Deck gun vs. Cruiser

[Hellguard3]

Alright so after my absurdities aboard the snapper my game locked up shortly after seeing the destroyer convention so i began again and got a new boat and mission. This time i ran into the invasion force going to the Philippines and managed to take out four passenger (troop) ships, a mogami cruiser ( which i crippled with one hit to the engines and had to swing back and finish her off. A lone destroyer trying to blend in and guard the cruiser (though at night he was about 6 clicks away and was easy to avoid,) then sink with one fish amidships as it had broken its back. I proceeded to chase the convoy which had begun to mill about in open water at around midnight. I nuck in and waited until i had a good shot on a maya cruiser, launch four torps (all slightly spread further apart) and hit one twice KO ing her , one missed, and one hit another maya cruiser starboard astern. This one hit full steam and ran like mad from the convoy. I gave chase underwater then flank speed on top when i was sure i wasnt being pursued.

I got in close, but with only one torpedo left i setup carefully and fired my aft tube and nailed her amidships.

She wont go down... she has a list of about 35 degrees but wont drop. Shes dead in the water.

I made the decision to save and try out deck gun rounds against her.

I manuvered to her port side, where her guns had no angle due to the heavy list and hit her point blank in her bottom when it rolls up.

No holes show up, and she doesnt appear to be taking anymore water on.

Also her aft machine guns can make an angle on me but only when she rolls to port enough to do so.

What should i actually be doing here?

[Rockin Robbins]

1. Don't make the mistake of thinking lack of visible holes means no holes. Visible holes are eyecandy ONLY, having nothing to do with how much damage is inflicted. It will take over a hundred hits to sink the cruiser. You're not there yet. Make sure you're aiming below the waterline. You are inflicting damage. Be patient.

2. Even a machine gun can sink you. Try to find a safe place to shoot from for 20 minutes or so. Be on the alert for aircraft. Your victim will be calling in his buddies for a little support and you have to be ready.

3. Good luck. Sinking a cruiser with a deck gun isn't the best of jobs. Just getting the chance to do it is very improbable, so make this good!

[Hellguard3]

As an update, i had saved prior to surfacing, got frustrated using ammo and being machine-gunned and made this post.

I reloaded the save to begin attacking again and after two shots the cruiser rolled over and sank.

Also both cruisers i identified as mayas were in fact takaos cruisers.

[Sniper297]

Luck plays a big part in this, a heavy cruiser generally needs at least 2 or 3 torpedoes, sometimes 4 or 5 depending on where they're hitting. If you can hit them right under a turret set for just the right depth a single torpedo can set off a secondary explosion in one of the main magazines, starting a chain reaction so it's gone with only one hit. Same thing with the deck gun, each ship model has a bunch of damage zones, some more critical than others.

If the lack of visible damage is constant, check your Options/Graphics settings - just below the resolution is a ship 3D damage slider, all the way to the left is PG rating, all the way to the right shows all the gory details.

Want a more effective gun without getting too unrealistic, try this;

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom//downloads.php?do=file&id=517

Several options for increasing torpedo damage;

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom//downloads.php?do=file&id=4380

[Rockin Robbins]

[irony on]Pretty realistic!

https://youtu.be/o3upMQBo1m4

[/irony off]

Okay, maybe less realistic, but ultimate FUN!