How long do you patrol before returing to base

[bobdina]

I usually do 45 day patrols because anything longer and I am constantly rearming and I don't think that's too realistic . I am using the latest TMO . I finally downloaded it about a month ago because being totally computer illiterate I was scared I was going to screw something up , however the tutorial(when I finally read it) made it easy peasy . Thanks for any input.

[Soviet Creeper]

Till I get 100000 tonnage. Or a battleship :>

[sharkbit]

From what I've read, most boats would remain in their patrol area for 2 to 4 weeks before heading home unless torpedoes ran out first, which would be a good thing , or fuel became a issue.

I keep that in mind when I patrol. If things are going slow and fuel is getting low, I head for the barn. If I get a low scoring patrol, so be it. It's not like that never happened in real life.

[Matthew_T_Sherman]

Before I modded and was still playing stock I would patrol past the point of no return and never make it back due to fuel (no calling for a sub tender to refuel me). Ship contacts were few but command would try to send me all over the Pacific with no regard for the 1 nautical mile per gallon (it seemed) I was getting. With the mod .... I still putter about to the extent of my fuel limit - ship contacts being fewer - plane contacts being more.

It's all about the gas mileage, baby.

[razark]

I run until I'm low on fuel or torpedoes. I only refuel on my way to or from a patrol. Constantly refueling/rearming is somewhat unrealistic, and you'll miss out on upgrades that way.

[White Owl]

Frankly, it never occurred to me that I could rearm and head back out without ending the patrol. Don't you want equipment upgrades and new crew as soon as possible?

I stay out as long as the fuel and torpedoes last, or until the boat takes a lot of damage. I think my longest patrol so far was about 50 days, when I was having trouble finding targets. Shortest was less than a week.

[magic452]

30 to 40 days at most but I usually run out of torpedoes first.
Shortest patrol <1 day out of Manilla Dec. 41. Found a landing force at Linguyn Gulf and promptly got sunk.
I never rearm but do refuel at Midway when out of Pearl. The only time I rearmed was when I caught the Midway carriers and since I was right there I rearmed.

Magic

[MerchantMarine1982]

When I head out to a patrol zone, I keep track of how much fuel is consumed on the journey there. Then say for example I use up 25% of the fuel I have an entire half tank to use on patrol. Once I am alerted my fuel is 25% left, I will return to port.

I only rearm if its a sub tender that is closer to me than my port of call, unless it is going to cost me too much on fuel I will just rearm, otherwise call the patrol at an end.

I usually run ahead full in transite between port, and patrol zone, and when I am in the zone I travel at ahead standard for a more economical fuel consumption. Of course I just started a career, with all the fun realizm clicked on so short range i don't seem to burn much fuel...right now about 350nmi south of Manilla base, patrolling for the last 4 days...down to 75% fuel. tracked a lone Jap Fubuki on the first night enroute...which vanished before I got into a firing position. This current patrol is uneventful thus far...

Hope you resolove your fuel issues.

[Rockin Robbins]

Actually you should complete your objective and then return to base as quickly as possible.

This is especially true if it's 1944 and you still have a Tambor. Here's the situation: the blind chimp chucks a dart at the magic upgrade board each time you return to port and end a mission. Upon starting the next mission you get to see what upgrades you've received.

That means that each time you end a patrol you have a CHANCE of receiving some of a list of upgrades that changes with the date. If you stretch out your cruises, you might get three chances instead of seven chances in a given amount of time.

Can you see that your sub won't be too tricked out compared to another captain who returned every chance he got? And it makes sense. Nobody can upgrade your sub at sea!

So take lots of short cruises and toss the blind chimp a free banana! He catches 'em by smell.

[Matthew_T_Sherman]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

He catches 'em by smell.

Unlike the rest of us which tend to catch things by careless passion.

[bobdina]

Thanks guy's I had no Idea it affected the upgrades . You learn something new every day here at SUBSIM. Lot's of good advice and I will be using most of those Idea's. Again thank you guy's very much and a giant thanks to Ducimus and all of the other modders. Without them I would have quit awhile ago. My computer illiteracy is showing again as I have no idea why words are underlined.
Bob

[WernherVonTrapp]

Welcome abroad.

[TBear]

How many days?

Normaly within 60 days, depends alot about the current situation of the war. Testing a few "things" im working on.

Right now im 91 days out, but tender(it was found and blown up) is gone and DD`s are getting a real pain and planes just aaaaaaarghhhh

[bobdina]

I want to thank all of you guy's for responding and teaching me something (possibly missing upgrades). Thanks for the welcome Wernher. I'm starting a new career and will not be using the multiple rearm I usually did. Again thanks all

Bob

[refrasier]

I usually do the 45 days as well (or just a little less).