any one know the range of 3.7 ?

[johnm]

I am running a career in S-Boot Mod. Two patrols, I've come across an ASW trawler leading a freighter.

Both Times I've tried to sneak round the back to attack the freighter and avoid the trawler.

First time, I hit the freighter, the trawler attacked and I ran, shooting the rear twin 3.7 myself. Despite almost emptying the shot lockers, I apparently had no hits. Although the freighter sank (I saw it) I was not given credit. Too far away?

Second time I approached the stern of the Freighter (large) and gave it a salvo of two steamers at 9 metre depth from about 700 metres. 1 was a dud and disappeared, the other hit and woke up the trawler. It did some damage including wounding my watch officer, Johann Kuhn, who gallantly stayed at his post while we fought the trawler. I got in several hits and sank it.

Two points:

1 Amongst the awards was a wound badge. When I awarded it to Johann, SHIII refused saying this officer was not wounded on last patrol! Liar! So I awarded it using SH3 Commander.

Question: Why did SHIII refuse to award the wound badge?

2 I sank the second trawler because it was fairly close range. The first one was shot at during a faiirly long chase at 3-4 k distances.

Question: what sort of range has the 3.7? It didn't seem to make any difference if I fired horizontally or allowing for dropping shells (anything up to 3 times the height of the trawler's masts.

Welcome any suggestions :hmmm:

[Sailor Steve]

Absolute maximum range was 8500 meters, but I wouldn't expect to hit anything outside of 1000 meters. That is, after all, more than half a mile. Accuracy is difficult with a machine gun at any range.
http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNGER_37mm-83_skc30.htm

As for the wound badge, if the victim is completely recovered when you reach port then the game says "He isn't wounded, is he?" Commander is much better for awarding anything.

[johnm]

Thanks Steve.

Thinking about it, range would be short. Doesn't help that the crew won't shoot at ships with AA guns. I have to do it all myself. Makes it tricky to dodge while shooting!

[Sailor Steve]

I try to not shoot the AA guns at ships, no matter how great the temptation. I know it was indeed historical to do so, but I waste too much ammunition missing on purpose just to watch the cool splashes in the water.
:rotfl2::dead:

[Alpha Von Burg]

The only situation in where I were to use the AA guns is on those small search boats and planes.

I normaly ignore armed or unarmed trawlers, I just think it's a waste of ammunition.

I don't know about any of you, but it's just how I think...

"Happy Hunting..."

[nemchenk]

I sort of feel the same way -- did the Uboats attack many civilian targets from around 1000t and lower? Seems rather "unsportsmanlike"...

[johnm]

I can agree about not using flak guns on ships normally but in this instance I am using the S-Boot mod. I have only 2 tubes and a total of 4 torpedos. I do have 2 20mm cannon and a 3.7 twin barrel cannon.

If the ship doesn't sink with 1 torpedo, I use the 3.7 with armour piercing rounds which usually gets the job done, eventually. Luckily I carry lots of ammo.

Sadly, the crew won't fire these guns at ships only aircraft (of course) which means any shooting has to be done by me. Try running away from 3 destroyers, dodging and weaving, firing the guns, micro-managing the repairs service and keeping all your fingers crossed as well as rubbing the lucky rabbit's foot! :hmmm:

[nemchenk]

Ah yes, that makes much more sense :) The S-Boot mod sounds like a lot of fun, actually! :DL

What good is the 2cm Flak again surface ships, does anyone know? I've emptied 1000 rounds at the waterline of ~2000 Tramps etc with no apparent effect.:arrgh!: Just for a laugh, you understand, not during my proper career missions

PS. I've been looking at uboat.net's patrol reports, and it seems actually that uboats did indeed engage and sink trawlers etc, at least during Sep 1939. I've not yet looked too far as the war progressed... It would seem a waste of a torpedo to me, but the Kaleuns did seem to attack <1000t ships.

[Bronzewing]

Well just recently I was playing about in Hartlepool on a new career in december 39 in a type 2. I'd fired my canoe's 5th and last eel into a C2 inside the harbour and we were on our way back out to sea submerged. It was night, clear sky and no wind to speak of, our hydrophone man had a destroyer on the line but it was at "long" range when this tiny trawler wanders infront of my bows at 1200m. Who could resist an after dinner mint? ;) "Blow balast", man the flack gun! About 5 magazines of 20mm ammo later and the little fishing boat sank becoming our final kill of the patrol. Exit for the Fatherland to the tune of "Mein Kleiner Gruner Kaktus"!

[nemchenk]

I've too have found the 20mm very handy for taking out targets <1000t, and looking at uboat.net it seems the Kaleuns did indeed claim such targets, especially during the early war. The procedure seemed to be to surface, stop the boat with "machinegun fire", board, raid, and then scuttle it.