Deck gun or Torpedo

Otto Kretschmer had the right idea, but I take it further. "One shell, one ship." I haven't had any success yet, but I know my stratagem is sound!

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by JazzJR

Reinhard Hardegen used the deck gun very often. And he survived the war and is still living. You could ask him.

Really? Are you sure? Okay, let's check the records.

Augvald: 1 torpedo.
Ganda: 2 torpedoes, finished off with deck gun.
P.L.M. 22: 1 torpedo.
Oberon: 1 torpedo.
Rio Azul: 1 torpedo.
Auditor: 1 torpedo.
Aurania: 2 torpedoes.
Cyclops: 2 torpedoes.
Norness: 3 torpedoes.
Coimbra: 2 torpedoes.
Norvana: 1 torpedo.
City of Atlanta: 1 torpedo.
Malay: Attacked with deck gun, finally hit with 1 torpedo. Malay survived the attack.
Ciltvaira: 1 torpedo.
Culebra: Deck gun. Culebra fired back, resulting in five hits on U-123, any one of which could have killed the gun crew or Hardegen himself. I'm not an expert, but I'd say this makes him both foolish and lucky.
Pan Norway: Deck gun (out of torpedoes).
Muskogee: 1 torpedo.
Empire Steel: 2 torpedoes. Deck gun fired at burning wreck to hasten demise.
USS Atik (Q-ship): 2 torpedoes. Ship stopped by 1 torpedo. Attempt to finish target with deck gun resulted in 1 man killed on U-123. Ship finished by second torpedo.
Liebre: Deck gun.
Oklahoma: 1 torpedo.
Esso Baton Rouge: 1 torpedo.
Esparta: 1 torpedo.
Gulfamerica: 1 torpedo. Finished with deck gun.
Leslie: 1 torpedo. The last one.
Korsholm: Deck Gun. Out of torpedoes.
Alcoa Guide: Deck Gun. Out of torpedoes.

So, out of 21 ships sunk, only 4 were sunk solely with the deck gun, and 3 of those were because he was out of torpedoes. Hardly "very often". He also suffered damage twice while using the gun, and was lucky he didn't lose his life in the process.
http://uboat.net/men/hardegen.htm

[JazzJR]

So it is better to have and use a Deckgun, so you can sink ships, even if you're out of torpedos. I won't waste a torpedo on a small sailing ship.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by JazzJR

So it is better to have and use a Deckgun, so you can sink ships, even if you're out of torpedos. I won't waste a torpedo on a small sailing ship.

Nor would I. I just don't make it my primary weapon, unless the target is small and undefended.

[soopaman2]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Really? Have a look through these lists and see how many ships were sunk by deck guns. I think you'll find that "playing it historically" means using the deck gun as little as possible.
http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/listing.php

Point taken. Maybe I should change playing it historically to playing it reliably

[papa_smurf]

Wait till Merchants are armed, then come back and tell us how it went using your deckgun

[sharkbit]

Originally Posted by papa_smurf

Wait till Merchants are armed, then come back and tell us how it went using your deckgun

+1

I've since unbolted mine from my sub and placed it in the flotilla commander's front yard with flowers sticking out of the barrel.

Waste of time and space later in the war.

I seem to remember reading in the second volume of Clay Blair's book "Hitler's U-Boat War" that the IX's kept their guns throughout the war but the VII's weren't produced with them late in the war.

[JazzJR]

Originally Posted by sharkbit

member reading in the second volume of Clay Blair's book "Hitler's U-Boat War" that the IX's kept their guns throughout the war but the VII's weren't produced with them late in the war.

All submarines in the baltic sea were fitted with deckguns, and also some of the most decorated commanders were allowed to keep their guns. All others were removed.

[Fish In The Water]

Originally Posted by JazzJR

All submarines in the baltic sea were fitted with deckguns, and also some of the most decorated commanders were allowed to keep their guns. All others were removed.

Too bad the game doesn't model the benefits of not having one installed. Less drag resulting in a slight increase in speed (even just a knot) would be nice.

[Missing Name]

I am among those who consider the deck gun to be my primary weapon. This is a WWII sim and not a WWI sim, though. I suppose I've just had plenty of practice with the darned thing.