Difference between revisions of "Pr.123-bis"

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{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_pr_123bis}}
+
{{About
 +
| about = Soviet motor torpedo boat '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 +
| and
 +
| usage = other versions
 +
| link-1 = Pr.123K
 +
| link-2 = Pr.123K (A-11)
 +
}}
 +
{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=ussr_pr_123bis
 +
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
 +
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
''In the first part of the description, cover the history of the ship’s creation and military application. In the second part, tell the reader about using this ship in the game. Add a screenshot. If a beginner player has a hard time remembering vehicles by name, a picture will help them understand which ship is being discussed.''
+
<!-- ''In the first part of the description, cover the history of the ship's creation and military application. In the second part, tell the reader about using this ship in the game. Add a screenshot: if a beginner player has a hard time remembering vehicles by name, a picture will help them identify the ship in question.'' -->
 +
The '''Pr.123-bis''' is a production variant of the Project 123 Komsomolet-class Torpedo Boat used by the Soviet Navy during World War II. Development of Project 123 originally began in 1939, but the urgent need to replace the previous model due to the unsatisfactory performance of the [[G-5]] motor torpedo boat arose in 1942. In 1943, the navy approved the production model of the project, resulting in the designation Project 123-bis. It was equipped with two twin 12.7 mm [[DShK (12.7 mm)|DShK]] heavy machine guns and utilized two American-supplied Packard petrol engines acquired through the Lend-Lease program.
 +
 
 +
This boat was introduced during [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]] when the Soviet fleet was implemented into the game. Its gameplay is similar to many other MTBs in the game, but its superior speed allows it to swiftly capture strategic points and eliminate enemy boats attempting to reach your capture point thanks to its armament who consist of two twin 12.7 mm DShK heavy machine guns. As a torpedo boat, it also carries two [[45-36NU]] torpedoes, useful for targeting slow-moving vessels or lower-ranked destroyers or frigates. Additionally, it can carry [[BM-1 small depth charge|BM-1]] small depth charges, although their explosive power is insufficient to destroy enemy destroyers or frigates outright, they can still damage or destroy enemy boats with one or two depth charges.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
''Talk about the vehicle’s armor. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and maneuverability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armament separately. Don’t forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Tips for preserving survivability should be saved for the “Use in battle” section.
+
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}
If necessary, use a graphic template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armor.''
+
<!-- ''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.'' -->
 +
[[File:Pr123bis.png|thumb|X-Ray view of the Pr.123bis showing key components that are prone to be damaged when taking enemy fire.]]
 +
The Pr.123bis doesn't have any armour in the game. When under fire, it is almost certain that an opponent will disable your engines and/or set you on fire (see image on the right). However, you will very rarely be destroyed due to an ammunition explosion.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
''Write about the ship’s mobility. Evaluate its power and maneuverability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward speed and reverse speed.''
+
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}
 +
<!-- ''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.'' -->
 +
The Pr.123bis can reach speeds over 120 km/h in AB and around 90 km/h in RB and SB. Backwards, the Pr.123bis can reach -45 km/h, so there should be no trouble reaching strategic points first or at the same time as the lighter boats. The Pr.123bis turns very quickly, a tactic which should be used to flank opponents and destroy them with machine guns. Lastly, it is unwise to come to a full stop, due to the fact the ship becomes a "sitting duck", easy to pick off by enemy ships or aircraft.
 +
 
 +
{{NavalMobility}}
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armament ==
 
== Armament ==
 +
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
 
=== Primary armament ===
 
=== Primary armament ===
''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <nowiki>{{main|Weapon name}}</nowiki>.
+
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}
Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''
+
<!-- ''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.'' -->
 +
{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)}}
  
=== Secondary armament ===
+
Primary armament composes of two, dual mounted [[DShK (12.7 mm)|DShK]] heavy machine gun turrets, with one located at the stern and the other at the centre of the vessel just above and behind the bridge. Note that the turret at the stern is obstructed when pointed towards the bow due to the other turret, therefore somewhat restricting fire coverage. The turret just behind the bridge has near 360°, though it is slightly obstructed by the mast when pointing towards the bow.
''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibers. Evaluate the secondary armament and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that anti-air armament, even heavy caliber weapons, belong in the next section.''
 
  
''If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''
+
The DShK 12.7 mm guns provide good firepower and rate of fire against similarly sized ships and somewhat larger ships thanks to its heavy calibre. They have an ammunition capacity of 1,000 rounds, with reloads taking ~4.7 seconds. Available belts to research include the high explosive incendiary (HEI) and armour piercing incendiary tracer (APIT) rounds.
  
