World On Fire: Shadow Ops [a Fantasy WWII Quest]

[Zoosmell]

For those wondering, you can make non-poisonous torpedo juice with 2 parts clear, flavorless alcohol (or rectified spirits if you want the Real Deal) and three parts pineapple juice.

Also, we have now reached 1,000 posts! I'd commission something, but I'm saving up for RL stuff.

 

[tygerbright]

[X] Hangar deck, the noise of a flight deck can be deafening, and without a power supply the radio sets used by witches aren't as powerful (and therefore loud) as a fighters, so orders must be taken where they can be heard even in a scramble situation.

 

[baud]

[X] Hangar deck, the noise of a flight deck can be deafening, and without a power supply the radio sets used by witches aren't as powerful (and therefore loud) as a fighters, so orders must be taken where they can be heard even in a scramble situation.

 

[Brainarius]

[X] Hangar deck, the noise of a flight deck can be deafening, and without a power supply the radio sets used by witches aren't as powerful (and therefore loud) as a fighters, so orders must be taken where they can be heard even in a scramble situation.

 

[Yun]

[X] Hangar deck, the noise of a flight deck can be deafening, and without a power supply the radio sets used by witches aren't as powerful (and therefore loud) as a fighters, so orders must be taken where they can be heard even in a scramble situation.

 

[silentorphan]

[x] Flight deck, witches are expected to be able to take off at a moment's notice, and the less they have above them to do that the better

 

[Zoosmell]

Vote lock in 24 hours.

 

[NyxNull]

[X] Hangar deck, the noise of a flight deck can be deafening, and without a power supply the radio sets used by witches aren't as powerful (and therefore loud) as a fighters, so orders must be taken where they can be heard even in a scramble situation.

 

[Zoosmell]

Scheduled vote count started by Zoosmell on Jun 18, 2021 at 11:48 AM, finished with 14 posts and 12 votes.

• ---

  11 people have voted

  [X] Hangar deck, the noise of a flight deck can be deafening, and without a power supply the radio sets used by witches aren't as powerful (and therefore loud) as a fighters, so orders must be taken where they can be heard even in a scramble situation.

  • Icipall
  • Spectrum
  • Cute Princess
  • Thebigpieman
  • Taut_Templar
  • Crazyone47
  • tygerbright
  • baud
  • Brainarius
  • Yun
  • NyxNull

  1 people have voted

  [x] Flight deck, witches are expected to be able to take off at a moment's notice, and the less they have above them to do that the better

  • silentorphan

 

[Zoosmell]

[><] Hangar Deck

You gather your squadron at the hangar deck. It's noisy as hell, but with the steelwings only gunning their engine topside, it's bearable. As you approach the cluster of blackboards used for impromptu briefings, you find you're not the only officer witch here.

There's a bit of confusion, but you soon get a clear grasp of the situation.

While the Yorktown is under attack, there's enough IJN forces heading towards the fleet to make it clear that the Japanese Navy doesn't intend to be satisfied with just one sunken carrier. Two squadrons of dive bombers (Vals) and one squadron of torpedo bombers (Kates) - 27 in all of attacking aircraft, escorted by two squadrons of witches, one squadron of onmyoji, and two of Zeroes - one of whom scouts have described both as having "unusual markings" and being a hell of a lot smarter than the Zeroes defending the IJN's own fleet.

Just to prove their determination, they're also sending out both of the krakens attached to the fleet. And this being the deep Pacific, it's wishful thinking to estimate either of them are less than nine hundred feet in length. They'd reportedly left the protection of the Kido Butai around when the American dive bombers made their attacks, which meant at a good sustainable speed they'd be getting within biting and tentacle-ing range of the American fleet... right about now, really. At least close enough to start harrying the destroyers forming a screen against them.

Who do you go after? Note that you will get a chance to fight pretty much everyone in the attacking force, this will only effect who you attack first, really

[ ] Torpedo bombers
[ ] Dive bombers
[ ] Krakens
[ ] Onmyoji and witches
[ ] Normal Zeroes
[ ] "Unusual" Zeroes

 

[silentorphan]

[x] Onmyoji and witches

 

[tygerbright]

[x] Onmyoji and witches

 

[Taut_Templar]

Well, this is certainly a much more impressive strike force than their historical attempt, and essentially confirms the Japanese must have some manner of getting around not having any usable aircraft carriers - they either somehow repaired their current ones, pulled another fleet out of their ass (did the Battle of Coral Sea still happen?), or are using some form of supernatural prowess to compensate. I'd be having a goddamn aneurysm if I were the USN command right now, trying to figure out how the hell they pulled this, but right now we just have to focus on the enemy right in front of us.

 

[Icipall]

Two squadrons of dive bombers (Vals) and one squadron of torpedo bombers (Kates) - 27 in all of attacking aircraft, escorted by two squadrons of witches, one squadron of onmyoji, and two of Zeroes - one of whom scouts have described both as having "unusual markings" and being a hell of a lot smarter than the Zeroes defending the IJN's own fleet.

