Submarines: Questions and Answers

Captains! We’re pleased to announce that the submarines Beta Test is set to start really soon!

We've already informed you about the first submarine branches in the game, as well as shared the details of the main game mechanics and future gameplay changes for other ship types. Today, we'd like to invite you to take part in the Beta Test, and present a new Waterline episode in which we'll tell you about the details of the Beta Test and discuss the most popular questions that have been raised since the announcement of submarines.

In order to participate, you’ll need to download a special test client via the Wargaming Game Center. We’ll send all related information regarding the installation, as well as login credentials and special feedback forms to the email address linked to your account. We'll also keep you informed about all updates, arrange a special stream, and tell you about the peculiarities of playing on submarines and how to counter them in a dedicated article. You need to have a linked email address to participate!
https://youtu.be/M8lISUdNErY

Are you interested in joining the test? Log in to the website and click on the 'Apply' button below.

Please note: invitations to the test server will be sent gradually to random groups of players. Eventually, we'll try to provide access to all players who have submitted an application. We hope that all interested players will be able to try out submarines during several test iterations!


We understand that videos are not every player’s preferred format, so we've duplicated the most popular questions and answers in text format. You’ll find them below:


The in-game role of submarines will partly reflect their historical role. That is, first and foremost, about positioning, planning, waiting for the best moment to attack, and subsequently diving into the depths of the sea to escape retribution. From the right position, a submarine can cause turmoil in enemy lines, strike from an unexpected direction, disable a dangerous enemy, or divert the attention of destroyers towards herself, thereby allowing her allies to act much more freely.


Submarines have rarely been fast in reality, and often they have been significantly slower than other ship types. However, World of Warships is still a game, and it has certain conventions that make fights between our enormous steel monsters more dynamic and attractive. That's why, in our game, submarines have some of the same parameters as other ship types—making the game more vigorous and exciting, and also helping to integrate the new ship type comfortably into the game in consideration of its balance.


The Sonar Ping mechanics allow players to get deeply involved in battle and demonstrate their skill. They also represent what these vessels did in reality, albeit presented in a slightly exaggerated form.

In real life, an attack on a target took considerable time, and required complex calculations and careful target observation. At the same time, there were torpedoes with acoustic guidance, but they worked in a passive mode. Our mission is to create fascinating gameplay that includes all the tasks of a submarine crew. To do that, we've accepted some conventions by uniting two entities in one. In this way, we tried to turn the hard and painstaking work of submarine crews into fast and exciting gameplay.


On the test server, no more than two or three submarines per team are planned; on the live server, their number might be decreased to one or two. This will allow us to keep the overall dynamics and advantage of surface warships, as well as present submarines as a ship type that adds diversity to the main gameplay.


At the moment, this is a game convention that allows us to make the underwater level the safest zone for a submarine, where she will be able to avoid most kinds of damage and escape any enemies. However, there are still several test iterations ahead, and these in-game mechanics, as well as other mechanics related to submarines, can change.


It's their historical role. It was destroyers that tracked down and hunted submarines. Despite the fact that sometimes cruisers and battleships carried depth charges, they almost never actively hunted submarines. We're considering adding depth charges to some light cruisers, but it's too early to speak about such changes now.


Destroyers already perform a wide variety of tasks in battle. By making the release of depth charges automatic, we are reducing the number of actions that the destroyer is required to perform, thereby saving valuable time that a player can spend on other tasks.

Moreover, we tested several variants where the player had to click once or several times to release a charge, as well as a variant where the release of charges happened upon activating a consumable. We didn’t find any significant advantages over automatic release, which is why we've chosen this variant.

Zone activation is part of the game mechanics for destroyers hunting submarines, displaying their approximate location.


Although submarines have the best stealth parameters among all ship types and the possibility of going underwater, they still remain the most fragile ships and have just a small amount of medium-range torpedo armament. Moreover, if a submarine engages in active combat near you, you'll know at once. After she uses a sonar ping, her last location will be displayed on the Minimap. This will allow you to quickly catch the submarine due to her reverse speed being rather low. You can also force her underwater where she has to spend her oxygen supply and can't attack other ships. Submarines have a limited supply of oxygen which can only be replenished at the surface level, which is their most vulnerable position.

When you spot a submarine, attack her with HE shells. Their blast wave has the potential to affect her at a certain distance of impact and deal serious damage.

In future test iterations, other submarine countermeasures may be added.

Submarines pose a real challenge for the development team, but we are sure that with your support they will find their Captains and make battles even more interesting and enjoyable!