Start with Type IIA or skip it for Type VII?

[Andrei [FR-EN]]

Is the Type IIA a fun gimmick for a change of pace (for people that played the early access for years before release) or do you believe it's a must play sub before graduating to a Type VII later on?
I'm trying to decide how to start my campaign, as a change from the Type VII sounds fun, but i'm reading some posts regarding frustration because of the slower speed, lower range and an iffy TDC.

Wanted to know what you folks think? Straight to Type VII or endure the Type IIA for a few months?

Happy hunting!

___

EDIT (a week later, 3 patrols in)

Well I ended up playing the Type IIA, to try it out some more. It is very limited compared to the Type VII i've played for years in Eearly Access, for sure. Now I get 0 to 2 victories at sea, per patrol, so the exprience and funds are coming in very slowly. I only really use anything above the slowest speed when actively intercepting a target.
It's a welcomed change of pace for sure, but I'm eager to upgrade at least to the Type IID, as the Type VII is far away, still.

EDIT #2 :

I highly recommend starting with the IIA simply because i learned new skills despite having 50 hours in the Type VII. I learned to better manage my fuel, and most importantly, my crew and their jobs/shifts. Never really had to, give how bigger and better the Type VII is.
Also learned to intercept better and try sinking ships without torpedos because I only had five on board.
I'm in early 1940s and I've already unlocked the blueprint allowing me to upgrade to the Type IID. Fuel is no longer an issue so that phase is over.

[XLjedi]

Type IIA is my vote. If you learn to play it, you will be adept at the VII boats and appreciate the upgrade that each new hull brings. ...but I also like grindy gameplay.

[Alex Paen (ljekio)]

If you want to endure it, then you don’t need it; if you want to enjoy it, then yes.

[ramjbjb]

if you haven't experienced it, a Type IIA can be very fun. Challenging, yes, but quite fun. If you think you're up to the task, go ahead, it's a neat little boat.

[StuKa]

I enjoyed messing around in the Type II on my first campaign in the unstable, but I'll probably start with a VII when I do get around to starting a proper 1.0 campaign.

Keep in mind th VIIb has the same TDC as the type II. Perfectly fine, just need to manually update AOB before firing.

[Vonpritz]

IIA is fun, just upgrade to IID as soon as you can, fixes the issues you have with range massively. Its fun to learn the controls, also is fun to sneak into harbors with.

Forces you to learn to manage the crew a bit more too I feel.

[Micullus]

In the end it doesn't matter in what boat you start.
Type VII has the advantage that both type II are already unlocked and can be changed at the ships outfitter.

[boring2004]

Are their any differences in missions between starting with a II vs a VII? I would assume even on the first day of the war their would be a difference in orders for coastal vs ocean going boats. Is that reflected at all or will the game try and send you out on Atlantic raids or the Scapa Flow regardless of boat type?

[Ax4711]

Upgrade to IID and move to an Atlantic port to progress to the VII eventually.

[Air Chief Marshal Sir Woods]

For my first time playing im using a type IIA and im having a blast

[tequilatibbs]

VII every day

[Chalax]

i played through beta and unstable on years 1939-1940.
Today I chose the VIID in January 1941.
Should I go back and start from earlier? I like the idea of seeing how the map changes over the course of the war but I fear I may have skipped too much content jumping into ealry 1941.
Note that I was getting bored though, I was only getting smaller cargo boats and few convoys...

[Alex Paen (ljekio)]

in fact, you can get IID after the second patrol, and then it's a matter of luck with missions and preferences.

[Twelvefield]

I love the Type IIA, but I would never recommend it to a new player. HQ doesn't give the Type II much in the way of upgrades, and if you really stick with it in the mid to late war the Type II's become outclassed by the Allies.

[Ziggurt]

Originally posted by boring2004:

Are their any differences in missions between starting with a II vs a VII? I would assume even on the first day of the war their would be a difference in orders for coastal vs ocean going boats. Is that reflected at all or will the game try and send you out on Atlantic raids or the Scapa Flow regardless of boat type?

Scapa Flow yes (it is well within the range) - however all patrols generated were within the range of the sub. Sometimes the BDU changed my order's while I was underway to a closer patrol area.

Originally posted by Andrei FR-EN:

Wanted to know what you folks think? Straight to Type VII or endure the Type IIA for a few months?

Happy hunting!

I think it is up to whether you want easier start or more difficult one. Type IIA is way less able than Type VII - however if you have played the game in EA with Type VII, type IIA can give you bit more interesting start on the game.
Type IID is massive upgrade when it comes to the range. I kinda like it, I feel it is more stealthy than Type VIIc (I feel I can come much closer to the enemy ships without being spotted but that may very well be subjective).

As someone suggested you can unlock Type IID quickly. Hot tip - massacre English ships in neutral ports like Bergen or Rotterdam (enemy ships are not moving)

[subwolf_41]

I don't know how many times I've played the early stage of the war, only to lose saved games after an update. So this time I started a new career and took command of U-96 in January 1941. Starting with a rookie crew this late isn't optimal, but many real uboat skippers did the same thing.