Click to shrink...

Whoa, that is a lot. And that special Zero squadron is very worrying.

Just to prove their determination, they're also sending out both of the krakens attached to the fleet.

Click to shrink...

I'm sorry, what!? Damn, they had those too.

[X] "Unusual" Zeroes

 

[Thebigpieman]

If I had to guess, IJN witches and Onmyoji are somehow capable of extending the range of mundane fighters. These were always going to attack at the least opportune moment for us but the fact that their carriers have been pounded as hard as they have been means that they're attacking now to even the field and maybe restore the honor of the Kido Butai.

Not sure who to go after though... those Zeroes are worrying but do we go after what are absolutely going to be Ace Combat protagonists?

 

[Cute Princess]

[X] "Unusual" Zeroes

 

[Taut_Templar]

[X] Onmyoji and witches

Let's let someone else find out what those special Zeros do first. Right now, we can start trying to cut down the escort in a way unique to Shizuko.

 

[Brainarius]

[X] Onmyoji and witches

 

[baud]

[X] Onmyoji and witches

 

[Spectrum]

Given previous arguments, the Onmyoji and witches are held as not able to threaten a ship on their own with sufficient speed. Similarly, the Zeroes are Fighters. Both of their jobs are either support or to engage Allied CAP.

We've tried to fight the Krakens before and we're not strictly the best against them. They'll be contending with the Destroyers at first as well, so it's less pressing.

The Vals will be coming into the teeth of Allied defenses if they want to do anything.

So that leaves...
[X] Torpedo bombers
...the Kates.

They're slower and relatively unarmored. We take them for free or force their escorts to try and interdict, which weakens the Dive bomber attack anyway.

 

[Taut_Templar]

It's not that the special Zeros or Witches can sink an aircraft carrier on their own, it's that their job is to protect the planes that are supposed to do that, and they're a lot better at it than running CAP for aircraft carriers. We're not the only flier in the sky here, so if we engage with these opponents it makes an opening other pilots can take advantage of to hit the torpedo bombers.

 

[Spectrum]

It's not that the special Zeros or Witches can sink an aircraft carrier on their own, it's that their job is to protect the planes that are supposed to do that, and they're a lot better at it than running CAP for aircraft carriers. We're not the only flier in the sky here, so if we engage with these opponents it makes an opening other pilots can take advantage of to hit the torpedo bombers.

Click to shrink...

This hasn't advanced a scenario for why it's better for a defending Witch squadron to fight the Onmyouji and let other flyers (who specifically?) climb to go after the Kates eventually instead of vice versa.

That's running into what Japanese attack wave structure is SUPPOSED to do. The dive bombers attract all the defensive attention so the torpedo bombers get free runs.

 

[Taut_Templar]

This hasn't advanced a scenario for why it's better for a defending Witch squadron to fight the Onmyouji and let other flyers (who specifically?) climb to go after the Kates eventually instead of vice versa.

That's running into what Japanese attack wave structure is SUPPOSED to do. The dive bombers attract all the defensive attention so the torpedo bombers get free runs.

Click to shrink...

I'm not sure what you're talking about with the dive bombers vs. torpedo bombers target prioritization, but that's not what I'm referring to. I mean that Shizoku is a veteran ace with much experience in Witch-to-Witch combat, something the USN lacks, while the navy absolutely does know how to shot down planes and is indeed quite good at running CAP, so the most efficient use of our skills would to be target the enemy Witches/Onmyoji.

 

[Spectrum]

I'm not sure what you're talking about with the dive bombers vs. torpedo bombers target prioritization, but that's not what I'm referring to. I mean that Shizoku is a veteran ace with much experience in Witch-to-Witch combat, something the USN lacks, while the navy absolutely does know how to shot down planes and is indeed quite good at running CAP, so the most efficient use of our skills would to be target the enemy Witches/Onmyoji.

Click to shrink...

Er...she's fine at magical combat, but Shizuku's experience on-screen for most of this quest has largely been occasional plane dogfights and ground based (or flying building based which is basically the same thing) special operations.

And...no. Historically this Japanese counterattack cripples Yorktown once the torpedo bombers hit, which makes her easy prey for a submarine followup that sinks her.

 

[Taut_Templar]

Er...she's fine at magical combat, but Shizuku's experience on-screen for most of this quest has largely been occasional plane dogfights and ground based (or flying building based which is basically the same thing) special operations.

Click to shrink...

It should be noted that Shizuoka has gotten up to more combat that has been shown "on-screen." I'm just repeated what's been stated about her, and the combat ability she's displayed.

And...no. Historically this Japanese counterattack cripples Yorktown once the torpedo bombers hit, which makes her easy prey for a submarine followup that sinks her.

Click to shrink...

Bub, I'm not sure if you've noticed, but things have gone somewhat off the rails by now.