Is it possible for ships clearly hit well below the waterline to remain afloat?

[Paul Riley]

Last night I hit a medium cargo in the foresection (one roughly below the stack and a second below the foremast) with 2 impact tips set to 5m.Just over an hour later the vessel began to slowly take on water and slow to a stop,and approx 30mins later began to sink on even keel.I didnt want to expend a third torpedo on it as I am currently in a small IIA and I only have 3 left,so this is the reason I hung around so long to see what happened.I dont really care how long it takes so long as that cargo hits the bottom!.
Would it be safe to say that this was normal for ships that had two gaping holes in their hulls,and is it also possible for ships to even remain afloat and carry on their journey? or,do all ships eventually sink in the end,due to a large hole being in their hull?
NOTE - I have the realistic sinking times on.

Cheers.

[Paul Riley]

Do any of you think the torpedoes are slightly underpowered in GWX3,or are the ships hulls more resistant? I have even had SMALL (well under 4.000 tonnes!) cargo vessels take two shots and remain afloat,only slowing by a knot or two (although this doesnt happen all the time)
If the former,is there a mod that increases torpedo power slightly?.I do NOT want an underwater nuke here!

Some ships are compartmentalised better than others, and can be real tough guys.

[Paul Riley]

Originally Posted by Snestorm

Some ships are compartmentalised better than others, and can be real tough guys.

Even in 1939? sure I can understand better welding techniques as the war progressed,but werent a lot of ships in the early phases old WWI vessels? especially the ones leased by America.

C2, C3, T2, T3 were fairly new designs.

How a ships is compartmented (water-tight bulkheads) has nothing to do with welding.

The C2 Cargo (GWX Medium Cargo) is a solid ship.
I've spent as many as five torpedoes to sink one C2.

If I had to play as a merchant, that would be my baby!

[sublynx]

I remember reading somewhere that one torpedoed shipwreck was just left floating once the sailors had been evacuated, then a U-boat pounded the wreck with a deck gun for tens of rounds, and then just left the wreck, that was still floating. Historically speaking it would be ok just to assess the damage done and make an assumption that the ship can't be sailed again and report to BdU a ship most likely sunk, eventually.

Of course the game engine doesn't simulate this, so if you would leave a ship waiting for it to sink and it didn't, you would have to modify the save game files to your liking, if you still wanted the renown that should be coming to you. Too much trouble IMO, just leave the ship, hope for best, and wait for the VII or IX - then you'll be able to blow wrecks to smithereens with that one extra torpedo. There's lots of fish in the seas that shipwreck came from.

[Paul Riley]

Originally Posted by sublynx

I remember reading somewhere that one torpedoed shipwreck was just left floating once the sailors had been evacuated, then a U-boat pounded the wreck with a deck gun for tens of rounds, and then just left the wreck, that was still floating. Historically speaking it would be ok just to assess the damage done and make an assumption that the ship can't be sailed again and report to BdU a ship most likely sunk, eventually.

Of course the game engine doesn't simulate this, so if you would leave a ship waiting for it to sink and it didn't, you would have to modify the save game files to your liking, if you still wanted the renown that should be coming to you. Too much trouble IMO, just leave the ship, hope for best, and wait for the VII or IX - then you'll be able to blow wrecks to smithereens with that one extra torpedo. There's lots of fish in the seas that shipwreck came from.

As soon as I get out of this bathtub and into a VII with a decent deck gun i'll pound the buggers with that until a torpedo may be needed.
God,the IIA's are practically useless,unless you fancy a sail up the Thames with it,other than that

[Captain Nemo]

Originally Posted by Paul Riley

As soon as I get out of this bathtub and into a VII with a decent deck gun i'll pound the buggers with that until a torpedo may be needed.
God,the IIA's are practically useless,unless you fancy a sail up the Thames with it,other than that

I started my current career in a Type II and whilst it's firepower is limited I did see some things during my coastal patrols that I hadn't seen before i.e. a British coastal convoy attacked by JU88's which was great to watch.

