Armed merchants in 1939?

[johnm]

Running S-boote mod in NYGM as a relaxer (honest!)

Came up against a medium merchant. Attacked and put a torpedo under it's rear. It slowed down and lay dead in the water.

Came in for a gun attack to speed up the sinking, next thing I know is the merchant opens up on me from a rear deck gun! in september 1939!

Being a full blooded hero, I yanked the throttles open and run for the hills!

Stopped about 3k away. Waited. then tried another run in with the bow 20mm blazing. Worked a treat - for them! tok out my radio, one diesel and the bridge damaged. retired at 40 knots to a safe distance, I'd forgot that SHIII doesnt allow you to kill the gun's crew on a ship. Nasty game.

While trying to repair the S-boote to try again, the merchant slowly sank. Success. It was a polish ship.

Off we went - home.

What a dirty trick - arming a merchant right at the start of the war - Sept 1939! How come?

[Zajcev]

Actually you can make the enemy gun silent by hitting it with your gun :D. When I see a merchant firing at me, I stay ~2km away from it and keep firing at his gun. It can be destroyed with single hit.

[bigboywooly]

I know some British merchants were armed at wars outbreak
Caught a couple of uboat skippers by surprise too especially as they were going about restricted warfare and using prize rules

I guess its totally possible Polish mercs were armed hastily too

Though you may have been unlucky with that one

[Avatar]

I was about to post a thread concerning this. That all merchants had a deck gun even in 1941. I thought only the largets merchants had deck guns? Now in 41 everyone is packing heat. Does this seem realistic?

[Jimbuna]

Shortly after Dunkirk (May 40)......Britain started to feel the real benefits of being able to concentrate a little more than she had previously on her merchant shipping.

Vessels were 'armed' with increasing speed from then on.

[U-84]

i have seen as early as early 1940, merchants being armed. Came as a big surprise to me to see a shell come flying at me from a merchant im about to sink.

[johnm]

Actually you can make the enemy gun silent by hitting it with your gun :D. When I see a merchant firing at me, I stay ~2km away from it and keep firing at his gun. It can be destroyed with single hit.

That's probably true but as I was using an S-Boote, the biggest gun I've got is 3.7 mm Flak gun. I don't think I could throw a shell 2km. I usually try to get within 1km before serious shooting.

At least I now know - it's possible to silence a merchant ship's gun!

Thanks