Battle of Midway, Fight #2

All,

0625 local time
4 June 1942
Midway

It's 4 June 1942, the dawn of the epic "Battle of Midway," a clash of giants, three US carriers vs four Japanese carriers that proved to be the turning point of the war in the Pacific. For more information, both real-life and how I'm running this campaign, please check here:
https://oldleadbreed.blogspot.com/2019/11/battle-of-midway-campaign-plan.html

Yesterday at 0900 a US Navy PBY Catalina spotted Japanese ships 500nm west southwest of Midway; B-17s from the island were dispatched but failed to hit anything. US Navy PBYs continued to shadow the Japanese surface force, and actually attacked at 0100 this morning, scoring a torpedo hit on a Japanese merchant ship. Unbeknownst to US personnel, the Japanese carrier task force, as yet still unspotted, launched its first strike group against Midway at 0430. At 0530, the PBYs spotted the Japanese carriers, and noted their strike group inbound.

At 0610 the VMF-343 "Dirt Divers" scrambled six F4F Wildcats to intercept an inbound group of six D3A "Val" dive bombers escorted by four A6M "Zeros," but were roughly handled, having three Wildcats shot down and the other three damaged, as the Japanese lost one Zero and one Val.  The Japanese aerial attack caused 18/30 damage points.

So it's now 0625 and the Dirt Divers have scrambled another six F4F Wildcats to intercept an inbound group of six B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers escorted by four A6M "Zeros."

This is my arena for aerial combat; simple, yet durable and, to me, beautiful (in a simple, durable way). I'm using tiny aircraft designed by my buddy Thomaston; not sure what size they are, just that they are much smaller than 1/600. They're 3D printed models that I mounted on cut-down bases from Litko, and I'm using a very simple rules system called "Battle of Britain," which I found for free over on The Miniatures Page (I've already played a good 20 or so fights with them). Left is north, with the Japanese strike group there, and the American interceptors at right.

The US CAP, from left to right:

2nd Lt Oliver, a Rookie on his first combat mission
1st Lt Rison, a Regular with one kill on three sorties

2nd Lt Duper, a Rookie on his first combat mission
Capt Haynes, a Regular with one kill on two sorties

2nd Lt Cox, a Regular with no kills on his second sortie*
2nd Lt Kirby, a Rookie on his first combat mission

*This was the issue I discussed last game, where Lt Cox's Wildcat was damaged but he got it back in fighting shape after disengaging, so he made it into this fight.  We'll see how that turns out for him.

The Japanese strike group, from top right:

Zero 02, a Rookie
Zero 01, an Ace

Kate 06     Kate 03
          Kate 04     Kate 01
Kate 05     Kate 02

Zero 03, an Ace

Zero 04, a Veteran

We fast forward through the first three turns in order to bring you straight into the action. Time to fight!

The Japanese rookie, Zero 02, stays outside, defensive.

But his wingman, an Ace, runs straight in on Lt Rison, and the two pilots open, fire, though the Marine comes off the worst for it, his Wildcat sporting some new 20mm holes.

And then we get a shot from our combat correspondent, as Zero 03 comes left and takes a front quarter shot on Captain Haynes.  The Zero's guns thunder and blaze...

Captain Haynes' Wildcat is damaged (bottom left), and Zero 02 scootches on past, lining up a shot on Lt Duper.

Meanwhile, Zero 04 manages to come all the way around on Lt Cox's tail, lining up a perfect, zero-deflection shot.  The Zero's pilot opens fire...

And comes right at Captain Haynes as Lt Cox's Wildcat plunges into the ocean!  His comrades reported seeing a parachute, but PBYs dispatched to the scene later were unable to find him, so he's listed as "Missing in Action."

Lt Rison's bird is damged, but he checks his gauges and everything is okay, so he stays in the fight, coming left to line up a front quarter shot on Kate 01...

He misses, then comes right, going head to head with Kate 03.  Both pilots fire, but both pilots miss!

Captain Haynes, also damaged, checks his bird: the engine is running a little rough, but he resolves to continue to lead his Marines in battle!  Capt Haynes charges straight in, dodging defensive fire as he goes head to head with Kate 01...

A wing comes off and Kate 01 rolls into the sea, as Captain Haynes pushes forward, straight into Kate 04, where again both pilots open fire...

Captain Haynes quickly racks up his second kill of the die, hammering Kate 04 into pieces that fall like confetti into the warm, blue ocean below!

Lt Kirby sputters ahead...

As does Lt Duper.  But at least Lt Duper has a reason, he's got Zero 03, a Japanese Ace, right on top of him.

Lt Oliver figures he'd better sputter ahead, too, wouldn't want to be the only rookie acting aggressively.

