Carrier v. Carrier Scenario

herky80 · Carrier v. Carrier Scenario

What would a Battle of Midway scenario look like? See the Battle of Midway thread in fleet builds for more discussion about possibilities.

The reason why I want to start this thread is that I've been considering for some time what carrier battles would look like- Midway, Coral Sea, there were several engagements that did not include surface ship contact and we should consider possible game variations to play them out.

I think rule adjustments are in order since the WaS game was not designed for such scenarios. Here is something interesting to consider:

Planes can move 5 sectors per turn and can remain over water anywhere when their turn is over. After a plane attacks, it must return to a carrier or airfield to re-arm.

Other rules might include:
- Fighters move 6 sectors and bombers move 4 sectors.
- Planes must re-fuel after 8 turns.
- Carriers cannot move within 5 sectors of another carrier.
- When damaged, roll a die- on a 4 or above destroy a plane.

- Make a cloud cover piece by glueing cotton balls together (darn, thats a good idea!) and place three of them on the board. Move them each turn according to the wind (check outside the window- just kidding!). For each cloud roll one die- move north if 1, northeast if 2 and so on clockwise. Planes in cloud cover cannot be attacked.

Thoughts?

The Tirpitz

Maybe there could be a rule to involve the problems of not knowing where the enemy is, thereby forcing the players to use scout planes.

RANGERDANE · Midway

heres one I developed:

Built around the Midway battle.
The two strike fleet Commanders try to nuetralize the opposing strike fleet.
Additionally The IJN CDR must land at least two infantry units on midway.
The US CDR must stop them from landing.

IJN:
Carrier Strike Force (Admiral Nagumo):
CV Akagi (with full air complement)
CV Kaga (with full air complement)
CV Hiryu (with full air complement)
CV Soryu (with full air complement)
2 Battleships
2 Heavy Cruisers
1 Light cruiser
11 Destroyers
1 Submarine I-168

Close Support, Midway landing Group (Admiral Kurita):
CA Kumano
CA Suzuya
CA Mogami
CA Mikuma
Kinai Maru x 8

USN:
TF-16 (Admiral Raymond Spruance):
CV-6 Enterprise (with full air complement)
CV-8 Hornet (with full air complement)
5 Heavy Cruisers
1 Light Cruiser
9 Destroyers
TF-17 (Admiral Frank Fletcher):
CV-5 Yorktown (with full air complement)
2 Heavy Cruisers
6 Destroyers

Midway island air wing = 1 x wildcat squadron and 1 x B-25 squadron

Midway Island Gun Emplacements has a 3 range 5-die gun attack each turn. The statistics are 5 armor/10 vital armor /5 hull (AA 3). It also has a Landing Field, the capacity to support 2 air wings of any type like a carrier. It has 5-armor/10 vital armor/5 hull (AA3)

IJN Attack Fleet CDR (Admiral Nagumo) wins by inflicting more damage on the enemy attack fleet then sustaining himself.

IJN landing Fleet CDR (Admiral Kurita) wins by landing at least 2 infantry units on Midway.

Stategic IJN victory if both victory conditions are met

USN Attack Fleet CDR (Admiral Raymond Spruance) wins by inflicting more damage on the enemy attack fleet then sustaining himself.

USN island Defense Fleet CDR (Admiral Frank Fletcher) wins by preventing any enemy infantry units on Midway.

Stategic USN victory if both victory conditions are met

Actual IJN OOB

Japanese Naval Forces

Combined Fleet
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (Commander in Chief)
in Yamato (Battleship)
Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Matome Ugaki
Advance Expeditionary Force
Vice Admiral Teruhisa Komatsu (Commander in Chief, Sixth Fleet)
in Katori (Light Cruiser) at Kwajalein.
Submarine Squadron 3

I-168
I-169
1-171
I-174
I-175
Deployed between latitude 20 degrees North, longitude 166 degrees 20 minutes West and latitude 23 degrees 30 minutes North, longitude 166 degrees 20 minutes West.

