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writernopal · 10 months ago

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🏴‍☠️All Hands To Stations!🏴‍☠️

Yo ho, all together Hoist the colors high Heave ho, thieves and beggars Never shall we die!

Hoist The Colors, Hans Zimmer

Fierce sails crowd the horizon and sturdy keels cleave the seas as violence this way comes. Meet those who'd call themselves the masters of the waves, traders of flesh, devils disguised as man, and lovers of all things brilliant and bright. These are the wretched Pirates of Oepus and the vessels which they call home. But don't just read about them, choose your fave in a poll at the end of this post!

Shoutout to @pheita for her ask here that prompted this post! I didn't forget it just took me a while to get around to it haha.

AASOAF 3 Taglist: @outpost51 @thelivingdeceased @faelanvance @captain-kraken @illjustpretend @elshells @full-on-sam @the-mindless @zestymimblo @tabswrites @void-botanist

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Graphics made with license free images from Unsplash.

The Mirage

Captain: The Witch of The Drowned Forest, Fay Anara Quartermaster: Wilkes Evos Sikthax-Seymour of Tlanxla First Mate: Thelma-Louise Morely Crew Name: The Siren's Marauders

One minute she's there and the next, she's gone. Such is the nature of this mysterious vessel... Rumored to be over 700 years old, stained black as night, and built for speed, The Mirage houses no brig in her hold, operating solely on the principle of 'give no quarter'. Armed with a whalebone bow-spike and crewed by convicts, only shipwrecks and floating dead are left in her wake, and those who survive, face a worse fate yet--that of being consumed alive by her captain.

Meet her captain:

To my left was the frightening woman I knew as Fay. She was tall and chiseled but not by a blunt stonemason’s tool, rather by something sharper, a razor perhaps, to produce her wildcat-like frame. Her dark hair and skin gleamed in the low light of this room as if they were slicked in oil and set ablaze. And like many spidering cracks in a fine dish, were angular-looking runes, etched into her skin that came together to cradle a dull-glowing, rising sun drawn in the center of her chest. Revealing this sun was a deeply cleaved red blouse that tucked into her pants. It billowed about her like the sail of a ship did about its mast. Despite the almost ordinary clothing she wore, there could hardly be one who might dare view her as plain, for her opulence shone through in other ways. Just in the hollows of her collarbones sat a fat, rough-cut sapphire dangling from a length of twisted tack line. Her magic blackened fingers were adorned with many rings and jewels in all colors, dangerously finished with her long, talon-like nails that presently gnawed at the wooden table beneath them. Golden hoops and bangles decorated her ears and wrists, and dotting her hair like many stars were human teeth. But those mock stars were hardly terrifying compared to her golden eyes. They shivered with a barely contained rage as she glowered across the table at the woman to my right...

The Angel's Lyre

Captain: Scourge of War, Lord Manthia of Clan Phaxix of The House of War Quartermaster: Lord Ixlar of Clan Oleander of The House of War First Mate: Lord Axtapor of Clan Oxlo of The House of Dreams Crew Name: The Starlight Walkers

A methodical vector of destruction, this frigate represents the long and proud arm of The House of War of The Holtep Empire. Richly carved and brightly painted, she appears like the fiery red-gold Goddess Kava cleaving the seas. Ballista, not canons, defend her decks alongside her bloodthirsty Lizardfolk crew. Raids are her specialty and only the most lucrative of ventures are enough to bend her eye, and that of her captain, your way.

Meet her captain:

The boards creaked loudly as the source of the sound approached—heavy footfalls and the light scratching of talons on wood. Judging by their cadence, there were at least two approaching, perhaps three, but they did not keep us waiting for long, as the one at the head of the group quickly took shape in the low light. A brilliant cerulean lizard, dressed in what I would call excess. He was positively crusted in jewels and jingling like a purse of gold with his every move. His eyes shone a beautiful bronze amid his sculpted features and about his neck were many white feathers, haloing him much like someone stepped out of an old painting. One might almost wonder if he was truly the tactician of a great vessel as this and not an overgrown boy with a penchant for overspending. That is until his skills in the art of the duel were put on display. And then it was easy to see where the attitude of ‘more to be had’ originated from.

Orpheus

Captain: Mangrove of Tides, Ka'hra Zelgius Quartermaster: Yggta Tah’vya First Mate: Ceresta Ka’leva Crew Name: The Undrowned Ones

The intrepid and one-of-a-kind elven pirate ship, Orpheus, travels not in silence, but robed in song. She floats along the waves with a choir on board, emitting haunting notes to reach the ears of those she sets her sights upon. Amid this orchestra of dread, she fires her great canons, to fell any foe who would cross her. And once the deed is done, the dead are gathered, their flesh rent from bone, and they are strung up, so they may forever sing alongside the other talented members of the choir.

Meet her captain:

And finally, the ancient Mangrove of Tides, the elven Captain Zelgius of the Orpheus. I’d known him many times over. He was not at all a dawdling character as his moniker might suggest, rather it was an ode to his interesting displacement of habitat. I suppose of late it did take on something of a double meaning, such was the way with elder elves as he. His limbs and all were beginning to harden and so moved less deftly much like those creeping trees. Indeed many thought his difficult movements were on account of the typical elven reaction when put beside water. Their kind were not swimmers, nor even buoyant, indeed they routinely drowned in waters human or dwarven child might play in. It was then surprising, astonishing even, to find one cutting across the great seas of Oepus, let alone one who would call them home as he did. No doubt his elven brethren thought him a fool for severing his ties with the forests which bore him and forfeiting those companions which would remember the world as it was those two-hundred or so years ago when he was born. He dressed his age, routinely wearing the fashions from those centuries past. Today, a robed piece of a deep green with an asymmetrical collar, sewn into it, the pattern of fallen leaves. The shade contrasted with the beechwood tone of his skin, but brought out the ochre of his hair. Rather less like hair as humans and dwarves knew it, and more like leafed vines. They rustled about him in long strands, spouting from the style atop his head like a proud cock’s comb.