I'm now in a VIIC and the deck gun can come in handy for finishing off torpedoed ships, however be aware that during 1940 increasing numbers of merchants have guns and will fire back at you.

Nemo

[Paul Riley]

Originally Posted by Captain Nemo

I started my current career in a Type II and whilst it's firepower is limited I did see some things during my coastal patrols that I hadn't seen before i.e. a British coastal convoy attacked by JU88's which was great to watch.

I'm now in a VIIC and the deck gun can come in handy for finishing off torpedoed ships, however be aware that during 1940 increasing numbers of merchants have guns and will fire back at you.

Nemo

I'd sooner have your Nautilus captain

[sublynx]

Originally Posted by Paul Riley

God,the IIA's are practically useless,unless you fancy a sail up the Thames with it,other than that

I feel your frustration too, with that damn type II I'm currently sailing with. If it had just one torpedo more... or even a 37 mm deck gun. It seems I'm always a little bit short on punching power.

I think type II would be interesting to try against a convoy, but so far I haven't seen any convoys in the areas I'm being sent to. And with five torpedoes, I have used them against single shipping anyways before there's any chance of sighting a convoy.

[Paul Riley]

Originally Posted by sublynx

I feel your frustration too, with that damn type II I'm currently sailing with. If it had just one torpedo more... or even a 37 mm deck gun. It seems I'm always a little bit short on punching power.

I think type II would be interesting to try against a convoy, but so far I haven't seen any convoys in the areas I'm being sent to. And with five torpedoes, I have used them against single shipping anyways before there's any chance of sighting a convoy.

I think you may have an increased chance of a convoy encounter as the war progresses,as more and more ships were used in a convoy for protection,so the noise would be greater underwater too.
Choke points are always your friends,and a bit of patience
Best of luck out there.

[flag4]

Originally Posted by Paul Riley

Last night I hit a medium cargo in the foresection (one roughly below the stack and a second below the foremast) with 2 impact tips set to 5m.Just over an hour later the vessel began to slowly take on water and slow to a stop,and approx 30mins later began to sink on even keel.I didnt want to expend a third torpedo on it as I am currently in a small IIA and I only have 3 left,so this is the reason I hung around so long to see what happened.I dont really care how long it takes so long as that cargo hits the bottom!.
Would it be safe to say that this was normal for ships that had two gaping holes in their hulls,and is it also possible for ships to even remain afloat and carry on their journey? or,do all ships eventually sink in the end,due to a large hole being in their hull?
NOTE - I have the realistic sinking times on.

Cheers.

yes it is possible. some never sink - are towed back to port and repaired. some just lie flat at water level awaiting their fate. depends how fatal the torp strike was.
some sink in minutes others hours or days. also depends what they are carrying.

[Paul Riley]

Originally Posted by flag4

yes it is possible. some never sink - are towed back to port and repaired. some just lie flat at water level awaiting their fate. depends how fatal the torp strike was.
some sink in minutes others hours or days. also depends what they are carrying.

I have just this minute hit a tramp steamer in AN16 slightly behind the stack at 4m depth,vessel began to list slightly to the stern but after nearly 2hrs it is no lower in the water,so I fired a second aimed slightly behind the original impact site,steamer has two HUGE holes in its portside,and went down finally stern first,after two well placed shots.
Sank for around 1.600 GRT.And in the past I have nailed much larger ships with a single shot.
Oh well,this is the law of the sea I guess
Oh,I think they were carrying toilet rolls,they are gonna bloody need em for next time I return to AN16.
Thanks for the reply.

[Missing Name]

I can't remember where I saw it, but there were two ships in WWI that were both split in half but stayed afloat long enough to be salvaged. Then they welded the two halves together to make a new ship.

[Paul Riley]

Originally Posted by Missing Name

I can't remember where I saw it, but there were two ships in WWI that were both split in half but stayed afloat long enough to be salvaged. Then they welded the two halves together to make a new ship.

Incredible