Silent Hunter 3 -<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>- __________________ _____ __ ___/__(_)__ /_____________ /_ ___/____ _____ __ /__ /_ _ _ __ __/ - | # ____/ /_ / _ / / __/ / / / /_ --|.:.______/ /____/ /_/ /_/ ___//_/ /_/__/ - ______ __ _____ ______________________ ___ / / /___ __________ /_____________ ____ _/___ _/___ _/ __ /_/ /_ / / /_ __ __/ _ _ ___/ __ / __ / __ / _ __ / / /_/ /_ / / / /_ / __/ / __/ / __/ / __/ / /_/ /_/ __,_/ /_/ /_/__/ ___//_/ /___/ /___/ /___/ FAQ/Walkthrough >>==<<==>>==<<==>>==<<==>>==<<==>>==<<==>>==<<==>>==<<==>>==<<==>>== For PC Version 1.0 By Chris Zawada User: antseezee E-mail: antseezee@epix.net Website: www.antseezee.com Created: 11/27/05 Last Update: 12/3/05 Copyright 2005 Chris Zawada -<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>- Author's Note ---------------------------- Ever accidentally scream battleship while taking a bath? Hah, I never have and surely hope you never have to. The point is, submarines have been quite a mystified item, especially in video games. Rarely has any game come across so accurately as the Silent Hunter series has over the past few years. Silent Hunter III is the newest addition to the series, featuring our favorite U-Boat submarines during the WWII era. The ultimate goal is to assume the role as a submarine commander aboard a U-Boat, and practically sink anything that roars across the massive oceans. Developed by Ubisoft, this isn't just some generic simulator game that most gamers toss out the window. Silent Hunter III manages to combine elements of action, such as commanding stations, turret weapons, and literally developing your own missions with the in-game editor. Will you push the rotors to full speed ahead, or stall the engines in an attempt to escape your horrible reality? Contributing/Feedback ---------------------------- If you have any contributions, feedback, or strategies you'd like to have added to the guide, contact me via e-mail or on GameFAQs. I'll be more than content to add your segment of information, and will also provide credit. If you have any questions you'd like added to the Common Questions section, ask. I simply don't have the time to sit around thinking of questions. Provide me with what you want to know! Updates ---------------------------- =12/3/05= v1.0 Finished the FAQ. What an awesome game, especially with such an in-depth and random career mode. Wish I had more time to invest into the replayability of this title. =11/27/05= v1.0 Started the FAQ. This is truly a great game, regardless of whether you like submarines are not. The toughest part is getting use to the massive control system. - I've now added a Quick Search function to the guide. Press CTRL + F, and type in the designated (#.#) to be quickly forwarded to that specific section of the guide. ============================ - Table of Contents - ============================ 1) Introduction 2) Game Basics > Controls/HUD 3) Career Walkthrough (3.1) > Naval Academy > Career Mode 4) Features > Multiplayer > Missions Walkthrough (4.1) > Barham > Bismarck > Courageous > Gibraltar > Happy Times > Malta > Narvik > Scapa Flow > U505 > XXI > Mission Editor 5) Museum (5.1) > Warhips > Merchants > U-boats > Aircraft 6) Codes 7) Common Questions 8) Copyright/Distribution/Reproduction Guidelines 9) Proper Credits -<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>- ============================ - 1) Introduction - ============================ Submarine games are few and far between. To be quite frank, no one wants to play a game where you stay at the controls inside a submarine hull for hours upon hours. This is why Ubisoft came up with the Silent Hunter series; they wanted to help place some action elements along with the simulation-like gameplay. Silent Hunter III is the third game in the series that features beautiful graphics inside a 3D engine, complete with staff crews, an encyclopedia of naval vessels from various nations, and a completely innovative campaign mode that keeps the players hooked time and time again. Will you be sent on a specific mission to down a secretive military project of the Allies? Or, will your mission simply consist of randomly patrolling channels, knocking out any ships that attempt passage? Either way, the game challenges you to act as a commander, and also act as a military combatant. In case you had not figured it out by now, Silent Hunter III places you in the role of the Germans. You command a U-Boat, and also place various tasks upon your crew members. Your goal is to fight the Allies, and seek your best to down ships of the Allied fleet. While the series has taken a stray heading towards more action-orientated combat under Ubisoft (SH1 & SH2 were developed by SSI), the game still tends to dismount upon the old fundamentals. The following is an excerpt from the Ubisoft manual (credit to Ubisoft): August 1939. The Second World War is about to begin. The grey wolves, the U- boats of the German Kriegsmarine, take to the sea. There will be war in the Atlantic. The goal - to cut England's lifelines. Six years later, the war ends, and Germany lays in ruins. The U-boat fleet is all but wiped out, 30000 of its 40000 men having died at sea. Still, fighting hard but fair, they had accomplished success beyond all expectations and out of proportion to their strength. At some points during the war, they had come close to bringing the British Empire to its knees. On the Allied side, the cost of victory has been even higher. More than 30000 merchant seamen have been lost in this struggle, along with many thousands of servicemen from all branches of the military. About 20 million tons of merchant tonnage lie under the sea. And the emotional cost of the was has been even greater. Yet, this is also a time of explosive technological development. Allied anti- submarine defenses have discovered how to defend against the U-boat and submarine warfare in general. But the real breakthrough is taking place in Germany. Having just entered operational service, yet never used in actual combat, the revolutionary Type XXI U-boat is a prototype for post-war submarine development in the world's major naval fleets. This, alone, is testimony to the high level of professionalism and experience of the U-boat force and the engineers behind them. This game pays homage to everyone - Allies or Axis - who served at sea during the crucial years of World War II. ---------------------------- _____________________ ##### GAME INFO ##### //////////|\\\\\ Player(s): 1-8 (up to 8 on Ubi.com) Developer: Ubisoft Released: 2005 Rarity: fairly rare Special Features: mission editor, online play ESRB: Teen Cover Art on box: - Shows submarine gliding underwater with ships passing through on the surface Requirements: > Windows 2000/XP or better > Pentium 4 - 1.4ghz (Pentium-M works faster) > 512MB RAM + (More RAM decreases loading times GREATLY) > DVD-ROM drive (There is no CD-ROM version of this game) > 2.0GB+ free HD space > DirectX 9.0c > 64MB Video Card or better (Pixel Shaders v1.1 must be supported. Obviously, by assumption, you'd need close to the ATI Radeon 8500 or better, along with a respective GeForce 3/4 FX or better. Heavy emphasis is placed on 3D elements in this title.) -<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>- ============================ - 2) Game Basics - ============================ To be quite honest, the PC is the only system capable of managing controls for Silent Hunter III. This game relies HEAVILY on the keyboard, specifically with submarine controls, and commanding what to do. The mouse will be used for selecting options and aiming/navigating. It is essential to understand how the controls work. ______________________ /Controls - Commanding/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Left Click - Pick, confirm, choose - Commands for quick navigation of the U-boat are commanded by various meters on the main commanding screen. Point and click the appropriate meter to adjust the navigational control to what you desire. These controls are taken from the commanding view on the ship. === Speed Meter === - Click the lower left button to increase speed or decrease. The command will not be instantaneous as the engine crew must appropriately adjust the engine to your request. Certain requests may get delayed if you have insufficient crew or damaged parts. === Direction === - Click on either rudder direction to turn the U-boat. You can alternatively click on the copmass, and pick a set heading. Your Chief Engineer will automatically navigate the submarine for you. The boat turns faster as long as the speed is higher. === Depth === - Depth can be set by clicking on the depth meter, and picking the desired amount. The lowest possible depth is 4 meters, as this accounts for the U- boat's keel sinking underwater. Two versions of the depth meter exist. One is fine tuned for shallow depths up to 25 meters, where you want to attack ships using your periscope. The other version allows for much deeper amounts. DO NOT reach the red portion on your meters unless you want instant depth (too much pressure). === Time Compression === - If you need to speed up the game, adjust the time compression from x1 to x1024. This basically speeds up the time scale. If you need to patrol an area, and have a far-off destination, change time compression to a high multiplier. === Messages Log === - This is a practical tool to check up on past messages delivered or received. Check up on them during tense situations, but mainly an inter- submarine practice. Does not contain important details from HQ. === Stations Panel === - This tool let's you fast forward to the various rooms on your U-boat. These are essential for micro-managing the submarine, aiming, and managing the turret guns. The following keys are quick shortcuts to avoid using this panel: F2 - Command Room F3 - Attack Periscope F4 - Bridge F5 - Navigation Map F6 - Torpedo Data Computer F7 - Crew and Damage Management F8 - Mission Orders F9 - Radio Room F10 - Deck Gun F11 - Flak Gun F12 - Free Camera === Officers Panel === - A communication tool that let's you speak with the crewmen aboard your submarine. These men sort of "auto-handle" the tasks at hand for each department of the ship. Remember though, losing staff members, or under- skilled officers can cause trouble aboard your U-boat. This is why it's important to manually visit their stations and override their commands to lead your stealth ship to victory. The officers are as follow from left to right on the actual panel: Chief Engineer -> Navigator -> Weapon Officer -> Sonarman -> Radioman -> Watch Officer === Stealth Meter === - Indicates how stealthy the presence of your U-boat is. This shows the current status of stealth, but does not indicate whether the enemy has spotted you or not. Four factors compose the stealth rating on the meter: SPEED > Increased speed results in more noise (not good) HEIGHT > The closer you are to the surface, the easier it is to spot WEATHER > Clearer conditions makes it easier to spot your U-boat LIGHT LEVEL > More light makes it easier to spot your U-boat === Moving in the U-Boat === - While you can instantly visit the following stations via the keyboard shortcuts, you can also physically move your commander around the ship and freely enter rooms by clicking on doors. Officers can be interacted with by left clicking on them. _____________________________ /Controls - Periscope Station/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Left Click - Pick, confirm, choose F3 - Shortcut to Periscope Station Arrows - Rotates view Shift + Arrows - Rotates view faster Ctrl + Arrows - Rotates view slower Page Up - Elevates view Page Down - Lowers views Ctrl + Page Up/Down - Lowers/Raises entirely Y - Cycle torpedo tubes selection Q - Open selected tubes W - Close selected tubes I - Open weapons management screen N - Open/close Recognition Manuals L - Lock or unlock a target ENTER - Launch highlighted tubes - The Periscope Station is the primary tool you use when attacking other ships, and also for noting down what's going on. There are two periscopes on each U- boat, an observation & attack version. The attack type is smaller with better magnification. The observation type is larger (easier to spot by the enemy), but has a much larger field of view, and can be angled for spotting aerial targets. The view can be rotated using the keyboard. Make sure to raise or lower the periscope so that it appears just above the surface of the water. To ensure you've breached the surface of the water, look for a meter just left of the periscope instrument. Wait for the scope to break the surface of the water on the Papenberg Depth Meter. Do not overextend the raising procedure, otherwise, you're easier to spot. There is an additional tubes status panel that let's you know what torpedo bays are ready to fire. The appropriate green (ready to fire), red (tube is loading), or white (tube is not loaded) colors should fill each bay. Remember to open the selected tube that you want to fire. Do not forget to fire on friendly ships without identifying them. Make use of the Recognition Manuals, and attack ships of the opposing nationality. To gain additional information about a target, press L while in view to almost "seek" the target. The fire button is right next to the periscope. Press Enter to launch the selected tubes at the designated target. A small stopwatch in the one corner of the periscope is the chronometer. This times when being attacked by depth charges, or when you fire a torpedo. It is mainly used for reference on how long it takes to knock out a target. _______________________ /Controls - UZO Station/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Left Click - Pick, confirm, choose U - Shortcut to UZO