Deck gun location preference

[Ducimus]

Where do you prefer the deck gun to be located? Just curious.

[donut]

Deck-gun is like frontal attack last resort, bloody!

[STEED]

Beat you to it. :p

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=117591

[FIREWALL]

I prefer it in a SEATTLE BASE? :D

[Ducimus]

Beat you to it. :p

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=117591


Oh bah! Thats ok. Your post was 2 months ago, time for a new one! (that and i had an alterior motive for asking this question anyway)

[Rockin Robbins]

So far I prefer the deck gun to be forward, as I'd rather be shooting as I close the range than as I widen it. Real captains seem to have thought otherwise. Actually the best technique is to shoot from a parallel course, in which case it doesn't matter where the deck gun is located.

I would think that from a logistics standpoint it would be better to have the AA gun and deck guns on opposite sides of the conning tower so ammunition feed lines don't get tangled up, but that is just an opinion with no practical experience to back it up. Logic is a dangerous tool, as it often does not work in real life. Sometimes what works, works and we are at a loss to explain why.

I'd be interested in why real captains liked the deck gun aft.

[Bando]

Never use it anymore.
I suspect it makes a lot of noise below the waves.
Get rid of it

[Frederf]

It was my understanding that the rear mounting was the more realistic option (source: that long-winded real UBoat manual thingy). Also I figure it might be an easier ammo haul (door on the front of the CT?) when in the back, drier, and less water drag.

[Fearless]

Picked the rear just to make ithe vote catch up:lol:

Makes no difference to me as I only use it as a last resort.

[Ducimus]

Historically the deck gun was orginally thought of as a last ditch defenseive weapon. Hence the aft mouting. (handy if somethings chasing you) Some more aggressive skippers found other offensive uses for it, and mounted it forward. (handy if your chasing something down).

Nothing exemplified this more then two radio reports from the USS wahoo:

"Wahoo encountered a convoy, sank a freighter and the transport Buyo Maru and damaged another cargo ship. Wahoo made additional attacks on a tanker and a freighter. Afterwards, she reported by radio: "In ten-hour running gun and torpedo battle destroyed entire convoy of two freighters one transport one tanker ... all torpedoes expended".

---

"After an escort ship thwarted his attempt to use Wahoo's deck gun against another convoy on 27 January, Morton made a second radio report: "Another running gun battle today. Destroyer gunning, Wahoo running".

[Capt. Shark Bait]

i had a boat with a gun fore and aft

[FIREWALL]

I use bow mount and was leaveing a hint for Ducimus :D

[Tobus]

Bow mounting = offensive
Stern mounting = defensive

I have diveplanes, balasttanks and forward-running crew for defense, guess where my gun's at!:arrgh!:

[PepsiCan]

Aft. So I can shoot at pursuing destroyers and escorts. I rarely use the deckgun. Got burnt a few times by armed merchants who'd received training.

[Von Tonner]

Aft. So I can shoot at pursuing destroyers and escorts. I rarely use the deckgun. Got burnt a few times by armed merchants who'd received training.

Ditto

[STEED]

ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK.

Bow for me. :D

[AirborneTD]

Aft mounted for me--always.

[ryanwigginton]

Aft for me. If I'm using the gun for defence chances are my boats knackered and I cant dive, so I'll be trying to keep as much distance between myself and the destroyer. You won't get far in reverse. :dead:

[orangenee]

On the bow, I use it for picking off merchants that are on their own that would only use a valuable torpedo which would be better used on something a lot bigger.

[Hitman]

Historically the deck gun was orginally thought of as a last ditch defenseive weapon. Hence the aft mouting. (handy if somethings chasing you) Some more aggressive skippers found other offensive uses for it, and mounted it forward. (handy if your chasing something down).


Correct:up: There is a record in "Clear the Bridge!" or in "Wahoo" (Can't remember right now) where O'Kane comments how much he had to insist for being allowed to mount his deck gun forward....doctrine of that era considered the deck gun as a defensive weapon for subs that were unable to dive and had to run away in the surface, so they could shoot meanwhile at the pursuer.

