Deck guns

[Scarredclown]

I've just installed GWX mod ans i'm playing SH3 after a break of a couple of years. Right now i'm doing the training mission in the naval academy, Learning again to navigate and using deck guns in the training mission to sunk ship with the deck guns, I'm ordering the crew to aim below the water line. I can spend a lot of ammo on a medium cargo. What do you do to have better results ?

[Mittelwaechter]

Qualify WO, qualify gunners, close in - or shoot yourself.

[sublynx]

Shoot BY yourself, surely

One other trick in GWX and vanilla is using the 20 mm flak gun to destroy some of the cargo. The funnels, masts, cargo, even the lifeboats explode when you shoot at them with the flak gun. The explosions cause extra damage.

[Sailor Steve]

But he's talking about the Academy course, which doesn't have the FLAK guns.

I always have them aim for the waterline, and have not run out of ammo yet. If you do, just take a break and do it over.

[UKönig]

When using a U-boat equipped with a forward mounted deck gun, I like to copy the real world tactics. That is, start with Armour piercing, put a few pilot holes, and the follow it up with high explosive, into the same area.
The first shot gets the damage ball rolling, the HE chaser shot keeps it rolling.
Then I like to shoot at targets of opportunity, if I am reasonably close, like say 1km or less. At 2km to 5km (I try not to shoot at targets beyond the 5km range, unless I am trying to attract their attention), then I just aim for the biggest point I can hit. Which is usually the superstructure and the hull underneath same.
When time and range permit, I like to start with AP on the engine room, then switch to HE, and feed a few shots into their machinery spaces. Then I will move it forward and try puncturing the hull, above and at the waterline, to help encourage flooding with forward motion. Then I may move upstairs and attack their bridge, to put their helm/radio/command & control stations out of action. Can't send a distress call with no radio shack, so sometimes the bridge is the first place I will aim.
As far as ammunition rates go, the bigger the ship, the more you will have to throw. A 5" hole on a ship that is 8000 tons is still rather small and it may take quite a few hits before you see demonstrable results.
One thing a U-boat captain needs a lot of is...patience.

[Tupolev]

Also, concentrate your shots towards the stern or bow. As the Commander's handbook says, ships sink slowly on an even keel. Get the bow or stern sinking first will definitely help.

T

[BigWalleye]

Originally Posted by UKönig

When using a U-boat equipped with a forward mounted deck gun, I like to copy the real world tactics. That is, start with Armour piercing, put a few pilot holes, and the follow it up with high explosive, into the same area.

Could you please provide a source which shows that U-boats carried and used AP ammunition? My understanding was that U-boats carried HE only. I know both GWX3 and NYGM include only HE in their loadouts.