Several questions about SH3 ...

[jorgegonzalito]

With the submarine submerged in shallow water as I know which way to go to find more depth? The chart does not have that information so that I could see. The submarine dives always with the same angle? You can not increase the angle of descent? Thank you very much.

[UKönig]

Ask your Navigation officer to sound the depths with the echo-location gear.
Keep sounding at regular intervals and jot down the number he tells you. In that way, you can keep track of the shallow depths.
As far as I know, there is no way to increase diving angle manually. You can press "P", or "C", usually configured to execute dive commands which take you down to a specific depth and level off. Pressing "D" will also dive the boat, but will continue going deeper and deeper, until you press "A" to "maintain this depth". If you do not, you can accidently take your boat too deep, and invite pressure hull failure.

[jorgegonzalito]

Hi, thanks for your prompt response. The second question of the angle of descent has become clear, though SH3 should have the option to vary the angle of the hydroplanes. Information regarding the depth in different areas, it is clear that is not available in the SH3, and perhaps be obtained by other external means. If you are going to operate in shallow waters must first make a plan to escape to areas at least 50 meters. I prefer to follow the convoy at a distance and choose where to attack him. Anyway it is necessary to already have a deep knowledge of the assigned area of operations.

[Pisces]

You can click in the depth gauge with the mouse to go to a specifc depth. You can do this on the shallow gauge as well as the deep depth one. You are not limited to the periscope depth or crashdive depth level.

Determining what is a save depth is indeed a tricky one. The depth sounding sonar tells the current depth beneath you. But that may change as you move around.

[jorgegonzalito]

Vielen Dank Herr Kaleun! I understand all that you explain. I remain concerned about the lack of information about the depth in different areas of the sea, absent in the navigation maps.

[UKönig]

Depth (specific depth) information is absent on the 'stock' SH3 map. It is available in 'stock' SH4. Shallow depth information is not really important to the Atlantic war. Shallow depth only applies to harbour raids or coastal mine-laying operations. The U-boat echo-location gear is only accurate to about 1000 meters. The average sea depth in the North Atlantic is 3700+ meters. The average crush depth of the type VII submarine was 250 meters. Once the depth goes over 1000 meters, it doesn't matter anymore! That's why they don't bother putting it on the maps. You'll never be down that deep and live to tell about it.

[jorgegonzalito]

You're right. I just needed those maps with depths in coastal waters. Maybe it's better to change strategy and follow the convoy to deeper waters, unless it can install the mod shallow water to prevent asdic of enemy ships operating in shallow water. Thank you very much for your answer friend.

[Rambler241]

Try using the observation periscope while submerged - raised a little, and tilted down, you can see the bottom in daylight. Tilted up, it's possible to see the bottoms of nearby boats above. Periscopes were used underwater in RL too.

[Hambone307]

In GWX (not sure about stock game) If you are in the navigation map screen and click on the marker icon, It has a color coded depth gauge. Match the color next to the marker to the color in the background of the map and it gives you a rough estimation of the depth in your area.

I use this a lot when fighting in the Mediterranean sea since I like to ambush convoys North-West of Valetta in the shallow waters there.

Edit:
Also, if you are in coastal water, be sure to sound the depth before you crash dive! Nothing is more embarrassing than getting spotted by a destroyer, crash diving, and hitting the bottom. You will end your career real quick if that happens...

[Zosimus]

I should point out that the crash depth number can be changed in SilentHunterIII\data\Submarine\ and then select your boat type. I am using the NSS_Uboat9c and I have modified my file thus:

[Properties]
PeriscopeDepth=13.5;meters 12.5
SnorkelDepth=14;meters
CrashDepth=100;meters <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
MaxDepth=500;meters
SurfaceDepth=8;meters
TorpLaunchMaxDepth=20;meters
StormConditions=11,0.4;max wind speed [m/s], max rain intensity [0,1]

If you're going to operate in shallow waters, you might choose to modify that number to 50 or even 40 meters.

[jorgegonzalito]

Thank you very much guys for such interesting and useful tips. Operate the SH3 is always learning something new every day.