Submarine Squadron 5

I-156
I-157
I-158
I-159
I-162
I-164 - sunk en route by USS Triton (SS-201), off Kyushu, Japan, 17 May 1942.
I-165
I-166
Deployed between latitude 28 degrees 20 minutes North, longitude 162 degrees 20 minutes West, and latitude 26 degrees North, longitude 165 degrees West.

Submarine Division 13

I-121
I-122
I-123
Bringing gas and oil to Lisianski Island and French Frigate Shoals.

Carrier Striking Force (First Mobile Force)
Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo
Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Ryunosuke Kusaka
Carrier Division 1, Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo
Akagi
Severely damaged by aircraft from the USS Enterprise (CV-6) NW of Midway Island, 4 June 1942, and scuttled by Japanese destroyers Nowake, Arashi, and Hagikaze, 5 June 1942.

Akagi Air Group (aircraft numbers approximate)
21 Mitsubishi carrier fighter (Zeke)
21 Aichi Type 99 carrier bombers (Vals)
21 Nakajima Type 97 torpedo bomber (Kate)
Kaga
Sunk by aircraft from the USS Enterprise (CV-6) NW of Midway Island, 4 June 1942.

Kaga Air Group (aircraft numbers approximate)
30 Mitsubishi carrier fighter (Zeke)
23 Aichi Type 99 carrier bombers (Vals)
30 Nakajima Type 97 torpedo bomber (Kate)
Carrier Division 2
Rear Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi
Hiryu
Severely damaged by aircraft from the USS Enterprise (CV-6) and USS Yorktown (CV-5) NW of Midway Island, 4 June 1942, and scuttled by Japanese destroyers Kazegumo and Yugumo, 5 June 1942.

Hiryu Air Group (aircraft numbers approximate)
21 Mitsubishi carrier fighter (Zeke)
21 Aichi Type 99 carrier bombers (Vals)
21 Nakajima Type 97 torpedo bomber (Kate)
Soryu
Sunk by aircraft from the USS Yorktown (CV-5) NW of Midway Island, 4 June 1942.

Soryu Air Group (aircraft numbers approximate)
21 Mitsubishi carrier fighter (Zeke)
21 Aichi Type 99 carrier bombers (Vals)
21 Nakajima Type 97 torpedo bomber (Kate)
Cruiser Division 8
Rear Admiral Hiroaki Abe
Tone
Chikuma
Battleship Division 3, 2ND Section
Haruna
Kirishima
Screen
Rear Admiral Susumu Kimura, Commander Destroyer Squadron 10
in Nagara (Light Cruiser)
Destroyer Division 10
Kazagumo
Yugumo
Makigumo
Akigumo - detached to escort the Supply Unit, 3 June 1942.
Destroyer Division 17
Isokaze
Urakaze
Hamakaze
Tanikaze
Destroyer Division 4
Arashi
Nowake
Hagikaze
Maikaze
Supply Unit
Oilers
Kyokuto Maru
Shinkoku Maru
Toho Maru
Nippon Maru
Kokuyo Maru
Midway Occupation Force
Vice Admiral Nobutake Kondo (Commander in Chief, Second Fleet)
Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Kazutaka Shiraishi
Covering Group
Vice Admiral Kondo
Cruiser Division 4, 1ST Section
Atago
Chokai
Cruiser Division 5
Vice Admiral Takeo Takagi
Myoko
Haguro
Battleship Division 3, 1ST Section
Rear Admiral Gunichi Mikawa
Kongo
Hiei
Screen
Destroyer Squadron 4
Rear Admiral Shoji Nishimura, in Yura (Light Cruiser)
Destroyer Division 2
Murasame
Harusame
Yudachi
Samidare
Destroyer Division 9
Asagumo
Minegumo
Natsugumo
Supply Unit
Oilers

Genyo Maru
Kenyo Maru
Sata
Tsurumi

Repair Ship

Akashi

Light Carrier

Zuiho
12 Mitsubishi carrier fighter (Zeke)
11 Aichi Type 99 carrier bombers (Vals)

