Wolves of Steel 1.05 questions

[maillemaker]

I have a couple of Wolves of Steel questions. I have been away for over a year. I have done a complete clean re-install of SH5 and followed the WoS installation instructions for WoS 1.05 and patch 15.

Question 1:

Campaign transfers in TWoS are date controlled. This means that, in order to trigger the transfer, you will have to be ON PATROL when deadline date of last objective is reached (the ending date of your current campaign chapter), preferably somewhere at open sea without AI units in your vicinity. This is important so pay special attention not to skip this date due to badly timed docking...The end date of first "Coastal Waters" campaign is 1st June 1940, "Happy Times" ends on 1st march 1941 ect. Check ending dates for other campaigns here.

Does anything bad happen if you just ignore dates? I don't want to have to manually keep track of docking dates and dawdle around on patrol to hit them.

Will I still get access to new subs and equipment as the war progresses? I understand I won't get the new campaigns but I can just pick my own patrol grids.

Save and restart your game once you leave your home base or when approaching for docking (100-200 km from the home base approx.) This will improve game stability and unburden game engine for upcoming rendering "shocks".

Is this still a "thing"? This was one of the things that annoyed me about SH5 last time I played it. I don't want to have to exit/restart the game every time I leave or re-enter port.

Steve

[HW3]

I might have been lucky but, all I have been doing is just a normal game save on leaving and approaching home port. No problems so far.

[THEBERBSTER]

Hi Steve
The importance of requesting missions allows you to get promotion points for your crew.
Each mission usually comprises of patrolling 3 grids = 3 promotion points.
Sometimes you will get a special mission or just be ordered to patrol a particular area.
The bonus points are important as giving promotion points to the Bosun and then the Cook will help to keep the morale up.
Morale can drop quite quickly so these points are valuable.
With TWOS the way promotion points are distributed is different to the stock game as less points are given for sinking ships.
U-boat upgrades are based on the amount of tonnage AFAIK.
Sinking a neutral ship will delay your upgrade.
The bunker save game before starting the mission and saving the game before Kiel is to keep the game stable.
I do not exit the game for the bunker save.
I go back to the main menu and load the game save I have made which replaces the automated AutoSave Enter Base.
Kiel is a one off so saving at 200km exiting and reloading the game is not really what can be called a hardship.
For Wilhemshaven and Lorient I have never done a game save before entering these ports.
It is always advisable to use your own saved game rather than use an automated one.
I am sure Vecko will pick me up if I have misinformed you on any points.
Peter

[maillemaker]

Last time I played, I never timed my entries into ports and I still earned points to award my crew.

I want to make sure if I don't "campaign" by keeping track of dates that the AI and enemy shipping will still progress as the war goes on.

Steve

[THEBERBSTER]

Hi Steve
The Campaign dates will drop off the navigation map when their dates end.
Your home base will stay as Wilhelmshaven.
You would start your game from the officer without selecting any missions as there will not be any.
You might find this mod useful as it will give you a VIIB type and you will not need to worry about upgrades.
Just enable it next time you are docked.
VIIB U-Boat Replacing VIIA at 31st August 1939 used with OHII v2.5 (See Document Instructions)
You will be free to roam wherever you want and returning to base to take on supplies.
Peter

[maillemaker]

What about enemy units? Do they stay stuck in 1939?

I assume you mean I will be stuck in Kiel and never move to any other base. That's a dealbreaker.

Guess I gotta figure out this date ****.

Steve

[THEBERBSTER]

Hi Steve
You need to do and complete the first mission Baltic Operation so your base changes from Memel to Kiel.
Start your game in Kiel without requesting a mission.
At some point quite early in your game your base will change from Kiel to Wilhelmshaven.
You will get a radio message informing you of this.
You should see the base icon has also moved.
Once you have this new base you can then play the game the way you want to using Wilhelmshaven each time to end your patrols, dock, rearm, and start a new mission from the officer without ever requesting it.
Missions will continue to appear on your navigation map in this your First Campaign > Total Germany.
You will continue ignoring these missions.
At midnight on April 12th 1940 the Total Germany Campaign will disappear from the navigation map leaving you with no further Campaigns.

What about enemy units?  Do they stay stuck in 1939?

You can roam as far as you have enough fuel to get back to Wilhelmshaven.
Whether you are in the North Sea or the Atlantic there will always be targets out there somewhere.
Peter