I find this morning that have urgent inquiries regarding PT-Boat pools...
I am in dire need of replacements in the Formosa region. I have many PTs on the map, once located in former front-line posts, now well to the rear and far, far from Formosa...
If I place these "Return to the Pool", how fast do they become available to be generated in Formosa?
Are they costly to buy out of the pool?
As always, thank you, gentlemen,
Hag
It takes about three weeks (haven't done it often enough to nail it down, and there may be some randoms involved or calculation of time from current location to pool to new location.)
Cost is about 64 tons of supply per boat, and they spawn in multiples of six IIRC (pools and supply permitting).
Thank you, BB!
I was uncertain these "re-spawned" boats would cost political points in addition to supply points... kind of like purchasing seat licenses for the privilege of buying a season ticket?
Well, three weeks is three weeks. Might as well get started.
Actually all the previously made PTs were to be available for use along the "Noose"—the envisioned contain-line from Amoy to Marcus. But perceived exigencies take precedence. And I have the sensation I'm going to need a lot of these in the Formosa battle very soon...
If your PTs are close enough to Formosa (say, the Marshalls or closer), just put them in a TF and set it to follow a larger ship that has enough fuel to share on the way there. They may get some system damage but they can be there more quickly.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
1.) Captain Haggard's PT Boats unleashed a relentless onslaught against Japanese War and Transport ships within the vicinity of Formosa. Explosions sparkled across the night sea sinking and damaging thirty-six (36) Japanese ships. At dawn, Helldiver, Dauntless, and Avenger squadrons sunk or damaged an additional eighteen (18) Japanese ships.
***Only one major Japanese Warship was a hit (a CL took 2 hits; heavy fires). The other 53 Japanese ships sunk or damaged were TK (1), CMs (2), PBs (6), SCs (10), xAKLs (8), xAKs (23), and xAPs ((3).
2.) An Allied destroyer dented a Japanese submarine near Saipan.
3.) Japanese bombed Chungking and Kweiyang in China.
4.) Allies bombed Moulmein, Burma and dues west of Paoshan, China; and bombarded due west of Paoshan.
***Although the Allies had a good day, El Lobo no doubt managed to land additional ground forces on Formosa, at Chengchun. Depending upon the size of these additional Japanese reinforcements, the Allies may need to also reinforce Formosa. At this time, the only viable way for the Allies to reinforce Formosa is to fly a couple Marine Divisions from Amoy to Takao. Accordingly, the losses suffered by El Lobo today may result in being well worth the price as it will slow down the Allied advance in China.
Synopsis of Combat Action for Today
1.) Allied Destroyer hits Japanese Submarine near Saipan (hex 113,97).
***Of the Japanese losses, The Haggard Group accounted for 36 sunk or damaged Japanese ships (9 sunk, 4 heavily damaged, 8 on fire, and 15 damaged) and for 1,099 Japanese casualties.
You lost 10 of the best US fighters (P-47D2) at Moulmein. I am guessing you had them escorting the bombers, which severely handicaps their air combat abilities against the Japanese Frank. IMO the Thunderbolts and Lightnings should be sweeping and less capable fighters used as escorts. In other AARs I think I have seen warnings that P-47 production dries up for a while so you will not get replacements during critical periods.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
You lost 10 of the best US fighters (P-47D2) at Moulmein. I am guessing you had them escorting the bombers, which severely handicaps their air combat abilities against the Japanese Frank. IMO the Thunderbolts and Lightnings should be sweeping and less capable fighters used as escorts. In other AARs I think I have seen warnings that P-47 production dries up for a while so you will not get replacements during critical periods.
BBfanboy-
The Thunderbolts were on LRCAP with a range of 2.
Best Regards,
-Terry
"No one throws me my own guns and tells me to run. No one."
1.) Captain Haggard's Submarines and PT Boats wreak havoc again within the Vicinity of Formosa sinking or damaging ten (10) Japanese ships. El Lobo takes out his anger on Allied Aircraft destroying 42 and damaging 26 while only suffering an additional six (6) damaged ships.
2.) The Allies deliberately attack and capture Hengyang and Swatow in China.
3.) Japanese bomb Chungking and southeast of Kweiyang.
4.) The Allies bomb Moulmein, Burma, bomb due east of Paoshan, and bombard due east of Paoshan.
5.) The Stars and Stripes report that they have received 286,000 requests from Allied sailors and soldiers asking the whereabouts of Bella Arbel.
If your PTs are close enough to Formosa (say, the Marshalls or closer), just put them in a TF and set it to follow a larger ship that has enough fuel to share on the way there. They may get some system damage but they can be there more quickly.
BB—
Gotta say when I first saw this I thought, No way... but the more I think of it, it's possible... course, it's hard to say for certain who owns a particular chunk of the Philippine Sea on any given day, but... hmm...
It's hard to discover a more friendly PTB operational area than the combination of 3-4 mainland bases along the Formosa Strait, Perscadores and 3-4 bases around Formosa itself—all to hit other Formosan targets, Iriomote, Ishigari, Batan, Orchid and beyond.
The expendables expending many a Japanese merchant vessel. How many PT boast were in the first attacks?
Bif,
Admiral Rio is correct in citing 120 total in regards to the number of boats in the operational area at it's zenith. Now it's less, probably 80-90.
The original attacks used about 60, however. I am concerned about nocturnal surface bombardments against our bases—all we have to defend them are SS and PTs. Have to hold some back.
1.) El Lobo shock attacks and captures Karenko, Formosa.
2.) For the third consecutive day, Captain Haggard's PT Boats and Submarines pummel Japanese ships within the vicinity of Formosa sinking or damaging thirty-three (33) ships; including but not limited to, setting a CL on fire and damaging three (3) destroyers. The Japanese sunk or damaged eight (8) PT Boats. Furthermore, the Japanese now own the sky above Formosa (damn Franks).