Destroyer

Mirazuki
Close Support Group
Rear Admiral Takeo Kurita, Commander Cruiser Division 7
Cruiser Division 7
Suzuya
Kumano
Mogami - damaged by aircraft from the USS Hornet (CV-8) and USS Enterprise (CV-6) W of Midway Island, 6 June 1942.
Mikuma - sunk by aircraft from the USS Hornet (CV-8) and USS Enterprise (CV-6) W of Midway Island, 6 June 1942.
Destroyer Division 8
Asashio - damaged by aircraft from the USS Hornet (CV-8) and USS Enterprise (CV-6) W of Midway Island, 6 June 1942.
Arashio - damaged by aircraft from the USS Hornet (CV-8) and USS Enterprise (CV-6) W of Midway Island, 6 June 1942

note - Michishio and Oshio of Destroyer Division 8, damaged at Lombok Strait, were still under repair.

Oiler

Nichiei Maru
Transport Group
Rear Admiral Raizo Tanaka, Commander Destroyer Squadron 2
in Jintsu (Light Cruiser)
12 transports and freighters carrying "Kure" and "Yokosuka" 5TH Special Naval Landing Forces (S.N.L.F.) and Army Ichiki detachment; two construction battalions; "survey group", weather group, etc.; about 5,000 officers and men.

- Two of the freighters were filled with US construction equipment and weapons captured at Wake Island.

Oiler

Akebono Maru

Patrol Boats

No. 1 - old Japanese destroyer Shimakaze.
No. 2 - old Japanese destroyer Nadakaze.
No. 34 - old Japanese destroyer Suzuki.
Carrying assault detachments, S.N.L.F.
Screen
Jintsu (Light Cruiser)
Desroyer Squadron 2
Kuroshio
Oyashio
Hatsukaze
Yukikaze
Amatsukaze
Tokitsukaze
Kasumi
Arare
Kagero
Shiranuhi
Seaplane Group
Carrier Division 11 - Rear Admiral Ruitaro Fujita
Seaplane Carriers

Chitose - 20 observation seaplanes

Kamikawa Maru - 8 observation seaplanes
Carrying seaplane group to be set up at Kure Island.

Destroyer

Hayashio

Patrol Boat

No. 35 - old Japanese destroyer Tsuta
Minesweeping Group
Converted Minesweepers

Tama Maru No. 3
Tama Maru No. 5
Showa Maru No. 7
Showa Maru No. 8

Submarine Chasers

No. 16
No. 17
No. 18

Supply Ship

Soya

Cargo Ships

Meiyo Maru
Yamafuku Maru

note - This Group, proceeding from Saipan and Wake, retired upon receiving word that the occupation of Midway had been given up.
Main Body (First Fleet)
Admiral Yamamoto
Battleship Division 1
Yamato
Mutsu
Nagato

Light Carrier

Hosho
8 Nakajima Type 97 torpedo bombers (Kate)

Destroyer

Yukaze

Seaplane Carriers

Chiyoda
Nisshin - carrying 2 motor torpedo boats and 6 midget submarines.

Screen
Destroyer Squadron 3
Rear Admiral Shintaro Hashimoto in Sendai (Light Cruiser)
Destroyer Division 11
Fubuki
Shirayuki
Hatsuyuki
Murakumo

Destroyer Division 19
Isonami
Uranami
Shikinami
Ayanami
Destroyer Division 20
Amagiri
Asagiri
Yugiri
Shirakumo
Detachment from Main Body as Aleutian Screening (Support) Force
Vice Admiral Shiro Takasu
Battleship Division 2
Ise
Hyuga
Fuso
Yamashiro
Cruiser Division (Light) 9
Rear Admiral Fukuhara Kishi
Kitagami
Oi

Supply Unit: Oilers

Toei Maru
Naruto
San Clemente Maru
Toa Maru
Actual USN OOB
Battle of Midway: 4-7 June 1942: Composition of U. S. Forces

United States Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas
Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, USN, Commander in Chief
Carrier Striking Force
Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher, USN
Task Force 17 (TF 17)
Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher, USN
Task Group 17.5 (TG 17.5)
Carrier Group
Capt. Elliot Buckmaster, USN
USS Yorktown (CV-5) -Capt. Elliot Buckmaster, USN
Damaged by Japanese aircraft during the Battle of Midway, 4 June 1942,
and sank after being torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-168, 7 June 1942
USS Yorktown Air Group - Lt. Comdr. Oscar Pederson, USN
Fighting Squadron 3 (VF-3) Lt. Comdr. John S. Thatch, USN
25 Grumman F4F-4 (Wildcat)

