Knight's Cross for 16k Patrol!?

[onelifecrisis]

I just finished the third patrol in my current GWX DiD campaign. The first two patrols went unusually well given the green crew I had (77k and 70k respectively) and I was awarded the first and second iron crosses, which I felt I deserved.

But the third patrol went terribly - final score only 16k, and that was made of eight small (2k) merchants, all sunk on the surface using the deck gun. No torpedos fired at all, and I limped home with no fuel (having spent a month at sea trying to find something to shoot) and they gave me the Knight's Cross!

So now I'm thinking medals must awarded based on total tonnage to date and not on the merits of the individual patrol? :hmm:

Bizarre

[GoldenRivet]

Im pretty sure that medals are awarded based on total tonnage, not the tonnage of the patrol that resulted in the award.

I think the Knights cross comes at 150K total tonnage

[onelifecrisis]

I see...

At first I thought this odd, but a little reading on Wikipdia just now tells me this is actually how they did it in the war - a Knight's Cross was awarded when a U-boat commander reached 100,000 tons.

So, switch to

[Kaleu. Jochen Mohr]

lol. i had a few patrol where i got the IC 1,2 and KC at once. and the patrol after that i got all other KC's

[sunvalleyslim]

Never imply that you don't deserve an award. Adm. Doenitz does not take kindly to that. Later in your GWX patrols you'll just be thankful to return alive for another patrol

[Brag]

The best reward is Champagne, Cognac, women and song

[Shelton]

you also get medals depending on how many patrols you come back from, e.g. you get a uboat medal after 2 patrols regardless of tonnage.

[onelifecrisis]

3 crosses in one patrol!? That must have been some patrol

I must admit I'm dreading 1943. Haven't got there yet cos I keep starting DiD campaigs in 1939 and then dying in 1940 mind you every time it's been Scapa Flow.

must... resist... Scapa... Fllloooowww

[Kaleu. Jochen Mohr]

Originally Posted by onelifecrisis

3 crosses in one patrol!? That must have been some patrol

I must admit I'm dreading 1943. Haven't got there yet cos I keep starting DiD campaigs in 1939 and then dying in 1940 mind you every time it's been Scapa Flow.

must... resist... Scapa... Fllloooowww

it has been my grave for once
but it has been the brits grave for houndreds of times

[siber]

Ok, here's the thing: I'm chugging around in my Type IIA in 1939-40, and in 6 patrols (96 days) I've sunk 11 merchants for a total of 39,966 tonnes (I hear you scoff, but remember that I've only had 36 torpedos - 6 per patrol - total and no deck gun to speak of).

Yet after 3rd patrols - total 5 merchants sunk, 17525t - I was awarded the Iron Cross (2nd Class). After the 4th patrol - total 7 merchants sunk, 28124t - I was awarded BOTH the Iron Cross (1st Class) AND the German Cross. Finally, after 6th patrol, with my total of 11 merchants sunk for 40k tonnes I'm given the Knights Cross. I got the U-boat clasp and badges too.

I am at a loss to work out why I've been awarded these so early - by March 1940. I've only been seriously depthcharged once - I ran into a convoy heading up the British East coast in Dec. '39 - and have always come back with 100% hull integrity and no dead crew.

Perhaps it depends upon your standing amongst other u-boat aces, reported in the office? Or perhaps length of time on patrol? I'm not complaining, but how will BdU reward me once I get my hands on a Type VII or IX and really start sinking stuff?

[Kaleu. Jochen Mohr]

Originally Posted by siber

Ok, here's the thing: I'm chugging around in my Type IIA in 1939-40, and in 6 patrols (96 days) I've sunk 11 merchants for a total of 39,966 tonnes (I hear you scoff, but remember that I've only had 36 torpedos - 6 per patrol - total and no deck gun to speak of).

Yet after 3rd patrols - total 5 merchants sunk, 17525t - I was awarded the Iron Cross (2nd Class). After the 4th patrol - total 7 merchants sunk, 28124t - I was awarded BOTH the Iron Cross (1st Class) AND the German Cross. Finally, after 6th patrol, with my total of 11 merchants sunk for 40k tonnes I'm given the Knights Cross. I got the U-boat clasp and badges too.

I am at a loss to work out why I've been awarded these so early - by March 1940. I've only been seriously depthcharged once - I ran into a convoy heading up the British East coast in Dec. '39 - and have always come back with 100% hull integrity and no dead crew.

Perhaps it depends upon your standing amongst other u-boat aces, reported in the office? Or perhaps length of time on patrol? I'm not complaining, but how will BdU reward me once I get my hands on a Type VII or IX and really start sinking stuff?

ye shal recieve more for fewer patrols
and have the KC with oaky's swords and diamonds in gold before you know

[onelifecrisis]

OK after siber's post I'm really confused about the whole medals thing

But anyway, I have a question for the GWX players...

By staying clear of Scapa, I've made it to July 1940 (hurrah) and even managed to sink HMS Nelson, who I bumped into entirely by accident (extra hurrah) but now I have a problem. According to the GWX manual, my flotilla (2nd) transfers to Lorient this month. However, my mission orders state that I should return to Wilhemshaven (however you spell that) and all I've recieved by Radio is a message saying that there's a new port (or was it dock?) of operations at Lorient - not an instruction to return there. I'd like to return there, cos they've posted me to a DH patrol grid, and even on ahead one third I've had to go through Der Kanal (hugging the now-friendly French coast for all she's worth) just to get there.

So, what do I do? Where do I dock and how do I start operating from Lorient?

Thanks in anticipation
(mid patrol) OLC

Edit: couldn't resist adding a pic

[Kaleu. Jochen Mohr]

Originally Posted by onelifecrisis

OK after siber's post I'm really confused about the whole medals thing

But anyway, I have a question for the GWX players...

By staying clear of Scapa, I've made it to July 1940 (hurrah) and even managed to sink HMS Nelson, who I bumped into entirely by accident (extra hurrah) but now I have a problem. According to the GWX manual, my flotilla (2nd) transfers to Lorient this month. However, my mission orders state that I should return to Wilhemshaven (however you spell that) and all I've recieved by Radio is a message saying that there's a new port (or was it dock?) of operations at Lorient - not an instruction to return there. I'd like to return there, cos they've posted me to a DH patrol grid, and even on ahead one third I've had to go through Der Kanal (hugging the now-friendly French coast for all she's worth) just to get there.

So, what do I do? Where do I dock and how do I start operating from Lorient?

Thanks in anticipation
(mid patrol) OLC

when you start your patrol. do you get a message ?
if so then RETURN to THAT base and not willy
(follow the RADIO messages and not the patrol logg)

[Brag]

Lorient is now a friendly port. You may go there and resupply. Chances are that as you leave, you will get a message reasigning you to Lorient.

[onelifecrisis]

Originally Posted by Kaleu. Jochen Mohr

when you start your patrol. do you get a message ?
if so then RETURN to THAT base and not willy
(follow the RADIO messages and not the patrol logg)

Not at the start of the patrol, but 1 or 2 days after leaving "willy", I got a message from BDU which says (and I quote): A NEW SUBMARINE BASE IS AVAILABLE FOR OPERATIONS IN LORIENT.

That's it (so far). Is that the message you speak of, or should I wait for another?