U-Boat: Battle in the Mediterranean

U-boat: Mediterranean is the most feature rich expansion to appear for Ubisoft's Silent Hunter III, offering a richer campaign experience and more than forty new ship classes! Designed to extend and expand the Silent Hunter world into the Mediterranean theatre and Black Sea, the submarine commander has new bases, new harbors and many hours of excitement in the silent service. The campaign is greatly expanded and covers the period from May, 1941 to the Allied invasion in 1943, including hundreds of historical convoys, task forces and resupply activity.

New Ship Classes

New classes include the following:

  • Wasp Class CV
  • Scharnhorst Class BB
  • Gneisenau (Scharnhorst Class)
  • Deutschland Class heavy cruiser
  • Queen Elizabeth Class BB
  • Royal Sovereign Class BB
  • Kent Class heavy cruiser
  • London Class heavy cruiser
  • Trento Class heavy cruiser
  • Arethusa Class light cruiser
  • Gloucester Class light cruiser
  • Southampton Class light cruiser
  • Bellona Class light cruiser
  • New Orleans Class heavy cruiser
  • Swiftsure Class light cruiser
  • Da Barbiano Class light cruiser
  • Guissano Class light cruiser
  • "H" Class DD
  • "M" Class DD
  • Benson Class DD
  • Benham Class DD
  • Gridley Class DD
  • Mahan Class DD
  • Sims Class DD
  • Battle Class DD
  • Navigatori Class DD
  • 1936A (Mob) Class DD
  • ZG-1 Hermes DD
  • Type 7 DD
  • Type 7U DD
  • Russian Transport
  • Churruca Class DD
  • Grimsby Sloop
  • Egret Sloop
  • Bittern Sloop
  • Black Swan Modified
  • Hunt II Class DE
  • Balilla Class submarine (It)
  • German minesweeper Type M
  • APD Light Transport
  • US Attack Transport
  • British Fast Transport
  • Four New merchants

More than half of these ships include up to four skins each, which means that when you have more than one "M" class destroyer in a convoy you won't see the identical ship twice.

New base types have been created for this expansion, including a special airbase for Malta, and special naval bases for the British. Approximately thirty new cities and harbors have been created for the Med, with anchored ships in each harbor. Anchored ships rotate according to stages in the campaign, and they also show up randomly in radio reports. You may be notified, for example, when a British battleship is anchored at Alexandria.

Random surface activity includes historical convoys and engagements, the invasion of Italy, and the activity of battleships like the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. "Engagement zones" have been modeled, which allow you the opportunity to participate in classic battles like the Battle of Sirte.

If you begin the campaign in May, 1941, you have two options: access the Type IXB from Lorient and pass through the well defended Strait of Gibraltar, or start a campaign from Salamis in Greece.

In September you can access the German base at La Spezia, and from November onward you will have resupply access to the Italian sub port at Taranto. The Black Sea base of Constantza becomes available in October, 1942. From February to October, 1942 there is limited resupply at sea.

Single missions include eight training missions, eight battle scenarios and four historical missions. Two of the historical missions are part of Operation Berlino in February-March, 1941 along with the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau.

Other general enhancements to the game include:

  • Expanded radio log messages for 1941-1943
  • Reduced effects of fatigue for the crew (optional installation)
  • New interior graphics for all U-boats
  • Uniform enhancements
  • Hi resolution skins on the Type VII and Type IXD, including camoflage options
  • Multiple skins on many warships and aircraft
  • New aircraft (LaGG-3 and I-153)
  • Leigh lights on Sunderland and Catalina
  • Reworked and improved sounds
  • New smoke and particle effects
  • An improved damage model for all ships
  • Reduced sonar accuracy, realistic limits for destroyers
  • Reduced airborne radar ability (can no longer track periscope)
  • Slightly improved radar detection
  • Reduced night vision acuity for all enemies
  • Added ability to cruise with decks awash for Type VII and Type IX (faster dive time)
  • Periscope and UZO mod for a black out look
  • Improved surface detection range out to 10km.
  • Updated HELP screen
  • An experimental Type IX "super sub" for 1943

See BEFORE and AFTER pictures of campaign changes in progress.


Type VII with light camo

New Interface

A new campaign interface expands the SH3 world into the Mediterranean and Black Sea. In the Black Sea five new ship types for Romania and Russia will be encountered by the player, including warships and merchant vessels. Only the German Type II may be commanded from Constantza.

Med GUI

Frame Rate and Compatibility

The expansion does not alter compatibility on the PC, although online players will have to use the same version. Players must also return to port prior to installing U-Boat if they wish to continue an existing campaign. SH3 campaigns are saved along with a particular campaign world.

Using the expansion does slightly impact frame rates in the game. While the number of map objects has been greatly increased, objects in the campaign or on the map only affect the player when in proximity to those objects. The detail added to harbors, in particular, with stationary and moving ships, will surpass the highest level of detail in the stock harbors.

Med GUI

Tactical briefings include:

  • Attacking a Convoy
  • Using the Hydrophone
  • Fire a Spread
  • Transfer External Weapons
  • General Tactical Tips
  • Harbor Maps
  • Map of Allied air coverage Med

German battleships

Release Date

U-Boat was completed in April and appeared in Germany and Austria in August. The French edition appeared in July and the Polish edition will be released early in November. North American release is via download HERE

 
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