Matrix Games Forums

I know that mines historically in ww2 didn’t sink any BBs or CVs (not that a CV would be in an area this is likely mined, being further out at sea) however during WWI mines were the bane of the dreadnought and I was curious, if a BB does hit a mine it doesn’t do much damage I don’t think. Is there a reason for this? I think the key reason mines were less effective in WWII vs BBs is the fact that other ships were more on the look for mines and that mines rarely came into contact with the mines. However if they hit one they would have been devastating.

Does anyone know anything about the difference of mines in WWI and WII or reasons for the differences in results and such and how the game handles it?

WW II capital ships had better and bigger torpedo bulges than their WW I cousins. Even the WW I era ships in the game are better than they were in WW I because of between the war refits.

I may be wrong, but I also got the impression that ships became much better designed in terms of compartmentalization, and crews got better at drilling and making sure the bulkhead doors worked and could be closed quickly in case of a torpedo or mine.  IIRC a couple of the BB's that went down near the Dardenelles after being torpedoed or mined did so because the bulkhead doors were propped open or unworking.

Anyone else have this impression, too?

Old German predreadnought Schlesien was sunk by mines during WWII.

Beware - mines can and DO sink BBs in WITP.

I finally had a enemy sub hit one of my mines.

Ha ha Joe you port camper u. [:'(]

Funny thing my sub is outta torpedos but it says it has 24 mines so i order mine patrol but how do i get it to lay those mines? It just leaves its station.

change its mission to sub minelaying upper right cortner me boy

I did that, didnt appear to work.

Maybe i had allow retirement.[X(]

hmmm it shoulda worked, strange

Do they have to be RO subs? Cause my I class subs say they have mines on them.

not that i remember, i think there was a special minelayer class boat for the IJN

I 121 i think

ORIGINAL: flanyboy

I did that, didnt appear to work.

Maybe i had allow retirement.[X(]

There's a "do not laymine" toggle for surface mine laying tf's not sure about subs though.

Between the early 20th century and WW II, there were great advances in metalurgy. The steel made around WW I was much more brittle than that made around WW II. I have read that the steel on the Titanic fractured when it hit the iceberg in ways modern steel wouldn't do.

Minesweeping improved a lot between WW I and WW II also. Lastly, BBs in WW II didnt tend to go where mines were often laid. In European waters, battleships largely stayed in port and almost never ventured anywhere near anyplace enemy mine fields would be. In the Pacific, BBs did enter enemy waters for bombardment, but they had the range to bombard from deeper water and didn't venture in where the mines were likely to be.

Bill

ORIGINAL: wdolson

Lastly, BBs in WW II didnt tend to go where mines were often laid. In European waters, battleships largely stayed in port and almost never ventured anywhere near anyplace enemy mine fields would be.

Bill

BB Nelson hit a sub-laid mine in December 1939 and was under repair until April 1940. The Nelson again hit a mine in June 1944 (while supporting the Normandy landings) and was in the repair yard (in the US) until January 1945 then.

Does anyone have any data on the number of mines produced and/or laid by the various combatants in WWII?

ORIGINAL: treespider

Does anyone have any data on the number of mines produced and/or laid by the various combatants in WWII?

There was a good thread on this sometime back, although some of the data was contradicted - it was in the millions of mines - large numbers expended in "barriers" such as in the Channel, around Greenland, etc.

Poland - 110 mines laid. :]

ORIGINAL: flanyboy

I know that mines historically in ww2 didn’t sink any BBs or CVs (not that a CV would be in an area this is likely mined, being further out at sea)

The CV comment is not always true. When I was in the Persian Gulf, TR (CVN-71) encountered a mine. We promptly dropped anchor, and a bunch of crazy EOD guys got on a chopper and went out and took a bunch of pics of it before destroying it.

I assume it was just a floater, but you never know where they will end up...especially if the ship is having to transit a small body of water.

One of the modern Gator Freighters (Iwo Jima?) hit one during DS that left a pretty big hole in her side. Didn't really do much other than that and they are less than 10000 tons smaller than an Essex so in all probablility, a mine is not going to do much to a CV.

ORIGINAL: flanyboy

Funny thing my sub is outta torpedos but it says it has 24 mines so i order mine patrol but how do i get it to lay those mines? It just leaves its station.

If your sub has a "Mine Laying" mission and there are mines aboard,
the sub/subs will lay the mines in the destination hex and then proceed
to their home base...

JIM