The Japanese bombers move up, and suddenly Lt Rison finds himself with Kates in front and Kates behind.  He opens fire on Kate 06, as Kate 06 returns fire and Kate 03's tail gunner gets in on the action...

All three hit!

What does that mean?  That means the Japanese torpedo bombers shot down Lt Rison, while Lt Rison shot down Kate 06!  Lt Rison bails out of his stricken fighter and is picked up a couple hours later, he's okay.

Zero 01 loops in and takes a shot at Lt Oliver, but misses.

And then the Japanese rookie, Zero 02, runs in head to head with Lt Oliver.  Both pilots fire...

B ut we avoid any rookie-on rookie violence when both rookies miss, and Zero 02 comes right, in behind Lt Duper, but kinda getting in Zero 03's way.

Forcing Zero 03 to come right to avoid a collision.

But then Zero 04 is able to come left onto the tail of Captain Hayne's wounded Wildcat.  The Japanese veteran of Pearl Harbor and Coral Sea opens fire...

The 20mm cannon rounds begin knocking big pieces off of the stubby Wildcat, and Zero 04 cuts right as Captain Haynes opens the cockpit.  He took some shrapnel in the shoulder and so it's a real struggle to hoist himself out, but he manages, and tumbles over the wing before his parachute opens.  He's able to struggle out of his harness once he hit the water, then get his life raft inflated, the hardest part being to haul himself into it.  He was picked up a couple hours later.

Lt Kirby comes right and opens fire on Kate 02, but he misses.

As Duper sputters past Zero 02.  He's a dead man, there's no way Zero 02 doesn't come right and flame his ass...

Lt Oliver, pretty much nose to nose with Zero 01, also throws caution to the wind, ignoring the Japanese Ace to come left and fire on Kate 03...

He misses and flashes past, now taking defensive fire from Kate 03's tail gun as he opens up on Kate 05...

He lets out a triumphant scream as he gets his first kill of the war, splashing Kate 05!

The Kates, now down to two, push south.

As predicted, Zero 02 cuts right onto Lt Duper's tail...

And puts him in the drink before cutting left.  Lt Duper was picked up, but he was wounded and will miss most of the next two months, just like Capt Haynes.

And then Zero 03 pulls right, sliding in behind Lt Kirby.  The 20mm guns roar at long range, joined by the 7.7mm MGs when he reaches close range...

Lt Kirby rides his stricken Wildcat into the water, killed in action.

Zero 01 pulls a lazy right, scanning the skies for Yankee Imperialist Sky Pirates, finding only Lt Oliver (center left) still in the fight.

And Zero 04 pulls hard right, maneuvering to get on his tail.

Lt Oliver pulls the only move left to him, pulling into a power dive to pick up speed and disengage, living to fight another day.

The Japanese Zeros form up to escort the two remaining Kate torpedo bombers the rest of the way in.  The Japanese attack pilots are not, of course, carrying torpedoes, they are carrying iron bombs, which they drop from level flight at medium altitude, which is not really they're forte, so they don't score much damage on the shore installations of Midway, only 8 points, bringing the total to 26/30.

Another ass-whooping for the Marines, following my normal campaign pattern.  And it was ugly: the Marines lost five of six Wildcats, with one pilot KIA, one MIA, and two badly wounded, failing to knock a single Zero out of the sky, though they did get four of six bombers.  Here's how the pilots did:

Capt Haynes killed two Kates, but was shot down, WIA, out for 50 days
1st Lt Rison killed one Kate, but was shot down by a Kate

2nd Lt Oliver killed a Kate, becoming a Regular

2nd Lt Duper failed to score and was shot down, WIA, out for 50 days

2nd Lt Cox didn't score, and really wishes he didn't get his plane back in operating condition as he was shot down and is now MIA

2nd Lt Kirby was killed in action, making his first mission his last mission

So, those were the attacks by the Japanese carrier air groups on Midway.  Just like real life, they did a lot of damage, but were unable to destroy the shore installations, which then caused their strike commander to recommend the launching of a second strike, which would have catastrophic consequences for the Japanese carriers.

But that's all in the future: for now, the Americans on Midway are attempting to strike back at their tormentors!  When word of the Japanese raid was broadcast, the Americans launched all the aircraft stationed on Midway, to avoid them being destroyed on the ground.  But three groups of those aircraft actually set out to attack the Japanese; the attacks were not coordinated, so the Americans ended up piecemealing them into the fight, but that's where we're headed next: Major Chandler, the squadron commander, is leading a flight of Wildcats escorting six TBF torpedo bombers going for the Japanese carriers.

