What is your "white whale" submarine in SH3? Do you stick to the VII, or do you prefer the heavy hitters?
: Most players spend their careers in a VII, balanced between speed, firepower, and endurance [15]. Their story is one of gradual obsolescence as Allied radar and aircraft eventually turned these "hunters" into the "hunted" [25, 33]. Type IX: The Long-Range Hunter
:
The Type XXI is the culmination of WWII submarine design—the first true submarine designed to operate primarily submerged, not just as a surface ship that could dive. silent hunter 3 all submarines
is useful for 1944-45 British coastal raids. Type XVIII is rare, unstable (HTP fuel explosions), but very fast submerged (~25 knots in mods).
Start with the Type IIB or IIC to master stealth.
The Type IID is a direct upgrade to the IIB, addressing the critical issue of operational range. By implementing external saddle tanks, engineers significantly increased its fuel capacity. This allows you to patrol further into the North Sea and the British coast. The internal layout, torpedo count, and lack of a deck gun remain identical to the IIB. What is your "white whale" submarine in SH3
Designed for operations far from home ports, such as the American coast or the Indian Ocean, the Type IX is significantly larger and slower to dive but carries a massive torpedo loadout.
State-of-the-art design for high-speed submerged operations; utilizes snorkels for diesel-submerged travel. Detailed Submarine Specifications Guide :: Silent Hunter 3 Basics... - Steam Community
Mods like Grey Wolves Expansion (GWX) add Type XXIII and refine crush depths, but the vanilla game remains a 2005 artifact. Their story is one of gradual obsolescence as
| Feature | Type II (Coastal) | Type VII (Medium-Range) | Type IX (Long-Range) | Type XXI (Advanced) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Training, Coastal Defense | Convoy Attack, Wolfpack Operations | Long-Range Independent Patrols | Advanced Submerged Hunter | | Torpedo Tubes | 3 Bow / 0 Aft | 4 Bow / 1 Aft | 4 Bow / 2 Aft | 6 Bow / 0 Aft | | Torpedo Load | ~6 | 11-14 | 22 | 23 | | Range | 1,600 - 5,600 mi | 6,500 - 8,700 mi | 8,400 - 23,700 mi | Extremely High | | Submerged Speed | Low (7 knots) | Moderate (~7-8 knots) | Moderate (~7-8 knots) | High (17+ knots) | | Maneuverability | Very High | High (especially VIIB) | Low (sluggish) | Moderate | | Availability | 1939 | 1939 | 1941 | Late War | | Renown Cost (approx.) | 0 - 500 | 2,000 - 4,000 | 7,500 - 10,000+ | Very High | | Strengths | Highly agile, early access | Balanced, versatile, upgradeable | Extreme range, heavy payload | Unmatched submerged performance | | Weaknesses | Very short range, weak armament | Moderate range | Poor agility, slow dive | Very late arrival, expensive |
Nicknamed "Einbaum" (Dugout Canoe) for their small size and violent movement in heavy seas, these were the first production U-boats for the Kriegsmarine [12, 17].
Stay in Type II only for the first two (1939) patrols. Sink small merchies in the British coastal zone. Transfer to a Type VIIB as soon as Flotilla allows (mid-1940).