Operation C - Attack on Columbo 1st Wave

 Time - 8.30am April 5th 1942

Scenario - Attack on Columbo 1st Wave - The Shotai must escort a strike of 6 B5N2 Kates armed as level bombers as they attack targets around Columbo Harbour.

Victory Conditions - In order to attack the targets the two bomber flights must fly the length of the playing board. Each bomber that survives gets to roll 1D6. If the total damage inflicted exceeds 25 points the target is considered to be destroyed. If less than 25 points are scored then a further attack is required to destroy the target, but any damage inflicted in the intial strike is culmlative. As the Japanese met their victory conditions in the previous scenario the defending RAF fighters can only be scrambled once the attackers appear overhead. They take 3 turns to climb to altitude before they can manuvere against the Japanese aircraft. 

Turn one positions, showing the two flights of B5N2 bombers and the Japanese fighters to the right and the defending CAP of RAF Hurricanes at the bottom left with a dice counting down the number of turns left to climb to altitude.

By turn 4 the Japanese Zeroes are closing fast with the defenders, who are now able to react to them. Meanwhile the heavily leaden bombers drone across the board at 3 squares per turn....

PO2c Watanabe, keen to show CPO1c Honda his vigour to attack, streaks out ahead of his comrades. The British section leader in Hurricane "G", a regular pilot, decides to try and use his aircraft's strengths by engaging PO2c Watenabe in a head on pass as he angles towards the Japanese bombers......both pilots score hits (6's on red and white dice) but the Hurricane is destroyed while Watenabe only receives minor damage (black dice) and so elects to continue his mission accordingly. 

 The second RAF  pilot in Hurricane "H" (a junior ace no less) tries the same tactics with Watenabe as he tries to approach the Japanese bombers but this time both pilots miss. Before he can get to the bombers CPO1c Honda also intervenes in a third head to head encounter. He manages some hits on  Hurricane "H", damaging it (red dot), but just avoids the Hurricane's return fire. 

CPO1c Honda and PO1c Ashai try desperately to prevent Hurricane "H" from reaching the lumbering Kates. Honda half loops on its tail causing further damage (two red dots). Meanwhile PO2c Watenabe engages the last Hurricane ("I")  with a high defection shot from 3 o'clock, shooting it down. In the space of a few minutes he has transformed from a newly arrived "sprog" to a competant fighter pilot with 2 kills to his name.

The British junior ace in Hurricane "H" is not to be denied a shot at the bombers as he attempts to dive through the formation and outpace the pursuing fighters. He fires a burst at Kate "B" (hidden under Ashai's Zero "B" in the above shot) but misses. To his cost the nimble pursuing Zeros easily keep pace, and PO1c Ashai is soon on his tail. A quick burst seals the fate of the heavily damaged Hurricane and the RAF pilot is forced to bail out.

Result - Partial Japanese victory. The 6 B5N2 Kate's bomb their targets around Columbo harbour but only inflict 20 points of damage in total, so a further strike will be required to completely destroy them.    

Kills - PO1c Ashai - 1 Hurricane, confirmed. PO2c Watenabe - 2 Hurricanes, confirmed. He will now be classed as a Regular pilot after his outstanding performance during this sortie.