What would have happened in this situation in real life?
 

Something interesting happened in my last patrol.

It's mid 1941 in my game and I have a type IX submarine. For the fun of it, I ventured towards New York.

Well, at the entrance to New York, I come across a C2 cargo ship with the Union Jack: British. At the same time, there is an American Somers destroyer patrolling the area. All three ships, my IX, the C2 and the Somers destroyer are within visible range of each other.

The weather was great, so I had my deck gun manned and proceeded to get close to the C2 cargo ship in order to sink it. I sunk it myself out of fear that my deck gun crew, being trigger happy, would attack the Somers destroyer once the C2 had been sunk.

Anyway, the C2 went down but the Somers destroyer did nothing. Didn't attack me - as expected - since the US is still neutral.


My question is, what would have happened in real life here? Would the Somers destroyer have attacked me since technically I was inside the 3 km shore zone of the USA attacking a foreign vessel on their "ocean" if you will :hmmm:.

In real life, the American DD would have probably positioned itself between you and the C2 and called for reinforcement.

Eventually, i would Imagine that your sub would be pursued and possibly boarded / interned in the very least for attacking a ship in Neutral American waters.

In real life?

I guess a Ritterkreuz and a meeting with the Führer at the Wolfschanze for having the balls to do something like that :haha:

Hitler wouldn't be too pleased, since he specifically ordered NOT to interfere with the Americans or piss them off, to avoid them joining the war (and look how well that ended!)

Yes and in addendum to my previous post, there are reports of American DDs placing themselves in the line of fire between U-boats and british merchant ships.

i feel like this would be the most likley scenario.

There's your answer, I think they've encircled the question, illuminated it, and shot it to death, so to speak! :yeah:

Thats why i love this game so much...in every patrol all aways something happened...but remember keep you alive to tell your story later...in Officers Quarters drinking a beer with your crew! :yeah:

You would end in a camp, either German or US.

I also believe that the DD would block you.
But i have another question. What would happen if the commander would board the cargo (outside the 3km shore limit), order the crew to abandon and then sink it and all this being observed by the same DD.

Is the C2 scored as a neutral if sunk, And a Renoun loss ?

I'm assumeing this is GWX.

Well as all 3 of you are in the Pan-American security zone chances are the DD may have acted aggresively - definately if he was escorting the cargo ship
Certainly it would have radio'd in plain language your position to all listening

you are probably right up to the point where I've read in Albert Speer's diaries, that the "Führer" was underestimating the US a lot.
direct quote (analogously and pls, apologize the words!!): "they are just a bunch of jews and nixxers over there, they never compete with our supreme arian race"

I'm just too happy it proved wrong.

In game or RL ? Or both ?

In RL
Sometimes in game I have sunk a Br cargo under the nose of a US ship without interference
Other times the US DD will become aggesive and look to take me out

I guess depends on whether you have hit or sunk a US flagged vessel while sailing off the US coast
If so it will defo be interested in having a go at you

The DD (in RL) would probably attack as a means of self defence....especially if you fired at the merchant.

In a gameing sense and as already pointed out....the 24hour aggressor rule would apply.