Vs DD w/ a deck gun?

Gargamel · 12-20-10, 03:59 PM

Ok ,this one is aimed at Missing name. How the heck are you taking out destroyers with your deck gun and not sustaining severe damage? And then how did an armed trawler mess you up so bad?

(yes I know I'm starting a new thread, but most of the threads this is mentioned in, it would be OT to have a full discussion)

convoy hunter · 12-20-10, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gargamel

Ok ,this one is aimed at Missing name. How the heck are you taking out destroyers with your deck gun and not sustaining severe damage? And then how did an armed trawler mess you up so bad?

(yes I know I'm starting a new thread, but most of the threads this is mentioned in, it would be OT to have a full discussion)

Usually you don't attack destroyers with guns. Instead you go deep enough so it cannot harm you.

Tessa · 12-20-10, 06:37 PM

Personally only success I've had in tangling with warships on the surface is to use range and be (yourself) very proficient in using your deck gun. At 3k - 4k the warships accuracy isn't that spectacular, that's the best time you'll have to take shots at him. Once they reach ~ 2k 1 in 5 shots will usually hit you, this only goes up the closer you get; though at ranges <500m their aim can be terrible.

If they are heading straight at you on a constant bead you can also use an electric torpedo, set the depth to 2 1/2 meters and hope that he doesn't change his course. A torpedo impact against the front of the ship usually won't detonate and bounces off, magnetic shot is best way as if he has stayed on the same course the torpedo will run down the entire length of the ship giving it ample time to raise up and detonate.

Attacking warships while not submerged is something I'll only do in the case where the potential reward can substantially outweight the risk. In a situation where you run into a convoy that only has 2 escorts - a BB and a DD, the BB is easily sunk with torpedo's; getting the more nimble escort can be a real torpedo waster. If the ships don't have guns (yet) or only a few are armed then you could potentially get the turkey shoot sceneario if you do manage to take out the other escort. Which case even if I take 50% damage to my hull I have free reign over the entire convoy and can fire at will without fear of getting shot back at. Empty the deck gun and use all your eels and you can walk away with 100k+ tonnage easily in such a situation. While I'll take one hell of a beating the rewards if successful are enormous. Especially early in the war when no merchants are armed it's possible to sink all the ships in a convoy with good use of the deck gun and making only sure kill shots with your eels.

VONHARRIS · 12-21-10, 04:28 AM

I agree with Tessa. There is no point in attacking escorts with gunfire especially if you play at high realsim (>90%)

The only case to attack an escort with the 105mm gun is ti finish him off after a torpedo attack.
On the other hand I don't fire torps against escorts unless I can not avoid it.
Sinking a 1000 - 1500 DD with one shot is not as productive as sinking an Empipre tyoe freighter!

Edit : I do have the same question: How did you bring down a DD armed with 3 turrets housing no smaller than 5in guns and many other smaller weapons?

Tessa · 12-21-10, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VONHARRIS

Edit : I do have the same question: How did you bring down a DD armed with 3 turrets housing no smaller than 5in guns and many other smaller weapons?

Waterline shots; which can be particularly difficult on escorts since they may only have a 2-3m draft leaving very little room for error in shooting. Even on a type VII shots below the waterline can be devasting from the small deck gun (w/GWX). With calm seas and good maneuvering you can sink a large ship like a modern tanker/large merchant with 15-20 shells if they're all (or at least 90%+) below the waterline.

Just because the ship is loaded with 4" and 5" guns doesn't alter the fact that it still has kinks in its armor that you can exploit if you are brave (or stupid more likely, can be situational though with risk/reward) to go head to head you can make it out alive, how much of your sub is still functional afterwards is the gamble you take (and the lives of your crew)

Have had this happen before, heavy storm where visibility is 300-400m at best and nearly rammed the Hood (she was stationary outside the river inlet leading to Firth of Clyde) before I saw her. Luckily I wasn't moving too fast and was able to crash dive and my conning tower managed to clear her in the dive (after which in such rough weather she sank easily with 1 eel into the boilers; dropped like a rock with the massive additional flooding) but not before I had everything shot at me.

In other situations where I've also been caught in the open with a BB same pattern emerges, all the 12"-16" will miss (they were never designed to fire at targets less then several thousand feet away), it's all the 4"-6" guns that will slice your hull apart in seconds if you can't get under fast enough. Surely if you did get hit by a shell from the main battery you'd be erased from the water; since the guns are designed to shoot in distances of miles being only a few hundred (or even a thousand) meters away is too close for them to accurately target you since they don't have negative camber. The large guns are also quite expensive to fire, no sane captain would risk expending such valuable ammo at a target that is easily taken care of by the secondary batteries.

