AAR: Scenario 1 - Bombing Midway
Foreword
A long time ago, in August 2012 I had the idea of creating a short solo campaign in the Pacific. Midway Rising. For months, me and Sven created and wrote the rules of the campaign. Others joined in. After a while when we were about to begin life served me a cold meal and I had no time or will to set up scenarios. Sven, amazing as usual, kept the boat steaming. He played the campaign in the months ahead. I didn't. But reading these posts these last few days gave me the will to play these six scenarios. This is the first one.
Section of the Tsubai Squadron, 703 Koukutai, Carrier Hiryū, 2nd Carrier Division escorting Vals to Midway targets
I looked left and right. To my left Kaigun Chūi Quinn Mikeyung and Kaigun Shōi Hideo Itokawa where piloting the two other Zeroes. I was dutifully following them. This was my first combat mission. I was very proud. To my right the 3 Vals that we were escorting were flying in a precise formation. We had just split from the other planes from the carrier to attack our target.
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Then I saw them. Fat American fighters. I have a radio but it's only a receptor. It doesn't transmit. I started making signs with my hands and banking my wings.
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But before Kaigun Shōi Hideo Itokawa was able to see me I received a transmission from Kaigun Chūi Quinn Mikeyung. He saw the Americans almost as soon as I saw them. "Four Wildcats at eleven O'clock." Then he address me. "Kaigun Jun-i Takeo Tanimizu! Keep tailing Kaigun Shōi Hideo Itokawa and always protect his six! Banzai!" I shouted "Banzai!" but nobody could hear me.
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We moved to face them and they kept coming at us. Our leader was very brave and the Wildcats very foolish to face us directly.
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Then to my great surprise, the American fired all against our leader and made good damage to his plane. But the way he moved deflected some damage for sure. Seeing that amount of damage unnerved me quite a bit. But I clenched my teeth and kept my plane flying straight.
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Then Kaigun Chūi Quinn Mikeyung and Kaigun Shōi Hideo Itokawa fired both against the same Wildcat and some cannon shells connected with it. I was too far to fire. My hands were trembling.
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Kaigun Chūi Quinn Mikeyung made a hard turn right, Kaigun Shōi Hideo Itokawa followed him and I followed Kaigun Shōi Hideo Itokawa. It was a mistake. But the warnings of Kaigun Chūi Quinn Mikeyung in the radio came too late. "You should have banked to the left Itokawa! Now we're in a terrible position!" But neither of us could reply.
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Two of the Wildcats raked Kaigun Shōi Hideo Itokawa zero with terrible accuracy. I was afraid that this would be the end of us.
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The last one hit our leader squarely. I was astonished that he was still flying.
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Suddenly I had no one to follow and four Wildcats hot on my tail. Not knowing what to do I decided to stay close to the Vals.
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Looking back I saw one of the Wildcats targeting Kaigun Shōi Hideo Itokawa zero with enormous accuracy.
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It was terrible to see him going down in flames... I expected the same to happen to Kaigun Chūi Quinn Mikeyung. We were lost.
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But has I turned hard left to keep up with the Vals I saw our leader keeping his hard left turn and to my surprise the Wildcats went for a half loop. But they did it too soon.
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Our leader used the opportunity to fire against the Wildcat that he had previously damaged. And he raked it with furious vengeance.
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The Wildcat followed the burning wreak of Kaigun Shōi Hideo Itokawa zero! Avenged he was now!
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At the same time, the gunners of the Vals I was following hit squarely the closest Wildcat and to my surprise they hit its engine and the cockpit. The Wildcat pilot was surely hit.
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I decided to turn left again to be on the other side of the remaining Wildcats. My eyes were on our leader and on the way he was chasing three Wildcats. I suddenly realized that they were the ones that should be afraid. To gain some needed courage I shouted inside my cockpit. "Banzai! Banzai! Banzai!"
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Kaigun Chūi Quinn Mikeyung fired a volley against the enemy leader and hit his Wildcat squarely.
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The Vals kept firing their guns against the Wildcats keeping them away. I had to return to the fray.
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One of the Wildcats was obviously retreating, but the other two were still turning in the direction of the Vals. I pushed my machine to extremes to get closer.
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Our leader fired again against his target and smoke sputtered from his Wildcat's engine.
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One Wildcat retreating, one smoking and the last one preparing a half loop. I had to get closer to the last one. My honor demanded it.
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Then Kaigun Chūi Quinn Mikeyung got his second kill.
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The second Wildcat went down spiraling. Would our leader pursue the fleeing enemy or turn against the last one?
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And that gunner... that gunner... traced the last wildcat as if he was an ace.
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The Wildcat finished his loop, the Vals were getting near their target and suddenly I felt no fear or excitement. Only the sureness of a fighter pilot.
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Our leader fired against the fleeing Wildcat. I was happy because that would leave the other one for me.
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The gunner kept trying to steal from me a kill. But he was really good.
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As I came closer our leader also turned against the only Wildcat that was still a threat. I pushed my engine to the limit.
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He fired but failed to connect.
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The Vals arrived to the target and started their dive.
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Finally I had an enemy fighter in my sights. I was eager to pressed the firing botten and I spent too much ammunition.
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But although I missed the target with a lot of ammunition I suddenly hit something vital and the Wildcat exploded in front of me.
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As I saw if crashing down I heard Kaigun Chūi Quinn Mikeyung praise. "Well done Takeo! You did well. Form on me and let's take the Vals home." I could not stop smiling inside my cockpit.
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We formed up and we were ready to return back to the Hiryū. I had a kill and an understanding of combat that I didn't have before. But for at the same time, the sadness of losing a comrade. Alone in my cockpit I start singing.
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The Bill:
Kaigun Chūi Quinn Mikeyung (Veteran - Evasion) 2 kills in this scenario
Kaigun Shōi Hideo Itokawa (Standard) - KIA
Kaigun Jun-i Takeo Tanimizu (Rookie) - becomes (Standard) - 1 kill in this scenario
Rules in effect:
Rookies follow the same order if they have a leader in their 12. In case of being by themselves they are played as an AI.
Here you can find Hiryū and Tsubai Squadron
