Do you use a deck gun?

[meduza]

I wonder, how often do you use your deck gun? Is it just a last resort, or..?

Early in the war, the deck gun is my primary weapon against lonely, unarmed smaller ships (2500 tons or less). First reason is I want to save my torpedos for juicier targets, and second is fun. :D
I find it very pleasing blowing my tanks in close proximity to the unsuspecting ship, and sink her with the gun.

[rifleman13]

Yes, I also use the deck gun early in the war. :up:

But as late war phase enters, would be insanely suicidal to engage a ship with the deck gun. :down:

And also if the weather permits... I hate when storms get over two weeks long.
I know that in real life, storms can last longer than that, but come on!:damn:

I am I right people?:|\\

[meduza]

But as late war phase enters, would be insanely suicidal to engage a ship with the deck gun. :down: Yes, the Brits killed all the fun when they started arming the merchants. :D. I'm in late 1940 and I already encountered an armed merchant. It was an Ore carrier,and I wouldn't engage her with the gun anyway, but it's a first sign that the differnt times are coming.

And also if the weather permits... I hate when storms get over two weeks long.
I know that in real life, storms can last longer than that, but come on!:damn:

I am I right people?:|\\ Indeed, the storms seam to last forever.

[Sailor Steve]

Storms in the game can indeed last forever. So can perfect weather and calm seas. It's partly the way the weather state changes in the game and partly a save-game thing.

The only true instant solution is here:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=132868&highlight=stop+rain

[meduza]

The only true instant solution is here:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=132868&highlight=stop+rain
True, but with all due respect to Rubini and his excellent mods :up:, it feels like cheating to me. I will rather curse the weather and let the nature takes its course. I mean, the freaking storm must end sometime... I don't want to go home with all of my gun ammunition still aboard :D

[Sailor Steve]

...it feels like cheating to me.
I agree, and I don't use it either. But when the game itself is cheating I can understand why some folks would want to use it. It's like Dead Is Dead - I insist on playing that way, but when the game suddenly kills you because of high time compression or some such, you don't accept it and you reboot.

One player's cheat is another player's lifeline.

[STEED]

Sept39-Jun42 after that good bye Deck Gun and hello extra rolls of luxury soft toilet paper. :lol:

[GreyFox]

I like the deck gun and have become fairly decent with it in vanilla SH3 (don't use mods yet). I took on a convoy and sank 2 destroyers, an armed trawler, a T2 tanker and a C3 cargo with it a couple of weeks ago when my cousin asked me to see if I could do it in late 1940. I lost 2 officers and 5 men, but I managed to do it. Of course I didn't save it though.

[FIREWALL]

I like the deck gun and have become fairly decent with it in vanilla SH3 (don't use mods yet). I took on a convoy and sank 2 destroyers, an armed trawler, a T2 tanker and a C3 cargo with it a couple of weeks ago when my cousin asked me to see if I could do it in late 1940. I lost 2 officers and 5 men, but I managed to do it. Of course I didn't save it though.

Hi GreyFox :sunny: Welcome Aboard :D

That's good that you get the feel of stock SH-3 first.

Then you can really appreciate the mods Big & small. :yep:

Good Hunting :up:

[Jimbuna]

You kinda get a feeling when it's no longer wise to surface and use the deck gun http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/bubblegum2.gif

[SandyCaesar]

I like the deck gun and have become fairly decent with it in vanilla SH3 (don't use mods yet). I took on a convoy and sank 2 destroyers, an armed trawler, a T2 tanker and a C3 cargo with it a couple of weeks ago when my cousin asked me to see if I could do it in late 1940. I lost 2 officers and 5 men, but I managed to do it. Of course I didn't save it though.

You took on a pair of destroyers with your deck gun?:o And you won!?:huh:
You crazy, crazy...I mean, corvettes, yeah, all the time, armed trawlers, yeah, but...but...even in vanilla, on low difficulties...:dead:

You should receive an Iron Cross, a summons to the asylum, or both.

[Task Force]

I may sound like the most dumest person on the Atlanic ocean but yes I do use my deckgun during the entire war. Ive engaged the small armed trawlers and won, Blasted merchents away. Ive gotten pretty good at it.:yep:

[danurve]

Yeaup, the deck gun can be fun to use at times. It's also aux on lower priority targets that don't go down with one eel. For exmple even an armed merchant with 1 forward gun, where you can manuver behind and finish it off.
But that doesn't always pay off if she calls for help. And by the time I can get a c/41 doing anything on the surface is way risky.

[papa_smurf]

I use my deck gun form 39 till late 41 in a Type VII. Then when it gets too hot I transfer to a type IX/C and pick of lone merchants, and in some rare occasions have used my deck gun in late '42.