Bombing Squadron 3 (VB-3) Lt. Comdr. Maxwell F. Leslie, USN
18 Douglas SBD-3 (Dauntless)

Scouting Squadron 3 (VS-3) Lt. Wallace C. Short Jr., USN
19 Douglas SBD-3 (Dauntless)

Torpedo Squadron 3 (VT-3) Lt. Comdr. Lance E. Massey, USN
13 Douglas TBD-1 (Devastator)
Task Group 17.2 (TG 17.2)
Cruiser Group
Rear Admiral William W. Smith, USN
USS Astoria (CA-34)
USS Portland (CA-33)
Task Group 17.4 (TG 17.4)
Destroyer Screen
Capt. Gilbert C. Hoover, USN
Commander Destroyer Squadron 2 (Comdesron 2)
USS Hammann (DD-412) - torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-168 following the Battle of Midway, 6 June 1942.
USS Hughes (DD-410)
USS Morris (DD-417)
USS Anderson (DD-411)
USS Russell (DD-414)
USS Gwin (DD-433)
Task Force 16 (TF 16)
Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, USN
Task Group 16.5 (TG 16.5)
Carrier Group
Capt. George D. Murray, USN
USS Enterprise (CV-6)
Capt. George D. Murray, USN
USS Enterprise Air Group - Lt. Comdr. Clarence W. McClusky, USN
Fighting Squadron 6 (VF-6) Lt. James S. Gray, USN
27 Grumman F4F-4 (Wildcat)

Bombing Squadron 6 (VB-6) Lt. Richard H. Best, USN
19 Douglas SBD-2 and SBD-3 (Dauntless)

Scouting Squadron 6 (VS-6) Lt. Wilmer E. Gallaher, USN
19 Douglas SBD-2 and SBD-3 (Dauntless)

Torpedo Squadron 6 (VT-6) Lt. Comdr. Eugene E. Lindsey, USN
14 Douglas TBD-1 (Devastator)
USS Hornet (CV-8)
Capt. Marc A. Mitscher, USN
USS Hornet Air Group - Lt. Comdr. Stanhope C. Ring, USN
Fighting Squadron 8 (VF-8) Lt. Comdr. Samuel G. Mitchell, USN
27 Grumman F4F-4 (Wildcat)

Bombing Squadron 8 (VB-8) Lt. Comdr. Robert R. Johnson, USN
19 Douglas SBD-2 and SBD-3 (Dauntless)

Scouting Squadron 8 (VS-8) Lt. Comdr. Walter F. Rodee, USN
18 Douglas SBD-1, SBD-2, and SBD-3 (Dauntless)

Torpedo Squadron 8 (VT-8) Lt. Comdr. John C. Waldron, USN
15 Douglas TBD-1 (Devastator)