[ReallyDedPoet]

Bow, but a nice option in-game to move it around :yep:


RDP

[Bluesub 6]

I had SS Balao with two 5"/25 guns, 1945.
Edit!

[longam]

AFT - not much of a gunner

[Sailor Steve]

I had SS Balao with two 5.25 guns, 1945.
More likely they were 5"/25 cal.

[Steeltrap]

Historically the deck gun was orginally thought of as a last ditch defenseive weapon. Hence the aft mouting. (handy if somethings chasing you) Some more aggressive skippers found other offensive uses for it, and mounted it forward. (handy if your chasing something down).

Correct:up: There is a record in "Clear the Bridge!" or in "Wahoo" (Can't remember right now) where O'Kane comments how much he had to insist for being allowed to mount his deck gun forward....doctrine of that era considered the deck gun as a defensive weapon for subs that were unable to dive and had to run away in the surface, so they could shoot meanwhile at the pursuer.

In fact it was the reverse: in Clear the Bridge, O'Kane recalls the discussion he had about wanting the gun located aft of the tower - see page 161 for complete discussion, but, FYI, here's the pertinent quote:

"During construction I had argued to at least have our gun moved aft of the conning tower"

I think he was absolutely correct in his reasoning. The trouble with the deck gun is that it is far too powerful in the sim, and, perversely, your sub seems too durable against shell hits. A hit from a decent sized gun would have a good chance of crippling a sub, or, at least, rendering it unable to dive. That's not the case in the sim, so it's possible to expose your sub to fire that a real skipper would never do if given a choice. Even Morton wouldn't hang about when receiving any sort of fire - I remember well the passage in Wahoo mentioned earlier.

I've only ever used it finishing unarmed cripples.

[cavenaugh]

Forward of the conning tower.It´s easier to keep a good position and speed. :hmm:

[Hillsy_]

Stern for pursuing destroyers. Match your stern to the bow of the destroyers and they cannot fire there own guns due to damaging themselves. Good tactic, very useful when being pursued. Stern mounting can also be used against merchant ships Yes, you cannot fire in front but you can get ahead of them and fire across the beam. Watch out for some enemy merchants as they do fire back and are pretty deadly.

[cdrsubron7]

I've always preferred my deck gun forward instead aft. I prefer to close on my target instead of running away. :yep:






cdrsubron7 :up:

[Frederf]

I'm amazed folks consider the deck gun a viable weapon in any situation where folks are shooting back. If there are rounds incoming I'm scraping the bottom of the Marianas Trench.

[Xapp696]

AFTAFTAFT. There is only a 20 deg. left and right "blind spot" when firing forward. My gun is always aft, and I am constantly chasing wounded foe with my sub, all I do is fire at an oblique angle while chasing, or run abeam of the target and blast away. The main reason for the gun aft (for me) is the odd time I run afoul of an escort while surfaced, I can gun easier while keeping a better aim on the target. Think about it: you are attacking a dest. on the surface, you try not to close too fast, lets say 10 kts, while the dest is closing at 25-30 kts. That's a combined speed of 35-40 kts, meaning with a forward gun you are constantly having to change your aim (and no, I do NOT let my gunners handle an escort, the ratio in another thread of 1 to 6 successful hits appears to be right, I do my own gunnin' on them). Meanwhile, with an aft gun, you go flank away from the target, leaving their closing speed to a piddly 5-10 kts. As well, subchasers cant even keep up to you when you are going flank, so when you find the "sweet spot" where you can still hit them while their gunners have stopped firing, you can sink them with no fear of getting damaged yourself. For those that think its more manly, sporting, aggressive, or whatever, to charge forward on a deck gun attack, all I can say is, I love my sub and I bet mine is prettier than yours at the end of a patrol.:D

[Steeltrap]

I'm amazed folks consider the deck gun a viable weapon in any situation where folks are shooting back. If there are rounds incoming I'm scraping the bottom of the Marianas Trench.

Hence my comment about the totally unrealistic nature of the gun. The fact that people write about their 'preferred' means of attacking a DD with their deck gun shows how absurd the entire situation is.....

I'd like to se the sim changed such that a single hit by a shell of 4" or greater immediately renders your sub unable to dive until you've returned to base and had repairs. That would change things.