=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
+
* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP-I|Armour-piercing incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|IAI|Immediate-action incendiary}}
''An important part of the ship’s armament responsible for air raid defense. Talk about the ship’s anti-air cannons and machine guns, the number of guns and their positions, their effective range, and about their overall effectiveness – including against surface targets.''
+
* '''12.7 mm HE belts:''' {{Annotation|IAI|Immediate-action incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|IAI|Immediate-action incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|IAI|Immediate-action incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}
 +
* '''12.7 mm APIT belts:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-I|Armour-piercing incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|IAI|Immediate-action incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-I|Armour-piercing incendiary}}
  
''If there is no anti-aircraft artillery, remove this section.''
+
{{:DShK (12.7 mm)/Ammunition|AP-I naval, API-T naval, IAI naval}}
  
=== Torpedo armament ===
+
=== Additional armament ===
''Many ships are armed with torpedo launchers, and for some vessels such as boats, torpedoes are an extremely important means of defeating an opponent. Evaluate the position of the torpedo launchers, discuss the ammunition available, firing specifics such as dead zones, features of the torpedoes themselves, etc.''
+
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.'' -->
 +
{{main|45-36NU (450 mm)|BM-1 small depth charge}}
  
''If there is no torpedo armament, remove this section.''
+
The Pr.123bis carries two 450 mm wet-heating 45-36NU torpedoes. They have a range of 3 km at a speed of 78 km/h or a range of 6 km at 73 km/h with the Torpedo Mode module installed. They are placed at the bow of the boat and fired out already at speed, so you can surprise your opponents with your torpedoes, unlike early American boats, which simply throw the torpedoes to their sides.
  
=== Special armament ===
+
''Be careful with your torpedoes!'' Due to torpedoes being fired out of their tubes at an upwards angle, this means that your torpedoes might over-shoot (literally) any boats which are passing right in front of the Pr.123bis.
''Depth charges, mines, rocket launchers and missiles are also effective in skilled hands and can be an unexpected surprise for an opponent. Evaluate the ammunition of this type of armament and rate its performance in combat.''
 
  
== Usage in the battles ==
+
The Pr.123bis can carry 6 x BM-1 small depth charges, which can be used as timed mines to damage/destroy tougher enemies. You can place depth charges around a capture point if you get there first, or in front of an enemy.
''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don’t get try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''
+
 
 +
''Remember'' to set your Depth Charge activation time before battle, if you carry depth charges. The default option of 3 seconds is too short to be useful, so it is advised to set it to something between 5-8 seconds to keep your options open.
 +
 
 +
== Usage in battles ==
 +
<!-- ''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 +
The Pr.123bis is one of the first Soviet boats that get decent firepower, which can destroy its opponents very quickly. Moreover, it gets two torpedoes, which are fired forwards at speed (can be an advantage, but also a disadvantage). All of that weaponry is placed on a motorboat which can reach very high speeds. It's a boat that will help you grind out USSR rank I fleet.
 +
 
 +
The Pr.123bis strikes a balance between speed and weaponry. At its low battle rating, the two dual 12.7 mm machine guns reliably destroy all light boats, experiencing difficulty only in a full uptier. For the most part, the Pr.123bis should be used as a flanker. Your machine guns destroy compartments with 3-5 bursts, and if you get the first shot on most of your opponents, they are most likely going to die very soon after. However, if you meet tougher opponents, it is viable to simply cross the map around the flank, (ignoring the lighter boats) while the opponents are focused on their front, and fire your torpedoes at their sides (best done when up close and personal).
 +
 
 +
As a rule of thumb, you should never remain stationary. The Pr.123bis doesn't have any armour, and all other boats at its battle rating can kill it, so to make it much more difficult for the opponents, try to stay at your top speed and avoid head-on encounters. Although, you can still handle some threats from the sides because your guns' rotation speeds are very fast.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
*
+
 
 +
* Decent firepower with four DShK machine guns, enough to deal with most ships at its BR
 +
** Good firing angles and turret rotation speeds for the machine guns
 +
* Extremely good mobility - very high top speed and snappy rudder response
 +
* Access to torpedoes which fire forwards at speed
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
*
+
 
