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mc3744 -> The first carriers battle (11/11/2005 5:27:02 PM)
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December 11th, 1942
A critical day in the war against the yellow menace.
The carrier TF composed by (3) CVs escorting a small convoy to Nukufetau engaged in a relevant carrier battle.
Btw, the damned Catalina’s at Nukufetau did not notice any of three different Japanese KB! [:@]
Unfortunately the partial victory is clouded by a GH’s trivial mistake. He left his Zero’s on Naval Attack instead of Escort, as he told me in the email. [:(]
I was going to offer to redo the turn, however after watching the combat I changed my mind. The mistake is obvious, but his effects not so much.
Let me explain and, please, let me know what you think.
During the morning phase my CVs were covered by clouds, hence no attacks in or outgoing.
However the Zero’s attacked a Minewarfare convoy, certainly not a big prize, still in this little battle the Zero’s on Naval Attack enhanced the effect of the attack.
See below.
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Day Air attack on TF at 84,110
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 25
A6M3a Zero x 8
B5N Kate x 60
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 damaged
Allied Ships
DM Pruitt, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DM Preble, Bomb hits 11, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Deloraine
DM Tracy, Bomb hits 1, on fire
ML Oglala, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DM Breese
Day Air attack on TF at 84,110
Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 31
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
DM Pruitt, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DM Tracy, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
ML Oglala, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
Day Air attack on TF at 84,110
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
A6M3a Zero x 11
B5N Kate x 18
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
DM Breese
DM Tracy, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
ML Oglala, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
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In the afternoon phase my planes attacked one of the enemy KB’s. The CAP was there, hence the mistake did not affect the defense, only the subsequent attack. The serious damage inflicted to the Kaga and the Ryuho - from what I can understand – would not have been altered without the naval attack setting: the CAP was there.
See below.
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Day Air attack on TF at 87,106
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 25
A6M3a Zero x 25
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 9
SBD Dauntless x 94
TBF Avenger x 42
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 damaged
A6M3a Zero: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 7 destroyed
SBD Dauntless: 47 destroyed
TBF Avenger: 14 destroyed, 14 damaged
Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CV Akagi, Bomb hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
CV Kaga
CVL Ryuho, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
CA Maya
CA Chokai
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And here is where he lost power due to the wrong setting. (35) Zero’s attacking ships (although not one survived the CAP) instead of engaging my (72) fighters.
Only (4) Kate’s passed my CAP and still one managed to score a hit! [8|]
There’s no doubt in my mind that with the fighter escort more Kate’s would have attacked my ships, however the results may have not been devastatingly different. Moreover I’d gladly exchange CVs on 1:1.
See below
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Day Air attack on TF at 85,109
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 17
A6M3a Zero x 18
B5N Kate x 51
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 72
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 17 destroyed
A6M3a Zero: 18 destroyed
B5N Kate: 45 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 damaged
Allied Ships
CV Wasp
CV Enterprise, Torpedo hits 1 (dmg 24-37-2)
Hence, albeit I recognize the mistake, I don’t feel like offering to redo the turn because the damage he received has not been altered.
Right now I’d record this event under the long list of ‘sh#t happens’ in war. Only this time it happened to GH.
I would however really appreciate your feed-back. Do you think that I should offer a redo?
[image]local://upfiles/11282/B55616D8AC32404EA059644B365331B8.jpg[/image]
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