Reintroducing A Premium Idea: Patrol Boat No. 102!

[_Sarcasticat_]

Sexy funnels :3

 

Hello all! 

 

    I'd like to reintroduce a premium ship idea that was thought up a long time ago for a tier III/IV premium ship, the IJN Patrol Boat No. 102! I was hoping to draw attention again to this special boat as a possible tier 2 premium similar to that of the Tachibana, or a tier 3 premium at most. 

    Anyway, let's begin!

 

What am I looking at? Why does this Wickes class DD look like a little like Japanese bote?

    What you are looking at is the USS Stewart (DD-224), a Clemson-class DD. Laid down and commissioned in 1920, she spent a short while doing training exercises in the Pacific until she was transferred to the gum and bailing wire Asiatic Fleet (*Walker hard-on intensifies*) on 20th June, 1922, not to return for a whole 23 years.

    In her interwar years at the Asiatic Fleet, she did what any A.F. DD did: did training exercises every once in awhile, moped about, went here and there, gathering rust and dust, etc. She had a little excitement protecting American assets in China during the Communist uprising and later in 1937 during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Otherwise...nothing. Nothing, until December 8th onwards.

Still no explanation as to why she looks Japanese...

    Stewart didn't jump directly into the war. She spent time escorting ships to Australia and back most of the time. Her first actual combat patrolling had her and USS Marblehead (Omaha-class CLONE cruiser) scouting in the south of the Makassar Straight 30 January 1942 because of rumors of Japanese botes poking about there. Marblehead got opened up like a tuna can by Japanese planes and left for Tjilatjap, later to make an amazing journey all the way around the world just to get good repairs.

    On 15 February, she was under attack in Bangka Straight (a straight that separates Sumatra from a small island that can be seen on the map I've provided. It's left of the island west of Borneo) but managed to survive to be ordered to Ratai Bay, Sumatra. On 19 February, Admiral Doorman sent 3 forces of his ships to stop the Japanese invasion of Bali in what is known as the Battle of Badung Straight. The Japanese DDs sunk one Dutch DD, severely damaged a Cruiser, and almost sunk Stewart herself. The damage was so severe she was ordered to the city of Surabaya to get into a floating dry dock for repairs from an underwater shell hit that flooded the steering engine room, amongst other heavy above-water damage caused by accurate Japanese fire. 

D:  Does she die???

    Almost comically, upon entering the floating dry dock, she toppled over due to the incorrect support, bending propeller shafts and causing even more damage. To the yard apes' credit, they were kind of under attack by planes and the mighty Japanese juggernaught was comin' for 'em. Unfortunately, they screwed up sinking the Stewart when they decided to abandon Surabaya, as the scuttling* charges were insufficient enough, along with the flooding, and even a Japanese bomb hit to the amidships, to deter the Japanese from capturing the wrecked hulk. 

    

Stewart toppled over in the floating dry dock just before being scuttled and flooded. And bombed.

 

    Stewart was struck from the navy list and her name was given to a Destroyer Escort (USS Stewart DE-238) which still exists as a museum ship at SeaWolf Park, Galveston, Texas. I visit her and the Gato-class sub. Cavalla often.

    In February 1943, obviously looking for a means to have more botes since 4 of them, very important ones, very irreplaceable ones, were lost during the Battle of Midway in '42. Escorts were badly, badly needed. Of course, raising this American bote from shallow water and repurposing it as a patrol boat was the easiest way. 

This explains a lot.

    It was nearly a year later she was raised and I do not care to think of the underwater corrosion done to this boat. If there's any indication as to what'll happen based on Distant Thunder's idea of saltwater corrosion of an underwater ship under the spanse of a few months, I cringe to think of the damage done by a year. Either way, she was raised and dolled up to be a pretty Japanese bote, even adding a traditional Japanese flair by trunking the foreward two 4-stacker funnels into a single funnel as to help distinguish her. Even so, this confused many American pilots as to why in the world an antique 4-stack DD was doing so far into Japanese waters. Her repairs by Japan were complete by September 30, 1943, and was commissioned as Patrol Boat No. 102. Her guns were removed and replaced by a combination of Japanese guns and Dutch captured weaponry. 

