Torpedo types

[jazzabilly]

My career has just progressed to 1943; and I see that they are offering steam torpedoes at 100 renown each.

I also noticed that I get as many duds as I ever did. Still double-tapping every target I see (two fish/target, 3 for bigger ships; can't complain too much at an avg. of 40000 grt per patrol)

Did the USN ever use anything like the German TII or TIII's?

Thanks!

[A Very Super Market]

Don't worry, your torps should be getting better soon.

And yes, the Americans did have electric torpedoes, but not in the numbers the Germans had. The TII was the "main" torpedo in the war, but it wasn't much good. Depth-keeping and the magnetic fuse on them was faulty, and only one was fixed (can't remember which).

The American Mk 18 torpedo was electric, and was far more reliable than the Mk 14. It was just slower. Less were made.

[jazzabilly]

Thanks, and I just answered my own question ~ started a career in 1944 to see what there was, and there they were- MK.18's.... sorry to waste your time

The MK 18 is showing in my game as a steam torpedo, though.EDIT: NOPE< SORRY. Just fact-checking myself again. Yes, they are electric.

I used 6 MK 23's on my last patrol and all 6 were duds. Can I get a refund for the renown spent?

I do notice that the overall effectiveness of the torpedoes is pretty much random; lots of duds of course (upwards of 40%+) but sometimes the bad guys light up like a roman candle with one hit (prob. about 10% of the time) whereas most of the time they need two to go down.

Is this accurate?

I know that the Japanese had the most destructive torpedo of the war (Long Lance), but were the USN torp's this "lite"?

[A Very Super Market]

Long Lance torpedoes were oxygen-fueled, so they could stuff more explosives in the warhead. USN (and KM and RN) used more conventional fuel.


Two hits to sink a ship is pretty normal, as a Kaleun I can vouch for it. But the 40% duds.... that shouldn't be happening in '44. Are your torpedomen idiots?

[jazzabilly]

>>Two hits to sink a ship is pretty normal, as a Kaleun I can vouch for it. But the 40% duds.... that shouldn't be happening in '44. Are your torpedomen idiots?

No, I only run one career at a time, and when that sub driver is retired or goes on eternal patrol, I start a new one. I'm only in April of '43; they offered me a Balao Class boat after my third patrol in a Gato (USS DRUM) where on the second patrol I bagged 60K tonnage, including four large tankers and three troopships. On the third and last patrol on that boat, all six MK 23s were duds; two were my fault (left the magnetic pistols in the "on" position) and the other four went off prematurely or not @ all.

I took my Balao on a "shakedown" just out of harbor, kicked her up to top spd, crashdove (an eye popping 20 seconds to get under) and I gotta say, she's a thoroughbred.

So that's that. As far as WW2 sub forces go, USN= wicked fun subs, lousy torpedoes. Germans= good boats (love my VIIc!), good torpedoes. Japanese=mixed bag of subs=excellent torpedoes (and ridiculous tactical doctrine).

Don't know enough about the others, though the RN had some good subs and commanders, In know that their tech. was not up to standard. They lost a lot of boats in the 'Med, as I understand it.

[A Very Super Market]

Well, you have to wait a bit longer before the buffoons up top will change your torps. After that, it'll be (comparatively) smooth sailing. Course, on the Allies side, the war gets easier for you, quite different in the Atlantic.....


The British subs weren't sub-par, just lack-lustre. Average in most aspects, maybe under-average in others, but no HUGE flaws. Main problem might have been quantity. Brits built around 110 S and T class submarines. In comparison, 703 VIIs alone were made, more than 200 US subs, and a similar amount of IJN subs (though most were not combat-designed)

The Med is always dangerous for subs. The water is clear, shallow, and calm. Most of the Brit subs were in the Med, and the larger T class stuck out with its long dive time and beam.

20 seconds for crashdive! Is your sub made of lead? Even a XXI can't do that!

[LukeFF]

Originally Posted by A Very Super Market

The American Mk 18 torpedo was electric, and was far more reliable than the Mk 14. It was just slower. Less were made.

American boats were going on patrol by mid-late 1944 with full loads of Mark 18s.

[jazzabilly]

Just in time for most of the quality targets to become as rare as hen's teeth!