Thanks to all for the comments, hope you enjoy! Silent Hunter 4 spent a lot of time gathering dust on my shelf, but I'm so glad I gave it another patrol. It's so addicting! And not just the technical aspect - the tactics - which is so engrossing, but the overall strategy and challenges that pop up.
For example, currently the S-27 is at a crossroads - en route to her patrol in the Luzon straight, COMSUBPAC has closed Manila, shifting the ship's base to Java which is 1800+ nautical miles away - not a short stretch for a Group I sugar boat. The S-27 has a theoretical max range of 3,000 nautical miles and the decision wasn't timed with our last refueling! The ship is 300 nautical miles from their assigned patrol up in the Luzon Straits, has eight torpedoes on board, and just got a radio contact of a large convoy 30 nautical miles away.
As skipper, I'm not worried about whether or not I've got enough fuel to engage the convoy, I'm worried that I'll engage the convoy, be down another four torpedoes, get to my patrol area with a mere four torps (or less, depending on how bad/good the convoy attack goes) and then have to cruise around at super slow speeds to stretch endurance (not range!) until I meet my patrol objectives. THEN I'll need to start the massive trek down to Surabaya. Seems like one heck of an adventure to just bring along four fish. But then, I can't let that Jap convoy just sail on by, either...
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