What do you guys do for patrols??

So Im in a bit of a bind and need some guidance, more like Id like to see how you individual Kaulens do your own war patrols. Usually Im givin a sector (in this case BE29, the only reason I waste fuel is because Im still playing at very low realism and once I get the hang of things more my first 'changes' are going to be limited fuel, air and etc and probably duds, pretty much everything except manual targeting) to patrol and I do go patrol it, however I make it a habit to pass some 'areas of opportunity' along the way like on this patrol I went up and around England around the top of Scapa Flow and managed to find 2 merchants on the way, my new plan is to sit on the edge of BE and AL and patrol back and forth in about a 100-200 km line (3 convoy lanes converge here) and wait until something nice pops up. if nothing comes up for a few days I plan on heading back to base but trying to maybe sit outside of scapa flow for a day and maybe pick up a nice merchant contact or two (this is where my last two sinkings occured)

But my question is, what do you all tend to do on patrols?? Id really like to find some 'nice waters' that any of you could reccomend, yes the shipping lanes map helps but theres got to be some stuff thats not represented on it right??

PS: many say its not a good idea to go through the Dover Strasse(Strait)? When should I stop using it? I havent yet but Im in 1939 and figure around 40 I should not use it at all then.

[JokerOfFate]

Use the map thats all I got to say on that.

NE of Ireland, convoy route and lots of lone merchants, but high air coverage and warships pass often.

West of Gibraltar, massive convoy route, lots of lone merchants, lots air cover and tonnes of warships but mush bigger game as well.

Thats where I go mostly although it never hurts to explore and I know that the BE area is full of ships, convoys and planes.

As far as I know you're pretty new to this so I think it would be better to leave the first two till you get to grips with the game and all, but its your choice.

[JokerOfFate]

P.S. In GWX you don't get paid for completing patorls so no point really I don't do them, why waste fuel and time for nothing.


Pretty simple if I don't get paid I don't work.

What about the far/mid atlantic? Are there any really nice spots to pick ships off from out there? aside from routes?

[JokerOfFate]

I'll go check the map

[JokerOfFate]

What happened to my avatar?!
-don't worry it changed (thank god)
Anyway point out the grid code (AN,BE) and I'll give you some spots.

[frau kaleun]

The English Channel becomes increasingly perilous as the war progresses. Personally the only time I would go through there is on an August 1939 shakedown cruise or, if my second patrol starts early enough, on my way out to an Atlantic patrol grid provided I can get in one end and out the other before the war starts.

Due to the shallow water there it's a very bad place to get caught out by the Royal Navy - plus I expect that some of it is going to be mined after Sept 1939 and given how narrow it is to begin with, that can't be a good thing for any u-boat trying to make the passage.

And on a "performance" note I find the heavy traffic there usually slows my play down to what seems like a standstill, especially trying to get between Dover and Calais submerged. Just too many contacts constantly dropping me back to 1 TC. And it's not like I'm going to go after any of them, because I don't want the RN or the RAF getting wind of my presence and coming after me there.

That said, I always set a course for my assigned grid when I begin a patrol and once I'm there I patrol it for the "required" 24 hours. I've modded the renown awards for doing so back into my game, mostly to avoid the temptation of ignoring my orders completely.

I'll have a go at any targets of opportunity that pop up along the way, and if I get a contact report of something I might be able to intercept without going too far off course I'll take a chance on that as well - but for the most part, I'm taking the shortest route to my assigned grid while still staying just out of range of the RAF and in the "friendliest" water possible for as long as I can. Since I'm only up to Sept 1940, this is not very difficult.

Once I've done my 24 hours, it's a toss-up. If I'm having success in the area, I'll usually stay there, maybe working my way into an adjoining grid every few days. If I get radio messages or contact reports that can be used as a "legitimate" reason to head off for another area entirely, I may do that. When I get to the point where I need to transfer my external eels into the tubes, that can serve as a reason to head for a quieter spot in which to attempt it. If I'm having a really good luck and closer to a resupply ship than home, I may eventually head there to refuel and rearm instead of returning to base, after which (according to the game) I have no "orders" to do anything in particular, so I can set a course more or less for home but set up camp anywhere I please if I find good hunting along the way.

It really is very open-ended, since even if you're still getting the stock renown award for following your initial orders, it's not necessary to follow them in order to "win" because it's not that kind of game in the first place. The only real way to win is to still be alive when the war's over. Everybody has his/her own way of determining what exactly to do on patrol, with varying levels of attempted "realism" according to what makes it a more satisfying experience for each individual. You'll just have to find a way of your own that makes playing the best experience for you at any given moment. And for that, experience will probably be the best teacher.

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by JokerOfFate

What happened to my avatar?!

Avatars change according to how many posts you've made. Keep watching, you've still got some fun surprises in store for you.

[JokerOfFate]

Originally Posted by frau kaleun

Avatars change according to how many posts you've made. Keep watching, you've still got some fun surprises in store for you.

It was the bangkok one that got me there....

[Draka]

Gonna ask a question, then proceed based on your answer.

From all your posts/threads, I know you are new to this and greatly enthused. This is a good thing! However, about now you kinda hafta make a decision on your goals.

This forum is mainly geared towards those who take this real seriously, with the emphasis on simulation - making it as real as you can. In that vein, skills like maneuvering in and out of berths, navigating the Kiel canal, and so on become as much enjoyment as sinking ships. If this is the way you want to go, then you will get one set of advice - such as remaining in your patrol area for 30 days or so and then "radioing" BdU for another assignment. There is an app that does that. There are many, many mods that will aid in this.

