| Archive for Axis & Allies ForuMINI Specialised in the World War II Axis & Allies Miniatures and War At Sea Games |
| cealigh the MadScot |
Battle off Samar- Order of BattleWhile researching the Battle off Samar which involved the task force 77.4.3 "Taffy III" and the Japanese Center Force I put together an order of battle for gaming out the scenario. I was short a couple of ships of the Mogami CA class. No cards for them either. So I had to play without them (pretended that they had fallen behind and were acting as a rear guard so would not participate)Battle off Samar Gulf Leyte island October 25, 1944 WAS Game scenario after action report Played February 8, 2009 Order of Battle Allied forces- USN TF 77.4.3 “Taffy III” RADM Clifton “Ziggy” Sprague Commanding USN Battle Escort Group USS J.C. BUTLER DE-339 USS S.B. ROBERTS DE-413 USS DENNIS DE-405 USS RAYMOND DE-341 USS HEERMAN DD-532 (DESTROYER ESCORT GROUP LEADER) USS HOEL DD-533 USS JOHNSTON DD-557 USN Carrier Group USS FANSHAW CVE-70 “Flagship-RADM Clifton “Ziggy” Spraque” Carrier Div 25 and TF Cmdr” USS WHITE PLAINS CVE- 66 USS ST LO CVE-63 USS KITKUN BAY CVE 71 “Flagship-RADM Ralph A. Ofstie” Carrier Div 26 Cmdr” USS KALININ BAY CVE-68 USS GAMBIER BAY CVE-73 AIRCRAFT: F4F & FM-4 Wildcats x6 Air groups @ 18 aircraft per group TBM Avengers x6 Air groups @ 21 aircraft per group SPECIAL RULES: Stacking limits on the CVE’s modified to two A/C basing to allow for Historical unit basing for scenario. All attacks are at -1 On each die. Before the move phase of the 1st turn, one air group of TBM Avengers get one “free” attack on any IJN unit on the board at -1 The IJN player may not engage them with their AA. This is to represent the unexpected attack by a group of TBMs on ASW patrol that happened upon the lead element of the IJN Center force and attacked on impulse then flew back to the Taffy III carrier group. 1st Turn the IJN begins the game with only one of its DD divisions players choice. The rest of the Japanese fleet may enter at any time after turn 1. At anytime after turn 4 the US player rolls 1D6. On the outcome of that roll is when US re-enforcements arrive from the south end of Leyte island, consisting of the following: USS Missouri BB, USS Massachusetts BB, USS Salt Lake City CA, USS Baltimore CA, USS Cleveland CL, USS Boise CA, USS Laffey DD, USS Fletcher DD, USS Yorktown CV air group VF5 F6F Hellcats, VB5 SBD Dauntless, VMB5 SBD Dauntless Order of Battle Axis Forces- IJN Center Task force VADM Takeo Kurita Commanding IJN Battleship Div 1 HIJMS Yamato BB “Flagship- VADM Takeo Kurita” HIJMS Nagato BB IJN Battleship Div 3 HIJMS Kongo BB HIJMS Haruna BB IJN Cruiser Div 5 HIJMS Haguro CA HIJMS Chokai CA IJN Cruiser Div 7 HIJMS Tone CA HIJMS Chikuma CA HIJMS Kumano CA (not present, fell behind the fleet due to being heavily damaged in the battle in the Suriago straight.) HIJMS Suzuya CA (not present, fell behind the fleet due to being heavily damaged in the battle in the Suriago straight.) IJN Destroyer Div 2 HIJMS Noshiro CL HIJMS Haminami DD HIJMS Okinami DD HIJMS Fujinami DD HIJMS Hayashimo DD HIJMS Shimikaze DD HIJMS Kishinami DD HIJMS Akishimo DD IJN Destroyer Div 10 HIJMS Yahagi CL HIJMS Urakaze DD HIJMS Isokaze DD HIJMS Yukikaze DD HIJMS Nowaki DD AIRCRAFT A6M6 “Zeke” x2 squadrons of Kamakaze After action report: Will follow as soon as I can get it typed out.... I do have some pics tho.... 1st turn set up  We have Squalls!
 Close up of the IJN Destroyer Div 10
Turn 2, the rest of the Japanese Center force arrives... 
