Silent — Hunter 3 All Submarines

SH3 divides U-boats into four families:

| Type | Role | In-Game Variants | Key Strength | Key Weakness | |------|------|------------------|--------------|---------------| | Type II | Coastal/Dwars | IIA, IIB, IIC, IID | Shallow draft, fast dive | Range (<5,000nm), tiny loadout (5 torps) | | Type VII | Atlantic workhorse | VIIB, VIIC, VIIC/41 | Balance: 14 torps, 17 knots surface | Mediocre dive depth (150-200m) | | Type IX | Long-range cruiser | IXB, IXC | Range (>11,000nm), 22 torps | Slow dive, large silhouette | | Type XXI | Electroboat (late) | XXI (mod/addon) | High underwater speed (17kts), deep dive | Scarce in vanilla 1943 end-date |

Silent Hunter 3 (SH3) is a World War II submarine simulator developed by Ubisoft Romania and released in 2005. It focuses primarily on the German Kriegsmarine’s U-boats operating in the Atlantic and Mediterranean from 1939–1945. Below is a broad, detailed guide covering the in-game submarines, their historical counterparts, gameplay characteristics, and tips for using each class effectively. silent hunter 3 all submarines

If the Type VII is a knife fighter, the Type IX is a long-range sniper. These boats are larger, slower to dive, and harder to turn, but they possess massive fuel reserves and heavy armament. They are designed for distant waters.

| Boat | Year | Surf Speed | Sub Speed | Torps | Range (km) | Dive (sec) | Best role | |------|------|------------|-----------|-------|------------|------------|------------| | IIB | 1939 | 13 kt | 7 kt | 5 | 5,600 | 15 | Coastal | | VIIB | 1940 | 17 kt | 8 kt | 14 | 8,700 | 25 | Atlantic (early) | | VIIC | 1941 | 17 kt | 8 kt | 14 | 8,500 | 25 | Atlantic (mid) | | IXB | 1940 | 18 kt | 7 kt | 22 | 12,000 | 30 | Long-range | | IXD2 | 1942 | 19 kt | 7 kt | 24 | 23,700 | 32 | Very long range | | XXI | 1944 | 15.5 kt | 17.5 kt | 23 | 15,500 | 18 | Submerged hunter | SH3 divides U-boats into four families: | Type

Dive time = time to periscope depth (approx, mods vary).

  • Best For: General career progression; fighting through the "Black May" of 1943; evading destroyers in tight turns.

    • | Playstyle | Best Boat | Why | |-----------|-----------|-----| | Aggressive Convoy Hunter (1939–1942) | Type VIIB | Fast dive, enough torpedoes, perfect handling. | | Endurance Marathon (60+ days) | Type IXC or IXD2 (GWX) | 22–24 torpedoes, massive range. | | Coastal / Shallow Water Attacks | Type IID (GWX) | Small sonar signature, fits in harbors. | | Late War Survivor (1944–1945) | Type VIIC + Snorkel | Deep dive, AA upgrades, snorkel for air cover. | | Technological Dominance | Type XXI | Outrun anything underwater. | | Multiplayer Support / Resupply | Type XIV (GWX) | Team player – keep your squad armed. | Dive time = time to periscope depth (approx, mods vary)

    When analyzing Silent Hunter 3 all submarines, the Type II is the smallest, slowest, and most vulnerable—but also the most historically accurate for early-war assignments.

    When researching Silent Hunter 3 all submarines, 80% of your game time will likely be in a Type VII. Over 700 were built historically. In SH3, it represents the perfect balance.