Shell Types
 

Hello
If I understand correctly, HE shells are used for the weapons, command deck and putting holes in the hull of a ship, and AP is used for shooting under the waterline of the hull.
AA shells I've never had any luck with.

However what I have noticed with HE shells is that the shells do a lot more damage than AP shells, when I shoot for example at below the waterline, the AP shells: 1. Hardly ever cause visible damage, although I believe that this is purely eye candy and 2. It takes about 10 more shells than HE to cause the ship to list.
Am I missing a trick here at all for AP shell usage?
Thanks

AP is for armor piercing. They make a hole in tough materials. But they don't explode when they make the hole. Against cruisers and above they're useful. But not on a submarine. You'll never get the opportunity to shoot an AP shell where it belongs because those cruisers and BBs can shoot at you for a half hour before you can even get into range. One hit from them and you're dead. You will have to shoot for an hour and hit over a hundred times before they have appreciable damage.

That leaves the HE shells. HE stands for high explosive. These guys can't penetrate a couple inches of steel but they explode, making a shambles of interiors, human bodies and ripping up the thin skinned DD's and merchies. In practice this is probably the only shell you should use, and then only against unarmed opponents. The one hit you're dead, dozens of hits to sink them still applies.

I"m not sure where the idea the AP shells are most useful for below the waterline shots came from. There is one really misleading "expert" guide out there that says that but I haven't read it anywhere else. For merchies and DDs, the HE shell does even that much better.

I have yet to find anything *except* HE shells for my Deck Gun. I'm running TMO, though, so maybe thats why.