5 torpedos to sink a medium cargo

[schnorchel]

Hi folks,


I have not play the SH3 for a long time until the GWX2.0 released. After install of the GWX I load the torpedo training mission. What makes me frustrated is to sink a medium cargo needs 5 torpedos. All of them roughly hit the middle section of the ship and explode beneath the keel. I wonder how could it be? Does anyone know some MOD can change the cargo ships vulnerability? Thanks!

[Sigurd]

Welcome Herr Keleun

GWX changes the focus of sinking ships from simply destroying them to damage through flooding. I.E. it may have taken 5 torpedoes to blow the thing to kingdom come, but you should really only need one or two to do enough damage to flood the thing. It takes some getting used to, but you'll get it eventually.

[Zakalwe]

Yup,

first it could last longer till a ships sinks, somwtimes over 1 hour.

Second, aim at different points of the ship to open more compartments for flooding. Shooting at same place doesn`t work well in GWX.

I mostly put the first eel into the bow of the ship (around halfways between bow and bridge). If this isn`t enough, a second torp into the stern.

Greets

Z.

[Jimbuna]

Welcome aboard Kaleun schnorchel.....causing damage to different compartments is a better option. Also allow time for the flooding to take effect

[Sigurd]

Originally Posted by Zakalwe

I mostly put the first eel into the bow of the ship (around halfways between bow and bridge). If this isn`t enough, a second torp into the stern.

I usually follow a different tactic in my patrols, especially if I see convoys. I try to hit near the stern first (where I estimate the engine room to be), so they slow down or stop, to make easy pickings later. If it is a convoy, then all I need to do is dodge the destroyers, and when they leave, I have a few merchants and tankers ready to be picked off.

[schnorchel]

Hi all,

Thank u very much for ur quick reply. And in addition sorry for my poor english. The 5 torpedo really hit the the different place of the ship. I mean the 5 big hole line up at the middle section of the bottom of ship. And after the 4th torpedo hit her I wait 24 hours. but nothing happened exept the top of shipboard is more close to the sea surface. That is weird

[Sigurd]

Originally Posted by schnorchel

Hi all,

Thank u very much for ur quick reply. And in addition sorry for my poor english. The 5 torpedo really hit the the different place of the ship. I mean the 5 big hole line up at the middle section of the bottom of ship. And after the 4th torpedo hit her I wait 24 hours. but nothing happened exept the top of shipboard is more close to the sea surface. That is weird

Hmm, that is a bit strange. Did you fire a salvo, or was it a single shot?

[schnorchel]

only fire 1 torpedo once.

[Sigurd]

Hmm, my guess then is that you didnt give the torpedoes enough room to deal severe enough damage to the ship (although one would think that four is enough to blow half the hull off). Depending on where they all it, it might have just been four concentrated explosions, as opposed to a group of four spread out under the keel or hull.

Also, depending on what your angle was when you fired (if you used magnetic torpedoes, but I'm going to guess that you used inpact), your shots might have gone under the keel, and then exploded, which doesnt yeild as much damage.

[rik007]

Originally Posted by schnorchel

Hi folks,


I have not play the SH3 for a long time until the GWX2.0 released. After install of the GWX I load the torpedo training mission. What makes me frustrated is to sink a medium cargo needs 5 torpedos. All of them roughly hit the middle section of the ship and explode beneath the keel. I wonder how could it be? Does anyone know some MOD can change the cargo ships vulnerability? Thanks!

Except for all these tips I can add that I read in Bernard Edwards book "Donitz and the Wolf Pack" that it once took seven torps to sink a ship. Of course an exception but ships carrying wood do have an advantage...

[Riccardo1975]

Morning my fellow Kaleuns.

Just hit a medium cargo heading east from Halifax on 13/4/42. Aimed shot from 600m in the fuel bunker running at 4m. AOB was 90 deg. Solid hit amidships.
It just zigzagged off, lost no speed and two hours later no sign of foundering.

Seriously tough ships.
I only needed two to sink the Ark Royal last year....

