P.T.O.: Pacific Theater of Operations
Encyclopedia
P.T.O. released as in Japan, is a console strategy
video game released by Koei. It was originally released for the PC-88 in 1989 and had been ported to various platforms, such as the Sega Mega Drive
and the Super Nintendo (both in 1992). Players could assume one side of the Pacific Theater of Operations
during World War II, acting as naval commander, organizing fleets, building new ships, appropriating supplies and fuel, and even engaging in diplomacy with other countries. The player can choose one of several World War Two battles to simulate, or could control the entire Pacific campaign well before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
.
A sequel, P.T.O. II
, was released by Koei in 1995. Teitoku no Ketsudan III was never released outside of Japan, but a P.T.O. IV was released for the PlayStation 2
in the US and Europe.
, or Japan for the Axis
. Other countries begin as allies of the two nations as they were at whatever point in the war gameplay begins; over time, non-allied nations can be convinced to ally with your side after significant gifts and diplomacy. Nations can also break alliances with poor diplomacy, which can lead to the departure of ships loaned from their navy. For instance, if the United Kingdom breaks off from the Allied forces, the US will lose all British ships from their fleet, such as the Hermes
.
Other countries will behave as they did historically; for example, Italy will cease being a member of the Axis in 1943, due to Allied invasion. The countries available as allies are:
Each power has one home port, to which newly-manufactured ships and aircraft are stationed upon completion. During the turn, aircraft, fuel, and materials can be assigned to any base; however, depending on the safety and distance of the trade route, some resources may not arrive. Certain ports are capable of 'Urgent Repair', meaning they can effect some small repairs to ships docked there. As not all ports have this capability, control of these key regions is crucial in order to maintain the fighting capabilities of one's fleet at sea with less turnaround time for ship repair when ships are damaged in combat.
. Ships are given several attributes: Fortitude, Speed (in knots), Anti-air capability, and Anti-ship capability. Ships can also be fitted with radar (search and gunnery), rockets or scouts, and marines for land invasion. Ships are also given an overall 'Luck' rating from 1 to 99; ships that survived many conflicts in history, like the Enterprise, have a Luck rating of 99.
There are several types of warship available: dreadnought battleships
, battleships, cruisers, fleet aircraft carriers, light carriers, destroyers, and submarines. Each power starts out with a certain number of ships of each type, and a number of ships under construction, usually launching around their historical commission date. Additional ships can be constructed, but only to replace ships previously lost in battle, either by the player or prior to the scenario's start date. Ship construction can be scheduled for 6–24 months out; the closer the launch date, the more industrial power will be expended during construction. Materials are consumed as well, dependent on the type of hull being built, and the ship ratings chosen during design. The ship class
chosen during construction is cosmetic only; it does not effect actual ship limitations or attributes like the actual hull type does.
Ships are organized into fleets, which can comprise up to 16 ships. Up to 16 fleets can be arranged from inactive ships at the home port. Only one fleet from each side can engage in a battle at any one time, so fleets must attack an enemy in succession rather than at once. Fleets have a rating for Morale and Fatigue, between 0 and 99; morale goes up after victories or during shore leave, and down during defeats or when a flagship is lost. It can also be raised by an emergency banquet at sea. Fatigue goes up after every battle, and when the crew is infected by plague.
Ships also have individual levels of crew experience; this value starts high for the Japanese, and low for the US. Experience levels gradually increase through combat, or by conducting training drills.
Another type of ship that can be constructed is transports. These are used for carrying additional fuel to extend fleet range, and for transporting resources from territories to home ports.
Additional, non-controlled shipping fleets are constantly active in the game, though not displayed on the tactical maps. Transport fleets supplying bases can be protected by unlisted destroyers and cruisers, but will not engage an enemy fleet.
, bombers, and scouts. Later in the game, when technology levels have advanced, jet fighters and long-range bombers
become available. Aircraft carriers can be fitted to allow jets once the technology levels are sufficient; the modified carrier will only carry jet fighters, and not normal fighters. Long-range bombers can only be launched from land bases.
Aircraft can be deployed to bases or to aircraft carriers, although some ship types allow scouts to be launched via catapult. Aircraft placed at bases take a defensive role against attacking fleet(s) or aircraft, and are used to scout for enemy fleets during the day. After enemy fleets are found, the land-based aircraft will then sortie to attack.