 

September 1943 Refit

Main Armament	x2 (Single) 3 in (76mm) Dutch
AA Armament	x2 (Single) .50 caliber (12.7mm) Dutch
AA Armament 2	x2 (Single) 6.5mm Type 11 MGs Japanese

• ADDED TYPE 93 HYDROPHONE SONAR

   

Working with the Southwest Area Fleet, she had patrol duty until November 1944 when she was given another refit at Kure.

September 1944 Refit:

• Added light tripod foremast (air search radar added) 
• Surface search radar added.
• Dutch guns are removed and replaced with Japanese 3 inch/40-caliber 3rd Year Type
• Augmented AA Armament (x12 Type 96 dual AA mounts added)
• All stacks are lowered.
• Extra ballast added to reduce Center of Gravity.
• Keel enlarged and widened.
• Japanese-style alterations to the bridge.
• 26 knots (ON 3 BOILERS ONLY) @ 28,500 SHP
• Tonnage increased to 1,539 tons.

 

    Then trying to sail for the Southwest Pacific, she was blocked off by the Americans retaking the Philippines, so she stayed in the Japanese home island and their respective waters. She was tinkered with as she waited around.

 

January-March 1945 Refit:

• 3 inch (76mm)/40-caliber 41st Year Type replaces 3rd Year Type
• 3 dual 25mm Type 96 AA guns are added. 
• 1 Dutch 60cm searchlight added.

 

    Still under the control of the Southwest Area Fleet, she was attacked and bombed on 28 April, 1945 by US Army planes and damaged. She went to Kure for repairs and another refit in June of 1945.

 

May-June 1945 Refit:

• Replaced  3"/40-caliber 41st Year Type with 3"/40 11th Year Type (DP)
• 2 or 4 drop collars (Torpedo holding cages strapped along the sides like a MTB) (1 or 2 on each side) added. Very low possibility that old Type 8 torpedoes were used instead of 45cm Type 2/Type 2 Special

 

    From that time in June to August of 1945, PB-102 was laid up in Hiro Bay, near Hiroshima. The atomic bomb was detonated not far from her. 

    Upon being found, the Americans were disgusted at the condition she was in: she was infested with rats and all other sort of rodents and was absolutely filthy. Occupying forces made the Japanese clean and fumigate the entire ship. Once done, PB-102 was recommissioned into the USN as simply USS DD-224, since Stewart was taken by DE-238, but she was given the honor of having her rate, at least. This ceremony was done on 29 October, 1945, 1 month and 27 days after WWII officially ended.

    DD-224 arrived at San Francisco harbor in March 1946, and was decommissioned 23 May, 1946.

The end? :'D

Not quite.

    DD-224, despite some calls for her to be a memorial or museum ship, was sunk as a target. Larger ships like Nagato and Prinz Eugen were being "removed" and unfortunately DD-224 was no different. She was sunk by planes on 24 May, 1946.

    To her credit, 18 rockets and several thousand .50-cal rounds didn't sink her. It literally took 12 40mm and 17 76mm shells from a range of 300 yds to sink her. A testament to her will to survive and solid construction.

 

==========================================================================================================

Final Configuration (As imagined for implementation in WoWS) (PB-102/DD-224):

PATROL BOAT NO. 102 (PB-102)/USS STEWART DD-224

Weight - 1,539 tons (1,707 tons max)/1,102 tons

Length - 98.7 meters/95.83 meters

Width - Likely 9.68 meters/9.68 meters

Draft - 3.5 meters/2.84 meters

Speed - 26 knots on 3 boilers; like 29-32 at most due to weight increase/35 knots

 

x2 (Single) 3.1 inch (80mm)/40-caliber DP guns

x14 (Dual) Type 96 25mm AA

x1 (Quad) or x2 (Dual) 13.2mm French AA

x2 (Single) 6.5mm Type 11 MGs

x2 or x4 (Single) 17.7" (45cm) Drop Collar Torpedo Tubes - Type 2

 

22-Go Surface Search Radar

13-Go Early Warning Rdar

Type 93 Hydrophone

 

==========================================================================================================

In-Game Performance

 

