The time for MacArthur's return to Luzon is approaching.
It's 5 January 1945 and the Luzon invasion fleet, TF 77.2 under Vice Admiral Oldendorf, is sailing from the Sulu Sea up the west coast of Luzon toward the Lingayen Gulf landing beaches. His force, while large, is under great peril of air attack from Japanese airfields in central and southern Luzon, not the least of which is a deadly concentration of Kamikaze planes based at Clark Field (F1), as well as possible sorties of IJN Destroyers from Cavite (Port 54) and Subic Bay (Port 3). Oldendorf's task (Allied Objective) is to get to the get past the Japanese onslaught with as many of his ships as possible, and while doing so, attempt to neutralize as many Japanese airfields and capital ships in port or at sea as he can. To help with the task, FEAF P-38s and A-20 havocs (B-25C sub) are operating out of Mindoro (LS-41). The FM-2 fighters of the CVEs can provide a strong air defence, while their F6F-5s, SBDs and TBF-1C can provide a strong anti-shipping or ground attack force.
TF-77.2 consists of 164 ships, including six older battleships, six cruisers, and 19 destroyers, accompanied by an escort carrier group with 12 escort carriers, 14 destroyers, six destroyer escorts, a minesweeping and hydrographic group of 72 vessels, ten destroyer-transports with underwater demolition teams (UDT ), two fleet tugs, a seaplane tender, and 11 LCI gunboats. [Exactly how this is composed in game will be announced on Friday - expect Cargo ships and CVEs to be high value targets escorted by a lot of DDs].
Axis objective - sink as many Cargo ships (troop transports) and CVEs as possible.
Plane Set
Allied Fighters
1 F6F-5, 1 FM2 (CVs only)
1 P38(variant TBC) LS 41 only
Allied Buffs
2 TBF-1C, 1 SBD (CVs only)
1 A-20 (B-25C sub) LS 41 only
Allied "teleporting rule" - pilots may only switch between USN or FEAF aircraft after having lost a life (ditch, bail, PK, DISCO damage, etc in buffer) or after a USN aircraft lands at LS41. Players may start the frame as either FAEF or USN. E.g. A player flying the A-20 and successfully returning to LS41 may only re-up in the A-20 or the P-38. They may not teleport to the CVs and fly a USN aircraft. Any USN airframe landing at FS41 is considered unavailable to that pilot for future sorties, e.g. if you land an F6F at FS 41 you could not fly an F6F again in the frame. So, if you are in a USN airframe and down to your last life, don't land at FS41 unless you are calling it a night.
Axis fighters
1 x Ki84, 2 x A6M5a - all airfields - LS, GAF, SAF, MAF, LAF
Axis Buffs
1 x B5N, 1 x D3A - GAF, MAF and LAF only (i.e. not F28 or F22)
1 x G4M2 - F1 only
Kamis
All will start their flights from Clark Field (F1). Unlike frame 3, the Allies should expect to see a lot of suicide pilots.
Radar 30 miles, min alt 150 ftr.
Buff tough may be upped to 1.2.
Buffs get 2 wingmen
Janitors are considering use of the GV login, but have concerns about past abuses. If adopted, players would be mandated to use only one a/c type and to keep their AIs in relatively close formation. Feedback on the proposal to use the GV login would be appreciated.
