Aiming point on target

[Ping Panther]

Thanks for that point Darksun,
Would the tankers in SH be considered to haul something more than diesel?

I just wrapped up a patrol to sink the SS Ohio in the Med., and it was certainly an "explosive" event. So I have tankers on my mind.

[Sailor Steve]

The vast majority of merchants of all kinds during WW2 used neither coal nor diesel, but fuel oil. Just making a pedantic point, since naval fuel oil is even less combustible than diesel.

Tankers carried mostly fuel oil, which might or might not explode spectacularly when hit by 300 pounds of high explosive, but which would certainly burn after it was thinly spread on the surface of the ocean. Many tanker crewmen died from being trapped in a burning sea of oil, and many more died after swallowing fuel oil and salt water. And some tankers carried aviation gasoline, which was highly refined and would definitely meet the qualification for a big boom.

However, returning ships were carrying ballast, which would be either sand or water, so they would be hard pressed to burn at all.

Some tankers did indeed carry Aviation Fuel.
That stuff burns nicely!!
Can't say if there is a load out for that in Game.
:hmm:

[Murr44]

Originally Posted by joho

Hi Im usin GWX and Commander
I have not realistic sinking times, I do however have dud torpedoes so as it is now dec -39 the magnetic function is not reliable. I therefore set to impact if possible.
Like you wrote I do get the targets to stop but I need an additional torpedo sometimes even two of them to sink them.
I once hit a large cargo with my last 3 torpedoes, I was out of deck gun ammo so I couldnt finish her with that. I stayed put for several hours but she just laid there with 20 degrees tilt. So I send a contact report and went home.

There's a section in the GWX manual on damage models & if I remember correctly, it states that most targets will require more than 1 torpedo to destroy them. You will still be able to destroy a ship with 1 shot but it happens far less frequently than in the stock game. I just sank a Greek small merchant in BF 19 and it took 3 torpedoes (2 bow shots & a stern shot). She had been sailing at about 8kts. The winds were at 15m. I set 2 T1's to 3.5m. These impacted forward of her bridge. She slowed to 1kt then increased speed to 2. Not wanting to waste another bow shot I went to flank speed & swung us around for the stern shot. That one hit right underneath her bridge & she exploded.

[Shadowblade]

These ships used coal and deisel. Neither is explosive like gasoline. Coal bunkers in ships were even known to spontainiously combust from time to time so the crews had to know how to deal with coal fires. If the coal bunkers were prone to explosion these fires would have been fatal. In a large ship I have read the coal bunkers even acted as a sort of armor around the engine room.

It seems that coal can be quite dangerous cargo. My last attack on small coal tender was very short - as 20mm flak had no visible effect on her I have switched to deck gun - after single hit with 88mm round tender exploded and sunk...

[geosub1978]

In reallity what made some merchants explode was not the fuel blow, but the engine plant (of course the cargo sometimes..). The older steamers used High Pressure triple expantion engines (pressurising steam inside cylinders) and a mulfunction in this, frequently lead to an explosion, even in peace time. The coal or mazut oil that they used to burn was very difficult to get ignited but seting it on fire cauzed serius effects. Furthermore, the most merchants in both WW were sunk by only one hit even the bigger ones! Of course this took time and some uboats couldn't witness it.
The WAC represents this very well I have to admint!!!

[Murr44]

Originally Posted by Shadowblade

It seems that coal can be quite dangerous cargo. My last attack on small coal tender was very short - as 20mm flak had no visible effect on her I have switched to deck gun - after single hit with 88mm round tender exploded and sunk...

Coal dust, though, is very combustible. All it takes is a spark & KABOOM!