Crazy Gun Engagement with Black Swan

[Brag]

09 Jan 1941.
20:00 hrs.

Approaching convoy at PD leading Black Swan got too close, I hit it with a torpedo. The BS stopped and settled to main deck awash. I had to dive as 3 Black Swans converged on me.

Depth charge kabooming went on 'till 01:30 Hrs. They would lose me and find me again and again.

When it got quiet, I went up to PD. The crippled Black Swan was still floating.

Not wanting to spend a torpedo, I approached cautiosly and waited for daylight to asses damage.

at 1500 meters no reaction to periscope. Up to 9 meters depth.
No reaction to top of conning tower showing.
Decks awash, gun crew on deck.
With decks awash gun would not load.
No reaction from Tommy sloop.
It looked the Black Swan was fully disabled.
Up to 5 meters.
Black swan opens fire with all its guns.
Shells whistle past and land all around
"Fire at will!" I thought this was the end of my rather nice career. Idiot Brag perishes in stupid duel with Black Swan.
Our gun fires and hits the Brit vessel. Secondary explosions. Brit shells keep ripping by.
Miraculously, we haven't been hit.
Our third shell silences enemy fire.
Next time I will not be so economical with torpedoes.

Here's the UZO view :huh:
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o207/Braguine/fsscr307.jpg

[KeptinCranky]

Did something similar last night, spent my last fish on a Medium Merchant that had a turret on the back, it wouldn't go down so I deliberately surfaced right next to it, told my guys on the deckgun to open fire on the turret, used the flak myself, blew that off first than sank the ship, no damage to my boat but I did have some reservations about it, really wanted to get home this time, what with 2 big BBs on my kill-list:up:

But yours is definitely braver (or dumber :D)

I also hit a Dido CL right in the bow, it sort of went bow down but didn't sink, waste of a fish :damn: didn't have any internal spares at that point, It wasn't going very fast though, only about 7 kts think I should have surfaced and taken it on or would that have been really suicidal? :|\\

[UnterseeBoogeyMan]

I also hit a Dido CL right in the bow, it sort of went bow down but didn't sink, waste of a fish :damn: didn't have any internal spares at that point, It wasn't going very fast though, only about 7 kts think I should have surfaced and taken it on or would that have been really suicidal? :|\\
I went after a Dido myself last night. I was aiming under the gun turrets in the bow, becuase the ammo stack is there. I must have aimed it funky becuase the torp went amidships right in the engine room. Nevertheless, on impact, the sound man said "she's goin' down!" so its not where I wanted it, but good enough for Govt. BTW, I've died staying on surface too long against a Dido, so yes it is suicidal to take it on. At the time, they loosed their cannons, missed with many, but it took only one direct hit amidships to give me the 'You're Dead' Screen and a trip to Davey Jone's Locker. :down:

[johan_d]

Sehr gut herr Brag.

Du kannst ein bischen snapps erwachten

[STEED]

A wounded Black Swan is down but not out, I once took on one with the deck gun and yes I got it but it had caused me to limp home. :nope:

I will never do that again.

[Jimbuna]

Never duke it out on the surface with them old girls.....they're most dangerous when upset :lol:

[Chock]

Just something I noticed with your screenshot Brag, you appear to have surfaced allowing the ship a position whereby it can engage you with all its guns. I think it would have been wiser to surface at the stern so that not all of its guns could engage you.

But then again, I'm a sneaky b*st*rd about things like that.

:D Chock

[Brag]

You're absolutely right, Chock.

I didn't really expect any resistance :oops:

[Telgriff]

It looked the Black Swan was fully disabled.
Up to 5 meters.
Black swan opens fire with all its guns.



Sounds like she was waiting patiently for you.

Even with the sinking through deck gun fire....you DO know you're quite mad dont you?:arrgh!:

[firouz]

Yeah. I learned the same lesson last night, the easier way. Torpedo into a S class sub - and it didn't sink. Slipped around the back and surfaced where their deck gun would not train on us.
Wrong! :nope: the stern took a pasting before our gun crew got to the gun. We sank it quickly enough, but I'm not sure how to word the war diary:88)

[CapnMike U-69]

Yup, I guess we've all been damaged by the deckies on merchants when trying to finish them off after a 1 eel shot that didn't quite do the job.

I'm afraid I'm a chicken when I have to do that. I always make a note of which end the gun is (bow or stern) when I'm attacking with the torp, and then surface EXACTLY opposite to that end, and exactly in line (bow on) with the merchie - then they cannot shoot at you ! Usually 5 or 6 good shots under the waterline in the bow will put an end to it (if their gun is on the stern) , but sometimes needs a few more than that if their gun is on the bow and you have to shoot holes in their stern, a bit wastefull of deckgun ammo - but SAFE!

Another thing that seems to help, if you have to shoot from the stern of the Merchie is to fire a couple of HE a bit high, straight thru the funnel/stack and bridge. Causes a lot of secondary damage, usually masts etc fall off, and it goes down shortly afterwards.

This is in stock/vanilla SH3 .... not sure in GWX as haven't stared to play that yet. Lookin' forward to it and guess I will have enough experiance to try it next month.

Mike U-69

[Brag]

Yup, I guess we've all been damaged by the deckies on merchants when trying to finish them off after a 1 eel shot that didn't quite do the job.

I'm afraid I'm a chicken when I have to do that. I always make a note of which end the gun is (bow or stern) when I'm attacking with the torp, and then surface EXACTLY opposite to that end, and exactly in line (bow on) with the merchie - then they cannot shoot at you ! Usually 5 or 6 good shots under the waterline in the bow will put an end to it (if their gun is on the stern) , but sometimes needs a few more than that if their gun is on the bow and you have to shoot holes in their stern, a bit wastefull of deckgun ammo - but SAFE!

Another thing that seems to help, if you have to shoot from the stern of the Merchie is to fire a couple of HE a bit high, straight thru the funnel/stack and bridge. Causes a lot of secondary damage, usually masts etc fall off, and it goes down shortly afterwards.

This is in stock/vanilla SH3 .... not sure in GWX as haven't stared to play that yet. Lookin' forward to it and guess I will have enough experiance to try it next month.

Mike U-69

That tactic worked well for me in vanilla. I don't recommend gun duels with merchies in GWX.

[CapnMike U-69]

Hi Kl. Brag,
Ok - thanks for the tip. I'll remember that when i get into GWX shortly.... !
Happy Hunting,
Mike
U-69

[Canovaro]

Once I took out the rudder and screw of a corvette with a torpedo. Just couldn't get out of its fire, so had to take him out with another torpedo.

[Brag]

It looked the Black Swan was fully disabled.
Up to 5 meters.
Black swan opens fire with all its guns.



Sounds like she was waiting patiently for you.

Even with the sinking through deck gun fire....you DO know you're quite mad dont you?:arrgh!:

Yup, must admit to 10th patrol cockiness. The sort of stuff that get's you killed. Never again will trust a Swan until it's done it's song or dive :88)

[danurve]

Taking out DD's make for great explosions, well usually. One one hand their low on tonnage and renown but sometimes it's a gamble.
You have to bet your carrer:arrgh!: