Up this week: Battle off Samar 25 October 1944

[Mister Fork]

Battle off Samar 25 October 1944

The GM FM2 "Wildcat"  played an important role in the 25 October 1944 Battle off Samar, in which a force of the slow CVEs and their escorts out-fought a vastly superior Japanese surface fleet.

In history, the Japanese force consisted mainly of battleships and cruisers. We are adding IJN carriers to enable the fun matchup between the FM2 and the A6M5 Zero

Terrain: midway

IJN-Knights
A6M5
D3A1
B5N

USN-Bishops
FM2
SBD
TBM

Objectives:
1. Destroy the enemy fleet and aircraft.
2. Caputre the island airbase to unlock additional aircraft for your side!
Allies:
B-26
P-38J
Spitfire Mk IX
P-40N
F4U-1A

IJN/IJA:
G4M1-11
Ki-43-II
Ki-61
Ki-84-la

[jimson]

I love this match up. The FM2 vs Zeke is a heck of a lot of fun.

[Karnak]

Not meaning to be disrespectful, but I don't think the Spitfire Mk IX ever served in the Pacific or CBI theaters.  The Spitfire Mk V, Spitfire Mk VIII and (not in AH) Seafire Mk III were the versions used in those theaters.

I don't think the Mk VIII would be unbalancing either as in prior matchups it came off badly against the Ki-84.

Yes, I plan on flying some sorties in the AvA during this setting, probably in Ki-43s, Ki-84s and A6M5s.

[Mister Fork]

Not meaning to be disrespectful, but I don't think the Spitfire Mk IX ever served in the Pacific or CBI theaters.  The Spitfire Mk V, Spitfire Mk VIII and (not in AH) Seafire Mk III were the versions used in those theaters.

I don't think the Mk VIII would be unbalancing either as in prior matchups it came off badly against the Ki-84.

Yes, I plan on flying some sorties in the AvA during this setting, probably in Ki-43s, Ki-84s and A6M5s.

I was thinking that too Karnak but the SpitIX is closer to the Spit8 they had in the pacific no?  Either way, all about balancing with a limited plane set.  Look forward to seeing you in our arena!

[Karnak]

Same Spit VIII.  The LF models were the most common and that is what we have.  So far as I know Spit VIII's never had anything other than 100 octane, which again ours has.

Spit VIIIs did have the same engine range as the Spit IXs, Merlins 61s (AH Spit IX), 63, 66 (AH Spit VIII and Spit XVI) and 70.  Very few had the 61 or 63 though.  The 70 was a very high blown engine, higher than the 61 and 63.  Like with the Mk IX the Merlin 66 was the most common engine.

Balance does matter though.  If the Ki-84 wasn't there I wouldn't have commented.  I just remember the Ki-84 kicking sand in the Spit VIII's face and taking its lunch money in past setups.