Legbiter
04-08-2007, 09:23 AM
We decided to play a five-player game to teach our friends Andrew, Garry and Jack about War at Sea. Four of us took the parts of the 1944 allies [4 x 100 point fleets] and the other took the Japanese [1 x 400 point fleet]. We decided not to bother with objectives.
Here was the order of battle, as near as I can remember:
Admiral Jambmordeur was French [Richelieu, 2 x Gloire, 2 x Terrible],
Admiral Jack was British [Ark Royal, Canberra, 4x Javelin, 2 x Swordfish, Sea Hurricane],
Admiral Garry was Italians [Vittorio Veneto, 5 x Ambra class subs, Luca Tariga],
Grand Admiral Andrew was Americans [Enterprise, Princeton, Liberty ship, 2 x F4F Wildcat, 4 x TBD Devastator, 2 x Catalina].
Admiral Anku Bita was Japan [Yamato, 2x Akagi, Shokaku, Shoho, 3 x Myoko, Tone, Kongo, Yukikaze, 4 x Zero, 2 x Betty, 3 x Val, 3 x Kate].
The battle fell into three phases.
In the first phase the Allies could do no wrong. Hemmed in by the Italian submarine screen the desperate Japanese filled the sky with flak and fighters but could not prevent our torpedo bombers from sinking one of the Akagi class carriers. Their air attacks on our surface ships all failed with great loss but some inroads were made on the subs.
In the second phase things started to pick up for the Japanese. Homing unerringly onto the tell-tale slicks of olive oil and discarded cans of tomatoes, IJN bombers sunk all but one of the subs. Our patrol planes were both shot down which had a devastating effect on the balance of air power. Our destroyers having discovered the "Make Smoke" button we closed sufficiently that long-range fire from the Richelieu began to batter the Japanese carriers.
In the third phase a general melee developed shortly after the remaining Japanese carriers were sunk by the Richelieu and a RN Hurricane [! strafing attack on the little Japanese carrier, already crippled by torpedo bombers]. In the centre of this maelstrom of shells and torpedos the Yamato forged on like a maritime avatar of death, sinking the Vittorio Veneto with a single salvo and pretty much everything else, too. Soon the Richelieu was struggling alone against the Kongo and Yamato - a state of affairs that could not be prolonged. Yamato was crippled by the end of the fight but Kongo was undamaged, and set off in pursuit of the American carriers, now reduced to flying only fighters. Japanese naval airpower still boasted 2 squadrons of Kates, albeit land-based, and 1 of Zeros. Victory to the Land of the Rising Sun!
A very exciting game, with several lessons and outcomes.
[1] Everyone enjoyed playing, which is not a bad advertisement for the game since between us we have over a century's experience of playing games.
[2] 400-point games play just fine on the maps. However, be warned that a no-objectives 400-point game DOES tend to go on rather [about 5 hours].
[3] Catalinas are AMAZING aircraft. Losing ours basically lost us the game.
[4] Richelieu and Yamato are TOTAL class. Yamato is the better vessel, sure, but IMO Richelieu is better value for money.
Here was the order of battle, as near as I can remember:
Admiral Jambmordeur was French [Richelieu, 2 x Gloire, 2 x Terrible],
Admiral Jack was British [Ark Royal, Canberra, 4x Javelin, 2 x Swordfish, Sea Hurricane],
Admiral Garry was Italians [Vittorio Veneto, 5 x Ambra class subs, Luca Tariga],
Grand Admiral Andrew was Americans [Enterprise, Princeton, Liberty ship, 2 x F4F Wildcat, 4 x TBD Devastator, 2 x Catalina].
Admiral Anku Bita was Japan [Yamato, 2x Akagi, Shokaku, Shoho, 3 x Myoko, Tone, Kongo, Yukikaze, 4 x Zero, 2 x Betty, 3 x Val, 3 x Kate].
The battle fell into three phases.
In the first phase the Allies could do no wrong. Hemmed in by the Italian submarine screen the desperate Japanese filled the sky with flak and fighters but could not prevent our torpedo bombers from sinking one of the Akagi class carriers. Their air attacks on our surface ships all failed with great loss but some inroads were made on the subs.
In the second phase things started to pick up for the Japanese. Homing unerringly onto the tell-tale slicks of olive oil and discarded cans of tomatoes, IJN bombers sunk all but one of the subs. Our patrol planes were both shot down which had a devastating effect on the balance of air power. Our destroyers having discovered the "Make Smoke" button we closed sufficiently that long-range fire from the Richelieu began to batter the Japanese carriers.
In the third phase a general melee developed shortly after the remaining Japanese carriers were sunk by the Richelieu and a RN Hurricane [! strafing attack on the little Japanese carrier, already crippled by torpedo bombers]. In the centre of this maelstrom of shells and torpedos the Yamato forged on like a maritime avatar of death, sinking the Vittorio Veneto with a single salvo and pretty much everything else, too. Soon the Richelieu was struggling alone against the Kongo and Yamato - a state of affairs that could not be prolonged. Yamato was crippled by the end of the fight but Kongo was undamaged, and set off in pursuit of the American carriers, now reduced to flying only fighters. Japanese naval airpower still boasted 2 squadrons of Kates, albeit land-based, and 1 of Zeros. Victory to the Land of the Rising Sun!
A very exciting game, with several lessons and outcomes.
[1] Everyone enjoyed playing, which is not a bad advertisement for the game since between us we have over a century's experience of playing games.
[2] 400-point games play just fine on the maps. However, be warned that a no-objectives 400-point game DOES tend to go on rather [about 5 hours].
[3] Catalinas are AMAZING aircraft. Losing ours basically lost us the game.
[4] Richelieu and Yamato are TOTAL class. Yamato is the better vessel, sure, but IMO Richelieu is better value for money.