Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: Kingfisher

I found this web site:
http://www.ptboats.org/20-12-05-trivia-001.html

Doesn't provide a kill list, but I did find this tidbit interesting:

Out of 531 PTs placed in US Navy service, 69 were lost: 5 - destroyed by enemy surface ship gunfire;

So what took 4 years to occur I exceeded by almost 40% in two days. Yeah, somethings not right here.

How sad is this: 2 - kamikaze attacks.

First, hats off to a pilot that could hit a PT boat. Second, WTF was that pilot doing attacking a PT boat?

ORIGINAL: DEB

I guess they don't have the same disregard for lives as us players!

That's a great post.

I have lobbied hard and long (sorry for the sexual overtones) that these games ought to restrict players to some semblance of what was possible for historical commanders.

But, no. All I see is, "We want to mod it," and "Just because it happened historically shouldn't mean we are restricted to doing that," and "I want to explore how it could have been, not how it was," and "If I wanted history, I would go and read a book."

And so on.

I started playing wargames based on the excitement level generated by Avalon Hill's old saying, "Do you ever wonder if you could have done better?"

I want what they got historically. I want to apply my skills and abilities to it and see what I can accomplish by comparison to what actually was done with it.

I could care less about "Suppose they built 183 Yamatos."

I guess that makes me a dinosaur. At least, I'm not a dinosaur who says, "Skrew your asteroid, I'm gonna keep on breathing, eating, and reproducing no matter what."

I'm sure you all hope I don't reproduce. Sorry, I already did. Twice. But don't worry. They wound up hating me, too.

IMHO these tiny combat vessels are almost useless for some time until they gain at least a decent degree of experience. To achieve that you need to employ them continuously, no matter what. Of course you´ll lose dozens of them that way, but the remainder can become a pestilent weapon eventually.

just my two cents

There are no useless platforms in UV.  Everything has it's purpose and if you don't think so read about 2 unappreciated ones:
 
The AV with supplies at a dot base instantly allows flying boats to recon from there.  Don't forget to scoot before your opponent comes by to shut you down.

The P-39 is a great barge killer and not bad against transports too.  You just need to base them close enough to do the job.

ORIGINAL: tocaff

The P-39 is a great barge killer and not bad against transports too.  You just need to base them close enough to do the job.

The P39 is a wonderweapon for crushing enemy transport. A few squadrons at PM and IJN attempts to keep Gili Gili supplied die a horrible death. The same thing happens once you get your toe-hold on Guadcanal.

 I don't mind the PTs getting raked with fire from big guns of surface vessels, I call it the price of doing business with them but the PTs should engage ungarded transports and trade fire with them much more often than they do.  I'm speaking about known large TFs of AGs coming down the slot on their way to Tassafronga. Ditto with Submarines on the AGs.

I´ve never feared the Allied PT boat so much. Occasionally they might get lucky and torpedo a ship but this is rare.

They are worth 1 pt and limited in number, surface ships chew them up. Not a serious threat.

Just from cursory research I didn't find any mention of a PT boat sinking an enemy warship. The main effect of the PT boats was to breakup formations when they struck and not to damage things.

ORIGINAL: Ike99

I´ve never feared the Allied PT boat so much. Occasionally they might get lucky and torpedo a ship but this is rare.

They are worth 1 pt and limited in number, surface ships chew them up. Not a serious threat.

If PTs are combined w/a well-mined harbor, it's a combat multiplier; the PTs will get much better odds hitting IJN vessels already damaged by mines.