Thank God for a Qualified Deck Crew

[Laufen zum Ziel]

150km off Plymouth 1940. WO reported a British Cargo ship 2,500 meters off our port side. Said ship immediately opened fire on us with a stern gun. I went to the tower and immediately ordered a course change to put a bow profile to the merchant, which continued to fire. I ordered a crew on deck to mann the deck gun. The crew consisted of two qualified PO's and a seaman as ammo handler. I ordered the crew to take out their deck gun. Our first two rounds hit the deck forward of the gun. We then took a round to our bow which did minor damage to our forward tubes. Our third shot missed probaly due to the hit we took. Our forth and fifth shot took out their deck gun. After that it was all us. She went down nine rounds later. We observed life rafts and approached them slow with both AA's manned. We provided a compass, tobacco, water and old rations to the suvivers. Due to the fact that we were close to the English Coast and that she had time to get off an SOS we immediately dove to 30m. At 30 I brought out the last of the beer and we toasted the lost souls. We are all brothers. We surfaced two hours later and repaired damage.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii113/laufen345/Forum1.jpg

[GoldenRivet]

Well done... it can quickly get hairy when the shooting starts on the surface

[bookworm_020]

Getting rid of the enemy's deck gun is important if you wish to have a long and successful hunt. It can be scary when they start to bracket you and your just wait to have the next round come straight down your throat!:dead:

[Sharkley]

Great post !!

In my current patrol Jan, 1940 heading through Der Kanal, periscope depth for 7 hours at 2 knots, this was a daytime run and we wanted to avoid any trawlers this early into our patrol. Crew was growing restless and looking for a fast and easy kill. After another 2 hours of waiting and evading SO reports lone merchant moving slow, we follow for another hour and no other sound contacts. Not wanting to waste a torpedo so early in my hunt I decide to surface for attack. Visual contact confirms British Small Merchant so we align ourselves I call for the deck gun crew to OPEN FIRE !!!, sadly they are new and green and the misses are numerous, after 67 shots fired the small merchant finally sunk.

Moral of my story, Train, train, train at this rate my deck gun ammo will be depleated in a matter of only a few ships..

Torpedo Los !!

[Lt.Fillipidis]

I rarelly put my crew to auto shot. Usually when i assign people to reload or repair something. On most of the time i manually fire the deck gun.
If the weather is bad, i go as close as i can.
But if its clean and oily i can take a shot for up to 6km on a Large Merchant.

[Brag]

Well done, Laufen--but watch those bad badababooms.

BDU

[Sharkley]

I rarelly put my crew to auto shot. Usually when i assign people to reload or repair something. On most of the time i manually fire the deck gun.
If the weather is bad, i go as close as i can.
But if its clean and oily i can take a shot for up to 6km on a Large Merchant.

I understand, I guess it's my play style, I only perform captains duties and depend on my crew ( no matter how bad) for the rest.
:yeah:

[Laufen zum Ziel]

I understand, I guess it's my play style, I only perform captains duties and depend on my crew ( no matter how bad) for the rest.
:yeah:

The only way to learn. Qualify your crew in key positions first. Deckgun - Radio -Watchman - repair. Those positions can save your stern....

[Coyote88]

Said ship immediately opened fire on us with a stern gun. I went to the tower and immediately ordered a course change to put a bow profile to the merchant

Isn't a side profile the correct maneuver here? Shells are more likely to miss long or short, so that's the best direction to put the skinny part of the boat.

[PappyCain]

Goot Goin' My best gunners are trained and seasoned. I'm at the helm, flank speed keeping our boat away from their guns acquiring our range and bearing. Easy if they carry a single armed guard station, not easy or recommended if the carry 2 armed guard stations fore and aft. Early in the war I enjoyed firing each round as they are fat and slow and I was quite the marksman in my village.

:salute:

[Sharkley]

The only way to learn. Qualify your crew in key positions first. Deckgun - Radio -Watchman - repair. Those positions can save your stern....

You know it, !st Patrol with this crew and all are greener than the Atlantic.

Currently sitting on the bottom of Der Kanal making repairs and waiting for night to make a run for it :damn:

[Oneshot/Onekill]

Isn't a side profile the correct maneuver here? Shells are more likely to miss long or short, so that's the best direction to put the skinny part of the boat.
A side profile gives the enemy more to look at through their targeting optics. You wan't to give them as little profile as possible.