merchants armed

[midnightrider1818]

When do merchants start carrying weapons to shoot back at you sh3 gwx thanks sailers

[Tycho]

Probably varies for the different ships. In my NYGM installation, some from 1940, others from 1941 and so on.
If you need specific info, check .eqp files for every ship.

[RConch]

My experience has been larger vessels are mostly armed at the end of 1940. With the smaller ones very early 1941. This is using GWX.

[Kielhauler1961]

Here you go, DEMS article from Wikipedia so it must be true...:03:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defensively_equipped_merchant_ship

KH

[UKönig]

Not only that, but in the early war, merchants usually only had 1 or 2, 4 or 5 inch deck guns, one forward, and/or one aft. Later on, they improve the number and location of surface weaponry. And even take the risk of arming tankers. They become the last holdouts, but don't think that in 1943 they won't put cannons on a tanker because of the risk of ammunition explosion. The risk of Uboat attack was more dangerous I guess.

[Kielhauler1961]

The primary gun on a merchant ship was always mounted aft so that it could still claim the privilege under international law of being a non-combatant although armed for its own protection (i.e. 'defensively equipped'). Having the main gun forward would enable it to act aggressively and it could then be regarded as an armed merchant cruiser (warship) which could be sunk without warning. Just because Germany eventually discarded observance of the Prize Regulations didn't mean they weren't still technically in force. Sometimes the lines got a little blurred but the Allies won the war and had better lawyers.:know:

Many ships, especially those of wartime build, had an extensive battery of guns but those mounted forward were primarily for anti-aircraft defence, although the larger ones could still put holes in your U-Boat.

In 1942 a Liberty ship 'Stephen Hopkins' damaged a German surface raider so badly that the raider later exploded and sank:o.

KH