Midway Rising: Mission 5: Akagai Down.
The flight from the Yorktown would stretch the fuel capacity of the different planes to their fullest extent. The SBD-3’s could only carry a single 500lb bomb otherwise the flight would be impossible. To help matters the F4F-3 would carry 2 100lb bombs.
With the IJN carrier Akagi identified the 3 groups of aircraft maintained position with each other. Having spotted the carrier in the distance the TBD’s headed for the wave tops whilst the wildcats escorted the SBD’s from height.
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Dauntless planes at the top of the picture, wildcats in the centre and the Devastators at the bottom. (numbered discs mark height of aircraft for the card aircraft).
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The Akagi
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The cap heading back towards the carrier: Watari Handa, Jiro Horikoshi and the rookie Rikihei Inoguchi. (top to bottom)
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The race is on.
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The Akagi 5” AA opens fire and scores a hit (Long Range: Special Damage A to hit= 1 hit draw C damage chit for damage 3) and the damage is applied to the wildcat.
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The devastators drop their torpedo’s. Hedging their bets they drop one red dot up (near)and the other black dot up (far).
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The cap is nearly back at the carrier
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The starboard 5” AA opens up again and scores a hit. (5)
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The Devastators break left and swing away from the Akagi as the torpedo’s race on. Akagi manages to launch a single zero piloted by Masaichi Kondō.
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within 1/2 ruler length the 5” AA is no use so the 2 starboard triple 25mm batteries open fire at short and long range (Short Range=2+ damage A chit: both batteries miss).
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The 5” engage the rear TBD but miss the shot (a recurring theme throughout).
The CAP zero’s exchange fire with the 2 wildcats just about honours even. (5,0 to 5,0)
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Kondo is clear of the carrier as the bow AA and a 5” AA open up at the approaching dive bombers (another poor show as they all miss).
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The port AA opens up at the lead wildcat (5 damage) as the torpedo’s strike.
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The red dot up torpedo land smack bang in the middle of the carrier and explodes doing 60 Hull Points of damage. The second torpedo lands black dot up and continues past the carrier. (this would only be done if there was another target on the far side of the carrier shown here moving past for reference only).
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The F4F-3 drops 2 x 100lb bombs over the carrier but they just miss, hitting the near miss zone (light area surrounding ship=half damage) onto the bomb deck. These cause 10 Hull Points of damage (100lbx2=200lb/10=20/2=10 HP). Note the clear bomb card for easy observation of hit area.
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Handa now takes on a SBD-3,
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the AA fire from the carrier is getting better (3).
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Horikoshi & Inoguchi both engage the same Dive Bomber,
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the rear gunner gets off a blast at Handa and smoke starts to pour out of his engine.
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I dabbled with extra damage (Initial Torpedo damage/3) from the torpedo breach to be taken after every movement card. Hence the added damage of 20x3 breach Hull Point damages. The Akagi has 11 Hull points left at this stage.
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Inoguchi attacks the dive bomber again and misses with a wild turning shot forgetting his deflection gunnery training (0,0,0), whilst the rear gunner fires at Horikoshi (1,2).
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Handa gets balsted by the rear gunner but using his superior evasion skills dodges the deadly burst with ease.
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Handa and Inoguchi attack the rear dive bomber and blast it out of the air (2,0,6+2,EXP,6) but too late to stop its 500lb bomb being dropped on the carrier (followed shortly after by the dive bomber itself!) As the lead bomber has dropped his egg too. (covered in damage chits you’ll be surprised at how much damage it has taken!)
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The final blow 2 x 500lb bombs direct onto the flight deck and a wildcat too! Each bomb (250lb+ draw a special damage card). 2x500lb=1000lb/10=100 Hull Points plus a wildcat! If the ship was stil afloat the 2 special damage cards would have been:
1. Bridge; Ship cannot change speed or bearing for remainder of game.
2. Disaster; Bomb explodes in the bowels of the ship blowing out its keel. Abandon Ship.
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The Butchers Bill:
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Watari Handa: 8 damage. Landed on the Kaga.
Jiro Horikoshi : No damage. Landed on Kaga.
Rikihei Inoguchi: 3 damage. Landed on Kaga
Masaichi Kondō: No damage landed on Kaga.
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F4F-3: 5 damage (veteran pilot ignores damage). Returns to Yorktown.
F4F-3: 13 damage (veteran pilot ignores 5). Successful bomb strike on Akagi. Returned to Yorktown.
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Red dot Dauntless: 6 damage! (12 misses!). bomb hit Akagi. Returned to Yorktown.
Yellow dot Dauntless: 26 damage. Pilot wounded. (veteran pilot ignores 6). Explosion crashed onto Akagi deck crew KIA.
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Yellow dot Devastator: 0 damage. Unsuccessful torpedo strike Akagi. Returned to Yorktown.
Red dot Devastator: 0 damage. Successful torpedo strike Akagi. Returned to Yorktown.
Summary:
1. Change damage on SBD-3 and TBD cards.
2. Stop using residual torpedo breach damage. Excessive.
3. New AA worked well but not deadly (not a game stopper).
4. Stick to the mission. The take off from Akagi did not work as it took too long to get into an attack position.
5. For Yorktown might add a single destroyer screen to see if multiple ships work.
6. Use new damage cards for Yorktown (didn’t have them done when I played this). So might leave residual damage in but limit to 3 movement cards and reduce to ¼ damage.
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