Noob question - best way to deal with PT boats?

[AndriahBlashkovich]

A quick noob question, playing as Japan at the start of the GC, I've seized Manila and Bataan and allied AI has left a TF of PT boats in Manila bay, blocking my ships from clearing mines or engaging them there. I sent a DMS/DD TF to clear them out, but they didn't fare very well, and my naval attack D3A1s seem to be ignoring them. What's the best way to flush them out?

[Mike Solli]

Try using fighters at 100' strafing.

Edit: or fighter bombers.

[AndriahBlashkovich]

Hm, so Fighters, Sweep, 100 FT, target hex where PTs are at?

[Mike Solli]

Ground attack, 100', target is the hex with the PT boats. They'll strafe and drop bombs if they can carry them. Keep an eye on fatigue and morale.

[wwengr]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Try using fighters at 100' strafing.

Edit: or fighter bombers.

I have used fighters that carry a bomb on normal naval attack < 6,000 ft against PT's. Val's should do a good job too. Not many FB's available early in the war. Can't compare to strafing, but I read in the forum several years ago that strafing does little extra damage with higher losses and bombing is most effective. Don't know if that is true. I think I wouldn't use Zero's for this mission, Zero pilots are too valuable to risk on this. Might be worthwhile to set a tight search arc over them to keep the detection high.

...but I am not nearly as experienced at playing Japan as Mike is.

[Mike Solli]

Totally agree that you'll take losses. Use IJA planes if possible. In my AAR, I lost Saburo Sakai in the first week of the war strafing an airfield. I've never had any luck with bombers against PT boats though. The best is definitely FBs, but as you said, they're hard to come by early in the war. I wouldn't worry about losing IJA pilots as much. Also, with all the IJA training sentai, I recommend using 1 to train up strafing in some of your fighter pilots. Those pilots come in handy in China strafing cut off, out of supply Chinese.

[AndriahBlashkovich]

I've set a squad of Ki-27b and Ki-43-IC to ground attack the said hex at 100ft, but nothing happened. Not sure what I'm doing wrong, maybe their 7.7mm and 12.7mm guns are deemed not worth it? I would expect them to at least try. There was no action from them at all during the air phase. Date is 10th Feb 1942, if that's worth anything, and right now I'm not sure I have ANY FBs. (SenBaku still way ahead)

[Mike Solli]

Just realized ground attack is for land targets. Try sweep at 100' the PT hex. Sorry about that.

[nashvillen]

A fast CL and some DDs will also clean them up.

[rustysi]

A fast CL and some DDs will also clean them up.

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Just realized ground attack is for land targets. Try sweep at 100' the PT hex. Sorry about that.

NAV attack at 100 feet , not sweep.

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: nashvillen
A fast CL and some DDs will also clean them up.

This one.
Just pick a night with adequate moonlight so that you not spot them at 2000 feet already torping you. Even if not cleared in the first go, PTs will expend their torps trying to hit those nimble DDs and second turn will be even easier

[spence]

A fast CL and some DDs will also clean them up.

Depending on how many mines are in the hex this may not prove to be such a good idea. Naval Attack at 100 ft by fighters will probably be cheaper (be advised that the fighters may not attack on the same turn they xfer).

[Yaab]

Spence gives good advice. Aircraft are somewhat ineffective against PTs.

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