Firing the AA gun.. need advice

Admiral Halsey · 10-28-13, 02:06 PM

My advice is wait until you get the 40mm Bofors before you take on any planes.

jscharpf · 10-29-13, 06:50 PM

Thanks again for the responses, it really must be me. I mean literally I fire away at the belly of the plane as it lumbers overhead, back and forth back and forth.

I even let him kill several of my crew just to see if I could EVER get anything.. perhaps I messed up a mod. I don't know

I've been trying different mods lately, trying to stick to protocol (first in first out).. but perhaps it's time for a re-install.

TorpX · 10-29-13, 09:04 PM

All this talk of planes reminds me of my first career in SHCE......

I had just been given command of a new S-class boat. [Ok, it wasn't really new, but it was new to me.] Anyway, I was eager to go out on patrol and avenge the destruction that occured at Pearl Harbor. My first patrol assignment was to go from Manila to an area off Indochina. I didn't know what to expect, but I was young and eager.

When we arrived at our patrol zone, we layed to, and came to a stop. Fuel is precious. Nothing but water as far as the eye could see. I knew sub patrols are largely a waiting game, so I went below.

It wasn't long before one of the lookouts shouted: "aircraft spotted, sir!". I go up and take a look. It certainly couldn't be friendly, not here. At first I couldn't tell how far away it was, but within seconds, I realized it was making a bee line for us at high speed. I yell "Crash dive!", but it was too late. I could see the bomb seperate from the plane, and slowly fall as the plane roared over. The explosion was deafening, but incredably we were still in one piece. As we tumble down the ladder and start clawing for depth, I am holding my breath. I know we will not be at a safe depth before he has time to make another pass. Sure enough, before we reach 200 ft., another explosion shakes the boat. After we get to 200, I order a 90 degree turn, and then reduce speed. Though our nerves are frayed, we have sustained no serious damage. I feel better now; we are safe.

..................................

A half hour later, the sound man hears pinging coming from at least three different ships, closing, getting louder. I think to myself, this is great, just great. The last thing I wanted to do is tangle with a gaggle of destroyers. Thank God, I remember what they taught us at the Naval Academy. I order 2/3 speed, and have the helmsman steer a Normal Evasion Course. After a while we reduce speed, and wait, carefully monitoring the hydrophones. After a very tense period, their sounds fade out. We can finally relax.

The moral to the story is:

1. Do not wait to the last minute to dive your boat.

2. It is better to not even let aircraft spot you at all.

Snarf · 12-29-13, 11:24 PM

My recommendation, IF and only if you want to tangle with planes, load up the submarine school, get on the deck gun and start practicing with the deck gun instead, that way once you get good, you let your gunners man the AA and you fire away with the deck gun. one good hit from the deck gun and the plane is obliterated. 40mm's are a must for AA though.

Aktungbby · 12-30-13, 01:03 AM

fighting on the surface in any of the SH games as in real life is 'a low percentage maneuver' there is no advantage whatsoever in taking on anything specifically designed to kill you; and gaming 'boredom' should not be a factor at all. Dive each time, every time and sink merchants; that is the task at hand. K.I.S.d.S.: Keep It Simple dive Stupid! Von Clausewitz: Rule 2 : "whenever possible increase firepower" works in reverse too; if you can't increase yours, reduce his and in a u-boot-to-plane encounter, that means diveBBY!...ASAP...'nuff said nubs!

jscharpf · 12-30-13, 11:23 AM

you guys have convinced me

No more messing with planes, there is no reward anyway.

It just looks cool.. except I always come out on the short end of the stick.

So for now I will just dive.

