Thanks for the input Draconins - a long time since I looked at the pacific campaigns - it was good to re-read these two accounts. Not sure if this proves what I mean though - it was only truly effective either from planes, subs or perhaps as in this case when using Japanese long lance torpedoes. The American torpedoes were deemed either defective or launched out of range (not sure if that was ever concluded satisfactorily). If you tried to re-enact either battle in the game chances are pretty much every torpedo from both sides will have caused enormous damage with both sides probably losing over 50% of the ships.
As an example I just completed the torpedo banzai mission by sinking two US battleships (out of a fleet with 3bb 1bc 2cl 9dd) with 7 Japanese destroyers (although I did lose 6 of them).
I will also confess I was thinking more so of battles involving capital ships and primarily thinking of world war one to early world war two era technologies - Im not sure what the remedy would be in game - maybe its just me - but it just feels out of kilter.