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POD: December 7, 1941. In the pre-dawn gloom, an eighty-foot monster rogue wave crashes into the assembled ships of the IJN striking force, with the first wave largely spotted on deck.

The Carriers are damaged from the violence of the wave, but do not sink (same with BBs and CAs). Three destroyers, however, do turn turtle.

On the carriers, there are pilots in their planes, deck crews at work, and second wave pilots assembling to watch the first wave take off...

The first wave loses around 130 planes swept overboard and the remainder are utterly smashed. About 180 pilots and 250 other aircrew are lost. More hundreds of experienced deck crews...

No Kirk Douglas, no ASBs. Just the capricious ferocity of the sea, at jsut the right moment.

What does Nagumo Chuichi do now?

His first wave is gone. Some of his second wave aircraft (20 or so lets say) are also damaged by the violence of the wave.

The first wave had ALL his torpedo-equipped aircraft, and the majority of his best pilots. The second wave depended highly on the less experienced air groups of Shokaku and Zuikaku.

Let's estimate, in all, he has lost between pilots and planes, 75% of his striking power.

The other IJN attacks will be unaffected. War is still coming in hours. Japan will never have another chance to catch the Americans so unprepared. Yet your ability to do so is now largely lost.

Discuss.
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