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Some refugee PT Boats from Manila ran into a large Japanese transport fleet, thought I might get a lucky hit or two...

But, I didn't expect the following massacre.

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Day Time Surface Combat, near Jolo at 74,90, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Koei Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
PB Kyo Maru #12
AK Yamasimo Maru, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Sydney Maru, Shell hits 9, on fire
xAK Hawaii Maru
xAK Kagu Maru
xAK Kano Maru, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Tokai Maru, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Arimasan Maru, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Rasin Maru, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Allied Ships
PT-31, Shell hits 1, heavy fires
PT-32
PT-33
PT-34
PT Q-111
PT Q-112
MTB 8
MTB 9
MTB 11
MTB 12

Japanese ground losses:
4462 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 205 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 362 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 11 (3 destroyed, 8 disabled)





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Day Time Surface Combat, near Jolo at 74,90, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Koei Maru, Shell hits 83, and is sunk
PB Kyo Maru #12
xAK Sydney Maru, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Hawaii Maru
xAK Kagu Maru, Shell hits 3
xAK Tokai Maru, Shell hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
PT-31, heavy fires
PT-32
PT-33
PT-34
PT Q-111
PT Q-112
MTB 8
MTB 9
MTB 11
MTB 12

Japanese ground losses:
1515 casualties reported
Squads: 22 destroyed, 62 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 114 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)





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Day Time Surface Combat, near Jolo at 74,90, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Kyo Maru #12, Shell hits 26, and is sunk
xAK Hawaii Maru
xAK Kagu Maru, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Tokai Maru, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
PT-32
PT-33
PT-34
PT Q-111
PT Q-112
MTB 8
MTB 9
MTB 11
MTB 12

Japanese ground losses:
2312 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 129 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 166 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)





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Day Time Surface Combat, near Jolo at 74,90, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Usugumo, Shell hits 23, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAP Kamakura Maru
PB Yamahagi Maru #3, Shell hits 2

Allied Ships
PT-32
PT-33
PT-34
PT Q-111
PT Q-112, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
MTB 8
MTB 9
MTB 11
MTB 12, Shell hits 1







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Day Time Surface Combat, near Jolo at 74,90, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Ikazuchi, Shell hits 26, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
PB Ikunta Maru, Shell hits 13, on fire
xAP Terukuni Maru

Allied Ships
PT-32
PT-33
PT-34
PT Q-111
MTB 8
MTB 9
MTB 11, Shell hits 1, on fire
MTB 12

Made my Cruiser attacks look feeble in comparison!

Cheers
TopCat

That will wear off, I done similar too, but after a string of success, the Jap Navy is on the lookout and the Jap TFs evade me. [8|]

[X(]

All 3 ARs i saw had big PT results like the Light Cruiser and 4 DDs ( 1 sunk) loosing to 3 PTs .

Another guy wasnt worried about Boise he put his Sallies on PT duty.

I dont think these are aberrations due to the frequency of this happening in AARs.

That's a lot of torpedo hits for 10 PT's, but similar to what I've been seeing too.  One of my MTB TF's torpedoed and sank Maya in a surprise naval battle north of Brunei, and I've also had successful attacks in broad daylight against a docked transport TF.  Eventually though the PT's will pick up system damage, slow down and the IJN will start using old DD's to chase them down or escort the TF's.  I also found that CV's and their heavy AAMG's are death to PT boats; one squadron found Ryujo and she shot up two of them before they could get in range to fire.

I thought the same thing.....I counted 19 torpedo hits here, and those boats carry a total of 20. Smal sample size, FOW, transports, etc, I get it, but still................95% hit rate? That seems high to me. And other players are reporting outsize results for PTs.

I should have saved the screen shot, one of my PT TFs completely mauled a transport TF in the same way, without losses. While great for me, that's not realistic.

I love AE, though I think on the list of objectives for AE was reducing PT effectiveness, or at least making it more dangerous for the PT boats. Has that happened?

Yes I've been repeatedly massacred by Allied PT's near Rabaul. Were they this effective? I thought they were basically floating tin cans with a torpedo attached...

Does the Original Poster have the just before Combat save or at least the turn that generates the combat?

Hm,hope the AFBs haven't been given to free reigns in AE [:-] [;)]

Its being looked at

All of these are at 1,000 yards. Enemy PTs get that close, you're in sheep dip.

from what I have seen so far in my PBEM game it is not that PT boats are hitting to often, it is that enemy ships firing at them can't seem to hit them at all. I have had several clashed where my screening force has shot at a PT task force closing from 10000 yards and couldn't hit anything. Were talking about 7 DDs and a CL from a navy that was supposed to be pretty good at hitting what it aimed at (at least early in the war) I mean they have run out of ammo shotting at the little buggers[:D]

I had a daytime engagement at Lingayen Gulf where the PT boats closed from 21,000 yards all the way to 2,000 yards, torpedoed and sank the transport, then retired to 21,000 yds and disengaged with the two escorts firing at them (and got no hits) the whole way.

ORIGINAL: Andy Mac

Its being looked at

Not too hard I hope as I offer this counter point.

I have the KB off the southern coast of the Celebes and I have two PT boat squadrons on each side of the strait. When the KB is in range of both groups, I target them in a sort of variation of the 'hammer/anvil' technique beloved of Japanese torpedo bombers. The net result...

Two shell hits on Kaga (MG/Light Cannon - like that hurts [;)])
Two PT boats sunk


This result is consistent and repeatable - the boats launch 24 torps (Dutch 45cm ones) not one hit...

So like I say don't look too hard as I think you have it right. PT boats vs unescorted merchants (that handled like bath tubs in sea state 10) = carnage.
PT boats vs anything that can fight back and manoeuvre - a bit like being bitten by midge...

Their machine guns are almost as deadly as their torpedoes (against destroyers and the like), but in turn the enemy can't hit them with machine gun fire at 1000 yards.

Cheers
Top Cat

Dont look at the merchant one . Look at the CL and 7 DDs from Miller41 and the 4 DDs in the other game.  If DDs/Escorts cant hit them there is an issue.

For my upcoming game I'd like to ask for the names of the PT boat captains. [:D]

Too be honest I was liking the teeth the PT boats had, as I have not had much luck with them in regular WitP. But after the results I just got on Dec. 30th 1941 off the coast at San Fernando in the Phillipines, I have to start scratching my head a little. I will post the report once I figure out how to collect the reports. I know there were some variables of the night time combat that were in my favor here, but I think my PT boats are jumping sharks or at very least Fubuki class destroyers. I don't understand how they are getting so close completely unscathed. Is there something in the programming that does not allow some ships to fire AAMGs and other smaller guns at PTs?

Historically there were MANY PT attacks during the war and the total result were insignificant  I remember a light cruiser damaged and maybe 1 DD sunk ( though not sure) and that was over the whole war.  It is certainly likely that the AA guns are not attacking them ,25mm AA guns vs PT boats is not pleasent.

Only 7 total PT boat losses in entire war due to enemy surface ships according to this source...

http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq60-5a.htm