Patrol Guidelines
From Wolves at War
Realism Settings
All realism setting must be checked with only two exceptions.
1. You can use manual or auto TDC
2. You can use the external camera for screen shots, however it must not be used for tactical advantage.
Section I. Uboot Operations & Tactics
Leaving/Returning to Port
a) Departing
• Depart from port only after all orders, upgrades and instructions have been issued and you informed your intention to depart.
• Move at "Ahead Slow" only while within the port limits (as marked bylighthouses).
If provided with an escort out of port, you should follow it. Otherwise, consult maps of port defenses to avoid running into any barriers or minefields.
• Don't dive until reaching sufficient depth to do so safely.
• Make sure you change your status in the flottille forum to (At Sea)
b) Returning
• If provided with an escort out of port, you should follow it. Otherwise, consult maps of port defenses to avoid running into any barriers or minefields.
• Move at "Ahead Slow" only while within the port limits (as marked by lighthouses).
• Report when you have docked.
• Change your status in the flottille forum to (Completed)
c) Completed
• Fill out your KTB and submit it
• Update your soldbuch (Profile)
• Submit any request you have at the time of your return (equipment upgrades…)
Enroute to Patrol Grid
• Proceed to your assigned patrol area on a relatively direct course. You may divert slightly, for example to better cover common shipping areas, but you are not
allowed to make major deviations from course without permission from BdU
• You MUST NOT enter any enemy harbors or high-threat areas (e.g. highlypatrolled shipping lanes/straits) without having permission from BdU in advance.
Failing to follow this rule will be interpreted as disobeying orders.
• Proceed on course at recommended speed for the uboot type you have. Refer to the uboot data sheet. <link coming>. Another method is to make your Navigation officer tell you on the maximum with current speed setting. This can change depending on sea state during patrol. If you are proceeding through a high-risk area or otherwise you need to move expediently. Watch your fuel and spend
it as conservatively as possible - if you have no specific reason to move at high speed, then do not.
• Proceed surfaced, unless
a) detected and pursued by surface/air units;
b) the conditions are unfavorable.
c) equipped with snorkel following local flotilla recommendations.
(In prolonged heavy weather, it is suggested that you travel submerged for extended period to avoid exhausting your crew. Also consider that storms hinder
progress, so it is recommended consulting your navigation officer when traveling on surface in storm.)
• In all cases, it is suggested that before surfacing you conduct a hydrophone check and (definitely) an observation periscope check to ensure that no threats are in the
area as you are coming up.
• You may engage targets of opportunity enroute. Merchant contacts are targets of opportunity.
• Patrol and escort warships of any kind are NOT targets of opportunity.
DO NOT ENGAGE THESE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EXCEPT AS LAST RESORT.
If you have been detected by a patrolling warship from afar and have the opportunity to dive, do so instead of waiting for it to get closer. Only fire back
when you cannot dive to safety quickly enough.
- Capital ships are targets of opportunity, unless instructed otherwise.
(note - carrier-centered Hunter-Killer groups do not fall under this category and must be avoided at all cost)
- Aircraft are NOT targets of opportunity.
- If you locate a convoy (visually or by sound), if safe, report its position before attacking. Attack no more than once before reporting back for instructions from
BdU on continuing action.
- If you receive a report of a convoy while enroute, request permission to pursue it from BdU before commencing action.
At least in high-threat areas, you are strongly recommended to travel at time compression of no more than 256x - to avoid detection problems and also to
ensure that enemy air cover works correctly (TC 128x or less).
Radio Communications
a.) Patrol Communications
While in Port Communications made In Port are considered to be a secure form of communication, either over secure phonelines, telegram,
or courier dispatch. For this reason feel free to include as much information, and to add as many elaborate details as you would like.
There are 4 situations during a War Patrol when you will use In Port Communications:
1. In Port reporting departure or delay in departure for War Patrol.
2. In Port after returning safely from War Patrol.
3. While refueling from an Axis ship in a Neutral Port. (Not a Milkcow)
4. In Port reporting you will be in dry-docked for this war patrol.
In Port Communications should follow the format below:
Date:
Time:
To:
Re:
Body of Message
Signed
for example:
Date: June 7, 1944
Time: 1330hrs
To: BdU, FK 1.Uflotte
Re: Attack on Allied Beachhead
U-791 is fully provisioned and preparing for immediate departure for operations
against allied beachhead. Despite the anticipated difficulties in this operation, the
spirits of the crew remain high, as they realize the importance of sinking allied
war material before it reaches shore. Many having returned from home with tales
of Allied bombing raids against our cities has also certainly stiffened their
resolve.
