PT Boats

IronDuke_slith · Post by **IronDuke_slith** » Thu Jul 31, 2003 11:44 pm

It's scenario 19, end of October, Solomons and NG are under IJN control.

I'm playing Raver. I'm working out what to do next. Recon tells me
he has several flotillas of PT boats dotted about Luganville and Wunpuko. I've never come up against these before, so if (or when) I go in with the invasion fleet, what are the best tactics for taking these things out? I presume it's best done as part of the invasion preparations rather than trying to fend them off as we move in. What's the best offence against them, overwhelming force (risky as I could get a CA torped for little gain) or Faster DD TFs. Or am I worrying over nothing?

Assuming he pulls them back and then throws them against the landing hexes, how best to fend them off and defend the transports?

Secondly, anyone got any ideas how to get my bomber crew's morale up?

I've managed to amass and concentrate 250 Nells and Betties. However, pilot morale fell by 45% in one turn recently when Raver informed me his hometown wasn't on the map. I know this looks to have been rectified with WITP, but it doesn't strike me as something that will be retrofitted into UV. Therefore, deprived of a chance to strike the most deserving target in the southern hemisphere, I need something to lift the Lad's spirits.

Any suggestions?
Cheers,
IronDuke

wobbly · Post by **wobbly** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 12:17 am

Best anti-PT tactics I have found are FBs on 100 ft naval strike (something it sounds like you wont have the option of here) or a fast flotilla of DDs (usually i like to add a CL as flotilla leader). The speed and manouverability of the DDs allows them to strike and dodge incomings.
Put the DDs on surface combat and your BBs etc on bombardment. Raver may sprint his own surface units in to defend the hexes you are targeting which is why I like to add the CL, they are impervious to the guns of anything less than CLs themselves so unless he starts including bigger ships you should have long lance and heavier firepower to offset his anti-anti-PT missions (if you get my drift).
If he does send in the big boys then your anti-PT mission will be outgunned but it isn't impossible that you inflict reasonable damage with them - maybe a cautious commander?
Because of the speed of your DD TF they get there before the BBs, so they bear the brunt.
The only thing for returning pilot morale to high levels is reduced combat ops i.e none.
To exentuate this you have to remove the sqd to non malarial locations - you only have one of those and that is truk.
Larger bases have less malarial impact though (don't know how this works for morale).

Bobthehatchit · Post by **Bobthehatchit** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 12:19 am

Send a Yamato class in with a few destoryers as escort, it will rip the pt boats appart, and even in they do manage to put a torp into either of those big buggers it wont do much damage!

Don't know if fighter sweeps would do any good? Would they target the pt boats? A zero's 20mm cannon would make a right mess of pt boat.

Admiral DadMan · Post by **Admiral DadMan** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 12:49 am

Originally posted by Bobthehatchit

Don't know if fighter sweeps would do any good? Would they target the pt boats? A zero's 20mm cannon would make a right mess of pt boat.

Naval Attack is the mode to get those little buggers, and A6M2's and A6M3's don't get that option. Sweep missions go after parked aircraft, particularly effective against B-17/B-24 flotillas...

Admiral DadMan · Post by **Admiral DadMan** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 12:59 am

Originally posted by IronDuke
It's scenario 19, end of October, Solomons and NG are under IJN control... I'm working out what to do next... so if (or when) I go in with the invasion... Luganville and Wunpuko.

Prepare to lose at least a full division even before you land...

Originally posted by IronDuke
I'm playing Raver... Or am I worrying over nothing?

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Originally posted by IronDuke
Secondly, anyone got any ideas how to get my bomber crew's morale up?

Two words:
Bob Hope.

Originally posted by IronDuke
I've managed to amass and concentrate 250 Nells and Betties. However, pilot morale fell by 45% in one turn recently... I need something to lift the Lad's spirits.

Check which (if any) HQ's are on base. Squadron CO and HQ CO Insp ratings are the key.

Bobthehatchit · Post by **Bobthehatchit** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 2:11 am

Naval Attack is the mode to get those little buggers, and A6M2's and A6M3's don't get that option. Sweep missions go after parked aircraft, particularly effective against B-17/B-24 flotillas...

I am sure i read that fighters on sweep missons would attack barges and the like?? Is that right??

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Sat Aug 02, 2003 9:14 am

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bobthehatchit
Send a Yamato class in with a few destoryers as escort, it will rip the pt boats appart, and even in they do manage to put a torp into either of those big buggers it wont do much damage!

Don't know if fighter sweeps would do any good? Would they target the pt boats? A zero's 20mm cannon would make a right mess of pt boat. [/QUOTE do not send the Yamato in as I have torped the BB with my PT boats before. Send in DD TFs to decimate them and if any other ships show up the DDs wil give them a welcome.

Snigbert · Post by **Snigbert** » Wed Aug 06, 2003 10:19 pm

I agree with the advice of using a DD Tf with a possible CL added as TF leader. Destroyers were designed for this specific mission (hence there name, Torpedo boat destroyers) and have the speed a firepower to make short work of PTs.

IronDuke_slith · Post by **IronDuke_slith** » Wed Aug 06, 2003 11:40 pm

Thanks one and all for the advice, I think the general concensus is Destroyer task force with a CL leading. Thank you also for the advice re the Bomber crews morale, although that passage was meant as a joke, so what you've really confirmed for me there is that I'm not nearly as funny as I thought I was.

It was good advice, though, and may come in handy. In the game, I've raised the crews morale by letting it be known Raver owns a beach house on Luganville and he has an Ex girlfriend living in rockhampton. The Crews honourably turned down the chance to bomb Rockhampton on the grounds the Ex had already suffered enough.

Luganville is getting the £$%& kicked out of it, though.

Cheers,
IronDuke.

estaban · Post by **estaban** » Wed Aug 13, 2003 10:27 pm

PT boats are a pain in the keister....

I would also recommend using destroyers with a CL or two to lead the task force.

Better yet, if you don't think you will run into any enemy cruisers, make the CLs the Tenryu and Tatsuta. They have about as many guns as the other Japanese CLs, enough armor to shrug off any shell hits from the PTs, are not that great in real surface combat because they don't have long lances, they repair pretty easily, and if heaven forbid they do get torpedoed/mined and sunk, don't give up a lot more VPs than a good sized Japanese destroyer.

Later in the game when you get Nicks, they are useful against PTs when set to 100 foot attack altitude. Lilys might be also, since they are pretty expendable for the Japanese.

Raverdave · Post by **Raverdave** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 4:34 am

Originally posted by IronDuke
The Crews honourably turned down the chance to bomb Rockhampton on the grounds the Ex had already suffered enough.

That remark is going to cost you the war !

PT Boats

PT Boats

Re: PT Boats