Station - The UZO Station is the preferred scope for shooting targets with torpedoes. It is practically a weapons-designed system placed on the bridge of the U-boat. Note that this station can only be accessed when your U-boat is surfaced. Thus, it would best be used during night attacks where you're rarely detected. The appearance is identical to the periscope from above, so just use the same controls to adjust it appropriately. The Papenberg Depth meter and height adjustment are missing since this is solely mounted. _________________________________ /Controls - Torpedo Data Computer/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Left Click - Pick, confirm, choose F6 - Shortcut to Torpedo Data Computer - One of the few useful aiming tools when firing torpedoes. The Data Computer calculates an angle at which the torpedo would have to turn in order to hit the designated target. It obviously doesn't give you the direct solution, but gives you a reference point as to how many degrees to turn before firing the torpedo. Refer to the base map, and look where the red line aims towards the nearest target. Several details are told about the estimated target, such as speed, angle on bow, range, and bearing. The computer can also estimate angles for submarines with multiple firing tubes. ______________________________ /Controls - Torpedo Data Panel/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Left Click - Pick, confirm, choose ENTER - Launch selected tubes - This is the practical weapon status controller for detailing settings on each of your torpedoes. Torpedoes come in two varieties: impact only (first hit causes an explosion) or magnetic & impact only (detonates upon magnetic detection or detonation). The torpedoes base depth can be set to adjust for varying ship sizes. Most torpedoes run off of a minimal 3 meter depth. Torpedo speed can be adjusted appropriately to 3 different settings. __________________________ /Controls - Navigation Map/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Left Click - Pick, confirm, choose F5 - Shortcut to Navigation Map - This is the practical tool when plotting the course for your submarine. To be honest, the navigation map is generally a one-time tool. You'll pick a destination based on your mission's objectives. You may have to fool around with the map during patrol missions. Waypoints can be set using the designated tools under this section. Make sure to delete old waypoints or unwanted courses of action. ______________________________________ /Controls - Crew and Damage Management/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Left Click - Pick, confirm, choose F7 - Shortcut to Crew and Damage Management - The basic goal of this station is to repair damaged areas of the ship, or check the status of your mates. Crew members have three types of stats - Morale (blue), Fatigue (yellow), and Health (if wounded). The idea is to upkeep all of these bars to a full position for maximum effectiveness aboard your submarine. Crew can also be trained in the following categories: > Torpedoes > Gunner > Flak > Watch > Command > Communication and Sensors > Engines > Damage Control > Medic - Any mate with a rank of Warrant Officer is only permitted one category specialty, while general Officers can acquire up to 3 specialties. There are also several key stations to a U-boat that must be fairly understood if you want to be the ultimate commander: + Bow/Stern Torpedo Room (where torpedoes are fired) + Bow/Stern Crew Quarters (resting locations) + Radio and Sonar Room (communications) + Command Room (where you do most of the hands-on managing) + Diesel/Electric Engine Room (most important, moves the submarine) + Tower Deck (peak tower on ship, used when surfaced) + Deck Gun (mounted gun for personal defense on surface) + Flak Gun (another surface gun with heavier firepower) - Crew assignments must be maintained to operate each station. Not enough crew for an essential station can be doomed. You can move crews via this main station by clicking on personnel and repositioning them. Some of the commands are automatic, especially crews on the surface switching back underground during a diving attempt. If your U-boat sustains damage, you have to be careful. Non-repairable damage either causes cosmetic damage, or can cause internal hull problems. Your depth meter maximum diving depth will be reduced. You can assemble a repair team out of skilled personnel by clicking the button below the submarine shadow. Assign them by pointing, dragging, and clicking to the damaged area. ____________________________ /Controls - Deck Gun Station/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Left Click - Pick, confirm, choose F10 - Shortcut to Deck Gun Station Tab - Enters optical aim Space - Fires gun - The deck gun is essentially the mounted cannon the submarine's tower. This weapon can only be used when surfaced, and primarily in good weather. You must assign a crew to the deck gun if you want to use it. Refer to the crew management screen and manually assign a crew when surfaced or operate it yourself by directly heading to the station. Think of this tool as a finishing weapon for nailing down cargo ships, or easy targets. You may have to refer to this once your submarine runs out of torpedo ammunition. _____________________________ /Controls - Flak Gun Stations/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Left Click - Pick, confirm, choose, fire F11 - Shortcut to Flak Gun Stations F - Switches to Flak Gun #1 T - Switches to Flak Gun #2 G - Switches to Flak Gun #3 Tab - Zooms in - The flak guns are essentially secondary weapons, sort of like anti-air defenses. They're designed for shooting down aerial, or targets that must be aimed at with a varying angle. To be honest, these will rarely be used unless aiming for enemy torpedo planes. On a side note, you will also have to assign crews to the flak guns via the watch officer, a separate crew, or manual operation. Some submarines have up to 3 Flak Guns, although others will have less. _________________________ /Controls - Radar Station/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Left Click - Pick, confirm, choose R - Shortcut to Radar Station - This allows you to manually operate the radar station if searching for far- off targets. The direction, range, and type of mode can be altered. This is essentially an unimportant task at hand, as it is usually automatically staffed. However, on a side note, if you use the radar, it also gives away your position due to strong frequencies and sounding waves. This is best used during navigation. ______________________ /Controls - Hydrophone/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Left Click - Pick, confirm, choose H - Shortcut to Hydrophone - The hydrophone is practically a synonym for sonar, although it is a much more primitive version. The Hydrophone relies heavily on sound waves in the water, thus your ears of operation. The machine sends out a ping underwater that will bounce back if an object is hit. The range between both targets will be sent back as data to the submarine. You can manually operate this if you wish, but again, it should be automatically crewed and not worried about. You can alter the volume, ping, and any information noted down. __________________________________ /Controls - Radio Messages Station/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Left Click - Pick, confirm, choose M - Shortcut to Radio Messages Station - This is the official area where you keep in contact with your HQ to receive or send status updates. The interesting thing about the radio messages station is that you can interact with the BdU, or commander of all U-boats. From here, you'll receive the ability to request a new patrol zone, send out contact reports to other U-boats, request new orders, or an escort if fairly close to a nearby base. Obviously, it can get fairly difficult under extreme conditions, but is still an interesting option nonetheless. _________________________ /Controls - Captain's Log/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Left Click - Pick, confirm, choose K - Shortcut to Captain's Log - The neat captain's log is just a status updater on any events accomplished during a mission. The best feature is that it notes down how much tonnage your U-boat has sunk. __________________ /Controls - Orders/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Left Click - Pick, confirm, choose - If you ask me, this is by far the most important feature of Silent Hunter III. When aboard your submarine, speak to the officers aboard for each department, and left click to issue a specific order. The following list will tell you what each order does, and when issued to the appropriate officer: ::" CHIEF ENGINEER ":: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #Propulsion# ------------ `Standard Mode = Submarine uses diesel engines on surface, electric engines underwater and maintains use of both sides. `Recharge Mode = Submarine must be on surface - charges batteries for electric motors while using one engine for propulsion. `Snorkel Up = Raises pole to charge batteries. `Snorkel Down = Lowers pole to charge batteries. `Rip for Silent Running = Ultimate stealth mode for the U-boat. `Secure from Silent Running = Cancels stealth mode and any actions that occurred from doing it. #Maneuvers# ----------- `Knuckle Left = Makes an evasive 90 degree turn to the left. Will automatically sink to 25 meters if on surface, otherwise, stays at current depth. Useful for avoiding torpedoes. `Double Knuckle Left = Same as above, except makes an additional 90 degree turn. Just used to throw opponents off to an extent. `Knuckle Right = Same as Knuckle Left, except to the right. `Double Knuckle Right = Same as Double Knuckle Left, except right. `Deploy Decoys = Launches decoys to help throw off depth charges or torpedo attacks #Emergency Orders# ------------------ `Crash Dive = Dives to 70 meters as quick as possible. Do this if you're scrambling to evade. `Blow Ballast = Uses compressed air to rise to the surface as quickly as possible. Do this if you're sinking fast and need emergency rising power. #Reports# --------- `Fuel Level = Shows current fuel level for your U-boat. `Battery Level = Used for your electric motors, make sure to recharge these while on the surface. `Compressed Air Level = Used for the ballasts, this supply is replenished on the surface. `CO2 Level = This essentially acts as how much oxygen is left for breathing purposes. This will replenish naturally when surfaced. ::" NAVIGATOR ":: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #Courses# --------- `Plot Course = Let's you manually plot a course on the map. `Spiral Search Pattern = Spirals around from a center looking for targets in the surrounding area. `Zigzag Search Pattern = Zig-zags back and forth from point to point. `X Search Pattern = Forms an X pattern from several points looking for opposition. #Reports# --------- `Maximum Range at Current Speed = Calculates how far you can go with fuel supply & speed range. `Time to Course End = Time necessary to reach plotted course end. `Range to Course End = Calculates distance to reach plotted course end. `Depth Under Keel = Tells the depth from the submarine to surface. `Weather = Gives a brief status update on the weather. `Return to Course = Submarine will go to a previously plotted course. ::" WEAPON OFFICER ":: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #Torpedo Attack# ---------------- `Ship Identification = Gives a brief status on the targeted ship. `Solution = A torpedo solution will be given to hit a target. `Fire Torpedo = Officer fires torpedo using current solution. #Choose Target# --------------- `Nearest Ship = Officer will target nearest ship for torpedo firing. `Nearest Merchant = Officer will target nearest merchant ship for firing. `Nearest Warship = Officer will target nearest warship for firing. `Recommended Target = Officer will target best choice for firing. `Solution on Map = Officer shows current target on your wide-view map. `Weapons Management = Shows status displaying flak, deck gun, and torpedo ammo. ::" SOUND OPERATOR ":: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #Report# -------- `Repeat Last Report = Operator repeats last message. `Report on Nearest Contact = Sound Operator will attempt to ping or detect the nearest contact. #Hydrophone# ------------ `Normal Sweep = Typical search pattern is used with auditory detection. `Follow Nearest Sound Contact = Operator will follow nearest contact using pings. `Estimate Range to Contact = Estimates range to detected sonar contact. `Precise Range to Contact = Attempts to target a precise range on a contact. ::" RADIO OPERATOR ":: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #Report# -------- `Report Nearest Radio Contact = Repeats last radio contact. `Send Contact Report = Operator sends contact report to base. `Send Patrol Report = Operator sends patrol report to base. #Radar# ------- `One Sweep = A 360 degree radar sweep is attempted to detect objects. `Continuous Sweep = Radar is used continuously. `Turn Off = Radar is turned off; this helps prevent being detected. #Gramophone# ------------ `Play = Plays music on your gramophone; useful for disguising your submarine sounds as radio waves. `Previous = Goes to a previous song. `Stop = Stops the gramophone. `Skip = Skips to the next song. ::" WATCH OFFICER ":: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #Choose Target# --------------- `Nearest Ship = Nearest ship will be targetted for deck gun shot. `Nearest Merchant = Nearest merchant ship will be aimed for deck gun shot. `Nearest Warship = Nearest warship will be targetted for deck gun shot. `Recommended Target = Best available target