AAR -> CHECK6 -> Fight for the islands Frame 1

[Duckwing6]

Hello Folks !

Sorry for the delay but 've been on a business trip and couldn't get to writing this earlier.

Ok here goes:

Attendees:
Japanese (Knight): 49
Allied (Bishop): 40
Total: 89 (WTFG   Best turnout since Afrika!)

Design Side SPlit: 60%/40%
Actual: 55%/45%

Map of the Operations Area:
 

After Action Report:

Pre dawn 05:30
With a roar the first airplanes engines are started in the pre dawn Twilight. All over the Carrier groups 13 and 31 Airplane engines come to life with sputtering coughs and the ground crews perform the last checks before take-off, the same is happening on the land bases to the east. B26s, Lightings and a few C47s are being readied for the dawn strike.
A few miutes later green flares give the launch signal and one by one the airplanes roar down the flight decks and runways. Only their running lights and their exhaust flames can bee seen as they climb out and formup.
A feww hundred miles away, Japanese Zeros and Tonys lurch into the dawn skies to set up their combat patrols over the east part of the island chain.

06:00-10:00
The Allied Strike groups from the land bases 11 and 15 have converged and start proceeding south west towards A7. A wing of P38s is proceeding ahead of the strike to scout. The Carrier airplanes are hading South west also along the coast towards A7.
The Zeros out of A19 are climbing out to the north and the Squadron of Tonys are circling overhead A18 still climbing to their assigned CAP altitude.

10:00-10:30
P38s and F4Us have their first clashes with the A18 CAP, probing the enemy defence just north of A7, while the probing group just north east of A18 turns north towards A7 being trailed by some of the KI-61s.
The fighting is fierced and 3 P38s and 3 F4Us go down in flames, while the Japanese loose 1 KI61 and 4 Zeros.

10:30-11:30
While the CAP is heavily engaged with the Allied JABOs and escorts, the B26s break through and wreak havoc with their Bombs at A7. In quick succession all the Hangars go down whith no losses to the Bombers. The furball between Allied and Japanese FIghter claims heavy losses on both sides tho, with 1 more P38 and 5 F6Fs being lost in the A7 area and 13 Zeros and 2 Tonys!

11:30-12:00
The Allieds have now the upper hand in teh A7 area and the last few Zeros are fighting a desperate fight. Within a short time the last one is dispatched and Troops are being dropped over the field after strafing runs of the last few remaining gun emplacements and enemy strongholds. After a short but fierced Battle the Paratroopers can claim the field and it's perimeter. The Japanese Tony squadron is returing to A18 to refuel.
 
Preparing the Second wave 13:00-14:00
The Japanese are now at full alert and throw everything they have at the allies, with another squadron of Zeros upping at A8 and the refueled and rearmed Tonys from 18. The Japanes High command has obviously be infuriated by the quick fall of A7 andis sending their own airborne infantry towards the enemy beachhead. At the Same time the remaining allied a/c in the area are returing to their bases to refuel and a second wave is redied at A16 and A15 airfield, also the Carrier planes just having returned are being frantically worked on to get them into the air as soon as possible.

14:00-15:00
A7s Cap having to RTB due to fuel starvation, leaves the beachhead and airborne assault without its top cover. The Japanese strike hard and swift.
Within a few minutes the Allied attackers who just turned into defenders crumble in the rain of JABO Bombs and cannon shells. The Troops are retreating to the beach and have to watch helplessly as the Japanese land a new contingent of fresh reinforcement troops at A7.

15:00-16:00
The Allied strike just about to cross the shore north of A17 which was initially headed for A18, diverts to A7 and a big pincer movement with the F6Fs and TBMs from the Carier group is starting to form. While the Japanese CAP is still regainig altitude both Allied strikes start converging at A7.
The Cap at A18 which had a few skirmishes with probing elemts of the Allied strike group is still awaiting the enemy right over A18 (this should be a dexeisive decision to the outcome of the battle).

16:00-17:00
The CV airplanes arive over the A7 area and disregarding their own safety dive onto the enemy positions, taking them out wihin a few mintutes. The main Bomber group and their P38 escorts are just arriving from the south. On the way they came across an enemy CV which was moving in from the south west to attack the Allied invasion fleet. The CV is sunk within minutes. The fighting over the A7 area shows a distinct Japanese Advantage at the beginning and 5 P38s and 4 F4Us are being lost to the defenders at the cost of only a handfull of Zeros. The Fierced fire from the retaken AAA emplacements also claims some Allied pilots. However the Zeros aer getting dragged away and engaged and this gives the Allies the oprotunity to bring in some C47s and drop troops on the airfield. Those trops and the few left on the shore manage to retake the field after a bloody firefight with the Japanes, with reinforcements just coming over the ridge north of the field.
 
17:00-18:00
The Japanese High command has also mobilized ground troops from A8 who are now approaching the perimeter of A7 base. A few brave allied pilots strafe the Approaching vehicles and manage to destroy enough so the Troops on the ground can setup their defense parameter. Nightfall marks the end of the fighting for A7 with Japanese troops just at the oter perimeter of the A7 airfield.

Score:
Allies:
Airplanes / Vehicles destroyed: 63 = 315 Poins
Main Objective, Capture a base: 100 Points
Total: 415 Points

Japanes:
Airplanes / Vehicles destroyed: 59 = 295 Points
Main Objective, Sink enemy CV: Failed
Total: 295 Points

Conclusion
The Allied made a swift and sucessfull attack and capture at A7 at the start of the farme but lost A7 again due to the fact that not enough CAP was able to remain in te area. The Japanese whoafter retaking A7 had their groups split up just as at the start failed to reinforce the A7 defense with the CAP from A18 and thusly could not prevent the Allies from retaking the base, even tho they had almost the airsuperiority over A7. An attempt to reinfoce A7 with Vehicles and to recapture it failed just by minutes at the frame end.

<S> To the COs !! Zigrat and Wilbus did an EXCELLENT JOB! And thnaks to all who showed up, i hope you had a great time and to see you soon at the next Check 6, Fiht for the islands Frame 2  

DW6
CM-Corps

[This message has been edited by Duckwing6 (edited 03-09-2001).]