It was in an Atlantic gale so mag keel shot was a no no.

Any tips or just better to hit them forward and let them drive themselves under?

Riccardo U-501

[desirableroasted]

Originally Posted by Riccardo1975

It was in an Atlantic gale so mag keel shot was a no no.

Any tips or just better to hit them forward and let them drive themselves under?

In rough weather, a shot directly under one of the forward cranes is very effective. By hitting there, you crack two compartments and the ship's momentum pushes it into the water.

It's been a long time since I needed more than one torpedo on a merchant of any size in rough weather. They almost always go down if you hit that sweet spot.

[Pisces]

You'd think they would be Passenger/Cargo's instead. Those are notorious to stay afloat, no matter where or how you hit them. Often suspected of carrying shipments of ping-pong-balls.

I have no other suggestions either. Aiming at the forward mast usually does the trick. Unless you have mods that changed this particular unit class.

[maillemaker]

Agree, the passenger/cargo ships seem to be the worst.

Okay, so there is no immediate feedback that a target is history?

I believe if you are within detection range of the ship you will get notification when it sinks. This may be within hydrophone range but beyond visual range. If you are within game-rendering distance of the ship (which may be beyond visual range), and you have map contacts on, you may see a grey icon appear when it sinks, but I believe there is no "She's going down!" notification.

So, what do most people do then, just put two fish into something and leave it be?

I'm using GWX3. Generally speaking, I put 2 fish in every ship I want to be sure sinks. I do this especially in bad weather where I cannot use the deck gun to finish them off, or later in the war when everyone is armed.

During convoy attacks, I'd say that about 25% of the time a single torpedo will cause the ship to explode and sink. It's both fun and sad to see a ship explode on the first hit and then see your second torpedo also plow into it. Fun for the bonus explosions, sad for the wasted torpedo.

If it takes one or two hours for it to go down and you have sailed off will you still receive credit or do you need to maintain a certain range?

See my comment above. It depends on how far away you get from it before it sinks.

What about the deck gun? Just aim for the waterline or try to start fires on deck?

Rumor has it that shooting below the water line is the best way to destroy ships by gunfire. I'm not really sure.

Final question: I am confused on to fish settings. Should I go impact or magnetic? Should I set depth to hit the hull or go with magnetic and pass underneath?

In GWX (and possibly stock, I cannot remember), magnetic torpedoes are prone to pre-detonation to simulate the historical problems with magnetic pistols. However, in game, they never malfunction inside 1000m, even early war. So you may use magnetic pistols with impunity to attack targets within 1000 meters.

If you are intentionally using magnetic pistols, you should aim about .5 meters under the target draft so that it passes closely under the target's hull.

My understanding is that if you achieve a standard impact hit with the magnetic pistol on the impact pistol is what does the detonating.

I believe I have read people say you can make high-angle impact shots with the magnetic pistol and it will detonate on impact anyway even though the impact pistol would not work at such glancing angles. I don't know if that is true or not.

I only use the magnetic pistol when purposefully shooting under targets.

I mostly use them for killing pursuing escorts with down-the-throat shots.

Steve

[UKönig]

That was a theory of mine.
Some ships seemed to be more or less "indestructible".
They are put there so as to make you waste your ammo by firing more shots than are strictly necessary. If you take the bait, then it's the same net effect as if you had dud torpedos (or other failures) enabled.
If I have to put 3-4 torps into 1 merchant, then I conclude I was being baited and I hit "alt-f4" to quit and get my weapons back, then go off looking for an easier target.
If I set 6m depth against a small/coastal merch. I can usually get 1 shot, 1 kill if aiming at the 'midships' mark. I know it's bait if that same ship can take 3 hits before sinking or blowing in half.
It also seems that if you do a lot of damage in a short space of time, 2 torpedo strikes within seconds of each other, vs 3-4 separate hits over 10-15 minutes, you are more likely to sink it quickly, than let the damage control teams try to repair and restore. That is, the longer it takes you to sink it, the more likely it will be that you will have to fire another shot. ...and another...