Q-Ships were most effective in the First World War because the policy of the U-boat service of that time was to surface, check the papers and cargo and then allow the ship to move on or allow the crew to abandon ship and sink it. This made a disguised ship with guns very deadly, taking the u-boat completely by surprise. The Germans then decided to protect their boats by torpedoing by surprise, and the British then cried "foul".
On the other hand the British of the First War took it to extremes, even having extra crew just to abandon ship when they saw the u-boat coming.
In World War 2 it's a tactic that works if the sub is trying to sink an apparently unarmed ship with the deck gun. Otherwise it's just another targt.
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