Test Dive advice?
 

The newest of my installs seems to allow for deeper dives, than did it's predecesor. (Every version seems different in this respect).

Anybody have some advice on how to safely test when the boat is getting close to the maximum depth, without getting killed or trashing the boat?

1) Once you get into the "orange" range, decrease your descent speed.

2) At some point, you will be told "We are taking damage!" At that point, hit the power and head up.

Despite the message, I've never actually taken any game-notable damage using this method.

BTW, remember that you can randomize crush depth in SHIII Commander, so that may account for seeming differences between installs.

I normally take the boat straight down to 180 metres (Type VII) and then go in 10 metre steps from there. No faster than 2 or 3 knots. As soon as she starts taking damage I hit A.K. and order 20 metres higher.

I've actually taken my VII down to the red area many times, mind you just the tip of it at around 200 meters without any damage even after staying down for long periods of time.

With GWX in an undamaged VII you can make it down to about 220m. If you use sh3 commander with randomise crush depth enabled you can potentially go deeper (it's quite a fun option as it gives you a reason to make a 'test dive' eveytime you start a new patrol/load a save game).

I believe the later model type IXs can even peg/exceed the dial.

I usually pick a depth I want and then level off there, say 200m, or 220, depending on boat, then continue to dive from there. As mentioned, Wait till they screaming about damage, not just getting nervous about it. I have taken damage before, and it goes quick once you do.

Remember, DC's were historically capped (at least early) to 500ft depth. So if you hit 200m+, you can drive right under them, I think.

My current boat (U-93, VIIC) will happily take 255 metres without problems! Must admit I chickened out at that point ...

Last night I did a single mission with a type VIIC and just hit 'D' at 4kts and waited to see when she collapsed. I thought it was a glitch or something because she just kept going down, down, down, down..... 200, 230, 260, 280, 300with no seriour damage!:doh: The gauges shattered and the lights flickered at some point in the high 200s, but the the end didn't come until 330m! :o

In career mode I would never have even tried to go near that depth.

When testing depth ensure your tc is set at x1 or you may not be quick enough to react if you start taking a hit on your hull integrity.

Is the hull integrity slowly lost when you reach a certain point or does it drop rreally fast??

I've gone past crush depth a few times.

Of course, swiss cheese isn't exactly a good pressure hull.

now that we are on the tipic of test dives, with sh3 commander setting "mal+sab" on, what exactlly do u need to look for on test dives etc... Its a cool feature but I've never noticed a malfunction or sabotage.

One thing is an uncontrolled dive (Dive plane sabatoge?), by this I mean when you dive, you keep diving, no saving her until you hit bottom. Which is why its good to do your first test dive in say... 100m ?? Another is a blurred periscope to simulate scope malfunction (At least I had both of those happen) Another I have heard of is fuel leakage, Ie. you use a lot more fuel than you would at your speed, and engine malfunctions / sabatoge where you dont get the full speed when your at ahead full.

Are there any Im missing folks??

Are those malfunction/sabotage things fixable at sea? Or do you have to go back to port? Do they add to time-in-port?

I've not turned them on (didn't think it was a good idea while I'm learning) so i haven't experienced them yet.

Is this a sabotage thing? It's also a known bug too. Especially if you crash dive and don't reach your CD depth before changing depth orders. Your dive officer gets pissed and lets the boat sink.

I've also read that the Sab and malfunctions can cause more frequent CTD's, but don't quote me.