Directives
From Wolves at War
Unterseebootwaffe Directives
Wolves at War
Rev 1
Offizieller Gebrauch Nur - Klassifiziert
The purpose of this Directive is to outline the basic strategy, rooster makeup, reporting, operational and patrol guidelines for all Uboat Captains and Flotilla Commanders. It is important that all Captains and Flotilla Commanders read and understand fully these Directives.
Contents |
1. Strategy
1.1 ) The primary campaign strategy objective will be :
a.) To limit and or greatly curtail supply convoys getting through to the enemy.
b.) Overall goal of completely choking off all supply routes of and to the enemy.
c.) Theatre of operations will encompass both North and South Atlantic Oceans, the North Sea with Special Operations assignments used as needed.
1.2 ) Achieving this objective will require the following :
a.) North Atlantic - a two prong pincher movement from Iceland to the Azores. The northern prong operating off Iceland and moving operations southward, utilizing both medium and long range Uboats as needed. The southern prong will operate from the Azores northward and also utilizing both medium and long range Uboats. Both operations have the overall objective of forcing convoys into a narrow funnel/choke point. Picket boats will be posted in areas cleared of convoy routes as operations move.
b.) North Sea - completely sever the convoy routes used in this area and destroy any enemy shipping. Medium range Uboats will be assigned to this task.
c.) South Atlantic - long range Uboats will be assigned to disrupt convoy routes and shipping traffic from Gibraltar southward along the western North African coast. Initial operations will be on special assignment as the needed. Full operation can begin once more longer range Uboats become available.
d.) Mediterranean - medium range Uboats will be assigned to this area to sever convoy routes between Gibraltar and Alexandria.
2. Captain and Uboat Roster
2.1 ) Captains are encourage to use either a correct Germanic name or the name of real Uboat Captain if preferred for their persona.
2.2 ) Captains may choose the Uboat number of their own choice as long as it is available. BdU will provide a listing of Uboat numbers in use or no longer available.
2.3 ) Captains or encouraged, but not obligated, to participate in every assigned patrol. Nor is there a set patrol limit to keep active status.
2.4 ) Captains are required to notify their respective Flotilla Commander before leaving base and proceeding on patrol and upon returning from patrol.
2.5 ) Captains should inform their Flotilla Commanders if they are not able participate in current patrols for a short period of time, so the Captain's Uboat can be assigned to the Uboat Pens.
2.6 ) If a Captain finds that they are not able to participate for a extended period of time, they are permitted to go on a inactive status at any time and are encouraged to contact either their Flotilla Commander or BdU so that the Uboat can be assigned to Dry Dock.
2.7 ) When a Captain in a inactive status returns to go back on active status, they are encouraged to inform their Flotilla Commander and BdU of same. That Uboat will then been taken out of Dry Dock status and returned to active status.
2.8 ) Captains who are lost, attacked and destroyed during a patrol will be considered lost, the Uboat number will be removed from the active rooster to the no longer available listing. Captains then can rejoin their respective flotilla under a new persona and follow the procedure outlined in Section 2.2, then continue to participate in the campaign. DID (Dead is Dead) will be in effect.
2.9 ) Captains who are lost during the current patrol are not permitted to redo the patrol as the new persona, but must wait for the next patrol posted.
2.10 ) Captains with a new persona will not have their previous tonnage total, promotions or awards carried over from the old persona. Those acquired by the old persona stay with that persona. Exceptions will be made in case where the Uboat is rescued/salvaged or the Kapitan is able to escape.
2.11 ) Captains are permitted to belong and active in other organizations if they desire, and will conduct themselves in a courteous and civil manner at all times. No antagonistic, derogatory or negative behavior will be tolerated, either here or at other organizations. Those found doing so will face severe sanctioning or barred from future participation.
3. Operations
3.1 ) All patrols start and end at the flotilla base. (Exception will be made on this for damaged boats or those low on fuel to use a alternative base on return, a demerit system will be instituted against those captains.)
3. 2 ) Neutral shipping is not to be attacked. Captains who sink neutral shipping will have that tonnage deducted from their patrol totals. For those using NYGM this will be done automatically.