The Mystic

Captain: Navigator of Kings, Charles Walthorn Quartermaster: Sophie-Marie Morely First Mate: Helena Walthorn Crew Name: Plunderer’s of the East

This vessel has circumnavigated Oepus more than any other in existence. She is far from the fastest, or the most nimble, or even the most terrifying, trading a fearsome outward appearance for seaworthiness. There is none is so reliable as she, and her crew is much the same. A contract taken is a contract honored, and you can bet that she will never lose sight of you. There is nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. To be hunted by her is to be marked for death.

Meet her captain:

The proclaimed Navigator of Kings, Captain Walthorn of the Mystic. He was called so because once upon a time, he himself had pledged his service to the Pale Navy beneath the Emperor Phostos of the Pale Kingdom at the infancy of his reign. He’d never told anyone how he managed to successfully escape such a posting, regarding it as his best kept secret. True old salt if there ever was one. Perhaps he was not as polished as the aforementioned Morely, but every inch the image of what a child or common man might imagine an accomplished navyman to look like. A snow beard, with thinning white hair to match, a bright red coat with a golden lion’s head pauldron perched on his left shoulder and two long curved cutlasses—affectionately called ‘Tooth’ and ‘Nail’—dangling from his waist. Their handsome golden pommels poked out from coat, appearing like the armrests of a throne. His belt buckle peaked out from underneath his rum-round gut, which strained against the buttons of his waistcoat. Hard to believe that further beneath that was the instrument which he famously used to produce bastards. I’d long lost count at how many he’d sired, to be sure almost all were by Morely, and the rumor of his children manning his ship the Mystic might be easily discredited, had they not all shared his hazel eyes and crooked nose.

The Lady of The West

Captain: The Fallen One, Santo Orfeo Quartermaster: Benedicto Vicente First Mate: Benedicto Mauricio Crew Name: Los De Agua Sagrada

Gun decks are hardly what should strike fear into your heart if this vessel crosses your path. Exclusively taking her victims at sunset, she appears to be born of the sun's fire itself and the faceless figures which wander her decks appear like the silhouettes of the departed. With their wailing cries to the god Orran, they plead for everlasting mercy, catching all within earshot in a trance which can only be called divine. So give up your riches and repent alongside them. Or else.

Meet her captain:

Put between he and the last man on the right was the hooded figure of The Fallen One, Captain Orfeo of The Lady of the West. A self-given title, some manner of flagellation for an ill-begotten behavior he didn’t dare elaborate on, let alone speak of. It did not matter the light of day, or the glow of candlelight, or the shine of moon, nor in what power or from which direction they came, his countenance remained always cloaked in shadow. Indeed if he were ‘he’ or man at all. All that could be seen was his towering figure, cut tall and broad, beneath a sun-bleached version of a priest’s habit. A severe stiletto of the most shining gold rested at his waist and nothing more. His crew just as sullen were lauded by all who crossed them as ‘men of blessed waters’, claiming that indeed they’d seen ‘Orran’s light and love’ and were compelled beyond all reason to part with their riches whenever they appeared.

Johnny No Hands

Captain: Mother of Waves, Evelyn Morely Quartermaster: Eric Walthorn First Mate: Anna-May Morely Crew Name: The Requisitioneer’s

Contrary to her name, Johnny No Hands indeed requires many hands to operate, the most of any pirate ship on the seas of Oepus. Her illustrious crew is comprised of ex-navymen, ex-merchantmen, mariners, and buccaneers alike. Because of this, it has often been said that this vessel could easily be mistaken for navy-born man o' war for how effortlessly she operates. But don't fool yourself, these men are hardened pirates all the same. A special breed of cruel, calculating, and cunning, so be prepared to fight this floating fortress should you find yourself on the other side of her guns.

Meet her captain:

Following that came the Mother of Waves, Captain Morely of the vessel Johnny No Hands. She hated the name, though not because it suggested age or that tantamount responsibility, but because it sounded silly to her. Even so, with the number of accomplished sailors, pirates, buccaneers, and all other such likes born from her and suckled at her breast, it was little wonder she would not garner such a title. Her long, stick straight grey hair was slicked back with ship tar and the dark blue of her coat made the sea-like color of her eyes shine. She was a slim, bronze, sun-spotted figure of a woman, beautifully weathered much like her well-traveled ship. Rather less like ‘a specimen exhibiting the finest quality of human leather’ as her bastard daughter, the ever jabbing Thelma-Louise, First Mate of the Mirage, liked to say. Age became her regal air. A fine, fine woman of autumn years… She lamented the loss of her fire colored hair, but I rather enjoyed her silver. It called to mind the gentle light of dawn just as the sun was waking.

The Virgin

Captain: Gorgon of the Deep, Francesca Cotton Quartermaster: Giulio Espos First Mate: Giulia Espos Crew Name: The Eyeless Corsairs

A flighty vessel who traipses the waters of Oepus as if on her maiden voyage each time she puts to sea, she is the ultimate trickster of the waves. Appearing defenseless is her game, often luring her victims to chase after her when she wanders into their waters. She is the most nimble pirate ship of all, making tacks into the wind look like child's play, and when she finally comes about, well, prepare for a mean broadside and swivel guns full of shrapnel to the face. Give no quarter indeed.