    The PB-102 would have an interesting playstyle, in some ways similar to the Tachibana but with a small twist: the guns are actually pretty okay, despite their small number, and the torpedoes are fire-forwards like that on the lowtier German DDs, and in reality are better (slightly) than the Tachibana's torpedoes. As a tier II, this ship wouldn't be half-bad with the extra HP afforded to her by her weight, but as tier 3 facing tier 5s, the ship would have to be balanced to allow the ship to stealth torp. Not a possibility, considering the ship is a lot bigger than the Tachi is. If we are to go on WG balancing principles for Torpedoes, this is what the stats of them would look like:

 

Ho Type 42 18" Torpedo (REALITY/IN-GAME):

Range - 5,000 meters (5 KM)/5 kilometers

Speed -  22 knots/44 knots

Explosive Charge - 209 pds.

 

Type 2 17.7" MBT Torpedo (REALITY/IN-GAME):

Range - 3,000 meters (3 KM)/NA

Speed - 41 knots/NA

Explosive Charge - 772 pds.

 

 

    Looking upon this, one would initially assume that the playstyle of the PB-102 is not that of the Tachibana due to the range disparity on the torpedoes. However, the Ho Type 42 torpedo actually has an option similar in style to the Type 2 (1 KM @ 40 knots), so all one must do is reverse the settings on the Type 2 by trading speed for distance.:

 

 

Type 2 17.7" MBT Torpedo (Modification 2) (IN-GAME):

Range - 5.5 KM

Speed - (Sorry, too lazy to do math, so I'll just say that it's somewhere in the vicinity of 50-55 knots)

 

 

    The reason for such high speed and rage for the Type 2 is because I'm doubling the range at the cost of speed. In reality, the Type 42 had to increase its' range from 1 KM to 5 KM. All I need to do in increase the range from 3 KM to 5.5. 1 to 5 is a 4 KM difference while 3 to 5.5 is a 2.5 difference, just a little over half as much as 4. In my very, very tired brain, that warrants a 50-55 knot torpedo speed for the range (b/c the +20 knot WG torpedo speed increase is also added to the equation). 

    So now you have a total of a quad launcher that can be fired foreward, similar in the way a V-25 or the other lowtier German DDs can. They totally outperform the Ho Type 42 in the suggested Mod. 2 as well. Not only that, the Type 2 naturally nearly has OVER thrice the explosive power as the Ho Type 42. Now let's take a gander at the guns...:

 

 

3"/40-caliber 41st Year Type (REALITY/IN-GAME):

Gun Range - 10.74 KM/8.03 KM

Velocity - 680 mps

Burst Charge - NA (Projectile weight is 12.5 pds with a 2.09 pd propellant charge)/1,300 max HE shell damage

ROF - 15 RPM/12 RPM 

 

3.1"/40-caliber 11th Year Type (REALITY/IN-GAME):

Gun Range - 10.8 KM

Velocity - 680 mps

Burst Charge - 1.06 pds (Projectile weight is 13.2 pds with a 2 pd propellant charge. The only reasonable conclusion is that the 3.1 inch does more damage than the 3"/40-cal. How much, I do not know)

ROF - 13-20 RPM

 

 

    The guns perform very similar overall, and are practically the same except when it comes to potential ROF. While the original 3"/40-cal used seperate ammunition, the 3.1"/40-cal 11th Year Type has fixed ammunition, easily loaded by slamming a shell into the breech. This should significantly raise the RPM compared to the Tachibana. While the Tachi fires at around 12 RPM, the PB-102 should fire at a rate of 18 RPM, to at least make up for the lack of guns. 

 

    In other aspects of the PB-102, It should have amazing spotting ranges due to the radars in place from March-June 1945. The torpedoes will likely have to be fired a little slower (I dunno, how about 2.2-2.4 RPM?). The range slightly increased beyond the current parameter set by the Tachi's guns, for balance purposes. The increased keel and length, which enabled her to be a more steady platform, should also contribute to a accuracy buff to the guns. There's only two of them anyway, need to hit all you can. Perhaps these design enhancements also should affect the overall maneuverability just a tad.

