U-48 GWX Intelligence Report

[raymond6751]

There are NO minefields in the English Channel and Dover Straits pre-war.

Passed through Straits of Dover, surfaced, evening of Aug 29, 1939. Sighted numerous ships as we continued Westbound.

Passed Lands End at 18.30 local time, Aug 31, 1939, just after the war warning radio message about attack on Poland. Submerged for safety.

No mines encountered and no ships fired on us.

Using GWX V3.0 expansion mod.

[XenonSurf]

But surely later in the war, isn't it?
When I passed the channel in 1943-1944, it was kind of a russian roulette to meet destroyers and patrol ships, almost undoable not to meet one, but in addition there should be some isolated places with underwater mines, I don't know if these objects are 'constant' or if they spawn at precise date intervalls. It would be interesting to know from a modding expert.


IIRC, in SH5 there is a map for mines which is NOT accurate for gameplay reasons, so you are not safe...I don't remember if there is such one in GWX3.

[raymond6751]

I did say PRE-WAR, as in August 39. I wondered if the mines were date spawned, and now we know.

Perhaps different mods have not done this, or started before the war.

So, now you know it is safe to use the Channel until war starts.

[Sailor Steve]

Just for historical information, all U-boats were instructed to pass around the Faroes Islands. None were to use the English Channel. This was Naval High Command's order, not Admiral Dönitz'. He wanted them to take the shortest route possible, but was overruled.

These long passages are due to the order to proceed around the Faroes, on which Naval War Staff has insisted contrary to F.O. U/B's intentions.

http://www.uboatarchive.net/BDU/BDUKTB30247.htm
Note for 23.VIII.39 (Page 7)

Originally Posted by raymond6751

I did say PRE-WAR, as in August 39. I wondered if the mines were date spawned, and now we know.

Perhaps different mods have not done this, or started before the war.

So, now you know it is safe to use the Channel until war starts.

I used channel early war couple of times and then moved to northern passage for safety reasons. I did the channel run two times also in -44 trying to intercept the D-Day landing crafts.
Never did I encounter any mines neither in the central parts of the channel or the French coast. I guess I was just lucky..
GWX3.0