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Written by: Steven Jackson

Category: Pacific Theatre

Published: 31 March 2008

Hits: 19

Back To Tokyo!

The Doolittle Raid had been a huge moral boost for the United States, during an otherwise gloomy period in the war, following the attack on Pearl Harbor.  The US Army Air Force attacked Tokyo again on November 24th, 1944, but no aircraft launched from a carrier had struck the city since Doolittle?s famous raid in 1942.  In early 1945, Admiral Spruance planned a series of major attacks on airfields and industrial targets in and around Tokyo.  Spruance chose Task Force 58 to conduct the raids, even though they were initially committed to support operations on Iwo Jima.  The Marines of the Iwo landing force requested a full 10 days of aerial bombing and naval gunfire, but Spruance only committed TF 58 to three days.  Despite the protests of USMC General Howlin? Mad Smith, the fast carriers and the significant firepower of the 8 battleships of TF 58 left the support force of the Iwo Jima landings, and arrived off the coast of Tokyo a few days later, during the second week of February, 1945.  Three major attacks were conducted, two on February 16 and one on February 17.  More attacks were planned, but worsening weather convinced Spruance to cancel operations, and send Task Force 58 back to Iwo Jima.  Overall, the damage inflicted to the airfields and factories was small compared to the destruction of an estimated 400 Japanese aircraft, in the air and on the ground. This FSO will attempt to recreate those three attacks of 16-17 February.

Frame 1:  0600 16 February 1945
Frame 2:  1000 16 February 1945
Frame 3:  0800 17 February 1945

Scoring:

Objective based scoring will be used.  50% of each frame?s score will be for air-to-air kills, with the remaining 50% being divided between 6 objectives each frame with each being worth a total of 10 points.  Objective scores will be based on victory criteria that will be published in each frames objectives.

Air-to-air

Air-to-air score will be worth 50 potential points each frame.  The total number of aircraft that lift for each side will be tallied and added together using their respective point totals.  That number is the total aircraft potential for each side.  For example, the USN launches 100 F6F, 50 F4U-1D, and 40 TBM.  The total potential for the Japanese would be (100X2) + (50X3) + (40X1) = 390.  If they shoot down 30 F6F, 20 F4U-1D, and 20 TBM, they would score (30X2) + (20X3) + (20X1) = 140.  Divide 140 / 390 and multiply that percentage (36%) by 50 to compute total air-to-air points (18).    Pilots that land successfully will be awarded a 1.5 modifier to their air-to-air kill score.  For example, a USN pilot shoots down 3 A6M5, 1 Ki-61, and 1 Ki-84.  If he does not land successfully, he would score (3X1) + (1X2) + (1X3) = 8.  If he lands successfully, he would score 12 points, as 8 X 1.5 = 12.  Theoretically, one side, or both, could actually receive an air-to-air percentage, as detailed above, that exceeds 100% as a result from the survival bonus.  In these cases, either side would retain bonus points, and potentially be able to score more than 50 overall air-to-air points as a result.

Air-to-Ground

Air-to-ground score will be worth 50 potential points each frame.  Each of the 6 target objectives will be worth 8.3 points to either side.  The USN and Japanese will be awarded points based on victory conditions listed in each frame?s objectives.  Target objectives will consist of airfields and strategic targets in the Tokyo area. 

For example, a USN objective may be to attack an airfield.  If they destroy all hangars, they receive 8.3 points for that objective.  If they destroy ? of the hangars, they receive 4 points and the Japanese receive 4.3 points.  This is merely an example of how the objective based scoring will be used, but ultimately, each of the 6 objectives each frame will be worth 8.3 points.  Each objective will have its own victory conditions that will define who receives points, and for what destruction criteria.  Both sides will have an equal potential to score the same points for each objective.  For the USN, in order to score objective points, a Bomb Damage Assessment (BDA) flight must be conducted for each objective.  This BDA will consist of aerial screenshots taken after each attack based on aerial photos of damage inflicted on the objective. These screen shots must be taken from the cockpit (no film screen captures can be used) and submitted to the Admin CM no later than 12 hours after the frame for scoring.  Instructions for submitting the BDA photos will be included in the objectives for each frame. 