Meet her captain:

So I gestured to the near and leftmost one, the infamous Gorgon of the Deep, Captain Cotton of the Virgin. She smiled at someone, her blindfold perking up where it sat across her cheeks. Between her dark lips and underneath her low nose were piles and piles of oil black teeth, filed to points. Her skin was scaly as ever and draped in what looked like torn ship sails emblazoned with some pattern. At present, it was impossible to discern what that pattern might be due to the many folds of the material and the thick line that twisted about her to secure in place. Even so, the garment put the soot tone of her scaled flesh on display, exposing the lines of red cut across her belly just above where the ample part of a normal human woman’s hips would be. Such a thing she was not, no matter how familiar her trunk might be. What followed were not legs. Instead, she steadied herself on a slim, long, coiled serpent’s tail, decorated with a spike on the end. Upon her bald head, were runic shapes of all sorts, running down the length of her neck and over her shoulders, like a veil soaked in water. She, too, was committed to the dark craft as her ‘eldest sister’—what she liked to call Fay.

Left Hook

Captain: Father of Fight, Torund Hayhurst Quartermaster: Nora Silverkey First Mate: Tamil Tarlock Crew Name: Ofler’s Buccaneers

Flagship of the Dwarven Pirate Collective, this vessel is known for her mean broadside but more than that, hauling other ships alongside her until they fall to pieces. Armed with a cleverly engineered piece of dwarven machinery along her portside hull, she is able to pierce the hulls of enemy ships at close range and drag them through corals or rocky shores. One man is always left standing to tell the harrowing tale of his ship and crew's loss, so don't lose hope, you may survive yet even if her sails cloud the horizon.

Meet her captain:

And the next, the dwarven Father of Fight, Captain Hayhurst of the Left Hook. Just then he stamped his booted foot on the floor of his launch. The poor little vessel jostled under the strength of his blow. A credit to the famed strength of dwarves to be sure. His great black beard nearly caught underfoot of his tantrum, so decorated with trinkets and such, that it rattled like an angry wind chime and sparkled like a starry night sky. His coat was an impressive thing made of seal fur and a leather looking hide of some kind. Rather than carry a sword or blade of any sort, he favored a pair of hatchets, each one strapped to his thighs. His quartermaster, one Nora Silverkey, squinted through her one good eye and notched a mark in a wooden paddle at her belt with a frown. Counting what? I wondered.

The Blind Vengeance

Captain: Legacy of Rook’s Keep, Antony Anderton Quartermaster: Marcus Anderton First Mate: Luther Anderton Crew Name: Mutineer’s of The Rook

The infamous outcast of Rook's Keep, this vessel is notorious as a paradise for troublemakers, the unwanted, and anyone with a good throwing arm. She specializes in procuring "special" cargo by way of harpooning--sea nymph's flesh, whale carcasses, even demons and vampires on occasion. If it glitters or otherwise shines, her crew will be sure to clear space in their hull for it and will sell only to the highest bidder. But chances are you're not interesting enough to be traded, which is really too bad, because, well, you've already seen too much.

Meet her captain:

Beside him, the incorrigible Legacy of Rook’s Keep, Captain Anderton of the Blind Vengeance. Rook’s Keep was a squalid like place but apparently even it had had enough of him and his unruly band of brothers. He propped one leg up on the edge of his launch, his knee tenting his wide-legged breeches. They raised slightly at the ankle, displaying his leather sandals and mangled feet. Ever the three toed creature. Around his waist, swirled a black cloth belt, decorated with whale bones and beaded trinkets. His lean trunk sprang from it, tufts of blond chest hair tangled themselves into his many necklaces, framed by his open whale hide vest and his makeshift cape made of fish net. On top of his head, a worn, brimmed hat, enclosed his ratty hair. His quartermaster and first mate—said brothers—flanked him on either side in similar dress, but paid less attention to the general goings on, instead putting their focus on treating their harpoons.

#aasoaf #pirates of oepus #choose your captain #my writing #poll #info dump #its a long post #sorry not sorry you will suffer my pirate obsession LOL #especially because ive been sitting on this whole court for literal years at this point

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mangio-formaggio · 1 year ago

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Stranger Things AU for HSM

because it's (almost) the spooky season and this time last year I was obsessed with Eddie x Steve. So you know... angsty teenagers somewhat babysitting their friends and having sexuality crisis? Anyone? May ended up being a little bit Scooby Doo-ish, we will see.

- It's all starts with Wildcats leaving the evening practice and Zeke is decides to shortcut through the park in the night. And he gets caught by the Demogorgon (prob because the cookies in his backpack smells too good lol).

— The only person who knows that Zeke took a turn to the park is Ryan. Cause he may have a tiny crush on Zeke and sneaked that night in gym to watch the boys play. And when the practice was over he had to rush outside before get caught or stack at school for the whole night.

— What Ryan is totally forgot is that he was supposed to pick up Kelsi, who worked late at a new song. And she did indeed got stack in the school. And she hadn't been seen next morning.

— Sharpay on the other hand used to Zeke's attention at this point, and very confused when he's not there next morning to give her fresh bakery before classes start.

— Long story short when Zeke's and Kelsi parents are raising alarm the next morning the whole class is send to the principal's office to be questioned.

— And there's a gossip that Ryan killed Kelsi. Weird quiet brother of the most terrifying girl in school murdered someone? Makes sense.

— Wildcats aren't believe those rumors, but they figures out that Ryan could see Zeke if he was in school last night for Kelsi. So they ask.

— Ryan is pretty stressed at this point, so he absently mentions to the team about Zeke and the park. And of course they immediately decide to investigate themselves.

