Torp Damage vs lg merchants

Eagle Eye · 02-04-07, 04:23 PM

Hail all Captains!

While on patrol I sighted a single large merchant In calm waters. Licking my chops I fired a pair of steamers at her running magnetic and both exploded perfectly under her, I hit her directly under the stack and just fore of bridge near what I thought would be a fuel bunker. She kept steaming with a slight loss in speed and no list or increase to her draft. I stalked her for awhile thinking it would just take a bit for her to go down...but nothing! So I lined up another shot, this time impact, hit her again bringing her to a stop but still no sign of taking on water. eventually I turned and hit her with my aft tube. and she rolled over and went down after about 15 mins. This is in early 1940. I've had this happen previously with a lg merchant are they usually this tough? Or am I aiming at the wrong spots? I took out a crusier with two shots and I figured an armored warship would be harder to take down? Anyone else run into this or any better tactics to use. I don't want to use 4 or 5 fish to take down one merchant.

02-04-07, 04:23 PM	#1
Eagle Eye Bosun Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 63 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Torp Damage vs lg merchants Hail all Captains! While on patrol I sighted a single large merchant In calm waters. Licking my chops I fired a pair of steamers at her running magnetic and both exploded perfectly under her, I hit her directly under the stack and just fore of bridge near what I thought would be a fuel bunker. She kept steaming with a slight loss in speed and no list or increase to her draft. I stalked her for awhile thinking it would just take a bit for her to go down...but nothing! So I lined up another shot, this time impact, hit her again bringing her to a stop but still no sign of taking on water. eventually I turned and hit her with my aft tube. and she rolled over and went down after about 15 mins. This is in early 1940. I've had this happen previously with a lg merchant are they usually this tough? Or am I aiming at the wrong spots? I took out a crusier with two shots and I figured an armored warship would be harder to take down? Anyone else run into this or any better tactics to use. I don't want to use 4 or 5 fish to take down one merchant.