300 pointer using the OOB houserule

Duck Crusader · **Duck Crusader**

ARK and I got together on Wed for our usual round. (Seisen, where the hell are you?) We went with Japanese VS USA, and ARK went with new unit US cheese. Here's the results...

Japan:
CV Shokaku
BB Yamishiro x 2
CA Nachi
CA Tone
CL Yagahai
DD Akitsuki x 3
DD Isokaze x 3
SS I-19 x 3
A6M2 Zeke x 6

USA:
CV Intrepid
BB North Carolina x 2
CA Baltimore
CA San Diego x 2
DD Kidd x 3
DD John C Butler x 3
PT boat x 1
Helldiver x 3
Wildcat x 3
PBY

If you're wondering about our set-up. the Order of Battle Houserule we're using is here:

http://aaminis.myfastforum.org/about9123.html

Note that I'm not using a single new unit. Twisted Evil

Turn one: Deadly skies

Japan won initiative for set-up and again for first turn. Ich-Ban Ducksan chose to set-up first on map six. Both battle-lines and their escorts surged ahead, while the carriers held back, covered by a San diego and the Tone respectively. All engines were performing admirably on both sides.

Surprise, ARK's first airstrike takes aim at the Carrier.( What does KC do on first down? run the football. What does ARK do on first turn? Attack the enemy CV. Rolling Eyes

) Four Zekes rise to meet it, while the last two go after the PT boat and the PBY. With mounting horror the Japanese watch five out of six AA attacks miss completely, though the last one nails a Helldiver. Elsewhere the wildcat turns away the Zeke strafing the PT boat, but the one on the PBY dodges it's pursuit and downs the PBY. The airstrike pays off this time, first with a hit and then with a vital on Shokaku, which promptly sinks. Luckily all her birds were away and manage to make the landbase. the first round of torps from the I-19s go astray and the first turn closes ominously.

Turn two: Japan strikes back!

Duck-san retains the initiative, surging ahead at flank speed once more to meet her enemies, though they manuver cunningly to thwart their opponents... Tone darts forward to rendezvous with an Akitsuki while her Isokaze goes with the battleline. Once more ARK's attackers streak forward, this time intent on the Tone while their Wildcat escorts go after DDs. With no air to protect her the Japanese are worried, even more so when her best AA shot misses! Just when all seems darkest the lowly Akitsuki defies both odds and critics to turn away BOTH Helldivers! The strafing Wildcats are also aborted or miss!

Grumbling about these newfangled flying contraptions, Admiral ARK singles out a Yamishiro and orders his flag captain to 'kill me that ship!' Both North Carolina's fire on a single ship and cause a pair of hits. Baltimore checks her range finders and sees she can just barely draw a bead on Tone, who she promptly hits as well. Finally the PT boat takes a pot-shot at an I-19, but it misses. In response the Japanese unmask their guns and using the Tone's scout planes return fire on a North Carolina, scoring first a solid hit and then putting one in her magazine, sending her up in an awesome funeral pyre to escort the Shokaku to the Emperor's side. Nachi continues the lesson in superior Japanese gunnery, first hitting the offending Balt and then putting a Long Lance in the surviving American BB! The lone Isokaze sees to the PT boats destruction, then another puts a Long Lance into a John C Butler. Finally another round of torp fire proves that some I-19 skippers really do have coke-bottle glasses...

Turn three: Death comes ripping, what are we supposed to do?

Once more Japan controls the pace of the engagement. The US consolidates toward the center OB, while the Japanese close in for the kill. Only the Tone and her sturdy little escort DD hold back now. In spite of a full court press by both sides, air is indecisive this turn. Numerous strafers are turned away by alert AA gunners on both sides while the Helldivers fail to break through the Tone's heavy aircover.

The US battleline opens a punishing fire on the Japanese, and ship after ship is struck in rapid succession. One Akitsuki/Isokaze team is pummeled to death by BB secondaries and Destroyers. The Isokaze that had been running alone is likewise sunk. In the battline proper, Yagahai is crippled and Nachi hit, while Yamishiro takes another shot from the N Carolina. Then it's our turn. sniper

In a turn of furious gunfire one by one the US line is hit, crippled, sunk. Every gun on every ship blazes away with a fury not seen since the Mongol Fleet was destroyed off the coast of Japan. San Diego perishes, along with her John C Butler escort. Then the Balt succumbs to heavy close range cruiser fire. The remaining four DDs die in a flurry of DD main gun and Secondary and Tertiary BB fire. One Yamishiro shamefully misses the North Carolina, but her sister strikes her once more. Lastly torpedo after torpedo flies from DD racks and cruisers and arrows toward the last BB, but she dodges them all until only one shot remains. Again, it is a single shot from a pitiful Akitsuki that strikes the decisive Blow, and the flagship sinks.

Stunned sub drivers are left utterly without targets, as the only US vessels still afloat are the rapidly fleeing Intrepid and her escort. Japan picks up her first and only OB, and night falls on the horrible scene. As a mark of respect for their enemies, Duck-san orders the fleet to steam away without disgracing the surviving US sailors by offering to take them prisoner. Twisted Evil

I thought he was gonna cream me when I lost my carrier on turn one, but boy did it turn around after that! We're loving the OOB rules so much I think it's going to be our standard wether we're playing historical or not!!
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Member of the Helldivers WAS league

ARK · **ARK**

I really don't even know what to say I had so much hope and it was snuffed out so quickly. I blame a combination of my dice and me ignoring my instincts. Striking your carriers is all part of my plan, one day I will ignore them and you will be in such shock you will not be able to fight back.
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Member of the Helldivers WAS league

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' “Chuck him out, the brute!” But it's “Saviour of 'is country” when the guns begin to shoot.- Rudyard Kipling

Duck Crusader · **Duck Crusader**

SUUURE YOU WILL!!!
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Member of the Helldivers WAS league

Diamondback · **Diamondback**

Ark, he's baiting you... and that's when he'll bring the Jills.
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Frickin' cookie crap...

IJNCVLF: 'Cuz my Avengers wanna bust more'n just BB's...

The_lucky_Y · **The_lucky_Y**

and another reason to bring dauntless instead of helldivers because of the press the attack SA.
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YVAN EHT NIOJ !

Duck Crusader · **Duck Crusader**

I agree, then he probably wouldn't have vitaled my carrier and I'd have shot down all of his attackers on turn three as well.
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Member of the Helldivers WAS league

ARK · **ARK**

Yeah I am sure Zeros would have aborted the Daunts turn 1. The light defensive armament was a great help there. I honestly think that the NC is not worth the extra points for 1 less armor and 2 more flag over taking the Mass. I can see going with one NC if you are worried about the enemy going air heavy and you don't have any other flag 2 but that is about it.
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Member of the Helldivers WAS league

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' “Chuck him out, the brute!” But it's “Saviour of 'is country” when the guns begin to shoot.- Rudyard Kipling

Rangefinder · **Rangefinder**

I like your OOB idea. Seems to be a relatively simple way to get more units involved in the game and adds some interesting decision-making to fleet formation. I'll have to give it a try.