Task Group 16.2 (TG 16.2)
Cruiser Group
Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid, USN
Commander Cruiser Division 6 (Comcrudiv 6)
USS New Orleans (CA-32)
USS Minneapolis (CA-36)
USS Vincennes (CA-44)
USS Northampton (CA-26)
USS Pensacola (CA-24)
USS Atlanta (CL-51)
Task Group 16.4 (TG 16.4)
Destroyer Screen
Capt. Alexander R. Early, USN
Commander Destroyer Squadron 1 (Comdesron 1)
USS Phelps (DD-360)
USS Worden (DD-352)
USS Monaghan (DD-354)
USS Aylwin (DD-355)
Destroyer Squadron 6 (Desron 6)
Capt. Edward P. Sauer, USN
USS Balch (DD-363)
USS Conyngham (DD-371)
USS Benham (DD-397)
USS Ellet (DD-398)
USS Maury (DD-401)
Oiler Group
USS Cimarron (AO-22)
USS Platte (AO-24)
USS Dewey (DD-349)
USS Monssen (DD-436)
Submarines
Rear Admiral Robert H. English, USN
Commander Submarine Force Pacific Fleet (ComSubPac)
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Task Group 7.1 (TG 7.1)
Midway Patrol Group
USS Cachalot (SS-170)
USS Flying Fish (SS-229)
USS Tambor (SS-198)
USS Trout (SS-202)
USS Grayling (SS-209)
USS Nautilus (SS-168)
USS Grouper (SS-214)
USS Dolphin (SS-169)
USS Gato (SS-212)
USS Cuttlefish (SS-171)
USS Gudgeon (SS-211)
USS Grenadier (SS-210)
Task Group 7.2 (TG 7.2)
"Roving Short-Stops"
USS Narwhal (SS-167)
USS Plunger (SS-179)
USS Trigger (SS-237)
Task Group 7.3 (TG 7.3)
North of Oahu Patrol
USS Tarpon (SS-175)
USS Pike (SS-173)
USS Finback (SS-230)
USS Growler (SS-215)
Shore-Based Air, Midway
Capt. Cyril T. Simard, USN
Patrol Wing 1 Detachment (Patwing 1 Det)
Comdr. Massie Hughes, USN
Patrol Wing 2 Detachment (Patwing 2 Det)
Lt. Comdr. Robert Brixner, USN
32 Consolidated PBY-5 and PBY-5A (Catalina)
Torpedo Squadron 8 Detachment (VT-8 Det)
Lt. Langdon K. Fieberling, USN
6 Grumman TBF (Avenger)
Marine Aircraft Group 22 (MAG 22)
2ND Marine Air Wing
Lt. Col. Ira L. Kimes, USMC
Marine Fighting Squadron 221 (VMF-221)
Maj. Floyd B. Parks, USMC
Capt. Kirk Armistead, USMC
20 Brewster F2A-3 (Buffalo)
7 Grumman F4F-3 (Wildcat)

Marine Scouting-Bombing Squadron 241 (VMSB-241)
Maj. Lofton R. Henderson, USMC
Maj. Benjamin W. Norris, USMC
Capt. Marshall A. Tyler, USMC
11 Vought SB2U-3 (Vindicator)
16 Douglas SBD-2 (Dauntless)
Seventh Army Air Force Detachment
Major General Willis P. Hale, USA
Capt. James F. Collins, USA
4 Martin B-26 (Marauder)

Lt. Col. Walter C. Sweeney Jr., USA
13 Lockheed B-17 (Flying Fortress)

Maj. G.A. Blakey, USA
6 Lockheed B-17 (Flying Fortress)
Midway Local Defenses
Capt. Cyril T. Simard, USN
6TH Marine Defense Battalion (reinforced), Fleet Marine Force
Col. Harold D. Shannon, USMC

Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 1 (MBTRON 1)
Lt. Clinton McKellar Jr., USN
Midway Island

PT-20
PT-21
PT-22
PT-24
PT-25
PT-26
PT-27
PT-28

Kure Island

PT-29
PT-30
Also 4 small Patrol Craft.
Deployed along lesser reefs and islands of Hawaiian Group
French Frigate Shoals

USS Thornton (AVD-11)
USS Ballard (AVD-10)
USS Clark (DD-361)
USS Kaloli (AOG-13)

Pearl and Hermes Reef

USS Crystal (PY-25)
USS Vireo (ATO-144)

Lisianski, Gardner Pinnacles, Laysan and Necker
4 YPs (converted tuna boats)

Midway Refueling Unit
Comdr. Harry R. Thurber, USN
USS Guadalupe
USS Blue (DD-387)
USS Ralph Talbot (DD-390)

herky80

Wow, at first glance that is huge and detailed. So.... I'm missing a couple of units involved. Well, more than a couple. What to use for the IJN carriers besides the Akagi? Custom cards and Akagi, Shokaku and Zuikaku models? Is this a work in progress, I assume?

RANGERDANE

until other models come out

try using 2 x Akagi and 2 x Shokaku although perhaps 4 x akagi might be better?

In actuality both the Shokaku and the Zuikaku were being repaired during the battle of Midway