torpedoes vs deck gun

Scape · 05-16-10, 05:01 PM

Gun is great but too often the seas are too choppy to use it. High seas may be an issue to a torp strike but at least you can TRY. Besides, a deck gun on a sub is just silly once the merchants can shoot back. Might as well dump them overboard for all the good they do and the flak can go as well since whenever I even hear a plane is coming I crash dive anyway.

Zedwardson · 05-16-10, 08:41 PM

Early war, they are quite useful, but it quickly declines as time goes on, of course, my guys have yet to make it to the later war years, so they all enjoy the deck gun.

Jimbuna · 05-17-10, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scape

Gun is great but too often the seas are too choppy to use it. High seas may be an issue to a torp strike but at least you can TRY. Besides, a deck gun on a sub is just silly once the merchants can shoot back. Might as well dump them overboard for all the good they do and the flak can go as well since whenever I even hear a plane is coming I crash dive anyway.

Oh I don't know.....it can still be handy for finishing off the wounded straggler that the convoy escorts leave behind...especially handy for conserving those precious eels.

Iranon · 05-17-10, 04:59 AM

What advantage did the boats get from the removal of the deck guns? For example, did this affect underwater speed or noise in a meaningful way?

Afaik there is no benefit in-game, making me feel like my candy was taken away from me for no good reason.

downunder · 05-17-10, 05:25 AM

I only go for tonnage and leave the smaller stuff alone (waste of ammo) so i use it if a hit ship is taking to long to go down.

RConch · 05-17-10, 06:32 AM

I don't think this is an "either\or" issue.
I use what is necessary to to sink the ship.
Granted after 1940, most merchants are armed, so the choice of weapon by me, is dependent on each seperate incident.

sharkbit · 05-17-10, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iranon

What advantage did the boats get from the removal of the deck guns? For example, did this affect underwater speed or noise in a meaningful way?

Afaik there is no benefit in-game, making me feel like my candy was taken away from me for no good reason.

AFAIK there is no advantage in performance. I think some people tried testing it in game but I don't recall anything conclusive.

However, I have removed mine from my Med boat in 1943 for the sole purpose of removing any temptation to try and gun it out with armed merchants. I will probably do the same with my other late war careers as well.
Armed merchants seem too good and I've usually gotten worse than I've given, so the crew unbolted the damn thing. It is now a flower holder in the flotilla chief's front yard.

salamis protector · 06-14-10, 04:56 AM

i prefer torpedoes because i am not good to aim with the deck gun

convoy hunter · 06-14-10, 05:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by salamis protector

i prefer torpedoes because i am not good to aim with the deck gun

practise makes better

pickinthebanjo · 06-14-10, 08:44 AM

I'm big on the deck gun, usually takes 20-30 rounds though once I sunk a small merchant with one but I was to close and was damaged severly

maillemaker · 06-14-10, 07:55 PM

Here is why you use the deck gun:

http://www.forth-armoury.com/SHIII/wreckage.bmp

But from 1941 onwards they shoot back.

Steve

firefighter26 · 06-14-10, 09:09 PM

I think I will echo what everyone else says, I usually use the deck gun for lone and unescorted merchants. I get especially annoyed when I line up a target and the torpedo bounces off its side when it was on a damn near perfect line to target.

Before I installed GWX it would take 20-30 rounds to sink a ship. These days, I've picked up what parts of the ship seem to be easier to damage.. well, at least have a bigger explosion when I hit them... explosion = damage in my opinion!

One patrol I was frustrated that my last two torpedoes bounced off the ship that I alternated firing on it with the deck gun and while it was reloading, strafing back and forth across its deck with the AA flak gun. It probably didn't do anything to sink the ship any faster, but it helped easy some of the frustrations (though, I am sure the war crimes tribunal would be looking for me if I had have made it to the end of the war)!

convoy hunter · 06-15-10, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maillemaker

Here is why you use the deck gun:

http://www.forth-armoury.com/SHIII/wreckage.bmp

But from 1941 onwards they shoot back.

Steve

what was the tonnage reading after that?

Falkirion · 06-14-10, 10:35 PM

I only use the deck gun if my targets crippled by an eel I've put into her or its completely black out and early war. Otherwise its periscope depth to 200m in a couple of minutes to escape the DD pounding headed my way.

Hook · 06-14-10, 11:38 PM

I figure you don't get renown for bringing back deck gun rounds, so you might as well use them if you can. You can't use them in bad weather, so you're already limited in what you can do.

Someone once mentioned one U-boat captain that used the deck gun to good effect. I don't remember who it was. It would be nice to read about him.

I prefer to limit deck guns to lone merchants under 3000 tons. However, if I'm low on torpedos and I have 200 deck gun rounds and I'm going to be passing just north of Scapa in good weather on my way home, anything I find there is fair game. As long as it's not shooting back.