V/R,
Jack

Battle of Midway, Fight #1

All,

0610 local time
4 June 1942
Midway

It's 4 June 1942, the dawn of the epic "Battle of Midway," a clash of giants, three US carriers vs four Japanese carriers that proved to be the turning point of the war in the Pacific. For more information, both real-life and how I'm running this campaign, please check here:
https://oldleadbreed.blogspot.com/2019/11/battle-of-midway-campaign-plan.html

Yesterday at 0900 a US Navy PBY Catalina spotted Japanese ships 500nm west southwest of Midway; B-17s from the island were dispatched but failed to hit anything. US Navy PBYs continued to shadow the Japanese surface force, and actually attacked at 0100 this morning, scoring a torpedo hit on a Japanese merchant ship. Unbeknownst to US personnel, the Japanese carrier task force, as yet still unspotted, launched its first strike group against Midway at 0430. At 0530, the PBYs spotted the Japanese carriers, and noted their strike group inbound.

So it's now 0610 and the VMF-343 "Dirt Divers" have scrambled six F4F Wildcats to intercept an inbound group of six D3A "Val" dive bombers escorted by four A6M "Zeros."

This is my arena for aerial combat; simple, yet durable and, to me, beautiful (in a simple, durable way). I'm using tiny aircraft designed by my buddy Thomaston; not sure what size they are, just that they are much smaller than 1/600. They're 3D printed models that I mounted on cut-down bases from Litko, and I'm using a very simple rules system called "Battle of Britain," which I found for free over on The Miniatures Page (I've already played a good 20 or so fights with them). Left is north, with the Japanese strike group there, and the American interceptors at right.

The US CAP, from left to right:

2nd Lt Armstrong, a Rookie on his first combat mission
1st Lt Gardner, a Regular with one kill on three sorties

2nd Lt Cox, a Rookie on his first combat mission
Capt Tuggle, a Regular with one kill on two sorties

2nd Lt Kampouris, a Rookie on his first combat mission
2nd Lt Clayton, a Rookie on his first combat mission

The Japanese strike group, from top right:

Zero 02, a Veteran
Zero 01, an Ace

Val 06       Val 03
      Val 04       Val 01
Val 05       Val 02

Zero 03, an Ace
Zero 04, a Veteran

We fast forward through the first three turns in order to bring you straight into the action.  Time to fight!

Zero 01, an Ace, comes left, then whips his A6M Zero about, literally flying circles around the green Gyrenes, right in front of Lt Gardner, and already on Lt Armstrong's tail.

As his wingman, Zero 02, enters the fray.

Zero 03 cruises alongside the Vals, determined to see how this shakes out before committing.

And then his wingman, Zero 04, whips past Lt Clayton and takes a front quarter-deflection shot on Lt Kampouris, but misses.

Lt Clayton pushes past him, eyeballing the bombers (top left), but with an eye out for Zero 03 (far left).

But Lt Kampouris is a bit shaken up by his near death experience and only manages to sputter past Zero 04, showing him his tail.

In the center, Captain Tuggle pushes ahead.

And Lt Cox stays right there with him.  Go on, Rookie, go get'em.

Up top, Lt Armstrong eyes the Japanese dive bombers (bottom left), but ultimately, with Zero 01 and 01 on top of him, he decides to cut right, defensive.

As his wingman, Lt Gardner comes right and takes a font quarter shot on Zero 02...

The Marine aviator smiles as the Japanese Zero comes apart, and he coasts past, not realizing how deep of trouble he's in with Zero 01 behind him...

The Vals charge south, towards the island of Midway.

Zero 01 decides it would be two easy unsporting even, to kill Lt Gardner (top center), or more likely, he decided Capt Tuggle and Lt Cox presented more of a threat to the Vals (far left), so he leaves the two young Marines at top to swoop in on Captain Tuggle's tail.  The Japanese 20mm cannons and 7.7mm machine guns cut loose...

Captain Tuggle's Wildcat bursts into flames and he bails out.  He'd soon be picked up by a patrolling PBY, but he was burned badly enough to be out of action for the next 60 days.  Meanwhile, Zero 01 immediately cuts right and opens fire on Lt Cox, damaging his aircraft!

Zero 03 cruises straight in, pulling even with Lt Clayton.

As Zero 04 bends it back around on Lt Kampouris.

Lt Cox's Wildcat is belching smoke and his instruments are going bonkers; he might be able to get the aircraft back under control, but first he's gotta get out of the way, so he performs a Split-S to reverse course, disengaging.

Lt Clayton flashes past Zero 03 (far right) and takes a front-quarter shot on Val 05, but misses.

As Lt Kampouris, really caught between a rock and a hard place (or a Zero 03, bottom left, and a Zero 04, right), so he comes right, defensive.

As Lt Gardner comes hard left to get back into the fight.

