Motozattera – ‘almost immune to torpedoes!’

[Ian]

I have just been given a Motozattera model and been doing some research. It seems these landing craft did some serious work in WWII including repelling the Allied attack on Tobruk (Operation Agreement). However I note in their stat line in the rulebook it does not mark them as immune to torpedoes as are other barges (eg I have a Landing Craft Guns model which is so marked.) With a less than 6 foot of draft I suspect this should also be true of the Motozattera and very similar design German Marinefahrprahm. I would say we tend to play the -2 option for ‘Tiny, small and barges’ as per table. I suspect other players may have noticed this but it does not appear in the errata that I can see.

[invisible officer]

Well, hmmm.

Source Kriegstagebuch 2. Landungsflottille  about sinking of F420, under Oberbootsmann GEIGER.

22.09.1943 Leutnant zur See SCHLIEPHACKE , 2. Landungsflot. , with F420, F360, F587, F616  with F450 and F749 of  4. Landungsflottille on way from Bastia to Piombino.

At  18.02  a periscope was seen  18.25 four torpedoes from starboard. One hit F 420 at the section III and heck was ripped of. 10 Minutes later it was down. 10 men kia, 9 rescued.

In Gröner the MPF was part ot the 4th but the KTB is a first rate contemporary source.   Submarine was the Polish Dzik.

 

—

 

Long story, short:  In W II  these vessels had not been immune to torpedoes.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by invisible officer.

[Ian]

Interesting, good find but for me that feeds into not playing as actually ‘immune’ but simply use the modifier for a barge which effectively this very nearly is. I am sure the same could have happened to other shallow draft boats. I can’t believe a vessel as large as the Landing Craft Guns could not have suffered a similar fate if a torpedo stayed close to the surface. Wikipedia has the draft of the MZ at 1.7m and the LCG at 1.07 at the front but 1.83 at the aft.

[invisible officer]

Well, there are some more MFP sunk by torpedoes. Like F 541 by british submarine   .   Others got badly  damaged like F 334 by Soviet MTB.

Even the Räumboote had not been immune.  Example : 16. April 44  R 15 was lost at Kap Salvore due to torpedo hit. Just 5 survivors.

 

Or S 27, self sunk by S 72 Torpedo  and     S 33 by Allied torpedo .

 

It was just a question of setting and fuze type.

[Author]

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