realism issue

[Bosje]

wow and there i was, thinking i was doing stupidly impossible things

thanks a lot, thats exactly the kind of information i was looking for! (got to get my hands on those books you speak of, getting increasingly fascinated with the battle of the atlantic got any titles for me?)

The final question was more or less this: Would a character like Freiherr Beckman have been fired and court-martialed for endangering crew and boat? Or would he have been regarded an asset to the Uboat arm for being daring and innovative?

[Jimbuna]

Clay Blairs 2 volume set: Hitler's U-boat War.

[UnderseaLcpl]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Clay Blairs 2 volume set: Hitler's U-boat War.

Damnit you beat me to the punch. The other good book I read were Wolfpack and Night wolf of the Atlantic but I'm going to have to ask about the authors. Another great one is Operation Drumbeat, I think it's by Max Hastings.
You know, we should probably have a sticky for good books. I am of the opinion that no matter how great a movie or fiction story is, the real stories of war make any hollywood hack's tales pale by comparison.

edit: I found Blair's volume two to be rather depressing. It seemed mostly to be a list of U-boats and how they met their untimely demise....

Another edit for Bosje because I messed up, Titles for you; The aforementioned Hitler's U-boat War, Night Wolf of the Atlantic, Operation Drumbeat, Wolfpack, The Sea wolves.
Please bear in mind that the older books can still be a useful source of information as long as you cross reference them with the newer volumes. Some of the stories contained in them are nothing more than U-boat urban legends and some are difficult to verify.

[Bosje]

excellent! I was gonna browse around in the city looking for books on the subject, these titles will surely help

thank you very much, kind sirs

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Bosje

excellent! I was gonna browse around in the city looking for books on the subject, these titles will surely help

thank you very much, kind sirs

TBH there's a dozen or so high quality reference books I could mention (books used by us at GWX) but I'm a tad pushed for time at the moment.

If you get stuck drop me a line.

Just another couple of references U-Boats under the Swastika, Jak P. Malmann-Showell is a good technical piece as is Type VII U-Boats, Robert C. Stern. V.E. Tarrant's Last Year of the Kriegsmarine chronicles the final destruction of the U-Boat force but also includes S-Boat actions, the miniature U-Boat flotillas (Seehund's and Biber's) and the introduction of the Types XXIII and XXI into service.

Of interest in the latter is the waves of boats sent to operate in the shallow waters off the UK starting in August 1944. All together Mr. Tarrant notes seven distinct waves of Type VII and XXIII boats few of which made successful attacks and few of those actually survived.

I keep trying to replicate a successfull late 1944 inshore patrol but GWX 2.1 keeps killing me; am on boat #4 so far (a Type VII U-1010). Much like what actually happened.

Good Hunting

[1480]

Two other nice works, both from officers are Herbert A. Werner Iron Coffins and Another Place, Another Time Werner Hirschmann. The second is touted as an officer's wartime album, the last section is a tour of the boot that was captured by the RCN. Most of the photos of the interior were taken prior to it ever taking a war patrol. Werner's book is just outstanding. Blair's are canon on the subject and am still looking for more to read.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Bosje

wow and there i was, thinking i was doing stupidly impossible things

thanks a lot, thats exactly the kind of information i was looking for! (got to get my hands on those books you speak of, getting increasingly fascinated with the battle of the atlantic got any titles for me?)

The final question was more or less this: Would a character like Freiherr Beckman have been fired and court-martialed for endangering crew and boat? Or would he have been regarded an asset to the Uboat arm for being daring and innovative?

The real answer to that question probably depends on a combination of results and personality. Results because high command is going to let a lot of otherwise questionable tactics slide if the captain comes up a winner every time. Personality because the crew respects the way the captain treats them just as much as they enjoy winning the day.

A good captain knows what his ship can do, and makes sure every risk is carefully calculated, as well as making sure his men know he has their safety as much in mind as his own desire for victory.