Max Depth for Depth Charges?

[Seaman Staines]

While playing hide'n'seek with a handul of rather unfriendly British destroyers, I got to wondering if there's a maximum depth the charges can go before either premature detonation or implosion. I was in far deeper waters than my u-boat can go so I'm curious if I was to hide out at, say, >150 would I be out of effective range where I could sit silently until the Brits got tired? How accurately are depth charges modelled in SH3 (and GWX) in regard to maximum depth?

[Penelope_Grey]

It all depends. Talking from a GWX standpoint, in the early war, you hide at 150m and go silent, they are not going to find you because their technology is not good enough. However, yes depthcharges can reach 150m easily, and in later war you will find a barrage tumbling down to you.

However its not exact science is depthcharging they would guess your depth, so if you were at say... 500ft - 151.5m

Then, they would know that you are between 400 and 600 feet they would have an idea and a spread would be dropped from their lowest to highest estimate, it only took one or two depthcharges to either sink the sub, or force it to the surface.

Though, the maximum I believe depthcharges can go in SH3/GWX is 300m however the only sub capable of reaching and exceeding that is the VIIC/41 and 42. The XXI I am not sure about.

[Tom]

Also, as long as they can locate you, they won't get tired and leave. Even if they run out of depth charges, they'll circle around and wait until you're forced to surface to replenish batteries and air. And they will be calling for help, attracting all other units nearby to join the hunt.

They only lose interest and go away if they can't hear or locate you with asdic for 30 minutes or so.

[irish1958]

Tom
That's not very nice of them.

[Steel_Tomb]

I think though that if you get below 300m their asdic can't reach you right? so they would leave eventualy.

[Sailor Steve]

About 200 meters for the best of them.
http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WAMBR_ASW.htm
http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WAMUS_ASW.htm

Once they had hedgehogs depth ceased to matter.

[Rhodes]

In the biography of Reinhard "Teddy" Suhren, he tells that in the first years of the war, I think until 41, the max depth of the british deep charges was 120m, and many times, the U-48 (when he was the I WO.) dived bellow that deep to have a safe evasion.

Don't know if thats moded in GWX but when I play during 41 or early, many times dived below 120m and escaped. But it can also be the "lack" of experience/ASW tecnology.

[mowgli99]

i have experienced hedgehogs one and they truly are the devil:down: .They nailed me. I was taking on water. Scraped the sea floor and was forced to surface. Bad things afer that:dead: .

[Tom]

Tom
That's not very nice of them.

No, it isn't. On the other hand, they don't consider your attempts at sinking the merchants they are protecting that nice either.

[JackSparrow]

i havent encountered hedgehogs yet, and sure hope i don't... :shifty:

[The Noob]

AFAIK depth charges are limited to 300m. If they reach this depth they vanish. No explosion, implosion, or anything. They are just gone. I think its the same with hedgehogs. It could be modded, but diving below 300m without getting crushed isnt possible, and it doesnt make sense to set your crush dept below 300 (except if your a arcade-style cheater :D ), so no one cares to mod it. And in early war, the charges can sink to 300, too, but if the destroyers cant get a fix on you they dont drop them, so you should be safe at 150m in 39 and 40.

i havent encountered hedgehogs yet, and sure hope i don't... :shifty:
You will, and you wont like it! :yep:

[Jimbuna]

The only realistic tactic is to run silent and deep :yep:

Unless as already pointed out you are an arcade type player with an abundance of......................and....................... .:lol:

[STEED]

arcade type player with an abundance of......................and....................... .:lol:

ERR:-?

I have never been killed by a Hedgehog attack but they caused me big time damage which only lasted a short time as they pored there big depth charges on me and good night. :dead:

[Captain Nemo]

i have experienced hedgehogs one and they truly are the devil:down: .They nailed me. I was taking on water. Scraped the sea floor and was forced to surface. Bad things afer that:dead: .

From the books I've read, in real life hedgehogs were not highly rated by the Royal Navy, they much preferred the depth charge as an ASW weapon.

Nemo

[Jimbuna]

The big plus of the hedgehog (in deep water, anyway) was the fact that any explosion was a 100% indicator to the escort that the sub was damaged or destroyed :arrgh!:

[Klaus_Doldinger]

The only realistic tactic is to run silent and deep :yep:

With GWX 1.03 I usually play in 1940-1942 (My last career lasted from august 1941-june 1942, when I was retired), and in fact I always survived running silent and deep, as far as 170m if neccessary, and putting the engines at flank speed as soon as the hydrophone detected depth charges behind me or at any side. Generally speaking, after and hour or two the escorts bored to search the bastard who sunk the ships :smug: and regrouped with the convoy.

[Penelope_Grey]

but diving below 300m without getting crushed isnt possible,

It is possible, if you have a VIIC/41 or 42 and you boot up with SH3 Commander, I think you will find both of those U-boats can go down further than 300m I have reached 310m in a VIIC/41.

[Seaman Staines]

Thanks for the replies, folks. Sounds like the short answer is there is no really safe depth to hide from depth charges. It's still early in the war (GWX in 1940) for me, so I haven't had the privilege of running into the hedgehogs yet. <sarcasm> I'm looking forward to it </sarcasm>. I'm already getting a good run for my money dodging depth charges so I may not make it that far in this career anyway. Guess I better work on my evasion skills a little more since hiding isn't an option.

Seaman Staines

[Nokia]

If you are using the XXI you only need to get to 200m and run at flank speed and the DDs will drop the charges too early and they will blow behind you.

[mstgnymike]

It all depends. Talking from a GWX standpoint, in the early war, you hide at 150m and go silent, they are not going to find you because their technology is not good enough. However, yes depthcharges can reach 150m easily, and in later war you will find a barrage tumbling down to you.

However its not exact science is depthcharging they would guess your depth, so if you were at say... 500ft - 151.5m

Then, they would know that you are between 400 and 600 feet they would have an idea and a spread would be dropped from their lowest to highest estimate, it only took one or two depthcharges to either sink the sub, or force it to the surface.

Though, the maximum I believe depthcharges can go in SH3/GWX is 300m however the only sub capable of reaching and exceeding that is the VIIC/41 and 42. The XXI I am not sure about.

believe it or not i held a VIIC at 300m flat for 10 minutes of real playing time b4 having to come up, i swear it!

[ridgewayranger]

Hi All,
First, may I say that we did, as the war went on, produce charges capable of being set to 700ft. We also had a 1 ton charge, made from a torpedo body and launched from a destroyer torpedo tube. It was used against suspected bottomed subs trying to lay doggo. It went to the bottom, hopefully near the boat, then detonated. Enough to give the crew a headache I guess!
Finally, I don't believe the progression of hedgehog, the squid, has been modelled in SH3. Is there any chance this could happen?
I could supply some details if anyone wants to give it a go.
RR