My Battle of Midway

[Rogue187]

Went WAY different than in real life! I was able to keep Wake from falling and moved in some PBYs. I noticed (and got whacked) by 3 Japanese carriers and noticed that they were heading east. I had the Enterprise covering Wake, but it was RTB after having attacked several Japanese TFs trying to invade Wake. It was out of torpedoes and had lost some planes. I had moved Saratoga was just south of Wake and it was looking for ships to intercept. I was able to get Saratoga, Enterprise and Lexington (which was in PH) together and park them just SE of Midway. Initial combat took place at a range of two hexes. I'm sorry but I had to peek at the Japanese side because I was so worked up. My results:

Battle of Midway
Date: Dec 30, 1941

US Losses:
2 CAs
1 DD
CV Enterprise- Moderately damaged
Pretty severe aircraft losses

Japanese Losses:
3 CVs
1 CA
2 CL
3 DD
All airgroups

I feel so lucky! I have never had such success with early war CV combat! I could replay that 10 times and not get such a good result especially this early in the war!

[Big B]

ORIGINAL: Rogue187

Went WAY different than in real life! I was able to keep Wake from falling and moved in some PBYs. I noticed (and got whacked) by 3 Japanese carriers and noticed that they were heading east. I had the Enterprise covering Wake, but it was RTB after having attacked several Japanese TFs trying to invade Wake. It was out of torpedoes and had lost some planes. I had moved Saratoga was just south of Wake and it was looking for ships to intercept. I was able to get Saratoga, Enterprise and Lexington (which was in PH) together and park them just SE of Midway. Initial combat took place at a range of two hexes. I'm sorry but I had to peek at the Japanese side because I was so worked up. My results:

Battle of Midway
Date: Dec 30, 1941

US Losses:
2 CAs
1 DD
CV Enterprise- Moderately damaged
Pretty severe aircraft losses

Japanese Losses:
3 CVs
1 CA
2 CL
3 DD
All airgroups

I feel so lucky! I have never had such success with early war CV combat! I could replay that 10 times and not get such a good result especially this early in the war!

That's Not an unrealistic result - but rare in the game.
I put together a Battle of Wake Island Scenario , taken from records of what ship was in which TF for both sides - had the USN continued with their plan to relieve Wake Island in late December 1941... given the 3 to 2 CV differential - that result is common.

[AndyDuke]

I think the unusual aspect in this situation is that the combat took place at 2 hexes. With the Japanese advantage in aircraft range, how did you manage to get so close before striking?

[Rogue187]

I have no idea. I think it was a matter of timing. The Japanese ships actually moved past Midway. They were one hex south of Midway and I was 2 hexes SE of Midway roughly. It must have just been a matter of night movement. I fully expected the Japanese ships to stop at Midway and the battle to take place at maximum range.

[RichardAckermann]

It's maybe because he did close in during the night.
I frequently had carrier battles far closer than the maximum range.

[spence]

I think the unusual aspect in this situation is that the combat took place at 2 hexes. With the Japanese advantage in aircraft range, how did you manage to get so close before striking?

The Japanese were operating beyond the range of their land based search planes the turn before so they didn't know that the US forces were there (2 movement phases intervened).

[Macclan5]

Also not evident is the role played - (if any) of the Wake Island F4 Wildcats.

Did you keep the Combat report ?

I suspect you had a squadron on Wake (they start there)... No damaged airframes ~ 100% CAP ? ~ Range 4 hexes ~ Alt = 10000 ?

Perhaps you left them on 'Naval Attack' (I think that is default setting depending upon scenario) and they flew a strike in first before the IJN launched against you... i.e. disrupting a search computer die roll / CAP or some such thing.

--

My (admittedly) limited experience verses the AI is that the Allied Player can stand up to the KB on a 1-1 basis in 1941 and early 1942.

However land based air coverage supplementing the CAP on the Carrier (s) is almost a prerequisite for success.

Better to have Land based cap supplementing the carrier(s) and pilots with good experience to boot.

They seem to chew up the incoming strike effectively.

Those F4s on Wake start out with pretty good pilot skills as I recall. They probably helped ... a lot...

Then its just a matter of spotting (vis a vis range discussed above) and luck of the digital rolls.

[Anonymous]

[Deleted by Admins]

[Rogue187]

ORIGINAL: Macclan5

Also not evident is the role played - (if any) of the Wake Island F4 Wildcats.

Did you keep the Combat report ?

I suspect you had a squadron on Wake (they start there)... No damaged airframes ~ 100% CAP ? ~ Range 4 hexes ~ Alt = 10000 ?

Perhaps you left them on 'Naval Attack' (I think that is default setting depending upon scenario) and they flew a strike in first before the IJN launched against you... i.e. disrupting a search computer die roll / CAP or some such thing.

--

My (admittedly) limited experience verses the AI is that the Allied Player can stand up to the KB on a 1-1 basis in 1941 and early 1942.

However land based air coverage supplementing the CAP on the Carrier (s) is almost a prerequisite for success.

Better to have Land based cap supplementing the carrier(s) and pilots with good experience to boot.

They seem to chew up the incoming strike effectively.

Those F4s on Wake start out with pretty good pilot skills as I recall. They probably helped ... a lot...

Then its just a matter of spotting (vis a vis range discussed above) and luck of the digital rolls.

No. We were right up against Midway and far too out of range for the Wildcats. Plus the Japanese CVs hit the base before moving on to Midway and pretty much wiped out the squadron.