will be aimed for with the deck gun. #Crew on Deck# -------------- `Man the Deck Gun = Orders a crew to operate the deck gun. `Man the Flak Gun = Orders a crew to operate the flak gun(s). `Man the Deck & Flak Gun = Orders a crew to operate both weapons. `Watch Crew = Orders a crew on the watch tower for sighting ships. #Weapons Management# -------------------- `Fire at Will = Orders deck/flak gun to fire at any target. `Hold Fire = Prevents the topside crews from firing their weapons. `Short Range = Orders gun crews to fire at only targets 1000 meters or less. `Medium range = Orders gun crews to fire at targets up to 3000 meters or less. `Long Range = Orders to fire at targets up to 8000 meters or less. `Aim for Hull = Target will be aimed at in the hull section. `Aim for Command Deck = Target will be aimed for at the commanding section, useful for knocking out a commander. `Aim for Weapons = Target will aim for the weapons section aboard the ship. `Aim for Waterline = Target will be aimed at right where the waterline meets the ship's base. -<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>- =============================== - 3) Career Walkthrough (3.1) - =============================== Before you can hop into career mode, it becomes essential to learn the key traits of this enticing mode. For starters, career mode is generated entirely RANDOM. All patrol assignments are randomized. As the years progress, the advancements become more accessible, with tougher ships to face on the high seas. Please note that while your U-boats get better, so do the enemy's ability to hunt you down. You have a choice of starting anywhere from 1939 to 1943 under career mode. Various flotillas (water stations) can be picked to start your career from. You can transfer to another base for a change of scenery. ______________ /Naval Academy/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= To be quite frank, the Naval Academy is a "training session" per say to teach you the basics of Silent Hunter 3. The Naval Academy is NOT part of the career mode, although I include it as a sub-section since this mode sort of intertwines as a tutorial. The following paragraphs will guide you through the five training missions. ____________ ^Navigation^ ============ - The first few screens will display data depicting brief shortcuts for the speed controls and navigation. Read them over briefly, but remember that a lot of the commands can be issued manually. Hit start once you've read them through. + You will be in your main control room. Look at the left pop-up bar vertically along the screen. Pick the objectives button. You'll notice that you have to travel south, southeast through the narrow channel. Use the arrow keys to turn around, and click on the man leaning over the map. In the lower left corner, click the Plot Course button. Now, click and drag a line through the channel. Once this is done, your navigator will automatically adjust the speed to Ahead Standard at the correct heading. Wait until you receive your first radio message. When this occurs, dive the submarine to about 11 or 12 meters. Do this by adjusting the meter in the lower right corner just right of the compass. Your watch crew should automatically go inside. If you want to fool around with the periscope, head to the station, and press Page Up until it erodes out of the water. Some of your fellow Schnellboats will pass by on the surface. Eventually, you will the second objective completed. Now, look on your main map via the Navigator. Plot a new course towards the three red lines that appear on the map. Once you do this, your third objective is complete. Finally, set your depth to 25 meters. Continue on this course slightly south. Once the red lines disappear from the navigation map, manually set the compass directly south. Your fourth and final objective will complete. Use time compression to speed things up (+ and - in the lower right corner). Once the last objective is complete, set your depth to 0 meters to surface. Press escape and abandon the mission. You will receive excellent as your commendation. _________________ ^Naval Artillery^ ================= - As usual, you'll be debriefed with a few screens on how to operate naval artillery. The biggest consideration is that you have to manually order a crew to operate a deck gun or flak gun as proceeded. They do not do it automatically. It can be done either from the crew management screen, or your Watch Officer (one of his commands). + The main goal of this mission is to down 4 out of 5 merchant ships using the deck gun. Click the man with the hat in the lower right corner. Tell the Watch Officer to man the deck gun with some of his crewStart off by pressing B, and then pick a target by marking it with the binoculars and the spacebar. Your men should start firing at the recommended target. If you want to try it yourself, press F10, although it's fairly difficult. Moving the mouse up or down will adjust the range on the gun, while you can swivel back and forth. Anyhow, stay in binocular mode and watch as your men continue to pound the ship. You can recommend a target to aim for. Since this is a transport boat, just aim for the hull as merchant ships are fairly weak. Down the 2 closest ones in front of you. You may want to time compress as it takes time to down ships using the deck gun. Again, pick another target to take down using the deck gun. Keep doing this, and aim manually if you wish. Sometimes the AI does a horrible job on missing. Just find the perfect ideal range where you hit the ship, and keep firing there until it says "neutral unit destroyed." Repeat this strategy until all 5 ships are destroyed. If a ship starts to run away from you, simply increase the speed and chase after it. You'll be told that all objectives are complete with an OK message. *NOTE: There is a minor glitch that disables your watch officer from the icon to the lower left. If you happen to press D or dive the submarine, your watch officer will for some odd reason head to the crew quarters. He can be re-assigned to the bridge, however, his icon will be grayed out. Nonetheless, if this happens, assign some men manually to the deck gun from below, and aim it yourself. ________________ ^Flak Artillery^ ================ - As usual, you will learn the basics through a few brief screens about the Flak Gun. Think of it as the anti-aircraft weapon. It works the same way as the deck gun, except has shorter range and is used at an aerial angle. + The Flak Gun Artillery was by far the easiest in my judgement. Start off by immediately going to the Watch Officer, and assigning a crew to the Flak Gun just like you did for the deck gun. For this exercise, press F11 to immediately take control of the Flak Gun. Aiming the Flak Gun is really easy. It's just like firing a weapon in any first person shooter, except shots at farther ranges tend to sag a bit. Click the mouse to get rid of the arrow pointer, then swivel it around like a mounted turret. When the planes start to swoop towards you, fire a round or two and try to pierce them. You only have 20 ammo rounds per cartridge, so don't hold down the trigger unless the enemy is close. It really takes 2-3 flak rounds to down a plane. For farther ranges, aim slightly above, and single fire hoping a round swoops in the area of the plane. Ten planes will circle around your perimeter. Aim for the bi-wings first, the bombers, then the fast fighters last. You should be able to get a majority of them easily. ________________ ^Torpedo Attack^ ================ - You'll read up on the basics of firing torpedoes. All you need to do for this exercise is to place the periscope over a target, wait for the arrow to appear, then click the fire button while holding the periscope fairly close to the ship. Don't worry about manual aiming as that comes about later. + You'll have several ships scattered around you. DO NOT fire at the merchant ship standing still in front of you. For some odd reason, this is the only ship that will actually speed up causing your torpedoes to frustratingly miss time and time again. I found that speeding forward slowly on this mission (2-6 knots) made a world of a difference. Launch the torpedoes while moving slowly by holding the periscope over the target. A tip is to press Q to open a selected tube bay, before firing it. This saves time. Click the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th tube from the periscope view, and then the fire button to launch each one. Chase each ship around, adjusting your meter to the appropriate heading. You can use the periscope heading at the top for reference. Don't worry about asking your weapons officer for identification or anything like that. Simply use the periscope and fire method. It will be done automatically for you. _______________ ^Convoy Attack^ =============== - As usual, the game will give you in-game tips on how to ambush the convoy. Most of it is self-explanatory, but they provide some good tips for evasion maneuvers when dealing with depth charges, not to keep your periscope always raised, and so forth. + This mission will test everything you've learned so far in Silent Hunter 3. However, it won't be an easy task. Basically, a convoy will be roaming north-northeast, while you approach from the southeast. Right when the mission starts, raise your periscope. You should see several ships. The game says to down the merchant ships first, however, that's your choice. There is approximately one Hunt I Destroyer at the lead of the pack. If you take this baby out, then all of the merchant ships can easily be taken down (even with cannons to an extent). However, if you pass, this may come back to haunt you. Either way, I simply ignored the Destroyer. Target the first merchant ship dead ahead and fire 1-2 torpedoes. Make sure to down this one. Stay at the 12 meter depth moving ahead silently. Check on your stealth meter though as it will start to turn less green. If this occurs, lower the periscope to restore the green meter. Anyhow, move slowly towards them, and try to aim for the big C2 Cargo Ships if possible. These babies stack a lot of tonnage. It will usually take two torpedoes to down the large cargo ships, unless you get a squeak shot that causes it to tip. Eventually, the Destroyer will catch on to your position. You may hear pinging along your interior. Go to the Free-look camera, and check where the Destroyer is. If it's running a straight-path over you, press D, and go to maneuvers (under your Chief Engineer). Have him make a hard right or hard left to avoid the depth charges being dropped by the destroyer. Try not to sustain any damage. Reset your bearing, and speed up time compression if you're turning. Get back to 12 meters depth, raise the periscope, and fire 1-2 more torpedoes at several targets. Keep firing until you're waiting for reloads, or a Destroyer makes another run at you again. Repeat this strategy until you've decommissioned about 8 tons of ships. If you reach 16 tons downed, you'll receive an excellent commendation. ____________ /Career Mode/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Career mode is quite different from most next-gen titles. Rather than just playing out a linear compilation of missions, Silent Hunter III let's you choose your starting year, and ALSO your starting base. The selections will decide your mission output, patrol zones, and varying maps to travel throughout. For purposes of this walkthrough, the guide will start with 1939. - After you select a year and flotilla, the game brings you to the Career Management screen. The area will appear to be like an office. The middle desk controls the logs for your career. You can view earned awards, commendations, apply for a transfer (to another flotilla), and also view the entire history of your actions. The leftmost desk allows you to adjust video & sound options. The right desk is fairly interesting. This allows you to view what current advancements are equipped on your U-Boat. A technology tree for U-boat advancements can also be viewed for reference purposes. The upper left filing cabinet allows you to manage your crew. The charted map against the wall let's you start a mission. You must click there in order to save your changes as well. "CREW MANAGEMENT" ----------------- - To be honest, Crew Management is the most key essential to manage during career mode. During your career, you will earn RENOWN points that act as part-reputation, and also like buying credits. These points can be paid out to recruit, or "entice" other men to join your U-boat crew. Skilled officers, pettyofficers, and sailors vary in skills. The most skilled of each category cost more or a hefty amount of renown points. Unskilled sailors generally tend to cost 0 renown points. Sailors with specialties will cost more. The idea is to earn renown points, but spend a few to make sure your submarine staff is at full capacity. If you lose any men during a mission, replace them via this menu. You can also pre-sort the base configuration for who you want where on the ship. - Crew is split into 3 categories: Officers, Pettyofficers, and Sailors. Officers are brown-suited men with skills. They can head departments on your ship based on their qualification(s). Pettyofficers are unskilled officers; they have no qualifications. Sailors are white-suited with no skills, and are generally used for labor-purposes. - Qualifications List: > Watchman = [Star] --> The watchman qualification greatly increases observation capabilities when surfaced. This officer usually leads on the bridge. > Gunner = [X] --> The gunner is responsible for lead firing capabilities of the deck gun. This is optional on smaller submarines. > Flak Gunner = [Eagle] --> The flak gunner will hit enemy planes better