VONHARRIS · 12-22-10, 03:54 AM

@Tessa ,
I agree for the waterline shots on merchants. I do the same thing.
But I had a very nasty experience when I became the target for the 15in guns of the HMS Revenge. A full broadside salvo (all 4 turrets opened fire) landed on and around me.(VIIB). I don't think that anything was left of the Uboat on the water.
I think it is unwise to engage warships with the deck gun. Uboats were not designed for such action.

desirableroasted · 12-21-10, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gargamel

Ok ,this one is aimed at Missing name. How the heck are you taking out destroyers with your deck gun and not sustaining severe damage? And then how did an armed trawler mess you up so bad?

If he is playing stock, it is possible if he is up against an unskilled escort. The stock deck gun is massively overpowered, and hit points are pretty freely distributed over a DD in stock.

All it shows is that the stock game is fairly unrealistic.

If he is doing in in GWX, well.... I'm betting he learns not to make a habit of it.

12-20-10, 03:59 PM	#1
Gargamel Lucky Sailor Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Rome Posts: 4,273 Downloads: 81 Uploads: 0	Vs DD w/ a deck gun? Ok ,this one is aimed at Missing name. How the heck are you taking out destroyers with your deck gun and not sustaining severe damage? And then how did an armed trawler mess you up so bad? (yes I know I'm starting a new thread, but most of the threads this is mentioned in, it would be OT to have a full discussion) __________________ Luck is a residue of Design.

12-20-10, 06:37 PM	#3
Tessa Grey Wolf Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: CG 96 Posts: 861 Downloads: 22 Uploads: 0	Personally only success I've had in tangling with warships on the surface is to use range and be (yourself) very proficient in using your deck gun. At 3k - 4k the warships accuracy isn't that spectacular, that's the best time you'll have to take shots at him. Once they reach ~ 2k 1 in 5 shots will usually hit you, this only goes up the closer you get; though at ranges <500m their aim can be terrible. If they are heading straight at you on a constant bead you can also use an electric torpedo, set the depth to 2 1/2 meters and hope that he doesn't change his course. A torpedo impact against the front of the ship usually won't detonate and bounces off, magnetic shot is best way as if he has stayed on the same course the torpedo will run down the entire length of the ship giving it ample time to raise up and detonate. Attacking warships while not submerged is something I'll only do in the case where the potential reward can substantially outweight the risk. In a situation where you run into a convoy that only has 2 escorts - a BB and a DD, the BB is easily sunk with torpedo's; getting the more nimble escort can be a real torpedo waster. If the ships don't have guns (yet) or only a few are armed then you could potentially get the turkey shoot sceneario if you do manage to take out the other escort. Which case even if I take 50% damage to my hull I have free reign over the entire convoy and can fire at will without fear of getting shot back at. Empty the deck gun and use all your eels and you can walk away with 100k+ tonnage easily in such a situation. While I'll take one hell of a beating the rewards if successful are enormous. Especially early in the war when no merchants are armed it's possible to sink all the ships in a convoy with good use of the deck gun and making only sure kill shots with your eels.

12-21-10, 04:28 AM	#4
VONHARRIS Konteradmiral Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Greece Posts: 1,992 Downloads: 300 Uploads: 0	I agree with Tessa. There is no point in attacking escorts with gunfire especially if you play at high realsim (>90%) The only case to attack an escort with the 105mm gun is ti finish him off after a torpedo attack. On the other hand I don't fire torps against escorts unless I can not avoid it. Sinking a 1000 - 1500 DD with one shot is not as productive as sinking an Empipre tyoe freighter! Edit : I do have the same question: How did you bring down a DD armed with 3 turrets housing no smaller than 5in guns and many other smaller weapons?

12-22-10, 03:54 AM	#6
VONHARRIS Konteradmiral Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Greece Posts: 1,992 Downloads: 300 Uploads: 0	@Tessa , I agree for the waterline shots on merchants. I do the same thing. But I had a very nasty experience when I became the target for the 15in guns of the HMS Revenge. A full broadside salvo (all 4 turrets opened fire) landed on and around me.(VIIB). I don't think that anything was left of the Uboat on the water. I think it is unwise to engage warships with the deck gun. Uboats were not designed for such action.