— At the same time, Sharpay finds Kelsi's stuff at the theater, but the new song is not there. She looks around the piano and there's nothing but wired amount of wet leaves. But it wasn't raining last night.

— In the park Wildcats can't find any clues about Zeke. But Troy finds a girl. Scared and unable to speak. She refuses to be taken to the police station. She can lift thing with her mind and solves equations just after one look at them. All the boys can find out about her is that her name is Gabriella and she worries about her mom.

— Taylor and Martha see how Gabi solves equations an wowed. Also wtf jocks are doing around such a smart new girl? And Taylor being Taylor very quickly understands what's going on here.

— The company of other girls helps Gabi to relax and open up a bit, even if she still in shock: doesn't remember how she ended up in a forest and what's the danger is treating her and the whole East High now.

— While this group is connecting the dots and figures out how to use Gabi's power to communicate with Zeke in Upside-down, Sharpay is trying to help Ryan snaps out of anxiety and insist they should continue rehearsals.

— So twins are at the theater when Wildcats and girls are messing with a school radio. And then suddenly the lights are starts flickering, the speakers around empty school are broadcasting white noise...

— And then everyone hear weak trembling voice. Kelsi's voice. She's singing her new song. Quietly and slightly hysterically.

— Wildcats are confused where exactly the voice is coming from: they tried to reach out Zeke in possible parallel universe, not drama club, right?

— When they rushed into the theater they finds only Evan's twins on a verge of a heart attack (and Ryan is also is about to have nervous break down).

— For a couple of seconds they all are trying to sing along, in a desperate attempt to let the Kelsi know that she's heard. Next moment the lights are off completely.

— The singing stops. But they can hear Kelsi's breathing heavily. And then there's a distinct low growl. One second in speakers. Another somewhere backstage.

— Suddenly the light is on again. And fall clearly inhumane shadow appears on the side of the stage.

— The monster jumps. The kids are frozen by terror. Gabi lifts her hands and screams and the next thing everybody knows is that the speakers are broken with a loud crack, the monster is gone and everything seems back to normal.

— Expect it's not and everybody understands very clearly now what's took their friends. The jocks, the nerds and drama kids join forces. They need a plan.

— While the monster-hunting is discussed and organized, some emotional drama unravels.

— Troy is completely mesmerized with Gabi. But she doubts whether he actually likes her or he likes her cool superpowers. After all they can't even properly communicate. She's also remembers herself we'll enough to understand that her life is somewhere else and she needs to focus on finding her mother.

— Sharpay is mad because she likes to be in control. And currently is nothing can be controlled except her own sanity. She hesitant about joining the upcoming quest. She's a performer and a school princess. Not a fighter. She can't wander through the park in this shoes, thank you very much. On the other hand, she can't leave her brother, who's very determined to help Kelsi as much as he can. Lastly, even if she would never admit, she worries sick about Zeke.

— Taylor knows their plan is just absolutely terrible, dumb and suicidal idea. But she's also have a ridiculously amount of fun navigating the attack plan and investigating where the portal to Upside-down is. Also the feeling of community is so new and nice. She just can't leave those idiots on her own.

— Chad isn't jealous. That would be stupid. And what kind of jerk would be jealous of Gabi when she's evidently went through horrible trauma, apparently wanted by some shady government people and is under constant pressure of saving everybody. But it just so hard to take that in a crisis like this Troy is neglecting his leadership in order to look after his new girlfriend... Surprisingly good thing, however, is that Evans twins are actually helpful. Ryan is very easy to become friends with actually: he can handle that bat, sincerely care about this small Kelsi person and is fun to joke around. His arms are surprisingly strong, his eyes are... well, blue. Oh, and his sister undeniably was born to lead some small army or shoot some monsters right between eyes.

— Ryan is probably running on a pure adrenaline at this point. His body just can't tolerate this amount of stress anymore, so it's almost euphoric state of confidence now. He almost doesn't recognize himself. Like volunteering on a reconnaissance mission? Or agreeing to arm himself with a gigantic bat? Or talking to Chad Danforth like they knew each other for ages? And Ryan even dares to flirt? And tease? And yeah, having a crush on an another straight athlete is still absolutely terrible idea, but maybe they gonna die tomorrow so what the hell?

— Anyways... They find the portal. They find both of their friends. Alive and mostly well. They survived on Zeke's cookies.

— And Demogorgon finds them.

— The fight is unravel. Boys kicking and punching. Sharpay shooting. Taylor and Martha are evacuating Zeke and Kelsi. Gabi stays behind to close the portal.

— Everyone makes it out alive. Chad and Ryan make out celebratory. Sharpay is already planing a show based on this adventure. She would go out with Zeke the next day after he will rest, don't worry.

— Troy is brooding though. He rushes to the park like everyday since. But it completely normal trees and grass now. Nothing paranormal. So he slowly loses hope. Until one day they're having a game and the broken speakers are suddenly working again. And there's a Kelsi's song singing with the most beautiful and gentle voice he had ever heard.

— So they make a hole in theatre's wall to helps Gabi get out. Ms D isn't pleased though. They all got detention till the graduation. Can as well start to participate in musicals yk.

#hsm #high school musical #stranger things #chyan #chad x ryan #sharpay evans #sharpay x zeke #troy bolton #gabriella montez #troy x gabriella #taylor mckessie #zeke baylor #kelsi nielsen

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topazadine · 4 months ago

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A Non-Comprehensive Look at Sina

Sina is a coastal country with a number of outlying islands. Lift-ways ("east") is the Melinun Sea, the reason for its prosperity as a bastion of trade. Drop-ways ("west") is Breme across the Rimuk Mountains. This impenetrable mountain range has been a source of frustration for the Sinan Royal Family since the two countries were split in two by High Poetry.