Schulz
or
Date: June 6, 1944
Time: 0700hrs
To: BdU, FK 1.Uflotte
Re: Engine Problems
U-791 has developed engine troubles. Was not noticed until we attempted to put
to sea. Expect to depart on War Patrol within 5 days.
Schulz
or
Date: June 9, 1944
Time: 0800hrs
To: BdU, FK 1.Uflotte
Re: U-791 returns with heavy damage
Despite incurring heavy damage to all systems of the boat from destroyer and
aircraft attack U-791 has made it back to port.
Schulz
or
Date: April 3, 1942
Time: 2200hrs
To: BdU, FK 1.Uflotte
Re: Docked at Vigo
U-791 has docked at Vigo for refueling and extra torpedoes. There are a lot of big
eyes and a lot of even bigger mouths at the embassy here. Request permission to
send LI off boat and request replacement.
Schulz
Date: October, 1940
Time: 0700hrs
To: BdU, FK 1.Uflotte
Re: Dry-docked for War Patrol
U-791 is in the middle of an engine overhaul and is unable to leave port for this
War Patrol.
b.) Patrol Communications While at Sea
While at sea, all communications are conducted through the radio. You should send a message through SH3 first, then enter your message on the WaW forums.
The shorter you can make your message, while still delivering the critical information, the better. Kriegsmarine Funkmaats had the best radio discipline in
this regard of any of the German Armed forces.
To indicate Radio Traffic, Radio Messages should be prepared in ALL CAPS.
Radio Messages should be written from left to right like normal, but do not use punctuation.
The are several types of Reports you may need to send to HQ.
Situation Report=SITREP (What is your current status. Combat or non-Combatreport)
Position Report=POSREP or POS (A short message on your current position. Attache to all other reports unless ordered otherwise)
Contact Report=CONTACT (You have spotted the enemy.)
Intelligence Report=INTEL (You have discovered something new about the Allied War Effort.)
Request for Orders= ORDERS (You need to know what to do next.)
Request for Help= SOS (If you're boat is disabled, sometimes you can be rescued.)
Weather Report=WX (Should attached all other reports)
Reports and Requests can be combined in the same message, or sent as separate messages. This is at the Kaleuns discretion.
The message is divided into the following sections, and prepared in the following order.
TIME
DATE (No need to attach the year.)
RECEIVER (Will always be BdU although someone will answer in his name.)
MESSAGE TYPE
MESSAGE BODY
WX (Optional. Usually inserted into other reports.)
WHAT UBOAT IS DOING OR GOING TO DO (Should be included in most situations.)
UBOAT POSITION
UBOAT
For example:
Situation Reports
0453 17APR BDU SITREP FUEL 10 PERCENT ALL EELS GONE
RETURNING TO BASE AK2734 U5
0921 4FEB BDU SITREP 2 MERCHANTS SUNK 11K MOVING INTO
POSTITION FOR NEW ATTACK ON CONVOY AL1156
U525
or
Contact Reports
1843 7MAY BDU CONTACT CONVOY AN3217 SPEED 8KTS COURSE 220
24 MERCHANTS COUNTED MOVING TO POSITION FOR NIGHT
SURFACE ATTACK ESTIMATED TIME TO ATTACK 5HRS AN3154 U5
1345 4OCT BDU CONTACT SUNDERLAND SIGHTED THIS MORINING
0635HRS CD6362 DOVE TO AVOID CONTACT CD6244
U525
or
Intelligence Reports
1416 3APR BDU INTEL 2 AMERICAN DD ESCORTING ENGLISH
CONVOY CONTINUING TO SHADOW CONVOY CC4253 U5
0503 4JAN BDU INTEL SIGHTED NEW ENGLISH DD BLACKSWAN
SEEMS TO HAVE GREATLY INCREASED ASW CAPS CE1189
U525
or
Request for Orders
1024 28NOV BDU ORDERS HEAVY WEATHER MAKING ATTACKS
AGAINST CONVOYS IMPOSSIBLE NEED TO CHANGE PATROL AREA
CG1266
U525
1534 13JUL BDU ORDERS HEAVY ANTISUBMARINE FORCES IN THIS
AREA REQUEST NEW PATROL AREA MOVING SSW AWAY FROM HK
GROUP ET5573
U525
or
Request for Help
1325 9FEB BDU SOS ENGINES DESTROYED IN AIR ATTACK CANNOT
SUBMERGE REQUEST CREW EVAC DO5689
U525
or
Weather Reports
2322 31AUG BDU WX OVERCAST HVY FOG MED RAIN WIND 13MS
SOUTH CF2894
U525
and lastly,
To combine Reports and Requests into the same message, just add the Report Type Descriptor into the message to indicate where the new information will
begin.