if specialized. > Radioman = [Backwards Z] --> A radioman will work more efficiently along with your sonarman. They can pick up targets at farther ranges. > Helmsman = [Insignia] --> These specialties allow them to command at the head of the boat in a chief engineer, navigating, or weapons position. > Machinist = [Steering Wheel] --> These improve the efficiency of your electric or diesel engines accordingly. > Torpedoman = [Torpedo] --> Allows for faster reload times, and/or less misfiring chance. > Medic = [Snake around Rod] --> Heals any wounded personal, or improves morale. > Repair = [Diving Helmet] --> Repairs any damaged parts quicker. "SUBMARINE UPGRADES" -------------------- - Since there are roughly 4-5 base U-boat models, you can also purchase upgrades for your own U-boat to enhance its abilities. The same RENOWN points used for purcasing better staff can be used for receiving upgrades. Please note that these upgrades can only be acquired via the chronological scale listed under the reference tree. Once you reach that date in your career, the part or new technology is available at the cost of several points. - Upgrades List: > U-Boats (Various models have size, speed, and firepower differences) ======= Type IIA @ Early 1939 Type IID @ Late 1939 Type VIIB @ Middle 1939 Type VIIC @ Early 1940 Type VIIC/41 @ Middle 1943 Type VIIC/42 @ Early 1944 Type IXB @ Middle 1939 Type IXC @ Middle 1941 Type IXC/40 @ Middle 1943 Type IXD2 @ Early 1943 Type XXI @ Middle 1944 > Canning Towers (The surface tower used for observation) ============== VIIB/1 @ Early 1939 VIIC/1 @ Late 1939 VIIB/2 @ Late 1941 VIIC/2 @ Middle 1942 VIIC/3 @ Late 1942 VIIC/4 @ Late 1943 IX/1 @ Early 1939 IX/2 @ Early 1940 IX/3 @ Late 1941 > Torpedoes (Each advancement has better stealth or destructive power) ========= T1 @ Middle 1939 T2 @ Late 1939 T3 @ Early 1941 FaTI @ Middle 1941 FaTII @ Late 1942 LuTI @ Late 1943 LuTII @ Late 1944 Falke @ Late 1942 ZaunkoningI @ Middle 1943 ZaunkoningII @ Early 1944 > Flak Guns (Each advancement has better ammo capacity or firepower) ========= C/30 @ Early 1939 M42 @ Middle 1943 M42 Zwilling @ Late 1943 C/30 Zwilling @ Middle 1940 C/38 @ Late 1942 C/38 Vierling @ Early 1943 C/38 Zwilling @ Late 1943 > Sensors (Each advanced hydrophone, sonar, or radar capabilities) ======= GNG @ Early 1939 KDB @ Late 1939 S-Gerat @ Late 1941 Balkon-Gerat @ Middle 1943 Nibelung @ Early 1944 FuNO29 @ Late 1941 FuNO30 @ Late 1942 FuNO60/64 @ Middle 1943 FuNO391 @ Early 1944 Metox @ Middle 1942 Borkum @ Middle 1943 Naxos @ Late 1943 Tunis @ Middle 1944 > Specials (Advancements increase hull materials, armor, and integrity) ======== Bold1 @ Late 1941 Bold2 @ Late 1942 Bold3 @ Late 1943 Bold4 @ Middle 1944 Bold5 @ Late 1944 Alberich @ Middle 1941 Tammatte @ Middle 1943 Alberic Verbessert @ Late 1943 Snorkel @ Middle 1943 "STARTING MISSIONS" ------------------- - The missions assigned in the game are actually by random. They consist of patrol zones. You will generally come across random encounters of convoys, enemy escorts, and so forth. Use what you learned from the training exercises. - Before a patrol mission starts, you can click a Change Realism button if you want to alter the outcome of a mission. The interesting thing is that the higher realism % yields better rewards, and a more valid score. From most veteran players, 33% realism is a good number to set it at by checking the various boxes. If YOU have a very long patrol route, I recommend turning off limited fuel. There was a large problem with the game sending your submarine to insane patrol routes (until the recent patch came out from Ubisoft). - The Patrol Report will tell you where you must go, to which grid, and which base to return to. "COMPLETING MISSIONS" --------------------- - Upon completion of a patrol route, you'll be rewarded with one qualification star. Qualifications are specialties that can be assigned to certain sailors/officers to make them specialized men. The advantage of specialized men in certain compartments is that the efficiency of that compartment rises GREATLY. You are rewarded (1) Qualification Star after a patrol. Go to Barracks, Qualifications, then pick a soldier. Drag the gold-filled star according to which category you want. Place it over the description of the selected soldier. This man will now receive that specialty. You can assign medals and promotions the same way, however, they are earned on a basis of performance during the battles. - If there is a weak spot on your ship, finish your patrol, then tune it up by awarding your qualification to a well-performed officer. When you start off in 1939 (for example), your electric engines compartment will be very weak. The batteries run dry only after a few hours underwater. Fix this by awarding one of your pettyofficers with a machinist qualification. This way, your electric engines operate at full potential. I recommend giving a Medic qualification to your Watchman as well, since the Watchman tends to go into the Bow Quarters once you go underwater. -<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>- ========================= - 4) Features - ========================= When Ubisoft goes out of their way to take a submarine simulation, and enhance it to the next degree, they better add some extras for it. Silent Hunter III also includes online multiplayer, the ability to play scenario-designed missions, and even create your own missions with the handy editor! This section will describe all three major features in detail. ___________ #Multiplayer# ============================================================================= - One way of increasing the replayability when playing Silent Hunter 3 is to hone your skills to a higher degree against humans opponents. Multiplayer can be played over a LAN (local area network), or on Ubi.com. Ubi's personal online service acts much like the MSN Gaming Zone, or Gamespy. You can easily signup for a Ubi.com account inside the game by providing an e-mail and account name. After doing this, login. Game can be sorted by settings, ping, or other options. When creating your own server, you may choose from the following selections: >-> Server Name >-> Password (if you want restricted players only) >-> Players (1-8) >-> Difficulty: Easy, Normal, Hard, or Realistic >-> Game Mode: Generated (random environment) or Normal >-> In Game Chat: Free (players can talk), Restricted (no talking) >-> Allow U-boat/Crew/Torpedo Selection (Customization Features) - Once the settings are picked, the host may selct from four different multiplayer maps. Basically, Silent Hunter III can only be played as a CO-OP type. Since everyone spawns in their own submarine, you act together like the classic wolfpacks that hunted throughout World War II. +" Morning Wolfpack "+ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ LOCATION: North Atlantic BRIEFING: Large convoy left Halifax port. Estimated route through grid BE. Heavily escorted convoy. GOAL: Destroy oil tankers "A nice mission where everyone can hit the convoy from all sides. Usually, teammates can destroy the armed escorts/destroyers, then focus on taking out the slow-moving objective tankers." +" Night Attack"+ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ LOCATION: North Sea BRIEFING: The HX-45 convoy inbound. Any U-boats patrolling grids BD, BE, CF head for interception!!! GOAL: Attack and sink "Yet another convoy mission, except at night. Your main goal is to down every ship, however, you have to be careful as the spotlights can really let yourself get lit up. It's crucial to ensure your targetted shots head for the enemy combatants. The HX-45 is heavily guarded near the interior, back portion." +" Storm "+ ^^^^^^^^^^^ LOCATION: North Atlantic BRIEFING: Bad weather reported west of England. Visibility conditions are poor. Rely on hydrophone and radar detection of targets. GOAL: Proceed with operations "Too bad they didn't include a single-player mission like this. You're basically coasting along a patrol route in horrible, wavey conditions. Try to stay at periscope depth the entire time as you cannot see a single thing. Once a target is sighted, make sure to contact with teammates on who hits what." +" Task Force "+ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ LOCATION: North Sea BRIEFING: The Atlantic war has already been lost, but the hunters are still out at sea. Your wolfpack has intercepted a heavily escorted carrier task force. Show them what you're made of! GOAL: Take out everybody "A very difficult missions since you have air threats to deal with, a plethora of modern destroyers, and large cannon ships. Fire multiple torpedoes at the carriers to penetrate their thick hulls. Focus on eliminating destroyers that tail your buddies." __________________________ #Missions Walkthrough (4.1)# ============================================================================= _______ /Barham/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= BRIEFING: "November 1941 You are Oberleutnant zur See Von Tiesenhausen, commander of the U-331. On the 25th of NOvember, operating off the coast of Egypt & Lybia, he spotted a group of three battleships and eight destroyers. These were the Queen Elizabeth, Barham, and Valiant - out of Alexandria in support of operations against Axis convoys. With a daring approach, Von Tiesenhausen launched a salvo of four torpedoes at the second battleship in the line. Although he came under attack immediately and was not able to witness it, he scored three hits and sunk his target." GOAL: Sink any British capital ship <---> RATING: **** RECOMMENDED OPTION: Type VIIC (1941) - This is by far one of the more exciting missions during the game. You're basically in perfect position to ambush some key ships, but have to keep an eye out for the gruesome line of Destroyers that will rip you to shreds. No wonder why Von Tiesenhausen never lived to see the battleship sunk. - When you first start off, stay stopped until the eight destroyers close in on your position. The three battleships will be grouped behind the initial line of destroyers. Do a rig for silent running, and head diagonally straight ahead to the right. This should line you up for a 90 degree shot on one of the battleships. Make sure to stop again to prevent the destroyers from pinging your submarine. I recommend launching all four torpedoes at one of the battleships. Try to get within 1500 meters of range, otherwise, many of the torpedoes will simply miss or your detection range will be ruined. The Destroyers will start to disperse once you are detected. Make sure to to fire the back torpedo if any Destroyers circle around back. Whatever you do, do not surface the submarine, otherwise you will be killed. Make use of the free- looking camera and prepare to emergency dive if a Destroyer is about to ride directly over your boat. You may get crushed and die immediately. Expend all of your torpedoes, and try to down a second battleship for kicks and giggles. Your mission is complete if you destroy one of the battleships, so fire spare torpedoes to eliminate them if they do not sink. _________ /Bismarck/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= BRIEFING: "May 1941 Home Fleet sent to hunt Bismarck. Current position of Bismarck grid BE. All U-boats in area move to engage any British warships." GOAL: Intercept and sink any British capital ships <---> RATING: *** RECOMMENDED OPTION: Type VIIC (1941) - This is another entertaining mission, although it is ruined by a lack of danger. You're basically submerged for periscope depth, however, the entire Home Fleet is directly ahead of your U-boat. You must sink them to help prevent your own Bismarck from sinking. - Considering the Bismarck is a German landmark (their ultimate Battleship), your utmost important is to protect. However, this is not your ultimate objective. You simply need to sink one major British battleship. Fire two torpedoes at each major target. Make sure to manually reload the torpedoes via the weapons management screen. Aim for the two nearest Battleships, then work on the Destroyers last as cleanup. It's sort of a fun mission, but you most likely will NOT be detected unless you surface. Just waste all of your torpedo ammo for a mission complete. Don't worry about the Bismarck, as it will most likely sink due to cannon fire. It's a sad sight to see, but at least you survived. ___________ /Courageous/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= BRIEFING: "September 1939 The most effective counter-measure against u-boats of early war was the aircraft. Understanding this, the British Admiralty deployed its carriers to provide air patrols over the hunting ground of the u-boat. On 17th September 1939, U-29 came upon one of these carriers - the HMS Courageous. By sinking it, he would prove the carrier's vulnerability and thus win the open ocean for the u-boats." GOAL: Sink the Courageous <---> RATING: ** RECOMMENDED OPTION: Type VIIB (1939) - Sadly enough, while the description sounds enticing to the average player, the Courageous mission turns out to be more of a bore, than an absolute slaughterfest. - You'll start at a position about 8000 meters north of an incoming fleet consisting of 4 British Destroyers & 1 Courageous Fleet Carrier. The problem with this mission is that the ships move too darn fast, and even at a speed of Ahead Flank, you'll only come to within 2500 meters of the carrier. This distance, while susceptible for the torpedoes, will rarely hit their target, especially if they slow down or alter their course. Because of this, I found that the only way to take down the carrier was to fire (2) long-range torpedoes at roughly less than 1800 meters. It usually takes more than (2) torpedoes to bring down the thickly armored carrier. Preferably 