Depth Charge Attacks

[George]

Within the terms of the rules, can E-boats carry out depth-charge attacks?

[invisible officer]

Sure. The Data cards for S 38 and S 100 note optional depth charges.

S-Boote could carry up to eight.

[George]

Ah. So the term ‘MTB’ in the rules includes E-boats? Are there any instances of the Germans using this tactic?

[Raxonika]

Yes. There are pictures and records of S boats with depth charges.

[George]

Yes. I’m aware E-boats carried depth charges; but did they use the tactic of dropping them in front of the bows of enemy vessels while passing at high speed?

[invisible officer]

The Kriegsmarine delivered small floats that could be fixed to DC. These kept them near the surface, ready to blow a following enemy up.

But for weight reasons DC are not carried in every Mission. Mines for example are carried on same space. And minelaying was much more often than torpedoe attack missions.

The reserve torpedoes are normally not carried too if DC are on board.

[George]

The DC float sounds like a neat idea. How could we work that one into the game?

[invisible officer]

Hmm. perhaps like a static Torpedo? A marker at the throwing point, the enemy able to change course?

The use was more intended to discourage the enemy from following than for effect.

[Blake Smith]

Might check out youtube. I was watching a video of a British MTB or MGB which depth charges and smoke to discourage sboats chasing them down. I thought it was interesting.

[Mark Skansberg]

How would this work? DC’S explode at set depths, not on contact. That’s why they have mines.

[invisible officer]

Normal DC are constructed to sink as fast as possible.

The Kriegsmarine floats mentioned above made the DC sink much slower and at 15 m (Standard minimum setting) it exploded.

Sinking rate and distance / Speed of follower, a simple calculation over the thumb.

To know that a 60 Kilo SW 18 explosive charge will make booom is not very encouraging.

Most coastal warfare vessel hulls are far weaker that submarine hulls. And near the surface the explosion has much bigger effect against surface vessel than deep against subs.

Most mines had bigger loads but some even less. Like German FM river ones.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by invisible officer.

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