Submarines in World of Warships Guide

Understanding the Submarine Class

Core Identity & Combat Role

Depth calls, spots, and torp timing decide if you eat or get eaten. Pick off fat targets like sluggish BBs, zoned-out carriers, or solo cruisers while staying off radars. You call the shots on when fights happen. No more chasing – they dance to your tune.

Primary Operational Levels

Depth isn’t fluff – it’s do-or-die gear:

• Surface Level: Topspeed for flank hops, grabs caps, juices battery quickest. But you’re destroyer bait without cover – guns everywhere feast.



• Periscope Depth (6-30m): Hunt zone. Spot range halves, detection too. Line shots, fire, ghost out.
• Deep Combat Depth (30-60m): Vanish act. Team loses your dot, planes blind, DDs drop contact unless breathing down your neck. Crawl speed only – pure hideout.

Strengths That Define Submarine Play

Nail it, and enemies freak over shadows. Your hide forces BBs to weave, burning time, flashing sides to team fire. No one tops the delete potential; full spreads at 4km have wiped healthy BBs clean. Deny caps easy – loiter nearby, DDs bail on your torp bubble.

Critical Vulnerabilities

Screw up once, depth charges mulch you. Good DDs track forever; CV planes at peri depth? Dead meat at high tiers. Impatience kills fastest. No outs from dumb pushes.

Major Submarine Lines & Notable Ships

Nations tweak sub fights different:

Germany

• U-69 (Tier VI): Starter for ambush basics, no overload



• U-190 (Tier VIII): Steps up – quicker reloads, bow/stern mix for angles, better hide



• U-2501 (Tier X): Speed demon for shotgun flanks



• U-4501 (Tier X Premium): Torp blender – four bow, six stern, homing only, heal plus extra juice (stays deep longer); loops firing every way

United States

VI Cachalot, VIII Salmon, X Balao, X Gato, X Archerfish – balanced workhorses

United Kingdom

VI Undine, VIII Sturdy, VIII Alliance, X Thrasher – pinpoint over power

Japan

VIII I-56 – stealth with options

USSR

VIII S-189 – tough build, odd consumables

Pan-Asia

VI Xin Zhong Guo 14 – torp quirks

Submarine Controls & Interface Mastery

Movement Commands

WASD handles sides. Up/down splits pros from chum:

• F key: Climb
• C key: Drop
• Ctrl+F: Straight climb, no spins
• Ctrl+C: Straight drop, holds course

Surface Operations

Crank speed for zone shifts. Battery fills fastest up top – weigh the risk. Caps only here – back team when clear.

Periscope Depth Workflow

Go-to fight level. Half detection, torp-range sight. Spot, aim, launch, drop. Most kills start here – close strike, quick bail.

Deep Diving Tactics

Under 30m, ghost. No team ping, no planes, hydro fights blind.

Save for:

• Shake DDs
• Duck charges
• Stretch battery (1/4 speed lasts ages)

Battery Management System

Underwater eats juice:

• Pings gulp big
• Fast speeds bleed steady
• Idle still drains slow

Top up:

• Full surface (quick hit)
• 1/4 submerged (creep charge)

Critical Battery Threshold

Zero battery kills pings, not moves. Trick: max dive pre-zero – delays pop-up, dodges charges or repositions.

User Interface Essentials

HUD tracks:

• Battery (watch like hawk)
• Depth (stealth check)
• Spot circle (shifts with depth/ping)

Blow up minimap now (Ctrl+cog) – track DD spots, plane loops, hydro/radar blobs.

Armament Deep Dive: Torpedo Types & Attack Techniques

Homing Torpedo Mechanics

Ping to wake ’em – no ping, straight dummies. 4,600 hurts less but chases. Nail bow/stern ping first, they hunt. Second ping dives ’em deep for max pain. Pings stick 30 secs; refresh hits all tubes out.

Non-Homing Torpedo Philosophy

14k punches delete BBs – if they land. Pure aim, lead, pray.

Save non-homing for:

• Shotgun guts (3.5-4.5km, no dodge)
• Flat BB sides
• Straight liners
• Stealth shots, no ping risk

Guidance Disablement Zone

Tracking quits 1km out – straight dash endgame. Wiggly cruisers dodge wakes. Factor that blind spot on zippy targets.

Core Firing Tactics

1. Full-Salvo Broadside Attack

Go-to on lone BBs:

• 80-90° cross to path
• Dump all tubes (best odds)
• Drop deep, shift 2-4km off angle
• Reload en route next spot

Singles don’t cit – floods heal, full swarm breaks ’em.

2. Shotgun Close-Range Deletion

Gutsy flank play:

• Sneak 3.5-4.5km
• Hold peri (low spot bump)
• Non-homing all-in, light/no ping
• Deep dive post-fire
• Short run starves reaction

Crushes BBs lasered on caps. Carriers eating dirt forget subs exist.