Planeset:

USN

F6F-5    (2 Points) (No restrictions)
F4U-1D   (3 Points) (64 maximum)
TBM      (1 Point ) (32 minimum)

*USN Ordnance limited to 500lb bombs and rockets only

IJA/IJN

Ki-84    (3 Points) (64 maximum)
N1K2     (3 Points) (64 maximum)
Ki-61    (2 Points) (32 minimum)
A6M5     (1 Point ) (32 minimum)

Victory Conditions:

Both sides will have the same potential score each frame.  This ensures that regardless of the number of players on each side, both have the same potential to score the same number of points.

Field Order:  (Per the fields set up on the Japan map, included in objectives)

Arena Settings:

--Japan Map
--Fuel Burn 1.0
--Icons Short
--.3 Ack
--Fighter and Bomber Warning Range 52,800 (10 miles)
--Tower Range 52,800 (10 Miles, To Match Warning Range)
--Visibility 17 Miles
--Radar Off
--Enemy Collisions On
--Friendly Collisions Off
--Killshooter Off
--Takeoff time per frame descriptions above

Contact all the squads on your side at: 

http://events.hitechcreations.com/squadops/assignments_fri.php 

Updated FSO Rules at:

http://www.ahevents.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=95&Itemid=121

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Written by: Ken S.

Category: Pacific Theatre

Published: 04 March 2008

Hits: 20

 

 

 

  While the exact objectives of Japan's attack on the Aleutian Islands in 1942 isn't known, there are two main possibilities to ponder. One possibility is that Japan wanted to conquer the Aleutians to obtain access to Canada and America's northwestern states by way of Alaska. Many of Japan's military leaders considered these poorly defended outposts to be the logical route for an invasion of North America. Why Japan clung to its positions in the Aleutians after the battle of Midway is not known, but it is probable that Attu and Kiska were either going to provide the jumping-off places for future invasions of the North American continent, or merely provide advanced eastern observation posts and defenses for the Empire. General Simon Buckner had proposed to attack Japan via a northern route, through the Aleutians, thus giving some credence to Japan's concerns about protecting their northern flank, which formulates the second reason for Japan's wanting to hold on to Kiska and Attu. A line drawn from Kiska through Attu and down to Midway Island would define Japan's eastern line of homeland defense.

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Written by: Spikes

Category: Pacific Theatre

Published: 17 November 2007

Hits: 20

April 1st, 1945

 

The largest seaborne invasion fleet of 1,300 ships approached the island of Okinawa as the Allies put into motion Operation: Iceberg. It would be the last amphibious invasion of the war. Its main objective was to capture the Ryuku Islands of Okinawa and set up a staging area for the inevitable invasion of mainland Japan.

 

The Battle itself has been referred to as the “Typhoon of Steel” for the sheer ferocity of the engagement. In the air above the islands the Allies saw the largest kamikaze attacks of the war thus far while the sea was clogged with the largest invasion force ever assembled to date.

 

Between Easter Sunday and May 25th seven major kamikaze attacks were committed with nearly 1,500 planes. Japanese opposition had been fairly light for the first few days but were stepped up in the way of a 400 aircraft strike on April 6th. Between March 26th and April 30th, 20 American ships were sunk and 157 damaged by enemy action.

 

The Japanese also launched operation Ten-Go using the super battleship Yamato. Its mission was to breach the Okinawa invasion force and beach themselves upon the shore. The Yamato task force was spotted by US submarines and on April 7th she was sunk by over 300 naval aircraft long before she could reach the besieged island. Only 10 US Aircraft and 12 Airmen were lost for the loss the Yamato, the light cruiser Yahagi and four destroyers.

 

The bitter Island fighting lasted 82 days and by the 21st of June the island was in Allied hands. By the end of the assault the Japanese air force supporting Okinawa was non-existent as the Allies stepped up their attacks on the mainland of Japan. Okinawa was the bloodiest battle of the Pacific War and the deadliest of WW2 for the US Navy.

 

In the air, the US lost over 700 aircraft to all reasons during the three month period of the assault. Some historians believe that the casualties seen at Okinawa were seen as the one of the critical decision pieces for the use of the atomic weapons against Japan less than 2 months later.

 

This FSO is set during the Invasion of Okinawa, Operation: Iceberg, from April to June 1945.

 

PLANE SET:

 

 

 

OBJECT SCORING:

 

 

Details

Written by: Scott Avery

Category: Pacific Theatre

Published: 30 June 2007

Hits: 16

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