1204 8DEC BDU SITREP FUEL 85 PERCENT ALL EELS REMAINING WX
PT CLOUDY LIGHT FOG WIND 7MS SSE BF2435 U5
0235 15OCT BDU CONTACT CONVOY 35 MERCHANTS 6 ESCORTS
CD4356 COURSE 090 SPEED 7KTS SITREP 50 PERCENT FUEL 6 EELS
REMAINING WX CLEAR LIGHT FOG WIND 2MS NORTH PREPARING
FOR THIRD ATTACK ON CONVOY CD4359
U524
Attacking the Convoy
U-boat's were not submarines in the true sense and predominately operated at night on the surface where the small and low silhouette made them very difficult
to detect. You should shadow the convoy until night fall to conduct a surface attack on the convoy.
If you must attack submerged try and do so from within or from the first outside row of the convoy and do not hang around DIVE deep and remove yourself from
the area, as was historically correct. There are several important aspects to making a successful night time attack.
The first is speed, the faster you travel the more likely that you will be detected.
As such, you should position yourself in front to the side so as to allow the ahead 1/3 speed approach.
Two aspects are bow on and bow off. Bow on covers about 60 degrees, or 330 to 030 and 150 to 210 degrees relative. Bow off is from 030 to 150 and 210 to 330
degrees relative.
The bow on/off examples are not to be taken as written in stone, there are many
circumstances such as time of day, your speed, the AI’s ability that will make the
figures at times smaller or larger.
For BOW ON and clear day with:
0 mps a ESCORT might detect you at around 4500
10 mps a ESCORT might detect you at around 3300
For BOW OFF (i.e. Side On) and clear day with:
0 mps a ESCORT might detect you at around 7400
10 mps a ESCORT might detect you at around 6000
For BOW ON and a clear night with:
0 mps a ESCORT might detect you at around 1200
10 mps a ESCORT might NOT detected you <-- NOTE!
For BOW OFF (i.e. Side On) and a clear night with:
0 mps a ESCORT might detect you at around 2800
10 mps a ESCORT might detect you at around 2000
Note that these are for ESCORTS, merchant ships are in comparison blind.
If your attack run is not right, remove yourself from the attack and reposition
yourself for another run.
When you turn away from the convoy either to reposition yourself or after firing your torpedoes turn at ahead full and at full rudder. The less time you expose your
flank the less likely you are to be detected. If some flank has to be exposed, subject to distance, expose your flank to a merchant ship.
Do not submerge unless you have too, you may not have been detected and when you crash dive you might be.
If you must dive after being detected then dive at flank, stay at flank till you think the escort will be within about 5000 meters and at which time order silent running
and then ahead 1/3 till you think the escort will be within 3000+ meters and then go to 1+ knots and deeper. The figures mention above are not magic cut off
figures, but are ones that I have deduced give me a fair chance of removing myself and not giving away my changed position, i.e. course change when submerged.
Real U-boat procedures suggest always firing salvos of two torpedoes in a spread at your target.
This is recommended Other recommended realistic torpedo procedures: avoid setting depth shallower than 3m; avoid using magnetic detonators until late 1942; avoid using "fast"
settings on your gas-powered G7a torpedoes. If attacked by gunfire from merchant vessels or coastal installations, you are advised to break off and/or dive.