 

==========================================================================================================

    So there you have it. I spent all night on this once since I found the thread byyyyyyyuhhhh.................Oh yeah, PelicanHazard. The Patrol Boat No. 102 thread covering the ship. The thing always called out to me as an amazing ship, most likely because I'm a diehard Destroyermen series fan and I will always be attracted to ingenuity applied to these boats. They're like, the most modifiable little oversized MBTs I've ever seen. 

    I would have liked to see some dual Japanese Type 8 or Type 92 launchers for those torpedoes (with the torpedoes there themselves), at least 2 launchers, and I would have even been fine with just 2 or 3 100mm guns, but it is seriously very hard to balance this ship to where it is actually competitive on the battlefield. Unfortunately, WG probably sees that this ship is just some UP Clemson (It's basically a Wickes) with some crappy Japanese torpedoes and guns. Likely why it isn't a premium yet already. Well, at least I say I tried with.

 

Thanks for reading,

~ Kitty

[Jinxed_Katajainen]

Just as an FYI

The '8cm' guns in the IJN are actually all 3in (7.62cm).  They did some rounding while deciding on what to call them.

[Fletcher7_1944]

  And tier 3 ships have protected mm, meaning it would only ever see tier 4's max.

 

Why anyone would replace the excellent 4"/50's on a Clemson with puny 3"ers is beyond me...

[AVR_Project]

  And tier 3 ships have protected mm, meaning it would only ever see tier 4's max.

 

Why anyone would replace the excellent 4"/50's on a Clemson with puny 3"ers is beyond me...

 

They had trouble getting spare parts and ammo.

[Edselman]

How about PT-73?

[Umikami]

Please WoW, do this a different way!

LEAVE "Patrol Boat 102" her traditional armament,

just give her IJN ordinance

like IJN 127 mm shells with good gun arcs,

and IJN torps which can travel farther than you can see,

Then she would be a truly worthy premium

worth whatever WoW chose to charge for her.

and please keep the name "Patrol Boat 102"

it's generic sound is different and refreshing.

 

[Sharkbait_416]

Awesome write up, I'd buy one.

[_Sarcasticat_]

Just as an FYI

The '8cm' guns in the IJN are actually all 3in (7.62cm).  They did some rounding while deciding on what to call them.

Ah! Thanks. Why continue replacing the 3" guns? Low ammo for each?

[_Sarcasticat_]

 

They had trouble getting spare parts and ammo.

 

  And tier 3 ships have protected mm, meaning it would only ever see tier 4's max.

 

Why anyone would replace the excellent 4"/50's on a Clemson with puny 3"ers is beyond me...

Heavy water corrosion as well.

Awesome write up, I'd buy one.

JUST

DO IT

[mr3awsome]

Ah! Thanks. Why continue replacing the 3" guns? Low ammo for each?

 

Can't say for the Dutch guns, but the 3" 41st Year Type are single purpose, but the 3" 11th Year Type were dual purpose. 

Presumably they replaced them to increase their self defence capability. 

[_Sarcasticat_]

 

Can't say for the Dutch guns, but the 3" 41st Year Type are single purpose, but the 3" 11th Year Type were dual purpose. 

Presumably they replaced them to increase their self defence capability. 

Thanks!

[Phoenix_jz]

It's a cool idea, I like the idea! It would certainly be unique, which is something I like in premiums.

 

For what it's worth, I can help with the stats found on the '80mm' guns in WoWs;

 

ASu:

RoF: 17.14 rpm (3.5 sec reload)

MV: 680mps

HE: 1300

fc: 5%

HEpen: 13mm

AP: 1200*

 

As AA:

- 1.6 dps

- 3.0 km

 

*Formula based, all others are stats already existing in game.

[_Sarcasticat_]

It's a cool idea, I like the idea! It would certainly be unique, which is something I like in premiums.

 

For what it's worth, I can help with the stats found on the '80mm' guns in WoWs;

 

ASu:

RoF: 17.14 rpm (3.5 sec reload)

MV: 680mps

HE: 1300

fc: 5%

HEpen: 13mm

AP: 1200*

 

As AA:

- 1.6 dps

- 3.0 km

 

*Formula based, all others are stats already existing in game.

Oh thanks for the info. I'll edit in all these edits later.

[_Sarcasticat_]

Shameless bump.