3. Donut/Stern-Fire Loop Pressure

Stern-tube specials (U-4501 kings):

• Loop cap/choke
• Bow forward, stern backpedalers
• Nose to main threat (slim target)
• Wiggle dodges charges

Circle denies all angles – ten tubes grind nonstop.

4. Long-Range Pinging Coordination

7-9km plays:

• Fire lead shot first
• Ping mid-flight for guide wake
• Ping lives till torps bite
• No pre-fire waste

30-sec clock demands order.

Sonar Ping System: Strategy vs. Exposure

How Pinging Actually Works

Ping leads like shots – narrow/wide cone. Bow/stern lights:

• First hit: Homes all tubes on it
• Second: Dives deep, amps damage

Full pair maxes wrecks.

Detectability Cost

Pings scream spot:

• Surface: Flare bright
• Peri: Medium glow
• Deep: Low bump, still dicey

Battery hog too – spam ends dives quick.

Strategic Ping Discipline

Ping rules I stick to:

✓ Ping when:

• Clutch deletes (CV, last BB)
• Save doinks
• Bait DC
• Sub duels

✗ Skip when:

• Clean no-ping shot
• DDs/planes close
• Juice under 30%
• Non-homing fits

Vets nail it: ping kills only, lost fish, or DC traps. Spot on – waste gets farmed.

Double-Ping Technique

Bow+stern amps hunt, perfect depth. For:

• Lone fat targets
• Bail path clear
• Battery good

DD-screened BB div? Nope.

Depth Management, Concealment & Battery Conservation

Strategic Depth Usage

Depths like gears – pick right:

Surface gear: Speed king, cap grab, fast juice. When clear:

• No spots near
• Flank crosses
• Juice panic

Periscope gear: Fight sweetspot, stealth/function mix. For:

• Spots/aims
• Torp drops
• Map eyes

Deep gear: Hide button. Hit when:

• DD chase
• Hydro shake
• Charge duck
• Juice stall

Battery Endurance Tricks

Zero forces pop – death if hot. Pro move: max deep pre-dry – stretches delay for dodge/repos. Saved my hide from DD packs.

Detection Mechanics

Hide shifts:

• Surface: 6-7km
• Peri: 3-4km
• Deep: under 2km (ASW only)

Pings puff ’em – surface to 10km+.

Predictability = Death

No ruts. I mix:

• peri strike → deep → quick top → fresh peri

Sit still? Charge bait. Move? Guesswork.

Survival Checklist

Pre-drop:

• DD ranges vs your peri hide (team tips)
• CV loops/hunts
• Cruiser radar/hydro bubbles
• Safe pops by edge/buddies

Flanks start, center suicide.

Consumables, Commander Skills & Optimization

Captain Skill Progression

Build hits hard:

1. Liquidator – kill reloads snowball
2. Consumable Enhancement – ping/battery stretch
3. Watchful – spot/track boost
4. Consumable Specialist – surve uptime
5. Superintendent – extra juice/surve
6. Adrenaline Rush – low HP speed
7. Enhanced Propeller – top speed escapes

Tweak for style – aggro grabs rush early.

Module Loadout

Juice and turns rule.

Signal Flag Recommendations

• Juliet Whiskey: Flood stacker
• Sierra Mike: Topspeed
• X-Ray Papa: Cooldown cut
• Sierra Bravo: Burn/flood hold

Torp/consume focus.

Consumable Variations

Nation/ship shifts – port check. Germans pack:

• DC
• Sub Surve (enemy sub ping)
• Boost/Reserve (varies)

U-4501 heals/juice flips to grinder mode.

Five Core Tactical Principles

Tactical Checklist

Pre-strike:

• ☑ Bail path
• ☑ Juice 40%+
• ☑ No DD/plane near
• ☑ Fat picks (BBs, CVs, solo CLs)
• ☑ Next shift line
• ☑ No 10-sec stalls

Countering Submarines: Defense & Destruction

Destroyer Anti-Submarine Warfare

DD mains scare me most. Their kit:

• Depth charges (G): Drops chain, ok reload
• Hydro Search: Bearings tighten close
• Speed edge: Sticks better than CLs

Counter-tactics

hunted:

• 50m+ drop
• Straight till no spot
• “Clear” then crank
• Blocks/terrain hydro

Aircraft Spotting

CV planes track:

• Spotters orbit last ping
• T10 ASW? Peri death

Evasion

• minimap planes
• pre-30m drop
• deep till gone
• no rise under loop

Surface Ship Defense Principles

Sub target?

