I need to kill AGs

[brent_2]

I remember this being a topic once-upon-a-time, but it's been a while and I can't find it...

what's the best way to attack and sink these things?...they're like ants...you kill a bunch and they keep coming and coming and coming.....

[GBirkn]

Fighter-bombers set to naval attack at 100 feet will do a job on AGs. This mission is about the only thing that the P-39 is good for. But they'll still keep coming and coming -- they're cheap and plentiful, which is precisely why they're sent into harm's way.

[Hartley]

So will SBDs.

[Denniss]

Some of my subs near Rabaul like to put some shells in any AG they see - sometimes even a torp if low on shells [:D]
My SBD and TBF only see them put usually do not attack but P39 often tries but hit rate is low

[Drex]

I agree on the use of P-39s. haven't had any success with SBDs and you're asking for trouble by using subs. I have had more than one sub damaged by barges. In fact some guys use Barge TFs to hunt subs: i.e. the sub will attack the barges on the surface and then are subject to barges MGs.

[grraven2004]

Definatly P-39's are best. However with them being such short ranged weapons I do use subs. I do have some get hit by MG fire but most of the time this damage is very minimal. You can put 2-3 subs in a sealane and within a few weeks those subs are going to clear most of those barges out.

[Drex]

PTs are still better than subs. Why risk damaging a sub for a zero point kill? You've been lucky to only sustain minimal damage.

[AmiralLaurent]

Any naval plane with order 'naval attack 100 feet' will attack barges. P-39 are the best planes to use for this, as they can do little else. But I have seen SBD, TBF, A-20, B-25, B-26, Hudson, Beaufighter and Beauforts attack AG.

In my IJN 1943 games I also lost tens of AG (5-10 a month) to Allied planes flying naval search. Seems to me that the exp of the Allied plane and the SYS damage of the barges count a lot for this attack. AFAIK new barges with SYS 0 are almost never hit but barges running for a long time (and having SYS of 5, 10 or more) are routinely sunk.

Barge-hunting with subs is a waste of time. Subs are far more useful chasing bigger game.

You may use PT boats close to your bases. Or other warships, as barges are slow and may easily be intercepted at sea = no react of IJN ships. Your DD may win some easy experience. Once one of my AG TF ends the movement turn in the same hex as an USN CV TF and gets sunk by the BB of the surface escort TF...

Some mines may disrupt easily the barge activity as they will have to sail round them and may lose one day in Solomons. Needless to say I have never seen an AG survive a mine hit.

In the past I used to launch long-range strikes on barges with Hudsons and Beaufighters, from example. I now considered that it is a waste of planes. Barges are replaced easily by IJN but there is a maximum number available at the same time. Barge busting at close range is a good training mission but at long-range may be costly.

[Maserati]

I was in, of, May of 1943 as the ALlies and was bombarding Buka. A Bombardment TF built around a fast BB and 8 CAs ran into about 20 AGs in two TFs. We got almost all of them

[scorryuk]

AGs really starting to get annoying! Playing as US in July 42 and AI seems to be using these as main source of supply. Probably cos I put 130 of his ships on the ocean floor- mostly transports and DD escorts. Still don`t want any supplies getting through to his forward bases though, regardless of how they get there. If I kill enough of them (subs are sinking most of them) will they stop, or will they just keep coming to end of war?

[barbarrossa]

ORIGINAL: scorryuk

AGs really starting to get annoying! Playing as US in July 42 and AI seems to be using these as main source of supply. Probably cos I put 130 of his ships on the ocean floor- mostly transports and DD escorts. Still don`t want any supplies getting through to his forward bases though, regardless of how they get there. If I kill enough of them (subs are sinking most of them) will they stop, or will they just keep coming to end of war?

Sub-layed mines perhaps?
How's your air dominance? DD's might make the life of the AG sailor kindof rough too if you can cover them with some fighters. But I guess it will depend on where the supply convoys are being used.

[AmiralLaurent]

ORIGINAL: scorryuk
If I kill enough of them (subs are sinking most of them) will they stop, or will they just keep coming to end of war?

Well I have lost 265 in one of my IJN games (date is begin July 1943), roughly 40 by month since 1943 arrives. I receive roughly as much barges as my opponent sinks each week, so I sent them back to the frontline as quick as possible. I'm so able to bring some supplies to forward base (including Tassafaronga, with Lunga an Allied base, but that is a one-way trip for 95% of the barges involved, and they only sail under bad weather).

[crsutton]

B25J set at 100 feet and naval attack will slay barges. 12 forward firing 5.0 cal MGs will shoot them up. If your experience level is up over 70-any medium bomber group will shoot them up as well.

[AmiralLaurent]

ORIGINAL: crsutton

B25J set at 100 feet and naval attack will slay barges. 12 forward firing 5.0 cal MGs will shoot them up. If your experience level is up over 70-any medium bomber group will shoot them up as well.

Yes but only bombs hits sink them.

[marky]

i rmember hearing and reading that PT boats were GREAT as barge busters

i think i heard it on Great Ships - PT Boats

they would load the PTs with machine guns, 37 mm, 30mm, and they would just SLAUGHTER the Jap barges

they were used in pretty much the same role in Europe and the Med, but there they had to contend with E-boats and "super barges" called F-lighters

but of course, ur in the pacific, and u dont have a problem with eboats or f-lighters

so- dedicate sum PTs to barge busting

do a little mine laying as suggested, use sum DDs as suggested, and air cover as suggested

and that should greatly reduce enemy supply lines (in theory)

keep in mind i havent been able to play this game...

but i personally think its decent advice [:'(]



though IMHO, using a torp on a barge seems a tad wasteful (and a bit EXCESSIVE perhaps), BUT, if it gets the job done.........................[;)]

[Arkady]

against AG are B-17 good too

set them to 1000 feets on Naval Search (100%)
+ they increase experience very quickly
+ provide naval search for very big area
+ regularly they put bomb on AG, DD and other ships they spotted

[brent_2]

to report back - I've had some luck with SBDs and can report fair progress with P-39s....

haven't tried any heavier groups - they're too busy working on the airfields right now.

[Bobthehatchit]

ORIGINAL: brent_2

to report back - I've had some luck with SBDs and can report fair progress with P-39s....

haven't tried any heavier groups - they're too busy working on the airfields right now.

Beaufighter's work quite well against barges as well although you only get one squadron of them. I Usually us them with a few P39 groups alternating them to keep the opp losses and fatigue down, Flying out of PM Hudson or PBY's flying air search you will rack up massive barge kills.

Question is, is it worth all the opp loses to do this continuously?

[Iron Duke]

Hi,

Don't forget the Wirraway's their not much good for any other type of mission ![:D]

[brent_2]

ORIGINAL: Bobthehatchit
Beaufighter's work quite well against barges as well although you only get one squadron of them. I Usually us them with a few P39 groups alternating them to keep the opp losses and fatigue down, Flying out of PM Hudson or PBY's flying air search you will rack up massive barge kills.

Question is, is it worth all the opp loses to do this continuously?

to starve out the 10s of thousands of troops occupying Gili Gili, yes. The drive to resupply them is giving me lots of targets for my PM air crews. I'm not planning to invade for a few months to retake it....

ORIGINAL: Iron Duke
Don't forget the Wirraway's their not much good for any other type of mission

Most of my wirraways are in Aus flying CAP over my TFs there from those d@mn Jap bombers and their map crossing capability