 

Wanna keep this at least a little alive.

[Kingfishercritic]

I think she'd be rather interesting with DP main guns, especially if she's put at tier 3-4. Perhaps she could function as a low tier Akitzuki, considering the small caliber DP main guns and limited torp fit. I think she'd play well as an escort ship and perhaps be a good captain trainer for Akitzuki and similar ships.

[_Sarcasticat_]

On 6/13/2017 at 7:32 AM, Kingfishercritic said:

I think she'd be rather interesting with DP main guns, especially if she's put at tier 3-4. Perhaps she could function as a low tier Akitzuki, considering the small caliber DP main guns and limited torp fit. I think she'd play well as an escort ship and perhaps be a good captain trainer for Akitzuki and similar ships.

The only problem is the short torp range and small amount of guns. But hey, she only has 1 less torp to a side compared to a Kempbushtown and only 1 less gun. I also believe she has near the same amount of damage as the 4" guns despite poor velocity. You could be onto something!

[American_Ace_96]

I've seen a few posts about this ship and an article in a magazine once about it. The picture of DD-224 with her Japanese funnels always caught my eye. I'm all for it. It may have one gun less than the Cambletown but it'll have the same number of guns on target.  (Also posted because I would like to keep this post alive and see this ship in game.) 

[_Sarcasticat_]

14 minutes ago, American_Ace_96 said:

I've seen a few posts about this ship and an article in a magazine once about it. The picture of DD-224 with her Japanese funnels always caught my eye. I'm all for it. It may have one gun less than the Cambletown but it'll have the same number of guns on target.  (Also posted because I would like to keep this post alive and see this ship in game.) 

Actually has a much higher ROF (8-10 RPM vs 15-18 RPM) though the burst charge is only 0.5 pds less (NavWeaps source)

[_Sarcasticat_]

Lul, just found this again. WG, why u no maek premium tier 2/3?

 

Also, why do almost NO models or pictures of IJN PB 102 show the torpedo DROP COLLARS?! They had to have obviously been there. 

 

Anyway, overall the ship would be iffy. It's too big to really be a tier 2, but not git gud enough for tier 3. I don't know, slap a 20 RPM fire rate with ridiculous torp reload and there you go? Kempbushtown does it kind of well.

[Crokodone]

On 6/11/2017 at 8:52 AM, Fletcher7_1944 said:

  And tier 3 ships have protected mm, meaning it would only ever see tier 4's max.

 

Why anyone would replace the excellent 4"/50's on a Clemson with puny 3"ers is beyond me...

Ammunition.

[_Sarcasticat_]

21 hours ago, Crokodone said:

Ammunition.

Yep. I wish they'd added 100mm/65-cal Type 98's instead, even if in single mounts, rather than the 3"/45-cal Type 3s though.

 

[Crokodone]

3 hours ago, StrixKitty said:

Yep. I wish they'd added 100mm/65-cal Type 98's instead, even if in single mounts, rather than the 3"/45-cal Type 3s though.

 

If memory serves, the 100/65s were in short supply; it wouldn't make sense to arm a resurrected pt boat when its age, wear and damage makes her seaworthiness alone questionable.

[_Sarcasticat_]

10 hours ago, Crokodone said:

If memory serves, the 100/65s were in short supply; it wouldn't make sense to arm a resurrected pt boat when its age, wear and damage makes her seaworthiness alone questionable.

They replaced over 26,000 (or maybe 2,600) separate pipes and managed to fix 1 of the 4 Yarrow-type boilers, not to mention rebuilding her keel and lengthening the ship too. 

She's an ex-Clemson-class destroyer, by the way. A PT Boat isn't a bad analogy though. 

Also, you're right. Arming her with 100/65's would be a pretty bad idea. Do they even have single mounts for those guns? Single open mounts for 120mm/45-cal Type 10 or 127mm/40-cal Type 89 guns would have been much more reasonable. Twin mount with a gun shield forward, and a single (maybe open) on the rearmost deckhouse. Or maybe the opposite: Single with gun shield forward, and an open twin aft - like the Matsu-class DE's.

 

Slap a couple of twin 24" TT with a splinter shield on the centerline, like Yubari's twin mounts.