Trying to play at 100% Difficulty lvl BUT!

[SnowCajun]

As time has progressed through the game I've been upping my difficulty levels and learning to manually fire my torpedoes, but the one thing I'm having trouble with is I can't seem to make it to Japan without getting into a fuel crisis while returning. I'm based at Pearl Harbor, when I leave I go to Midway to refuel then head out to Japan, but before I even get to Japan I've already hit 50% fuel left leaving me no extra fuel to patrol with. I've tried going over at slower speeds ect.. I know I must be missing something. I know in real life the boats could get there and patrol for a month, but that's not happening for me. Can someone tell me what I'm missing?

Thanks,
SnowCajun

[seafarer]

What speed are you running at? When I am in a Gato or Balao, I cruise from Midway to my patrol area at about 9 knots (set the speed manually). I will then arrive off Honshu with usually around 75%-78% of my fuel left (weather has some affect).

If you cruise at telegraph setting "standard" you will always have a fuel problem.

[tomoose]

At 2/3 or less you can easily get to Japan and back. Are you using a mod or stock?
If you're using the stock game then perhaps getting a mod (i.e. TM) will help as I believe the fuel and battery usage was tweaked to a more realistic configuration.

[black1]

Seafarer how do you set the speed manually?

[seafarer]

Just click the button just below the telegraph and it will switch between the regular motor telegraph and a knot meter. With the knot meter showing, just click the speed you want (actually, I find you need to click just a tad more then the speed you want set, and listen for the confirmation to be sure you got want you intended).

For Tambor/Gato/Balao class, I seem to get my best fuel economy setting the speed at 9 knots - I can easily get to and from south Honshu from Midway, and have about 1/2 (or a bit more) of my fuel for operations in my patrol area that way (I usually start heading home by about 30% fuel left as I don't want to cut it too fine on the return leg).

[AVGWarhawk]

I do what Seafarer does plus, when I do hit the patrol area I drop my speed to 7-8 knts to conserve fuel. Also, blasting around in Japanese waters tends to attract attention. I use flank only to end round the surface skimmers.

[Powerthighs]

At 2/3 or less you can easily get to Japan and back.

It's important to point out that you will get max fuel economy at 9 knots. Going faster, or slower, will give you less miles per gallon.

Going slower will, however, burn less fuel per hour, so that is useful if you are patrolling and not trying to get to a specific place.