Question about the number of watchmen
 

Hi all

Why is it not possible to have more than one watchman when we use the flak ? I think this is regrettable and not very realistic ? Sometime, in the Manche between France and England for example, It would be necessary to have a man at the flak during a great part of the journey.


What's your opinion about this ? And Is it possible to make a mod for that ?

Thanks for your responses :D

doesn't really matter
 

IIRC it doesn't make a difference in game play regardless of how many crew are set as lookouts, since the efficiency of the watchtower isn't used when spotting ships.

feel fee to correct me if I'm wrong on this.

Could be interesting have the possibility of have all places busy.

deck gun, AA, and bridge.

I reach the fully efficiency at bridge using the watch officer and a one oficer crew with watch califications.

Re: doesn't really matter
 

The number of lookouts does play a certain role, their efficiency (the green bar) doesn´t.

The WO alone gives a 360° view, theoretically you don´t need any additional lookouts. When the WO is not on the bridge you should use all four lookouts, they all scan certain sectors. If you only use two they don´t spot ships 360°. Well, technically they do spot them (TC drops, ship appears on map), but you don´t get a "ship spotted" message. Without the WO you´ll also not get the distance and range to the ship contact.

Technically with the WO on the bridge (with the WO specialty) and sailors manning the Flak gun or deck gun you should be covered.

If the green bar does not represent efficiency of the watch spotting ships, what the hell is if for?

Reason I have seen mentioned is safety... do not know how it was handled in reality but it does make sense.

You can get a man on the flak and clear the bridge at the click of a button... I don't really see the problem.

Though seriously... manned flak gun or not... you would be better off submerged during daylight hours in the channel...


SKurj

Re: doesn't really matter
 

This is why I make the assumption that from a game play stand point a full green bar (watch crew efficiency) is not important in terms of visual contacts being seen by the watch crew.

I will agree completely that the WO is a very useful tool for gaining greater detail about the visual contact. IMO, the WO should always be used when anticipating enemy contacts.

I see the flak gun pretty much as a last resort.

A deliberate policy of up-gunning boats and trying to slug it out with airccraft actually failed during the war.

Much better to concentrate on getting a good early warning of aicraft in the first place and then diving.

(By the way, there is no such stretch of sea as 'La Manche'. It's The English Channel. As a general once famously said:
"I do not say that the French will never set foot on England, my Lord, only that they will never do it by sea.')

Leutnant de Bunsen, U-46

Sure :)