Gun Dueling with Motor Torpedo Boats

[UnterseeBoogeyMan]

..Generally not a good idea. West of Scapa, June of 1940, we find a Medium Cargo escorted by a Motor Torpedo Boat. Seas are calm enough for the deck gun. Look at the armaments on one of these boats, only a machine gun fore and aft. What's the problem? - let's use the gun and save our last torpedo for something bigger.

We wait for the torp boat to pass first. Once the Cargo ship is 0 bearing to us, and the torp boat is 40 degrees,2km away, we surface.

We open up on the Motor boat first. They are thin-skinned, but here's the catch - you actually have to score a hit on a target that can not only zigzag,but fly at 20 knots and can seemingly riddle your boat with bullets. They do cause damage. So while I am trying to lead this little target, I have my repair crew patch up the leaks. Only 2 shots out 15 scored. But that was enough to set him on fire. I could faintly hear someone, it may have been John Clease, shout "run away, run away!!" then something about an evil bunny. They did run away. Retrained my gun on the cargo ship and sank her with 20 shells.

The little Motor boat, keeping her distance at 3500 meters still manages to put damage in out hull.

I go to periscope depth once it's announced the Medium Cargo is sinking.

So,this may be the last time I challenge a Motor Torpedo Boat. I dont have the setting on that tells me how much damage I took, but the renown gained for the sinking vs.the damage took, may not have made it worthwhile.

[Hartmann]

Remember that a u- boat is not a surface unit, despite the 88 gun and the AA weapons.

it could be used in case of emergency but the main weapon of the boat is stealth and stay below surface.:yep:

[Jimbuna]

The MTB is a bit of a porcupine and as you rightly pointed out, the renown v damage is heavily stacked against you, plus the fact they often take out your gun crews in addition.

[Synthfg]

Use the AA guns against MTB's
Hittling the little B£"$"£$ with the deck gun is next to impossible,

[Leandros]

Use the AA guns against MTB's
Hittling the little B£"$"£$ with the deck gun is next to impossible,
In my experience some tactics and good gun crews can make a difference. Have your best gunners man the DG and man the AA with specialist (and yourself) to improve loading times. Engage at 2-3000 meters - use the optics. See to that both the DG and AA cannon are in sight of the target all them time. Use flank speed. It helps a lot with the later-generation fast-firing 20 mm's. The 37 mm is good for nothing.

While I agree that a MTB isn't worth risking the Boot for - except it might be the rare occasion that you want to surface to finish off a damaged merchant with the deck gun.

[cuthy2k]

The MTB is a bit of a porcupine and as you rightly pointed out, the renown v damage is heavily stacked against you, plus the fact they often take out your gun crews in addition.

In SH3 stock i frequently engaged MTB's as they did no damage except a lucky 1/1000 shot on my deck gunners. What a shock i got in GWX!!! I engaged 2 and they sunk me!

[Murr44]

Like Jim said the deck is heavily stacked against you. They remind me of the horseflies that sometimes used to bite us when we swam in our backyard pool. They nail you when you were surfaced & it would hurt like hell.:wah:When we'd dive it seemed as if they were just waiting for us to come up so they could have another go.

[Task Force]

Fighting a MTB is certian death. (only good weapon is those heavy late war flack cannons.

[Jimbuna]

If you have to stay surfaced and tough it out, the best weapon would be the twin 37mm but personally speaking I just don't see the potential rewards justifying the risk.

[bookworm_020]

The twin 37mm is the best for taking them out, but I only do it when I feel mean or I am bored. It isn't worth the grief!

[Warhawk]

Remember that a u- boat is not a surface unit, despite the 88 gun and the AA weapons.

it could be used in case of emergency but the main weapon of the boat is stealth and stay below surface.:yep:

+1

The ONLY time I took one out was he made a direct b-line at me from 4k yards out..I managed to hit him with 3 shells but he kept coming and raked my boat with the "little gun on the bow" when he reached about 500 yards.

I jumped on my AA gun and commenced to light him up as I circled at flank speed...blew his bow gun off and then finally managed to put him out of commission.

Score: a few hundred ton gun boat sank, a u-boat that had to crawl home after loosing 40 something hull strength!!

A u-boat is a silent hunter (ooh where have I heard that from before) not a get on the surface and duke it out with a multi gun destroyer or a light fast gunboat [I gotta keep teaching my son that..he seems to want to slug it out with a destroyer and 99% of the time looses badly!]

War of attrition..it took them almost NO resources to build a gunboat...you sink 10 gunboats and they barely take notice..they sink ONE u-boat and they can slip thru a few more convoys with tens of thousands of tons of supplies and troops!

[sharkbit]

Many, many moons ago, I torpedoed one while submerged off the coast of Ireland early in the war. It was being a pest and I was kinda curious at what would happen. It was coming right at me, 0 AOB and no zigging. I put a magnetic under it and it actually exploded. :arrgh!:

Not much left of it and, like everyone says, not worth the effort. I just slunk away when his partner came sniffing around.

Never tried taking one on while surfaced and never will unless they catch me with my pants down. :oops:

:)

[Murr44]

They're very common in BF13 - BF16 and often operate in pairs so watch out if you're in that area.

[UnterseeBoogeyMan]

Yes, these motorboat dreadnoughts are deadly when they cross the T and bring their 50 calibres to bear :o. It's Nelson at Trafalgar all over again.

[Sgtmonkeynads]

QUESTION: would a magnetic really go off under a patrol boat. U.S. pt boats were wooden, so I was wondering if British boats were differeent or if all boats/ships will set off a magnetic torp.

I am now hunting for a sailboat to torpedo to test thhe theory, but just like cops, you can't find them when you need one.

[Leandros]

Yes, these motorboat dreadnoughts are deadly when they cross the T and bring their 50 calibres to bear :o. It's Nelson at Trafalgar all over again.
I am not sure the British MGB's and MTB's actually had the .50 calibers.....:hmmm:...... .303 Lewis's and 20 mm Oerlikons, yes - and maybe the 40 mm Bofors (MGB's)......

[Sailor Steve]

QUESTION: would a magnetic really go off under a patrol boat. U.S. pt boats were wooden, so I was wondering if British boats were differeent or if all boats/ships will set off a magnetic torp.

I am now hunting for a sailboat to torpedo to test thhe theory, but just like cops, you can't find them when you need one.
British MTBs were also made of wood, and I don't know if they would set one off or not, but I don't think so.

I am not sure the British MGB's and MTB's actually had the .50 calibers.....:hmmm:...... .303 Lewis's and 20 mm Oerlikons, yes - and maybe the 40 mm Bofors (MGB's)......
Problem there is that the so-called 'British' boats in the game are Elcos, of which the British had none.

[Jimbuna]

The only mine to threaten the fast attack craft was the contact variety.

Go to the bottom of this link to see a fair representation of British MTB's and MGB's.

http://www.yalumba.co.uk/Framesets/British%20Power%20Boat%20Co.htm

[Ancient Mariner]

I find the little gunboats a pest,and as posted earlier if i get caught on the surface by 1 just use the heavy flak cannons to destroy them,in saying that there's normally a destroyer not too far away that'll come dc me. And those Elco's are normally in the shallow drink,so i avoid at all costs