Attacking Lone Ships
When you encounter lone merchant ships during daylight hours it is best to position your uboot in front of the ship(s) to position for attack. You should use a
submerged attack as to not give away your position. The periscope should be used sparingly, only to make quick observations and calculations. This is very
crucial in daylight hours. Attacking at night should be done on the surface and ahead of the merchant to position for attack. Observation of your uboot should
be taken on the basis of the uboote silhouette and position of the moon.
If attacked by gunfire from merchant vessels or coastal installations, you are advised to break off and/or dive.
Attacking Warships
No warships should be attacked without approval from BdU. Either lone destroyers or destroyer groups should be avoided at all cost. Destroyers should
not be specifically targeted either by themselves of within a convoy. They should only be attacked as a last resort or if the kaleun determines the uboot is in
unavoidable danger.
Attacking capital ships should be followed by the following procedure.
1. The targeted ships should be positively identified and any escorting ships.
2. The information should be communicated to BdU with the types, location, course and speed.
3. Only with authorization will an uboot be allowed to proceed with an attack.
There are instances that a uboot kaleun maybe confronted with an opportunity of
attack and have no way of communication. The kaleun must use good judgment,
however a complete report of the incident must be filed once the uboot had
returned to port and a brief communiqué to BdU of the resulting action should be
sent at the first opportunity after the attack.
Neutral Ships
Neutral ships are not to be attacked under any circumstances. You will encounter most Neutral ships traveling with their running lights on at night. It is imperative
that you identify each target before you attack. Even if the ship is traveling without running lights, but is clearly marked by Neutral colors, you must not
attack.
It is also imperative that you remain out of sight from the neutral ship as they could report your position. If you attack Neutral ships, you will suffer sever
penalties.
If a neutral ship travels inside an enemy convoy you are not reprimanded if it
is hit by misstake and has to suffer the fate of its bad judgement.
Tonnage for the accidental sinking of a neutral will not be counted.
Deck Gun
The deck gun should be used on all ships that are equal to or less than 2,000 grt.
The deck gun when used on larger ships should only be to finish off those ships that have not sunk due to torpedo attack. This should only apply to lone
merchants. Kaleun should never use their deck gun when attacking convoys and should use caution when attacking close to hostile shores or known areas of air
traffic. You should never try to engage any target in a gun duel.
Mine laying
If ordered to lay mines you are normally provided with torpedos as well to be used at a second objective. Each flotilla commander will give directives on where and how mines are to be deployed and what extra precautions to take.
Loading External Torpedoes
When preparing to load torpedoes from external compartments, a kaleun should follow these set rules.
• Be out of known air cover or shipping lanes
• Sea State must be calm with <6 or 7 m/s depending on the size of uboot.
• Engines should be set to all stop
• Flak guns should be manned and ready just in case
• If attacked while on the surface, you will have to fight it out
Credit of Ships
In most cases you will see that most ships that are hit and taking on water will sink and show up in your SH3 log book. However, there are some circumstances that ships can take hours (real time) to sink and may or may not show up in your log book depending on if you have saved and exited etc.
You must make sure that visual verification of that ship sinking before you are credited with the sinking. You will also need to file a report once you have returned to port if there are other extenuating circumstances.
Air Attacks
If you sight enemy aircraft, your best defense is diving. If this is not possible, maneuver rapidly to avoid being hit and dive when you can.
<!>DO NOT engage aircraft unless as last resort. The odds in this type of engagement are always against you.
Suggested diving procedure to escape aircraft: crash dive immediately, hit hard rudder as soon as your U-boat is fully underwater, center rudder once at 40m depth, go to slow/silent running or stop engines once at 50m depth. (note: different mods can have other crash depths than above)
Evading the Enemy
When attacked by enemy escorts time is of the most importance. Once you suspect you have been spotted or you have just carried out a successful attack on a convoy, it is important to remember certain rules. It requires constant maneuvering to try and keep the smallest profile to each escort. Remember that if
detected by an escort, the location that you were spotted in is the most dangerous as that will be the initial point of attack.
a.) Escort Attacks
It is important to crash dive with both engines flank speed ahead. Allow you uboot to come to the crash dive depth and level out. As a rule, keep your
engines at flank speed until this depth is reached. Once this depth is reached silent running should be maintained followed by an increase in depth.
As a rule, your operating evading depth should be 180 ~ 220 m depending on your uboot type. Please review the registered max depth of your uboot type.
