Monday 5 February 2018

Carrier Strike!

Related image

I've put two fleets together and cobbled together some quick and easy rules to give us a good game and a proper try at air attacks on Thursday.

First of all the fleets, which are based on Coral Sea;

United States

Lexington CV with 6 x Wildcat, 6 x Devastator, 3 x Dauntless
Yorktown CV with 3 x Wildcat, 3 x Devastator, 6 x Dauntless

Chester CL
Portland CL

DD; Morris, Anderson, Hammann, Russel

Japan

Shukako CV with 4 x A6M Zero, 4 x B5N Kate, 4 x D3A Val
Zuikako CV with 4 x A6M Zero, 4 x B5N Kate, 4 x D3A Val

Myoko CL
Haguro CL

DD; Ushio, Akebono, Ariake, Yugure, Shiratsuyu


Russ, can you use Fletcher class stats for the US destroyers and Kagero class for the Japanese.

Aircraft stats

Wildcat - 72cm /+1 dogfight
Devastator - 45cm/ -1 dogfight
Dauntless - 57cm/ 0 dogfight

Zero - 69cm/ +2 dogfight
Kate - 48cm/ 0 dogfight
Val 48cm / 0 dogfight

The Rules


  1. Both sides may deploy as one or two carrier task forces.  Each task force will have its own table/area.
  2. Flights will be sent out to hunt and attack enemy task forces - you may have as many air groups as you have flights but they can only be combined into a single group if they are from the same task force.
  3. Each air group rolls each turn to spot an enemy task force.  It rolls once for each enemy task force.  On a six it has spotted the enemy task force and may attack.  
  4. For each flight of aircraft on recon deduct 1 from the spotting roll (a one is always a fail no matter how many flights on recon).
  5. For each flight of fighters on CAP above the task force you are trying to spot, deduct 1 from the spotting roll (a six is always a success no matter how many fighters are on CAP).
  6. If a friendly air group has made a successful spot in the previous turn add one to any other air groups attempting to spot the same task force.
  7. On completion of an attack any survivors will take 1xD6 or how ever many turns it took to spot the enemy task force (whichever is the least) to return to their own carrier task force.
  8. Carriers landing or taking off aircraft must be moving at speed 3 or less (this takes care of wind direction and ensures the carriers are more vulnerable at this point).

In essence, both sides will need to make tactical decisions regarding the task force composition and number of air groups hunting for the enemy.  The more aircraft on recon the greater chances you have of finding the enemy but the less aircraft you have to make the attacks.  CAP is a good defence against air attacks and warding off recon but your attack groups will be vulnerable without fighter cover.

As last week, aircraft take one turn to land, one to refuel and one to rearm before taking off.  We will use a piece of paper with "recon" written on it and place our spotting flights on that.  Fighters on CAP will be placed with their task force.  You must specify whether your aircraft are torpedo armed or bomb armed (if there's a choice!).  I was going to do away with table movement and just play land, take off and attack - let me know what you think?

I hope the above is clear but please say if it isn't - if you have a really good idea that doesn't slow the game down let me know.