IT IS FRIGGIN BAD ENOUGH

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Damien Thorn
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RE: IT IS FRIGGIN BAD ENOUGH

Post by Damien Thorn »

ORIGINAL: brisd
I think the lesson here is to not venture too close to shore with valuable capital ships.

The lesson is to not play WITP till fixed.

No, just use the editor to change the PT class to PG. A PG is not much different from a PT excapt it doesn't gt the special code advantages (ambush, all but immune to air attack, and God knows what else).
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Ron Saueracker
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RE: IT IS FRIGGIN BAD ENOUGH

Post by Ron Saueracker »

Nobody commented on my PTs as Aircraft idea![;)][&:][:D] Too rich or too late?
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Mike Scholl
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RE: IT IS FRIGGIN BAD ENOUGH

Post by Mike Scholl »

ORIGINAL: Ron Saueracker

Nobody commented on my PTs as Aircraft idea![;)][&:][:D] Too rich or too late?

Not a bad notion, just a little late. I would speculate that the re-coding would make
it impractical for a "patch". Probably a more realistic "restriction" would be to limit
PT boat anti-shipping efforts to "reaction moves" of maybe 2-3 hexes from a base.
Let them chase barges to their heart's content, but only be able to engage major
surface assets in a short reaction move from an established PT Base. At least that
would keep them from chasing Kido Butai around the ocean.
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Ron Saueracker
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RE: IT IS FRIGGIN BAD ENOUGH

Post by Ron Saueracker »

ORIGINAL: Mike Scholl
ORIGINAL: Ron Saueracker

Nobody commented on my PTs as Aircraft idea![;)][&:][:D] Too rich or too late?

Not a bad notion, just a little late. I would speculate that the re-coding would make
it impractical for a "patch". Probably a more realistic "restriction" would be to limit
PT boat anti-shipping efforts to "reaction moves" of maybe 2-3 hexes from a base.
Let them chase barges to their heart's content, but only be able to engage major
surface assets in a short reaction move from an established PT Base. At least that
would keep them from chasing Kido Butai around the ocean.

Check out an earlier post of mine on this thread...it deals with the present model. My query pertained to the last paragraph of that same post.
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Mike Scholl
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RE: IT IS FRIGGIN BAD ENOUGH

Post by Mike Scholl »

ORIGINAL: Ron Saueracker
Check out an earlier post of mine on this thread...it deals with the present model. My query pertained to the last paragraph of that same post.

Are you implying that someone should actually READ your ENTIRE POST??? Next thing
you know you'll be expecting 2by3 to pay attention to these things......
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mogami
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RE: IT IS FRIGGIN BAD ENOUGH

Post by mogami »

Hi, Once again I think it is a case of wanting to change the game rather then playing practice. If you keep a CV TF 120 miles from an enemy base for 3 days SOMETHING is going to come out at night and want to play. OK so a player who had never played Japan in UV might not know how to deal with PT via air but it was allowed for all 3 days if the groups had been set properly. Divebombers and Torpdeo bombers would not have produced the desired results. (They also do not attack submarines)
The PT boats were built to prevent that type of enemy behaviour. (Camping out in reach)
120 miles is not a problem for a PT and we seem to be assuming the Pacific is always a raging tempest tossed area. (If that were so we would have to assume the CV could not launch aircraft)
Any aircombat TF has escort but in addition when you think the enemy might actually engage with a surface TF you place a surface combat TF with the aircombat TF. This TF will always be engaged before your CV TF is. It is in the code. A surface TF must be attacked before another TF in the same hex with a lower surface combat priority.
The PT will not be effective unless you allow them to be effective and in this case they must be effective or there is no reason to bother including them.
I've been attacked by many PT and yes they have from time to time hit one of my capitol ships. (But I always have a surface TF with any CV TF that I believe there is a remote chance of encountering a enemy surface TF so they have never hit one of my CV) (And none of my CV TF have ever been attacked by an enemy surface TF although surface combat did occur in the same hex)
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Ron Saueracker
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RE: IT IS FRIGGIN BAD ENOUGH

Post by Ron Saueracker »

ORIGINAL: Mike Scholl
ORIGINAL: Ron Saueracker
Check out an earlier post of mine on this thread...it deals with the present model. My query pertained to the last paragraph of that same post.

Are you implying that someone should actually READ your ENTIRE POST??? Next thing
you know you'll be expecting 2by3 to pay attention to these things......

???Whoa, Nellie![;)]
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Yammas from The Apo-Tiki Lounge. Future site of WITP AE benders! And then the s--t hit the fan
Mike Scholl
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RE: IT IS FRIGGIN BAD ENOUGH

Post by Mike Scholl »

ORIGINAL: Ron Saueracker
ORIGINAL: Mike Scholl
ORIGINAL: Ron Saueracker
Check out an earlier post of mine on this thread...it deals with the present model. My query pertained to the last paragraph of that same post.

Are you implying that someone should actually READ your ENTIRE POST??? Next thing
you know you'll be expecting 2by3 to pay attention to these things......