The Destroyers and Destroyer Escorts rush in to draw fire in order to give the baby flattops time to get away. 
Here some Kamakazes get some "LOVE" from F4F Wildcats on CAP. 
HIJMS Yamato getting undivided attention of two TBM Avenger Squadrons. 
More pics to follow later. I have to get to bed.. I have to go to work in the morning. |
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| Okie |
I have been wanting to play this battle for a long time and just never got around to it, pluse I only have 5 St.Lo's so far and need another but could use a Fencer. I really like how you painted your'plane's! Right now I am trying to get togeather extra US plane's so that TF57 can paint them up as British for me,Wildcat's, Avenger's ( hard to find!) and PBY. Okie | ||||||
| jfkziegler |
Cool pics, cealigh! I am anxious to see how it turns out. My instincts tell me that the Japanese will kill the Americans even with the double basing capacity, but I have been wrong before. | ||||||
| Aquarius |
What kind of basing material did you use for your carriers? | ||||||
| RAEVSKI |
nice | ||||||
| cealigh the MadScot |
The IJN Center force pounded the escorting DDs & DEs by the third turn. In subsquent turns two CVEs were put to the bottom of the Samar Sea. Fortunately the aircraft found new havens on other carriers before being relegated to the "Cactus Airforce" at Henderson Field on Guadacanal. |
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| cealigh the MadScot |
I use flourescent light fixture diffuser panels cut to size. Spray painted Royal Blue. |
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| cealigh the MadScot |
try these folks. They arent made by WotC but they are 1/600 scale, same as in WAS. www.tumblingdiceuk.com check out their website. Unfortunately they don't have many pics of their ww2 stuff but the list is extensive, and includes land based aircraft as well. They also have decals!!!! |
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| jfkziegler |
Perhaps the scenario needs a rule such as "If the Americans do X total damage to the Japanese, Kurita decides his losses are too great and retreats." |
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| cealigh the MadScot |
The beginning of the end of HIJMS Haruna...
USN Avengers (proxy Devastators) attack, one group is aborted but press the attack... subsquent turns... More lovin for the Haruna by Avengers... 
Next turn the Haruna's AA crews could not hit the broad side of a barn. two freebies for the Avengers... and they score hits... 
Next turn the Avengers come in droves... and manage to sink the Haruna. Even on 5&6's 
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| cealigh the MadScot |
Didnt need it. after turn 4 the Americans get to roll a D6 for how many turns before reenforcements arrive. The IJN center force (or what is left of it) will be facing some serious USN firepower and Kurita (opposing player) knows it and does not want to be around when it arrives. As it is the IJN limps away minus one BB one CA, two CLs and 2/3rds of its DD force. No supporting aircraft, except Kamakaze's which both stands have been obliterated by turn 4. Kurita Center force on turn 4 moving in on the CVE's 
The USN reenforcements from Suriago straight. 
The IJN center force does the bugout boogie with the sighting of the USN heavy reenforcements.. 
The last of the Center fleet exits the battle area. IJN tally of kills: 5 Destroyer escorts 3 Destroyers 2 Casablanca class CVE USN tally of kills: 5 DD's, 2 CL, 1 CA, 1 BB before reenforcements arrive. Heavier IJN task force turned away. Who do you think won this outcome??? |
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| Texas Grognard |
The USN definitely won the engagement.
1) For the cost of 5 DE's 3 DD'a and 2 CVE's Taffy 3 scratched a near equal number of 5 IJN DD's, 2 Light Cruisers, a Heavy Cruiser, and Battlewagon to boot. 2) They delayed Center Force long enough for the US relief force to arrive. 3) Finally Taffy 3 deterred the Center Force from accomplshing its primary objective, ie shelling the Leyte landing beaches. On another note of historical context the IJN took losses that could not hope to make up for in its cruiser and destroyer forces and the Haruna is irreplaceable. On the other end the USN could easily replace the losses inflicted upon it and would no doubt consider it the David vs. Goliath struggle it was. All in all it sounded and looked like a great scenario Cealigh. So from one grumbling Texan to a Mad Scot Salut! I call it a Marvelous Tactical Victory and a solid Strategic Victory foe the USN. |
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| Autarch |
The Japanese should get their AA on turn 1. It was the Japanese AA fire at the investigating Avengers that tipped off the spotters on the US ships that there were enemy surface units in the area. |