HOLDING THE LINE: Australia 1942-43
HOLDING THE LINE: Australia 1942-43
With the surrender of Malaya and the Dutch East Indies in March 1942 Japan had most of it's southern planned East Asian-Co-Prosperity Sphere secured. The Phillipines fell shortly afterwards and Australians beleived an invasion of their homeland was only a matter of time. The first large scale air raid on Darwin had occured on 19th February by carrier arcraft from Soryu, Hiryu, Akagi and Kaga along with land based planes of the IJNAF. Darwin and its port had become a crucial relay point for Allied troops, aircraft, navy, and shipping and became a main target for the Japanese. After the carrier raid the Japanese moved in more IJNAF and IJAAF land based bombers and fighters to continue the campaign.
The Australians were aware of their vulnerable strategic position. They had only obsolete fighters at the time and much of their army and navy were overseas. A plea was sent out to Prime Minister Winston Churchill from the Australian government to send the British based RAAF fighter squadrons home equipped with Spitfires to defend Darwin. Churchill agreed but it would take some time to make it a reality. The Australians would also receive assistance from the USA. P-40s were shipped to Australia for the RAAF but like the Spitfires en route from Britain it would take time. In the meantime the USAAF 49th FG that had originaly come to Australia to stem the Japanese on Java would defend Darwin instead until it could be relieved by the RAAF. From March until September 1942 they would be the only air defence in the region.
In August 1942 the P-40 equipped No.77 Squadron RAAF took over air defence of Darwin and the 49th FG was moved to New Guinea. The veteran No.76 Squadron RAAF already equipped with P-40s returned from Milne Bay in October. By January 1943 the Spitfire equipped No.1 Fighter Wing RAAF comprising No. 79, No.452 and No.79 Squadrons were based near Darwin.
The raids by the Japanese continued until November 1943. A total of 100 raids were made during that time over the Northern Territory of Australia. The USAAF 49th FG and No.1 Fighter Wing RAAF bore the brunt of these raids. In the end the Japanese defeat at Coral sea and Midway and the reversals they suffered at Gualdacanal and New Guinea all but ended any serious Japanese presence in the South West Pacific by 1944. Never again did the forces of Imperial Japan come so close to Australian shores.
This FSO recreates the air battles over Northern Australia 1942-43.
Country Percentages:
Axis 55%
Allied 45%
Field Assignments:
Axis Bishop
Allied Knight
CM Rook
OOB:
Axis (IJN/IJAAF):
Frame 1
A6M2
Ki-43-I (Ki-43-II) (max 24)
G4M1
Frames 2 and 3
A6M3
Ki-43-II (max 24)
G4M1
Allied (USAAF/RAAF):
Frame 1
P-40E
Frames 2 and 3
Spitfire V
Special Rules and Ordnance Restrictions:
* All fighters have air-ground ordnance disabled.
* Drop tanks are disabled.
* All aircraft types must be used by a minimum of 12 *players*.
* ALL AIRCRAFT ARE TO BE LANDED AND THE PLAYERS TOWERED OUT BY FRAME END OR WILL BE CONSIDERED SHOT DOWN AND THE CREWS KIA.
Scoring:
Aircraft Pts
-----------
G4M1 = 10 pts
All Other Aircraft = 5 pts
Target Pts
----------
Gun = 1 pt
Hangar = 25 pts
Cruiser = 100 pts
Destroyer = 50 pts
All Other = 3 pts
Survival Pts
----------
Landing = 2 pts
Pilot Survival = 2 pts
Arena Settings:
- Morocco terrain
- Fuel burn 1.0
- Icons friendly 3k/enemy 3k
- 0.3 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: 15:00 ( 3PM ) Game Clock
- Formations: On
- Formation Autopilot: On
- Bomber calibration: Automatic
- Wind: 0K-10K W TO E - Speed 10
10K-18K W TO E - Speed 5
18K+ NW TO SW - Speed 15
Designer's Notes:
* The Ki-43-I is represented by the Ki-43-II.
* Drop tanks are assumed to have been used up en route.
Design by Warloc