Sinan Geography

Sinan geography is wildly different from that of Breme. Instead of sweeping steppes, Sina is swampy, mostly flat, and very rainy. Breme is in the rain shadow of the Rimuk Mountains, while Sina is on the windward slope.

One can think of Sina as the first stair in a staircase. The Rimuks are the rise on one side, and the cliffs on the edge of the continent are the foot. Rain cascades down the Rimuks and percolates throughout the country down to the sea. Below the rich muddy soil is granite, meaning that little water penetrates below the surface.

Sina's borders are clear on the mainland: the Rimuk Mountains and the edge of the continent. Its capital city, Kulniryi, is located along the middle of its coastline; the deep, natural harbor is one of the only places where the ground dips down to sea level, making it a perfect fit for commerce.

Around the harbor, the cliffs rise again; most are not of interest but for Thieves' Quarter, where ruffians have carved their homes directly into the rock for better protection for their illicit activities. Some whisper that these carved homes have secret passages that thread all along the underside of the city, popping up in unexpected places to ease the work of ne'er-do-wells.

The Melinun Sea is dotted with additional islands, some large and some small. The largest and most isolated of these are penal colonies, where the worst prisoners are sent to dog-infested islands to be eaten alive. Other small clusters may be farms, military outposts, lighthouse stations, or pleasure oases.

Sina has several territorial disputes with its neighbors on some of the farthest-reaching islands, a constant source of consternation for the queen. She resolved the disputes with their closest neighbor, Iunis, by marrying one of her daughters to their king.

As one moves drop-ways, a lacey network of small rivers provides fertile ground all across the country, though some areas are too swampy and fetid for habitation. Of particular intrigue is the area around Heretic's Way, whose rich soil has lay abandoned for centuries. This was the path that the traitorous Princess Yiella took out of Sina when she joined with the proto-Bremish against her mother, who was attempting to subjugate the nomadic tribes.

Most of the major cities are named after previous rulers; they are designed around the landscape, giving each a sense of place and a unique flair. For example, Traifalnar is built on a swamp, with deep foundations buried in the rock and homes bolstered by an interesting network of steel wires that keep them upright.

Kayaks are a common mode of transportation because they are lightweight and maneuverable, though there are also excellent trails for bicycles.

Threaded throughout the country are tin mines, some abandoned and others still active. Spies, smugglers, and the general criminal rabble use these to pass from town to town. While the Sinans are not generally superstitious, most fear these mines, as they whisper that kidnappers use them to sell women and children - or simply murder them.

Sinan Fauna

Briar bear - Haunts the swamps and briars of the country. A large, mottled, streaky-looking animal with enormous claws. Terrifying.

Velvet deer - So named for their beautiful antlers that never lose their velvet, but remain fuzzy and soft all year round. The velvet was previously used as folk medicine. Much has been written about how velvet deer's antlers sparkle after a rainstorm.

Rimuk wildcats - As in Breme, Rimuk wildcats haunt the highest reaches of the mountains. Their screams are bone-chilling when they resound off the rocks.

Esker - A type of aquatic mustelid that swims through the many channels, eating fish. Supposedly tastes delicious.

Alnan rabbits - Large, loping rabbits, technically an invasive species. They are named after the country's founder, Queen Alnan, who brought them from her home country. Some were released and became feral; now they practically overrun the country.

Herons - Found all across the country along rivers.

Rock eagles - Typically found along the Rimuk Mountains, but they have also been known to make their eyries in tall buildings, including the Kulniryi palace where the Sinan Royal Family lives.

Black squirrels - They have excellent camoflage for the deep, shady forests.

Blue spotted lizard - Bright blue, poisonous lizard found in the swamps.

Peeping frogs - There are dozens of different subspecies of peeping frogs throughout the country. They each have a slightly different song, which means that you can tell what part of the country you are in based on the melody of the frogs. This has given Sina several nicknames amongst other countries, not all of which are very nice. One is "The Land of Natural Music," while another is "Croakland."

Lacy turtles - So named for the light, lacey patterns along the shells.

Koi - The most common fish in the country. Good eating.

Suluk sea lions - Important to Sinan mythology, as it is said that a miraculous Suluk sea lion protected their founder after a shipwreck.

Whelkies - A type of mollusk.

Silver crabs - Not actually made of silver, of course, but their light gray shells are very striking. Good camoflage against the gray cliffs that make up the edge of the continent.

Blue dolpins - Often found cavorting and playing in the waves along the shore.

Harbor whales - Small whales that prefer protected inlets and bays.

Mules - Stubborn and hardy, they are great for long-distance trips.

Goats - Used for their meat and milk.

Timber horses - Large draft horses used to drag away timber.

Sprig horses - Light-boned animals that are mostly for sport and casual riding. Only owned by the upper classes.

Sinan Flora

Cedar

Pine

Black spruce

Boxwood

Ficus

Pothos

Quince

Azalia

Peonies

Hydrangeas

Custard apples

Pears

Sedge grass

Sea buckthorn

Kelp

Bladderwrack

Forest orchids

Forest grass

Cattails

Rushes

Duckweed

Water fern

Important Personages in Sina

While Sina has had numerous rulers, only a few are remembered well (or are currently important).

Queen Alnan - The founder of the country. Sailed away from her home country of Nuntak, a down-ways ("south") island country, to oppose religious rule. Subjugated and drove out the nomadic tribes already present, who became the Bremish.

