If you're into hardcore modern naval sims, nothing else comes close to DW. I say it's worth it.

The manual is an excellent all-round reference tome for submarine/anti-submarine warfare. Just treat it like any other book you might want on the subject. It is worth the price of two pulp fiction paperbacks, IMO.

Can't say I am yet. I love Battlestations, but that's an RTS and a quick play, not a hardcore simulation. I'm more and more intrigued by Silent Hunter and DW though, so I'm sure I'll move up to them sooner or later as my tastes keep changing.

And keep in mind that while DW is a harcore sim, you can delegate a lot of the duties to your AI crew while you are learning the game. IMHO, the hardest thing to do yourself is the TMA (Target motion & analysis).

Don't feel bad it took me all 3 games to learn how to drive an American sub decently. I'm still bad in the russian subs (and chinese). Horrid in the Frigate...god I am terrible in that thing. The plane I only end up doing recon and I suck with the chopper.