Chasing 200k tons patrol | Forums

[doug.d]

I decided to make this a quest, hijacked a type IXB for the extra torpedoes and currently have about 170k tons with a few torpedoes and very little HE left, may still get there.

However, I'm finding this quest boring and very contrived. It just doesn't feel right attacking a convoy, surgically removing the tankers and letting everything else go. Same with singles, chasing down contacts and then letting them go 'cause they don't displace enough is not war and not in the spirit of SH3. Out of sheer boredom, I've jeopardised the quest by wasting torpedoes and HE on the occasional C3 or small tanker, 'cause nothing heavier came along for a long time.

Cherry-picking is the only way to get there and without the luck of finding a few strawberries (liners, battleships or carriers), this quest is really a grind. I'll persist, but won't do it again.

[doug.d]

I decided to make this a quest, hijacked a type IXB for the extra torpedoes and currently have about 170k tons with a few torpedoes and very little HE left, may still get there.

However, I'm finding this quest boring and very contrived. It just doesn't feel right attacking a convoy, surgically removing the tankers and letting everything else go. Same with singles, chasing down contacts and then letting them go 'cause they don't displace enough is not war and not in the spirit of SH3. Out of sheer boredom, I've jeopardised the quest by wasting torpedoes and HE on the occasional C3 or small tanker, 'cause nothing heavier came along for a long time.

Cherry-picking is the only way to get there and without the luck of finding a few strawberries (liners, battleships or carriers), this quest is really a grind. I'll persist, but won't do it again.

[Carotio]

I have just completed my third 200K patrol! And I do not cherry-pick! I use my heavy flak gun for the smallest ships, the deck gun for the small/medium ships and torpedos for the big juicy targets!

I'll shortly post my third log in the 100K club!
You'll then see, where and what I got which ships! Actually, I have still yet to meet a passenger liner in career mode!!! I did sink one battleship in Loch Ewe, but I took out some other ships too, but went out before it got too crowded in there... Otherwise, I didn't meet a convoy till I had 5 or 6 torpedos left, and then, yes, then I did cherry-picking, but who wouldn't if there was not enough torpedos left for all ships in a convoy?

I don't know about you, but I still play auto TDC on my desktop, which makes it much much easier to achieve high scores! On my laptop, I currently play manual TDC, but with help from my 1WO. It is much more challenging! It is a slow process for me to accustomize myself for a 100 % patrol one day, maybe even a 100K at 100%!
Now that would be something!!!

[HeibgesU999]

Although going for 200K in a patrol may not be realistic, cherrypicking certainly was.

Erich Topp sunk 5 tankers out of a single convoy, a won himself the Knights Cross.

Realistically, choosing the prime targets to attack, if possible, was one of the skippers prime responsibilities.

[lecek]

If I cherrypicked, I would have nothing but 100k+ patrols.

As it is I have a 100k patrol I haven't claimed yet.

But so what. I like to enter a convoy and sugically remove the whole damn thing. Sometimes it takes 7 passes through the damn thing but you know there is satisfaction in knowing the only ships that will make it to port are the escorts. And they will want more fuel, not deliver it.

Auto TDC makes things very easy, but I find it to quick and easy. Way to quick and easy. But that is just me. Obviously eveyone has to play the game the way they want.

[HeibgesU999]

Even AutoTDC doesn't make that much of a difference. Once you get good at manual, you can still sink ships with one torp.

For real realism you must:

1. Use hydrophones per the Uboat Commanders Handbook. (50% increase in realism)

2. Fire spreads of torpedoes per the Uboat Commanders handbook, or use NYGM TW which makes this neccessary. (15% increase in realism)

[doug.d]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I like to enter a convoy and sugically remove the whole damn thing. Sometimes it takes 7 passes through the damn thing but you know there is satisfaction in knowing the only ships that will make it to port are the escorts. And they will want more fuel, not deliver it. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
A man after my own heart! BUT, why are you letting the escorts go Kaleun?! Your comrades may be killed by them on their patrols, this is dereliction of duty. Death to them all I say.

Of course, this is not the way to 200k.

[doug.d]

At ^^%@$#%&*@& last, 203691 tons.

What a painful patrol! 1st and last time I chase tonnage.

[Whermacht02]

Im starting to get close to 100000 tons patrols... but i had to switch my boat. I usually play a Type VIIC out of Brest, but i wanted to try the extra fishes and the 105mm deck gun of the Type IX. So, i requested a transfer to Lorient and bought myself a shiny new Type IXC. After that, I transferred back to Brest because I hate to take the sub out of Lorient!! When i was using the Type VII, all I was capable of doing was 60k-70k tons patrols, usually a 12 ship convoy going thru the AM grid. But now, all I get in the map are reports of LARGE TASK FORCES. 16-17 cargo ships (with 3 T2 tankers) and 3 or 4 escorts. My last 3 patrols with the IXC were around 80K, 88K, and 101K. The only thing that im starting to hate about the IXC is that they make me cross ALL the atlantic... I have to do it at AHEAD 2/3 or AHEAD Standard to save fuel... so it takes a lot of time to get to my patrol zone...

[VikingGrandad]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Whermacht02:
Im starting to get close to 100000 tons patrols... but i had to switch my boat. I usually play a Type VIIC out of Brest, but i wanted to try the extra fishes and the 105mm deck gun of the Type IX. So, i requested a transfer to Lorient and bought myself a shiny new Type IXC. After that, I transferred back to Brest because I hate to take the sub out of Lorient!! When i was using the Type VII, all I was capable of doing was 60k-70k tons patrols, usually a 12 ship convoy going thru the AM grid. But now, all I get in the map are reports of LARGE TASK FORCES. 16-17 cargo ships (with 3 T2 tankers) and 3 or 4 escorts. My last 3 patrols with the IXC were around 80K, 88K, and 101K. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
That's my experience too. I've only ever got 100K+ tons in a Type IX-B, but I managed to do this 6 times in one career, my best being 128,372 tons. I finished my 'Viking' career (1939-45, 45 patrols, 12 months real time) with a total of 2,469,232 tons Not realistic at all, but it was great experience, which I am using now to try and reach 100K in a Type VII in my new career.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Whermacht02:
The only thing that im starting to hate about the IXC is that they make me cross ALL the atlantic... I have to do it at AHEAD 2/3 or AHEAD Standard to save fuel... so it takes a lot of time to get to my patrol zone... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
If you use SH3 Commander, you can choose your patrol grid every time.