If you have encountered damage to your uboot, you must quickly determine the extent of the damage and make sure you do not operate to deep.
Based on this quick analysis and judgment, you should set a safe max limit. At silent running your speed should be 1+knots. It is now very important to remove yourself from the search area as soon as possible. This can only be done by increasing speed when the escort is in a position not to detect you, i.e. in his baffles or far enough for a small speed increase.
This is very hard to judge and requires a lot of attention. It also requires a cool head as hearing the ping does not always mean that you are nailed, even if the u-boat warning icon goes red. I can confirm that even when the u-boat warning icon goes red and the pinging is driving you up the wall that the escort will at times continue on. This has been confirmed through external view testing. It can be a battle of nerves and speeding up as you are already detected may actually ensure that are! It is important to keep constant maneuvering to try and keep the smallest profile to each escort.
However, you should not make continual zig zagging patterns etc. as it can cause a lose of distance.
(Note: the uboot icon shall in normal cases be OFF. Ref. realism)
Using SHIII Commander gives you a simulated effect of thermal layers which will reduce the escorts ability to detect you. On the backside of things you have no indicator for this. The only way being noticing the escorts are "spitting in the wrong location".
Later on as the war progress you will be provided with the possibility to use ASDIC decoys or "BOLD" devices. The use and tactics for these will be posted in the local flotilla orders by the kommander.
b.) Surface Attack - Evading Detection
As discussed earlier, the best method of attacking convoys is surfaced and at night. It is equally important that after you have carried out a successful
attack on the convoy, you remove yourself from the area as quickly as possible to avoid detection. Following the below steps can help.
- Before entering the convoy, make note of the escorts and their positions
- Plan your attack, as well as, your method of escape
- Pick out your targets
- Look for holes in the destroyer screen. If there are holes:
- Enter in & exist through these gaps in defense
- When exiting run at flank speed on the surface if you are able to remain concealed
- If you cannot exit the convoy on the surface, crash dive and see section a.)
c.) After the Attack
It is important to make sure your uboot is out of danger before returning to the surface and securing from silent running. When contact has been lost with
attacking escorts and before surfacing, come to a depth of 30m and proceed with a quick sound check of the area. Once it has been established that there
are no contacts, proceed to periscope depth. Once at periscope depth, use the observation periscope to scan the area for any surface or air contacts.
Proceed to the surface if no contacts have been made. As the earliest time possible, send a message to BdU giving the status of your
uboot and attack. Before sending the message, a check of all systems should be made and determine if any repairs should be made and the time required to
do so. If your uboot is severally damaged, you will need to contact BdU immediately.
If you have determined that either no repairs are to be made, or you can repair them in a reasonable time, you should try to calculate and determine if recontact
with the convoy can be made. If you determine that it is possible, communicate your actions with BdU. However if not, return to your patrol area or request new orders
from BdU.
Resupply
There are three ways to resupply where the simplest one being docking in a:
a) Friendly port. Note: FRIENDLY (AXIS) NOT Neutral port! In the latter case you and your boat will be interned for the remains of the war. This is done as an emergency measure only to get fuel and do makeshift repairs.
b) Docking to an already interned supply ship in a neutral harbor. Procedure to avoid the eye of the ´public´ is to enter submerged at nightfall. The same apllies for exit using submerged state. The hosts are friendly but as "Neutrals" they will internate you if causing too much attention.
c) Docking at a "Milchkuh". This can be both a surface type supply ship or a dedicated resupply uboot, the Type XIV. Total radio silence is mandatory during this type of operation. Report on fulfilled resupply shall be sent no earlier than 48 hours after being on route again. This to avoid detection to prowling enemy task forces.
NOTES:
1) SHIII Commander must be set for "0" read Zero, days in port thus avoiding to long time at the resupply unit.
2) The number of eventual new torpedos loaded must follow the flotilla commanders directives in the patrol orders.
Good Uboot Practices
- Make regular sound sweeps w/ your hydrophones
- When traveling close to hostile shores it is better to travel submerged during daylight hours
- When docking at the uboot pens your speed should not exceed 1kt
- Remember to regularly rotate your crew
- When submerged, use your periscope sparingly, only to make quick calculations and checks
- Do not try to engage targets in bad weather
