I use AP for waterline and for the Armored guns on some merchants. I also use AP to punch holes where I think the boilers are. If I see a tanker or merchant with barrels or boxes on deck, I then switch to HE. I also put a couple of HE rounds in the bridge of a ship just for laughs if they have ticked me off. All wooden ships (Sampan, junk) automatically get HE.
Due to realistic flooding of compartments, imagine that it will take a while for a ship to sink. The japanese crewmembers wouldn't just sit by while you punch holes in their ship, they would attempt damage control in hopes of saving the ship until the help they radioed for arrives. Unless you hit some explosive cargo or get a shot into a boiler, don't expect a fast Deck gun attack.
|