Bow Shot

[robj250]

Has anyone been able to take out a ship using a bow shot? If so, what distance was it, what was the ship, what was your sub, what type torpedo, what was your pilot set at, and what speed and depth was your torpedo set at?

[VonHelsching]

Robert,

I have done this many times with circling DDs, because I cannot control entirely a non-automated shot, so some shots end up in the bow. They are areally close shots <600m. with steam torpedos on fast setting (impact)

I got some very nice, fast sinkings with bow in the water, then 90 degree angle and in the bottom!

Once I did this with a liner, and it was really impressive.

This trick seems to be bery goog with really fast ships. It gives you the impression that the ship sinks faster because of the speed that the water rushes in.

[robj250]

Originally Posted by VonHelsching

Robert,

I have done this many times with circling DDs, because I cannot control entirely a non-automated shot, so some shots end up in the bow. They are areally close shots <600m. with steam torpedos on fast setting (impact)

I got some very nice, fast sinkings with bow in the water, then 90 degree angle and in the bottom!

Once I did this with a liner, and it was really impressive.

This trick seems to be bery goog with really fast ships. It gives you the impression that the ship sinks faster because of the speed that the water rushes in.

Impressive. I have never tried yet, I just wondered if anyone had success in using a bow shot. Maybe I'll give it a go if I get the chance.

[GreyOctober]

I did it once on a flower corvette with a stroke of luck while training in a single mission. I spotted it at what i reckoned to be about 600 meters away when i first saw her and shot at about 400. Im not sure I didnt have time to check. And i was doing 7 kts at PD.

[Type941]

hazy reports from past seem to suggest it works in SH3 though almost everyone reporting believes it was luck.

[GreyOctober]

Originally Posted by Type941

hazy reports from past seem to suggest it works in SH3 though almost everyone reporting believes it was luck.

OK, ok i admitt it...i did it with my l33t torpedoing sk1llz :|\

[deadactionman]

I've taken out destroyers with AOB 0 deg, which I guess would class as a bow shot. The ship was searching for my fellow less experienced sub mate during an MP mission. I deliberatly got his attention by performing a depth check as he was dangerously close to the other sub.

I waited till about 500-600meters and fired a fast, Type I, at 5 meters depth with a magnetic trigger. The destroyer was doing about 15 knots and I was submerged (naturally) doing about 5 knots. The torp found it target and the destroyer sunk almost instantly.

[davidaspy]

in version 1.0 i used to do this all the time, it was the easiest way of taking out destroyers because they used to sail straight towards you. Just ahead flank to get his attention, wait till he gets close and fire one off 0.5 meters below his hull; easy.

[Keelbuster]

Actually, with the NYGM TW damage model, I've found bow (extreme forward bow) shots to be _very_ effective. If you hit the tip of the bow (often by accident for me), it will sometimes puncture compartments on both sides of the keel. The weight at the front of the ship drags the bow down, and the boat slows right down. If the bow tips under (especially with a decent wind), the boat will sink. In fact, it's really hard to sink boats by damaging compartments all along the side because it sinks uniformly and no one part will go under far enough to sink the whole ship. If you get the bow down, the angle can be great enough that the whole ship can go down. Go for the bow. I usually start with a bow shot, and then a shot just in front of the engine room, trying to sink the whole front area. Go for keel shots to break compartments on both sides of the keel. The impact shot at the extreme bow tip is effective because the compartments are so thin there that they are both within the radius of the torpedo explosion.

BoW shots!

Kb

[Cybermagi]

A few patrols ago, attacked a large convoy with four fat tankers.
I got greedy though and tried get three with my first salvo.
While my attention was directed toward the tankers.
we never noticed the Destroyer bearing down on us, until
the i heard the Sonarman call "Enemy is Pinging US sir!"
I whirled the scope about a saw a Hunt Class closing FAST!
24 Kts. just under 1200 meters!
since he was coming on our stern,
I ordered crash dive and made a quick course change
to bring him to a full bearing of 180 and snap fired my two aft fish
both set fast and 2 meters depth. By the time I fired the shots the
Destoryer was 600 meters!
I hoped the fish would arm before he closed the distance.

Just as we passed 25 meters..
Waiting for the DC to start raining down
Torpedo Impact!

Still kept diving and starting a hard port turn to exlude any DC's
As we passed 60 meters

we could hear the sounds of the Destroyer breaking up,
on her way to a cold and lonely grave.

The one and only head on shot, I ever managed to pull off
so far my personal stats for bow shots
1 in 40 or so attemped.
Total luck

ttfn

[robj250]

Originally Posted by Cybermagi

A few patrols ago, attacked a large convoy with four fat tankers.
I got greedy though and tried get three with my first salvo.
While my attention was directed toward the tankers.
we never noticed the Destroyer bearing down on us, until
the i heard the Sonarman call "Enemy is Pinging US sir!"
I whirled the scope about a saw a Hunt Class closing FAST!
24 Kts. just under 1200 meters!
since he was coming on our stern,
I ordered crash dive and made a quick course change
to bring him to a full bearing of 180 and snap fired my two aft fish
both set fast and 2 meters depth. By the time I fired the shots the
Destoryer was 600 meters!
I hoped the fish would arm before he closed the distance.

Just as we passed 25 meters..
Waiting for the DC to start raining down
Torpedo Impact!

Still kept diving and starting a hard port turn to exlude any DC's
As we passed 60 meters

we could hear the sounds of the Destroyer breaking up,
on her way to a cold and lonely grave.

The one and only head on shot, I ever managed to pull off
so far my personal stats for bow shots
1 in 40 or so attemped.
Total luck

ttfn

That's great Cybermagi, at least I know that the bow shot does work. But firing them as you are diving, well, that's amazing So basically it was a "blind" fire or did you have time to get the bearing into the TDC before you dove?

[Cybermagi]

I had a TDC solution just before the periscope was covered.
then snaped my shots.
I've been wanting to try this same attack using acoustic torpedoes
later in the war.
I'll let ya'll know how it works

[Keelbuster]

I just sunk a Revenge with a single bow shot, the way I described before (hit forward bow, and damage to both sides). Her nose went down, and the weather was heavy, and she went under. 1 torp. I bet it would have taken 4 or 5 if i had spread them out along the side.

Kb

[robj250]

Originally Posted by Keelbuster

I just sunk a Revenge with a single bow shot, the way I described before (hit forward bow, and damage to both sides). Her nose went down, and the weather was heavy, and she went under. 1 torp. I bet it would have taken 4 or 5 if i had spread them out along the side.

Kb

Nice job Keelbuster. I'll certainly have to give it a try. Robert

[Ducimus]

aka, "Down the throat" shot.