Strategy game
A strategy game or strategic game is a game in which the players' uncoerced, and often autonomous decision-making skills have a high significance in determining the outcome...
video game released by Koei. It was originally released for the PC-88 in 1989 and had been ported to various platforms, such as the Sega Mega Drive
Sega Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
and the Super Nintendo (both in 1992). Players could assume one side of the Pacific Theater of Operations
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
during World War II, acting as naval commander, organizing fleets, building new ships, appropriating supplies and fuel, and even engaging in diplomacy with other countries. The player can choose one of several World War Two battles to simulate, or could control the entire Pacific campaign well before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
.
A sequel, P.T.O. II
P.T.O. II
P.T.O. II , released as in Japan, is a Koei strategy video game that depicts the conflict between the USA and Japan during World War II....
, was released by Koei in 1995. Teitoku no Ketsudan III was never released outside of Japan, but a P.T.O. IV was released for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
in the US and Europe.
Scenarios
Players must choose one of nine scenarios when starting a game. The first scenario (Negotiations Breakdown) is a long-term campaign, where the player must win the war from mid-1941, before war is declared. Victory can only be obtained by controlling all ports or eliminating all enemy ships. The other scenarios begin in the midst of a certain major Pacific conflict, where the goal is to capture or defend a certain port, or sink or protect a number of enemy ships. If a scenario's goal is achieved, the player can continue with the full campaign.| Scenarios: | Date |
|---|---|
| Negotiations Breakdown (long-term campaign) | Nov. 1, 1941 |
| Attack on Pearl Harbor | Dec. 8, 1941 |
| Battle of the Coral Sea | May 7, 1942 |
| Battle at Midway | June 5, 1942 |
| Battles of the Solomon Islands | Aug. 8, 1942 |
| Battles in the South Pacific | Oct. 26, 1942 |
| Assault on the Marianas | June 19, 1944 |
| Battle for the Philippines | Oct. 23, 1944 |
| Okinawa Offensive | Apr. 7, 1945 |
Naval powers
The player has the option of playing as one of the two major World War II Pacific maritime powers: the United States for the AlliesAllies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
, or Japan for the Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
. Other countries begin as allies of the two nations as they were at whatever point in the war gameplay begins; over time, non-allied nations can be convinced to ally with your side after significant gifts and diplomacy. Nations can also break alliances with poor diplomacy, which can lead to the departure of ships loaned from their navy. For instance, if the United Kingdom breaks off from the Allied forces, the US will lose all British ships from their fleet, such as the Hermes
HMS Hermes (95)
HMS Hermes was an aircraft carrier built for the Royal Navy. The ship was begun during World War I and finished after the war ended. She was the world's first ship to be designed and built as an aircraft carrier, although the Imperial Japanese Navy's was the first to be commissioned...
.
Other countries will behave as they did historically; for example, Italy will cease being a member of the Axis in 1943, due to Allied invasion. The countries available as allies are:
- GermanyNazi GermanyNazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
- ItaKingdom of Italy (1861–1946)The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
lyItalian Social RepublicThe Italian Social Republic was a puppet state of Nazi Germany led by the "Duce of the Nation" and "Minister of Foreign Affairs" Benito Mussolini and his Republican Fascist Party. The RSI exercised nominal sovereignty in northern Italy but was largely dependent on the Wehrmacht to maintain control... - England
- France
- Holland
- ChinaRepublic of China (1912–1949)In 1911, after over two thousand years of imperial rule, a republic was established in China and the monarchy overthrown by a group of revolutionaries. The Qing Dynasty, having just experienced a century of instability, suffered from both internal rebellion and foreign imperialism...
