What's the point of heavy flak?

[Incubus]

The semi-auto, 1.5 second reload is a real turn-off to me. All my experiences on shooting down aircraft involve filling the sky with bullets and hoping the planes fly into enough of em. The heavy flak's rate of fire and turret train speed seem inferior to the job of shooting down planes.

Another question- is there any way to order your men to use their AA-guns on surface ships? Some ships, like fishing boats/torpedo boats are susceptible to sinking from their fire. It would be nice to perforate a PT boat sometime :arrgh!:

[Albrecht Von Hesse]

The semi-auto, 1.5 second reload is a real turn-off to me. All my experiences on shooting down aircraft involve filling the sky with bullets and hoping the planes fly into enough of em. The heavy flak's rate of fire and turret train speed seem inferior to the job of shooting down planes.

Another question- is there any way to order your men to use their AA-guns on surface ships? Some ships, like fishing boats/torpedo boats are susceptible to sinking from their fire. It would be nice to perforate a PT boat sometime :arrgh!:

Heavy flak does not require a direct hit to damage an aircraft. It is a proximity-fuzed projectile that explodes, producing shrapnel. Picture it as an aerial depth charge. :88)

[Incubus]

Do they get any better beyond the single-shot variety? Is it worth it to mount one on my u-flak conning tower?

[spork542]

When you get dual 37mm, I say: YES!

[_Seth_]

In lack of a good deck gun on the rear of my uboat, i often use the heavy flak to engage pursuing destroyers and corvettes. It works, but it takes some time. I just blow ballast, and make a run for it on the surface at full speed. When the enemy is closing in from behind (and my crew loads the rear tubes) i shell that enemy bast**d with my 3,7! If im lucky, i manage to take out his guns first. then he can follow me, but not engage. When my tubes are loaded, i send an magnetic eel about a meter under his keel. And voila: Water, flames and flying brits.

[Threadfin]

I don't think flak shells in WW2 had proximity fuses. They are fused to explode at a certain height, they are timed fused.

[Albrecht Von Hesse]

I don't think flak shells in WW2 had proximity fuses. They are fused to explode at a certain height, they are timed fused.

After a bit of research I have to admit that they weren't proximity fuzed. The characteristics of the 3.7cm are as follows:


Muzzle velocity _ _ _ _ _ 2,690 f/sMaximum horizontal range _ _ _ _ _ 8,744 ydsMaximum vertical range _ _ _ _ _ 15,600 ftTheoretical rate of fire _ _ _ _ _ 150 rpmPractical rate of fire _ _ _ _ _ 60 rpmMaximum effective ceiling with self-destroying tracer ammuniion. (A new shell has been introduced, which is self-destroying at 9,185-11,480 ft. after 7-10 secs.) _ _ _ _ _ 13,775 ft with 14 secs time of flightAutomatic, recoil-operated; the firing mechanism can be set for single-shot or continuous fire as required. The ammunition is loaded in clips holding 6 rounds.Weight in action _ _ _ _ _ 3,100 lbs (approx.)Elevation _ _ _ _ _ -10° to +85°Traverse _ _ _ _ _ 360°Length of barrel _ _ _ _ _ 50 cals (6 ft)Ammunition—two classes, as follows: (i) Self-destroying HE tracer vvith percussion fuze (weight of projectile, 1 lb. 6 oz) (ii) AP tracer (weight of projectile, 1 lb 8 1/2 oz)

So it appears as if they need a direct hit to damage an aircraft, and self-destruct (explode) at the end of their range.

credit: http://www.lonesentry.com/manuals/german_aa/gaa7_german_antiaircraft_aa_guns.html

[Hybris]

For heavy flak I go with the quad cannon. Also if you really want to use the flak guns as short range (>1500m or if your one hell of a shot 2000 MAYBE 2500m) search for a torpedo power speed mod I think its called with it your flak guns can sink most ships in one shot or at least do heavy damage so a second is almost always a sure kill (This also applies to your deck gun). And if you use the torpedo file replacement you get one shot one kills if you hit the target of course. One file in the mod I recomend you don't use is the torpedo speed mod its makes the electric torpedos go at 40 knots but the problem is with accoustic they can't find their targets.(Going off from what I remember in the readme.)

[bookworm_020]

The 37mm that comes with the boat when you get it is useless, upgrage the the autoloader version ASAP, the twin is best, it kicks the @$^! out of B-24's.

VIIC in U-flak config with just twin 37mm is great fun.

[Steeltrap]

I don't think flak shells in WW2 had proximity fuses. They are fused to explode at a certain height, they are timed fused.

More accurate to say the German's didn't develop proximity fused AA, but the USA certainly did - made their naval flak the most effective of anyone's in the war (especially the CLAA with 15 x 5.5" rapid fire DP guns!!!). :o

[bookworm_020]

Proxy fuses were used by the AA guns who were trying to down V1 missles on the way to London

[Jimbuna]

The twin 37mm (when available) is the most lethal weapon you can get :up:

[Hybris]

It sounds like this twin 37mm is a good deck gun replacement

[Dietrich]

The SK 3,7cm is just that... an "SK" (= Schiffskanone). That means it was designed for firing against other ships. As a result, I tend to use it like that, namely I man it manually and set the SK 10,5cm to automatic, and thus train both guns against an enemy ship. Perhaps it makes no difference, but it's fun for me.

However, as the game designates it as a Flak gun, you cannot automatically assign it to attack other ships. Pity.

Later in the game, you can get the "2,0cm Flakvierling", "3,7cm M42" and "3,7cm M42 twin". Unfortunately, the rate of fire of the Flakvierling is much slower than it was in real life, so it is not so good. In my opinion, the M42 twin though is very impressive, and I've had enormous success with it.