier to learn and master the finer points of U-boat warfare during the "Happy Times" era of the war so an aspiring kaleun has a much greater chance of surviving the later years of WWII.

I usually trade up to a VIIB as soon as I have the 2500 renown needed, after about three or four patrols, and then get the GWK engine upgrade after I have the renown to do so because it transforms the VIIB from a sluggish sea cow into a lethal shark, nearly doubling your u-boat's surface speed and making it much easier to intercept merchants or run away from warships closing on your position.

Although many have counseled you to trade up to the VIIB, Deathfrombelow23, I'd say to just go with whatever you like. Although SH3 is a simulation, it is still just a game and the most important feature of any game is fun.

It might very well be fun and quite interesting to play out a u-boat career in the Type II for the entire six-year run of the war (or for as long as you survived). 1943-45 would certainly be challenging, if not downright impossible!

rizZO_77 · 01-07-08, 12:09 PM

Most of the time i upgrade to a VIIB as soon as possible due to the obvious reasons but i have had a career where i sticked to my type II because of the shorter patrols you have in it.

The dug out canoe has got it's charm, i agree but imho the type VII is too great a step forward to make the decision not to upgrade

TriskettheKid · 01-07-08, 03:27 PM

I've now had three full careers in a Type II (going to start one soon for GWX 2.0), and I can honestly say that it is quite the challenge.

I pretty much HAD to stick to the entrance to the Channel, the Med, or the Black Sea, in order to actually sink anything.

But, man, when you're on fire in that thing, you're on fire. I have yet to get a 100k patrol in my trusty Type II, but I've come close (around 89k).

In short, the only way to really succeed in a Type II is to be as cautious as possible....unless you're like me and find the allure of raiding harbors far too great to pass on.

01-07-08, 09:44 AM	#5
Graf Paper Ace of the Deep Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Pacific Northwest United States Posts: 1,146 Downloads: 41 Uploads: 2	I've always preferred starting a career in 1939 rather than later in the war. The Type II U-boat is a very good "warm-up" boat. It's smaller size and crew complement makes it much easier to learn and master the finer points of U-boat warfare during the "Happy Times" era of the war so an aspiring kaleun has a much greater chance of surviving the later years of WWII. I usually trade up to a VIIB as soon as I have the 2500 renown needed, after about three or four patrols, and then get the GWK engine upgrade after I have the renown to do so because it transforms the VIIB from a sluggish sea cow into a lethal shark, nearly doubling your u-boat's surface speed and making it much easier to intercept merchants or run away from warships closing on your position. Although many have counseled you to trade up to the VIIB, Deathfrombelow23, I'd say to just go with whatever you like. Although SH3 is a simulation, it is still just a game and the most important feature of any game is fun. It might very well be fun and quite interesting to play out a u-boat career in the Type II for the entire six-year run of the war (or for as long as you survived). 1943-45 would certainly be challenging, if not downright impossible! __________________ Still sailing the high seas, hunting convoys with those who join me.

01-07-08, 12:09 PM	#6
rizZO_77 Sailor man Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Middelburg, Netherlands Posts: 45 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Most of the time i upgrade to a VIIB as soon as possible due to the obvious reasons but i have had a career where i sticked to my type II because of the shorter patrols you have in it. The dug out canoe has got it's charm, i agree but imho the type VII is too great a step forward to make the decision not to upgrade __________________ so we've got torpedo's on this heap of junk.... Where are the phaser banks?

01-06-08, 02:15 PM	#1
Deathfrombelow23 Electrician's Mate Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 134 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	I thought about it, but there is something cozy about the type II's. Does anyone else know what I mean or is it just me? Staying relatively close to home... 5 torpedoes so you have to make them count... etc, etc. Plus a smaller crew means more commradery! Now that I have a IID I may be able to venture out into the Atlantic a bit. Or, maybe I will try to sneak into Scapa. I'm playing GWX 2.0. Anyone try a Scapa penetration in a type II in GWX 2.0 yet?

