Midway Order of Battle

By Warren Peterson

This is the Order of Battle for forces involved in the Midway campaign. It is taken, with some changes, from the web site on the Battle of Midway . With relatively few modifications the Coral Sea campaign game rules can be used for this conflict. Those modifications necessary to make the switch are noted in the Midway Rules Modifications.

In gaming the Battle of Midway we have found that using a ratio of 1 model airplane to 2 actual planes gives a fairly balanced game. For ships, we usually only worry about capital ships and transports for the air to sea battles. Other ships only come into play when there is a sea battle.

If you wish to purchase 1:1200 scale models for this battle you can get by with, on each side, two carriers, four cruisers, and two light cruisers. You need to add two battleships and six transports for the Japanese as well. While this number of ships does not reflect all the ships involved, it is all that is needed to simulate the tabletop battles. For ship to ship conflicts use the 1:2400 scale as more models will be needed, but these battles are rare.

For those on a very limited budget, overhead views of all of the major ships can be found in this order of battle. These are presented in the appropriate scale in relation to each other, and a scale that works well with a one inch hex grid system. You can copy and print out the pictures you need for the particular battle. While not as dramatic as the three dimensional models, these serve as good stand ins until the proper ships can be purchased.

US Forces
(All US forces are deployed at start anywhere within 16 zones of the Eastern edge.)
Task Force 17
TG 17.5 Carrier Group
Yorktown (CV) (63)
VF-3	27 - F4F-4 Wildcat
VB-3	18 - SBD-3 Dauntless
VS-5	19 - SBD-3 Dauntless
VT-3	15 - TBD-1 Devastator
TG 17.2 Cruiser Group
Astoria (CA)
Portland (CA)
TG 17.4 Destroyer Squadron
Hammann (DD)
Hughes (DD)
Morris (DD)
Anderson (DD)
Russell (DD)
Gwin (DD)
Task Force 16
TG 16.5 Carrier Group
Enterprise (CV) (96)
VF-6	27 - F4F-4 Wildcat
VB-6	19 - SBD-3, -2 Dauntless
VS-6	18 - SBD-3 Dauntless
VT-6	14 - TBD-1 Devastator
Hornet (CV) (96)
VF-8	27 - F4F-4 Wildcat
VB-8	18 - SBD-3 Dauntless
VS-8	18 - SBD-3 Dauntless
VT-8	15 - TBD-1 Devastator
TG 16.2 Cruiser Group
New Orleans (CA)
Minneapolis (CA)
Vincennes (CA)
Northampton (CA)
Pensacola (CA)
Atlanta (CLAA)
TG 16.4 Destroyer Screen
Phelps (DD)
Worden (DD)
Monaghan (DD)
Aylwin (DD)
DesRon 6
Balch (DD)
Conyngham (DD)
Benham (DD)
Ellet (DD)
Maury (DD)
Oiler Group
Cimarron (AO)
Platte (AO)
Dewey (DD)
Monssen (DD)

MIDWAY SHORE-BASED FORCES
Deployed at Midway Island
Eastern Island Airfield
Marine Air Group 22, 2nd Marine Air Wing
VMF-221	21 - F2A-3 Buffalo
	7 - F4F-3 Wildcat
VMSB-241	21 - SB2U-3 Vindicator
	19 - SBD-2 Dauntless
Detachments of PatWing 1 and 2
VP-24	6 - PBY-5A Catalina
VP-44	8 - PBY-5A Catalina
VP-51	3 - PBY-5A Catalina
NAS Utility	1 - J2F-2 Duck
VT-8 Detachment	6 - TBF-1 Avenger
Detachment of 7th Air Force
42nd BS	5 - B-17E Fortress
431st BS	7 - B-17E Fortress
31st BS	2 - B-17E Fortress
72nd BS	1 - B-17E Fortress
7th Air Force HQ	1 - B-17E Fortress
349th BS	1 - B-17D Fortress
1622nd Recon	2 - B-26S Marauder
69th BS	2 - B-26B Marauder
MIDWAY LOCAL DEFENSES
6th Marine Defense Bn Fleet Marine Force
Motor Torpedo Squadron 1- 8 PT Boats, 4 small patrol craft at Midway; 2 PT Boats at Kure
Midway Relief Fueling Unit - 1 oiler, 2 DDs
SAND ISLAND SEAPLANE BASE
Detachments of PatWing 1 and 2
VP-23	14 - PBY-5 Catalina

Japanese Forces
MAIN BODY
(Enter Western edge on 1700 turn, June 4.)
BatDiv 1
Yamato (BB)
Nagato (BB)
Mutsu (BB)
Carrier Group
Hosho (CVL) (26)
with	8 - B4Y1 Jean
Yukaze (DD)
Special Force
Chiyoda (CVS)
tender	with midget subs
Nisshin (CVS)
tender	with midget subs
Screen (DesRon 3)
Sendai (CL)
DesDiv
Hatsuyuki (DD)
Shirayuki (DD)
Murakumo (DD)
Fubuki (DD)
DesDiv 19
Isonami (DD)
Ayanami (DD)
Uranami (DD)
Shikinami (DD)
1st Supply Unit
Naruto (AO)
Toei Maru (AO)