 +
* Terrible survivability even for an MTB, with only seven crew members
 +
* Only has two torpedoes, which aren't particularly good torpedoes either
 +
** Torpedo tubes are fixed, only being able to fire forwards
 +
* Guns tend to bob up and down when travelling at top speed, making aiming extremely difficult
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
''Talk about the history of the creation and military application of the ship in greater detail than in the introduction. If there turns out to be too much historical information, put it in a separate article, taking the link to the vehicle article and adding the “/historical” block to it (e.g. https://wiki.warthunder.ru/Vehicle-name/historical) and add a link to it here using the main template. Links to sources must be provided at the end of the article.''
+
<!-- Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the ship and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Ship-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the ship's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable). -->
 +
The Pr.123bis was the first variant of the Pr.123 series of motor torpedo boats built by the Soviet navy during and shortly after the Second World War. Originally intended to carry a single machine gun mount, the ship was instead fitted with two 12.7 mm machine gun turrets and two heavy torpedo tubes. As well, the ships were fitted with American Packard-built engines, enabling a higher top speed. The Pr.123bis was produced from 1942 - in total, 118 ships were built before the ship was replaced by the later Pr.123K.
 +
 
 +
The Pr.123bis was the first major upgrade of the original Pr.123 design. The ship was considerably improved over the original Pr.123 in several ways. The most noticeable addition was the installation of a second dual 12.7 mm DShK machine gun installation on top of the deckhouse, which offered a dramatic increase in firepower compared to the original Pr.123. As well, the ship used lend-lease Packard aircraft engines imported from the United States, each developing 1,200 hp. Despite the heavier engines, the ship was actually slower than the Pr.123, as the added weight of the weapons and equipment weighed the hull down.
 +
 
 +
The first Pr.123bis was built in 1942, and was accepted for production shortly thereafter. Being constructed by Plant No. 639 in Tyumen, a total of 118 ships were built. The first ship entered service in 1944, while the last boats were accepted in service in 1955. Many Pr.123bis boats were exported to Warsaw pact allies. In service, the Pr.123bis was complemented and succeeded by the more advanced Pr.123K, featuring improved systems and armament. The last Pr.123bis ships were retired in the 1970s and 1980s, replaced by more modern torpedo boats and small ships.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_pr_123bis Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
== Read also ==
+
== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
+
<!-- ''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
''ETC.''
+
 
 +
;Related development
 +
 
 +
* [[Pr.123K]]
 +
* [[Pr.123K (A-11)]]
  
== Sources ==
+
== External links ==
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 +
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''page on ship encyclopedia;''
 
 
* ''other literature.''
 
* ''other literature.''
 +
 +
{{USSR boats}}

Latest revision as of 12:03, 22 December 2023

Rank VI USSR | Premium | Golden Eagles
Su-25K Pack
This page is about the Soviet motor torpedo boat Pr.123-bis. For other versions, see Pr.123K and Pr.123K (A-11).
Pr.123-bis
ussr_pr_123bis.png
GarageImage Pr.123-bis.jpg
Pr.123-bis
Research:14 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:32 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Pr.123-bis is a production variant of the Project 123 Komsomolet-class Torpedo Boat used by the Soviet Navy during World War II. Development of Project 123 originally began in 1939, but the urgent need to replace the previous model due to the unsatisfactory performance of the G-5 motor torpedo boat arose in 1942. In 1943, the navy approved the production model of the project, resulting in the designation Project 123-bis. It was equipped with two twin 12.7 mm DShK heavy machine guns and utilized two American-supplied Packard petrol engines acquired through the Lend-Lease program.

This boat was introduced during Update 1.79 "Project X" when the Soviet fleet was implemented into the game. Its gameplay is similar to many other MTBs in the game, but its superior speed allows it to swiftly capture strategic points and eliminate enemy boats attempting to reach your capture point thanks to its armament who consist of two twin 12.7 mm DShK heavy machine guns. As a torpedo boat, it also carries two 45-36NU torpedoes, useful for targeting slow-moving vessels or lower-ranked destroyers or frigates. Additionally, it can carry BM-1 small depth charges, although their explosive power is insufficient to destroy enemy destroyers or frigates outright, they can still damage or destroy enemy boats with one or two depth charges.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull4 mm (steel)
Superstructure4 mm (steel)
Number of section3
Displacement21 t
Crew7 people
X-Ray view of the Pr.123bis showing key components that are prone to be damaged when taking enemy fire.

The Pr.123bis doesn't have any armour in the game. When under fire, it is almost certain that an opponent will disable your engines and/or set you on fire (see image on the right). However, you will very rarely be destroyed due to an ammunition explosion.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB125 / 45 km/h
RB89 / 32 km/h

The Pr.123bis can reach speeds over 120 km/h in AB and around 90 km/h in RB and SB. Backwards, the Pr.123bis can reach -45 km/h, so there should be no trouble reaching strategic points first or at the same time as the lighter boats. The Pr.123bis turns very quickly, a tactic which should be used to flank opponents and destroy them with machine guns. Lastly, it is unwise to come to a full stop, due to the fact the ship becomes a "sitting duck", easy to pick off by enemy ships or aircraft.