???Whoa, Nellie![;)]

GOTCHA!
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Ron Saueracker
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RE: IT IS FRIGGIN BAD ENOUGH

Post by Ron Saueracker »

ORIGINAL: Mogami

Hi, Once again I think it is a case of wanting to change the game rather then playing practice. If you keep a CV TF 120 miles from an enemy base for 3 days SOMETHING is going to come out at night and want to play. OK so a player who had never played Japan in UV might not know how to deal with PT via air but it was allowed for all 3 days if the groups had been set properly. Divebombers and Torpdeo bombers would not have produced the desired results. (They also do not attack submarines)
The PT boats were built to prevent that type of enemy behaviour. (Camping out in reach)
120 miles is not a problem for a PT and we seem to be assuming the Pacific is always a raging tempest tossed area. (If that were so we would have to assume the CV could not launch aircraft)
Any aircombat TF has escort but in addition when you think the enemy might actually engage with a surface TF you place a surface combat TF with the aircombat TF. This TF will always be engaged before your CV TF is. It is in the code. A surface TF must be attacked before another TF in the same hex with a lower surface combat priority.
The PT will not be effective unless you allow them to be effective and in this case they must be effective or there is no reason to bother including them.
I've been attacked by many PT and yes they have from time to time hit one of my capitol ships. (But I always have a surface TF with any CV TF that I believe there is a remote chance of encountering a enemy surface TF so they have never hit one of my CV) (And none of my CV TF have ever been attacked by an enemy surface TF although surface combat did occur in the same hex)

OK, Russ. I've had beer but NO pizza! Therefore, the beer is speaking predominantly.[:D]

PTs are not naval vessels perse, aside from the fact they are Navy manned. One can't assume they are kamikazes. The ability the game gives them presenty is exactly that though. They do not suffer morale checks. They do not travel at 350 miles/hr and can't be "vectored" to a deep sea hex to engage a "vastly superior surface force" in a mid ocean naval engagement if a player decides to loiter 120 miles off shore. Coupled with this is the naval combat model, which includes them as major surface combatants and allows them to trade blows with said "vastly superior surface forces" on not exactly even terms (PTs have the advantage more often than not, as one PT may receive the concentrated fire of defensivce ships while the others a few hundred yards away don't receive any fire) and close to point blank range and fire torps under ideal conditions (like they were subs or DDs with director/TDC control)

Point is ( I'm getting lost) is that it should not be that PLAYERS decide to use flawed forces the way they do, the GAME MECHANICS should limit them (the players) from doing so. This way, there is no need for work arounds and such by the betas which perpetuate and embrace inherent flaws which may OR may not exist.
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Ron Saueracker
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RE: IT IS FRIGGIN BAD ENOUGH

Post by Ron Saueracker »

That kinda makes sense. I'll give it a redo in the next installment.[;)] 7.0 Holsten "Festbocks" talkin' now!
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UncleBuck
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RE: IT IS FRIGGIN BAD ENOUGH

Post by UncleBuck »

I replied to your PT as aircraft idea Ron, I am hurt you didn't read teh entire diatribe [:D]
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Caltone
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RE: IT IS FRIGGIN BAD ENOUGH

Post by Caltone »

ORIGINAL: Ron Saueracker
OK, Russ. I've had beer but NO pizza! Therefore, the beer is speaking predominantly.[:D]

PTs are not naval vessels perse, aside from the fact they are Navy manned. One can't assume they are kamikazes. The ability the game gives them presenty is exactly that though. They do not suffer morale checks. They do not travel at 350 miles/hr and can't be "vectored" to a deep sea hex to engage a "vastly superior surface force" in a mid ocean naval engagement if a player decides to loiter 120 miles off shore. Coupled with this is the naval combat model, which includes them as major surface combatants and allows them to trade blows with said "vastly superior surface forces" on not exactly even terms (PTs have the advantage more often than not, as one PT may receive the concentrated fire of defensivce ships while the others a few hundred yards away don't receive any fire) and close to point blank range and fire torps under ideal conditions (like they were subs or DDs with director/TDC control)

Point is ( I'm getting lost) is that it should not be that PLAYERS decide to use flawed forces the way they do, the GAME MECHANICS should limit them (the players) from doing so. This way, there is no need for work arounds and such by the betas which perpetuate and embrace inherent flaws which may OR may not exist.

Ron drunk or not that's an excellent summation of the problem. People are using them as capital ships when under game mechanics they more closely resemble air squadrons (Uncle Buck made this point as well)

Someone earlier in the thread mentioned changing the class to PG's. Perhaps this should be explored more? Again, the more game mechanics necessitate the need for house rules, the more it needs to be looked at.

House rules should be for things like "only PH port attack on turn 1" or "only invading when you have air cover" not for things like "Don't send PT fleets 180 miles offshore to engage the main body" Sorry folks that's a little more than experimenting with different uses for various weapons platforms.
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steveh11Matrix
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RE: IT IS FRIGGIN BAD ENOUGH

Post by steveh11Matrix »

A stab in the dark: How about limiting in code PT boats to shallow water hexes, which has to have been their principle deployment zone?

Even if it's not 100% correct, it's better than what I see reported here, which is at least 75% wrong...

