a morale question, sink or not to sink
 

Captains log,

Stardate 902…… oops! Wrong ship, err, boat.

February 25, 1942,

Patrolling grid ED 98, (here would be exact coords, but i forgot to record these) N of Port of Spain
Gale force winds, 15m/sec, heavy fog, heavy precipitation
Local time is 20.30
Hydrophones picked up a slow screws SE, maneuvered to engage
Surfaced at 20.52 in heavy storm for spotting of potential merchant vessel
Almost immediately, 1st WO Carlewitz spots a small coastal ship 245o to port, short range, possibly about 350-400m, difficult to tell in weather conditions.
Hard rudder port.
20.56 We engage the vessel, angle on bow unknown. 1st WO locked on target, but blind to position on bow
Torpedo fire! (Impact detonator)
24 seconds; detonation.
Target neutralized and fire at stern, ship is now visible, due to fire, in heavy rain.
Merchant vessel approached, 345m 90o off starboard bow.
The ship is tossing in heavy seas out of control, apparently the torpedo knocked out rudder and screw. She doesn’t appear to be sinking

What would you do?

Leave her be (measly 2000t) and leave the crew to fate in the stormy seas

Or

Sink her, insuring that all aboard will certainly perish in their lifeboats (my boat, U 123, XIB being thrown about like a child’s toy)

I must state that the merchant is armed.

So, what would you do?

Regards,

Erich Von Muller

An armed merchant is fair game, wether in storm conditions or not. By installing a gun on it, even for supposed self-defence, it becomes a warship and as such, no mercy is expected and the prize rules do not apply. All of those embarked know it.

I say sink it :down:

You've already used one torpedo on the measly 2000 tonner:03:.
Two is extravagant:yep:.
Save them for the laden tankers if you want to hurt Tommy's war effort:yeah:

I can't stand leaving things half sunk. I'd put another fish into it to ensure that the weather doesn't claim the kill you earned. If it's worth one fish, it's usually worth two, says me.

In reality, maybe I'd let them go. But then again, it's war. Who knows? For your purposes, though, since nobody's going to die either way...send it to the bottom. The reason those ships exist, in game, is for you to blow them up. Use your tools so they can fulfill their long, plummeting destiny.

Besides, you might regret not having sunk it if you can't find any other targets this patrol.

Oh yeah...BE MORE AGGRESSIVE! :DL

You could just wait a bit more. I torpedoed a medium cargo with one eel (out of four) in very rough seas. At first it did not seem to have much effect, but I just followed it for a bit while reloading the tubes.

It took a while but in that rough of a sea, any damage is bound to sink a ship.

But morally, I agree with the other posters. An Armed Merchant is combatant vessel.

I'm with Platapus. Tail it submerged and wait for it to flood. Morally, well you put a torpedo into it already without attempting to identify it. Could have been axis or a hospital ship :) So I think you answered your own question about the morality.

Mopy, that ,i didn't even think of. wow.

Heheh it's rare, but does happen with the odd unfortunately placed friendly or neutral.

Still, congrats for hitting something in impossible weather! :salute: That's always a buzz.

come think of it, in the carribean i wouldn't expect to meet a friendly or a hospital ship, so it couldn't be anything else but an unfriendly. or could it?

You have a good point. Also you said it was coastal, so unless someone invented a secret coastal hospital ship, that's out. Friendlies unlikely in the area, I suppose the only other possibility is a neutral - in which case, it wouldn't be travelling lights out I don't think.

Good call :up:

Well, since its about morality, i'd let it be in real life.
Its a small ship that wont have much of an effect to the war unless it carries something important. And thats kinda unlikely.
IRL it doesnt worth killing about 15-30 sailors for such a small vessel.
And besides them, there are their families too.

Leave her be. There are better things to waste torpedoes on.

You did right.
He wasn't a friendly. He was armed.

The Uboat Commander's Handbook makes it clear that one should not let targets pass in hopes of bagging something Bigger.

Apprxomate quote: You've got what you've got.

And, yes, 2.000 tonnes is worth a torpedo, or 2 if neccesary.
It's not 1940 anymore.

Also from the handbook:
Use 2, 3, 4 topedoes. Whatever is neccesary.
It's better to destroy a-little, than damage a-lot.