3.3 ) Priority and primary targets are to be merchant shipping.
3.4 ) Warships are only to be engaged if directed in patrol orders and is not conflicting with BdU or Flotilla standing orders. Permission to engage warships during a patrol must come only from BdU, if not included in patrol orders. Captains who engage warships without orders or permission from BdU will be subject to disciplinary action as determined by BdU, including possible loss of tonnage, sanctioning and with the possible demotion in rank. The only exception to this would be in self defense and there is no other options available to the Kapitan.
3.5 ) Special Patrol assignments will only be authorized and assigned by BdU.
3.6 ) Ocean liners and transports will not be attacked, regardless of the flag they are flying, unless authorized by orders directly from BdU.
3.7) Deck guns are only be used against shipping which is under 2000 tons or to dispatch/finish off a larger, already sinking vessel that has previously been torpedoed.
4. Reporting
4.1 ) Captains are required to submit Kreigstagbuch ( KTB )/Patrol Log and tonnage sunk totals on completion of the patrol into the proper data base. Captains are required to provide actual and honest results of their patrol as all Captains are on the honor system. This is a mandatory requirement.
4.2 ) Captains found submitting unrealistic or false Patrol Reports and tonnage totals face having the patrol results disallowed in the overall totals for both Captain and Flotilla. The Captain will also face possible sanctioning, reduction of rank or being banned for further participation, as determined by BdU and the Flotilla Commander.
4.3 ) Captains are responsible in filing their KTB and tonnage total results in a timely manner after completing the patrol. KTB reports are due no later than the last day of the official end of the Patrol. The KBT is entered in the prescribed WAW format on the data base. All Captains are required to include their starting assigned grid, total tonnage sunk while on patrol, the break down of tonnage and the number of ships sunk in each category.
4.4 ) Captains who need a extension in filing their KTB are required to contact their respective Flotilla Commander in order that a acceptable time frame can be agreed upon.
5. ) Deleted
6. ) Captains are required to update their respective Soldbuch in a timely manner.
5. Patrols
5.1 ) Patrols to be kept as historically accurate as possible in regard to dates, bases, aircraft, weapons and boat type for that time period being used. Patrols will be in chronological order.
5.2 ) Stay within central strategy on what the flotilla(s) and flotilla(s) patrols are to accomplish as outlined.
5.3 ) Air cover for both Allied and Axis will be used when ever possible.
5.4 ) All patrols start and end at the flotilla base.
5.5 ) Those patrols that start out in open ocean with the boat already on patrol will have only a 60% reserve fuel supply or as determined by BdU.
5.6 ) A standard patrol outline format for all patrols to include patrol descriptions, objectives, locations and etc. ( template will be provided to all patrol writers for use )
5.7 ) A standard radio message format based on a close to historical format as possible to include the time, date, message type and message text.
5.8 ) Correct use of weather and sea state conditions for the time of year the patrol occurs.
5.9 ) At least one or two patrols will include a resupply patrol sometime during the course of the Kampaign.
6. Flotilla Commander Responsibilities
6.1 ) Flotilla Commanders (FK) are expected to provide leadership and direction for their respective Flotilla.
6.2 ) Flotilla Commanders are to interact closely with Captains in their respective Flotilla, with fellow Flotilla Commanders and with BdU. This will include recommendations in changes to Directives, Operations and Campaigns.
6.3 ) It will be the Flotilla Commanders responsibility to pass down information from BdU or Staff as received pertaining to their respective Flotilla.
6.4 ) Flotilla Commanders are required to insure that the KTB of each individual Captain within the Flotilla who has participated in the Patrol has made the required entries into the KTB data base in a timely manner as outlined in Section 4, Subsections 4.1, 4.3 and 4.4.
6.5 ) It is the Flotilla Commanders responsibility to submit recommendations for awards and promotions within their Flotilla to BdU for consideration based on prescribed guidelines.
6.6 ) It will be the Flotilla Commanders responsibility to monitor their respective Flotilla as to status of active and inactive Captains within their respective Flotilla and report that status to BdU in a timely manner.
