First Liberty ship encounter

Nangleator · 04-01-09, 01:42 PM

I've played stock SHIII up into summer '43 a few times, but always in VIII's. I've been in a IX for ten patrols now, and ran into my first Liberty Cargo ship off Newfoundland.

Bernard must have been at the helm.

It loomed out of a heavy fog, and I scrambled to learn the keel depth of the ship before loosing two torpedoes. He was steaming along quickly, and even though I got two hits, he still disappeared into the fog at about 7 or 8 knots. I surfaced and made chase. My plan was to just regain visual on him long enough to run an eel up his kilt and stop him. I wasn't ready for the immediate sighting I got, and was shocked to see him listing heavily, almost beam on to me and stopped.

Liberty ships have some guns on them. Rather a lot, it turns out.

I got off a snap shot from the front tubes and ordered a crash dive. Between my own indecision and the graphical challenge to my old computer hardware, I received quite a lot of damage, and spent most of the rest of the encounter moving the damage repair crew around. Well, the snapshot saved my butt, and I got a report of the enemy vessel's demise. By the time I ordered the last damaged compartment repaired, I realized I might be having another encounter. I was headed towards the sinking position of the ship at flank speed.

External view showed that I passed no less than about 6 meters from the sinking wreck. I'd like to say "No sweat," but I was sweating.

Jimbuna · 04-01-09, 02:26 PM

I call them porcupines...they can pri*k you from so many areas

Nangleator · 04-01-09, 04:34 PM

I've found a couple since then. They take a while to sink, with poorly-aimed shots, but they flood and list nicely. Maybe I'll get one to go belly up some day.

Etienne · 04-01-09, 04:55 PM

Yeah, some of those merchies you want to go at submerged.

The Large Modern Tankers in SHIV? You do not want to annoy on the surface. Especially if there's two of them.

woody4077 · 04-01-09, 08:55 PM

i agree the large modern tankers in SH4 can be a pain

bookworm_020 · 04-02-09, 12:47 AM

Once the merchants get guns, happy times are over!

I still in some mad moments go for the deck gun, I knocked off three merchants after I sunk their lone escort. Was not pretty, but I got all three merchants!

Synthfg · 04-02-09, 05:33 AM

Once the Merchies get guns then the only option is to drop back, At ranges of 3500+ there still pretty inaccurate, but it does mean that you end up doing most of the shooting yourself

Nangleator · 04-02-09, 06:07 AM

I actually enjoy gunning the lone ones quite a bit. If they only have guns at one end, then more fun for me.

I'm currently in Fall of '42. Happy times are well past. I've been bounced by aircraft at night just once so far, and haven't seen a serious bombing group yet, in my IX. I'm thinking the first one I see will be the last one.

kdv · 04-02-09, 11:56 AM

Depending on the merchant, if they only have a gun in the rear - I'll finish them off from their bow, with their superstructure blocking their gunners.

This only works on a slow moving crippled vessel, otherwise you would have a hard time weaving backwards matching their turns.

Haven't seen a Liberty ship yet - should be interesting when I do get one.

So do they sink with two fish in 'em? Or do they need a third? And what kind of tonnage are they worth?

Nangleator · 04-02-09, 12:05 PM

Oh, they're about 8k, if I remember correctly. On two occasions, two eels left them creeping and listing 40°. Also, in both instances, I got impatient and delivered a third.

Sailor Steve · 04-02-09, 01:00 PM

The Liberty's base rating in the game is 7170 GRT.

04-01-09, 01:42 PM	#1
Nangleator Mate Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Billerica Posts: 58 Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	First Liberty ship encounter I've played stock SHIII up into summer '43 a few times, but always in VIII's. I've been in a IX for ten patrols now, and ran into my first Liberty Cargo ship off Newfoundland. Bernard must have been at the helm. It loomed out of a heavy fog, and I scrambled to learn the keel depth of the ship before loosing two torpedoes. He was steaming along quickly, and even though I got two hits, he still disappeared into the fog at about 7 or 8 knots. I surfaced and made chase. My plan was to just regain visual on him long enough to run an eel up his kilt and stop him. I wasn't ready for the immediate sighting I got, and was shocked to see him listing heavily, almost beam on to me and stopped. Liberty ships have some guns on them. Rather a lot, it turns out. I got off a snap shot from the front tubes and ordered a crash dive. Between my own indecision and the graphical challenge to my old computer hardware, I received quite a lot of damage, and spent most of the rest of the encounter moving the damage repair crew around. Well, the snapshot saved my butt, and I got a report of the enemy vessel's demise. By the time I ordered the last damaged compartment repaired, I realized I might be having another encounter. I was headed towards the sinking position of the ship at flank speed. External view showed that I passed no less than about 6 meters from the sinking wreck. I'd like to say "No sweat," but I was sweating.

04-01-09, 02:26 PM	#2
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,481 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	I call them porcupines...they can prik you from so many areas __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.* Oh my God, not again!!

04-02-09, 12:47 AM	#6
bookworm_020 Navy Seal Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sinking ships off the Australian coast Posts: 5,966 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Once the merchants get guns, happy times are over! I still in some mad moments go for the deck gun, I knocked off three merchants after I sunk their lone escort. Was not pretty, but I got all three merchants! __________________ "There is always one person in any organization who knows whats going on, That person must be fired"

04-02-09, 01:00 PM	#11
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	The Liberty's base rating in the game is 7170 GRT. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

04-01-09, 04:34 PM	#3
Nangleator Mate Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Billerica Posts: 58 Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	I've found a couple since then. They take a while to sink, with poorly-aimed shots, but they flood and list nicely. Maybe I'll get one to go belly up some day.

04-01-09, 04:55 PM	#4
Etienne Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 695 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Yeah, some of those merchies you want to go at submerged. The Large Modern Tankers in SHIV? You do not want to annoy on the surface. Especially if there's two of them.

04-01-09, 08:55 PM	#5
woody4077 Seaman Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 40 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	i agree the large modern tankers in SH4 can be a pain

04-02-09, 05:33 AM	#7
Synthfg Sparky Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 154 Downloads: 64 Uploads: 0	Once the Merchies get guns then the only option is to drop back, At ranges of 3500+ there still pretty inaccurate, but it does mean that you end up doing most of the shooting yourself

04-02-09, 06:07 AM	#8
Nangleator Mate Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Billerica Posts: 58 Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	I actually enjoy gunning the lone ones quite a bit. If they only have guns at one end, then more fun for me. I'm currently in Fall of '42. Happy times are well past. I've been bounced by aircraft at night just once so far, and haven't seen a serious bombing group yet, in my IX. I'm thinking the first one I see will be the last one.

04-02-09, 11:56 AM	#9
kdv Loader Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 85 Downloads: 37 Uploads: 0	Depending on the merchant, if they only have a gun in the rear - I'll finish them off from their bow, with their superstructure blocking their gunners. This only works on a slow moving crippled vessel, otherwise you would have a hard time weaving backwards matching their turns. Haven't seen a Liberty ship yet - should be interesting when I do get one. So do they sink with two fish in 'em? Or do they need a third? And what kind of tonnage are they worth?

04-02-09, 12:05 PM	#10
Nangleator Mate Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Billerica Posts: 58 Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	Oh, they're about 8k, if I remember correctly. On two occasions, two eels left them creeping and listing 40°. Also, in both instances, I got impatient and delivered a third.