3.) Japanese bomb southeast of Kweiyang and Chungking in China, and near Pagan, Marianas Islands.
4.) The Allies bomb Moulmein, Burma and due west of Paoshan, China, and bombard due west of Paoshan.
**Special Communique**
Siangtan, China
October, 27, 1943
Hengyang lies behind us, back down the sinewy highway that winds through the China of popular imagination, of terraced rice fields and ruined shrines and rustic villages nestled along narrow streams. At the roadblock on the outskirts of Siangtan, the Chinese guards seem to expect us. At least they ogle Bella with familiarity—she wears her combat jacket over a saucy black evening dress, a garment that she borrowed from an old acquaintance named “Marco” in Hengyang.
“The Baedeker man?” I ask.
“Not even close, green person,” she laughs.
We follow directions down to the river, a gap of gravel between a twisting shoreline of seamless lengths of three- and four-story ramshackle residences. The bottom floors consist of exposed stacks of ballast—sandbags and boulders—that disappear into the river and prevent, I imagine, the entire neighborhood from washing away.
When the boat arrives—an insane top-heavy contraption with porcelain gunnels, it already holds ten passengers, all dressed as swank as Bella. A blonde woman from Macao wears a striking gown of black silk and leopard skin with matching wrap. Her partner, a Frenchman from Indochina attired—as all the males present—in immaculate tuxedo, operates the tiller. He wears a leather mask over one side of his face, which doesn’t fully hide his wounds.
We wedge ourselves in with held breaths. Bella sits on my lap and fills me in: “You’ll adore the Tianxin Pavilion... it’s walls actually encase a steep little hill and the buildings and gardens form a tall maze... you’re up, you’re down, you’re inside and then you’re outside and you can’t really tell where you are, except those occasions when you can glimpse stars through the Milky Way trees, and when you try to reverse your course there are so many tiny lanterns illuminating different paths, you can never be sure which way you’ve come...
“This night of Harmony Quest no couples can begin together, it’s forbidden... they’ll split us up of course... relocate you with the other men in the lower gardens to start... you’ll have to search for me... and all through your search you’ll be accosted by men desperate to find their wives and girlfriends—while the women you come across frequently do everything they can not to be found by their men—including pulling you into the shadows to hide! It’s fun!”
As she twists excitedly toward me, the older Chinese man across from us presses her long leg between his knees—a leg exposed by the risque slit in her evening dress.
“Jambes jolies,” he says to her with a purr.
“Merci,” she laughs, making no attempt to cover-up, despite the growing chill.
I confess: All these days in the rear have made me apprehensive of the van. I can’t help myself. “Uh, Bella my love—you say this pavilion is in Changsha? I hate to be a party-pooper, but last I heard Changsha is still in the hands of the Japs, no?”
She paws in her evening bag for her Chesterfields. “What of it? Harmony Quest only happens once a year. No one who is invited would think to skip it just because a few armies face-off.”
“There’ll be Japanese at this party?”
Bella glances at the Chinese gentleman as if embarrassed for my concern: “I’m afraid you’ll find the presence of Japanese isn’t as unique to us as it is to you—”
“Understood, but I’m the one in uniform—”
“Oh, I’m sure many of them will be, too,” she states, accepting her admirer’s light, then patting my chest, “and you look fine at any rate.”
The slit parting her dress now exceeds the upper limits of her black stockings. The Chinese admirer, leaning forward, massages his fingertip on the strip of exposed white upper-thigh. “Bas gui,” he purrs with a wink.
“Oo-la-la!” laughs the admirer, showing a mouthful of immaculate gold.
The river has panned out and there ahead Changsha looms in gentle evening pastels. As we putter under the long bridge, low enough that one instinctively hunches, I sense movement in the shadows directly above us—
Sure enough, amid the underside joists of the bridge, dangles a Japanese soldier. Steadying himself and lowering his hands from the wires that connect the explosive package, he looks like a concerned schoolboy as he studies me; he waves.
Bella slinks her arm around mine and nestles close: “My advice to you, dear Tiger Hunter, is to appear spectacularly brazen tonight!” She giggles breathlessly in my ear, and with a little flick of her tongue, says, “Move fast and sure—the Japanese guests will think you’re one of those crazy PT-Boat boys and give you wide berth—”
Submitted,
F.W. Bloomquist-Rose, LT USNR
SPECOP Haggard Group
LT Bloomquist-Rose provides a senuous description of Changsha.
However, trying to corral him to imbed with the 1st Marine Division versus inbed with his temptingly curved driver is like trying to herd a fresh hatch of Mayflies.
I suppose I will have to make the perfect presentation with Bella Arbel attached to the end of the floating fly line and give it an attractive tug to hook LT Bloomquist-Rose and drag him to the 1st Marine Division.
*laughing hard*
Your pal,
-Admiral Bravo
"No one throws me my own guns and tells me to run. No one."
3.) Japanese bomb southeast of Kweiyang (hex 75,50).
1 destroyed (Ki-49-IIb Helen).
43 Allied Casualties.
4.) Japanese bomb Chungking.
No Japanese losses.
13 hits (Manpower).
5,073 (Fires).
5.) Naval and Air Combat within the vicinity of Formosa.
159 Japanese Casualties.
Japanese Ships Damaged (9 ships):
CA Atago: damaged.
E Fukue: damaged.
E Saishu: damaged.
E W-27: damaged.
xAK Ryuyo Maru: damaged.
xAK Kurohime Maru: heavy fires.
xAK Meiko Maru: heavy damage.
xAK Tensyo Maru: heavy damage.
xAKL Kiinjosen MAru: on fire.
Japanese Aircraft Losses (6 destroyed and 15 damaged):