If on the other hand you just want to rack up a massive tonnage rating and/or earn every available award "in game", then you will get a different set - such as where to go for the highest ranking in tonnage, and/or the places to find the most exotic kills. There are a completely different set of mods that will give you abilities or equipment that did not exist, or are enhanced versions of what they did have.

Which way do you feel is what YOU want out of SH3?

Edit: I take so long to type that Frau Kaleun got in first - AND said it better!

Danke Frau

Yeah I find that being anywhere near that shallow water gets me killed easily. I dont like it one bit. I can deal with around 40 to 60 meters but when Im at P depth with about 10 or 20 M below me, I get reaaaaal nervous. what I usually do is go to my grid. Hit some merchants on the way (usually when Im pretty confident about being alone in the water there) then get nothing on my grid, then head for a nearby port and just camp around outside of it. since merchants come in and out all the time. I have bad luck with convoys and TF's since they almost always are either too far to intercept, or too fast and moving in a ridiculous direction for me to even think of catching up. But I dont mind the single merchant thing for now, Im getting better at intercepts as I dont have to look at a quick reference anymore, so this is a plus

Originally Posted by Draka

Gonna ask a question, then proceed based on your answer.

From all your posts/threads, I know you are new to this and greatly enthused. This is a good thing! However, about now you kinda hafta make a decision on your goals.

This forum is mainly geared towards those who take this real seriously, with the emphasis on simulation - making it as real as you can. In that vein, skills like maneuvering in and out of berths, navigating the Kiel canal, and so on become as much enjoyment as sinking ships. If this is the way you want to go, then you will get one set of advice - such as remaining in your patrol area for 30 days or so and then "radioing" BdU for another assignment. There is an app that does that. There are many, many mods that will aid in this.

If on the other hand you just want to rack up a massive tonnage rating and/or earn every available award "in game", then you will get a different set - such as where to go for the highest ranking in tonnage, and/or the places to find the most exotic kills. There are a completely different set of mods that will give you abilities or equipment that did not exist, or are enhanced versions of what they did have.

Which way do you feel is what YOU want out of SH3?

Edit: I take so long to type that Frau Kaleun got in first - AND said it better!

I see it as a simulation and I want to gear up that way, like you said at first however, it being a simulation I want to (again working my way up the realism ladder) be able to be a feared U boat captain with alot of tonnage (realistically) that being, Im also sure that at least a few U boat captains had to deviate from their natural patrol grids to possibly sink tonnage of incoming convoys (why not if it hinders the British?)

Im not in it to over get every award, at this moment I am really just trying to play around with the game and get a feel bit by bit for what I need to do, for example, Interception, Ive now gotten that down pretty good and can make a decent judgement on what and what not I should intercept, next is evasion which Ive done alright at lately, I actually evaded and snuck away from a couple destroyers chasing me and in relatively shallow waters

The only reason Im asking my questions, such as this post, so open ended is because I want answers from either side (tactics wise) that way I a, find and develop a style to my liking and b, I have a variety of tactics I can use in my bag. That being said, my tactics will surely change once I enable more and more realism settings and I am expecting this (ie Ill be more likely to patrol my grid like a real U boat Kaulen would and head home due to fuel, constraints or damage taken) I get enjoyment out of it being a simulation even though its darned hard for me, Im just trying to learn as much as I can as quick as I can (Im a sort of Cram learner/ hands on and in that respect I have to say from my ridiculous number of posts asking various things I would say since day one which was only last Thursday I think I've made quite the improvement from what I was which is what excites me, the fact that Im getting better)

[JokerOfFate]

Just a bit on your tactics there, you'll have a mix of a & b
A) a set tactic
B) a bag'o'tricks you can whip out if needs be

I learned that this game is all about personal preference.

Happy Hunting

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by USNSRCaseySmith

Danke Frau

Yeah I find that being anywhere near that shallow water gets me killed easily. I dont like it one bit. I can deal with around 40 to 60 meters but when Im at P depth with about 10 or 20 M below me, I get reaaaaal nervous. what I usually do is go to my grid. Hit some merchants on the way (usually when Im pretty confident about being alone in the water there) then get nothing on my grid, then head for a nearby port and just camp around outside of it. since merchants come in and out all the time. I have bad luck with convoys and TF's since they almost always are either too far to intercept, or too fast and moving in a ridiculous direction for me to even think of catching up. But I dont mind the single merchant thing for now, Im getting better at intercepts as I dont have to look at a quick reference anymore, so this is a plus

I was hopeless at intercepts when I first started, I'd just get a contact report and head off in whatever direction seemed appropriate at ahead full until I got within striking distance of the projected course... then I'd start backtracking along it or chasing behind to see if I could find them. And I had no real feel for the distances involved, I'd go chasing things that I didn't have a chance in Hades of actually catching.

And I don't like shallow water either, my last patrol put me in the area between Northern Ireland and the Hebrides and I didn't like it one bit. I survived, even after three encounters with unhappy destroyers, and I'm not sure how since I crash dived once and ended up with about 5m under my keel and surely they could've blasted me to pieces if they'd been able to stay on top of me. The worst was when I got a grid just east of Scapa and got spotted by a task force of 4 DDs - I went as deep as I could but with 4 of them to take turns hunting and attacking... oy. That was a very short career.

[fastfed]

Originally Posted by JokerOfFate

P.S. In GWX you don't get paid for completing patorls so no point really I don't do them, why waste fuel and time for nothing.


Pretty simple if I don't get paid I don't work.

YEP!! It really sucks!! I don't go to my "grid area" any more either.. I don't know why the GWX team couldn't of added (XXX renown for getting to grid, XX renown for 24 hour patrol, and XXX renown for making it home)