Deck Gun Attack of Destroyer Within Convoy

Bent Periscope · 05-05-09, 05:43 PM

Has anyone tried a deck gun attack on a destroyer while surfacing from within the convoy? Especially at night time since I’m a small silhouette lost in the crowd while he starts off away from the ships.

Of course this would have to be during the early years when the merchants don’t have guns. I’m wondering if you start firing from a distance, could you hit them for some real damage before they would hit you?

Would the DD be careful to fire since you are near the merchants or are they so accurate that you’d be deadmeat within seconds?

As the DD grows closer, I’d try to submerge under a merchant and try to trial it while I go deeper. Hopefully the convoy will get in the way of the warship and allow me to escape, pop up later and start again.

I’ve never tried this since Bdu has instilled the Fear of God into me regarding destroyers.

BP

Shadowblade · 05-05-09, 05:47 PM

well, it looks like suicide attempt, Herr Kaleun

Kubryk · 05-05-09, 08:46 PM

Using your deck gun against DD is the quickest way to end your career. Good thing is, you'll be remembered in British pub's for some time

From my experience (stock version, patched), destroyers don't mind endangering merchants - they urge to kill u-boat. I was ca. 50m from a merchant, when DD came out of nowhere shooting like a madman. I crash-dived, but he was able to put at least 3 rounds in a merchant, unfortunetly not enough to sink it. My boat was unharmed. Judging by this event I'd say convoy is not going to protect you. Plus, in a middle of a fight you can get rammed by enemy ship.

Torplexed · 05-05-09, 08:54 PM

It's the rare convoy that's protected by only one destroyer or escort. You're going to find yourself in a vicious crossfire long before you can take down a merchant, let alone a DD. That sort of fight is what schnellboots are designed for, not U-Boats. Plus, in turrets, even a lone destroyer outguns you about five to one.

Bronzewing · 05-06-09, 03:25 AM

Biggest warship I ever took out with a deck gun was a Flower corvette, and she had already been damaged badly by something else (was crawling along at 4 knots and listing heavily, blew ballest 1500m astern of her and blew her stern off beffore she could turn round). Other than that I've worked over a good number of ASW trawlers and Elco boats in the early war years, but that's about it.

Jimbuna · 05-06-09, 04:11 AM

If you surface and get spotted by an escort, the escort will commence firing immediately.....even putting a merchant between yourself and him will not deter the rate of fire.

Them escorts turn into bloody maniacs once they get a sniff of you

Synthfg · 05-06-09, 07:23 AM

They will fire back
Remember being on a trip into Scarpa once, sitting in the lee of a cruiser reloading eels with 3 DD's circling, everytime I stuck my scope up I would be shot at

In the time it took me to load fore and aft tubes, the cruiser took so much frindly fire that it sank

At night I have in the past enganged Corvettes and Friggates at ranges of 5000m+ with the deck gun to some effect, however taking on a DD, no chance

05-05-09, 05:43 PM	#1
Bent Periscope Lieutenant Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Dry docks of Los Angeles, CA Posts: 250 Downloads: 46 Uploads: 0	Deck Gun Attack of Destroyer Within Convoy Has anyone tried a deck gun attack on a destroyer while surfacing from within the convoy? Especially at night time since I’m a small silhouette lost in the crowd while he starts off away from the ships. Of course this would have to be during the early years when the merchants don’t have guns. I’m wondering if you start firing from a distance, could you hit them for some real damage before they would hit you? Would the DD be careful to fire since you are near the merchants or are they so accurate that you’d be deadmeat within seconds? As the DD grows closer, I’d try to submerge under a merchant and try to trial it while I go deeper. Hopefully the convoy will get in the way of the warship and allow me to escape, pop up later and start again. I’ve never tried this since Bdu has instilled the Fear of God into me regarding destroyers. BP Last edited by Bent Periscope; 05-07-09 at 02:24 PM.

05-05-09, 05:47 PM	#2
Shadowblade Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 693 Downloads: 13 Uploads: 0	well, it looks like suicide attempt, Herr Kaleun __________________ Kapitänleutnant Vlad von Carstein - U-Flotilla Saltzwedel - U-123, Type IXB SH3 GWX 3.0

05-05-09, 08:54 PM	#4
Torplexed Let's Sink Sumptin' ! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 5,823 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	It's the rare convoy that's protected by only one destroyer or escort. You're going to find yourself in a vicious crossfire long before you can take down a merchant, let alone a DD. That sort of fight is what schnellboots are designed for, not U-Boats. Plus, in turrets, even a lone destroyer outguns you about five to one. __________________ --Mobilis in Mobili--

05-06-09, 03:25 AM	#5
Bronzewing Helmsman Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Leicester Posts: 104 Downloads: 18 Uploads: 0	Biggest warship I ever took out with a deck gun was a Flower corvette, and she had already been damaged badly by something else (was crawling along at 4 knots and listing heavily, blew ballest 1500m astern of her and blew her stern off beffore she could turn round). Other than that I've worked over a good number of ASW trawlers and Elco boats in the early war years, but that's about it. __________________ "I say Number one, my end is diving. What the hell is your end doing?"

05-06-09, 04:11 AM	#6
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,500 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	If you surface and get spotted by an escort, the escort will commence firing immediately.....even putting a merchant between yourself and him will not deter the rate of fire. Them escorts turn into bloody maniacs once they get a sniff of you __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

05-05-09, 08:46 PM	#3
Kubryk Bosun Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Warsaw, Poland Posts: 66 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 0	Using your deck gun against DD is the quickest way to end your career. Good thing is, you'll be remembered in British pub's for some time From my experience (stock version, patched), destroyers don't mind endangering merchants - they urge to kill u-boat. I was ca. 50m from a merchant, when DD came out of nowhere shooting like a madman. I crash-dived, but he was able to put at least 3 rounds in a merchant, unfortunetly not enough to sink it. My boat was unharmed. Judging by this event I'd say convoy is not going to protect you. Plus, in a middle of a fight you can get rammed by enemy ship.

05-06-09, 07:23 AM	#7
Synthfg Sparky Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 154 Downloads: 64 Uploads: 0	They will fire back Remember being on a trip into Scarpa once, sitting in the lee of a cruiser reloading eels with 3 DD's circling, everytime I stuck my scope up I would be shot at In the time it took me to load fore and aft tubes, the cruiser took so much frindly fire that it sank At night I have in the past enganged Corvettes and Friggates at ranges of 5000m+ with the deck gun to some effect, however taking on a DD, no chance