Depth Charge Tips: Sinking Subs Efficiently

Updated September 2026

Depth Charge puts you in command of a destroyer on the surface. Drag in the surface band to move the ship, and tap in the water to drop a charge from the ship's current position. Charges sink at a steady speed and destroy any submarine they touch. Deeper subs are worth more points, subs occasionally fire torpedoes at you, and you have three lives and sixty seconds. This guide explains how to time your charges and pick targets for the best score.

Charges drop from the ship, not your finger

The charge always starts from the destroyer's current position and sinks straight down. Tapping in the water only fires it; it does not aim it. That means aiming is about where the ship is when you tap. Line the ship up above the path of a sub before firing.

Since you move the ship by dragging in the surface band, keep one finger ready there while tapping with the other hand or thumb. Moving and firing in quick succession is the core skill.

Lead the target

A charge takes time to sink, and deeper lanes take longer to reach. During that time the sub keeps moving. To hit it, drop the charge ahead of the sub, in its direction of travel. The deeper the sub and the faster it moves, the further ahead you need to be.

A good way to learn the lead is to watch where your misses explode. If they land behind the sub, fire earlier or further ahead. If they land in front, you are leading too much.

Go deep for points

Points increase with depth: 30 for the top lane, then 50, 70 and 90 for the deepest lane. A deep sub is worth three times a shallow one, but it needs more lead and gives more time for the target to change course off-screen. Early on, when subs are slower, it is worth prioritising deep targets. When things get busy, take the easy shallow kills to keep your level progressing.

Keep moving to avoid torpedoes

Subs sometimes fire a slow torpedo aimed at where your ship is at that moment. Because it is slow, a stationary ship is an easy target, while a ship that keeps moving is usually safe. After firing a charge, shift position. If you see a torpedo rising, move well away from its path.

Use your sixty seconds well

Sinking eight subs advances you to the next level, with faster subs and more activity. The clock does not wait, so avoid long pauses. Fire at every good opportunity and use the time a charge is sinking to reposition for the next target.

Common mistakes

Many players forget that the charge drops from the ship rather than from their finger, and tap directly on subs that the ship is nowhere near. Others stay in one place after firing and are caught by a torpedo aimed at that spot. Another common issue is spending too long lining up a perfect deep shot while easy shallow subs pass by. A balanced approach that takes good opportunities at every depth usually scores more than one that waits only for deep targets.

A practical plan

1. Move the ship above a sub's path before tapping to fire.
2. Drop charges ahead of moving subs, further ahead for deep lanes.
3. Favour deep subs when the screen is calm and shallow ones when it is hectic.
4. Keep the ship moving to dodge torpedoes.
5. Use sinking time to line up the next shot.

Depth Charge is a game of prediction. Learn how far to lead each lane, keep the destroyer on the move, and your score will climb faster than the timer counts down.