The Empire Strikes Back: 8-Apr-42

Background: On the 8th of April, following the strike on Trincomalee, The RAF sent out their available strike arm - a squadron of torpedo-armed Blenheim IV bombers. They were (luckily) not seen by the Japanese CAP until they were among Nagumo's fleet. Their attack was ineffectual, and they took their losses on the way out, but they certainly gave the Japanese a scare. For the first time since the beginning of the war five months earlier, Nagumo had been attacked!

Can you score in this target rich environment?

Map: Blue Sky

Setup:

• The CAP is organized as 3 vics of A6M2 Zeros in fixed formation. The Japanese player assigns these to altitudes per Whistling Death, Chapter 35.2.7.
• Organize the Blenheims into vics. Each vic will attack separately. Use the Whistling Death Chapter 35 rules to set up the attack.
• For the attack of each vic, make two rolls below, one each for a Capital ship and a close escort:

  Roll:	Capital ship	Escorts
  1	Akagi	Lt cruiser
  2	Hiryu	Destroyer
  3	Soryu	Destroyer
  4	Shokaku	Destroyer
  5	Zuikaku	Destroyer
  6	Battleship	Destroyer
  7	Battleship	Destroyer
  8	Battleship	Destroyer
  9	Battleship	2 Destroyers
  10	Hvy cruiser	Lt Cruiser and Destroyer

  Set up the selected vessels on the map at least 10 hexes apart. The ships are moving at station-keeping speed at the beginning of the scenario. If a second vic rolls to attack the same capital ship, use the same vessel.

Game Length: 20 turns

Special Rule: The British player scores

Additional Rules:

• The Blenheims are loaded with 1 torpedo.
• The Blenheims are organized as three flights of three. Consider each flight as Reg, Reg, Green.
• The Zeros are organized as 3 vics. Each vic is Vet, Reg, Reg. Each vic can be deployed separately.

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