Merchant firepower

Foghladh_mhara · 06-03-07, 07:57 PM

I always start my careers in 1939 and am generally dead by 1941 so this kaleun is a bit surprised to be sailing the North Atlantic in mid 1942. The merchies have started tooling up for action. No surprise there but they're decked out like cruisers!
I fired a torp at a solitary whale factory ship and then surfaced to finish him off and got the snot kicked out of me! There were gunners practically hanging off the masts. The Liberty ship I'm stalking now has got a hole in its hull but it also has 3 guns up front, 3 at the stern and 4 machine guns up top!!!!! The Bismark didn't have that kind of firepower!

My 'one torpedo one ship' strategy is gonna have to change and BdU is not gonna be happy

Them fish aint cheap

Packerton · 06-03-07, 08:00 PM

Just a comment on the fish aint cheap statement...

What your sinking is worth farrrr more then a couple of torpedoes

Yeah watch out for armed merchants in stormy wheather who insist on fireing at your exposed boat when the wave rolls and exploses your conning tower its really annoying.

bookworm_020 · 06-03-07, 11:47 PM

I have found if you have damaged a ship but it hasn't sunk, put 5,000 to 6,000 metres between the ship and you and you can get a couple of rounds off before he spots you.

Try and attack from a point where his guns woun't bear, if he's got a gun forward, attack from aft. If you want to have fun, put a neutral ship between you and him and watch the fireworks!

With bigger ships it pays to make sure they go down by using a couple of torpedo's, smaller ships can get by with one, and if they don't go down, think before ordering surface and man the deck gun, as the welcome you get may not be pleasent!

Sailor Steve · 06-04-07, 11:13 AM

Some Liberties were fairly well armed:

One 3 inch bow gun
One 4or 5 inch stern gun
Two 37 mm bow guns
Six 20 mm machine guns

http://www.usmm.org/libertyships.html

Growler · 06-04-07, 11:19 AM

Yeah, the convoys are far from helpless the later on in the war it gets. PROTIP: "Dead in the wter" might just be us if we take too much for granted.

Some good tips given above. Most importantly, know how to use the DG yourself, and know your sub's limits. For example, if you can get in close to a wallowing C3, I don't care what kind of armament he's got, he just can't get the declination necessary to hit you.

Oh, and don't ever get in a surface duel with battleships. They hate when you do that, and will protest loudly. Their arguments are usually pretty compelling, too.

Henri II · 06-04-07, 11:51 AM

What works best for me, is when I aim the deck gun myself and shoot from long range (3000-5000 m). At that distance the merchant gunners usually don't stand a chance, especially if I run at flank speed and present only the bow as a target, i.e. running towards or away from them.

Foghladh_mhara · 06-04-07, 11:52 AM

Think I'll just torpedo them. I didn't realise the Liberties were so well armed. And the Whale Factory Ship was just carelessness on my part. I spotted the machine guns on his forecastle through the scope but missed the side firing ones in the masts. Gave me a hell of a fright

06-03-07, 07:57 PM	#1
Foghladh_mhara Commander Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Kent Posts: 473 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Merchant firepower I always start my careers in 1939 and am generally dead by 1941 so this kaleun is a bit surprised to be sailing the North Atlantic in mid 1942. The merchies have started tooling up for action. No surprise there but they're decked out like cruisers! I fired a torp at a solitary whale factory ship and then surfaced to finish him off and got the snot kicked out of me! There were gunners practically hanging off the masts. The Liberty ship I'm stalking now has got a hole in its hull but it also has 3 guns up front, 3 at the stern and 4 machine guns up top!!!!! The Bismark didn't have that kind of firepower! My 'one torpedo one ship' strategy is gonna have to change and BdU is not gonna be happy Them fish aint cheap __________________ The beauty of not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise without any of the stress that might normally precede such a venture

06-03-07, 11:47 PM	#3
bookworm_020 Navy Seal Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sinking ships off the Australian coast Posts: 5,966 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	I have found if you have damaged a ship but it hasn't sunk, put 5,000 to 6,000 metres between the ship and you and you can get a couple of rounds off before he spots you. Try and attack from a point where his guns woun't bear, if he's got a gun forward, attack from aft. If you want to have fun, put a neutral ship between you and him and watch the fireworks! With bigger ships it pays to make sure they go down by using a couple of torpedo's, smaller ships can get by with one, and if they don't go down, think before ordering surface and man the deck gun, as the welcome you get may not be pleasent! __________________ "There is always one person in any organization who knows whats going on, That person must be fired"

06-04-07, 11:13 AM	#4
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Some Liberties were fairly well armed: One 3 inch bow gun One 4or 5 inch stern gun Two 37 mm bow guns Six 20 mm machine guns http://www.usmm.org/libertyships.html __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

06-04-07, 11:52 AM	#7
Foghladh_mhara Commander Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Kent Posts: 473 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Think I'll just torpedo them. I didn't realise the Liberties were so well armed. And the Whale Factory Ship was just carelessness on my part. I spotted the machine guns on his forecastle through the scope but missed the side firing ones in the masts. Gave me a hell of a fright __________________ The beauty of not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise without any of the stress that might normally precede such a venture

06-03-07, 08:00 PM	#2
Packerton Sonar Guy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Newfoundland,Canada Posts: 398 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	Just a comment on the fish aint cheap statement... What your sinking is worth farrrr more then a couple of torpedoes Yeah watch out for armed merchants in stormy wheather who insist on fireing at your exposed boat when the wave rolls and exploses your conning tower its really annoying.

06-04-07, 11:19 AM	#5
Growler A long way from the sea Join Date: May 2005 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,913 Downloads: 21 Uploads: 0	Yeah, the convoys are far from helpless the later on in the war it gets. PROTIP: "Dead in the wter" might just be us if we take too much for granted. Some good tips given above. Most importantly, know how to use the DG yourself, and know your sub's limits. For example, if you can get in close to a wallowing C3, I don't care what kind of armament he's got, he just can't get the declination necessary to hit you. Oh, and don't ever get in a surface duel with battleships. They hate when you do that, and will protest loudly. Their arguments are usually pretty compelling, too.

06-04-07, 11:51 AM	#6
Henri II Sparky Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 156 Downloads: 47 Uploads: 0	What works best for me, is when I aim the deck gun myself and shoot from long range (3000-5000 m). At that distance the merchant gunners usually don't stand a chance, especially if I run at flank speed and present only the bow as a target, i.e. running towards or away from them.