Command Modern Ops - The Final Countdown - Option Nimitz
Now for the last test - the IJN First and Second waves attack the Nimitz.
In the movie, the Nimitz captured one of the Zero pilots and brought him back to the ship with the yacht survivors. Later during questioning, he overpowered his guard and held the survivors' hostage. His demand was to radio his fleet but he became distracted when the CAG thru an interpreter described in detail the upcoming IJN attack. A marine tried to take advantage and gunfire was exchanged - 1 Marine and 1 Japanese pilot dead.
Now instead the pilot gets his demands, they let him radio his fleet, and he warns them and maybe somehow relays the lat/long of the Nimitz secretly. The IJN Admiral agrees to call off the Pearl attack, but as the Hawkeye monitors the first wave instead of seeing them return to the IJN carriers they turn west.
Adm Nagumo recognizes the Nimitz as the greater threat and unleashes the already airborne First Wave on her…
In response, the Nimitz launches all available F-14s and redirects the previously launched Pearl CAP group to intercept the IJN First Wave.
The two F-14 groups contact the First Wave almost simultaneously and start launching Phoenixes and Sidewinders.
Pearl CAP Group:
Nimitz CAP Group:
A massive furball ensues. In the meantime, the Nimitz launches her strike group (A-6s/A-7s) against the IJN Fleet and IJN starts launching its Second Wave to strike the Nimitz - both groups initially forming up in patrol areas away from the air battle.
Many things are happening (slowly) now at the same time.
In the air battle with the First Wave, the F-14s are starting to run out of bullets (AAM/Cannon) and RTB Winchester. Also, some of the First Wave has turned around due to fuel issues - the strike for them was at extreme range following their initial launch/form up to attack Pearl. In hindsight, if I had realized most of the First Wave did not have the legs to reach the Nimitz, I would have saved the F-14s for the greater threat of the Second Wave.
To address this issue I divert the A-7 Strike Squadrons to fly thru the 2nd wave and expend their x2 AAMs and cannons to try to whittle it down. It won’t be enough though considering my percentages to hit range from 20% to 50%. Too many targets and not enough bullets.
The A-6s with no anti-air armament continue their attack run on the IJN Fleet coming in from the north of the 2nd Wave.
Since this is my third try at attacking the IJN Fleet I know exactly what to do. I unassign and then manually target x2 A-6s (each w/2 Walleyes) per each IJN Carrier. Here we see 1 Carrier to the North (Soryu) sinking and x6 more Walleyes inbound.
Here the Hiryu is sinking and the remaining carriers are in various states of damage and targeted by numerous more Walleyes. In the end, 5 carriers were sunk and 1 heavily damaged on its way to imminent sinking.
Even though 5 IJN CVs were sinking, there was no celebration on the Nimitz. The majority of her AC were Winchester and a multitude of IJN AC were still streaming towards the Nimitz. The first to arrive were a pair of Zeroes - a BPDMS launcher cuts loose with its Sea Sparrows. Here we see the 2nd Zero about to be shot down, while Nimitz AC are landing in the background.
Even though the IJN Aircraft are shot down, some Sea Sparrows miss, and the Nimitz is expending too many considering the number of IJN AC still coming. In this image the first Kate and Val arrive - both armed w/bombs originally intended for the 2nd Waves land strike on Pearl. The first BPDMS launcher is empty so the Nimitz has to change course to unmask another launcher. An A-6 is in the background on approach.
Too many misses and the Nimitz has to change course again to unmask the last BPDMS launcher. Eventually, the last launcher is exhausted and there is no active defense - until some F-14s are rearmed.
Below 3 Val dive bombers have finished their bomb runs w/250kg bombs - some hit/some miss. The Nimitz experiences fires and flooding and is starting to get damaged.
After the Vals finish their bomb runs they don't RTB - instead, they start circling the Nimitz and strafing her. At first, I thought these attacks were futile, but then I started seeing reports of AC being destroyed. I then realized the Vals were strafing the recently landed aircraft on the deck. Shades of Midway and the US attack on the IJN CVs with decks full of AC…
More Vals and Kates arrive and commence bomb runs, while others continue to circle and strafe the Nimitz. This combination is not good - some of the elevators are damaged, aircraft continue to be destroyed, and Nimitz overall damage has grown to 10% amidst the fire and flooding. Looking to the east there are still many IJN AC streaming towards the Nimitz.
This doesn't look promising (damage to air facilities on Nimitz)
Rearming AC on the flight deck with Vals buzzing around strafing - not very healthy.
Any plans to add kamikaze options for AC?
Bedtime here...
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