01-06-08, 02:37 PM	#2
Philipp_Thomsen Old Gang Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Drunk at the whorehouse Posts: 2,278 Downloads: 146 Uploads: 0	Penetrate Scapa is a hard task, doenst matter the boat you're using. There's a small entrance at east of it, really tight, with some dead merchants blocking most of the path. And yet inside u'll find a large and a medium tanker, a troop transport and some DDs... and there will be 2 o 3 destroyers trying to hunt you down if you put your engines more then ahead 2/3 or when you fire your first torpedo... so its about 50k tons for a really hard escape, shallow waters and some anti-sub nets, so its almost not worth it... much easier is to penetrate Bristol, and a lot more to sink there... But dont fool yourself, the war is gigantic and your boat is nothing compared to it, so why dont you get a bigger boat and go to the atlantic and do more damage to the british navy? There's a lot of ships out there, sometimes you can get way more tonnes then invading ports, and its much more safe, coz ur in the wide open ocean, and u can dive as deep as your boat can take to evade destroyers and depth charges. About the upgrades you asked... the range surfaced and submerged of the type II is really humble... if you upgrade a humble engine, it will become a little less humble, but we are talking small stuff here... i really dont think it worth the cost.. and besides, 5 torpedos??? are u kidding me???

01-06-08, 02:57 PM	#3
Deathfrombelow23 Electrician's Mate Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 134 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	I know, 1 merchant for 1,950 tons after 4 patrols sounds like nothing. I'm playing 100% DiD GWX 2.0 and I consider myself lucky to have sunk that! Considering the extremely short range of my IIA and the horrible performance of my torpedoes thus far, I'm lucky to have 1 ship to my credit. Had my torpedoes all worked, I would have 5 merhcants for approximately 15-18,000 GRT. I am going to complete my 5th patrol in my IIA and then upgrade to a new VII on my return to port since I will have enough renown. Scuttlebutt is that there's a new VIIB going to be launched soon, U-102. All of your logic about a bigger boat is making too much sense! Plus with a VIIB and a transfer to the 7th flotilla, in a few months I will be in France, enjoying the French girls, new U-boat pens and a shorter transit to the Atlantic!!

01-06-08, 10:42 PM	#4
Brer Rabbit Briar Patch Runner Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 95 Downloads: 89 Uploads: 0	I began my career in a IIa out of Williamshaven, patrolled East coast of GB hiding in the deeper holes along th ecoast. I had limited success in the IIA averaging one ship per patrol. I upgraded to the IID and inproved batteries and engines as soon as I got enough renown. Once in the IID I had much better success primarily due to the greater range, and by improvement in by manual targeting. I increased my sinking to an average of 2 ships per patrol. I upgraded to the Type IID after my 8th patrol, primarily because I needed a deck gun and more torpedos. My next patrol resulted in 4 sinkings. I have recently been ordered to Brest and am currently negotiating the channel between Ireland and England enroute to AM68. I sank one small cargo north in GB and misses a shot at a small coastal. Hopefully I made the right deision to venture through this channel rather than going down th ewest coast of Ireland. During my three missions with the Type VIID weather has prevented full use of th edeck gun, but it has also spared me from the attention of air craft so far, though I have been bombed a few times. Good luck on your career and enjoy your time in the Type II but you will really enjoy the Type VII. The type II allowed me to improve my targeting, and tactics, befor I ventured into long patrols. Bring back alive

01-07-08, 03:27 PM	#7
TriskettheKid Planesman Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 186 Downloads: 13 Uploads: 0	I've now had three full careers in a Type II (going to start one soon for GWX 2.0), and I can honestly say that it is quite the challenge. I pretty much HAD to stick to the entrance to the Channel, the Med, or the Black Sea, in order to actually sink anything. But, man, when you're on fire in that thing, you're on fire. I have yet to get a 100k patrol in my trusty Type II, but I've come close (around 89k). In short, the only way to really succeed in a Type II is to be as cautious as possible....unless you're like me and find the allure of raiding harbors far too great to pass on.