Armed Merchant ships

Flaxpants · 08-16-10, 12:57 AM

Last night I attacked a large merchant just off the spanish coast- as the weather conditions permitted, I thought I would save some torps and take it out with the deck gun. Very quickly I realised that the ship in question was firing back at me, fortunately I managed to deal with him before he caused me any serious damage.
Having not played the game long enough yet to have encountered many different types of merchant ships, I was wondering how many of them are likely to be equipped with guns? Are there certain types of ship that are more likely to be armed? It turned out that this ship was carrying military vehicles so perhaps it has something to do with it's cargo- or do particular types of merchant ships carry guns regardless?

timmy41 · 08-16-10, 12:58 AM

what year?

Alpha Von Burg · 08-16-10, 01:06 AM

As Timmy mentioned, it depends on what year you are playing in. In the the early stages of the war, it was rare to have an armed merchant.

As the war progressed, merchant ships on both sides saw the rising threat of enemy suface ships, submarines and u-boats and had to defend themselves.

HW3 · 08-16-10, 01:10 AM

As the war progresses, it will be the rare merchant that isn't armed.

Flaxpants · 08-16-10, 01:17 AM

Good point- I love the depth of this game!
August 1941, and I'm running GWX gold.

U777 · 08-16-10, 01:24 AM

My career is at March of '41 and Merchants are armed, well all the ones I ran into which means no more fun speedboat style charges with a torpedo lob

Synthfg · 08-16-10, 04:00 AM

39 into 40 it's fill your boots with the deck gun By 41 armed merchies are fairly common, by 43 everything is armed

Flaxpants · 08-16-10, 04:36 AM

Righto then. Thanks guys, learning a new thing every day!

papa_smurf · 08-16-10, 04:56 AM

Quote:

39 into 40 it's fill your boots with the deck gun By 41 armed merchies are fairly common, by 43 everything is armed

Very true

RConch · 08-16-10, 06:40 AM

It has been my experience that any time after December 1940 all large and medium ships are armed.
By mid 1941 all are armed.

bookworm_020 · 08-16-10, 06:36 PM

After 43' the only things that don't have a gun on them is the sail boats and other micro ships!

Flaxpants · 08-16-10, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bookworm_020

After 43' the only things that don't have a gun on them is the sail boats and other micro ships!

Hehe, look out pleasure sailors and fishermen and anyone else in a dinghy!
U-527 coming to a grid ref. near you soon!

sharkbit · 08-17-10, 08:42 AM

Beware-many of the gun crews on merchants are pretty eagle eyed and are quite accurate.

I try to avoid gunning it out with merchants anymore late war. In fact, I usually unbolt my deck gun and chuck it over the side to remove that temptation.

Skunkito · 08-17-10, 09:14 AM

Can you specifically target the gun on the merchant and take it out first? Or does it carry on firing?

(newbie question I know)

Herr-Berbunch · 08-17-10, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skunkito

Can you specifically target the gun on the merchant and take it out first? Or does it carry on firing?

You can try, if you get it then it will stop, but first you do have to get it!

08-16-10, 12:57 AM	#1
Flaxpants Ace of the Deep Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Koh Samui, Thailand Posts: 1,196 Downloads: 168 Uploads: 0	Armed Merchant ships Last night I attacked a large merchant just off the spanish coast- as the weather conditions permitted, I thought I would save some torps and take it out with the deck gun. Very quickly I realised that the ship in question was firing back at me, fortunately I managed to deal with him before he caused me any serious damage. Having not played the game long enough yet to have encountered many different types of merchant ships, I was wondering how many of them are likely to be equipped with guns? Are there certain types of ship that are more likely to be armed? It turned out that this ship was carrying military vehicles so perhaps it has something to do with it's cargo- or do particular types of merchant ships carry guns regardless?

08-16-10, 01:06 AM	#3
Alpha Von Burg Engineer Join Date: May 2010 Location: Unknown Posts: 202 Downloads: 87 Uploads: 0	As Timmy mentioned, it depends on what year you are playing in. In the the early stages of the war, it was rare to have an armed merchant. As the war progressed, merchant ships on both sides saw the rising threat of enemy suface ships, submarines and u-boats and had to defend themselves. __________________ -Kapitänleutnant Richard L. Römer

08-16-10, 01:10 AM	#4
HW3 Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Gresham Oregon Posts: 6,574 Downloads: 458 Uploads: 0	As the war progresses, it will be the rare merchant that isn't armed. __________________ "Some ships are designed to sink...others require our assistance." Nathan Zelk

08-16-10, 06:40 AM	#10
RConch Captain Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: No. Virginia Posts: 619 Downloads: 518 Uploads: 0	It has been my experience that any time after December 1940 all large and medium ships are armed. By mid 1941 all are armed. __________________ "Noch und Noch" Prowling the Nord Atlantik with GWX 3.0.

08-16-10, 06:36 PM	#11
bookworm_020 Navy Seal Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sinking ships off the Australian coast Posts: 5,966 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	After 43' the only things that don't have a gun on them is the sail boats and other micro ships! __________________ "There is always one person in any organization who knows whats going on, That person must be fired"

08-16-10, 12:58 AM	#2
timmy41 Weps Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 367 Downloads: 9 Uploads: 0	what year?

08-16-10, 01:17 AM	#5
Flaxpants Ace of the Deep Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Koh Samui, Thailand Posts: 1,196 Downloads: 168 Uploads: 0	Good point- I love the depth of this game! August 1941, and I'm running GWX gold.

08-16-10, 01:24 AM	#6
U777 Medic Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Chicago Posts: 159 Downloads: 11 Uploads: 0	My career is at March of '41 and Merchants are armed, well all the ones I ran into which means no more fun speedboat style charges with a torpedo lob

08-16-10, 04:00 AM	#7
Synthfg Sparky Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 154 Downloads: 64 Uploads: 0	39 into 40 it's fill your boots with the deck gun By 41 armed merchies are fairly common, by 43 everything is armed

08-16-10, 04:36 AM	#8
Flaxpants Ace of the Deep Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Koh Samui, Thailand Posts: 1,196 Downloads: 168 Uploads: 0	Righto then. Thanks guys, learning a new thing every day!

08-17-10, 08:42 AM	#13
sharkbit The Old Man Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 1,529 Downloads: 334 Uploads: 0	Beware-many of the gun crews on merchants are pretty eagle eyed and are quite accurate. I try to avoid gunning it out with merchants anymore late war. In fact, I usually unbolt my deck gun and chuck it over the side to remove that temptation. __________________ “Prejudice is blind. There will always be someone who says you aren’t welcome at the table. Stop apologizing for who you are and using all your energy trying to change their minds. Yes, you will lose friends, maybe even family. But you will gain your self-respect. You will know your worth. Once you have that, nothing can stop you.”

08-17-10, 09:14 AM	#14
Skunkito Swabbie Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 14 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Can you specifically target the gun on the merchant and take it out first? Or does it carry on firing? (newbie question I know)