Mobility Characteristics
Game Mode Upgrade Status Maximum Speed (km/h) Turn Time (s) Turn Radius (m)
Forward Reverse
AB Stock ___ ___
Upgraded 125 45
RB/SB Stock ___ ___
Upgraded 89 32

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB820 → 1 011 Sl icon.png
RB1 126 → 1 388 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications13 880 Rp icon.png
19 800 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost860 Ge icon.png
Crew training9 200 Sl icon.png
Experts32 000 Sl icon.png
Aces320 Ge icon.png
Research Aces250 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
70 / 110 / 100 % Sl icon.png
130 / 130 / 130 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Seakeeping Unsinkability Firepower
Mods new ship hull.png
Dry-Docking
Research:
920 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
125 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship rudder.png
Rudder Replacement
Research:
780 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 100 Sl icon.png
105 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship screw.png
Propeller Replacement
Research:
1 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 700 Sl icon.png
165 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship engine.png
Engine Maintenance
Research:
1 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 600 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods ship damage control crew.png
Damage Control Division
Research:
920 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
125 Ge icon.png
Mods ship fire control crew.png
Fire Division
Research:
780 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 100 Sl icon.png
105 Ge icon.png
Mods engine smoke screen system.png
Smokescreen
Research:
780 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 100 Sl icon.png
105 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship pumps.png
New Pumps
Research:
1 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 600 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
12mm_dshk_navy_he_ammo_pack
Research:
920 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 300 Sl icon.png
125 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
12mm_dshk_navy_ap_ammo_pack
Research:
780 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 100 Sl icon.png
105 Ge icon.png
Mods new main caliber turrets.png
Primary Armament Targeting
Research:
1 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 700 Sl icon.png
165 Ge icon.png
Mods depth charge.png
Depth Charges
Research:
1 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 700 Sl icon.png
165 Ge icon.png
Mods ship art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
1 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 600 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods torpedo.png
Torpedo Mode
Research:
1 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 600 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png

Armament

Primary armament

2 х Turret2 x 12.7 mm DShK machine gun
Ammunition4000 rounds
Belt capacity50 rounds
Fire rate600 shots/min
Vertical guidance-10° / 60°
Main article: DShK (12.7 mm)

Primary armament composes of two, dual mounted DShK heavy machine gun turrets, with one located at the stern and the other at the centre of the vessel just above and behind the bridge. Note that the turret at the stern is obstructed when pointed towards the bow due to the other turret, therefore somewhat restricting fire coverage. The turret just behind the bridge has near 360°, though it is slightly obstructed by the mast when pointing towards the bow.

The DShK 12.7 mm guns provide good firepower and rate of fire against similarly sized ships and somewhat larger ships thanks to its heavy calibre. They have an ammunition capacity of 1,000 rounds, with reloads taking ~4.7 seconds. Available belts to research include the high explosive incendiary (HEI) and armour piercing incendiary tracer (APIT) rounds.

  • Universal: AP-I · API-T · IAI
  • 12.7 mm HE belts: IAI · IAI · IAI · API-T
  • 12.7 mm APIT belts: API-T · AP-I · IAI · AP-I

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
AP-I 30 29 25 21 18 15
API-T 29 28 24 20 17 14
IAI 3 2 2 2 2 2
Shell details
Ammunition Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
mass (kg)
Fuse delay
(m)
Fuse sensitivity
(mm)
Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
AP-I 850 0.05 - - - 47° 56° 65°
API-T 850 0.05 - - - 47° 56° 65°
IAI 850 0.05 0 0.1 1.5 47° 56° 65°

Additional armament

Setup 12 x 450 mm wet-heating 45-36NU torpedo
Setup 26 x BM-1 small depth charge
Setup 32 x 450 mm wet-heating 45-36NU torpedo
6 x BM-1 small depth charge

The Pr.123bis carries two 450 mm wet-heating 45-36NU torpedoes. They have a range of 3 km at a speed of 78 km/h or a range of 6 km at 73 km/h with the Torpedo Mode module installed. They are placed at the bow of the boat and fired out already at speed, so you can surprise your opponents with your torpedoes, unlike early American boats, which simply throw the torpedoes to their sides.