Princess Yiella - Also known as "Heretic Yiella," she was Queen Alnan's daughter. She grew sympathetic to the plight of the tribes and joined them on their escape from Queen Alnan's rule.

Queen Kulni - Queen Alnan's second daughter, who was named queen after her mother's death instead of Princess Yiella. While Queen Alnan founded the country, Queen Kulni was responsible for most of the current infrastructure and political system.

Queen Susuma - The Queen of Sina when The Eirenic Verses begins. She is renowned for having developed solar power, one of the most important inventions in the history of the country (if not the world).

Princess Haniya - Queen Alnan's daughter and one of the main characters of The Eirenic Verses. Bratty and petulant, she cares little for being royalty.

Prince Daiski - Queen Susuma's son and Princess Haniya's half-brother. The result of an affair between Queen Susuma and a duke from a foreign country. Once murdered a scullery maid with his bare hands.

The Main Celebrations of Sina

The coronation days of all the queens are celebrated, though they may be more locally focused, usually most strongly celebrated in the towns named after them.

New Years - Unlike Breme, which has a calendar based on lunar movements, Sina has a set calendar codified by one of the previous rulers. This day is celebrated with lanterns, food, wine, and gambling.

Jubilee Day - Held shortly after New Years. After 10 years, a peasant may have their debts forgiven. Traditionally, people would meet to settle other business matters as well, or to reconcile with past enemies and friends. If any municipalities have deficits, the queen may visit and ceremonially forgive the debt.

Festival of Hydrangeas - Celebrated in mid-spring, when the hydrangeas begin to flower, and usually lasts about a week. Hydrangeas are beloved by the Sinan people thanks to their multicolored blooms. A tradition of hydrangea fortune-telling has sprung up around the country; it's believed that the intensity of the color, the exact bunchings, and the overall health of the flower can tell you things about your future. Hydrangea candies and teas are popular snacks.

Titheday - Essentially tax day, when people give their tithes to the queen or to the local authorities. It has come to be a celebration of sorts because people gather together to have their tithes counted, spurring spontaneous celebrations (probably to ease the stress of giving away their money).

The Miracle of Isthmus - One of the few "supernaturally" themed holidays, celebrating when Queen Alnan was saved from a shipwreck by the Suluk sea lion. People put on pageants throughout the country celebrating this feat, and "Sea Lion Dances" will wind through the streets of the larger cities.

Landing Day - Around the summer solstice. Celebrates when Queen Susuma landed on the continent. One of the best parts of this festival is kayak jousting, when hardy competitors will attempt to push one another off their boat using their oars.

Victors' Day - The time when soldiers join the army. They may join without compulsion or be pressed into service to pay off debts. Regardless of the reason, there are a few weeks of flurried recruitment before Victors' Day, when they are formally invited into the service. Military parades, speeches, and tearful goodbyes occur all across the country.

Rockfall Day - Celebrates one of the greatest victories of the Sinan army, when they crushed several Bremish cities with avalanches. It's common to drop paper-mache rocks filled with candies from high places, such as cliffs or tall buildings.

Darknight - Lunar eclipses are considered to be very unlucky. To counteract this, people will bank their fires high and stay up all night singing, banging pots, and drinking strong caffeinated beverages. It's assumed that you'll give your employees the next day off work unless they are essential workers, like guards or doctors.

Lullweek - Sina doesn't have many private schools or universities, but those that do exist operate all year round; however, there are a number of trade schools that operate on the same schedule. There is approximately two weeks between graduation of one class and entrance of the next class. During this fortnight, it's expected that students will get up to mischief and the townspeople will endure it.

Ice Festival - Sina does not really get all that cold in most of the areas away from the mountains, but they still celebrate the coldest, darkest time of the year. Extravagant presents, hot drinks, huge bonfires, and presentations by "ice dancers" dressed in scanty, filmy white tunics, shown as a sign of bravery.

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vanosslirious · 2 months ago

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BBS Dialogue Prompts #363

ʙʙꜱ ɪʀʟ ɴᴀᴍᴇꜱ & ᴀʟɪᴀꜱ ᴅɪᴀʟᴏɢᴜᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴍᴘᴛꜱ: [ 6 ]

WILDCAT

What's going to happen is Evan's going to fucking land on it.

No, it got Nogla the first time.

You're the outsider here, alright, Puffer, you're getting fucked, okay.

Nogla—oh, Evan, you have to play this game with Brock. Brock and Nogla, the same time.

McNasty, this is going well for you for once, huh.

McNasty's talking a lot of shit for someone who doesn't have the balls to pull the trigger.

What is this one, Nogla, explain.

Brian might still have more than me.

Someone's gonna buy it and steal it from me, probably Evan.

Alright, Brian, you can guarantee your seven here.

VANOSSGAMING

He has the key, what do you want, Nogla?

Oh nice, Droidd, you're alive.

Drive, drive, Brian!

Okay, Droidd, we're headed out.

Imagine Nogla was here, that wouldn't have happened.

Droidd, how's it going?

Droidd, Droidd, let us in.

Do you have a car, Droidd?

Brian, we'll see you there, I guess.

Wow, Droidd, you look super excited.

TERRORISER

Where's Droidd, where's Droidd?

You got it, Droidd, you got it.

I see you, Vanoss, I see you.

Where the fuck is Droidd?

Nogla, can you shut the fuck up, I know how to play!

Okay, I found an important door, Vanoss.

Droidd died three videos ago.

Evan, yeah, here, stay here.

Count it down, Nogla.

Anthony had a mental breakdown.

NOGLA

Oh yeah, Droidd explained it upside down, that makes perfect sense.