3+ torpedoes ought to do the job. It works best to alter your course slightly southeast so you can get even closer to the carrier which flocks behind the 4 Destroyers. If the carrier manages to move east past you, you're literally screwed as it will zig-zag its path back & forth if you're detected. Your submarine is too slow to catch up to it on the surface, unless you travel several grids. The deck gun HARDLY does any damage to the carrier - trying to eliminate just the destroyers and finishing the carrier off with the deck gun does not work. If you find yourself left alone, or a plane attacks, manually gun against the airplane. Use the Flak aiming system, and simply estimate the arch on your rounds to nail the weak British planes. This was a frustrating mission, and not as fun as the others. __________ /Gibraltar/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= BRIEFING: "December 1941 Despite opposition from Admiral Doenitz - who regarded this as a distraction from the main effort of war against merchant shipping, Germany sent over 60 u-boats into the Mediterranean during the war. As the straits were under effective control of British patrols, this was always a risky affair. An additional 19 u-boats were either lost or forced to return, and no u-boats ever returned inside the Med. All were either sunk or scuttled by their crews. GOAL: Sneak through their defenses and enter the Mediterranean <---> RATING: *** RECOMMENDED OPTION: Type VIIC (1941) - This is one of the few missions that hands you a instant win by giving you an advantage over the enemy. Instead, you must navigate through the narrow Strait of Gibraltar while avoiding enemy patrols, and surviving to reach a certain grid/base. - The biggest problem with this mission is that you cannot simply glide underwater to the other side. Your battery levels will go to low. Start off by going to periscope depth while it is daylight out. Use time compression to boost ahead until a ship or aircraft is spotted in range. If you're not detected, use the periscope to fire a torpedo and nail the ship (if it's closing in on you). If you just keep getting sonar contacts, ignore them. When it becomes night out, and the surrounding area seems fairly clear, surface. This will recharge your batteries, and let you use the electric engines for the most important place - the strait. You should have passed several ships before. If you stayed surfaced, patrol aircraft would have spotted you and start to engage. Anyhow, continue through the strait. If you are spotted recharging on the surface, try to engage the lighter boats with your deck gun. The problem is, the remaining Allied fleet will flock to your coordinates, meaning you have to do an emergency dive. Do this, and rig for silent running. Stream steadily through the strait with a full power supply. Head for the grid about two blocks right to the exit of the strait. Once here, you'll have to head northeast to La Spezia base for repairs. This is by far one of the longest single-player missions, so feel free to save your progress and try it another time. ____________ /Happy Times/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= BRIEFING: "April 1940 It's early in the war, in the U boat "Happy Times". You are on the surface, in the vicinity of the Rockall Banks. Your watch officer has spotted a weakly escorted convoy dead ahead. The opportunity presents itself for a devastating attack, and the night is approaching. Convoys are scheduled to be picked up by escorts near Longitude of 12W, so your window of opportunity is of just one or two hours." GOAL: Sink 25,000 tons of merchant shipping <---> RATING: RECOMMENDED OPTION: Type VIIB (1940) - You would think a mission of this magnitude would be easy, but it can be challenging due to the limitations of your U-boat. - Start off by moving slightly northwest at a fast speed on the surface. Get within 4000 meters of the large convoy, then go to periscope depth. Bring the periscope up, and move forth at ahead flank underwater. Now, engage the nearest transport ships using torpedoes. The task is harder than usual because merchant ships usually have large hulls. It may take up to 2-3 torpedoes to down the large C2s. Tankers will usually down themselves from their own fires. You must make every torpedo count, otherwise, it's a waste of a possible downing. Getting within the 1000 meter range is EXTREMELY critical. The deck gun is fairly useless as you'll take extreme fire from the minor armed transport ships. Watch for the Hunt I Destroyer at the north tip of the convoy. If you follow these directions, you should be able to reach the convoy before the armed destroyers to the northeast. They'll be set off by about 6000-8000 meters. ______ /Malta/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= BRIEFING: "August 1942 Major convoy passing south of Sicily. All U-boats head for CN25, CN26 and CN28. Report contact with convoy and engage." GOAL: Engage merchant ships <---> RATING: ** RECOMMENDED OPTION: Type VIIC/41 (1942) - This is another frustrating merchant-sinking mission where you'll have to bypass some patrols. - For the most part, this mission starts off fun, but becomes frustrating near the end. If you raise your periscope, you'll notice that warships are battling in the distance. However, they're shooting at German aircraft flying overhead. This is your main distraction. As tempting as it is to engage the warships (especially the Nelson Battleship), hold off from the urge. Instead, keep zooming by underwater till you're within 2500 meters of the transport. Adjust your direction farther northeast so you can get a perpendicular firing angle. I recommend getting as close as possible, and as quick as possible. If you try firing the torpedoes from a long range, a few will miss, and there will be no way to complete your primary objective (you also do not have a deck/flak gun). Start to fire torpedoes at five second bursts apart. Two to three torpedoes per target will surely bring one down. If you fire your torpedoes too close, they will both him the same section of the ship and do minimal damage. Aim for the cargo ships as the troop vessels tend to be heavily armored and not worth the tonnage. _______ /Narvik/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= BRIEFING: "April 1940 As part of Operation "Weserubung", the Invasion of Norway, you have been tasked with the protection of forces landing at Narvik. On 10th of April, British Destroyers have probed the fjord. Losing two of their own for two of our Zerstorer, they have managed to destroy the troop carriers. Now, reinforced by a battleship, they are coming again." GOAL: Sink the Warspite <---> RATING: * RECOMMENDED OPTION: Type IXB (1940) - You would think protecting a fleet could be more exciting, but not when you're stationed a hefty distance away in shallow water. - Basically, the British are attacking your trapped fleet in and around the area of Norway. It's up to you to help sink the oncoming fleet with a surprise attack. You'll spawn north of the advancing warships. To the right of the attacking fleet are some German Type 34 Destroyers, however, most of them will get mowed down by the British fleet. Move south at a moderate speed (no more than 1/3 or slow - enemy has excellent sonar capabilities). Concentrate on downing the gigantic Revenge Battleship in the middle of the 3-4 Destroyers. Three torpedoes will take it out, however, they must be direct hits. Whatever you do, don't dive below 15 meters. The water you're in is extremely shallow, and you'll cause damage or a lack of stealth to arise on your position. Your goal is to destroy practically every ship you come in contact with. The problem with this mission is that the objective says to engage the Warspite. However, no "Warspite" ship actually appears during the mission. I'm not sure if this was a typo on the developer's part or what. Concentrate on destroying the battleship, then the surrounding destroyers. You'll most likely be out of ammo, and will have to resort to the deck gun for supporting fire. ___________ /Scapa Flow/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= BRIEFING: "October 1939 You are NE of Scapa Flow British naval base. Attempt to penetrate the base defences. Sink any capital warship you may find. Good luck!" GOAL: Priority targets - British capital warships <---> RATING: **** RECOMMENDED OPTION: Type VIIB (1939) - This is one of my more preferred missions since you have to do some tricky navigating, while practically the goal of assassinate any discovered Battleships. - You'll basically be northeast of the Scapa Flow base, however, a long peninsula surrounds the base preventing sea access. You have to navigate to the left diagonally south, then cut up around the peninsula while avoiding enemy patrols. You will find the lone battleship about 15000 meters off-shore of the Scapa Flow base. Refer to this ASCII map on where to navigate: __________________________ | Scapa Flow | - Plot a path right near the beginning | __ | of the mission. You will encounter 2-3 | __ / / / ships while navigating around the | / __/__/ /___ / [You] perimeter. If you want, destroy any |__/ / | ships that chase after you. Once you | [B] / | get close to Scapa Flow, search lights | / / on the ground will start to shine back | / / and forth. Surface during the night, | /_____/ but go under if any ships approach | your position. The Battleship should be stationary in the harbor. Finish it off with 4 fired torpedoes for a mission complete. There is only one encountered Battleship. _____ /U505/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= BRIEFING: "June 1944 On June the 4th, 1944 Task Force 22.3 - a Hunter Killer group formed around the escort carrier USS Guadalcanal - was heading for Casablanca. Travelling northwards, they were expecting, based on ULTRA and Radio Direction Finder intercepts, to encounter a submarine on the route. And they got it, closer than they may have wanted. You are in a bad position minutes away from destruction. But so is their carrier." GOAL: Sink the USS Guadalcanal <---> RATING: ***** RECOMMENDED OPTION: Type IXC/40 (1944) - One of the few missions that places you in danger first, and gives you only one way out. - Basically, you're trapped, and the path of your travel is also known. Two destroyers have surrounded your position. A nearby carrier is supporting their movement. You are ordered to take out the grand carrier. When you first spawn, one destroyer is perpendicular to you straight ahead. Another one should be heading directly towards you from the rear. Try to eliminate the Destroyer in front of you first, as this one is VERY dangerous. The one on the rear can be evaded using a hard left knuckle maneuver. Fire two torpedoes at the straight- ahead destroyer. Then, do an emergency maneuver. Once you hit a manageable depth, lower your speed and secure for silent running. Hope that your stealth meter goes to green. If it does not, rise anyway, and head west towards the USS Guadalcanal. Get to periscope depth, and go full speed if you have to considering the fact that you're probably being chased by the remaining Destroyer. Fire all four front torpedo bays at the carrier, even if the distance is close to 3500 meters. Now, do another dive and evasion maneuver to prevent damage done by the depth charges. If you're lucky, two out of the four shots will pelt the carrier. This can actually sink the carrier after a tad while. However, try to reload, re-dive, resurface and repeat until the carrier is destroyed. Once it is destroyed, get the hell out of there. You can try to eliminate both Destroyers near the beginning using the aft bay torpedoes, however, the ship will be closing too fast (before the torpedoes can actually arm & disable it). The excitement on this mission is quite simply the best. ____ /XXI/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= BRIEFING: "November 1944 You are the first type XXI U-boat to reach operational status, ahead of the schedule. And you have just the prestige target to test the boat against, a heavily escorted carrier task force." GOAL: Primary -> Sink the fleet carriers Secondary -> Sink the escort carrier <---> RATING: ***** RECOMMENDED OPTION: Type XXI (1944) - Yet again, the developers surprise us with an enticing mission that let's you explore the possibilities of the most advanced submarine during World War II. - When you first start off, you'll be diagonally northeast of a convoy proceeding north. The two primary goal carriers are located in the middle of the pack, past the second row of warships. The two carriers are lined up one after another, so find them on your radar as you proceed forth. Use Ahead Slow, and the speed is quite adequate based on your excellent crew. It takes roughly 3-4 torpedoes to nail down each main carrier, and another three torpedoes for the Bogue Escort Carrier. The Escort carrier is hiding around back at the rear of the fleet. Focus on this threat last. To actually navigate to the center where the carriers are can be a real treat. Make sure you're dived at or around 14-15 meters (the XXI has an extended tower bay). Use Ahead Slow, but rig for silent running so you are not initially detected. Make sure to stop before firing your enhanced torpedoes for maximum destruction capabilities. You may have to fire a few torpedoes to disable some of the Destroyers as they're extremely dangerous on this one. Really, the best part about this mission is how sleek, advanced, and awesome your XXI is. It's faster, has TONS of more torpedo ammunition, and six firing tubes. ______________ #Mission Editor# ============================================================================= - One of the customization features released with Silent Hunter III was