Be careful with your torpedoes! Due to torpedoes being fired out of their tubes at an upwards angle, this means that your torpedoes might over-shoot (literally) any boats which are passing right in front of the Pr.123bis.

The Pr.123bis can carry 6 x BM-1 small depth charges, which can be used as timed mines to damage/destroy tougher enemies. You can place depth charges around a capture point if you get there first, or in front of an enemy.

Remember to set your Depth Charge activation time before battle, if you carry depth charges. The default option of 3 seconds is too short to be useful, so it is advised to set it to something between 5-8 seconds to keep your options open.

Usage in battles

The Pr.123bis is one of the first Soviet boats that get decent firepower, which can destroy its opponents very quickly. Moreover, it gets two torpedoes, which are fired forwards at speed (can be an advantage, but also a disadvantage). All of that weaponry is placed on a motorboat which can reach very high speeds. It's a boat that will help you grind out USSR rank I fleet.

The Pr.123bis strikes a balance between speed and weaponry. At its low battle rating, the two dual 12.7 mm machine guns reliably destroy all light boats, experiencing difficulty only in a full uptier. For the most part, the Pr.123bis should be used as a flanker. Your machine guns destroy compartments with 3-5 bursts, and if you get the first shot on most of your opponents, they are most likely going to die very soon after. However, if you meet tougher opponents, it is viable to simply cross the map around the flank, (ignoring the lighter boats) while the opponents are focused on their front, and fire your torpedoes at their sides (best done when up close and personal).

As a rule of thumb, you should never remain stationary. The Pr.123bis doesn't have any armour, and all other boats at its battle rating can kill it, so to make it much more difficult for the opponents, try to stay at your top speed and avoid head-on encounters. Although, you can still handle some threats from the sides because your guns' rotation speeds are very fast.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Decent firepower with four DShK machine guns, enough to deal with most ships at its BR
    • Good firing angles and turret rotation speeds for the machine guns
  • Extremely good mobility - very high top speed and snappy rudder response
  • Access to torpedoes which fire forwards at speed

Cons:

  • Terrible survivability even for an MTB, with only seven crew members
  • Only has two torpedoes, which aren't particularly good torpedoes either
    • Torpedo tubes are fixed, only being able to fire forwards
  • Guns tend to bob up and down when travelling at top speed, making aiming extremely difficult

History

The Pr.123bis was the first variant of the Pr.123 series of motor torpedo boats built by the Soviet navy during and shortly after the Second World War. Originally intended to carry a single machine gun mount, the ship was instead fitted with two 12.7 mm machine gun turrets and two heavy torpedo tubes. As well, the ships were fitted with American Packard-built engines, enabling a higher top speed. The Pr.123bis was produced from 1942 - in total, 118 ships were built before the ship was replaced by the later Pr.123K.

The Pr.123bis was the first major upgrade of the original Pr.123 design. The ship was considerably improved over the original Pr.123 in several ways. The most noticeable addition was the installation of a second dual 12.7 mm DShK machine gun installation on top of the deckhouse, which offered a dramatic increase in firepower compared to the original Pr.123. As well, the ship used lend-lease Packard aircraft engines imported from the United States, each developing 1,200 hp. Despite the heavier engines, the ship was actually slower than the Pr.123, as the added weight of the weapons and equipment weighed the hull down.

The first Pr.123bis was built in 1942, and was accepted for production shortly thereafter. Being constructed by Plant No. 639 in Tyumen, a total of 118 ships were built. The first ship entered service in 1944, while the last boats were accepted in service in 1955. Many Pr.123bis boats were exported to Warsaw pact allies. In service, the Pr.123bis was complemented and succeeded by the more advanced Pr.123K, featuring improved systems and armament. The last Pr.123bis ships were retired in the 1970s and 1980s, replaced by more modern torpedo boats and small ships.

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USSR boats
Motor torpedo boats  D-3 · G-5 · G-5 (ShVAK) · Pr.123-bis · Pr.123K (A-10bis) · Pr.123K · Pr.183
Motor gun boats  TKA-412 · MO-4 · OD-200 · Pr.253L · Pr.183 BM-21 · Ya-5M
Motor torpedo gun boats  Pr. 206 · Pr.206-M · MPK Pr.12412 · MPK Pr.12412P · MPK Pr.11451
Gunboats  Groza
Armoured gun boats  BMO · MBK-161 early · MBK-161 late · MBK pr.186 · MBK pr.186 (MK 85) · Pr.1124 early · Pr.1124 late · Pr.1124 MLRS
  Pr.191 · Pr.191M · Pr.1204 · Pr.1204 late