Help with Deck Gun

[Max Quad]

I'm in the middle of a successful patrol. First 3 ships sunk with the Deck Gun, all small coastal freighters. I targeted all the hits manually using the UZO to obtain the range then zooming in the deck gun before setting up the firing solution. I even blew off the complete bridge structure with my first shot on the third ship at 2.0km range!

Imagine my suprise when I tried to engage another small coaster with the deck gun and found all the shells went way left and over the target, even though I applied the same targeting method as before. The cross hairs and range were bang on target.

I then switched to WO orders and let the deck gun fire at will at the hull, result shells on target.

Any idea why the DG should suddenly start firing high & wide?

[JAKE]

It sometimes happens if there a heavy swell and the boat is swaying and can cause the deck gun to over shoot.

[papa_smurf]

The best conditions for using the deck gun, is a flat sea on a clam day. not always possible, but it makes for easier targeting. Also when shoot at a ship, aim just below the waterline, this will almost certainly make a ship sink that bit quicker.

[hammer-princess]

Good job, papa_smurf. I'll have to remember that for when I start doing patrols.

[looney]

The way I aim the deck gun:

1 Surface ;)
2 check if surfaced
3 ask WO to give range
4 man the deck gun
5 set range on deck aiming device to range given by WO and subtract 200m or so to ensure a below waterline hit.
6 fire.

7 repeat steps 3 to 6 until ship sunk.

[Sniper_Fox]

if you've got swells, wait until your bow is being angled down, your deckgun will stay on target. :arrgh!:

[The Butcher]

The waves will make you miss high or low, the wind will make you miss wide. If you use no zoom or first zoom setting on the gun you can still see the barrel bouncing up and down. when it goes to flat then fire. After the first shot you will see how many marks either way you will need to use for the target.

[Blacklight]

I'm such a good shot with that deck gun that I don't even need to look through it's viewfinder to zoom in on the target ! :up:

It's a shame though that almost every time I encounter a juicy target perfect for deck gunning when I'm out of torpedoes, the weather turns into the "Wrath of God".:nope:

[Sniper_Fox]

just go flank speed in at them, 90degrees amidships, firing

armed or not, hardly makes a difference, just zigzag a bunch

[Max Quad]

Many thanks for the tips. I think the cause of my problem was a combination of wind & swell.

I didn't think wind would affect a 88mm shell in the same way as a golf ball. For those of you who have ever played golf the shell's trajectory was a perfect draw. ie the ball moves slightly from right to left through the air. Every golfers dream shot pattern.

Sad EH?