Deck gun or Torpedo
 

I know traditionally it was more effective for U-boats to engage with the deckgun especially on single unarmed targets. I tend to play it historically, using my deckgun as much as possible, and saving my fish for warships and striking multiple convoy targets quick fast and in a hurry. I love my deckgun, like a marine loves his rifle.


So I ask you, my fellow Kapitänleutnants, What is your favored method of sending Allied tonnage to davy jones' locker?:arrgh!:

Well i play with GWX and in 1941 almoste every small trawler has a deckgun. But i still use my Deckgun for small targets without escort. But i try to keep enough distance to it so it doesn't hit me.

ya us GWXers cant just surface and destroy lol, stupid enemy deck guns, I almost was completly sunk because of one deck gun shot at about 3 KM. Lucky pain in the stern tube.

On occasion I still like to run and gun...

When the mood strikes me, I'll pop up directly behind a juicy merchant and target her guns before she knows what hit her. It's a bit of a gamble, but then playing it safe all the time isn't much fun. :arrgh!:

If the target is unarmed, the deck gun works fine. Otherwise, let the torpedo do the talking. :D

Not much fun when a merchie starts popping caps at ya from 2000 meters....learned that that hard way the 1st time I booted up GWX :wah:.


Seriously, depends on the tactical situation. I tend to use the gun when I can at night, much prettier when they blow up.....:up:

:up:

Really? Have a look through these lists and see how many ships were sunk by deck guns. I think you'll find that "playing it historically" means using the deck gun as little as possible.
http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/listing.php

Even with small unarmed targets, I use the deck gun as a last resort. Odds are the weather will not cooperate with the desire to use the deck gun and in most instances, you have to man the gun yourself to prevent wasting time and shots. I usually reserve the gun for anything smaller than a Coastal Merchant.

Wait till Merchants are armed, then come back and tell us how it went using your deckgun:D

Reinhard Hardegen used the deck gun very often. :03: And he survived the war and is still living. You could ask him. :O:

I use the deck gun (10,5 cm on a IX) at small UNARMED and UNESCORTED targets and from a safe distance - the closest I get is 1000m.
I keep a parallel course to the enemy ship and shell it.
I like to think that coming very close to the target , makes my crew a target for small arms fire.

I have changed the number of rounds my IX carries:
130 10,5 cm rounds
None 3,7 cm rounds - the early war heavy flak is useless.
1000 2 cm rounds.

Point taken. Maybe I should change playing it historically to playing it reliably:88)

No need. His story is all over various media.

The vast majority of his tonnage was unarmed merchants off the N. American coast. The deck gun was the obvious choice in those situations.

He was transferred to a school command before the U.S. routinely armed their merchants.

Yeah, well, is he playing GWX?