Continue to work on What a Fighter [WAF]. Think I have initiative worked out and changing altitude as well as the traits great climbing and great diving. Though the wildcat fighter wasn't a great diving aircraft the zero was a slow diving aircraft which functionally works out to the same thing for WAF. So what better time to bring out my Cactus Air Force squadron and take to the skies. This squadron is a mixed bag. They do have a positive kill ratio but they don't win a lot of missions and their reputation is even. Worse the Group commander isn't fond of them so they are the last folks to get spare parts. they are down to 5 ready wildcats with 2 more in the job.
Maj Gunderson led the last mission so Capt Bill Sharp is sitting in the ready room when word comes down that planes have been spotted in the slot- Vals with a Zero escort. Up and away boys!
All 5 wildcats at contact.
Capt Sharp will go solo. He is scholarly Veteran.
The first pair of wildcats are:
Lt Dunning avg
2LT Compton rookie
2nd pair:
2Lt Thompkins avg 1kill
2Lt Rumford avg great flying skill
The wildcats see the Japanese first. Capt Sharp moves his fighters around to their 9 o clock before they are seen. Here is where the action starts and where we start our story.
Capt Sharp and the team coming to grips with 3 Zeros and 9 Vals. [ only have 3 Vals painted up how embarrassing.]
Capt Sharp decides to send one element against the Zeros while he and the second element go after the Vals. He radios Thompkins to go after the Zeros as they are the most experienced.
Lt Dunning fails to score.
Neophyte 2Lt Compton also gets behind a val and snaps it's wing off; two down.
The zero pilot is good [veteran] and manages to weave abeam of Thompkins. It is only through the efforts of his wingman Rumford that the zero does not get on Thompkins tail. Fortunately the grumman is tough and nothing important is hit by the japanese fire.
The third zero, with no opponents nearby, goes to protect the vals and attempts to maneuver against Lt Dunning who has just finished his pass through the vals. With excellent flying Dunning is able to keep the zero at bay. [ helps that the zero has a rookie pilot].
After 1 turn it is marines 2 IJN 0 but the US has lost the element of surprise. The wildcat is slower and less maneuverable than the zero. It's only hope is teamwork. Element 1 needs to get back together and element 2 needs to stay together. On that note while Rumsford was avoiding the zero shooting at him he managed [33% chance] to lose Thompkins his leader. They will have to fight separately this turn. Not good.
My playtest initiative track. Veteran pilots tend to go first, go figure. Thompkins [2] and Rumsford [5] are average.
The veteran zero pilot pounces on the lone wildcat [Rumsford] and gets on his tail. So far the wildcat is taking a beating but nothing important hit yet.
Despite his damaged craft the zero stays to finish this individual combat. He shakes Dunning off but can't himself gain an advantage. [ being a rookie pilot is a problem here. Lt Dunning thinks he is just that good!]
Lt Thompkins continues to take fire from the trailing zero. He also is not taking damage. He is so busy twisting and turning he does not dive. [ bad dice].
Lt Rumsford rolls over and dives to low altitude. The faster wildcat manages to break the tail of the zero.
Capt Sharp does an ineffective pass on the Vals.
2Lt Compton, flush with his victory over a val hears Dunning battling a zero and moves over to rejoin his leader as a wingman.
End of turn 2. Rumsford neutral to a veteran zero bottom left. Thompkins in trouble upper left. Dunning/Compton center and Sharp again circling the vals.
Lt Thompkins radios he is in trouble. His wingman, Rumford, is busy with his own Zero. Capt Sharp realizes his top cover needs help and leaves the vals to go help Thompkins. [ Sharp, as a veteran activated first.]
Sharp is surprised the zero is so intent on Thompkins that he is able to sneak up on him. It isn't until he is almost on his tail that the zero reacts. By then...
it is too late. Splash one zero and a second kill for Sharp!
While this is occurring, Rumford is having his own problems...
which do not end well! Fortunately he bails out unharmed if wet.
With his wingman backing him up, Lt Dunning goes after the crippled zero fighter. Unfortunately, Dunning's skills as well as the wildcat's lack of maneuverability finally show and all he is able to go is get a quick shot from 10 o'clock...
he sees hits on the engine but the zero keeps flying. Is that one made by grumman?
2Lt Thompkins doesn't have time to think about his downed wingman. Free at the moment, he goes after the vals and damages one.
Towards the end of the turn. Sharp shooting down a zero top left. A free zero after downing Rumford bottom left. Dunning/Compton engaging a zero center and Thompkins finishing his pass through the vals.
Lt Dunning gets the initiative and finishes off the valiant but crippled zero.
2 Lt Thompkins makes another unhindered pass and this times takes down a val!
However, the veteran zero pilot climbs up to avenge his squadron mate and latches on to Capt Sharp's tail. Sharp's rudder and horizontal stabilizers and damaged but he manages to break free. With that the fighters break off. A huge victory for the marines! 2 Zeros/3 Vals for 1 Wildcat and 1 damaged.
6 Vals approach henderson which looks like an island after a morning shower. : )
Flak is ineffective. The damage? 2 bombs strike the runway, one wildcat destroyed and one building damaged.
A big win for the squadron. Their cool goes up by one. The commanding general wants to meet the officer who led the defense so Sharp gets to meet him. He tells the general what they need are spare parts. The general promises them a new plane and any parts he can get them. Magically 2 of their damaged planes sitting around get the parts they need and are fixed plus a plane "from reserve" is transfered to them. They now have gone from 5 planes to 7 plus Sharp's in the shop. Thompkins becomes a veteran and Compton looses his rookie status.
WAF played well. It shows that teamwork is important which is one of my biases. The altitude rules and speed rules worked well. I will talk to Rich and Nick about it before the end of the year and hopefully you will see it in the spring.
Enjoy
Joe
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