There are known instances of submarines surviving attacks of a few hundred depth charges. It needs to explode within close proximity of the submarine's hull in order to do any significant damage, and this, coupled with the lack of target depth information during early war, led to it being a very ineffective weapon. The weapon is seen in use from 1939 and onwards.ĭeployed from either the racks on the sterns of the ships or projectors on their sides, the depth charge is essentially the same weapon it was in World War I: a barrel filled with explosives that slowly sinks towards a set depth, which triggers its explosion. The weapon is featured in Silent Hunter III.ĭepth charges make an appearance in Silent Hunter III as one of the anti-submarine weapons deployed on Allied destroyers intended for use against German U-boats. a barrel filled with explosives that slowly sinks towards a set depth.Ī depth charge is an anti- submarine weapon that was deployed on destroyers to be used against German U-boats during World War II. Depth charges being deployed, as seen in the manual for Silent Hunter III.