Tumult Over Guadalcanal
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1942 was a very exciting year in the Pacific for the United States, and the Empire of Japan. Given that the United States Navy had been almost wiped out at Pearl Harbor, 1942, was the year that essentially determined the outcome of the war in the Pacific. With US Victories at Coral Sea, and Midway, the allies turned to the Solomon Islands as their next campaign. The first goal was to prevent Japanese forces from interfering with the supply routes between the United States and Australia. The second goal was to eventually use Guadalcanal and Tulagi as a staging area for future attacks on the fortress of Rabaul.
The key focus of this event is the air to air fighting that occurred over, and around Guadalcanal. Both the United States, and the Japanese fought tooth and nail for the Island. Henderson field was bombed, or shelled almost daily by both the IJAAF and the IJN. Our event takes place in October of 1942, where the fate of Guadalcanal was decided. Both sides were locked in bitter fighting on the ground, at sea, and in the air, for control over the island. This area would seal the fate for one side, or the other.Â
During this campaign the air attacks made by the Japanese consisted of attacks made by fighters, and bombers alike from both the IJAAF, and the IJN. The Cactus Air Force, based at Henderson Field, defended the island and was a mix of Army, Marine and Naval aviators. Both sides operated in inhospitable terrain with supplies and replacements hampered by the distance of the supply lines. Aces such as Joe Foss (USMC), "Buzz" Wagner (USAAF), Stanley W. "Swede" Vejtasa (USN), Hironojo Shishimoto (IJAAF), and Saburo Sakai (IJAAF) all made their names at this time. This FSO recreates the action over Guadalcanal in October of 1942.
Frame One & Two, both focus on the defense of Henderson Field by the Cactus Air Force, and the defense of Japanese supplies and Reinforcements being brought in by sea. These two frames will have the Japanese forces launching attacks on Henderson, while the Cactus Air Force is attacking a Japanese Convoy, attempting to drive the Japanese Navy away from Guadalcanal.
Frame Three will focus on the Battle of Santa Cruz, which will pit the US Navy against the Japanese Navy. Both sides will be attacking and defending one another's fleets in the final frame. The battle will take place just to the East of Guadalcanal, and both sides are allowed to use land based planes as well in an attempt to destroy the designated fleets.Â
Country Percentages:
Axis 50%
Allied 50%
Field Assignments:
Axis Bishop
Allied Knight
CM Rook
OOB:
Axis (IJAAF/IJN):
A6M2 (MIN 24)
A6M3 (MAX 18)
KI-43 (MAX 24)
G4M1 (MIN 12)
D3A1 (MIN 12)
B5N (available for Frame Two & Three Only)
Allied (Cactus Air Force/USN):
B-25C (MIN 12)
F4F-4 (MIN 24)
P-39D (MIN 24)
P-40F (MAX 18)
SBD-5 (MIN 12)
B5N (available for Frame Two & Three only)
Special Rules and Ordnance Restrictions:
* All aircraft types must be used by a minimum of 12 *players* unless otherwise noted.
* All bombers are limited to 20,000 feet.
* Formations are enabled for all bombers.
* ALL AIRCRAFT ARE TO BE LANDED AND THE PLAYERS TOWERED OUT BY FRAME END OR WILL BE CONSIDERED SHOT DOWN AND THE CREWS KIA.
*B5N is used as balance by both sides and all bomb options are disabled.
*Ships must stay in containment area.
Scoring:
Aircraft Pts
------------
AXIS:
Bomber = 10 pts
Dive Bomber = 10 pts
Torpedo Bomber= 8 pts
Fighter = 5 pts
Landing Bonus = 2 pts
ALLIED:
Bomber = 10 pts
Dive Bomber= 10 pts
Torpedo Bomber=8 pts
Fighter = 5 pts
Landing Bonus = 2 pts
Target Pts
-----------------
Destroyer = 50 pts
Cruiser = 100 pts
Carrier = 200 pts
Gun = 0.5 pts
Hangar = 25 pts
All others = 3pts
Arena Settings:
- Solomon's terrain
- Fuel burn 1.0
- Icons friendly 3k/enemy 3k
- 0.4 Ack
- Fighter and Bomber warning range 42,000 (about 8 miles)
- Tower range set to 42,000 (for display only to match the above setting)
- Haze/fog full visibility (17 miles)
- Radar off
- Enemy collisions on
- Friendly collisions off
- Killshooter off
- Time: Frame One: 0600 Frame Two: 1200 Frame Three: 0730
- Formations: On
- Bomber calibration: Automatic
- Wind: 0K-18K 0 Speed
          18K-24K SE TO NW - Speed 10
          24k+ SE TO NW - Speed 15
Designer's Notes: The P-39D represents the P-39 and P-400.
Design by BFOOT1