Pearl II!

Yesterday I hosted a Pearl Harbor Check Your 6! event featuring the Second Strike scenario (found under the downloads on the left). Being that it happened to be December 7th, I thought it would be an ideal scenario to run.

We wound up with eight players for what is really about a six player game, but was able to get everyone into the game. Thanks to my long time friend Matt for providing the Japanese forces! Also, it was the birthday of another long time friend, so I hope you enjoyed your day, Scott!

Setup for the game see the Japanese approaching from the northeast, while the Americans heads in from the northwest. Six Zeros are escorting three Kates and three Vals, the Kates heading to Hickam Field and the dive bombers targeting Ford Island and Battleship Row. Unlike the first time I hosted this game, the Japanese had four successful bombing runs (at four victory points each) and a number of successful strafing attacks by the Zeros. The American anti-aircraft, particularly the medium guns, placed some hits on the Vals, and those four d10 should have shredded the fragile dive bombers, but passing robustness rolls seemed to be the mantra on the part of the Japanese players. One Japanese plane did run out of ammunition fairly early in the game, but it looked like it was going to be quite the overwhelming win for the Emperor's forces.

The American fighters, consisting of three P-40s and three P-36s, finally made their way into the fight. However, American gunners on the ground did not seem to care about national insignia and fired at the Americans nearly as frequently as they were at the Japanese planes. The Japanese, after having pounded their targets, were trying to move towards their friendly edge, but the American fighters started wreaking havoc, and Japanese planes started falling from the sky and several others were damaged. One Japanese plane took a blackout lucky hit (which I had never seen before in our games) but was able to recover the following turn. 

The Americans turned the tide, and by the end of the sixteenth turn, edged out a victory with a score of 28 to 24. It was a hard fought affair! I think one thing the Japanese might have done was to escort the bombers a bi more closely - the Vals pretty much fought on their own hook as the Zeros focused on Hickam Field and the area between Ford Island and Hickam.

The initial American force - a pair of P-40Bs

A gaggle of Zeros!

Kates and Vals making their way

A pair of pretty birds - the P-36/Hawk 75 has become one of my favorite aircraft

On the right, three Zeros strafe Hickam while the Kates line up for their bombing run. On the left the Vals are pounding Ford Island and Battleship Row

The mixed section

The Vals are now being targeted by a pair of P-40s

The strafing Zeros turn towards the northwest while the Kates have hit Hickam Field

Did I mention my affinity for the P-36/Hawk 75?

The Americans have scattered the Vals, shooting one down while damaging the remaining pair

One Val left, while the Zeros seem to flit about

Endgame

I used the custom mat I had made by Deep Cut Studio, the American planes are all Raiden, wonderfully painted by Kevin Hammond at Miscellaneous Miniatures. The Japanese planes I believe are a variety of manufacturers - painted nicely by Matt.