[SandyCaesar]

The Deck Gun is fun, and plenty of times I've charged lone merchies or terrorized Flower corvettes with it. I can still remember that one time I netted 50k on a patrol in '39 when I stumbled upon an unescorted, unarmed convoy midocean. Only lost some renown because my weps got carried away and started blazing away at the Americans.:damn: Didn't bring a single weapon home, aside from 20mm and starshell.:rock:Even armed merchies were pretty easy targets, back in the vanilla days. With GWX, not quite so certain...

Still, I'm not about to engage warships with it. I draw the line at Flowers and armed trawlers, which go down pretty easily. In retrospect, however, maybe I shouldn't've taken on those four corvettes escorting that convoy...

[Brag]

In 41 Things would start to get sticky.
On GWX 2.1 I'm still in 1940. Had a streak of good weather and sunk 26,000 tons with the deckie. Have only one round left, so the rest of the sinkings on this patrols will be with eels.

Guess who is in command of the boat.

[SandyCaesar]

In 41 Things would start to get sticky.
On GWX 2.1 I'm still in 1940. Had a streak of good weather and sunk 26,000 tons with the deckie. Have only one round left, so the rest of the sinkings on this patrols will be with eels.

Guess who is in command of the boat.

Let me guess: daily choir practice?:D

[Paul Riley]

As a rule of thumb I use my DG to engage lonely stragglers,and to finish off already crippled ships.
Another use ,and I have never tried this ,could be to actually LURE say a flanking or rear escort into a gun duel,in an attempt to thin down the military presence of the convoy?.Bloody risky yes,but...effective?,could be.:hmm:
I am currently In April 42 in my campaign and using the DG gets increasingly more difficult,and almost getting sunk by a C2 is,well...embarrassing. :rotfl:

[meduza]

I took on a convoy and sank 2 destroyers, an armed trawler, a T2 tanker and a C3 cargo
Congratulatons! I never sunk anything stronger than armed trawler. A few times I engaged a straggler, and came under fire from escorts who came to help. Beeing stubborn, I didn't want to dive until the straggler went down.

BTW, I guess most of the people here are aware of it, but for those who aren't, here is the mod (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=105298) that makes damage from gunshots and torpedo impacts look more realistic. :up:
I only found out about it today... :oops:

[Redwine]

I wonder, how often do you use your deck gun? Is it just a last resort, or..?

I love it... i use it always it is posible. :smug:

Never expend a torp when i can use the deck gun.
I made a small mod to enlarge the size of the tracer bullet texture many time ago, it gives me the posibility to aim too far away because i can see if the shot is long or short. ;)

[Jimbuna]

Guess who is in command of the boat.

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/4986/hitlersmileythumbnailiz3.jpg

[Kraut]

I like to attack ships with combined fire. Deck gun + flak guns.

[Sensekhmet]

Pretty much like everyone else. One of the crucial weapons until merchants get armed, then it's just an auxiliary, for example to finish off stopped ships after surfacing in front of them (to stay away from the stern guns). I use flak on smaller things, mostly on my beloved schooners. I can't wait to try quad 20mm on those beauties *sobs*

But things happen. Just now I was crusing off US in my IXB when I got shot at from somehwere. Binoculars, it's some insect, coming at me hard, spraying small calibre fire in my general direction. To make long story short, he took 4 105mm shells and started to sink bow first. When I passed him he sprayed me with his stern cannon, I in turn used my twin 20mm, too bad I can't order the crew to fire the other one (2nd tower type wth 2 light flak emplacements). He got a hero's salute as he went down. No damage to my boat.

[Red Heat]

I used at 101% in the begining of the War...but in 1944, well...the things are "Heavy"! :huh:

[Jimbuna]

I used at 101% in the begining of the War...but in 1944, well...the things are "Heavy"! :huh:

101%....do you mean all the time :hmm:

[STEED]

I used at 101% in the begining of the War...but in 1944, well...the things are "Heavy"! :huh:

Still using it in 1943! :o Fookin eke that must be bloody dedication, I hope you don't blubber like a baby when its time to say bye bye. :lol: ;)

[Paul Riley]

Thats a good tactic Kraut (in theory),combined DG and flak fire,using the flaks to supress any return fire as the DG reloads.But does that happen in game,the ability to supress fire?.If so,then I will adopt this tactic against single warships.
Could be risky later as allied air attacks increase considerably,and using the flaks on ships would be a very wasteful and suicidal choice.Good early on in the war.

:hmm:

[Paul Riley]

:rotfl: STEED

[STEED]

:rotfl: STEED

:D :up:

[predavolk]

Used it a lot up to 1940, sporadically after then (up to late '43). Against armed merchants, you have to be fast, accurate, and most importantly- well positioned. The bigger problem beyond armed merchants is that most of them are in convoys. And deck gun attacks vs. convoys is something I leave to STEED or other super-heroes. ;)

[bookworm_020]

Early in the war, when the weather permits, I will sink any ship I can with the deck gun, as the weather could turn any minute!