- Australia
- Thailand
- India
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- USSR
- Brazil
Territory
Each power starts out with control over a number of Pacific bases depending on when the scenario begins. The focus of the long-term campaign is to capture enemy territories while defending one's own, reducing the number of ports under enemy control to zero. Territories produce fuel and materials for the power that controls them; fuel refers to both oil for ships, and supplies for soldiers. Materials refers to all ores and metals, and can be used for base repair, ship repair, and construction of new warships. Money is used to fund construction of aircraft and transports, and fund improvement in technologies. Capturing territories thus increases the resources available to a player while denying their use to the enemy.Each power has one home port, to which newly-manufactured ships and aircraft are stationed upon completion. During the turn, aircraft, fuel, and materials can be assigned to any base; however, depending on the safety and distance of the trade route, some resources may not arrive. Certain ports are capable of 'Urgent Repair', meaning they can effect some small repairs to ships docked there. As not all ports have this capability, control of these key regions is crucial in order to maintain the fighting capabilities of one's fleet at sea with less turnaround time for ship repair when ships are damaged in combat.
Ships
P.T.O. faithfully recreates many of the actual battleships available in the Pacific during the war, and displays a ship icon relative to that ship's design classShip class
A ship class is a group of ships of a similar design. This is distinct from a ship-type, which might reflect a similarity of tonnage or intended use. For example, the is a nuclear aircraft carrier of the Nimitz class....
. Ships are given several attributes: Fortitude, Speed (in knots), Anti-air capability, and Anti-ship capability. Ships can also be fitted with radar (search and gunnery), rockets or scouts, and marines for land invasion. Ships are also given an overall 'Luck' rating from 1 to 99; ships that survived many conflicts in history, like the Enterprise, have a Luck rating of 99.
There are several types of warship available: dreadnought battleships
Dreadnought
The dreadnought was the predominant type of 20th-century battleship. The first of the kind, the Royal Navy's had such an impact when launched in 1906 that similar battleships built after her were referred to as "dreadnoughts", and earlier battleships became known as pre-dreadnoughts...
, battleships, cruisers, fleet aircraft carriers, light carriers, destroyers, and submarines. Each power starts out with a certain number of ships of each type, and a number of ships under construction, usually launching around their historical commission date. Additional ships can be constructed, but only to replace ships previously lost in battle, either by the player or prior to the scenario's start date. Ship construction can be scheduled for 6–24 months out; the closer the launch date, the more industrial power will be expended during construction. Materials are consumed as well, dependent on the type of hull being built, and the ship ratings chosen during design. The ship class
Ship class
A ship class is a group of ships of a similar design. This is distinct from a ship-type, which might reflect a similarity of tonnage or intended use. For example, the is a nuclear aircraft carrier of the Nimitz class....
chosen during construction is cosmetic only; it does not effect actual ship limitations or attributes like the actual hull type does.
Ships are organized into fleets, which can comprise up to 16 ships. Up to 16 fleets can be arranged from inactive ships at the home port. Only one fleet from each side can engage in a battle at any one time, so fleets must attack an enemy in succession rather than at once. Fleets have a rating for Morale and Fatigue, between 0 and 99; morale goes up after victories or during shore leave, and down during defeats or when a flagship is lost. It can also be raised by an emergency banquet at sea. Fatigue goes up after every battle, and when the crew is infected by plague.
Ships also have individual levels of crew experience; this value starts high for the Japanese, and low for the US. Experience levels gradually increase through combat, or by conducting training drills.
Another type of ship that can be constructed is transports. These are used for carrying additional fuel to extend fleet range, and for transporting resources from territories to home ports.
Additional, non-controlled shipping fleets are constantly active in the game, though not displayed on the tactical maps. Transport fleets supplying bases can be protected by unlisted destroyers and cruisers, but will not engage an enemy fleet.
Aircraft
The following types of aircraft are immediately available: fightersFighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
, bombers, and scouts. Later in the game, when technology levels have advanced, jet fighters and long-range bombers
Heavy bomber
A heavy bomber is a bomber aircraft of the largest size and load carrying capacity, and usually the longest range.In New START, the term "heavy bomber" is used for two types of bombers:*one with a range greater than 8,000 kilometers...
become available. Aircraft carriers can be fitted to allow jets once the technology levels are sufficient; the modified carrier will only carry jet fighters, and not normal fighters. Long-range bombers can only be launched from land bases.
Aircraft can be deployed to bases or to aircraft carriers, although some ship types allow scouts to be launched via catapult. Aircraft placed at bases take a defensive role against attacking fleet(s) or aircraft, and are used to scout for enemy fleets during the day. After enemy fleets are found, the land-based aircraft will then sortie to attack.