a mission editor. It can be accessed in the Windows Start Menu, under Ubisoft-> Silent Hunter III->Mission Editor. The Mission Editor only allows you to create a single loadable mission via the missions mode once you start up the game. The following section will briefly go over the system and how it works. *NOTE: If you need visual guidance, click open, and enter the SH3 directory under My Documents. Browse through the folders till you see a file called mission for a SH3 compatible format. Open it. This basic template shows set waypoints, and what happens when you simulate a created mission. [ NEW MISSION ] - Start off by clicking the blank page in the upper left corner. A start date (Year, Month, Day) & Start Time must be selected for the mission. This starts the mission off right when you spawn on the screen. This is perfect for setting the date according to important invasions. - Now, a world map of the entire planet will be displayed. EVERY single area is simulated in this game, which is absolutely amazing. Use the scrollbar on your mouse to zoom in on the map. I do not believe there is an alternate key to zoom in. Anyhow, use the horizontal scroll bar to move side-to-side. As you zoom in closer, major naval bases along the coast will be displayed. You will have to choose the strategic location where most of the action takes place. If you want the drag and pan the view back and forth, use the white hand key on the main toolbar. [ CREATING ENTITIES ] - Entities form the details of a map you make. These are the enemies you engage, or the artificial objects that have artificial intelligence act for them. In order to place an entity, click on any of the tabs under the Tools Panel to your right. Once a tab is picked, select a nationality, then a model, and drag it onto an appropriate area on the map. Note that sea, land, and air vehicles must be set to the correct terrain type (or lack thereof). Once the object is placed at a specific position, a large dialog box pops up. In here, details can be assigned regarding the object. Anything from the crew skill operating the craft, to max speed, heading, or even description can be altered. Click Accept, and your object will be placed. [ MOVING ENTITIES ] - First off, not all entities can be set to waypoints. Certain land emplacements or bases are restricted from this option. Anyhow, once a ship is placed, make sure the hand tool is not selected. Click on the diamond shape for the entity. It should now be highlighted. Right click to bring up a mini-menu, and hit Add Waypoint. Simply click and drag from point-to-point where you want the object to move IMMEDIATELY when the game starts. Right-click to stop adding waypoints. When the game starts, your ship/vehicle/aircraft will begin to move towards the designated position. [ CUSTOMIZING ENTITIES ] - If you want to piece fleets together, right click a waypoint, and hit add group. Create a group, then mix-n-match them using the tools panel and assigning them via the drop-down box. Really, groups should be limited to convoys that travel together, or warships vice-versa. [ CUSTOMIZING MISSIONS ] - Click on the Mission item on the main toolbar. This brings up several different choices. > Parameters: The main title of the mission, briefing, and starting date/time can be set. Parameters are perfect for setting the mood. These also display the letters that appear on the WWII-stylish memo, along with the customized wording you want to tell the human player. This is ideal for setting the perfect scenario, like a D-Day ambush, or something along those lines. Weather, visibility, wind speed, and even the chance for weather to change can all be altered from this option. > Objectives: This is where the official brief list of objectives are listed for the player. Objectives cannot be typed in. They must be created, then defined by using objects you created on the map. In many cases, this involves sinking a certain amount of tonnage, patrolling a map zone, or eliminating a certain amount of ships. > Triggers: Triggers are essentially reactions that occur when a certain event happens. These are perfect for adding mood to the atmosphere of a tense mission. For example, passing through a certain narrow strait causes 3 battleships to start moving. The idea is to use these to make key events occur. Don't overuse triggers though, otherwise, the mission can become more of a hassle to the player than a fair chance. > Events: These are similar to triggers, except they tend to coordinate the relation between objectives and triggers. If for example, a certain ship is destroyed, then trigger blank will occur. Events do not necessarily have to be used, but can flash messages to the player, or alter objectives. They're useful in a sense for objective-based missions, as opposed to patrol zones. > Validate: This is probably the most useful tool in finalizing your mission. Click the Check Mission button, and the SH3 Mission Editor will go through everything you've created to make sure there is no conflict or gruesome error. If you're missing something, it says what it is. In many cases, you need to add a player unit where the player spawns. - There are also some side tools not heavily described. > Radius Ruler: Shows the distance between two points, or a circular obtrusion. > Estimated Time Arrival: Used to show you how long it would take a ship at a set speed to reach a waypoint. You can get it to show by clicking on the designated entity. > Simulator: The most important side tool. Click the > arrow button on the main toolbar. It actually starts the mission with all waypoints moving or events occurring. It does not account for the player's unit actions, however, it does account for all AI-controlled events. This is ideal for making sure ships do not hit each other based on accidental waypoint paths, or a mission lasting too long. You can speed time acceleration up using the + red clock, or down using the - blue clock. - Once everything is created, you can save your mission. Note that you cannot save your mission as a "mission file" unless it is validated. Make sure everything is compatible using the Validate tool. The game will not let you save it as a mission until validated. [ SUMMATION ] - There you have it. The SH3 Mission Editor is a useful tool, but you need imagination, the ability to add excitement, and utilization of all features. Try to add triggers and events if a player thinks they can take an easy route only to get surprised. Try setting slower speeds on the larger ships (rather than their max speed), in case your human player gets caught in a bind and has to submerge. No one will have fun spending 25 minutes chasing a carrier because they're going 18 knots, and you can only go 12 knots. The Mission Editor cannot be used in creating a career, so just stick with creating single missions. Try to re-create certain key events from World War II, and publish your mission file on a popular website like subsim.com. The possibilities are endless. Ensure to fine tune your briefing to a brief, but cordial style. Make everything seem strict, professional, and you'll have a great time customizing for this wonderful engine (and darn good game). -<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>- ============================ - 5) Museum (5.1) - ============================ One of the more intriguing features of Silent Hunter III is the inclusion of a statisical museum, in which you can examine past ships, trade vessels, and some aircraft/U-boats used during World War II. Exact specifications are provided, although it's interesting to examine the types with their advantages & disadvantages. This section will detail what the enyclopedia inlcudes, excluding exact specifications. _________ /Warships/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Warships are the muscle boats of the sea. These are armed with cannons, depth charges, AA guns, and new technologies that make them superior to merchant boats. Warships are generally produced out of high-grade materials, making them armor plated along the hull. This proves to be an advantage as normal light arms hardly do any damage. Warhips generally feared U-boats since there was no definitive method of detecting them, aside from lucky pings or noise detection. Warships consist of carriers (ships that allow launching/landing of aircraft), destroyers (ships designed for underwater hunting), cruisers (naval support fire, fairly bulky), boats (small ships with light arms), and battleships (motherships with maximum cannon power). { Bogue Escort Carrier } [ American/British ] ( 1942-45 ) Description: This is practically a large carrier that is designed for quick exploitation of fighter jets aboard the ship's base. It's main purpose was escorting large fleets and giving the ability for immediate air power, preferably for planes with submarine downing capabilities. { Casablanca Escort Carrier } [ American ] ( 1943-45 ) Description: A smaller version when compared to the Bogue, the Casablanca was slightly faster, and a tad more agile in avoiding enemy attacks. Again, it's main purpose was for escorting fleets with air support. { Clemson Destroyer } [ American/British/Canadian ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: One of the smaller American destroyers, these ships were designed for attacking other ships, U-boats, and a plethora of vessels aboard the rumbling seas. The ship is quite fast, and not the easiest target to take down. { Fletcher Destroyer } [ American ] ( 1942-45 ) Description: Almost twice as big as the Clemson, the Fletcher had the advantage of more firepower with nearly identical speed. A bigger target though. { Samers Destroyer } [ American ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: A build slightly faster than the two above destroyers, the Samers had the advantage of better anti-aircraft capabilities. Thankfully, our U-boats glide underwater. { Buckley Destroyer Escort } [ American ] ( 1943-45 ) Description: A fairly small vessel designed for escorting the larger carriers, the Buckley had the advantage of depth charge racks and a fairly modern design. { Evarts Destroyer Escort } [ American ] ( 1942-45 ) Description: A very small escort vessel with basic armament. Has the ability to launch advanced depth charge devices, though. { JC Butler Destroyer Escort } [ American ] ( 1943-45 ) Description: Introduced somewhat late, this escort has an awesome amount of firepower, especially the main battery cannons. Moderately small with a slow speed though. { Armed Trawler } [ American/Australian/Brasil/British/Canadian/France/ German/Greece/India/Italian/Japan/Netherland/New Zealand/ Norway/Poland/Romania/Russia/South Africa/Sweden ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: Do not be fooled by these dinky old ships. While they hardly have any speed, and lack the modern design to be destructive, they do have depth charge racks. On a side note, they're extremely small, making them tough targets to hit. These were usually set aside to escort merchant convoys. { Elco Torpedo Boat } [ American ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: This was a surface boat designed for firing torpedoes at other ships or surfaced submarines. The advantage was that it possessed awesome speed, and was extremely small. Keep an eye out for these small targets as they love catching up on distracted submarine commanders. { V&W Destroyer } [ Australian/British/Romania ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: This ship really has nothing innovative, aside from lots of AA guns for emergency situations. It does have slightly faster speed than most destroyers. { River Destroyer Escort } [ Australian/British/Canadian/FreeFrench ] ( 1943-45 ) Description: The late introduction of this ship was mainly due to the addition of better U-boat protection. Not very fast though. { Flower Corvette } [ Australian/British/Canadian/FreeFrench/Greece/India/ Norway/South Africa ] ( 1940-45 ) Description: This is a fairly small escort ship designed for taking down submarines. However, it has a horrible speed amount, making it fairly useless. { King George V Battleship } [ British ] ( 1940-45 ) Description: An almost ceremonial battleship for the British, this baby has huge battery cannons, lots of anti-aircraft weaponry, and a nice speed for a HUGE ship. No anti-submarine weapons exist, but that's what the escort ships are for. { Nelson Battleship } [ British ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: A fairly primitive yet huge battleship, the Nelson has less firepower than the King George. Still, it's capable of laying down punishable fire under extreme conditions. { Revenge Battleship } [ British ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: The smallest of the battleships, the Revenge still possesses capable cannons on both ends of the ship. The speed is fairly drab, but it can serves it usefulness during wartime. { Illustrious Fleet Carrier } [ British ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: The largest of the British carriers, this behemoth has great speed and plenty of room for aerial attacks. It's also armed to the teeth when dealing with opposing German planes. { Dido Light Carrier } [ British ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: For a Cruiser, the Dido Light has excellent speed, and a balance of weapons capable of handling any situation. Can be tough to hit though unless you get a well-planned shot on it. { Fiji Light Cruiser } [ British ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: Another cruiser, except twice the size of the Dido, the Fiji makes an excellent companion for larger travelling fleets. { Auxiliary Cruiser } [ British ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: This is a large cruiser that