Question to Scenario Sq. Leaders Regarding Flight Organization

[artik]

Hello Guys...

Since my return to AH I had participated in two scenarios so far: BoB and Pacific. During the first one I was "promoted" to squadron leader. For the Pacific Scenario I volunteered to run as squadron leader and commanded F4F squadron (Charlie Flight/USN VF-6) during 1st 3 frames (until everything was reorganized for the 4th and my squadron was disbanded).


One thing that I was really afraid when we started was actually the Zero...  We did some training and ohhh... it is quite a hard plane to deal with. i.e. in our trainings Zero was almost always literally on the top.  I knew that without working as a team we have no chance against Zeros.

So I did following:

- Before the event started I run two training session with an accent on mutual defense, some formation tactics, winging etc.
- During the briefing I assigned wingman, fights of 4 etc, so everybody knows who to follow in the heat of battle. Usually we had two flights of 4 planes. I lead the 1x4 group, my XO Loki lead the other one.
- Each pair in the group was recommended to use .wingman ID command to highlight one so we can find each other easily
- After a battle when we took casualties I always reorganized flight such that we would takeoff together and operate together even if it meant keeping some folks on the ground (or deck)

This allowed me to split the squadron easily into two flights under my lead and my XO's lead when needed. For example during the midway when we need to search the target in a big area or during Santa Cruz that allowed to watch different flanks of the fleet, send a part of the squadron to climb, refuel etc. Everybody knew who to follow (most of the time) It simplified carrier takeoffs as everybody knew the takeoff order.

For example takeoff from USS Enterprise:




It was a common practice of my 101 squadron in back in 2003,  but now with a very little from what remained from 101 it was different. During the 1st frame of BoB and the last frame of Pacific (when I wasn't in command) I noticed that such a management wasn't done by other scenario squadron COs.

So my questions:

- Is what I done is a command practice for the scenario SL?
- What do you think, does it create more "bureaucracy" and makes squadrons more rigid or improves things?
- I tried to organize use to fly in line-abreast formation but it didn't work too well - mostly I assume because of much more training required. But we weren't flying in an echelon formation most of the time as well. Do you manage to keep the rigid formation or you use less "rigid" ones?

[HB555]

artik,
My own person opinion of what you did, and how you handled your group was  . When I am in a GL, SL, or XO position, I try to do very much the same. As you discovered, there is really no down side to having that much organization that far down the chain of command. Although you did not say, I would be willing to bet that you had advised Loki, and maybe a couple of others exactly what it was you were trying to accomplish for the "what if" factor, so that he could slip right into your slot and/or someone could fill his, should the need arise, at anytime during the frames.
The IJN side had some surprises that even surprised us, and although we knew what our mission was, no one that I know of knew what to really do during a "what if". Fortunately, we had none of those, and our leadership was spot on throughout all frames, our scouts did an amazing job for us, and our fighters did what they could to hold you guys at bay while the bombers and torpedo planes tried to accomplish their missions.
This scenario, IJN got spanked, and I am thinking it was, in no small part, due to your planning, although we too did have some shining moments.
All in all, we had a good time, hope you and your guys did as well. Look forward to flying with or against you in the next one.