Battle of the Atlantic

Battle of the Atlantic was an event for War Thunder's 11th Anniversary lasting from 3rd November until 13th November 2023. The event involved battles between Type VII submarine and He 111 H-6, and USS Fletcher destroyer, USS Tacoma frigate, and PBY-5 Catalina.

Event introduction

It’s currently the height of World War II. Battles are raging on all fronts, including the Atlantic Ocean, where the most critical supply routes cross.

Welcome to the Battle of the Atlantic event, which pits two teams of players against each other in asymmetrical ship and submarine combat!

Attacking

The attacking team uses the customized German Type VII Submarine, which is armed with 10 torpedoes in bow tubes, and 11 mines launched from stern torpedo tubes! In addition to this, two twin 20 mm cannons and one 37 mm cannon. Submarines are unreachable for depth charges and detection at great depths. On the surface, they’ll have great visibility range and can move faster, but here they’ll be highly vulnerable and easily detected by the enemy.

For a submarine to attack, it’ll need to be on the surface or at the depth of its periscope. Look for targets through binoculars or with the periscope and identify — keep your crosshairs on the ship, as this will allow you to calculate the lead for attack. You can also launch torpedoes, which is possible at a depth of up to 20 meters as well as contact mines down to a depth of 60 meters!

There are three types of views available for submarines. You can use the third-person camera at any depth, however it will not allow you to begin calculating torpedo fire. When you submerge to a depth of 7 meters, you’ll be able to raise the periscope and observe the surface through it. If a submarine is in motion and you have your periscope raised, it’ll be easier to spot due to foamy water forming. The periscope is not too high above the surface of the water, but is still safer than binoculars that can only be used on the surface. However, binoculars have the best zoom and highest vantage point, so choose wisely!

Remember to keep in mind the noise level emitted by your submarine! The higher the speed, the higher the noise level. A stationary submarine can only be detected when in close proximity, while a submarine at a depth below 60 meters cannot be detected at all!

Therefore when playing in your submarine, make sure to find the right balance between safety, speed and precision in attacks.

Defending

In this event, the convoy is defended by US ships, specifically the USS Tacoma frigate and the USS Fletcher destroyer. Both can respawn at dynamic points around the convoy cargo ships and use any method available — depth charges, guns, torpedoes and good old ramming speed to defend against the attacking wolfpack. Having accumulated the required amount of spawn points, defenders can fly out in an anti-submarine aircraft to help defeat submarines from the air too!

Defenders can detect enemy submarines both visually, for example at longer ranges if it’s on the surface, or if it has its periscope raised as well as with the help of special equipment. Using a hydrophone will allow you to obtain the bearing and approximate distance to a submarine based on sound, but not depth. The faster the enemy submarine’s speed is, the greater distance at which it can be detected. At a short distance around the ship, sonar works — it can detect a submarine at depths down to 60 meters and will show you its silhouette!

Good luck and have fun in this challenging naval battle!