So nar, so good (Three new sub sims of note)

A unique sub-themed commenter tile to the Cornerite who has explored the most real, intact submarines (List the visited vessels in a comment, please). I’m ashamed to admit I’ve only ever roamed the compartments of one actual sub – HMS Alliance. I’m sure there are THC readers who have bagged many more.

I love the way SubSurvival: SSN-3 Grendel crams its considerable complexity onto a single screen. Available only in demo form at present and rather reminiscent of Sub Commander by the talented Geoff Ayre, it’s effectively a boiled down, largely 2D Modern Naval Warfare.

Both of my attempts at the ‘easy’ trial scenario ended in abject failure. Probably too eager to dispatch the Volga Star, a harmless tanker, I underestimated the ability and armaments of its escort, a heli-equipped frigate. It turns out ‘dive deep, manoeuvre erratically, and expel noisemakers like your life depends on it’ doesn’t cut it as an evasion technique in this ‘coming soon’ brow beader.

Similarly suspicious of 3D frippery, Silent Shark is a new chart-based, demo-blessed WW2 sub sim that’s proving popular in sub sim circles.

Bedroom sun dodgers are enjoying its straightforward tactical focus, relatively unusual setting (the Pacific theatre), extensive campaign options, and solid quick mission generator, and looking forward to planned improvements such as deck gun action and the occasional appearance of large warships.

Although there’s no crew management, gramophones, or pin-ups in Silent Shark, during long campaign patrols there’s always some faceless/nameless shipmate in the mess up for a game of cribbage.

Described by its makers, Oryma Games, as “tense,slow, and unforgiving” the upcoming TiefenWolf will model aspects of Type VII U-boat operation that no sim has ever modelled before.

Intended for cooperative multiplay, it will probably need to win-over a portion of Early Access Wolfpack’s fanbase in order to prosper. As a number of Wolfpack players seem to be frustrated by the 2019 sim’s slow maturation, and TiefenWolf’s attention to detail looks to be second-to-none, maybe the newcomer can poach the players it needs to populate pressure hulls and lobbies.