And Lt Gardner comes with him.

The Vals continue their push south.

Zero 01 jinks over onto Lt Armstrong's tail and opens fire, damaging another F4F Wildcat.

As Zero 03 pulls left alongside Lt Kampouris, calmly stalking him, which frees up Zero 04 (right)...

To leave Lt Kampouris (bottom right) and go chase Lt Clayton (far left).

Lt Clayton cuts sharp right and opens fire on Val 06, as defensive fire comes in from her and Val 05's tail gunners...

Lt Clayton misses, and his aircraft takes several 7.7mm rounds as he pulls onto Val 04's tail, and opens fire, again braving defensive fire from the tail gunner, and this time both sides miss.

*He needed a 4+ and then a 3+ to hit on those two shots he missed...

Lt Kampouris says "damn the torpedoes!'" not worrying about Zero 03 (bottom center), and charges in on Val 01, taking a front quarter shot...

He misses, then kicks left and goes head to head with Val 02.  Both pilots stand on their triggers...

Val 02 rolls onto her back, streaming smoke, and glides into the warm blue ocean below!  Lt Kampouris pushes forward in his attack, now going head to head with Val 05, dodging tracers as he sends his own out...

Val 05 is shot up, but Lt Kampouris is the loser in this fight!  His windscreen is covered in oil and his cockpit filled with smoke, so he bails out.  He gets fished out of the water by the same PBY that picks up Capt Tuggle, but just like Captain Tuggle, he's been injured and will miss a couple months of action.

Lt Armstrong's Wildcat is too shot up to continue the fight and so he gets her turned around and heads back to base.

As Lt Cox works on getting his aircraft straightened out and acting right, hopefully before he reaches base.

*This is pure narrative: Lt Cox's aircraft was damaged and I rolled for him to return to base, but, knowing there were more fights coming up, I rolled to see if he could eventually get his Wildcat good enough to get back in the fight, and he could.  That will occur in the next fight.

Unperturbed, Lt Gardner cuts around left, ignoring both Zero 01 (top center) and defensive fire from Val 06, as he lines the Japanese dive bomber up in his sights and opens fire...

Grimacing as he misses and pull alongside the enemy plane...

The Vals push south...

Except Val 05, which is damaged badly enough that it needs to return to its carrier.

Zero 01 comes hard left on Lt Gardner; he can't line up a shot, but he's in great shape to get on the Marine Lieutenant's tail.

Zero 04 comes hard right, chasing Lt Clayton's damaged Wildcat (center top).

Then Zero 03, the other Japanese Ace, cuts left and takes a front-quarter shot on Lt Gardner.  Lt Clayton (bottom left) screams in anguish as he watches Japanese rounds slam into the cockpit and Lt Gardner slump forward, lifeless...

The Wildcat plunges into the sea and Zero 03 comes right, looking at Lt Armstrong's tail (top right).

But Lt Armstrong is able to open up the distance...

As does Lt Cox.

Lt Clayton is the Marines' last chance, but I roll and his Wildcat is badly damaged he needs to return to base, too.

The three remaining Zeros form up to chauffeur the four remaining Vals to the target.

The Vals fan out to attack Midway, and their attack is pretty damn effective, causing 18/30 damage points.  So good, but not good enough, we'll see what the Japanese Kates are able to accomplish in the second wave (wave, not strike, that's a whole separate issue!).

So, not good, not good at all, but about what I've come to expect.  It seems like lately every campaign starts out with the Americans absolutely getting the crap kicked out of them, and then it sort of rounds itself back out as the missions go by.  Here's to hoping that holds true.  Here's how the Marine pilots (in my first use of them with the "Battle of Britain" rules):

Capt Tuggle failed to score, shot down, WIA and out of action for 60 days
1st Lt Gardner killed one Zero, but then he himself was shot down, KIA
2nd Lt Kampouris shot down one Val, but then had on shoot him down, WIA and out of action for 60 days

2nd Lt Armstrong failed to score, was damaged, and returned to base, becoming a Regular

2nd Lt Cox failed to score and had his aircraft shot up, but was ultimately able to get it back into fighting shape, becoming a Regular

2nd Lt Clayton failed to score, was damaged, and returned to base, becoming a Regular

So the Japanese knocked down three Wildcats and damaged the other three, for the cost of one lost Zero, one lost Val, and one damaged Val that had to return to her carrier.  Funny enough, it was the three veteran Marines that got shot down and the three rookies that made it through!  At least Capt Tuggle and Lt Kampouris will return in time for Guadalcanal...

Next up, Captain Haynes leads a flight of six Wildcats to intercept the second wave of Japanese bombers closing on Midway.

V/R,
Jack