Need orders!..Should i use another prescious torp?

[u_tommy]

Should i use another precious torp?

I'm using GXW 2.1 and realistic sink times....

I hit this damn Medium Cargo Ship at 22:40 with one torp and it's now 16:40 the next day... 18 hrs ago.

It has been near decks awash for about 12hrs and disabled.. i.e stationary. and its still on fire, but it wont bloody sink.

Weather has been very rough... 15ms wind the entire time, deck gun useless..

I need orders... do i wait it out or fire again?

[Penelope_Grey]

Medium Cargoes are quite tough, that is not going to sink on its own... help it on its way commander.

SHOOT!!

[Merchant Raider]

:hmm: If the tonnage is good hit again! remember in 18 hours he has sent out enough SOS messages to bring the whole Royal Navy down on you not to mention it was possible that it was picked on Mars !!! he has had so much time. think also what might have gotten past you in 18 hours.
Good hunting

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by u_tommy

Should i use another precious torp?

I need orders... do i wait it out or fire again?

Kaluen,

Remember your training!!

In school you were issued "The U-boat Commander's Handbook". It was not issued to you to serve as a coaster for your coffee mug!

Section II subsection B Preparing for the underwater attack

Paragraph 105c

"Never delude yourself by assuming that it is right not attack on the instant or not to hold on the enemy with the utmost determination, because there may be reason to hope and believe that a better target will subsequently be found elsewhere. What you have to, you have got."


In other words, don't waste torpedoes but don't save them either in hopes that a better target will come later.

Your mission is to sink that Medium Cargo ship.

Is the Medium Cargo ship sunk? If not, then your attack is not complete.

Waiting 12 hours is an admirable trait to save torpedoes. However, that is sufficiently long to wait for a slow sinker.

Since you can't use the deck guns, your only way of completing your mission is to use the torpedoes.

SINK THAT SHIP!

[meduza]

Shoot her!

In my experience, if a ship doesn't sink within 12 hours, in won't sink at all (without your help, that is).

[UnderseaLcpl]

Simple question of tonnage/torpedo ratio.

MC's are what, 5048 tons or so?

So if you fire a second torpedo, 2524 tons/2 torpedoes.
If you don't fire a second torpedo, -2524 tons/ torpedo.

If you are low on torpedoes (say you have 3) It would seem that the remaining 2 could be used to sink a 10,000 tonner. That would yield 5,000 tons/ torpedo.

However, since you are already at -2524 tons, it becomes 3738 tons per torpedo.

When one considers how long it may take to find a 10,000 ton ship, and the fact that every day the war progresses it becomes just a little bit harder to sink ships and evade destruction, your best bet is to finish her off, go home, and get back out as soon as possible. On that note, it is not feasible to wait around, as it is very possible the ship will never sink and the weather may not change for some time.

As it is, you are lucky she didn't take the lickin' and keep on tickin'. Take advantage of the opportunity.


I had this problem once with an empire-class freighter, except I was out of torpedoes. I stubbornly clung to the target, waiting 2 days for her to sink. Soon, other merchant traffic and escorts came through the area.
I damaged my boat evading attacks and finally tried to ram the stricken ship.
I succeeded admirably in damaging my boat further, and was in port for like 10 more days. 10 days of not sinking stuff.

Time is even more valuable than torpedoes. Make the most of it.

[rifleman13]

One eel in an enemy ship means one less eel which means a better reason to return to base for that glass of cold beer.

[VonDos]

RAM IT!!

[u_tommy]

Your orders are clear sir!... 2nd torp fired!

This was a new experience for this young Kaluen, i kept on thinking.. another 30mins and she'll go down.. alas this was incorrect.

Orders received and carried out! Thanks

[Sailor Steve]

Well, even in real life...
http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuil...p.asp?id=12841
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_San_Demetrio

San Demetrio was carrying avgas and when she was set on fire by Admiral Scheer the crew abandoned ship. Two days later they reboarded and sailed her to safe harbor.

