Whether you play with enabled
The IIA suffers from extremely low fuel reserves and a shallow crush depth. It is highly agile and dives incredibly fast, making it excellent for dodging early-war air patrols. However, its tiny torpedo complement means you must make every single shot count.
: Versatility. It features a good balance of speed, range, and firepower (typically 14 torpedoes). silent hunter 3 all submarines
| Boat | Year | Surf Speed | Sub Speed | Torps | Range (km) | Dive (sec) | Best role | |------|------|------------|-----------|-------|------------|------------|------------| | IIB | 1939 | 13 kt | 7 kt | 5 | 5,600 | 15 | Coastal | | VIIB | 1940 | 17 kt | 8 kt | 14 | 8,700 | 25 | Atlantic (early) | | VIIC | 1941 | 17 kt | 8 kt | 14 | 8,500 | 25 | Atlantic (mid) | | IXB | 1940 | 18 kt | 7 kt | 22 | 12,000 | 30 | Long-range | | IXD2 | 1942 | 19 kt | 7 kt | 24 | 23,700 | 32 | Very long range | | XXI | 1944 | 15.5 kt | 17.5 kt | 23 | 15,500 | 18 | Submerged hunter |
: Known as "canoes," these are small, maneuverable, and primarily used for training or coastal operations. Whether you play with enabled The IIA suffers
| Family | Playable Variants | Nickname | Best For | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | IIA, IID | "Dugout Canoe" | Coastal waters, 1939-1940 | | Type VII | VIIB, VIIC, VIIC/41 | "Atlantic Workhorse" | All-around, main campaign | | Type IX | IXB, IXC | "Long-range Cruiser" | Distant patrols (South Atlantic, US coast) | | Type XXI | XXI | "Elektroboot" | Late-war super submarine (1944-45) |
To easily scan how each major submarine class handles the Atlantic theater, review this core comparison table for base variants: U-Boat Class Torpedo Tubes (Bow / Stern) Max Internal Torpedoes Safe Test Depth Top Surface Speed Top Submerged Speed Primary Strategic Role 12.0 knots Coastal Patrol / Training Type VII ~150m-200m 17.0 knots Workhorse / Fleet Interceptor Type IX ~200m-240m 18.2 knots Long-Range Ocean Cruiser Type XXI 15.6 knots 17.2 knots High-Tech Electro-boat 1. Type II Series: The "Dugout Canoes" : Versatility
High-speed underwater interception and technological dominance. Bow Tubes: 6 Stern Tubes: 0 Total Torpedoes: 23 Summary Selection Table Submarine Class Primary Era Fuel Range Torpedo Load Dive Speed Optimal Strategy Type II (B/D) 1939–1940 Shallow water ambushes; sneak in and out quickly. Type VII (B/C) 1939–1943 Classic convoy attacking; balanced turning and diving. Type VII/41 1943–1945 Deep-diving evasion against aggressive late-war escorts. Type IX (B/C) 1940–1944 Long-range solo hunts in low-threat regions. Type IXD2 1942–1945 Heavy payload sniping; avoid close-quarters combat. Type XXI 1944–1945 High (Submerged) N/A (Stay Under) Permanent submersion; rapid fire-and-fade attacks. If you would like to optimize your career path, tell me: Which start year (1939–1945) do you prefer?
Vanilla SH3 only includes the above. But supermods drastically expand to include:
The base game includes Types II, VII, IX, and XXI. The XVIII and XXIII are often added via the popular Grey Wolves Expansion (GWX) or other mods.
Choose the Type IXC for long, lonely patrols with massive cargo payoffs.