Dawn in the Surigao Strait

 

Artist Credit: Baumer

   On the afternoon of 24 October all 39 Seventh Fleet torpedo-boats available moved at high speed, through Leyte Gulf and Surigao Strait, into the Mindanao Sea south of Leyte, and by dusk were in position on their patrol-lines in 13 sections of three boats each. As Seventh Fleet had no night patrol aircraft, and the Third Fleet's night carrier Independence had been taken northwards with the rest of the Third Fleet to attack the Japanese Northern Force, Oldendorf was dependent on the motor-torpedo boats for advance warning of the Japanese approach. Nishimura, advancing towards Surigao Strait, at about 1830 received Kurita's signal that the latter's powerful Centre Force had been delayed by heavy air attacks in the Sibuyan Sea.
  As he approached Leyte Nishimura sent Mogami and 3 destroyers ahead to reconnoitre. Nonetheless, the PT boats' first contact was with the battleships rather than with the Mogami group. At 2236 PT-131 of Section One off the island of Bohol picked up Nishimura's heavy ships on radar,and the section's three boats closed to attack.
  This Snapshot is intended to recreate this PT battle, if Admiral Nishimura had responded to the message from Admiral Kurita and slowed down prior to entering the Leyte area. In this Snapshot 2 Cruisers and 8 Destroyer's will make up the attacking force.

Arena:
SEA

Country Percentages:

Allies (Bishop) - 60%
Axis (Knight) - 40%

Units:
Allies:
PT Boat - 33%
F6F-5 Hellcat - 33%
F4U-1D Corsair - 33%

Orders:
PT Boat's spawn from C77 and proceed South to intercept IJN force.  Hellcat's and Corsair's roll from C76 and provide air cover. 

Restrictions:
-Aircraft  MUST NOT carry ordinance
-Aircraft  MUST NOT attack enemy ships

Units:
Axis:
Ki-84- 50%
N1K2-J- 50%                                                                                                                    

Orders:
Roll from A39 and defend TG83 & TG84

Restrictions:
None



Victory Conditions:
USN must sink every ship in TG83 and TG84 before they cross North of C77's path

Arena Settings:
1. Terrain - Luzon
2. Icon Range - short
3. Wind - SEE DESIGN NOTES
4. Time - 05:40 x1
5. Fighter and Bomber Warning Range - 15840
6. Enemy Collisions - on
7. External view for bombers (F3) - on
8. Visibility - 14 miles
9. Friendly Collisions - off
10. Fuel - 1.0
11. Ack - 0.001
12. Kill Shooter - off
13. Tower Range - 15840 (for display to aid players, set to match the above setting)
14. Radar - off

Designer Notes:
Note: A single PT boat can take out up to 7 ships by it's self. With the ack set to 0.001 a PT boat can stay in the auto-ack for 5 minutes before it will be seriously damaged.

Note: The CM will place C76 and C77 as close as possible to the outlined course to maintain the proper timing of the event.

Note: C83 and C84 should transit the straight as close together as possible, some "slight" zig-zaging up the straight is possible.

 

CM Notes:
1. DownTimeMult- 200
2. TaskGroupCommandCnt- 0
3. Destroy F83SHP000 (CV)
4. Destroy F84SHP000 (CV)
5. Boat Warning Range - 15840
6. WIND- 0-18k None, 18k and up  N to S at 50mph with a 50mph downdraft

Design by:
Middog & Baumer