[Fat Bhoy Tim]

Aft, because the only time I use it offensively is to destroy smaller/older vessels with little defensive weaponry. Otherwise it's purely defensive.

[JSF]

I like and have both....Does anyone know how to switch between both mounts. The default seems to be the forward but I can't get switched to the aft mount.

[Frederf]

It's in the "Trade renoun for cool stuff" screen where you get SD Improved Radar and Twin 20mm AA Gun, there might be an option to equip a deck gun (bow mount) or a deck gun (aft mount).

The real reason I have an aft mount deck gun is because the front mount deck gun is bugged for me right now and it removes the crew slots.

Also I'm confused why having 2 AA guns doesn't mean having 2 AA gun crews?

[Fearless]

It's in the "Trade renoun for cool stuff" screen where you get SD Improved Radar and Twin 20mm AA Gun, there might be an option to equip a deck gun (bow mount) or a deck gun (aft mount).

The real reason I have an aft mount deck gun is because the front mount deck gun is bugged for me right now and it removes the crew slots.

Also I'm confused why having 2 AA guns doesn't mean having 2 AA gun crews?

Hmm!!, I've got 2 AA gun crews :hmm:

[Frederf]

Perhaps it is similar to the "Change Deckgun Crew Missing" bug where it removed/ didn't give me another AA gunner for the 2nd gun when it was added.

[cali03boss]

Deck gun in the rear has saved me from COUNTLESS charging warships. I don't want to dive until last minute. If you can get 2-3 deck shells in his bow at the water line, he'll pull off.

[LukeFF]

Of course, the best solution to this whole question is to get to 1945 and acquire the dual 5" guns for your boat. :D

[WilhelmSchulz.]

Stern. If I cant out run a aggreser or dive I have the option fight it out. Would never like to though. :dead:

[WilhelmSchulz.]

In retro spect why not give the player the option. like in the stock game?

[Lafferty]

I perfer it to be in the front.

[DyingCrow]

i like the bow mount to chase down lone merchants, and as the majority have the gun mounted fwd, they wont shoot back, and if they try, its easy to cut their angle. i also use the deck gun to shoot aircraft, its fun:rock:

[Raptor22ADF]

Bow for me.

Is cavitation of objects dangling all over the sub modelled?

[Deviant]

I prefer to have it mounted at the stern, that away i can squeeze of a few while i leave an engagement.

[Hartmann]

In rear position for me. Aft

you can use it in defensive and ofensive actions, defensive against charging warships , and ofensive, because merchants and light armed ships usually don´t run at high speed and is possible a 90º position with only a small blind spot, so you can maneuver your boat for the correct angle.

The boat is not a nelson battleship, the gun is only for small targets or damaged merchants :nope:

[Lafferty]

i think i will make a new version with two deckguns so i could be better prepared for any kind of action. And i include the AA guns of course.

[STEED]

I want bigger deck gun so I can do a Dirty Harry, "Go ahead punk make my day." :D :lol:

[MorganThePirate]

I don't have much need for it. :damn: Perhaps, I will try to sink some sampassss.....:arrgh!:

[leovampire]

This way here while I am running my ass off trying to dive I can shoot at the ship chasing me till I can get deep enough to change course and speed and hide.

Can't dive fast enough at this speed! :damn: :damn:

Keep shooting back guy's the rounds are getting closer to the sub! :o :o

Damm it Scotty can't we get more speed out of these engine's? :nope: :nope:

All available crew to the front of the sub and sink this thing faster! :doh:

OMG your missing that DD too many time's! :stare: :down:

Okay get inside fast we are diving! :gulp:

[Reaves]

I want bigger deck gun so I can do a Dirty Harry, "Go ahead punk make my day." :D :lol:

I remember someone putting a gun from a BB onto a sub in SH3. It looked like it could pack a pretty big punch before ripping the sub in half from recoil.

[Captain Vlad]

I prefer having it mounted aft. I tend to approach my deck gun victims at kind of an oblique angle anyway, rather than charging straight at them which makes the range change rapidly and my shooting less accurate. There've been a couple of times I missed having it forward, but not often...the blind spot is really kinda small.