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Wargaming => Conventions, Clubs, and Events => Topic started by: rickbill on October 11, 2021, 09:06:55 PM

Title: AARs for my ORIGINS "ACD presents" events
Post by: rickbill on October 11, 2021, 09:06:55 PM
AAR: ORIGINS 2021 - SWWAS : Battle of Santa Cruz ... | BoardGameGeek (https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2739653/aar-origins-2021-swwas-battle-santa-cruz)





AAR: ORIGINS 2021 - Age of Dogfights ... BoardGameGeek (https://boardgamegeek.com/article/38620749)

Title: Re: AARs for my ORIGINS "ACD presents" events
Post by: Bison on October 12, 2021, 12:10:35 AM
Thanks for the read! The historical AAR links are very, very detailed. Nice work.
Title: Re: AARs for my ORIGINS "ACD presents" events
Post by: Hethwill on October 30, 2021, 08:48:36 PM
Very nice. Age of Dogfights WW1 is such a good solid game that everyone and anyone can play and start having fun right away :)
Title: Re: AARs for my ORIGINS "ACD presents" events
Post by: bayonetbrant on October 30, 2021, 09:39:25 PM
somehow I missed this thread the first time thru.  Nice AARs!  :)

Let's hope you'll be able to do some more with us this coming summer.  I think it was great to get some air / naval games to the table
Title: Re: AARs for my ORIGINS "ACD presents" events
Post by: rickbill on June 25, 2022, 11:02:39 PM
THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY - SWWAS DELUXE (2018 version)

The SWWAS Midway events were an evolutionary experience.  With results being 1-1-1.   

The first game ended up with the Japanese only making contact with the USN CV group just about the time the Americans had contact and were in bound.  The Japanese were dealing with whether to launch their strike against Midway or rearm with AP and torpedo and attack the new sighting.  Luckily for them they went forward with their strike (though damage to MIDWAY was minimal (2 MIDWAY hits, IIRC).  The Americans appeared with a strong strike force and chose to concentrate on a single CV ... CAP and AAA caused minimal bomber losses (fighter escort by the Americans was strong) ,,, multiple hits by the dive-bombers and none by the torpedo bombers.  At the time, I adjudicated that the Akagi had been crippled (1 Hull hit short of floundering) with its flight deck being rendered NMC - upon further review, the hull hits should have been doubled due to excess damage from aircraft AP vs light or no armor - which would have resulted in the Akagi being sunk.  Though inconclusive, I declared it a tactical victory for the Allied players - since we had to end at that point as we reached our time limit.  Having reached about evening of day 2 (3 June) ... IIRC.


The second game ended as a draw.  The Americans sent harassing raids against the Japanese Covering Force (4 CAs, 2 DDs) which were basically being used as a scouting force.  The Japanese finally got a strike off against MIDWAY.  The Japanese got the Covering Force within signaling distance of Yamamoto (aboard the Yamato) leader and changed their mission to bombardment and were able to achieve some hits.  We ran out of time just about the time both sides were ready to start to rumble (about evening of day 3 (turn13 or so).


For the third game, I moved later in the action and gave the players more flexibility in force placement.  We started with the morning turn of day 3 (4 June).  The Americans' midway scout planes were still able to make contact about 8 hours before the Japanese achieved a sighting.  At one point, the Americans had a major strike from the Hornet and Enterprise headed to the Japanese 1st Air Fleet (the Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, Hiryu).  But, their location rolls were poor (IIRC, a 1 and a 2) and they did not find their target.  The following morning, they were not able to reestablish contact (though they did sight the main Bombardment force which had arrived at MIDWAY and were preparing to bombard her ... the Japanese had 2 strikes prepared ... Torpedo bombers with escort vs TF16 and Dive bombers with escorts bombing MIDWAY ... the torpedo bombers sank the Hornet and the Enterprise ... CAP had been neutralized and was only able to turn back about 10% of the inbound fighters.  AAA was of minimal deterrence ... I think another 10% were repelled ... So, I think there were 3 steps of Kates targeted for each CV.  The American return strike ... sunk the CVL Hosho and the CVS Nisshin and CVS Chiyoda.  (the spotting reports were a little confusing for the Americans when  the CVSs and CVL were reported as CVs and some of the reports were not exact.  The American struck with 3 waves.  The players decided to end the game at this point with the Americans withdrawing in defeat.
Title: Re: AARs for my ORIGINS "ACD presents" events
Post by: Tolstoi on June 26, 2022, 10:17:56 AM
Sounds like a great time for each session. Can a double blind game be played with one copy of SWWAS Midway, or are two copies required?
Title: Re: AARs for my ORIGINS "ACD presents" events
Post by: rickbill on June 28, 2022, 11:21:18 PM
Sounds like a great time for each session. Can a double blind game be played with one copy of SWWAS Midway, or are two copies required?


I ran the event with one copy of the game.   But, I did make printouts of the strategic map which the players drew their plans on the maps.


Also, if thinking about using supplies from previous versions of SWWAS MIDWAY together ...
  1) strategic map has changed ...
  2) some ship and aircraft have had their values change between game versions
  3) if you didn't know already, the rules have changed a little with the 2018 version.
Title: Re: AARs for my ORIGINS "ACD presents" events
Post by: Tolstoi on July 02, 2022, 06:34:46 PM
I ran the event with one copy of the game.   But, I did make printouts of the strategic map which the players drew their plans on the maps.

Also, if thinking about using supplies from previous versions of SWWAS MIDWAY together ...
  1) strategic map has changed ...
  2) some ship and aircraft have had their values change between game versions
  3) if you didn't know already, the rules have changed a little with the 2018 version.

Thank you rickbill! I have only read about this game, I don't own it, so I wasn't aware of the rule changes in the 2018 edition. From your description, I think one copy of the most up-to-date version would be a good way to go. Not sure if I'll purchase SWWAS Midway soon; however, your AAR and the pictures make it a very tempting activity to try.