torpedos for single merchants?

[myself77]

Last night I tried to destroy a merchant but i wasted my torpedos. Then i surfaced and i destroyed it with the deck gun. So, what is the reason to send torpedos to single merchants? You should destroy them with your guns. They won't do you nothing!

[SteamWake]

"They wont do you nothing" implies that they will do something.

Anyhow grammer aside...

Not all merchants are un armed. However there lousy shots so no reason to waste an expensive torpedo on a lone un escorted merchant.

In fact I often come accross a 'small convoy' of three ships un escorted and take all three down with the deck gun. Sometimes Ill use one torpedo to 'announce' my arrival but finish up with the gun.

[tater]

The stock layers have all the merchants set to be pretty stupid AI-wise, so even if they shoot, they are poor shots. Add in the death ray deck gun, and there ya go.

Use RFB where the deck gun is more realistic, and it will be at least difficult to sink lone/unescorted merchies. Mess with the campaign so that some merchant crews are "competant" a few are "veteran" and a handful are "elite" and battle surface becomes a little more scary.

[starvingartist507]

Thats why the deck gun is basically a death ray. I don't use it very often, its unbalanced for realistic play. RFB mod takes care of the realistic nuances. And I'm very happy with it.

For strictly gameply terms, its very satisfying to surface and blast 20,000 tons of merchant marine to the bottom with under 100 4" shells. I mean, if they just put a second gun on those subs, and used 1/2 the torpedo space for shells you'd have a perfect ship killing machine right? In WWII, no. In SH4, yes.

So what I'm sayin is, in un-modded game terms, to get the maximum amount of tonnage, I'd probably use the deck gun whenever I could, and torpedos only when I was absolutely sure that surfacing was a big-time mistake.

EDIT:
Use RFB where the deck gun is more realistic, and it will be at least difficult to sink lone/unescorted merchies. Mess with the campaign so that some merchant crews are "competant" a few are "veteran" and a handful are "elite" and battle surface becomes a little more scary. Beat to the punch!

[myself77]

I will say again that SH4 is very easy and it should be tougher

[crapgame]

After wasting 22 torpedoes to sink to 2 unescorted tankers, I also have learned to use the deck gun

[myself77]

What would have done a sub in real life?

[tater]

A real sub skipper would have complained about faulty torpedos. He would have been ignored regarding the failures and chastized in the endorsements for wasting torpedos by men who had never made a war patrol in a submarine.

[kentcol]

After wasting 22 torpedoes to sink to 2 unescorted tankers, I also have learned to use the deck gun

Really! Better than me. I fired 12 torpedoes at a coastal Merchant and 4 more at another and haven't hit anything yet! I use manual targeting and have yet to hit a single time. I used manual in SH III and never had a problem. I guess on the American side I just suck!

[crapgame]

After wasting 22 torpedoes to sink to 2 unescorted tankers, I also have learned to use the deck gun

Really! Better than me. I fired 12 torpedoes at a coastal Merchant and 4 more at another and haven't hit anything yet! I use manual targeting and have yet to hit a single time. I used manual in SH III and never had a problem. I guess on the American side I just suck!

I have yet to hit anything with a mark 27. I am currently not using manual targeting. I plan on reading the manual targeting tutorial today and give it a shot.

[SteamWake]

A real sub skipper would have complained about faulty torpedos. He would have been ignored regarding the failures and chastized in the endorsements for wasting torpedos by men who had never made a war patrol in a submarine.

LMAO ! Priceless... so true.

[SirMoric]

After starting on full realism and adding the mod that solves the metres-yard thing, I find myself actually hitting my targets.

But since I always use a spread of three torpedoes on almost everything I sink and try to stay below the surface, I'm not in a BB mind you, I usually round up 40-50.000 tonnes of sunk shipping on my missions, missions that in average last four to five weeks.

40.000 tonnes of sunk shipping seems pretty good compared to real life.

rgds

[tater]

^^^ Add in the hardcore torpedo mod and 2/3 of them will fail in one way or another.

That'll get your patrols more on the order of RL ;)

(it'll also have you cursing BuOrd, lol)

[myself77]

Does Anybody Know A Mod That Makes Deck Gun Less Powerful And It Is Not A Part Of A Supermod?

[ghost_666_rider]

Does Anybody Know A Mod That Makes Deck Gun Less Powerful And It Is Not A Part Of A Supermod?

Go over to the mods and grab the mini tweaker. You can then make them anyway you want:up:

[Chris2802]

Sometimes Ill use one torpedo to 'announce' my arrival

lol!:D

[vindex]

I never use torpedos on lone merchants. Why hide? Even when they're armed you can outrange them. I only use torps on convoys or warships.

[crapgame]

They are good for practice in solving firing solutions:up: