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Q: Can you tell me more about the elements of the strategic map?
A: 1. Avatar
This is the portrait of your avatar, including information on your current level. The Experience points required for the next level-up will be displayed when you hold the mouse pointer over the portrait. Around the portrait you will find options to log out, add friends, access your mailbox, and also find help and the global settings.
2. Shop
You can buy equipment in the shop.
3. Chat
You can chat to other players here. There is a global channel, a whispering channel and a channel that is solely for the members of your wolfpack.
4. Dominance bar
Here you can see whether the Allies or the German navy currently dominate the selected campaign. The German presence is marked in blue, whereas the Allied dominance is marked in red.
5. Campaign tree and secondary objectives
Here you can view the campaign you have currently selected and all the associated missions. Bear in mind that only one campaign and its secondary objectives will be visible.
6. Campaign overview
Here you can see all the campaigns in the game, who dominates which campaign, and which campaigns are already unlocked. Click a campaign to focus the strategic map directly on the relevant war zone. Only one campaign at a time can be displayed on the map.
7. U-boat icons on the strategic map
The U-boat icons indicate the position of your U-boats on the map (U-boats in the bunker are not shown). Using the icons, you can also set the course of your U-boat, and move it over the map.
8. Naval ports
You can travel to bases marked in blue to move your U-boats into the bunker so that they can gain access to the depot, where you can equip them with additional items. Red ports are always enemy ports, while blue ports belong to your allies.
9. Entrance to your home base
This is a quick link to your home base. In the base, you can manage and enlarge your fleet and your supplies.
10. Time Compression bar
Here you can see how many Time Compression points you still have available. These points will help you cover long distances quickly. The points are automatically restored over time.
11. U-boat menu
In the fleet tab you will see a status overview of all the U-boats in your fleet (on patrol, in the bunker, in combat, course is set, etc.) and take command of them. Left-click one of your U-boats to jump to the selected U-boat. You can only jump aboard U-boats that belong to your own fleet.
12. Wolfpack tab
If you are on a multiplayer mission with other players, click the wolfpack tab to view the members of your wolfpack.
13. Map controls
You can use the map controls to enlarge or reduce the view, and center the map on your currently selected U-boat.
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Q: How do I navigate my ships on the strategic map?
A: To set the course for your U-boat, click the U-boat icon on the map and select the “Set course” option. Select the target point, and the course and travel time will automatically be calculated and shown on the strategic map.
You can then choose if you want to travel to the target in real time, or use Time Compression points to jump straight to the target coordinates. The corresponding costs for fuel and Time Compression points, where appropriate, will be automatically calculated and listed before you make your decision. If you travel to the target in the normal way, you will only have to consider fuel consumption under “diesel”.
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Q: How do I navigate my ships on the strategic map using TCP?
A: If you want to invest Time Compression points to jump straight to the target, you must take account of the other costs rather than diesel consumption alone: “TC diesel” indicates how much fuel you will need for a Time Compression jump.
“TCP” however, indicates the “Time Compression points” that will be deducted for the jump. Time Compression points will also be automatically restored over time.
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Q: How can I find missions on the strategic map?
A: You will find missions on the strategic map where they will be displayed as white icons. Each mission is assigned to a respective secondary campaign goal. There are three different mission types, each with different victory conditions:
1. Search and destroy
You must sink a certain number of enemy ships (freighters and/or warships).
2. Special target
You must identify and destroy a particular ship.
3. Reconnaissance
You must identify an enemy convoy without being detected, and then send a report to HQ.
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Q: How do I select and start missions?
A: To start a mission, you must travel to it with one or several of your U-boats. To do this, click your U-boat and set a course on the mission icon on the map.
The only exception when traveling to a mission applies to the indicated routes: unlike fixed targets, as mission targets move on the map, two routes will appear when you set the course on the map. The blue course is the interception course to the target, if you decide to travel to it in real time. The course marked by dashes is the distance you would immediately cover in a jump using Time Compression.
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Q: How can I invite other players to join my mission?
A: You can play every mission with up to three extra players by inviting them to join before the start of a mission. To do this, click the mission on the strategic map and select the option “Invite friend”. Now select up to three friends to whom you want to send an invitation.
Note: the players you invite must already be added to your friends list to be able to go to sea with you.
Once you have invited your friends on your mission, your U-boats will appear on your map to enable you to coordinate attacks more effectively.
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Q: How can I manage my flotilla?
A: If you click the home base icon on the strategic map, you will arrive at the bunker or depot screen. Here, you can manage your fleet and stock your supplies, both of which are an important part of your duties as a fleet commander.
On the top right you can toggle between the bunker and the depot. In the bunker, you can manage and equip your boats while the depot holds all your supplies.
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Q: What can I do at the bunker?
A: As well as displaying the U-boats that are permanently available and the queue, the bunker section is divided into several sub-sections: Overview Officers and Crew, Resources and Torpedoes, Repairs and Modifications. All these elements are explained below.
1. Bunker/depot buttons
Left click on either button on the top right to toggle between the bunker and the depot.
2. U-boat slots
Here you will see the available U-boats in your fleet and their current status (in the bunker, on patrol, etc.). Any free depot slots available for additional U-boats will also be shown. You can also view any depot slots that are not yet unlocked here. You can access the list of the available U-boats in all the sub-sections in the bunker, so you can toggle between U-boats at any time. If you want to increase the maximum number of your depot slots, you can click on a blocked depot slot.
3. Overview
Here you can view the U-boat you have currently selected, and obtain an overview of its technical details.
4. Officers and crew
Here you can view and manage the officers and crew assigned to the currently selected boat.
5. Resources and Torpedoes
Here you can see and change the torpedoes on board that have been installed in the U-boat’s torpedo tubes. You will also see the supplies of consumable resources here, such as diesel, flak gun and deck gun ammunition
6. Repairs
Here you can check to see whether or where your U-boat has sustained damage. You can also repair any damage.
7. Modification
This menu displays the various items of equipment in your U-boat. You can click on a particular part to view its modification level and any other useful details. You can also see any damage.
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Q: What can I do at the overview section?
A: You can decide to order the selected U-boat to leave the bunker, but the U-boat must, of course, be seaworthy before it can be put to sea. This means that there must be sufficient crew, all the essential parts and enough diesel on board.
You can also decommission your U-boat and scrap it if you want to construct a new and better model!
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Q: What can I do at the officers and crew section?
A: Here you can see the officers on board the selected U-boat, and their individual experience levels. You can obtain information on their tasks and skills by moving the mouse pointer over one of the officer portraits.
Click on the portrait to see how many Experience points the relevant officer requires to advance a level.
You can use “Transfer to depot” to remove officers from the U-boat and send them to your depot.
Click “Manage crew” to increase the number of crew members on board, reassign them, or transfer them to the depot.