[scrag]

Mixed feelings on yet another broke Cold War Sim. To be clear. Dangerous Waters, 688I, SEAWOLF attempts are nice games but as a sim goes they are lacking in accuracy and realism. They make decent games. To achieve a cold war goes hot situation you no longer have a sim byt a game (that is fine as it becomes more liberal in it's application and ability to 'interpet" the data regarding capabilities of Modern SSN combat - I especially love the comments by those who have never actually been involved in any "Cold War Action" weighing in on "it is boring". Those comments are based on ignorance and are totally inaccurate. I am dubious about ANY Cold War Submarine game because of the lack of data and necessity keeping it that way. Since this has been already written about in the past I will past what I wrote regarding 1946-49 time frame.
US Submarine development:
The US (and UK) examined and did extensive testing on a few XXI boats as well as some of the Hydrogen Peroxide Walther designs attempting to adopt some of the technology for use. The Hydrogen Peroxide boats developed by all navies resulted in some form of casualty which resulted in at least heavy damage or loss of the boat itself. Essentially in this time frame the Guppy I conversions took place and in 47-48 the Guppy II conversions (and in 5 new boats while they were being built) of the Balao and Gato class boats. The German Balkon Sonar system was being tested (NATO/USSR) and in the 49 the first attempted Sub Vs Sub ASW exercise took place in the Greenland Norwegian Sea as well as the fringes of the Barents Sea. A new design of Sonar called the BQR-2 which later incorporated more BALKON technology would spin off the first ASW capable Sonar System called the BQR-4 with a reported range of 20k against a Snorkeling Submarine. The plan during this time was to attack and sink the enemy submarine on the Surface or Snorting. Submerged attack against a sub on the Batt was still not feasible due to limitations in the sonar systems. (BTW - this holds true somewhat today as well - a front line SS on the Batt is a real bitch to find under the right circumstance). Weapon technology showed some experimentation in improving homing torpedo seekers from both the captured stuff and what was already in place. We also see the first Radar Picket Subs and the design of a new SSK class which incorporates the larger array of the BQR-4 sonar system.
Russia - same stuff with regards to XXI testing, though the Soviets suffered a setback when the German Carrier Graff Zeppelin was overloaded with captured materials (including tooling for some of the German equipment for advanced underwater designs) and subsequently capsized in the Baltic. The Soviets boats for this period included S/Shch ; K classes with the Whiskey Zulu and Quebec classes following in the early 50's. The Soviet Navy really was a coastal force with extremely limited capabilities - patrolling areas primarily in the Barents and Baltic Seas. They also were working on there version of the BALKON system which would be known in the west as Pike Jaw and Trout Cheek aka Feniks.

Good luck on the new game endeavor - be pretty cool to see modern stuff or semi modern stuff in a SHIV game format.