Can flak guns sink ships?

Originally Posted by Alphafax

I read this thread to see if it worked, and not 30 minutes ago I actually sank a large merchant ship with my 20mm flaks after having damaged it with a torpedo.

So yeah, at least for me it does work.

These mods are the ones I have listed as activated, btw.

GWX Open Hatch Mod
GWX VIIC41 Player Sub Mod
GWX Lite Harbor Traffic Mod
GWX 16km Atmosphere
GWX Late War Sensors and Snorkel Antennas
WB and evan82's XXI 1939 v1.3
evan82's XXI Autocannon mod

It might have been the flood caused by your eel that really sank the large merchant. In GWX big ships sometimes tend to finally sink after hours. Your flak could've just speeded her sinking up but she could've gone down anyway.

[jotabe1984]

hi there captains... sorry if i necro this thread but i really had experience with this subject...

1) let me tell you that in 1939, there was at least one ship sinked by type II u-boot using 20mm. i've read about that years ago, i'm trying to point the exact case but there are too many war patrols to review, i will reply with the vessel.

2) many coast guard vessels across the globe use 20 to 40mm guns against merchant ships (mostly fishing ships and factory fishing ships). 100 2cm holes in a hull can make a lot of flooding, furthermore they will surpass the hull and hit machines and other vital components. 20mm and 37mm guns were very capable guns against small (less than 3000tn) ships.

3) This was correctly reflected on stock SH3, in which you could sink a small vessel with around 300 to 400 rounds of 20mm (i've done that in early games consistently). Only tried with small ships like tramp steamers and ships alike. the tactic was to attack at night at less than 100mtr. in Stock version flooding wasn't a key factor so shoothing all over the ship did the trick (better if moving magazine by magazine from bow to stern).

4) GWX3 nerfed all the submarine guns due (mainly) to the fact that they were a little overpowered against aircraft and escort ships compared with real life. Instead of rising the aircraft and escort hitpoints they nerfed all the AA and AS cannons. I guess this was an easier way, don't really know.

5) That change bring up an "unexpected" increase on civilian ships "resistance" to cannons, this was mainly "OK" since it gives a little more of a challenge (nor really) to 88 and 105mm guns.

6) the change also ****ted all over Type II's which now can't shoot anything heavier than 1500tn ship except if previously damaged. (20mm can still ultimate previously torpedoed targets, but be prepared to waste 1/2 your ammo on something like a Granville-Type Frigate already half ass baked by a torp that didn't actually made the trick in order to save the need of 1 extra torp wasted in a not-so-valuable ship).
I repeat, i have tried to sink by 20mm a small passenger ship, 800 rounds after i gave up... the little ship kept going on.

7) While still being posible to finish up a medium sized merchant already damaged, it is a tedious task to do. not so tedious on smaller ship who eat a torp in a bad spot. Only use 20mm for that

8) Haven't tried 37mm, i was wondering if they could aliviate the need for the 105mm since my Type IX only carries 110 rounds, but for what i've read, its almost the same story as the 20mm.

i might edit damage back on 20mm to restore the lost historical accuracy, moreon since i'm not using any AA for intended purposes except in port when air strikes are massive anyway and no AA can save your ass anyway

[Aktungbby]

jotabe1984! nice first post!

[jotabe1984]

after a (kind of) detailed research i find out these registered 20mm attack on ships by Type II's:

U-3 IIA
sept 30 1939 sinks SS.Vendia (danish 1150tn) torp+20mm gun

U-18 IIB
august 30 1943 sinks patrolcraft (soviet 56tn) 20mm

U-19 IIB
march 19 1940 sink SS. Minsk (danish 1229tn) torp+20mm

U-20 IIB
june 24 1944 sink 4 small motorcraft (all soviets, one of them amphibious craft DB26, 15tn each) 20mm+charges (no further details)

U-22 IIB
november 18 1939 sink SS.Parkhill (british 500tn) 20mm

U-23 IIB
october 4 1939 sink SS.Glen Farg (british 876tn) torp + 20mm
august 24 1943 sink minesweeper TSC-578 (soviet 35tn) 20mm
april 5 1944 sink patrolcraft CS1672 (soviet 56tn) 20mm

U-59 IIC
October 28 1940 sinks 2 fishing boats, St.Nidan (british 565tn) and Lynx II (british, 250tn) 20mm+charges (no further details but by the time of sinking seems like they were both stopped, one sinked by charges and the other ultimated by 20mm)

U-57 IIC
higher score for any Type II, 66mil tn (just added the data for fun)

No type IID ever sinked (or damaged) any ship with their 20mm, U-138 IID holds the highest score for the sub-type 48654 tn. They were the last Type II to be retired from any front (except black sea ships) in late 1941 (so up to 1942 it is historically accurated to use a Type IID, too bad 2nd turret cames in 1943).


FINAL NOTE:
the largest ship ever engaged with a 20mm was 1250tn ship, but the few 1000+tn ship engaged were in fact previously torpedoed.
The largest ship ever engaged exclusively by the usage of 20mm was a 500tn.
It was more frecuently used as repelishment gun against patrolcraft.

At the end of the day the usage GWX3 de facto allows from the 20mm seems like more accurated to the historical usage German captains gave to them. after all despite being "capable" of sinking a larger merchant, no captain on his rightfull mind will stand during hours shooting a merchant that has shurely sent help signal to allied ships

[jotabe1984]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

jotabe1984! nice first post!

Thanks a Lot!

[ArnoldR]

Cool readings!!!