As the war goes, i pick and choose the targets that the deck gun is used on (unarmed ships, ships with guns unable to bear on me)

[GreyFox]

You took on a pair of destroyers with your deck gun?:o And you won!?:huh:
You crazy, crazy...I mean, corvettes, yeah, all the time, armed trawlers, yeah, but...but...even in vanilla, on low difficulties...:dead:

You should receive an Iron Cross, a summons to the asylum, or both.
I was fortunate in that the armed trawler and the 2 destroyers were arrayed in such a fashion that they could only come at me one at a time - I was in a stern chase with the convoy. My cousin came in and said 'wow, what an epic game, do something cool' so I went to flank speed and started firing. Was only for fun, I wanted to get it over and done with quickly so we could start watching the Stargate films. I expected to sink, but was pleasantly surprised when I survived with 10% hull integrity.

I like to raid Hartlepool, that's where I learned to fight with the deck gun against docked merchants and the escorts. It's rather easy to fight ships in there since you are close enough to be able to hit their gun turrets with relative ease. That and the AI likes to drive it's big ships into the harbour walls if you fight them there.

I really do hate Elco torpedo boats, they're too small to waste a torpedo and too fast and too low in the water to hit them with the deck gun. Out of sheer frustration I used my 20mm double-barreled flak gun and I was surprised when she sank.

However, I'm only playing on the default 27% realism, which I imagine would have something to do with my constant survival.

[Murr44]

I will use it on lightly armed/unarmed ships & I always keep a fair distance away from the target ship (at least 1800-2,000 metres) if it's armed. I never engage MTB's (nasty little things:damn: ) as they're just too fast & the risk of casualties and damage far outweighs the renown that I might gain by sinking them. Empire-type freighters & large merchants can be extremely dangerous so I never attack them while surfaced.

[Ivan Putski]

I use my deck gun early in the war to finish off stricken vessels, but recently I was surprised by a coastal tanker I had hit with an eel. She was still afloat, and I surfaced to finish her off with the deck gun. She opened fire on me, this was in Sept. 1940, I went to periscope depth, and put another eel in her. Puts

[Penelope_Grey]

Install the Q ship mod guys... I dare ya! :D You may reconsider.

[Jimbuna]

Install the Q ship mod guys... I dare ya! :D You may reconsider.

You tell em Pen.....some invalids have pointy/sharpened walking sticks ;)

[matthewscrutton]

I just stopped playing SH3 for the night. I did two patrols and sank 5 ships between them. Two of three of them were deck gun targets.

I am beginning to notice deck guns appearing, and despite this I still use the deck gun, as the ships only have guns either fore or aft, which means as long as I am directly astern or ahead of them, then I'm ok.

Of course if you go abeam of them your screwed!

[BasilY]

I love my deck gun. I use it to terrorize lone small merchants. I even manage to use it on a type IXb in 1945 about 50km north of the Scotish Coast. Fishing vessels that are messing up my sonor readings are prime target. but once in a while I will also attack Passenger Cargo and medium cargo (two ships that I have yet find a trusted way to sink with one shot.) Even costal merchants when I am low on torpedo.

Armed merchants in GWX are tough customers, but I have devised 2 ways to kill them with little or no damage to my boat.

1. Close attack: Mainly against coastal merchants and small merchants, they usually have 1 deck gun (or less), either for or aft. Let's say it's aft. I will surface 500-800 meter dead ahead of the ship and start pumping rounds into her. (I have a very specialised deck gun crew, hance reloading is much faster). Move backward to maintain distance as soon as I surface) The victim will have to turn their ship to fire their guns. You MUST take those guns out ASAP. With the first few shots you shall know how to hit their gun as before they come into view.

If you loss your nerve and try to submerge, you will take more shots than if you stay in the fight.:nope:

Advantage: few wasted ammo, quick resolution
Disadvantage: you must do a full list of thing very quickly upon surface. (you should preload your first shot long before the engagement) Once they start firing, you WILL get hit.:down:

2. Range attack: (against wounded ships, or medium ships that are armed fore and aft)
Range 3000-5000 depending on visibility. I usually do this at night. I will follow the victim at range at either their 5 or 7 oclock (bigger profile to hit).
I will surface slowly. They won't sight me immediately, I can usually get of 5-7 shots and submerge again before their return fire start. Wait until they turn off their serch lights, surface, and do it again.

Adavantage: I am rarely hit in return.
Disadvantage: takes a lot time, a near by destroyer might show up or your intented victim reach more protected area. more wasted ammo.

Eitherway, the wind speed must be 4 knot or less, otherwise you are just wasting ammo and risking life for nothing. And you must man the deck gun yourself. AI-control deck gun is a joke.

