Rising to the Top: Aces of the Deep

Aces of the deep was first released in late 1994. As a result, it is accessible to even very basic systems, such as 386/40, though its nice to have at least a 486. You will need at least 8 meg of Ram and 10 meg of space on your drive.

AOD is still a favorite among purists, and though it doesn't have the high res SVGA of Silent Hunter, it makes up for this in realism and attention to detail, especially historial detail. Aces has been said to have that unusual ability to appeal to the hard core crowd as well as the weekend submariner.

Mission by mission, AOD is a great sim. Doing an end-around to get ahead of a convoy, then ducking under or around the escort to get into the thick of things before firing torps demands careful attention and a bit of luck. Of course, one is faced with dud torpedos, premature detonations, and later in the war, patrol aircraft too! Avoiding the fury of the escort crew and making your escape after lighting up the sky is always a challenge.

Attention to detail includes radio message to and from BdU (Befehlshaber der U-Boat, the command center for the Untersee fleet), and contact reports from other boats on patrol. This is one element lacking in Silent Hunter, though it is in place practically speaking via the charts in SH, where contacts simply appear on the nav map. Patrol zones in AOD are assigned in ' accord with a facsimile of the actual chart used by the Kriegsmarine. The manual is also very good, providing a nice overview of the German U-Boat campaign of WWII.

Its in the career mode that you really experience what separates ACES from its competitors. An ACES career accurately depicts the rise and fall of the U-boats in WWII with fantastic historical detail. Once you've started in the U-boat heyday, at first travelling like king of the sea, and then later felt the heavy hand of Allied anti-submarine tactics slowly press upon you, you cannot help but walk away with a better understanding of the war as fought on and under the Atlantic.

The career will start the player in a small, Type IID U-boat based in Bremen in 1939. This is the first of the eight time periods depicted. As you move through these time periods, you'll see the development of the convoy system, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) tactics, and the effects of the U.S. entry into the war. It is important to monitor time periods, as it will enable you to understand what is going on in the war and, more importantly, what to expect at sea.

U Boat Links