About the comparison between SH III and SH IV....
Both sims are wonderful, SH4 may have some better graphics and thermal layers, but sadly has some rere bugs wich was unsolved from early times, and after many mods, some times the game do not react to changes.
SH3 is much more friendly to mod, but sadly has not thermal layers modelled, and water grafics are a little bit down under SH4.
Finally... both are nice and wonderful, but that we need is a new SH3, may be SH5, german U-Boat game, in the Atlantic, and may be both in one, with USA Silent Boats in the Paciphic... with the best of both sims.