Footholds & Toenails Frame 3 AAR

[ghostdancer]

Well fought frame IJN. Will write up my AAR later from the point of my squad and from being the allied CiC. However, here is my battle plan map.



The Rogues conducted a flanking attack from the SW which relied on speed and stealth. There were only 5 of them .. so 3 on one base and 2 on the other. They actually beat the NE strike to target .. the Nightmares were supposed to set off A37 and draw your defenders E by SE. But the Rogues got their first .. not sure if your guys then got drawn up to the NW in response.

Had two lucky things go my way tonight. First before the Nightmares struck your A37 base we stumbled across your fleet in 12,9 just to the E of the base. Was able to peel off some planes from the A37 attack and used them to sink the CA (more economical 3000 lbs to kill it and get 300 points. While need something like 15000 pounds to kill A37s 3 FHs, 2 BH, and 1 BH and even if we did 100% destruction base only worth 200 points).

The other lucky break is stumbling across your fleet in 11,9 late in the frame which allowed the surviving TBMs (2) to sink its CA.

Your massive attack .. was reported to me as NOE on A5 in the beginning of the frame suprised me. While I had my fighters concentrated their I was more expecting attacks later in the frame or possible flanking attacks.

I was told that the battle early frame around A5 was very hot and heavy.

[Puck]

THAT'S for sure.  KO was squeaing like a little girl at a pony ride.  The best part was watching people auger trying to kill those bombers skimming the waves, though.

I immediatly thought "Midway", when the CAP was all brought down low, slow, and out of ammo by the torpedo squadron and wiped out by the high, fast bombers a few minutes later.  I ended up staying high watching for A6Ms and Ki-61s, since the IJN got two lives to our one.  They could afford to sacrifice an entire squadron of B5Ns to slaughter the bulk of A5s CAP.  I get the feeling it was just blind luck on our part and not some diabolical scheme of the Axis, though.

...still, nothing is more pathetic than an F4U-1 slow on the deck.  For a high A6M5b the term "clubbing baby seals" comes to mind  

[doobs]

I DIDN'T Auger I just misjudged the
the amount of air space I had, while I
was calculating the amout of bullets
I had left to the amount of low
bombers there were. And figuring
the arc of the bullets off the whitecaps.
So watch that augering stuff, thank you very much.

[Puck]

Whups!  Sorry.

Altitude challenged, then  

[daddog]

ROFL doobs. That is a quoteable for me my friend.

332nd Mongrels took off from CV 3 in the 11.9.1 area. Another squad (APDrones I think) headed right to A5 with some Val’s. We were in Kates and headed south then East/North East for A5. I think only 2 or 3 of us made it to A5. F4U’s took a lot of us out before we could get there.

With our 2nd life we were to lift off from A37 in Ki-67’s. I felt like the IJN at Midway. First we were to take bombs, then we switched to torps, then back to bombs. Reason was (forHIM pointed out) that bombs can be used against shipping and fields whereas we would be stuck just going after ships with our torps. So laden with bombs we headed for A5. We level bombed at about 12k. A5 took some moderate damage.We engaged some enemy fighters over five and lost a few drones, but most of us managed to RTB field 37 with our drones. On the way back to A37 we spotted about 20 low cons heading back to A5 from 37. Maybe those were the TBM’s that hit our field? Not sure, but sure wished I was in a fighter. As for rearming, unfortunately you lose your drones when you rearm. That is what happened at A37 for us. That is a shame. Nevertheless all the Mongrels took off again with bombs this time looking for the enemy Task Group. One was spotted in the 12.8.4 area. We headed in. No enemy aircraft were found. Our first pilot to drop on the enemy cruiser sunk it. We had to dive bomb. It is impossible to drop on a enemy ship that is turning while you are level bombing, so that left us with little choice but to attempt a dive bombing run. With most of us still carrying eggs we headed back to A5. We dove in again and did minor damage. With that we headed back to 37 and called it a day.