FIRST CARRIER STRIKING FORCE (First Air Fleet)
Carrier Group
(Deploy at start within four zones of Western edge.)
CarDiv 1
Akagi (CV) (91)
with	16 - A6M2 Zero
and	18 - D3A1 Val
and	18 - B5N2 Kate
Kaga (CV) (90)
with	18 - A6M2 Zero
and	18 - D3A1 Val
and	27 - B5N2 Kate
CarDiv 2
Hiryu (CV) (64)
with	18 - A6M2 Zero
and	18 - D3A1 Val
and	18 - B5N2 Kate
Soryu (CV) (63)
with	18 - A6M2 Zero
and	18 - D3A1 Val
and	18 - B5N2 Kate
and	2 - D4Y1 Judy

Support Group
(Deploy at start within four zones of Western edge.)
CruDiv 8
Tone (CA)
Chikuma (CA)
2nd Section, BatDiv 3
Haruna (BB)
Kirishima (BB)
Screen (DesRon 10)
Nagara (CL)
DesDiv 4
Arashi (DD)
Nowaki (DD)
Hagikaze (DD)
Maikaze (DD)
DesDiv 10
Kazagumo (DD)
Yugumo (DD)
Makigumo (DD)
Akigumo (DD)
DesDiv 17
Isokaze (DD)
Urakaze (DD)
Hamakaze (DD)
Tanikaze (DD)
Supply Group
Kyokuto Maru (AO)
Shinkoku Maru (AO)
Toho Maru (AO)
Nipon Maru (AO)
Kokuyo Maru (AO)

MIDWAY INVASION FORCE (2nd Fleet)
(Enter Western edge on 0500 turn, June 4.)
Invasion Force Main Body
CruDiv 4
Atago (CA)
Chokai (CA)
CruDiv 5
Myoko (CA)
Haguro (CA)
BatDiv 3
Kongo (BB)
Hiei (BB)
Screen (DesRon 4)
Yura (CL)
DesDiv 2
Murasame (DD)
Harusame (DD)
Yudachi (DD)
Samidare (DD)
DesDiv 9
Asafumo (DD)
Minegumo (DD)
Natsugumo (DD)
Carrier Group
Zuiho (CVL) (30)
with	12 - A6M2 - Zero
and	12 - B5N2 - Kate
Mikazuki (DD)
Supply Group
Tsurumi (AO)
Genyo Maru (AO)
Kenyo Maru (AO)
Akashi (AR)	no picture

Close Support Group
(Enter Western edge on 1500 turn, June 3.)
CruDiv 7
Kumano (CA)
Suzuya (CA)
Mikuma (CA)
Mogami (CA)
DesDiv 8
Arashio (DD)
Asahio (DD)
Nichiei Maru (AO)

Transport Group
(Enter Western edge on 0500 turn, June 4.)
Kiyozumi Maru (APA)
Zenyo Maru (APA)
No. 2 Toa Maru (APA)
Argentina Maru (APA)
Brazil Maru (APA)
Azuma Maru (APA)
Patrol Boat No. 1
Patrol Boat No. 2
Patrol Boat No. 3
Patrol Boat No. 4
Brazil Maru (APA)
Azuma Maru (APA)
Akemono Maru (AO)
Keiyo Maru (APA)
Goshu Maru (APA)
Kano Maru (APA)
Hokuriku Maru (APA)
Kirishima Maru (APA)
Nankai Maru (APA)
Escort (DesRon 2)
Jintsu (CL)
DesDiv 15
Oyashio (DD)
Kuroshio (DD)
DesDiv 16
Amatsukze (DD)
Yukikaze (DD)
Tokitsukaze (DD)
Hatsukaze (DD)
DesDiv 18
Arare (DD)
Shiranuhi (DD)
Kasumi (DD)
Kagero (DD)

Seaplane Tender Group
(Enter Western edge on 0500 turn, June 4.)
Seaplane Tender Div 11
Chitose (CVS)
with	16 - E13A Jake
and	4 - A6M2 Rufe
Kamikawa Maru (AV)
with	8 - E13A Jake
and	4 - A6M2 Rufe
Hayashio (DD)
Patrol Boat No. 35

Minesweeper Group
(Enter Western edge on 0500 turn, June 4.)
Tama Maru No. 3 (CM)
Tama Maru No. 5 (CM)
Tama Maru No. 7 (CM)
Tama Maru No. 8 (CM)
Subchaser No. 16
Subchaser No. 17
Subchaser No. 18
Soya (AF)	no picture
Meiyo Maru (AK)	no picture
Yamafuku Maru (AK)	no picture