Liberty Cargo ships?

HauptmannFox · 02-25-14, 01:51 PM

Hey, everyone. I'm new to SH3 and was playing through my third Career patrol in one of the grid squares between La Spezia and Gibraltar, near the collection of islands in the gulf. I had two boats appear West of me on my map, closing on me at a slow speed. I dove to periscope depth and killed my engine, waiting for them to approach me - which they did. One torpedo quickly took care of the first ship, a basic Merchant carrier. However, the second proved quite a bit more formidable.

Seeing it was classed as a "Liberty Cargo" ship, I fired two torpedos at its prop for good measure just as it passed me. Both hit and damaged the prop, but it kept on surging forward. I quickly blew a 180 degree turn and shifted to Ahead Full to chase it. Eventually, I managed to flank it and fire all four tubes it its starboard side hull. Three of four hit, and again, it kept on moving forward.

I couldn't use my deck gun due to rough seas, and its deck guns were hitting me hard as soon as I surfaced above 7m, so I again repositioned facing its starboard side and fired the last of my reserve torpedoes. Three more hits. It was smoking at this point, but still hadn't sunk. I followed it for a good six hours as it moved towards Gibraltar before I had to pull out and return to port.

Can anyone tell me how to sink these bastards effectively, if it's even possible? Thanks.

maillemaker · 02-25-14, 02:28 PM

I've never heard of any merchant taking that many successful hits and surviving.

I find the toughest merchies are those small 2700 ton jobs.

Steve

scott_c2911 · 02-25-14, 05:00 PM

Ive never had to put more than 4 torpedoes into any ship to sink it let alone stop it. This sounds very strange to me, it could be a bug but ive never heard of one being this severe. The C2 cargo in stock was notoriously hard to sink but 4 torpedoes was normally enough for that too

HauptmannFox · 02-25-14, 05:29 PM

Sixth patrol this afternoon, same gulf region, almost directly south of La Spezia. I again encountered a Merchant Ship escorting a Liberty Cargo tanker. Lining up on the starboard side of the Liberty Cargo, I fired all four tubes and sunk it instantly by the time the third had impacted.

I then made quick work of the Merchant with another single torpedo and surfaced, placing a watch crew on deck and continuing southeast towards the hostile island port - its name eludes me at the moment. Not six in-game hours later, I had a bomber squad on top of me, eight planes in total.

Feeling reckless and a bit foolish after my success on the Cargo ship, I set my crew to the Flak guns (three light, one heavy) and engaged the squadron. As their bombs fell all around me but never actually hit me, I peppered them and managed to destroy all eight.

After patrolling my grid for 24 hours, I returned to La Spezia without contact. Not a bad day for a beginner.

desertstriker · 03-01-14, 09:33 PM

The no sinking issue sometimes happens when I break one of these rules

Always save when surfaced.
Always save when in control room, F2, view.
Always save at least 50km off shore.
Always give the game a little time at TCx1 after being on high TC before you save.
Never save with any known contacts, go some 50km away from your last sinking.

TECHNICOLOR · 03-03-14, 04:23 PM

From time to time I meet a unsinkable ship,usually a merchant ,in bad weather. This is what probably happened to you. Just let him go, it might be glitch, an easter egg (something like the stories sailors say about phantom ships roaming the seas manned by the souls of sailors long dead and who were denied the privileged of rest after death ).
Anyway, very few ships deserve more than two torpedos.

02-25-14, 01:51 PM	#1
HauptmannFox Nub Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 4 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Liberty Cargo ships? Hey, everyone. I'm new to SH3 and was playing through my third Career patrol in one of the grid squares between La Spezia and Gibraltar, near the collection of islands in the gulf. I had two boats appear West of me on my map, closing on me at a slow speed. I dove to periscope depth and killed my engine, waiting for them to approach me - which they did. One torpedo quickly took care of the first ship, a basic Merchant carrier. However, the second proved quite a bit more formidable. Seeing it was classed as a "Liberty Cargo" ship, I fired two torpedos at its prop for good measure just as it passed me. Both hit and damaged the prop, but it kept on surging forward. I quickly blew a 180 degree turn and shifted to Ahead Full to chase it. Eventually, I managed to flank it and fire all four tubes it its starboard side hull. Three of four hit, and again, it kept on moving forward. I couldn't use my deck gun due to rough seas, and its deck guns were hitting me hard as soon as I surfaced above 7m, so I again repositioned facing its starboard side and fired the last of my reserve torpedoes. Three more hits. It was smoking at this point, but still hadn't sunk. I followed it for a good six hours as it moved towards Gibraltar before I had to pull out and return to port. Can anyone tell me how to sink these bastards effectively, if it's even possible? Thanks.

02-25-14, 05:00 PM	#3
scott_c2911 Engineer Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: West Midlands, Uk Posts: 203 Downloads: 71 Uploads: 0	Ive never had to put more than 4 torpedoes into any ship to sink it let alone stop it. This sounds very strange to me, it could be a bug but ive never heard of one being this severe. The C2 cargo in stock was notoriously hard to sink but 4 torpedoes was normally enough for that too __________________ KLt S. Cooksey commanding U-2528 ... .. -. -.- / - .... . -- / .- .-.. .-..

02-25-14, 02:28 PM	#2
maillemaker Sea Lord Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,639 Downloads: 75 Uploads: 0	I've never heard of any merchant taking that many successful hits and surviving. I find the toughest merchies are those small 2700 ton jobs. Steve

02-25-14, 05:29 PM	#4
HauptmannFox Nub Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 4 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Sixth patrol this afternoon, same gulf region, almost directly south of La Spezia. I again encountered a Merchant Ship escorting a Liberty Cargo tanker. Lining up on the starboard side of the Liberty Cargo, I fired all four tubes and sunk it instantly by the time the third had impacted. I then made quick work of the Merchant with another single torpedo and surfaced, placing a watch crew on deck and continuing southeast towards the hostile island port - its name eludes me at the moment. Not six in-game hours later, I had a bomber squad on top of me, eight planes in total. Feeling reckless and a bit foolish after my success on the Cargo ship, I set my crew to the Flak guns (three light, one heavy) and engaged the squadron. As their bombs fell all around me but never actually hit me, I peppered them and managed to destroy all eight. After patrolling my grid for 24 hours, I returned to La Spezia without contact. Not a bad day for a beginner.

03-01-14, 09:33 PM	#5
desertstriker Eternal Patrol Join Date: May 2012 Location: mod soup bar and grill Posts: 1,756 Downloads: 998 Uploads: 0	The no sinking issue sometimes happens when I break one of these rules Always save when surfaced. Always save when in control room, F2, view. Always save at least 50km off shore. Always give the game a little time at TCx1 after being on high TC before you save. Never save with any known contacts, go some 50km away from your last sinking.

03-03-14, 04:23 PM	#6
TECHNICOLOR Sailor man Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Romania,Near the Danube Posts: 49 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	From time to time I meet a unsinkable ship,usually a merchant ,in bad weather. This is what probably happened to you. Just let him go, it might be glitch, an easter egg (something like the stories sailors say about phantom ships roaming the seas manned by the souls of sailors long dead and who were denied the privileged of rest after death ). Anyway, very few ships deserve more than two torpedos.