Yukon65

How common was it in World War II for Allied ships to shoot themselves out of ammo on their AA guns. Talking about 5inch, 40MM and 20MM AA guns mainly. I am curious about this because been playing the game called Pacific war and after one or two major air strikes on task forces most ships run dry on AA ammo until you replenish at a port. Think that Destroyers and cruisers might run out, but a battle wagon would take longer.

redco

The loss of a number of RN ships during the Crete evacuation can be directly attributed to the ships running short of AA ammo due to being under constant air attack.

Gus00

If the game doesn't allow underway replenishment then it has a major flaw.

Yukon65

Yes the game allows underway replenishment. It becomes available sometime in 1944 for five inch and under ammo other then that you have to head for port for the heavier stuff. My only complaint is that the AI for it is quite stupid. The game has a lot of logistics type stuff in it. It is called War In The Pacific and it is a day by day strategic game and it takes forever to play.

redco

So does the real thing

Albany Rifles

UNREP was available from mid-42 on.

Unrealistic scenario.

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Gus00

"Major flaw" wasn't the right phrase. I should have said, a serious handicap for the player.

Even before UNREP became routine I'm sure ships would string a bosun's line and share what they could, including ammunition, to keep things going. But I'm just guessing.

Dreadnought

US Naval commands had a constant supply of ammunition. Mainly they were based in the Pacific island chains and along with oilers, reefer ships and ammo ships they were constantly on the move particulary during the island hopping campaigns. In other island chains were your floating dry docks and repair ships far away from the enemy but close enough to service damaged war ships.

When the fleet was under way they were replentished by AE's (Ammuntion stores ships) or AEL's (small ammunition ships).

When in port and not being assisted by cranes they were replentished by YE's (Ammunition lighters) and YFT's (Torpedo transport lighters).

*For those that dont understand the term "lighter" its a small motorized barge that came in many forms for the USN.

Ofcoarse this changed dramatically with the use of helocopters during the Korean War.

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Yukon65

Know that the USN in WW II had lots of ways to get ammo and fuel to ships including forward bases. My question is during air attacks on Task Forces did many ships actually run out of AA ammo during a intense attack on a Task Force? Early in World War II know that a few British Navy ships shot off all their AA ammo, just wondering if the same thing happened to the USN or other navies during intense air attack.