Turn 16: Commerce riding failure

9 - 15 August 1932

7 boats on patrol
5 boats in transit
3 boats returning to base
12 boats in bases
3 boats in repair

   This week score, single 5000 tons sunk by S-44, left Me with no more hope into commerce riding tactic. Submarine fleet total is 66000 tons sunk in 16 weeks time,  in almost half of the campaign time. If I keep this sunk level in to the end of the year, I should finish with about 130000 tons, which is catastrophic defeat. To reach more then 200000 tons, I need sunk twice so many ships, which is impposible in My opinion. In conclusion our submarines are technologically unprepared to real combat, even to commerce riding, and required futher development. They are too slow (on surface and submarged), with too short range, too vulnerable in combat and lack of  torpedos. In addition torpedo problem rised our bar even higher, quickly depleted of  missed torpedos ship, need to aboart patrol too quickly gaining nothing.
   Unable to seriously reduce enemy merchant fleet, and with this war materials and natural resources import to Japan, I only see the way to victory in eliminating Japanese Navy units. Damaging or eliminating big naval units can be vital point to gaining advantage in Decisive Battle of the Pacific. With new orders, S-1 class  submarines starting to concentrate on very large enemy ships, like tankers or auxiliary units. For the rest of the boats, new task is to attack important capital ships, including aircraft carriers and battleships. This new tactic will last for August and September, then I reconsider the outcomes.

This week total: 1 ship sunk, 5000 tons