As far as I'm concerned, once a convoy has started weaving, it's no longer fair game because they'll scatter in real life. I get one good attack, as many torpedos as I can fire, and I'll return later to pick off stragglers. I don't go head to head with destroyers, as that's a good way to end up exercising the Dead Is Dead rule.

I generally avoid convoys anyway. There are a lot of lone merchants available. Under 3000 tons gets the deck gun. Over that gets a torpedo or two.

Hook

05-17-10, 05:25 AM	#5
downunder Electrician's Mate Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Victoria. Australia Posts: 135 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	I only go for tonnage and leave the smaller stuff alone (waste of ammo) so i use it if a hit ship is taking to long to go down. __________________ May your hatches be tight, and your smokes dry.

05-17-10, 06:32 AM	#6
RConch Captain Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: No. Virginia Posts: 619 Downloads: 518 Uploads: 0	I don't think this is an "either\or" issue. I use what is necessary to to sink the ship. Granted after 1940, most merchants are armed, so the choice of weapon by me, is dependent on each seperate incident. __________________ "Noch und Noch" Prowling the Nord Atlantik with GWX 3.0.

05-16-10, 05:01 PM	#1
Scape Gunner Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Kanada Posts: 92 Downloads: 57 Uploads: 0	Gun is great but too often the seas are too choppy to use it. High seas may be an issue to a torp strike but at least you can TRY. Besides, a deck gun on a sub is just silly once the merchants can shoot back. Might as well dump them overboard for all the good they do and the flak can go as well since whenever I even hear a plane is coming I crash dive anyway.

05-16-10, 08:41 PM	#2
Zedwardson Sparky Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 154 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	Early war, they are quite useful, but it quickly declines as time goes on, of course, my guys have yet to make it to the later war years, so they all enjoy the deck gun.

05-17-10, 04:59 AM	#4
Iranon Loader Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 89 Downloads: 19 Uploads: 0	What advantage did the boats get from the removal of the deck guns? For example, did this affect underwater speed or noise in a meaningful way? Afaik there is no benefit in-game, making me feel like my candy was taken away from me for no good reason.

06-14-10, 04:56 AM	#8
salamis protector Watch Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: kifissia, greece Posts: 22 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	i prefer torpedoes because i am not good to aim with the deck gun

06-14-10, 08:44 AM	#10
pickinthebanjo Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 651 Downloads: 282 Uploads: 0	I'm big on the deck gun, usually takes 20-30 rounds though once I sunk a small merchant with one but I was to close and was damaged severly

06-14-10, 07:55 PM	#11
maillemaker Sea Lord Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,639 Downloads: 75 Uploads: 0	Here is why you use the deck gun: http://www.forth-armoury.com/SHIII/wreckage.bmp But from 1941 onwards they shoot back. Steve

06-14-10, 09:09 PM	#12
firefighter26 Watch Join Date: May 2010 Location: Vancouver Island, BC, Canada Posts: 17 Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	I think I will echo what everyone else says, I usually use the deck gun for lone and unescorted merchants. I get especially annoyed when I line up a target and the torpedo bounces off its side when it was on a damn near perfect line to target. Before I installed GWX it would take 20-30 rounds to sink a ship. These days, I've picked up what parts of the ship seem to be easier to damage.. well, at least have a bigger explosion when I hit them... explosion = damage in my opinion! One patrol I was frustrated that my last two torpedoes bounced off the ship that I alternated firing on it with the deck gun and while it was reloading, strafing back and forth across its deck with the AA flak gun. It probably didn't do anything to sink the ship any faster, but it helped easy some of the frustrations (though, I am sure the war crimes tribunal would be looking for me if I had have made it to the end of the war)!

06-14-10, 10:35 PM	#14
Falkirion Ace of the Deep Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Melbourne, AUS Posts: 1,043 Downloads: 34 Uploads: 0	I only use the deck gun if my targets crippled by an eel I've put into her or its completely black out and early war. Otherwise its periscope depth to 200m in a couple of minutes to escape the DD pounding headed my way.

06-14-10, 11:38 PM	#15
Hook Bosun Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 63 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	I figure you don't get renown for bringing back deck gun rounds, so you might as well use them if you can. You can't use them in bad weather, so you're already limited in what you can do. Someone once mentioned one U-boat captain that used the deck gun to good effect. I don't remember who it was. It would be nice to read about him. I prefer to limit deck guns to lone merchants under 3000 tons. However, if I'm low on torpedos and I have 200 deck gun rounds and I'm going to be passing just north of Scapa in good weather on my way home, anything I find there is fair game. As long as it's not shooting back. As far as I'm concerned, once a convoy has started weaving, it's no longer fair game because they'll scatter in real life. I get one good attack, as many torpedos as I can fire, and I'll return later to pick off stragglers. I don't go head to head with destroyers, as that's a good way to end up exercising the Dead Is Dead rule. I generally avoid convoys anyway. There are a lot of lone merchants available. Under 3000 tons gets the deck gun. Over that gets a torpedo or two. Hook