Tanker's or Jap Q-ships? | Forums

[A_R_T1963]

So I come upon two modern tankers sailing in an inline formation. I give them each two torps; doesn't even slow them. So I chase them at nine knots submerged (it's daylight, off of the Solomons, 1943). I catch them, give them one more torp each. Slows them to 7 knots. I surface to use the deck gun, when each tanker opens up with large deck guns fore, aft, center, and smaller caliber machine guns all over the superstructure. I slug it out with them, hitting the forward deck gun with five inch armor piercing, HE, and quad fifty caliber machine gun fire. No effect on the open manned deck gun. An additional torp each, and many deck gun rounds finally puts them under. A few hours later, two more tankers appear. I put three torps in each, at the keel. Then I chased them and added one more torp each. Surfaced to finish them off, and both unloaded on me with large and small caliber rounds, and a blinding searchlight which made it nearly impossible to aim the deck gun. They nearly sank me, but two more torps each sank them. Anyone have similar trouble with modern tankers?

[SecondBog]

Yes, Had the trouble on the tankers and a couple of merchant. I put 2 torps into a mid size merchant, speed dropped to 4 knots, surfaced the boat and shot it out with the 5 inch. The merchant had two cannons fore and aft and 3 machines guns.

[kikn79]

Originally posted by A_R_T1963:
Anyone have similar trouble with modern tankers?

Funny you should mention this. I was just thinking the same thing the other night. June 1942, no radar, night. heavy fog and storming like a mutha.

Out of no where, I get damage reports, crash dive to find a tanker firing at me. I manage to get below with minimal damage and fire the 4 stern tubes at him. Three hit (one preemie)and he slows from 9kts down to 8. I whip around and give chase and send 3 more fish his way. One hits (one preemie, one dud) and he still keeps going. I fire the other three fish forward at him and two hit (one dud). So this is now 6 torpedoes that he has in his belly. And he's STILL making about 4-5kts!!! Burning and listing badly to port but still on his way. I go around to his other flank and send another three fish into him. All three hit and he finally stops but is just sitting there burning. I get tired of the situation and surface directly astern of him (so his forward gun can't hit me) and put about 40 rounds into the water line and he FINALLY starts to sink. Now, what tanker commander sees a submarine and picks a fight? Plus, what ship takes 10 torpedoes to sink unless it is major man-o-war?

If you think about it, Tankers would make the perfect Q-ship. Big platforms for some good sized guns and you could fill the hold with water, so if there was a fire, you could easily put it out. And if you put a hole in the side, it really doesn't matter, because it's already filled with H2O.

Chuck

[RogerDodger1946]

Originally posted by SecondBog:
Yes, Had the trouble on the tankers and a couple of merchant. I put 2 torps into a mid size merchant, speed dropped to 4 knots, surfaced the boat and shot it out with the 5 inch. The merchant had two cannons fore and aft and 3 machines guns.

I've noticed that some merchants are really hard to sink with torpedos or gunfire, or both. Especially the 'Modern' or 'European' merchants, and both of these types are invariably well armed. Neither are particularly good shots, but it doesn't take much to seriously wound an S-Boat.

I've also noticed that my S-Boat seems to have two guns, and one of them always shoots wide, while the other gets about 60% hits.

Also, I haven't seen any tankers (except docked) even though I'm in the Celebes Sea - the prime sea lane for oil/gas tankers on their way to Japan from the Dutch East Indies. But, I digress . . .

ANY torpedo put into the machinery spaces (under the stack) of ANY merchant should put a 3' to 4' hole to the sea into the engine spaces, causing immediate flooding, and taking out at least part of the engine crew. The newer ships were probably using oil-fired boilers, but the older merchants might have been fired with coal. WET COAL DON'T BURN GOOD! ANY good torpedo hit into the engine spaces should certainly cause a ship to stop, even though it would drift awhile.

As far as Tankers go, same story if you hit into the machinery spaces. If the torpedo hits into any of the oil holds, it would, at least, cause a massive spill, and probably a fire. If the tanker is loaded with aviation gasoline (130-140 octane), it should most likely explode, and destroy the ship.

I really think that the merchants and tankers are a little too hardy for historical accuracy. I was hoping that Trigger Maru would take care of this, but perhaps this is not moddable.

[A_R_T1963]

I think for accuracy, any ten-foot wide hole in the keel of a ship should slow it down, eventually sink it. Six such holes should definately do so!

[Hardy_Buck]

Not trying to insult you folks but are your torpedoes set to correct depth. As mentioned above loction of hit is critical, engines are good, fule tanks even better, ammo stocks better still. I normally set dpeth to about 50-70% of draft, and recently have been delighting in getting good shots right on the bow, with the result that the prop comes out of the water and she's like a piece o'drift wood!
Tell you what I have noticed though, the ole destroyers have a draft so shallow the torp is nearly on the surface, I've been setting torp depth to just under 1m!!!
Paddy

[RogerDodger1946]

Originally posted by Hardy_Buck:
Not trying to insult you folks but are your torpedoes set to correct depth. As mentioned above loction of hit is critical, engines are good, fule tanks even better, ammo stocks better still. I normally set dpeth to about 50-70% of draft, and recently have been delighting in getting good shots right on the bow, with the result that the prop comes out of the water and she's like a piece o'drift wood!
Tell you what I have noticed though, the ole destroyers have a draft so shallow the torp is nearly on the surface, I've been setting torp depth to just under 1m!!!
Paddy

How do you change your aiming point? When I 'L'ock on a target, the aiming point is directly under the stack (engine spaces). Changing the gyro angle is pretty 'iffy', especially when shooting at over 1500 yds/meters.

See my previous post above for comments on torpedo hits in the machinery spaces.

[kikn79]

Originally posted by RogerDodger1946:
How do you change your aiming point? When I 'L'ock on a target, the aiming point is directly under the stack (engine spaces). Changing the gyro angle is pretty 'iffy', especially when shooting at over 1500 yds/meters.

See my previous post above for comments on torpedo hits in the machinery spaces.

If you unlock the target, and manually aim at different parts of the ship, that is where the torpedo will be sent to. I usually try to fire three at a standard medium freighter (one under each mast and one amidships)

Chuck

[EW2Baird]

Make sure you can clearly the the ship in your scope. Hit the L key to unlock, put the cross hair on the part of the ship that you want to hit and fire. The TDC will adjust to the point at which you are actually aiming your scope. I usually try for one in the front of the boat and one about 2/3 of the way back to start with. For some reason I dont see the 3D damage on them even though I have in fact nailed em twice.

[Tater-SW-]

Well, oil floats, so opening holes shouldn't do too much quickly.

OTOH, in the stock game tankers are not holding "fuel" as a cargo. "Fuel" must be avgas, cause if you hit one filled with fuel it usually just explodes.

tater