Mini League: Game Day 7 - Liongvei vs Eric

Game Day 7 between USN vs IJN recorded the longest turn undertaken to complete a victory for this mini league.

Dice roll off and to the despair of IJN Commander, "kill the flagship" scenario chosen and yes, IJN fleet the attacker. 

A significant event learned from this engagement was, at times, weeknight gaming coupled with fatigue from work proved disastrous on the players.  Not to mention when gameplay advanced into wee hours of the night. As proven, a 3rd party "umpire" is crucial for such incidence, however, we were lack of it.

Deployment, Air Strike & Submarine Attack

Combatant: USN CA Wichita - Flagship CA San Francisco CL Omaha   CL Cincinnati CL Detroit  CL Marblehead CL Brooklyn CL Savannah CL Phoenix CL Honolulu DD - 4 typical escort destroyers

Combatant: IJN CA Maya – Flagship CA Mogami CA Mikuma CL Agano CL Noshiro DD 6 – Akitsuki, Fuyutsuki, Hanatsuki, Harutsuki, Hatsusuki and Natsuzuki

 

Overview: Top: USN. Bottom: IJN

Both teams called in their submarine attacks with IJN seeing no action after having all its submarines intercepted. Resulting strike recorded no hits.

Normal game play commences.

Turn 1

IJN Deploying Smoke Markers

IJN deployed a defensive strategy and having its destroyers situated behind its cruisers. Failure to plot their movements properly resulting to a ineffective attempt on deploying smoke markers.

All IJN cruisers launched their recon planes.

USN With The Flagship Way Behind

Over at the USN side, an aggressive approach was made on the fleet formation, however, with lack of maneuverability, hindering its numerous gun advantages.

Having said that, it did not stop USN fleet from laying destruction onto DD Hatsutsuki and claiming first blood.

Turn 2

Top: USN. Bottom: IJN

Lack of proper effective formation on the USN side, delivers an advantage to the IJN.

Casualties on USN fleet includes DE Jordan, DE Lovelace and CL Omaha; all lost in gun battle.

Timely torpedo shots by IJN managed to sink CL Pheonix.

Over at the IJN side, the only casualty from this turn was the destruction of DD Hanatsuki.

Turn 3 

 

4 Torpedo Launches

Having regained its composure, USN managed to inflict significant blow to IJN forces. 

Casualties includes DD Fujuksuki, DD Natzusuki and DD Akitsuki. 

No casualties suffered on USN, only recorded superstructure impairment among the damages. 

4 torpedoes were launched; 3 by IJN and 1 from USN, all missing their targets.

Turn 4

 

Lone IJN DD Laying Smoke Markers

The turn commenced with CL Honolulu fled from battle due to rudder damage and having being placed to the edge of battle area impaired its effective moving range to stay in battle.

IJN launched their 2nd submarine attacks. Noteworthy incident from this strike was engine damaged caused onto CA San Francisco, all else insignificantly miss. 

IJN's surviving destroyer left in battle, DD Harutsuki, was the only casualty for this turn.

Turn 5

USN called in their 2nd submarine attacks, resulting in misses all over.

IJN further inflict more destruction to USN fleet by destroying both CL Cincinnati and CL Savannah 

No casualties recorded on IJN side, safe for rudder damage on CL Agano. 'It will flee at next turn and see no further action, being place towards the edge of battle area.'

Turn 6

Having taken significant damage, USN commander decided to retire both CL Brooklyn and DE Leeser from battle.

Having both CA Wichita and CL Detroit left in the center of the battle, USN stern both warships straight ahead towards IJN formation. 

Ferocious gun battle continued on both fleet.

Turn 7

 

Warships Left In Play

IJN main battery finally tore into CL Detroit and sunk it to the abyss. However, CA Wichita, having superior AV proved impervious and halted IJN advancement in catching up with CA San Francisco. 

Timely shots by CA Wichita further relegated IJN's CA Maya from actively engage at the front line. 

Turn 8

Shots after shots from CA Wichita continued to pound CA Maya, causing both fire and flooding among other damages. 

IJN hopes at catching up with CA San Francisco, by now had created a huge gap, faded as the troublesome CA Wichita lingers around.

Turn 9

Impervious as it may seem, CA Wichita finally succumbed. CL Marblehead was also destroyed, having spent almost the entire battle stuck at a landmass at IJN's left flank since turn 3.

Turn 10

Severely crippled, CA Maya held on, safely parked behind a landmass. Remaining IJN warships gave chase and resulting long range gun battle saw penetrating hits on CA San Francisco and sinking it in the process.

Thus end the battle, an IJN victory by a hairline margin. 

CA Maya having left 3 hull points with fire on board.

Apologies for lack of pictures at the 2nd half of gameplay.