It's a great place to take a IXB or IXC after finishing a patrol along the african coast, and coming up empty handed.

Cool!
Just look at that tonnage!
You sink more ships than I even get to see.

(You can get your realism up into the 80s, without making anything harder on yourself).

I have added the missing renown for returning to port.
I was at 8 patrols, so I added 200 x 8 to my renown
(since this should have been in the game if there wasn't a bug)

I took the VIIB. I removed the deck gun.
I like its underswater speed and sleak look. It's a huge and
luxurious boat. I have spent 8 patrols in the type IIA. The biggest
problem was not the fuel, I always made sure I could come back
to port. The problem was only 5 torpedoes. I very often came
back to port after two weeks full of fuel because I had fired all
my torpedoes...

I really like the VIIB. Probably will keep it until the war's end.

type IIA -> type VIIB

I will then start a carreer with a type VIIB or C and move to a
type IX for long-range patrols.

Does the change to France port occurs automatically ?
I'm in September 1940 and my port is still Kiel.

Quick question, I am reviewing my patrol logs and I do not get cargo information or crew men lost on the ship like frau kaulen, any ideas?

Also, when is the IID available? I am using the IIA on the 2nd flotilla in oct39, the only one available is the VIIB.

U37 IX(A). 2. Flotilla. Patrol 7.
 

This is cool. My IX(A) managed to get assigned a VII grid.
Thought briefly about "doing my 24" and slipping off to my favorite grid, BC43 (Canada), but reconsidered. U37 must be the the southern most boat of a patrol line (Wolf Pack) covering the western side of Rockall. Can't leave a hole.

D. 6.dec.40.
02.37. Depart Lorient enrout to Patrol Grid AM43.
08.47. BF61. Alarm! Crash Dive for Aircraft.

Wasn't that nice of the RAF to see us off, and drop off some "presents". Just 35 miles out of port. No damage luckily, but a real wake up call.

D. 11.dec.40. BF14.
04.45. Ship Spotted.
T3 Tanker, making 12 Knots, and flying The Stars And Stripes.

D. 12.dec.40. AM87.
03.01. Ship Spotted.
Destroyer at 4500 Meters, and heading our way.
Full moon, calm & clear.
Turn bow on while diving to 100 meters. Undetected.

D. 12.dec.40. AM76.
08.56. Sound Contact. Merchant. Closing. Moving Slow.
09.08. Surface. Full Ahead. Variouse Courses and Speeds.
09.21. Target spotted by me on a reciprical course. Periscope Depth.
09.44. Coastal Merchant (2.047 GRT) Sunk.
Course 177. Speed 7 Knots. G7E Torpedo x 1.

D. 14.dec.40. AM43.
01.00. On Station.

D. 15.dec.43. AM43.
14.06. Radio Report. Convoy. AM19. East. 7 Knots. (Full Ahead for AM01).

D. 15.dec.40. AM01.
21.00. Ship Spotted. Destroyer! And Convoy!
Coming straight at us. Periscope Depth.
Don't like inside attacks. Turning 90 degrees for the stern tubes.

21.30. T2 Tanker (10.872 GRT) Sunk.
Convoy's Course 098. 7 Knots. (Thanks for the speed, BDU).
G7A Torpedo x 2. Full Moon. Calm & Clear.

22.58. Surface. Full Ahead.
The chase is on.

D. 16.dec.40. AM01.
00.01. Regained contact with Convoy.
00.03. Corvette Spotted!
This guy was good. It was a long way around him. Hard to see little thing!

01.47. Coastal Merchant (2.050 GRT) Sunk. G7A Torpedo x 1.
01.47. C2 Cargo (6.250 GRT) Sunk. G7E Torpedo x 3.
Night Submerged Attack. Full Moon. Calm & Clear.
Convoy's Course 098. Speed 7 Knots.
3 known escorts. Destroyer Front. Corvette Port. Destroyer Rear.
Second Corvette suspected on Starboard.

04.10. Surface. Full Ahead.
06.03. Regained contact with convoy.

08.05. T3 Tanker (11.654 GRT) Sunk. G7A Torpedo x 1.
08.06. Little Merchant (2.343 GRT) Sunk. G7E Torpedo x 1.
08.08. Little Tanker (4.276 GRT) Sunk. G7E Torpedo x 1.
No result on C2 Cargo fired on. G7E Torpedo x 1.
Presunrise Submerged Attack. Light. Clear & Calm.

My last Torpedo, a G7A is loaded into Tube 3.
The next 10+ hours are devoted to this single torpedo.

09.40. Surface. Full Ahead.
10.41. Contact regained with convoy. (Visibility Limit 7.000 Meters).
11.05. "We've been spotted!". Corvette is at 6.900 Meters. Escaping on surface.
11.13. "Ship Spotted!". DESTROYER! Dive! 100 Meters.
11.17. Report nearest warship. "No Warship Contact.".
11.28. Sound Contact. Warship. 156R. Moving Away. Moving Fast. Long Range.
11.29. Sound Contact. Warship. 158R. Moving Away. Medium Speed. Long Range.

12.20. Surface. Full Ahead.
13.43. Regained contact with convoy.
13.47. "We've been spotted! We've been spotted!". Dive! 100 Meters.
13.48. Sound. 2 Warships. Medium & Very Fast (35+ Knots!)

D. 16.dec.40. AM29.
16.00. Surface. Full Ahead.
17.05. Regained contact with convoy.

D. 16.dec.40. AM51.
18.40. Torpedo Impact. C2 Cargo hit. No Sinkings. No stragglers.

All Torpedoes (12) Expended. Status Report Sent. Returning to Lorient.

