Sink Lady Lex!

No, not a game of the 1942 Battle of the Coral Sea but an extracted scenario based on the attack on an isolated USS Lexington by carrier-based aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy. 

Game 1: USS Lexington seconds before being attacked by five Nakajima B5N ‘Kate’ torpedo bombers (to port and starboard) and three Aichi D3A ‘Val’ dive bombers coming from aft.

Battle of the Coral Sea infographic from Naval History Heritage and Command

Julian devised it as a test game, or games, of three potential sets of rules to allow us to stage refights of such actions as those dramatic days of 4–8 May '42.

The concept is simple. Movements of fleets, searches, launching of planes occur off-board while air attacks, air to air, surface actions (if any), even landings on islands are conducted on the tabletop. Our test of "Scramble!" showed us that Julian has found a set suitable for any air to air combat that we may wish to represent. Yesterdays mission: (hopefully) to determine the same for air to surface actions. Stephen joined Julian and me for the day's fun.

First candidate, "World War Two Naval Wargame Rules" by R A Ellard and J E Hammond.

I immediately warmed to theses since they were published in 1977 by Davco Publications so had a similar layout, vintage and approach as Action Under Sail.

'Lady Lex' opened up with her anti-aircraft batteries, the first step in the air to surface section of the rules.

The 'Kate's launched their torpedos.

Good shooting by Stephen destroyed one ‘Kate’,

...and damaged another.

'Boom!' One of the five torpedos strikes home.

The Lexington's anti-aircraft fire missed the three 'Val's, but they in turn missed the carrier. My dice rolling had been below par, so I was satisfied with a net of one hit to the carrier for 1.5 planes lost, although Stephen managed to stop the flooding within two turns. More importantly, it took a little bit to work through the rules, but after this single action we were comfortable with them, so they were the 'ones to beat'.

Second candidate, "Stations Manned and Ready II" by by Andrew Finch and Alan Butler

We were hopeful for these since we already have "Grand Fleet Actions in the Age of Sail", from the same 'stable', as a go-to set to recreate large fleet actions with tall ships in a single session ("Action Under Sail" being for such actions played over a longer period and with more devoted 'sailors in miniature'). Not so on this occasion.

They are of the same ilk as "Grand Fleet Actions..." so would be ideal if you want to represent a World War II naval battle on a single table or few tables and play it out in that manner, but lacked the detail for the approach that we want to take. We may have a go with them at a later stage should we wish to try a more standard tabletop game, but they were not the horse for the current course.

Third candidate, "War at Sea World War II Naval Rules" by an author whose name I did not note and cannot find online, so apologies to him.

I read the appropriate section of these while Julian was working through the mechanics of  "Stations Manned and Ready II". Initially I thought that they would exceed "World War Two Naval Wargame Rules", then was frustrated trying to find how to do an attack with torpedos, eventually working out that it was in an earlier section of ship to ship (ship-borne torpedos), so we plunged in...

We swapped roles. Stephen took the attacking Japanese and I tried my hand at running Lexington's defences.

An Aichi D3A ‘Val’ coming in to attack (Stephen's photo).

It was interesting. Although five years newer than "World War Two Naval Wargame Rules", these were more difficult to work through, required much back and forth through the pages and looking up of information that was needed for the calculations, e.g. the rate of fire of anti-aircraft guns, that was not provided with the rules. We got there in the end.

Stephen performed much better than I had. Two successful torpedo strikes (amidships and to the bow), plus two hits from the dive bombers to the rear of the flight deck. Flooding galore and likely a command to abandon ship and scuttle the old lady.

This artistic representation of the actual action by K. Nakamura looks pretty similar (public download from Naval History and Heritage Command, original "Property of Air Force Historical Division -Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio")

So, "War at Sea World War II Naval Rules" produced the result closest to the historical attack.

The Lexington was less fortunate. Larger and less manoeuvrable than the Yorktown, the carrier was pinned by a well coordinated attack by six aircraft, three converging from either bow. At 11.20 am she was hit twice on the port side, forward and amidships. Dive-bombing was less successful, only two light bombs hitting the ship although near misses buckled her hull plates. (https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/encyclopedia/coral_sea/doc)

Despite this outcome in their favour they came a clear second as they were much more cumbersome to use. The chances of a hit were little different from "World War Two Naval Wargame Rules"; if I had rolled what Stephen did I would have achieved the same result. This is pleasing given the verisimilitude of the outcome. Importantly, we could envisage coming back to Ellard and Hammond's rules in six months and being able to pick them up again quickly. "War at Sea World War II Naval Rules" would not be a easy, for no better simulation or experience as a game—save for the added 'excitement' of a test for duds in a torpedo attack (which is included in the chance to hit in Ellard and Hammond's set).

So "World War Two Naval Wargame Rules" were the clear winner.

Another great game and day exploring a representation of history on the tabletop. Thanks so much for putting on the game Julian, to you and Gowri for your wonderful hospitality and to Stephen for making the trek out to join us.

I have resisted the urge to have a go at World War Two carrier actions myself, and am fortunate that I am able to help Julian to scratch that itch for the two of us, and Stephen as well. He has done it now though.

Julian: I am keen as ever to have a go at recreating Coral Sea, Midway and Eastern Solomons on the table top, so will assist you in any way possible to make it happen! 😀

Game Equipment

Ship and planes, 1/700 plastic kits.

Rules

Ellard RA & Hammond JE (1977) World War Two Naval Wargame Rules. Davco Productions. Skytrex reprint 1983 https://skytrex.com/products/copy-of-wwi-wargames-rules-roger-edward-bigg

Finch A & Butler A (2016). Stations Manned and Ready II. Naval Wargames Rules for the period 1885 to 1945 using ships and aircraft. A and A Game Engineering. http://www.aandagames.co.uk/smr2.html

War at Sea World War II Naval Rules (1982)

Further information

Australian War Memorial 'Battle of the Coral Sea, 4-8 May 1942' https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/encyclopedia/coral_sea/doc

Eyre, DC. Aeropedia. The Encyclopedia of Aircraft in Australia and New Zealand https://aeropedia.com.au/

Naval Historical Society of Australia 'The Battle of the Coral Sea' https://navyhistory.au/the-battle-of-the-coral-sea/

Naval History and Heritage Command 'Battle of the Coral Sea Combat Narratives' (reproduction of declassified U. S. Confidential and British Secret documents) https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/b/battle-of-the-coral-sea-combat-narrative.html

The National World War II Museum 'The Battle of Coral Sea: A Retrospective' https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/battle-coral-sea-retrospective