Carrier Operations World Tour - The Arctic

SEC 10 - Carrier Operations World Tour - The Arctic

The allied convoys to Russia were subjected to many
dangers ranging from sub zero temperatures,
ice and storms to U-boats and Luftwaffe bombers.
To defend against these threats and especially the latter,
the allied forces started using escort carriers as a part of the
escorting force.



Convoy PQ-18 was one of the Arctic convoys sent from
Great Britain to aid Soviet Union in the war
against Nazi Germany. The convoy departed Loch Ewe,
Scotland on 2 September 1942 and arrived in Arkhangelsk on 21
September 1942. The convoy consisted of forty-four
merchant ships: 15 British, 20 US, six Soviet and three
Panamanian. The escort was commanded by Rear Admiral
Robert Burnett and consisted of escort carrier Avenger,
the cruiser Scylla, and the destroyers Onslow, Onslaught,
Opportune, Offa, Ashanti, Eskimo, Somali and Tartar.

The previous convoy PQ-17 had disastrous losses and the British
were determined to provide the convoy with air cover. The new
escort carrier HMS Avenger had arrived from the United States
and formed the core of the escorting force.
The convoy was postponed because a large part of the Royal
Navy was engaged in Operation Pedestal, protecting a vital
convoy to Malta in August. The Avenger carried 10 Hawker Hurricane
fighter planes and three Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers.

The Luftwaffe provided a formidable opponent with
42 Heinkel He-111 torpedo bombers of KG26 and 35 Junkers
Ju-88 dive bombers stationed in Banak, Norway. Luftwaffe
tactics consisted of simultaneous attack by torpedo bombers
and dive bombers swamping the defenders.

The convoy was sighted by a German Blohm & Voss BV 138
flying boat on 12 September 1942 and later that day, German
torpedo bombers sank eight ships. The next day, the
Germans returned, losing five Heinkels to Hurricane fighters;
three Hurricanes were also shot down by friendly fire,
but their pilots were rescued. The tanker SS Atheltemplar
was another casualty, being torpedoed on 14 September
and abandoned.
 

 

Allies

30% of participants
2 x fleets (One carrier)
Hurricane I
Ship gunner positions (5" guns are banned)


Orders:
-Defend the convoy ships


Restrictions:
-None

Axis

70% of participants
Ju 88A-4

Orders:
-Attack and destroy the convoy PQ-18

Restrictions:
-No formations

Notes:
Autocalibrated bombsights are off and there are heavy winds, which makes high altitude level bombing hard. It is advised to make use of the excellent dive and torpedo bomber abilities of the Ju88.

Main things to remember for Ju88 torpedo run:
-DO NOT EXCEED 200mph or torpedo fails, 190mph is a good speed
-DO NOT EXCEED 200 ft or torpedo fails, 100ft is good altitude

Victory Conditions

Victory is calculated by points.

Fighters - 5 pts
Bombers - 10 pts
Destroyers - 30 pts
Cruisers - 50 pts
Carriers - 80 pts

 

ARENA SETTINGS

Terrain: Norway or Finrus
Event start, game time: 10:00
Time multiplier: 1.0
Icons: Icons short, 3k
Fuel Multiplier: 1.0
Radar: Axis - Dar bar, Allies - None
Radar Update Interval: 60 seconds
Radar range: 30000
Killshooter: Off.
Friendly collisions: Off.
Kill messages: Off.
2 lives for every player.
Formations: Off
Wind: Layers of increasing winds starting from altitude 0
Autocalibrated bombsight: No
AutoAck: 0.75
 

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