Torpedoes and depth charges

[Stainstein]

Just wondering but in the real world where we usually ignore in order to submerge in the realm of botes. What happens to real world torpedoes if a depth charge explodes near them? What do you guys think? Do you think torpedoes would explode due to the force made by the depth charge or will the torpedo come unscathed? This came into question since I saw a youtube video of Wows blunders with someone shooting at a torp with their BB main battery gun. If it does explode then what will happen if WG actually applies that in-game where depth charges are mostly useless unless you face a sub.

[Jackson]

Probably nothing unless it was right on it. Kind of a guess here, but most warheads had, afaik, either magnetic or contact detonators. It could probably throw it off course... Or break it up if it was very close.. as in on top of or right beside it. It would never work as a weapon defense. If it worked it'd be one of those far out chance accidents.

[arjensmit79]

How do depth charges in real life actually work against subs ? Do they need no direct hit ? Just pressure damages the sub ? Or does the expolosion of the depth charge fire any shrapnell/projectiles ?

I could imagine that whatever works against subs also works against torps to some degree.

And when specifically designed for the task i really wouldnt see why not. Iron Dome works well in air. (by having an explosion with shrapnell in front of the target projectile) I can surely imagine something similar working in water.

[christof]

Well, there have been several documented occasions where an incoming torpedo was stopped by gunfire. Not just direct hits, but also with high explosive shells just bursting close enough. So we do know that it is possible (though rarely practical and a desperation move in any case).
Depth charges however would be problematic here, since they'd have to be set to explode at just a few meters depth at the latest. Which would place them so close to the ship dropping them, they'd actually damage said ship. Potentially doing fatal damage themselves.

Now a Hedgehog would likely work in theory, since it fires its ammunition far enough from the ship to not have that problem. But then said ammunition would also only explode when actually hitting something. And the chances for one of the charges landing perfectly like that are not good.

[Jackson]

Originally posted by arjensmit79:

How do depth charges in real life actually work against subs ? Do they need no direct hit ? Just pressure damages the sub ? Or does the expolosion of the depth charge fire any shrapnell/projectiles ?

I could imagine that whatever works against subs also works against torps to some degree.

And when specifically designed for the task i really wouldnt see why not. Iron Dome works well in air. (by having an explosion with shrapnell in front of the target projectile) I can surely imagine something similar working in water.

They don't need to direct hit. A sub's hull is large and if a concussion goes off close enough, it can dent in, spring leaks or crack. No shrapnel/projectiles as any distance in water quickly negates the effect. (For example, just a few feet of water will effectively make rifle rounds non-lethal).

It might work to some degree the same, but the torpedo doesn't have much area to have effect upon, whereas a sub does.

As Christof said above, depth charges on the surface would damage ships just like they do subs. If it would have worked, you can be sure it would have been tried. But the problems I see are...

-1: You'd have to be ready to launch the depth charge within moments of an alert. We're not talking the minutes/hours of a sub engagement, but literally seconds.
-2: It's hard enough to maneuver a ship fast enough to avoid one, but maneuvering so you can drop depth charges on it? Eh.
-3: Torpedoes were mostly effective when they were unseen. That's aside from air attacks of course, which only allow a few seconds from the time the torpedo is dropped to the moment of impact. Sub/Ship launched torpedoes can be and were often dodged if they are seen. If they aren't, it's not like depth charges would do you any good anyway :)

[Grendel_the_Wise]

According to some people like Banzai. Torpedoes just don't randomly show up without video proof.

[Hiei]

Originally posted by Grendel_the_Wise:

According to some people like Banzai. Torpedoes just don't randomly show up without video proof.

That's not just Banzai, that's almost everyone who understands the game.
Also replays aren't hard to get.
Failure to get one seems deceptive to everyone.

[Jackson]

Originally posted by Grendel_the_Wise:

According to some people like Banzai. Torpedoes just don't randomly show up without video proof.

That's because they don't.

[⭐T⭐D⭐]

Originally posted by Horde360:

Just wondering but in the real world where we usually ignore in order to submerge in the realm of botes. What happens to real world torpedoes if a depth charge explodes near them? What do you guys think? Do you think torpedoes would explode due to the force made by the depth charge or will the torpedo come unscathed? This came into question since I saw a youtube video of Wows blunders with someone shooting at a torp with their BB main battery gun. If it does explode then what will happen if WG actually applies that in-game where depth charges are mostly useless unless you face a sub.

90% more chance to see this in WT.

[Banzai]

Originally posted by Grendel_the_Wise:

According to some people like Banzai. Torpedoes just don't randomly show up without video proof.

You really want to do this again? You are even disproving yourself by saying they show up "randomly" in your post above since literally the only way they show up is if someone fired them. Not random - someone using a torpedo weapon and pressing M1. The very opposite of random. The game doesnt conjure them into being for no reason - they are always, and I mean always, launched by a ship/sub/plane.

And as someone else mentioned above, I am hardly alone in stating the fact that they dont just appear randomly. Some people who are new to the game might wonder where they came from due to not seeing a DD (or whatever) that fired the torps because of the way stealth works, but pretty much everyone who has half a clue what they are talking about would suggest you are wrong.

By all means supply us a replay and I for one will be happy to admit I was wrong and you were right. We will wait.