makes extensive use of its numerous topside cannons. It lacks defensive weapons though, especially against air attacks or submarine attacks. Quite a primitive build if you ask me. { C Class Destroyer } [ British/Canadian ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: An extremely fast moving ship, the Class C is also armed with modern weaponry for an aged design. Watch out for these nifty fellows. { Hunt I Destroyer } [ British/Greece/Poland ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: Not much speed, and lacking with a short stock of ammo, this ship poses little of a threat to your vessel. { Hunt II Destroyer } [ British ] ( 1940-45 ) Description: Slightly faster, and armed better, this is a much-needed improvement over the primitive Hunt I. { Hunt III Destroyer } [ British ] ( 1941-45 ) Description: The best upgrade in the Hunt series, the Hunt III possesses identical speed as the Hunt II, but more stopping power. These ships tend to have excellent turning capabilities, so keep your eyes open, and try to nail them first on an escorted fleet since they can do considerable damage. { J Class Destroyer } [ British ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: One of the faster destroyers, it also possesses lots of U-boat takedown weaponry. The extra length on the ship should make it an easier target though. { Tribal Destroyer } [ British/Canadian ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: A slightly heavier version of the J Class, but the same speed, this is another threat to keep your eyes open for. { Black Swan Frigate } [ British/India ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: This is a slow moving ship designed for isolation patrols. The frigate though has capabilities of downing U-boats if detected. Still, it's fairly large, and the slow speed should make it an easy target for most U-boat commanders. { Bismarck Battleship } [ German ] ( 1940-45 ) Description: Easily one of the largest battleships in the game, the Bismarck was a feared ship during World War II. The multiple massive cannons and moderate speed for a ship of this size almost turned it into a God. Thankfully, this ship is on your side. { Hipper Heavy Cruiser } [ German ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: While this ship is moderately fast and fairly large, it lacks base weaponry when fighting other surfaced ships. It does however have a plethora of extra torpedoes which are useful for downing ships from long distances. { Commerce Raider } [ German ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: The Germans were smart during the war. They created a ship that looks like a Commerce ship, except it is armed with cannons and cranes capable of stealing supplies from merchant ships! Thankfully, we get to protect these in the U-boat fleet. { Type 34 Destroyer } [ German ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: Believe it or not, the Type 34 is one of the best destroyers for multi-tasking. This baby is armed with NUMEROUS depth charge racks for downing opposing submarines, has moderate firepower aboard, and great speed. This was the German destroyer featured in the "U-boat 579" movie. { Schnellboat } [ German ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: Disguised like a leopard's skin on water, the Schnellboat had good speed, combined with a small design. The advantage was that it could fire torpedoes while avoiding cannon fire from opposing large ships. Mak schnell! { Saldati Destroyer } [ Italian ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: For a medium-sized ship, the unique Saldati had great speed. Its even armed with decent amounts of firepower to fight aboard the sea. __________ /Merchants/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Merchants are practically the non-combatants of the sea. While they may look fairly similar to warships, and may possess some of the necessary advancements, they practically transport cargo. Cargo can consist of civilians, supplies, or reinforcements for an opposing army. Merchants tend to be unguarded and extremely easy targets. Their hull also tends not to be thick, meaning they can usually be engaged with your onboard deck gun. { Landing Ship Tank } [ American/British ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: This was a huge transporter for landing tanks and convoys at isolated destinations. The perfect target for a U-boat looking to score a difference in the war. { Passenger Liner } [ American/British ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: A civilian ship full of non-combatants. It was rumored that these ships held ammo or supply crates for the British effort secretly between the U.S. & Britain until America declared war. One of the major passenger liners was downed during the war causing controversy. Be weary of your decision when attacking these. { Troop Transport } [ American/British ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: A lightly armed transport ship designed for moving infantry across the ocean, or from point-to-point. Scoring one of these will help your side greatly. { Small Tanker } [ American/British/Greece/Japan ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: A transport designed for moving petroleum or oil. The disadvantage with tankers was that they were slow and rarely armed. Because of this, these are the easiest targets for U- boats. Also, scoring one scorches the supply effort for the Allies, literally. { T2 Tanker } [ American/British ] ( 1942-45 ) Description: A huge version nearly three times as big as the Small Tanker, the T2 carried more oil for longer trips. Many tanker ships were colored black to help disguise themselves better during the night. Again, another easy unarmed target. { T3 Tanker } [ American/British ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: Slightly faster and bigger than the T2, the T3 tried to move things across the ocean as undetected as possible. Unfortunately, it's just another target that is easy to take down once the escorts are gone. { C2 Cargo } [ American/British/Greece/Japan ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: Cargo ships were just as slow as tankers during the war. This simply transports supplies and is unarmed. { C3 Cargo } [ American/British ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: A thicker version of the C2, this is just as susceptible and easy to take down. Do not worry too much about merchant ships for the most part. { Coastal Merchant } [ American/Australian/Brasil/British/Canadian/France/ German/Greece/India/Italian/Japan/Netherland/ New Zealand/Norway/Poland/Romania/Russia/ South Africa/Sweden ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: Another smaller, yet primitive transport ship. This ship is EXTREMELY slow for a vessel on the sea. { Liberty Cargo } [ American/British ] ( 1941-45 ) Description: One of the few cargo ships that attempted to arm themselves, the Liberty ships were equipped with a few moderate cannon and AA weaponry. This one is just as slow as any other cargo ship though. { Small Merchant } [ American/Australian/Brasil/British/Canadian/France/ German/Greece/India/Italian/Japan/Netherland/ New Zealand/Norway/Poland/Romania/Russia/South Africa/ Sweden ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: Despite being a merchant ship, these were still targetted during the war. This is one of the slowest ships you'll find on the sea, and also is unarmed. Usually transported goods for private contractors. { Victory Cargo } [ American ] ( 1942-45 ) Description: Another ship similar to the Liberty, except faster and just as armed. { Fishing Boat } [ American/Australian/Brasil/British/Canadian/France/ German/Greece/India/Italian/Japan/Netherland/New Zealand/ Norway/Poland/Romania/Russia/South Africa/Sweden ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: Generally a ship for private fishermen, fishing boats can easily be destructed and are close to the slowest vessel on the sea. Don't worry about these at all unless instructed. { Small Coastal Vessel } [ American/Australian/Brasil/British/Canadian/ France/German/Greece/India/Italian/Japan/ Netherland/New Zealand/Norway/Poland/Romania/ Russia/South Africa/Sweden ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: Another slow moving ship usually for tradesmen, the coastal vessels are quite small and easy to raid. { Trawler } [ American/Australian/Brasil/British/Canadian/France/German/ Greece/India/Italian/Japan/Netherland/New Zealand/Norway/ Poland/Romania/Russia/South Africa/Sweden ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: Think of this as the armed trawler, except unarmed. Plain and simple, it is used for moving goods or assisting merchant ships in transport. { Tug Boat } [ American/Australian/Brasil/British/Canadian/France/German/ Greece/India/Italian/Japan/Netherland/New Zealand/Norway/ Poland/Romania/Russia/South Africa/Sweden ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: Tug boats are generally used for guiding larger ships in and out of tight quarters. You'll find these ships to be plenty across the sea, however, they're unarmed, so target them last. Note that targetting these first can help rid the navigational skills of larger ships. ________ /U-Boats/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= U-Boats are the premiere feature of Silent Hunter III, and essentially where ALL of the gameplay takes place. Every station, element, and feature of a U- boat is simulated in this game. You interact with the surrounding elements to create a realistic experience. U-boats were the first forms of "reliable" underwater submarines that could dive to reasonable depths. Their torpedoes were considered responsible for nearly turning the tide of the war, had it not been for infantry difficulties. { Type IIA Submarine } [ German ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: This was the base design of a German submarine, which were mainly built after World War I. Interestingly enough, the Type IIA was really nothing innovative, consisting of light firepower (3 torpedo tubes, 1 gun). The main goal was for training purposes and/or defensive patrols. { Type IID Submarine } [ German ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: This final version of the Type II featured some extra additions that helped with mobility. However, the ship was eventually assigned to training duties to help teach new commanders how to operate these deadly weapons. { Type IXB Submarine } [ German ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: This was the first base model to incorporate longer firing range capabilities, and also could travel in extensive distances all the way to the South Atlantic. Thus, the ship was larger than the VII's, yet possessed long-range capabilities for sinking many cargo transports. { Type IXC Submarine } [ German ] ( 1941-45 ) Description: Similar to the IXB, except its range was increased to compensate for longer travels. Recharging capabilities were improved as well. { Type IXD2 Submarine } [ German ] ( 1942-45 ) Description: This was one of the largest and longest range U-boats developed at the time. It was equipped with a dual-diesel engine capable of acting for stealth and/or maximal speed. These ships could travel as far as the Indian Ocean, in an attempt to aid the Japanese. { Type VIIB Submarine } [ German ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: This was practically the first advanced U-boat capable of extended range, speed, and firepower. One of the firing tubes is placed at the rear of the submarine for instances when turning can not be initiated. { Type VIIC Submarine } [ German ] ( 1940-45 ) Description: This was the most common U-boat produced during WWII. It featured a lengthier design than the VIIB, however, still possessed excellent firepower and moderate underwater speed. { Type XXI Submarine } [ German ] ( 1944-45 ) Description: The latest design featured an extremely fast underwater design, a better reloading mechanism for firing torpedoes, and complex architecture. All in all, this was a hybrid for future submarine design, but only a few could actually be used during the war due to the late arrival. _________ /Aircraft/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Aircraft are especially designed for engaging U-boats (although they had a TON of uses during World War II). Their ability to launch bombs, torpedoes, or an assortment of loads made them dangerous threats. Combine this with the fact that they fly, and well, you're fairly screwed. The game limits the variety of aircraft though, so don't expect a flight simulator. { B24 Liberator Bomber } [ American/British/Canadian ] ( 1940-45 ) Description: This was a practical assault aircraft with heavy bombing capabilities. Was mainly used for attacking surfaced ships. Has a ton of defensive turrets mounted on it as well. { Avenger Torpedo Bomber } [ American/British ] ( 1940-45 ) Description: These were very primitive aircraft capable of launching a single torpedo in the water. Their main duty was shooting down opposing ships, although they had the ability to hit surfaced submarines. These should be your primary threat when manning the flak guns, especially a target to take down. { PBY Catalina Search Plane } [ American/British/Canadian ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: Although this aircraft could be armed with a torpedo or bombs, they were primarily fast, unarmed patrol planes used for spotting enemy ships. { Swordfish Torpedo Bomber } [ British ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: Despite how cruddy the appearance of this bi-wing plane is, it still could perform by launching a single torpedo or light load of bombs. Probably one of the worst aircraft you'll encounter in the