6.7) Flotilla Commanders are expected to monitor radio traffic within their respective Flotilla during Patrols, direct the Uboats on Patrol in facilitating the objectives of the Flotilla for that Patrol and insure that proper radio traffic procedures are being followed as outlined in Section 5, Subsection 5.7.
6.8) It will be the Flotilla Commanders responsibility to insure that Grid Assignments are made available before each Patrol to every Captain within his respective Flotilla. Refer to Section 7.
6.9) It is the Flotilla Commanders responsibility to keep his Executive Officer informed in all matters regarding the running of the Flotilla before any absence.
6A Flotilla Commander Executive Officer
6A.1) The Executive Officer is required to assist the Flotilla Commander in every aspect in running the Flotilla as outlined in Section 6. In addition, Executive Officer is expected to assume certain responsibilities as the Flotilla Commander directs.
6A.2) The Executive Officer is expected to assume command of the Flotilla in the absence of the Flotilla Commander and perform all of the duties expected of the Flotilla Commander during that absence.
6A.3) The Executive Office may also be required to assume the position of Communications Officer and/or Group/Wolfpack Commander at the Flotilla Commanders discretion.
6A.4) New Captains assigned to the Flotilla may be required to report to the Executive Office as the Flotilla Commanders directs, to insure that they are familiar with and following all Directives and procedures as required.
7. Flotilla Grid Assignment
7.1) The Ubootwaffe Flottilles will be given blocks of grids to assign to their individual Uboats. There will also be two additional random blocks of grids assigned to this pool. This pool of grids will be issued only by BdU or Staff. The Block of Grids will consist of a Primary Grid and the surrounding adjacent Grids. (i.e. assigned to patrol AM14, the Patrol area will include the following grids AM11, AM12, AM13, AM15, AM16, AM23 and AM25, the surrounding grids).
7.2) The Primary grids will be assigned to the Flottille Uboats on a round robin basis on each patrol as best as possible by the FK. No Uboat is to be assigned the same blocks of grid twice in a row. Grid assignments will also be based on Uboat type.
7.3) All Captains in the Flottille will note in their respective KTBs the primary Grid number assigned to them at the start of their patrol for reporting and tracking purposes.
7.4) Captains are required to remain in the patrol grids and must request from BdU/ FK any change of grid assignment. Patrol grids are limited/extended to only one or more of the neighboring grids outside of the assigned Block of Grids, unless otherwise authorized by BdU/FK.
7.5) There will be some operational liberty that the FK has outside of what is outlined in the Directives. The FK only has the authority to move a Uboat to one of the adjacent grids to the original assigned grid blocks. Any movement outside of that will require BdU permission.
7.6) Uboat Captains must get permission from BdU/FK to leave there assigned patrol grids in response to convoy contact reports outside of the assigned patrol grid of the Uboat
7.7) Captains are not permit to free range or go hunting after convoy contact reports outside of their assign grids or adjacent grids without express permission from BdU/FK.
7.8) If Captains are given permission to change or move grid assignments due to convoy contact reports, they are required to return to their original grid assignment after their attack or receive permission for new grid assignment from BdU.
7.9) FK must get permission from BdU or Staff to reassign a Uboat outside of the block of grids assigned to it and give the reason why this change is required. The request must also state the current grid the Uboat is in, the grid that is being requested to change to, the distance and time estimate it will take the Uboat to make the new patrol grid.
7.10) It is strongly suggest the grid block assignment rotation be kept as simple as possible. Moving the grid assignment order up one or down one among the Type VIIB's and the same for the Type II's would be the preferred method.
Example :
Current assignment of Primary Patrol Grids:
U123 AM41
U456 BF57
U789 CG30
rotated to
New assigned of Primary Patrol Grids:
U123 BF57
U456 CG30
U789 AM41
7.11) If a Uboat does not go out on the mission, that assigned grid can be reassigned or used by another Uboat that is. New Uboats to the Patrol will be assign a grid from the Alternate Pool that is given to the Flottille.