10-29-13, 09:04 PM	#3
TorpX Silent Hunter Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 3,975 Downloads: 153 Uploads: 11	All this talk of planes reminds me of my first career in SHCE...... I had just been given command of a new S-class boat. [Ok, it wasn't really new, but it was new to me.] Anyway, I was eager to go out on patrol and avenge the destruction that occured at Pearl Harbor. My first patrol assignment was to go from Manila to an area off Indochina. I didn't know what to expect, but I was young and eager. When we arrived at our patrol zone, we layed to, and came to a stop. Fuel is precious. Nothing but water as far as the eye could see. I knew sub patrols are largely a waiting game, so I went below. It wasn't long before one of the lookouts shouted: "aircraft spotted, sir!". I go up and take a look. It certainly couldn't be friendly, not here. At first I couldn't tell how far away it was, but within seconds, I realized it was making a bee line for us at high speed. I yell "Crash dive!", but it was too late. I could see the bomb seperate from the plane, and slowly fall as the plane roared over. The explosion was deafening, but incredably we were still in one piece. As we tumble down the ladder and start clawing for depth, I am holding my breath. I know we will not be at a safe depth before he has time to make another pass. Sure enough, before we reach 200 ft., another explosion shakes the boat. After we get to 200, I order a 90 degree turn, and then reduce speed. Though our nerves are frayed, we have sustained no serious damage. I feel better now; we are safe. .................................. A half hour later, the sound man hears pinging coming from at least three different ships, closing, getting louder. I think to myself, this is great, just great. The last thing I wanted to do is tangle with a gaggle of destroyers. Thank God, I remember what they taught us at the Naval Academy. I order 2/3 speed, and have the helmsman steer a Normal Evasion Course. After a while we reduce speed, and wait, carefully monitoring the hydrophones. After a very tense period, their sounds fade out. We can finally relax. The moral to the story is: 1. Do not wait to the last minute to dive your boat. 2. It is better to not even let aircraft spot you at all.

12-29-13, 11:24 PM	#4
Snarf Officer Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: USS Tuna out of Pearl Harbor Posts: 243 Downloads: 22 Uploads: 10	My recommendation, IF and only if you want to tangle with planes, load up the submarine school, get on the deck gun and start practicing with the deck gun instead, that way once you get good, you let your gunners man the AA and you fire away with the deck gun. one good hit from the deck gun and the plane is obliterated. 40mm's are a must for AA though. __________________ "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" -David Farragut (probably repeated by many WWII sub skippers)

10-28-13, 02:06 PM	#1
Admiral Halsey Best Admiral in the USN Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: USS Enterprise (CV-6) Posts: 1,740 Downloads: 317 Uploads: 0	My advice is wait until you get the 40mm Bofors before you take on any planes.

10-29-13, 06:50 PM	#2
jscharpf Frogman Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Bucharest, Romania Posts: 296 Downloads: 325 Uploads: 0	Thanks again for the responses, it really must be me. I mean literally I fire away at the belly of the plane as it lumbers overhead, back and forth back and forth. I even let him kill several of my crew just to see if I could EVER get anything.. perhaps I messed up a mod. I don't know I've been trying different mods lately, trying to stick to protocol (first in first out).. but perhaps it's time for a re-install.

12-30-13, 01:03 AM	#5
Aktungbby Gefallen Engel U-666 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: On a tilted, overheated, overpopulated spinning mudball on Collision course with Andromeda Galaxy Posts: 30,009 Downloads: 24 Uploads: 0	fighting on the surface in any of the SH games as in real life is 'a low percentage maneuver' there is no advantage whatsoever in taking on anything specifically designed to kill you; and gaming 'boredom' should not be a factor at all. Dive each time, every time and sink merchants; that is the task at hand. K.I.S.d.S.: Keep It Simple dive Stupid! Von Clausewitz: Rule 2 : "whenever possible increase firepower" works in reverse too; if you can't increase yours, reduce his and in a u-boot-to-plane encounter, that means diveBBY!...ASAP...'nuff said nubs!

12-30-13, 11:23 AM	#6
jscharpf Frogman Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Bucharest, Romania Posts: 296 Downloads: 325 Uploads: 0	you guys have convinced me No more messing with planes, there is no reward anyway. It just looks cool.. except I always come out on the short end of the stick. So for now I will just dive.