Deck gun tactics | Forums

[gabriel_cd]

I had the opportunity of a lifetime last night. Nice weather and ran into a large convoy that was only escorted by a destroyer and an armed trawler. I had almost all my torpedoes, VIIB. I sunk the escorts first, then proceeded to sink four C2's, a T2 and a T3. At this stage I had no torpedoes left , since I had a couple of duds and I had also used some of my deck gun ammo.

I only managed to sink four other small/coastal merchants out of about a dozen before I ran out of ammo.

At the end of the patrol I had around 72,000 tons, which I know is fantastic, but this is the sort of scenario in which other people manage 100,000+!

Please, someone help! There are some that complain about how powerful the deck gun is and some that boast a dozen ships sunk with the deck gun alone. I only manage to sink a few ships with the deck gun before I run out of ammo...

Questions:

Where should I be aiming?

What sort of ammo combination?

How many shots should I expect to fire?

How long should I wait after firing some shots? (I usually keep firing until I get the target destroyed report.)

Is the AA gun of any use against shipping? (I manage to blow up crates and the like, but not sure if it damages the ship?)

Any other tips?

Thanks! Happy hunting!

[gabriel_cd]

I had the opportunity of a lifetime last night. Nice weather and ran into a large convoy that was only escorted by a destroyer and an armed trawler. I had almost all my torpedoes, VIIB. I sunk the escorts first, then proceeded to sink four C2's, a T2 and a T3. At this stage I had no torpedoes left , since I had a couple of duds and I had also used some of my deck gun ammo.

I only managed to sink four other small/coastal merchants out of about a dozen before I ran out of ammo.

At the end of the patrol I had around 72,000 tons, which I know is fantastic, but this is the sort of scenario in which other people manage 100,000+!

Please, someone help! There are some that complain about how powerful the deck gun is and some that boast a dozen ships sunk with the deck gun alone. I only manage to sink a few ships with the deck gun before I run out of ammo...

Questions:

Where should I be aiming?

What sort of ammo combination?

How many shots should I expect to fire?

How long should I wait after firing some shots? (I usually keep firing until I get the target destroyed report.)

Is the AA gun of any use against shipping? (I manage to blow up crates and the like, but not sure if it damages the ship?)

Any other tips?

Thanks! Happy hunting!

[alanschu]

I assume you are using both ammo types.


Having said that...aim below the water line. I usually hit them with a few AP rounds below the water line and then shoot some more HE rounds...all below the water line. Bigger boats I fire more AP rounds. I know with the IXB and it's 105mm gun, I can sink a small merchant in 3 shots....I just have to be patient.


If you want to maximize your ammo usage, do NOT fire until it says target destroyed. A lot of the times you shoot up below the water line, the ship will slowly list and possibly capsize.

[IcarusXP]

I never manned an 88 on high seas with people shooting at me, But in the game I have noticed an ignorant player is more acurate than AI.

God bless my crew, every one of their lazy arses!

Tactic #1. Never engadge a destroyer. leave them alone. Their way to danderous for tonnage.

Tactic #2 Close to 4500 k and slow to standard speed. Use the UZI to check range, then go to the gun and set range and fire three rounds, go back to the UZI, check range, go to the gun, and fire three rounds, ect...ect...it takes abour 20 hits to sink a C-2 cargo.

[gabriel_cd]

Thanks for that!

Yes, I use all types of ammo, including starshells...

Does 'below the water line' literally mean below the water line? Should I be seeing the impact on the hull or should that be below the water?

[recon_ray]

Heh, I ran into a lone C2 today. I only had my two rear torps left, so I fired one, hit, but it was still going at 5 knots (hit didnt explode dead center). I shot my last rear torp, missed entirely. Since no one was around, I decided I would surface and deck gun it. Of course, I had already used all my AP and HE shells, so I loaded up my star shells. Well, all I can say is it took all the rounds I had to sink the ship, and I'm not even sure that's the reason it sunk. I don't really know how well starshells can punch through steel hull, but I did try waterline shots. Still, anyhow, the ship sunk.

As for not engaging destroyers, I guess they're bad because 1.) they usually spot you first and 2.) once they're on to you, itll be a long time before you lose them. But, if you happen to spot one first, and have time to set up before they notice the sound, and then lurk all silent, you can probably get one. I am in Nov '39 and I encountered one heading straight at me, with some time. I set up perpendicular to its path, went to about 14m and stopped engines. Waited and waited, and then fired when he lined up with me. 1 shot 1 kill, hit it in the rear (I guess destroyer's speed also makes them harder to hit). But of course, the destroyer was on an obvious linear patrol, and it didnt spot me. If it had been hunting me, I would have been forced under; if it was zig-zagging at its speed, I don't think I could hit it. I guess I was just lucky, but it was 1500 tonnes.

What time period are you? I'm pretty new to the game, but in 1939, the seas off the west of Scapa Flow are apparently teaming with lone C2s; I must have sunk 12 of them with deck guns; but I havn't been lucky enough to bump into anything bigger than a C2 or a Coastal Merchant.

[TheFastFreddie]

Usually it takes a few tankers to get to 100k or some bigger ships. Aim at the waterline from about 1000m if they are unarmed. 5-7 to sink most small ships and 12-18 to sink bigger ones. Also let the ships take on some water so give it some time in between shots. Sometimes they will just roll over from the flooding.

[alanschu]

When I say below the waterline, I definitely mean below it

Try to get a splash just before you hear an explosion. Sometimes you might see a bit of the explosion break through the surface...those tend to be the most effective ones I find. I shoot up an area with a few AP rounds, and then pelt it with more HE rounds. I figure I've already got the flooding started with the couple of AP rounds....my HE rounds should complicate any repairs and maybe damage some internal parts of the ship now that there is a hole in it.

[SchroeterU-123]

hi
Like all the others say shoot the water line and on the fuel tank or engine area but is better fuel tank it break the boat im two +or- 4 or 5 rounds AP and +or-6 or 7 HE dont forget SS rounds in tankers are also good to blow them do u have the great mod FULL VULNERABILITY MANUAL MOD in the http://www.subsim.com/subsim_files/patches.html copy and past the link its a great one not only have the fuel area,ammo area,engine area etc, and also the renow for the boats

Salute and Happy Hunting

[jhelix70]

the deck gun is modeled strangly. There really was no reason for a submarine to carry armor piercing (AP) shells. The smallest ship that had armor were light cruisers, destroyers (and other smaller escorts) were not armored. There is a reason why they were called "tin cans"!!!