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RE: IT IS FRIGGIN BAD ENOUGH

Post by Twotribes »

I dont agree. The fact is that PT boats WERE considered expendable and WERE sent on missions where they could reasonably expect not to return.

If the Japanese player CHOSES to park his Carrier Task Force near enough to a base with PT boats for them to come out to play, with out adequate surface ship protection, he deserves what ever happens.

The only thing that needs to be addressed is how the aircraft react to PT Boats, a change allowing fighters to come down to strafe them is a reasonable request, trying to tie them to a port so they are useless anywhere else is not.
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freeboy
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RE: IT IS FRIGGIN BAD ENOUGH

Post by freeboy »

It is not only that pt are used ronly I mean wrongly[X(] pun intended Ron, it is that they take almost no damage from capital ships at range ... if in an actual sea battle no bb tf commander would let a pt, very fragile boat come near enough to lunch his torps...
Just at 10 - 15k they would be spotted and destroyed.. quickly...
There are no super fast boats like today, they could not magically get inside 10k yards...
and even at those ranges would come under such fire as to make an attak really stupid.

I do not have a problem with pts as cannon cfodder against capital ships forcing them to expend amunition. I do not have a problem with using them against slower tf, transports etc.. but I do see GLARING problems with the way they interact in day surface battles....

And in regard to air attacks, ?? what is up with that?
So the great pt debate goes on... this one will be around for awhile I guess...
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RE: IT IS FRIGGIN BAD ENOUGH

Post by UncleBuck »

Freeboy, have you ever been at sea on a Ship? Have you ever gone up to teh observation decks let alone the Yard Arms? I ahe been up a Mast 200 Feet above teh water, and I had a hard time seeign the Fishing boats in San Diego Harbor at 3km.

PT BOats Submarines and other small boats are hard to pick up. Radar against small boats is nearly useless in WW2, as they coudl nto pick out the boat from the sea clutter. Visual sighting was required. Lookouts woudl not see teh PT's untill they were fairly close, and the Large guns on BB's and Cruisers would have difficulty tracking a fast closing boat.

The PT or Sub would be able to and did track large surface ships at 10KM away, since the Mast would stick up above the horizon. It would just be a matter of biding there time and pickng the moment.

If you get in a position for PT's to get to your Surface forces they can do damage. The PT's should have to fight through screening vessels and be suceptable to Aircraft, but the Heavies are not immune to the MTB.

UB
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freeboy
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RE: IT IS FRIGGIN BAD ENOUGH

Post by freeboy »

Ideally however, I believe that the PT model be more drastically revamped. What if PTs were like torpedo plane squadrons rather than naval TFs? PTs are more like planes than ships in WITP, anyway. They would behave more like PTs I bet, and the defensive fire would be more realistic, as all PTs (now aircraft) would be subject to more realistic defensive fire, they would not be pounded incessantly by multiple hits from BB main guns on down (bizarre how the PTs take so much punishment, let alone can be tracked by main battery turrets which seem to swing like the B17 ball turrets), and the balls necessary to drive these suckers is modelled for pilots (morale/fatigue). Size of squadrons will be fixed...say six or so, and so would the number of squadrons (just research the number of historical squadrons in the various navies and voila, a max amount is set), eliminating the possibility of unlimited hordes of PTs.

Ron,
Having limits on pt usage vs limits on ability is agreat distinction... do you think a combat model change is in order? Certainly seems so.. thanks
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PT Killers

Post by Popoi »

I agree that PTs should be hard to hit, and hard to find in naval searches that are set at high altitudes.

BUT
(a) If you have naval search set at below 1000 feet, you should be able to SPOT them. Since they can create a tremendous wake if running fast.

(b) Air should at least make an ATTEMPT to strike at them, even IF their approach altitude is 10k or whatever.

OR

(c) you should be able to have ASW missions apply to BOTH PTs and Submarines. That way you could have a squadron assigned to ASW duty hunt for both Subs and PTS? Maybe that's a bad idea, since you would want to put a fighter or fighter bomber on PT hunting duty, but a level bomber on ASW duty...


Here's a n00b question..

- Do PTs fight well against PTs?
- Can you have PTs accompany a TF (escort)
- could you then refuel the PTs at sea

that would give you good PT protection.

what's the ultimate PT killer in the game?
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RE: PT Killers

Post by UncleBuck »

The Ultimate Killer of everythign in the game is Coastal Guns. they Kill PT's dead.

Yes you can put PT's in a TF and they will be parasitic to the main ships. I have not seen PT vs PT, JP has none, but I have seen PT versuse Barge (AG) and they do ok, better than teh barges.

I still want to try the LCI(G) in he anti barge role. Better durability heavier gun but slower, much slower.

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mogami
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RE: PT Killers

Post by mogami »

Hi, Do you know what one of the largest fears a present day USN Battlegroup commander has in the Gulf? High speed motor boats. You don't see them and when you do it is too late to call for air. Large guns are useless. Today in the Gulf every US warship has machineguns and 20mm manned 24/7 for protection against those cigarette boats and the TF is over 100 miles from the coast. (I know I stood my share of watches behind a .50cal with the CO hopping up and down in CIC because he thought small boats were in the area)
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