------------------------
CO CM daddog
Squad Operations
332nd Flying Mongrels
332nd Roster
Special Events
Noses in the wind since 1997.
daddog@hitechcreations.com

I DIDN'T Auger I just misjudged the
the amount of air space I had, while I
was calculating the amout of bullets
I had left to the amount of low
bombers there were. And figuring
the arc of the bullets off the whitecaps.
So watch that augering stuff, thank you very much. - doobs 8/2004 Squad Operations

[dtango]

The 412th was tasked to defend A37.  We were able to put up 7 Ki-61's - 2 scouts, 5 main defenders.  We had just rolled S and about to begin our patrol when 12+ contacts were called out SW of A37 at 10K so we vectored to investigate and engage.  We ran into a sea of USN F4F's and F4U-1's around 12.9.1 and ended up in a very sharp but quick engagement.  


"Tally-Ho!"  412th FS engaged SW A37


"F4F Down"

Realizing we were away from A37 we disengaged quickly and headed back toward A37.  On the way back 2 aircraft took critical damage from USN flak bursts off a CV task group and had to RTB.

Several lone USN contacts had us chasing possible USN strike forces south and southeast of A37 as both C29 and A37 flashed on and off intermittently.  By this time we were split into 2 groups of 2 a/c and 3 a/c respectively.  My group engaged in another quick fight against 3-6 F4U-1's and F4F's.

Just about that same time the USN raid came rolling into A37 from the N which caught us flat-footed since we were S of A37.  

We collapsed back to A37 and found our 5 planes outnumbered and fighting for our lives amidst swarms of F4U-1's and TBM's.  An intense air battle occured over A37 as other IJN forces came into the fight.  After a swirling knife fight with planes and bullets flying every, the USN raid finally dispersed and we attempted to re-arm and refuel.  We lost 3 aircraft damaging them on landing (the Ki-61 is really squirrelly!), another with heavy damage from enemy gunfire that could not return into the air which left only 1 aircraft serviceable.  That pretty much concluded the 412ths operations for the night though we didn't have any KIA's and ended up with 10 kills.


"Furball Over A37"

Well fought everyone.  We had a lot of fun!

Tango, XO
412th FS Braunco Mustangs

[Dux]

Rogues launched heavy and flew the route shown... we flew unchallenged all the way to target. At T+35 in grid 10.10.5, we sequentially peeled off and headed east toward V39, about a 20-second separation between us. We dove in one at a time, one after the other.

I dropped first on V39's barracks and killed them. Teebone, who was backing me up on the barracks drop, heard the "barracks dead!" call and diverted to the radar, and killed it. He called out "V39 Down" and the rest of the squad pulled off their attack run and headed for V38.

This is when the enemy showed up. The Ki61 is a fast plane, and had no trouble keeping pace with us. A couple of the Rogues at the end of the attack line picked up some heat. I was light now, so I reversed and dove straight at Blast, who was trailing a 61. We passed a mere hundred feet apart as I hosed his pursuer down with my .50s. don't think I hurt him, but I shook him up a bit as he broke off of Blast. I picked up a couple more 61s, so I dragged them away from the rest of the flight. As I dragged in a long lazy arc, I heard over the radio "V38 barracks down!". That was Blast. Seconds later, Blazze followed with "V38 radar down!". Blazze caught some ack leaving the target and went down.

Sandog, who was the trail man, confirmed the destruction of the targets, and the completion of the mission. He disposed of his ordnance and took up the task of fighting a way out of this now very busy target area.

I was still dragging what I thought to be a single ki61, and was slowly outpacing him. He was spraying at me from 1.0, and I was not worried in the least. But somewhere in my blindspot, at dead six and slightly below, there must have been another closer one, because the occasional pings became very fierce. I lost a wing and that was it for me.

Blast and Sandog were the only Rogues left, so they headed south toward friendly territory. Just as they were nearing CV25, they spotted  several inbound Ki67s beginning their bomb run. They attacked and got many hits on the bombers. Sandog killed one, but Blast took a pilot wound and had to head for home. Swooning in and out of consciousness, Blast manged to plant his main wheels onto the deck of CV25 and come to a stop. Sandog landed at A5 after pursuing the bombers there.

[dtango]

Hi all - just updated my AAR with a few snapshots from frame 3.

Tango, XO
412th FS Braunco Mustangs