In the Pacific there was USS Whale. On January 17, 1943 she attacked the 9815-ton Heiyo Maru. She took eight torpedoes and several hours to sink

Fired three torpedoes. Three hits. One hit aft of his stack, the second blew wreckage up through forward hold and the third hit aft. Target started turning toward us. Swung hard right and set up for a stern shot. Fired single stern shot at range of 600 yards. Hit aft. This was a good hit, stopping the target cold. The target was sinking by the stern, taking considerable port list. Took pictures, firmly convinced this was the graveyard of another
Japanese ship. Many of the crew had an opportunity to view the sinking ship through the periscope.
Having worked up to windward to observe target better, was astonished to find the fire under control and the list corrected. Water was being pumped over the side through portable hoses. Fired another torpedo from the stern tube, but this missed. Target was dead in the water, shooting wildly with deck guns.
Crew and passengers abandoned ship, although gun crew remained at posts. Target settled about ten feet overall and then maintained its depth. Closed and fired sixth torpedo from bow tubes. This hit aft of superstructure depth.
Target still floating. Fired seventh torpedo from bow tubes. This hit with terrific concussion, but did not change trim or draft appreciably.
Fired eighth torpedo from stern tubes. This was heard to hit, but very little concussion was felt.
Getting dark. Target sinking slowly on an even keel, but still looks salvageable. There was no sign of life aboard, although it was believed gun crews had not yet abandoned ship. Wishing to dispose of it before arrival of planes or rescue ships, fired ninth torpedo. This hit right under stack and the explosion ripped away both sides of vessel about ten feet below the main deck.
Target now settled more rapidly, the main deck being a few feet from wash condition at last observation. This vessel had absorbed seven and possibly eight torpedo hits. The cargo must have been of such nature as to prevent her from sinking more rapidly. Target was identified as the Heiyou Maru, 9,815 tons.
On retiring we found ourselves in the midst of eight boats full of survivors, approximately fifty men to each boat. These men were dressed in both white and blue uniforms. One boat was passed close aboard, and survivors made ready to hit
the periscope with their oars.

On the other hand, there was Hokotu Maru, which was hit by a dud torpedo which made a small hole, which allowed some water in, which got out of hand...

0540.
3rd. March, 1943.
From: Muroran, southern Hokkaido Island.
To: Shimizu, Shizuoka Prefecture.
No. 2303B.
Hokuto Maru, Bansei Maru, Kotai Maru, Sumida Maru, Taisei Maru (5).
auxiliary gunboat No. 2 Hiyoshi Maru (1).
At 0630 on the 4th. of March while at position 39.33N 142.07E, in the Todosaki Sea, Iwate Prefecture Hokuto Maru, a 2267 ton ship owned by the Nippon Yusen Kaisha Line was attacked by the U.S.S. Permit. Three torpedo tracks were seen, one struck the ship on the port side in the forward part of No. 1 hold area, it proved to be a dud. The following two missiles were avoided.
In fact Permit had fired three torpedoes and claimed damage on the target by one of them.
Immediately afterward a periscope was seen 250 meters of the port bow of Hokuto Maru, it was presumed that the enemy submarine was trying to get between the columns to conduct a second attack for shortly after it was seen on the surface.
The maru tried to ram the intruder but the move had to be aborted as she was likely to collide with the nearby Sumida Maru, so at 0637 Hokuto Maru resumed her position, by then the enemy had submerged.
Permit fired two torpedoes in a second attack about this time but made no claim for a sinking or damage.
At 0640 it was realized that the Hokuto Maru was taking in considerable water at the point of the dud torpedo impact, so attempts were made to stem the flow, also she headed towards the coast. By now she was down by the bow and it became vital to press onward, however at 0643 the engines came to a stop, a few minutes later abandon ship was ordered and her crew transferred to the No. 2 Hiyoshi Maru. Hokuto Maru continued to slowly sink, finally at 0712 her stern rose up vertically and under she went.
At the time she was carrying 2080 tons of coal.

[STEED]

Originally Posted by VonDos

RAM IT!!

MY WORD! YOU GOT SOME GUTS TO DO THAT!

[Pisces]

Maybe you have allready fired that 2nd torpedo, but I wondered if she may have settled on the seabed with her bow, as the reason she is not sinking completely. Is it shallow?

[u_tommy]

Originally Posted by Pisces

Maybe you have allready fired that 2nd torpedo, but I wondered if she may have settled on the seabed with her bow, as the reason she is not sinking completely. Is it shallow?

nah.. it was in 1000+ waters.