(All offending remarks deleted)
Find the carriers.
The mission was simple, find the enemy carriers. Chono and his wingman a rookie, Jiro Horikoshi, were patrolling their sector. They were zig-zagging the sky, trying to see under the sporadic cloud cover any sign of the enemy carriers. From intelligence they knew there was at least 1 big American carrier near Midway.
The story unfolds, as hidden by clouds no group can see the other.
As the wildcats entered a cloud the P40 (roll 1 on spotting dice) see’s 2 Japanese zero’s crossing his nose from right to left. The Japanese pair to busy looking down don’t spot the P40 closing in (roll 4).
The P40 trying to keep an eye on the Japanese duo raises the Wildcats on the radio and they turn to help.
The P40 keeping tabs on the Japanese zero’s guesses they went behind that cloud and spots them coming round the far side. The 1st Grumman is hot on his tale and wanting some action.
The P40 opens the tally book as bullets slam into the rookies zero. The rookie quickly ducks into a cloud leaving Chono to watch tracer flying all round his zero but nothing comes near.
Chono flying round the cloud formation sees the wildcat first and opens up with all guns blazing. He is gratified to see smoke coming from the engine and some erratic flying by the pilot. Chono can see some holes in his wing but it is nothing.
The Japs have come out the far side and are now in a turning battle against a P40. They can see nothing of the 2 wildcats on the far side of the clouds.
Chono, the P40 in his sights, opens fire at long range. Canon shells thud into the P40 airframe and it shudders under the impact.
Chono, concentrating on the P40, misses the flash of steely-blue thunder out of a cloud behind him but feels the bullets strike his let wing.
Way to go the rookie who opens up on the wildcat. But his guns jam and he does not see the P40 glide past on the right.
With a quick flip of his plane Chono follows the Wildcat round but cannot get a shot in. The wildcat takes pleasure in hammering his bullets into the rookies zero. Never ssaw it coming).
Ordering the rookie to fly home Chono closes in on the Wildcat and fires at long range.
This has now become a target rich environment as a 2nd wildcat breaks out of the clouds and Chono fires off a quick burst as wildcat number1 eludes him in the clouds.
The aircraft are now far apart and eager eyes seek out the foe.Its see or be seen and that means a swift death. Chono, flying by instinct, ducks into a cloud and is rewarded as a target appears before him on the other side,
His adversary, in flames, spins towards the ocean far below.
The P40 starts to stalk Chono.
But little does he know but Chono has also spotted him and the tables are turned as huinted becomes hunter.
Deaths embrace so close but so far away. Both pilots instinct taking over manage to swerve at the last minute and avoid each other,
Chono begins the hunt.
And again a near miss.
The P40 turns quicker and bullets lash Chono’s zero.
Now it is a head on charge and both planes take damage.
Lining up for another head to head charge…who will hold their nerve?
A collision was inevitable…..Chono comes off lucky as the P40, one wing crumpled, spirals towards the sea.
Chono, the sky empty finds what he was searching for. For their below and to his right is an American carrier. Without hesitation he sends the code word and co-ordinates of the American carrier.
Butchers Bill:
Sjirō Chōno: 15 damage (turned over chit was an 8 damage). Returned to Kaga, found enemy carrier. 2 kills. Jiro Horikoshi: 12 damage (by mistake turned over B token was a 3) Returned to Kaga safely.
Wildcat 1: 13 damage. Pilot wounded. Landed safely on Yorktown.
Wildcat 2: 21 damage. Shot down. Picked up by Yorktown.
P40 (Vet): 22 damage. Shot down. Picked up by Yorktown.
The game set up used the bouncing diagram used in the OTT scenario’s. I picked a mid table point and diced to see where each group would be in reference to it. I also split the Americans into 2 groups. A Midway group (my veteran pilot in the P40) and 2 Grumman’s from the US carrier group.
The 2 zero’s of the 601st Kotukai would stay together and fly the same path unless fired upon.
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