To me you can't ignore the effects of an alternate Battle of Midway with or without the Battle of the Coral Sea. Just having Shokaku and Zuikaku without Lexington involved; has to have consequences. If the battle does not occur Lexington is at Midway If the battle does occurs the best the IJN can expect Shokaku and Zuikaku come out undamaged; sink Lexington; and join the fleet. A plausible scenario would than be; their aircrews may need to replenish and regroup so the Midway operation is delayed a few days. That gives the USN time to add Saratoga to their fleet;; She arrived at Pearl Harbor on June 6 1942; just few days way from the original battle location. Either way its 6 to 4
This is based on Nagato01 thread premiss Yorktown is at the Battle.
Besides what would the the effects of the battle be if the USN knew Shokaku and Zuikaku would be there; go 6 to 3 or wait for Saratoga; how does the battle change if the USN is late to the party with 4 Carriers??
That did t gave anything to do with my previous point. Yorktown was damaged at coral sea as zuikaku, shokaku were. It was frankly miraculous that she was combat fit for midway.
If a player is looking to change the dynamics of midway. Yorktown is a valid thing to look at.
Not that ypur wrong w@s4 i just dont get your point
That did t gave anything to do with my previous point. Yorktown was damaged at coral sea as zuikaku, shokaku were. It was frankly miraculous that she was combat fit for midway.
If a player is looking to change the dynamics of midway. Yorktown is a valid thing to look at.
Not that ypur wrong w@s4 i just dont get your point
Things just went from bad to worse; hate to make either call; [ That means thinking of Nimitz making the call ] you made a valid point about Yorktown
[ This is just another scenario nothing to do with what you wrote] [ just a little chit chat on alternates] Lets say Lady Lex sunk at Coral Sea, Shokaku and Zuikaku not damaged, don't lose too many air crews Midway starts a few days later. We add Saratoga to the mix and you have 6:4;; is bigger better?? Just as unlikely as the rest, but still a scenario.
Well there is a fundamental problem with the idea of Saratoga joining the U.S. fleet for battle. That problem is that Saratoga is not going to get there in time for the real-world battle on June 4th. If we go with the premise that Nimitz would have withheld his forces (the three Yorktown's) in Pearl until Saratoga arrived, then that given Japan some more time to do reconnaissance and prepare for battle. This will play well into Yammamoto's strategy of having the U.S. carriers coming to save Midway. The invasion fleet by this point would have arrived and Midway probably would have been captured. With the island under their control, the IJN may choose to reunite their fleet. Such a fleet could provide excellent AA protection if arranged properly.
Long story short, if the U.S. waits for Saratoga, the battle likely gets worse as the IJN has more time to prepare.
Well there is a fundamental problem with the idea of Saratoga joining the U.S. fleet for battle. That problem is that Saratoga is not going to get there in time for the real-world battle on June 4th. If we go with the premise that Nimitz would have withheld his forces (the three Yorktown's) in Pearl until Saratoga arrived, then that given Japan some more time to do reconnaissance and prepare for battle. This will play well into Yammamoto's strategy of having the U.S. carriers coming to save Midway. The invasion fleet by this point would have arrived and Midway probably would have been captured. With the island under their control, the IJN may choose to reunite their fleet. Such a fleet could provide excellent AA protection if arranged properly.
Long story short, if the U.S. waits for Saratoga, the battle likely gets worse as the IJN has more time to prepare.
The point that is missing here is [These are fun Scenarios to discuss]but this was a trap to be sprung by the USN on its favorable terms;; and an enemy eager for the big battle; The number one concern for the IJN was fuel it had spent more fuel on this fleet movement than the entire year before. Supplies from Indonesia were in slow to keep up with need; especially at this point. So worst case scenario; Japan takes Midway; Its not holding it, the fleet can't stay there. The USN picks another point to start what it did a Guadalcanal; the campaign of attrition; the IJN can't hope to win. Maybe the USN even goes to Guadalcanal a month or two later than it did; It will only be stronger Maybe their is a few carrier Battles like Eastern Solomons and Santa Cruz; just bigger fleets and more devastation. The USN took a risk at Midway; a favorably calculated risk; it didn't have to then or there.
