How to use MGB's

[Disco Duck]

I have some MGB's at Cox's bazaar. I don't have many options to use them. They have an ASW of 6 but can not be set up for ASW. I wan't to raid the shipping at Akyab at night. Do I set them to Surface Combat or PT Boat or are they just going to go in in broad daylight regardless.

Or they really just good for Harbor Defense?[&:]

[Jorge_Stanbury]

You can use MGB in "barge" and "landing craft" mission; as some sort of escort for the barges. I have never seen it, but I guess if a submarine attacks a "Barge" TF; the escorting MGBs should defend it


Other than throwing few depth charges to force a submarine to submerge, (throwing mostly blindly due to lack of sonar equipment), MGB are correctly not capable of real "ASW". They lacked the equipment and the stamina to do the job

[Jorge_Stanbury]

if you want to use them as surface raiders. it will be better to convert them to MTBs.

[DuckofTindalos]

The MTB/MGB/PT really didn't carry DC's for ASW (so. many. abbreviations.). They were intended to drop during escape after attacking enemy surface vessels, to discourage pursuit.

[JeffroK]

On McHales Navy.......

And while this was a potential tactic the depth charges were carried to be dropped on subs.
It would have to be a totally improvised attack due to the lack of sensors as mentioned.

[DuckofTindalos]

In the RN and the KM, the DC's were carried for the reason I stated. Same with the RM.

[JeffroK]

Based on???

[Sardaukar]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Peverell_Hichens

The flotilla's second success was the night of 19/20 December 1941, again in the North Sea off the Dutch coast, when two boats engaged two R boats and one E boat. They passed twice at high speed before losing contact, but twice during the night they located them and eventually carried out depth charge attacks.[47] Hichens received a MID for this action,[48] the commander of the other boat was also MID.[49]

DCs in those boats were not ASW weapons usually (since they lacked ASDIC etc.), but anti-ship devices to be jettisoned when in high-speed pass. Must have taken balls of steel.

[inqistor]

ORIGINAL: Jorge_Stanbury

You can use MGB in "barge" and "landing craft" mission; as some sort of escort for the barges. I have never seen it, but I guess if a submarine attacks a "Barge" TF; the escorting MGBs should defend it

Yeah, ASW works in every TF type. I use Escort TFs with few AMcs (which have DC), as submarine hunting TFs, and they attack submarines.

Other than throwing few depth charges to force a submarine to submerge, (throwing mostly blindly due to lack of sonar equipment), MGB are correctly not capable of real "ASW". They lacked the equipment and the stamina to do the job

I do not think game makes any difference for this.

Someone made an experiment some time ago, and the only thing which help submarine detection (apart from crew experience), is number of ASW weapons.

[GaryChildress]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

The MTB/MGB/PT really didn't carry DC's for ASW (so. many. abbreviations.). They were intended to drop during escape after attacking enemy surface vessels, to discourage pursuit.

Hi T,

If you add MGBs to a barge TF in the game will they provide ASW or no? Do they provide AA or anti-surface cover at all?

[JeffroK]

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Peverell_Hichens

The flotilla's second success was the night of 19/20 December 1941, again in the North Sea off the Dutch coast, when two boats engaged two R boats and one E boat. They passed twice at high speed before losing contact, but twice during the night they located them and eventually carried out depth charge attacks.[47] Hichens received a MID for this action,[48] the commander of the other boat was also MID.[49]

DCs in those boats were not ASW weapons usually (since they lacked ASDIC etc.), but anti-ship devices to be jettisoned when in high-speed pass. Must have taken balls of steel.

Not doubting that it was possible to use the DC in this way but this was not their intended use.
Lack of ASDIC would remove most early war DD from being an ASW platform.

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: Disco Duck

I have some MGB's at Cox's bazaar. I don't have many options to use them. They have an ASW of 6 but can not be set up for ASW. I wan't to raid the shipping at Akyab at night. Do I set them to Surface Combat or PT Boat or are they just going to go in in broad daylight regardless.

Or they really just good for Harbor Defense?[&:]

Read this thread for ideas on how to use the small stuff.

tm.asp?m=3038280&mpage=1&key=hdml&#3038721

Alfred

[artuitus_slith]

This is from the war time manual on MTBs (manual can be found here http://www.hnsa.org/doc/pt/doctrine/part1.htm

1501. After expenditure of torpedoes, the opportunity to depth charge surface vessels may arise, particularly at night, and should be seized whenever possible. By proceeding at high speed across the enemy's bow, and launching depth charges set at shallow depths, severe damage to an enemy surface vessel may be inflicted. During the course of this operation a heavy volume of machine gun fire directed at bridge and control stations should be maintained.

Depth Charges were considered an offensive weapon against both ships and submarines. In game terms though they won't use DC against ships as far as I can see, but they are useful in harbor patrols.

[John Lansford]

ISTR at least one US PT boat commander that dropped depth charges in his wake to discourage a Japanese DD from chasing him down. It was at night and the explosions did cause the DD to go look for easier prey...

[rms1pa]

anyone want to do an Uberposten on the plywood navy?

a breakdown on the pluses and minuses of the MGB/ML/HDML/MTB/PTs? it would be a nice look at them.

rms/pa