D. 17.dec.40. AM46.
08.00. Sound Contact. Convoy. Surface. Full Ahead. Standard Propulsion.
08.34. Destroyer & Convoy Sighted. Dive, Follow & Shadow.
09.40. Contact Report Sent.
Convoy's Course 051. Speed 11 Knots. Transports, Cargoes, and a Tanker.

D. 20.dec.40. BF12. (Shortcut across England's front lawn).
04.39. Corvette Spotted. 000R. Dive. 100 (of 134) Meters. Undetected.

D. 24.dec.40. Docked at Lorient.

Patrol Results: 7 Ships Sunk for 39.692 GRT.

U37's History To Date:
7 Patrols.
24 Ships Sunk. (Frau Kaleun does that in one patrol).
135.325 GRT.

I believe Frau Kaleun uses SH3 commander to get all that ekstra log information.
I don't get that either.

How'd you get a IIA in the 2. Flotilla?
The 2. Flotilla usualy (if unaltered) starts you in a VIIB, and later progresses to IXs.
Neither the IIA nor IID have enough range to do 2. Flotilla Grids (African Coast and the like)

1. Flotilla starts with a IIA, and offers the IID in oktober 1939 for 500 Renown.
I don't think you can get either of these boats outside the 1. Flotilla.

I am also using SH3 Commander and I don't see that information, forgot to include it.

Also, I am in 1st Flotilla, pardon me... another omission.

Thanks for the data, do I spend my 500 on the IID or save up for IXB & transfer to 2nd Flotilla?

I really want to get my hands on that 105mm deck gun.

You need to use SH3 Commander. It is very good.
You can use it with stock game or with GWX 3 Gold
Not only it adds names ships, but it also keeps a log of ships
you sunk so you cannot sink the same ship twice in your logs.

The change to France should either have happened already, or will happen on your next patrol. One generaly gets a radio message saying "The base was changed to Brest/St. Nazaire". If it doesn't happen on your next patrol consult The All Knowing Jimbuna.
If your Radioman tells you that you have a message, press "M", then click on "Message".

The missing renown for returning to port should actualy be 100 per patrol, but that's OK.
I've done worse things than that.

Not sure why you would want to remove the deck gun. It can come in handy for Trawlers, Fishing Boats, Tugs, and finishing off ships you've managed to cripple with torpedoes.

The IIA & Fuel. No problem . . . until the move to France.
From that point on, the patrols get much longer. Just getting to France in a IIA can be exceptionaly challenging.

Enjoy your VIIB. It's a nice step up from either of the IIs, for sure.

Looks like you got the logs thing straight, which is good, cause I don't have that mod.

IIA til IID til IXB:
I've gone that route. It's not easy, but it is rewarding.
WARNING: Should you decide to do it this way, you may have to do at least one patrol out of France in the IID.

If you use a VIIB as a stepping stone to the IXB, there's an ekstra 2.000 Renown to make up.

Personal Recommendations.
From the 1. Flotilla: IIA, IID, IXB. (The hard way).
From the 7. Flotilla: VIIB, IXB. (Easy). (You get the VIIB, FREE.)

I don't see the IXB on the 1st Flotilla, when does it become available?

I'll probably go for IID then save up for the IXB, I see it available in december 39 on the 2nd Flotilla.

You have to wait until the 2. Flotilla opens to get your IXB.
It'll happen shortly after the move to France.

Right now I am doing my 11th patrol, second patrol with the VIIB.
Love that ship :)

It's November, 12th 1940. My base is still kiel and I received no message
until now about it.

I was told renown for returning was 200 per patrol :/
I need to remove renown now then. 8 x 200 - 8 x 100 that's
800 to remove. I was at 500 so I should have missed about 1200
renown to get the VIIB :damn:

I decided to start again with a German name and not a picture and name from Battlestar Galactica :yeah:

I'm going to try and give updates as diary entries

.......................................

26th August 1939

I was given command of U-52 looks like all that brown noseing at the academy paid off. After a shakedown cruise and some leave for my men, last night we were put to sea. We have been sent to a classified location somwhere near France and Britain. The men are anxious. I have a feeling too.. we have our reserve bays loaded with torpedos too.. Bdu have never done that before.. I have a feeling war is imminant..


27th August 1939

We have passed Dutch and British in grids AN95 and AN83. Weather is good and no word from Bdu. We are setting course to the English Channel.
I can smell food. I think the galley is cooking up somthice nice..

(more to come as it happens)

2nd patrol of U-16
 

Kpt Franz Weber
U-16 , Type IIA
2nd war patrol , assigned to grid AM87
Left Wilhemshaven on 26th Sept 1939 at 0654

19:32
Passed along the Frisian/Dutch coast and recieved radio report of large enemy task force in AN41 heading ESE at 25kts
Decided against any sort of action against it due to our relative position and they could change course at any given point making interception unlikely,and due to their speed of 25kts would easily catch us if spotted.Proceeded back to original course

26 Sept
Day 1 at sea
04:52
Patrol Craft spotted in AN83 heading 266 at 5kts.Went to periscope depth until vessel disappeared
15:28
Second Patrol Craft spotted in AN85 possibly heading to the nearest Dutch port at 9-10 kts.Again dived to periscope depth until craft had gone
15:43
Passing through AN85 along the Dutch coast about 7km from land,a day and a half away until we enter the Dover Strait.May luck be on our side passing through this perilous area,and then onward as we break out into the Irish Sea.Our priority is to intercept any inbound traffic heading for the Bristol Channel.Recieved reports from fellow captain's that this is a lively spot...lets hope so.This time we can afford no more errors in identifying ship nationalities,we must be certain,even if it means us making prior interceptions in daylight just to verify their ID

End of log.