Yes, Evan, while you were making shit jokes for your editor to do…

Droidd, you're really good at dying, you want to risk going out?

Follow me, Evan, I need you, you're my sanity, you're my anchor, you're my peace, you're my joy…

Evan, did you already get the thing from the thing?

Evan, let's get going.

Uh, Evan, do you want me to guide you there?

Oh, Droidd's gone, gone, for sure.

Yeah, but open it up again, Evan.

Relax, Brian, relax.

SMII7Y

Matt went flying.

Grizzy has a fucking tank.

I'm not having a good time, Nogla.

Grizzy, don't even try with that car, get out of the way, you're ruining it for everyone.

The car's not fast enough, Puffer, I've already been in that situation.

John, I need your help.

Okay, we're back at the fire station, John, where are you?

Oh, it's a bird with a peace sign, John.

Come on, John, get up here.

Is Tucker hitting on someone?

H2ODELIRIOUS

Marcel, you pointed right at him.

Shut up, Nogla!

That is clearly a weed, Nogla.

I successfully killed Nogla.

Damnit, Moo, can you quit staring at me!

Vanoss, come here

Moo, shoot the barrels!

Moo, don't you run!

Where is Moo at, where is Moo at?

I think Moo heard splashes in the water.

#banana bus squad #vanoss crew #banana bus squad prompts #banana bus squad dialogue prompts #i am wildcat #vanossgaming #the terroriser #daithi de nogla #smii7y #h2odelirious #bbs prompts #rpf prompts #rpf #bbs sentence starters #text #words

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parrhesiac · 2 months ago

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Oh, man. Someone mentioned Earth 2 (1994) and my brain was like "Yeah! I remember that!" And so I went and looked for it.

Wow, the 90s. The entire planet Earth is apparently uninhabitable, not that it's explained, and everyone lives in orbital habitats, "the stations," under tyrannical government the nature of which is also not explained, except they won't just let you go do wildcat colonization of an ostensibly Earth-like world 22LY away. (They reserve that for themselves, and penal colony experiments, we will later find out.) And there are apparently a lot of children who have developed an unspecified disease, "sickly because born and raised in space," because the missing je ne sais quoi of Earth ... something something.

And a billionaire (a woman billionaire, whose fortune is not specified as to its origin, so as to remain ostensibly more moral than anyone else, and who apparently couldn't fucking bribe worth a damn to get the thing safely underway) whose much-beloved sick kid (with brain-wiped cyborg Black manservant) is going with the advance team has set up a mission to colonize G889, this 22LY-away Earth-like world, where she expects all of these children will finally receive that magic je ne sais quoi and be made well just by being on a planet that looks suspiciously like the Pacific Northwest.

Like, OK, I remember the 90s and the post-Cold-War replacement of fears of nuclear winter with fears of ecological catastrophe, but this shit is too much.

(Also, Elizabeth Weir, the original Elizabeth Weir from SG-1 "Lost City Parts 1 and 2," is the doctor. So that's cool.)

#earth 2 #elizabeth weir #nobody understood how capitalism works #the libertarianism is just absurdly hopeful #and apparently the planet earth just has a huge fake out of order sign taped over it for no reason #earth 2 1994 #to be specific

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galaxysharks · 1 year ago

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I have not owned an Au yet. So I shall, bask in my niche interests.

Space Ranger/Military Au

Ship: SS East. AKA: The Wildcat

Reporting Officer: Ms. Jenn (name/rank unknown)

Crew

Captain: Kourtney Greene

Co-Captain: E.J. Caswell

Navigation: Ashlyn Moon Caswell

Defense: Regina "Gina" Porter

Communications: Carlos Rodriguez

Engineering: Noah "Big Red" Redonovich

Chef/Botanical: Sebastian "Seb" Matthee-Smith

Supply Liaison: Richard "Ricky" Bowen

Supply Station 77

Reporting Officer: Lt. Benjamin Mazzara

Notable Crew

Docking/Security Officer: Jettson (name unknown)

Supplies Manager/Repair Expert for the 5000th Fleet: Maddox (name unknown)

Main Supplier of natural resources: Dewey Wood.

#hsmtmts #hsmtmts maddox #high school musical the musical the series #hsm the series #hsmtmts jet #ashlyn caswell #hsmtmts gina #hsmtmts ej #hsmtmts sebastian #Hsmtmts Carlos #big red redonovich

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world-of-wales · 1 year ago

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The Princess of Wales inside the Cockpit of a Wildcat Helicopter Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in Yeovil || 18 SEPTEMBER 2023

#princess of wales #the princess of wales #princess catherine #catherine wales #RNASYeovilton23 #royalty #british royals #british royal family #kate middleton #royals #catherine middleton #brf #duchess of cambridge #royal #british royalty #18092023 #royaltyedit #royalty edit

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usafphantom2 · 6 months ago

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Marine Air’s Dark Day at Midway

Marine Aircraft Group 22’s experience at the Battle of Midway serves as a hard lesson in trying to do too much with too little.

The 4th of June 1942 was a very bad day for Marine Corps aviation. At the Battle of Midway, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 22 suffered terrible losses and contributed little to the U.S. Pacific Fleet’s spectacular victory that day. The group’s fighting squadron, VMF-221, lost far more aircraft than its pilots shot down. Its dive-bomber squadron, VMSB-241, suffered staggering losses without hitting a single Japanese ship.

Midway historians have thoroughly chronicled the actions of these two squadrons and touched on some reasons for their performance. The most cited causes are the obsolescence of Marine aircraft and the inexperience of Marine aviators.1 A closer examination of archival material reveals additional factors that impaired the group’s performance at Midway and new insights into why MAG-22 sent such green pilots into battle.