On a good patrol, I will add 5000-15000 tonnage with the deck gun. I once deck gun HMS Aquitania off the South African Coast. That was quite memorable.:arrgh!:

[BasilY]

One more note, in GWX it takes more hits, and time, to sink a merchant than Stock SH3. It will be wise to monitor (submerged, of course) a wounded ship to see if it is sinking (lossing speed is a good, but not conclusive sign) before risking another attack.

[Ivan Putski]

I use the Q-Ship mod, have`nt run across one yet, but no doubt I will.:up:

[Murr44]

Just saved a game. I'm in the middle of my 3rd patrol with U-88 (May 1941). Destroyed a large merchant in AM 51; took 4 torpedoes (3 fore, 1 stern shot). While I was in the middle of this the hydrophone operator alerted me to another contact. It turned out to be an armed coastal freighter. As I was in a sh*tty position for a submerged attack we surfaced & chased after her. Got to about 2000 meters & opened fire with the deck gun. Knocked out her stern gun turret and closed to 750 meters to finish the job. No survivors...

[sharkbit]

Just met a coastal tanker off the coast of Ireland. Decided 1000 tons wasn't worth a torpedo and went for a night time deck gun attack.
Imagine my suprise when the searchlight came on and held me in its beam and the SOB started shooting back!:huh:

He found the range and I started to take hits but, alas, CTD.
I had saved a little earlier and on the second go around, I decided that maybe he was worth a torpedo. Take that! :p
:)

[Sailor Steve]

Bet he wishes he could reload a saved game too.:rotfl:

[STEED]

I use the Q-Ship mod, have`nt run across one yet, but no doubt I will.:up:

I too have not seen one, running scared of my mighty U-Boat. :rotfl:

[Jimbuna]

I use the Q-Ship mod, have`nt run across one yet, but no doubt I will.:up:

I too have not seen one, running scared of my mighty U-Boat. :rotfl:


hehe.....lucky bastids....so far http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/6356/av129190fjwl3.gif

[STEED]

I use the Q-Ship mod, have`nt run across one yet, but no doubt I will.:up:

I too have not seen one, running scared of my mighty U-Boat. :rotfl:


hehe.....lucky bastids....so far http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/6356/av129190fjwl3.gif

Yea we're hot. :cool:

[Jimbuna]

I use the Q-Ship mod, have`nt run across one yet, but no doubt I will.:up:

I too have not seen one, running scared of my mighty U-Boat. :rotfl:


hehe.....lucky bastids....so far http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/6356/av129190fjwl3.gif

Yea we're hot. :cool:

I scripted a SP mission this morning ... and as I'm sure your already aware, the SH3 world is permanently there.

What happens....a bloody Q Ship appears from nowhere like a bad smell in a spacesuit :damn:

[STEED]

I use the Q-Ship mod, have`nt run across one yet, but no doubt I will.:up:

I too have not seen one, running scared of my mighty U-Boat. :rotfl:


hehe.....lucky bastids....so far http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/6356/av129190fjwl3.gif

Yea we're hot. :cool:

I scripted a SP mission this morning ... and as I'm sure your already aware, the SH3 world is permanently there.

What happens....a bloody Q Ship appears from nowhere like a bad smell in a spacesuit :damn:

We blow it out the water with the minimum of fuss. :smug:

[Mush Martin]

@ the OP

Why what do you guys use torpedos:rotfl:

[meduza]

Returning home from a very successful patrol (90000+ tons), my WO spoted two unescorted ships, Large merchant and Medium cargo. I had no torpedoes left, and only 23 105mm shells. When I approached, the Large merchant opened fire. I considered aborting the attack, but I wanted to reach 100000 tons.

I didn't want to waste an ammo on a long distance shots, so I didn't fire until I was 1500m from the nearest ship, unarmed Medium cargo. She went down after 6 hits :D.
The fire from merchant became more accurate, so the main concern was to neutralize her gun. My third shell hit right on the mark.
It would probably be wiser to shoot at the armed (and bigger) ship first, but then I'd risk spending my ammo and not sink anything.

Having only 14 shells, I wanted to make sure each one hits the target. Since her starboard gun was disabled, I put my u-boat on a parallel course, 500m apart. Unfortunately those 14 shells weren't enough and she didn't show any sign of a damage. I shot her with 37mm flak gun for a while, and finaly aborted the attack. It won't be a 100k patrol after all. :cry:

My luck changed when I encountered a 1800 ton Coastal freighter. She sank after about 80 flak gun shells. :arrgh!:

I guess my serving as a gunner on a small patrol boat wasn't worth nothing, after all.... :lol:


@ the OP

Why what do you guys use torpedos:rotfl: Torpedos? :hmm: What are they used for? :lol: