Operation C - British Heavy Cruisers Sighted

Time - 2.30pm April 5th 1942

Scenario - British Heavy Cruisers Sighted - The Shotai must escort a strike, this time consisting of 6 B5N2 Kate torpedo bombers, as they attack two County Class heavy cruisers that have sortied from Columbo to meet up with the main body of Admiral Somerville's Eastern Fleet which is beileved to be operating somewhere to the South West of Ceylon.

Victory Conditions - In order to attack the targets the two bomber flights must fly the length of the playing board. The Kates are each armed with a single 18" torpedo. Each one that survives inflicts 1D6+3 points points of damage (Japanese aerial torpedoes were very effective at this time) on the target. If the total damage inflicted exceeds 25 points the target is considered to be destroyed. 

 

After move 1.....a flight of 3 Fleet Air Arm Fulmar fighters (Bottom left) from one of the Eastern Fleet's carriers manuvere to attack the Japanese strike aircraft (Centre) which the fighter shotai from Akagi must try to prevent...

With a surprising burst of speed (rolled a 6 and is piloted by a FAA junior ace no less) Fulmar "C" easily ignores the Japanese Zeros and bores in to attack the leading Kate flight. The concentrated fire of the Fulmar's eight .303in Brownings rips into the flight leader (Kate "A") which spews flame and dives vertically into the Indian Ocean below. The other two Fulmars fall far behind and are unable to support their impetuous comrade. 

CPO1c Honda must act fast to protect his charges.....he wings over and gives chase, managing to get on Fulmar "C" 's tail, but misses a straightforward shot. PO1c Ashai plays his role of Honda's wingman to perfection once again. As Honda rolls away to the left Ashai replaces him, hitting but only damaging the British fighter (red dot at the bottom of the picture, which I took after the British fighters moved.....). Meanwhile Fulmar "C" tries a head on attack against Kate "E" in the second flight but misses.  PO2c Watenabe engages with Fulmar "B", trying a high deflection shot that misses (I was rolling a lot of very low scores on everyones dice rolls at this stage :) ).

 

CPO1c Honda half loops to check where the enemy fighters are now, while PO1c Ashai manages to get into a shooting position on Fulmar "C" for the second time, but this time he misses completely. PO2c Watenabe is fast becoming aware that he is a natural fighter pilot as he effortlessly slips in behind Fulmar "B" 's tail and fires, but in line with his comrades eariler results this time the British fighter is only damaged (red dot bottom left).

While the Fulmars may not match the speed and manuveribility of the nimble Japanese Zeros they now prove that in the right hands they can be more than a match for any enemy strike aircraft......Fulmar "A" bores in on the second Kate flight leader (Kate "D"), downing it with a long burst, while the junior ace flying Fulmar "C" rolls in just behind Kate "E", which explodes  under a hail of .303 rounds to give that pilot his second victory over a Kate in this fight.....the Japanese strike is now in real trouble, with 3 out of 6 Kates having been shot down for no losses to the FAA fighters so far.....

   

But the pendulum is about to swing against them.......CPO1c Honda throttles up and turns sharply onto Fulmar "C" 's 6 o'clock, but he only damages him (Second red dot top left) before breaking to the right to allow PO1c Ashai to once again saves the day. Ashai sees his rounds impact on the Fulmar's wings and it spirals down to ditch in the water below (in these rules no aircraft can take 3 hits and survive). 

PO2c Watenabe meanwhile pursues Fulmar B, making a easy right turn and latches onto the British fighter's tail. Calmly he lines up and fires.....tracers impact the length of the enemy aircraft which wings over and plunges vertically into the sea......that's kill number 5 for Watenabe, he's done it....he is now offically an ace!!!

Suddenly Fulmar "A" is alone in the middle of a swerling mass of Japanese Zeros, the British pilot decides that he's seen enough and attempts to escape at wavetop height, but CPO1c Honda roars in from his rear quarter and quickly shoots down the last British fighter.     

Result - Partial Japanese victory. The 3 remaining B5N2 Kates inflict 15 points of damage in total, which is not enough to sink the British cruisers.       

Kills - CPO1c Honda - 1 Fulmar, confirmed, PO1c Ashai - 1 Fulmar, confirmed, PO2c Watenabe - 1 Fulmar, confirmed.  Watenabe has now scored five kills in one day.....he is now classed as a junior ace after his outstanding performance during 5th April.

Admiral Nagumo orders his tired aircrews to launch a further strike against the now crippled ships before nightfall. After that misson the carriers will withdraw to the South East of Ceylon to refuel and rearm before returning to launch a final attack on the other British naval base on Ceylon at Trincomalee at dawn on 9th April 1942....