AAR-smalltalk corner

[modrow]

ORIGINAL: vettim89

On 24 October 1944, Admiral Nishimura tried to force Surigao Strait in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The first ships that met his force were 39 PT Boats. These boats had been packaged up and strapped to the decks of AK's that were part of the invasion force. They were offloaded, unpacked and made operation in less than 72 hours. So all you JapFanBoys griping about the instant appearance of PT's as being ahistorical really are barking up the wrong tree.

Well... I am not exactly a Jap fanboy, but a "balanced game rather than historical correctness" fanboy for sure. I agree to your statement re. effectiveness of the PT boats. A second problem is organisation into several TFs - nothing like letting the steam out of a bombardment TF than making it encounter one surface engagement after another. Works not just with PTs, but losing PTs just does not hurt, so one can accept these losses (even more if they kill DDs on a regular basis in return).

But I actually think your example shows that the complaints of Jap fanboys is not exactly barking up the wrong tree. To model the approach you describe in WitP, you create a transport TF and PTs in a harbor, load the PTs onto ships (i.e. integrate them into the TF) and send it them to wherever you feel they should be. But that's not how it works. Instead, you send a TF somewhere and if you decide the need occurs, BOOM - the PTs appear. So you have them at your disposal wherever needed, without any additional effort. Btw, Nippon has a similar tool (AGs). They tend not to kill DDs, but I think they can be used in the same way to slow down bombardment TFs. Problem for Nippon is though that to close down an Allied base effectively, often naval bombardment is a must, whereas the Allied player can do it with 4E bombers...

Just my 2cts

Hartwig

[Alfred]

cantona2,
 
If you want to bring along a replenishment TF simply to refuel your combat TF, then you only need to include AO loaded with fuel in the replenishment TF.
 
Alfred

[bradfordkay]

I am one who thinks that all major items should be transported from the home ports in the way mentioned by hartwig above, not just PTs. If you want replacement aircraft, they had better have been transported to a replacement depot within flying range of the unit needing them. Why should PTs be limited to this if aircraft, tanks, guns, radar sets, torpedoes, etc are still allowed the "add water and mix" method of creation?

[jumper]

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

I am one who thinks that all major items should be transported from the home ports in the way mentioned by hartwig above, not just PTs. If you want replacement aircraft, they had better have been transported to a replacement depot within flying range of the unit needing them. Why should PTs be limited to this if aircraft, tanks, guns, radar sets, torpedoes, etc are still allowed the "add water and mix" method of creation?

Would be nice, but the game would be true logistic nightmare in such case..

Many players think PTs are too effective. Yes, they are. But as I posted it is the combination of overeffectivness and availibility what makes them such an "ultimate" weapon.
As a japanese player you may decide, that loosing 6 DDs in exchange of 36 PTs is worth of it, because it will allow you raid some important base or bombard airfield BEFORE allies will be able to bring new PTs. But it will be allways worthless if allies can just click-click-click and PTs are back the day after they have been all destroyed. And It can be done again, again and again until japanese side runs out of DDs.

Your point regarding aircraft, tanks, guns, radar sets etc is correct in the meaning they don´t have to be shipped, but there is a big difference between them and PTs. It doens´t matter how many replacement aircraft you will draw from the pool because they are not combat ready instantly. PTs are. They can be build and fight at the the same turn. The same goes for the other stuff. Heavy weapon takes forever to be build and in malaria bases it is really hard to make them combat ready. Truly it would be more effective and quick if they could be build separately and shipped to unit. All these things have some "dark side" in exchange for no need to ship them from the factories. PTs have no such dark side. They are simply perfect and that is why they should be limited while other stuff don´t IMO..

[Hortlund]

To my opponents.
Im going away over the weekend with the wife and kids. No turns from me until monday.