1. Bow/stern to ping – second light tough
2. Secondaries on surface – chew HP
3. Zig every few secs – mess leads
4. Minimap marks – team ASW

Hydrophone Interpretation

Hydro pings:

• Long (4-5km): Loose dir
• Med (2-3km): Tighter cone
• Short (<1km): Pinpoint

Depth Charge Deployment

G on lock. From chased side:

• Reloads gap – team overlap
• Free cam blasts for turns
• Sharp reverses dodge grids

Risk Assessment Priority

Solo sub chase? Bail if:

• Crossfire risk
• Hurt/self fire
• Sub backed

Mark, yell, shift – works.

German U-Boat Line: Detailed Analysis

U-69 (Tier VI) – Foundation Learning

Basic trainer. Ok hide, chill reloads, simple kit.

Grind:

• Depth feel
• Leads/aim
• Juice habits
• Spot basics

Damage meh – mech focus.

U-190 (Tier VIII) – Capability Leap

Real deal:

• Reload pressure
• Bow/stern flex
• Close hides
• Torp swaps

Flank aggro pays – cycles galore.

U-2501 (Tier X) – Surgical Strike Specialist

Speed/stealth peak:

• Quick flanks
• 4km shots
• Delete flanks

Shotgun king – hides to guts.

U-4501 (Tier X Premium) – Sustained Pressure Platform

Tech twist:

Armament: 4 bow + 6 stern (10)

Torpedo restriction: Homing only

Unique consumables: Heal + extra juice

Heal/juice grinds long:

• Tank charges
• Stay deep
• Re-hit

Signature “Donut” Tactic

Cap circles:

1. Pick deny spot
2. Loop in
3. Bow pushers
4. Stern runners
5. Wiggle charges
6. Nose threat
7. Heal/juice hold

Torps every way – ten-tube sustain crushes.

Practice, Progression & Community Reality

The Skill Curve Truth

Subs demand 100-300 hours for real games. Starts rough – misses, bad pops, DD farms. Normal.

Builds via:

• Depth auto
• Predict reads
• Map sense
• Juice instinct

No quick wins – steepest curve.

Polarizing Reception

Hate magnet: karma dips, chat rage, “broken” yells. Tune out. Forums over salt.

Practical Learning Resources

This packs it, but add:

• Replay deaths (spot flops)
• Vet guides
• Stat checks vs avg

Why-die patterns speed gains.

Interface Optimization

UI hacks:

• Max minimap (Ctrl+cog)
• Circles on detect/radar/hydro
• Zoom map wide
• Team tips for ranges

Awareness > clicks.

Mechanic Variations & Update Evolution

Guidance Mechanics

Pings wake homing – none, straight all.

T8+ swaps:

• Homing: Ping need, mid dmg
• Non-homing: No guide, big hit

Pick pre-fight.

Close-Range Damage Discussion

Under 3km iffy – unconfirmed. Tests:

• Hits ok
• Arm skips?
• Depth/angle mess

Skip close dice.

Hydrophone System Changes

Old sub hydro gone. Now:

• DD/CL hydro tracks
• Pings no team reveal
• No auto-enemy mark

Less spam, fair counters.

Interface Modernization

Mods ruled old – radar stats sidepanes. Updates bake in:

• Team tips radar/hydro
• Right-ship ranges
• Active circles

Less mod need.

Essential Tactics Summary & Quick Reference

Core Survival Principles

• Flanks spawn, mid death
• Battery hawk – 20% min w/ plan
• Depth random: peri → deep → top → fresh
• BBs top, CVs care, CLs easy
• Early DD skip – team/distraction
• Full drops only
• Bail post-fire
• Outs pre-strike

Signature Attack Sequences

Full-Salvo Ambush:

• Perp setup → all tubes → deep → 2-4km shift → reload move

Shotgun Deletion:

• 3.5-4.5km sneak → non-home dump → light ping → deep → quick wreck

Donut Pressure (stern-tube):

• Cap loop → bow/aft fire → nose threat → move no-charge

Match-Opening Checklist

• ☑ DD ranges
• ☑ CV zones
• ☑ CL radar/hydro
• ☑ Low-threat flank
• ☑ Ambush w/ out
• ☑ Kit/skills set

Target Priority Matrix

Engage immediately: Lone BBs, 6km zoned CVs, hydro-free broad CLs

Engage cautiously: Fighter CVs, DD-backed BBs, hydro CLs

Avoid entirely: DD packs, hunt low DDs, radar stacks

Motivational Reminders

Hide and spot win – stealth beats torp burst.

Peri work, surface speed/juice, deep ghost – cycle owns subs.

Wait beats rush – one clean > three leaks.

Tweak per game. Learn charges, misses, pops. Top subs spot perfect, juice flawless, strike unseen.

Dive in, shift up, spook those BBs.