game. { Hurrican MKII Fighter Bomber } [ British/Canadian/Romania ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: The primary threat of the British aerial division, the MKII was capable of laying down one bomb and the ability to strafe fight with other planes. Has an extremely fast speed and is hard to shoot down. { Short Sunderland Search Plane } [ British ] ( 1942-45 ) Description: This was one of the few long-range planes capable of patrolling and laying down a heavy payload if an enemy was spotted. Has lots of defensive turrets too. { JU88 Level Bomber } [ German/Italian/Romania ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: This long-range bomber has a moderate payload of bombs, and only a few defensive turrets. Nonetheless, it can lay down a payload over a set distance. { JU87 Stuka Dive Bomber } [ German/Italian/Romania ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: This was a short-range bomber designed for laying down a fairly light payload of bombs, returning, reloading, then going back out to combat. { BF109 Fighter Bomber } [ German/Italian/Romania ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: Thankfully one of the fastest aircraft in the game is on your side. The BF109 is capable of holding one bomb, and has powerful machine guns for fighting combat. { FW200 Condor } [ German ] ( 1940-45 ) Description: Primarily a patrol plane for the Germans, the FW200 has an insane amount of fuel storage. This baby can travel in excess of up to 2700 miles! Nonetheless, it has a moderate payload of bombs and equivalent machine guns for fighting in the air. { SM79 Sparviero Level Bomber } [ Italian ] ( 1939-45 ) Description: The odd flame coloring of this attack bomber was ideal considering it could hold "2" torpedos or a fairly heavy load of bombs. Only has a few defensive turrets, but moderately fast power and average range for a obmber. Nice creation by the Italians. -<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>- ============================ - 6) Codes - ============================ Unfortunately, Ubisoft left the ultimate submarine simulator with no codes. As much as it sucks to say it, codes are practically nonexistent in this game engine. That isn't to say that codes do not exist, but you'll have to rely on trainer programs and/or editing game files. The latest trainers can be downloaded from either: http://www.subsim.com/ - or - http://www.gamewinners.com/ - Make sure to download the trainer that matches your version of Silent Hunter III. If you don't have that version, download the new patch and update it! -<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>- ============================ - 7) Common Questions - ============================ )) Gameplay (( ---------------------------- << What would you rate Silent Hunter III? >> - I'd probably rate it a [10/10]. Now you're probably thinking, what makes this game perfect? Honestly, it's the best simulation game I've ever played, compared to flight simulators, aircraft simulators, submarine simulators, and any simulator. Silent Hunter III combines beautiful high-resolution graphics across a vast gaming engine that literally maps the world in all perspectives. You can traverse to the polar caps if you wish, or gruesomely engage numerous patrols along your path to victory in the Atlantic. What's absolutely amazing in this game is how crisp and accurate the details are. This is a submarine simulator. Factors such as fuel levels, possible damage, misfiring torpedoes, and grumpy crew are all factors that YOU have to solve as a commander. If there's really anything to complain about this Ubisoft creation, then it has to come down to bugs. Yes, there are bugs in the base version of Silent Hunter III. However, the recent patches (up to the latest version, 1.4) have fixed nearly all of them. The ability to play online co-op with up to 8 players total, the ability to play a single-player career that can literally lasts a few years (on your PC, if you play in relative time), and the ability to simulate everything to perfection is what amazes me as a gamer. I've personally never been a huge fan of simulation games, but I can tell you this one is fun, exciting, and crisp to the detail. There's not much more to ask for, and that's why it gets a perfect ten. << Any common tips I should use during every game? >> - I have SEVERAL tips you should always do. If performing long-distance travel, try to stay surfaced during the night, and submerged at periscope depth during the day. The chance of getting spotted during the day is easier than at night. Travelling on the surface at night will recharge your electric engine batteries. If these run out, you will have no propulsion underwater. Running underwater during the day conserves your diesel engine fuel, which can run out leaving your stranded in the middle of a large body of water. When engaging targets, a common rule of thumb is to fire two torpedoes per ship. This does not guarantee sinking, but "usually" disables the target to an extent. If you damage a target just enough, but do not destroy, sometimes the target will lopside or collapse from fire/damage. I usually tend to do this to smaller boats to conserve my torpedo ammo. Carriers, battleships, and large ships tend to take up to four direct hits to down. Not downing a ship yields no reward, so it is ESSENTIAL to make sure your wounded victims go down for the count. Managing the crews can be a hassle, but a necessary task. If you notice exclamation marks around your men, this means they're tired. Fix this by placing them in the quarters. However, I usually do not do this for my engine crews. Replacing these men with unqualified men decreases the overall efficiency of the motors. PLEASE note that the electric and diesel engines are staffed by the same crew. They switch automatically depending on whether you're on the surface or underwater. Don't forget to click the "Damage Crew" button in the lower right corner if you need to quickly assemble a crew. If damage is aboard your submarine, click the yellow/orange/red room in the upper left corner, and you'll see a fixing animation start to move. << Are there any other versions of Silent Hunter? >> - Yes. There are official two previous releases - Silent Hunter & Silent Hunter II both for the PC. Aside from Silent Hunter III which just came out during middle 2005, the previous releases came out a tad earlier (96' & 01' respectively). SSI developed both previous titles. In case you didn't know, SSI is one of the most known developers of simulation games throughout their careers. Both Silent Hunter games were a big success, as they represented submarine simulation to the ultimate extreme. Ubisoft saw the sight for a profit, and bought out the series for their own development team. Ubisoft developed the third game, and upped the presentation values to accomodate modern gaming. Hence, you get a masterpiece. If you are wondering, Silent Hunter 4 has been announced, and was set for a late 2006 release. However, recent news has said that the game was most likely cancelled due to lack of interest. Guess we're stuck with SH3 forever. No problems there. << My Watchman disappears after I re-surface. How do I get him back? >> - This was fixed in the last patch. If you dive underwater, and your Watch Officer gets off the bridge, he actually hides away in the Stern Quarters. This is a resting room since he is not needed anywhere else. To fix this, you have to manually force him back onto the bridge when you surface. Surface the submarine, then press F7 to enter the Crew Management screen. Look for the officer's face in the Stern Quarters, then click and drag it to the Bridge outpost. He'll reassume his position and reappear on your officer menu. << My torpedoes won't reload. What's going on? >> - I believe this is a major glitch, although I could be mistaken. If you fire out your torpedo tubes, but notice they're not getting reloaded, then click on your Weapons Officer. Pick Weapons Management. Once at the screen, click on any of your torpedoes, drag them out of the torpedo bay slot, then let go. For some odd reason, the red light will turn green as if they were loaded all along. However, it's almost like you gotta manually queue them to get loaded (it's suppose to auto-load for you). Oddly enough, the game will then queue the last torpedo bay with the timer (you'll see the torpedo meter slowly fill up). If you hold your mouse over the torpedo, a timer counts down to how long it takes to get reloaded. I'm not sure if this is a glitch, or a lack of crew operating the torpedo rooms. << How do I get a better U-boat? >> - During career mode, simply buy a new one under the U-boat area in your office. Newer models cost more renown, so save it up by doing several patrols. I'm going to admit, if you start your career in 1939, then it's gonna be real boring. There's hardly any threatful actions, and you can only carry about six torpedoes on the basic U-boat. << What's the most tonnage you've sunk on a patrol? >> - Maybe 16K. I'm really not that good as a torpedo man. I use automatic aiming, but I have a tendency not to maximize the effectiveness of the torpedoes. I like long-range firing, or am very conservative and will only waste 2-3 torpedoes on a single target. << Have you ever experienced any cool replays? >> - The best moment I've had with this game was during the U505 mission under the missions mode. I started off by immediately nailing the lone destroyer in front of me with two torpedoes. I fired both aft-side torpedoes, but missed the rear destroyer. I cut a hard left at Ahead Flank towards the USS Guadalcanal carrier. At about 3400 meters, I launched four forward torpedoes at the target, hoping a majority would down the large mammoth. Soon enough, the destroyer from behind me caught up, and started dropping depth charges. I was too slow to dive, and the ship ended up swiping the top of my U-boat, gashing a hole in the stern. My stern rudders were destroyed, and I could not rise. My ship started to sink from medium flooding. I assembled a repair crew to help hold back the damage, but it was too much. Soon enough, my submarine was dropping off a meter every three seconds. I told the Radioman to start playing the Gramophone - aka the German anthem. Meter by meter my U-boat sunk, however, we heard three out of four impacts on the USS Guadacanal, then the crashing thump as the carrier was destroyed. Mission accomplished. Our men stood high, proud, and plummeted to the bottom with the objective complete. Of course, I forgot to save a replay! << What's the latest patch? >> - I believe the latest patch is v1.4b. Fixes several problems plagued in the past. You need the same version in order to play against other players. Players with different versions cannot play with each other. The patch can be acquired at subsim.com, or Ubisoft's official website. Google it for mirror links. << Where can I get modifications? >> - Subsim.com is your best choice. There are a few other fan sites that offer links to download the mods as well. I know that there is a popular Reality mod which fixes some of the "arcade elements" not tuned to realism in Silent Hunter III. There are also several mods that add more military warships, and merchant ships. I am not sure if there are any mods which revamp the entire engine. << Where can I get custom missions? >> - Try subsim.com again. I'm sure they'd have a list of custom missions created by people fooling around with the mission editor. -<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>- ===================================================== - 8) Copyright/Distribution/Reproduction Guidelines - ===================================================== This FAQ/Strategy Guide/Walkthrough is my own published work, and copyrighted by Christopher Zawada. Whatever you do, DO NOT edit this FAQ in any way. DO NOT steal anything from this FAQ. If you want to use some information in your own guide, simply ask me. If you want to place this guide on your website, either link to the GameFAQs game page, or download the file and place it on your own web server. Basically, you can post this on your website as long as it's in ORIGINAL form, and not linking directly to GameFAQs. Aside from that, all proper credit is due when necessary. Also, don't even think about selling FAQs. Trying to prosper off of other people's work will get you in big time trouble (coming from an eBay seller myself). Any site out there has permission to host my FAQs (following the above terms), however, these are a list of current sites that host my FAQs officially: - http://www.gamefaqs.com/ - http://www.ign.com/ - http://www.neoseeker.com/ - http://www.cheatcc.com/ - http://www.cheatplanet.com/ -<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>- ============================ - 9) Proper Credit - ============================ I'd like to thank the following people for their help in making this FAQ possible: )) CJayC (( for constantly updating GameFAQs, and dedicating his entire life to it. Takes a lot of effort to keep a site going this long. )) Rootsecure.net (( for letting me use an excellent ASCII generator, which composed this typical-style art. Excellent. )) Ubisoft (( for taking the Silent Hunter series to a whole new level. The presentation, detailing, and game engine were simply perfect. )) Gamewinners.com (( for proving that the only cheats were trainers and/or editing game files. )) Silent Hunter III GameFAQs Board (( for their excellent opinionated topics. )) Subsim.com (( for being the best Silent Hunter III resource when it comes to getting mods, missions, or custom features. "Some people make sacrifices to make other people happy." - Chris Zawada "Freeeeeeddooommmmmmmmm!" - William Wallace (Braveheart)