Sinking destroyer with deck gun

[lionn77]

GWX manual says it is a suicide but I have managed to do so quite easily at naval academy convoy attack. No more than 10 shells and DD is gone.. What the hell?

[Fish In The Water]

I think what they're trying to say (albeit a little too enthusiastically), is that it's not recommended. I've played this game long enough to know that just about anything is possible, just not always advisable. Never say never and have fun!

[Howard313]

I believe taking on a destroyer on the surface in SH3 is 60% luck and 40% strategy. It's definitely not the best way to take them on. (personally I find a Lined up Bow shot with a good magnetic detonator at about 1000m-700m followed by a quick crash drive usually does the trick for me.)

Although it is possible and I guess in some situations preferable to engage them with the deck gun. I sometimes surface and fire a few shots at them just to get their attention so they'll charge me and I can dive to do my bow shot.

[Luno]

I would never do that in a campaign as I have too much time invested for the risk. In reality, the risk would be death, so Kaleuns never took that chance. The issue with risk in most games is that your life isn't really on the line, so it's easy to make, and get away with, stupid choices.

But when bored during single missions, I have engaged destroyers with the deck gun. I will surface, get a range with the UZO, and fire away. Your best bet is to hit the bridge as afterwords it seems that the accuracy of their main guns go down a lot.

Once I managed to engage two destroyers at the same time and destroyed them both in this manner.

PT boats: Now those are hard to kill....too small, too fast, too maneuverable.

[Missing Name]

A few months ago I would have commended you for your efforts. Now I say this is a most foolish thing to do.

That being said... If you're caught on the surface for some reason, hitting the depth charge racks will fill the screens with pretty explosions and will render the enemy unable to attack once you submerge. Same goes for the hedgehog.

[Kapt Z]

First off- it's your game. Play as you wish. The point is to enjoy the game!

For me, it is just too unrealistic to bother with. I don't allow myself to do my own deck gun shooting so that makes it even more risky.

[Fish In The Water]

Originally Posted by Luno

In reality, the risk would be death, so Kaleuns never took that chance.

Exactly. It's one thing to try it in a game, but quite another if you're actually responsible for the lives of a living-breathing crew. Sink the enemy while getting your crew home safe is the fine line any good Captain has to tread.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by lionn77

GWX manual says it is a suicide but I have managed to do so quite easily at naval academy convoy attack. No more than 10 shells and DD is gone.. What the hell?

If your settings are at realistic levels (including reloading times) in a campaign you will most likely be destroyed 9/10 times.

[Tessa]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

If your settings are at realistic levels (including reloading times) in a campaign you will most likely be destroyed 9/10 times.

To make that 1 time where you sink the destroyer; you've got to be a gunnery master, able to make long shots at 3000m+ consistently with the deck gun so that every one counts. Once the destroyer get to 2000m and closer its shots get much more accurate; if you have taken out their guns or done some other kind of major damage (like crippled their engines so they only move at a crawl, or rudders) so that they're sitting ducks once you submerge and launch an eel at em; you'll end up as one of the 9 of the 10.

Though you could just fight it out with them on the surface and survive with 20% hull remaining, no captain would have ever intentionally let his boat get that damaged when it could have been easily averted. We may only wait a few minutes until the next patrol is ready, in such a situation it could have been 6 or 9 months before they were able to set to sea again. Unless you end up sinking 100k+ worth of merchant (as in the scenario below) the flotille commander isn't going to look well upon your return, with such a reckless act possibly costing you're command.

Unless you run into a convoy whose only escort is a single destroy no captains would have taken the risk (in such a position they'd likely use an eel instead) so that when they surfaced they could use their remaining eels and deck gun ammo to cherry pick targets and sink ships with impunity. Personally that's only happened once, and the escort was a BB in the middle of the convoy. It took some careful maneuver to finally get a good solution to fire and sink it, leaving the entire field open for a turkey shoot.

[1480]

Shucks, run gwx and see how much fun it is trying to gun down a merchie after circa mid-1940.....

[papa_smurf]

Originally Posted by 1480

Shucks, run gwx and see how much fun it is trying to gun down a merchie after circa mid-1940.....

It was a shock to me, now just sink with eels.

[Capt. Morgan]

The convoy attack scenario takes place before the war starts, so those escorts are neutral - you can run circles around the them and they won't attack you (until you initiate an attack).

In war time you would find it very difficult to get that close to a R.N. destroyer on the surface. At longer range, a destroyers gunfire will be much more accurate than your subs, and Also, a destroyer can bring between four to six guns to bare whereas you only have one. Hence the reluctance you see here to attack destroyers on the surface in wartime.

[Raptor]

Deck guns are for sinking small vessels not deemed worthy of one of your precious eels, finishing off crippled, unarmed mechants, and last ditch "Hail Mary" self-defense against attacking warships when you can not submerge or otherwise escape.

Because of their larger size, warships make a far more stable gun platform than does your u-boot. They also have more and usually larger guns than you do. All that translates into greater accuracy for them and more damage for you.

SH3 appears to have taken that into consideration for the AI, and you can get sunk pretty fast gunning it out with a DD or DE.

I've sunk Corvettes and armed trawlers with my deck gun, but never without taking serious damage to both boat and crew. I loose more watch officers that way.

Unnecessary gunfights with surface vessels, especially warships, is at best foolhardy and at worst suicidal - especially after 1940.

DIVE!
DIVE!
DIVE!

[Tessa]

Originally Posted by 1480

Shucks, run gwx and see how much fun it is trying to gun down a merchie after circa mid-1940.....

Most can't hit anything if you're beyond 2000m. Would much rather stay further away and go through 20 shells and sink the stupid armed merchant that doesn't know how to use their gun (for awhile longer) and save my eels for a more fitting target like a flat top or BB in a task force.

[1480]

Originally Posted by Tessa

Most can't hit anything if you're beyond 2000m. Would much rather stay further away and go through 20 shells and sink the stupid armed merchant that doesn't know how to use their gun (for awhile longer) and save my eels for a more fitting target like a flat top or BB in a task force.

True, but it is still a shock the first time you realize that sucker is popping at you. NOT FAIR!!!!