The Wrath of PT Boats!

[rev rico]

In five PBEM games I never experienced US PT-Boats being anything other than nuisances. Occasionally they hit something, but usually my Japanese navy just blew them away. Until this PBEM....

A year ago my opponent's PT-Boats were instrumental in the sinking of the Yamato. On a bombardment mission they put numerous fish into her. A US DD also put one into her and she couldn't make it to port.

Now, those little fleas sunk the CA Mikuma all by themselves! It was another bombardment mission along with Mutsu, Nagato, and 5 DDs. Boom, 3 torpedoes and she goes down on the screen. Urgh. At least it wasn't a BB ... well, a sub puts three into Mutsu on the way home and she sinks. Bad day.

I HATE PT-BOATS!

Bob

[pws1225]

Truly, they are evil little things. The work of the devil me thinks. There should be a house rule, no PT boats below 10,000 feet.

[Grfin Zeppelin]

PT-Boats must pay PPs to cross national borders [:@]

[Grollub]

Mmm ... stories like these are wonderful bedtime stories. Makes me all warm and fuzzy [;)][:'(]

[bradfordkay]

This makes me want to watch McHale's Navy re-runs.

[crsutton]

What was the level of moonlight when you ran those bombardment missions? Any sort of low visibility and you are courting death with PTs around. But they never seem to do anything when there is decent moonlight.

[geofflambert]

The answer is simpler than that. Your opponent demoted Adm. Halsey to be a PT squadron commander, the place he should have been all along. Mess with his PT boats again at your peril.

[Admiral Mitscher]

I love the beautiful little things, in the early days they are one of the only ways you can kick your Jap opponent in the pants.

[pharmy]

I almost had Yamato sank as well, I detached most of the DDs to stay with the covering CVE group and here are the results (many many months in drydock right after the shakedown cruise [:(] )

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Midway Island at 158,91, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Mutsu
BB Yamato, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
DD Naganami

Allied Ships
PT-20, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-21, Shell hits 1
PT-23
PT-24, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-25, Shell hits 1
PT-26, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-27, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-29, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-30, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-42, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

[pharmy]

Regarding moonlight - 2000 yard spotting advantage - torps fired at 2000 yards
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 42% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 8,000 yards

[JocMeister]

I have yet to have any of my PT boats do anything meaningful. In September -43 now. [:(]

[Rising-Sun]

There a movie that bring back some memories on how naval combat is carried out, there pt boats as well in Harm's Way with John Wayne in it. Good movie!

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: RisingSun

There a movie that bring back some memories on how naval combat is carried out, there pt boats as well in Harm's Way with John Wayne in it. Good movie!

I am thinking about "They Were Expendable". Good movie

[rev rico]

ORIGINAL: crsutton
What was the level of moonlight when you ran those bombardment missions? Any sort of low visibility and you are courting death with PTs around. But they never seem to do anything when there is decent moonlight.

Surprisingly the Yamato batte was in midrange moon 50% or something near there IIRC. I wasn't afraid and figured she'd swat them away. Nope.

The Mikuma incident was very low moonlight, but I had no idea PT Boats were there. Recon didn't show any so I went in to surprise and bombard his 150+ fighters on the ground.

Since then I've sent waves of DD squadrons in and have sunk 20+ PT Boats over the last 4 nights of combat. They just keep spawning! [:)]

[Miller]

I find sweeps by older IJN DDs and Es with 4.7" guns very good against PTs.

[Numdydar]

If it makes you feel any better, I have not hit a single Allied ship with the Japanesse version of the PT boat (MBT) and it is May '44