The heart of MAG-22’s troubles lay in its two competing missions: While forward deployed to defend an advanced base, the group also served as a de facto training command for new aviators. This alone would have undermined its combat readiness. But additional factors worked against MAG-22. In the weeks before the battle, the flight hours the group devoted to training were limited by its responsibilities to defend Midway Atoll and by logistical shortfalls. During the battle, Naval Air Station Midway and MAG-22 were unable to coordinate aircraft from three services based at the atoll. Finally, imprecise direction from Pacific Fleet commander Admiral Chester W. Nimitz led to misunderstandings of how MAG-22 would employ its fighting squadron.

Present-day naval commanders are acutely familiar with the challenge of balancing combat readiness and forward presence. As naval leaders look for ways to maintain Navy and Marine Corps forces in the western Pacific and prepare for possible conflict there, the experience of MAG-22 at Midway provides a sobering reminder of the risks of attempting to do too much with too little.

At Midway, First Lieutenant Daniel Iverson stands on a wing of his shot-up SBD-2 Dauntless, one of MAG-22’s 46 aircraft losses in the Battle of Midway. Later repaired in the United States, the restored SBD is now an exhibit at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida.

MAG-22’s Very Bad Day

At 0555 on 4 June 1942, Midway’s radar detected a large formation of aircraft 93 miles northwest of the atoll. MAG-22’s siren wailed. In accordance with orders issued the previous evening by Lieutenant Colonel Ira L. Kimes, the commander of MAG-22, VMF-221 launched its aircraft immediately. A detachment of six Navy TBF Avengers took off next, followed by four Army Air Forces B-26 Marauders armed with torpedoes. The TBFs and B-26s proceeded independently to attack the Japanese carriers. The 16 SBD-2 Dauntlesses and 12 SB2U-3 Vindicators of VMSB-241 took off last and rendezvoused about 20 miles east of Midway’s Eastern Island.2

VMF-221’s commanding officer, Major Floyd B. Parks, had organized his 21 F2A-3 Buffalos and seven F4F-3 Wildcats into four divisions of Buffalos and one of Wildcats. All but one F2A-3 and one F4F-3 were mission ready and got airborne, though the divisions became slightly disorganized during the hasty scramble. The Japanese strike consisted of 108 aircraft—36 Aichi D3A “Val” dive bombers, 36 Nakajima B5N2 “Kate” carrier attack aircraft, and 36 Mitsubishi A6M2 “Zeke,” or Zero, fighters. In accordance with Kimes’ plan, MAG-22’s fighter direction center funneled all five of VMF-221’s divisions to intercept the incoming strike. The Marines had the altitude advantage, and the separate divisions launched a series of overhead gunnery passes against the Japanese bomber formations. As the slower Marine aircraft recovered for additional passes, the nimbler Zeros overtook them and sent one after another tumbling downward.3

There is little doubt VMF-221 got the worst of the fight. The Japanese shot down 15 Marine fighters and severely damaged another nine, leaving just one F2A-3 and one F4F-3 ready to fly. Though Kimes afterward estimated Japanese losses at 43 aircraft, his surviving pilots definitively claimed just nine victories. Kimes’ estimate included “probable victories by missing fighter pilots” as well as claims by rear-seat gunners of VMSB-241.4 The actual total was far lower. VMF-221 probably shot down just three aircraft outright. Another 16 Japanese aircraft survived the raid but either ditched or were so irreparably damaged they could not fly again.5

A PBY Catalina flying boat had spotted the Japanese carriers, and MAG-22 passed their location to VMSB-241.6 Major Lofton R. Henderson, the squadron commander, led the SBDs. Major Benjamin W. Norris, the executive officer, led the SB2Us. While Henderson took his unit to 9,000 feet, Norris climbed to 13,000 feet.7 On paper, the SB2U-3s were nearly as fast as the SBD-2s, but the two flights proceeded independently.8

Because the Marine dive bombers were slower than the TBFs and B-26s, had taken off last, and had flown east before heading northwest, VMSB-241 did not attack until a half hour after the TBF and B-26 attacks had ended. The Japanese combat air patrol had shot down five of the six Avengers and two of the four Marauders; none had scored a hit. When Henderson and his SBDs spotted the carrier Hiryū at about 0755, the Japanese combat air patrol still had 13 fighters aloft.9

Henderson conducted a glide-bombing attack. A dive-bombing attack would have facilitated bombing accuracy and complicated fighter gunnery and antiaircraft solutions. But more than half of Henderson’s pilots were too inexperienced to attempt the technique, and the cloud cover would have made dive bombing particularly difficult.10

The combat air patrol’s Zeros attacked Henderson first. On their second pass, they sent him down in flames. The remaining SBDs continued the gliding attack. One by one, the Marines released their bombs—and missed. Some came petrifyingly close for the Hiryū’s crew, and many Marines mistakenly believed they had scored hits.11

Norris and his Vindicators arrived at about 0820, less than ten minutes after the surviving SBD-2s had departed and amid an attack by Army Air Forces B-17 Flying Fortresses. The combat air patrol had doubled to 26 fighters. Norris descended through the clouds toward the carrier Akagi. The Zeros could not find the dive bombers as long as they were in the safety of the cloud bank, but neither could the Marines see the ships below. When they emerged at 2,000 feet, they saw only the battleship Haruna. Norris also attempted a gliding attack. The Haruna maneuvered evasively, neatly avoiding every one of the Marines’ bombs. The SB2Us hugged the surface and flew back to Midway.12 Only 8 of VMSB-241’s 16 SBD-2s and 8 of its 12 SB2U-3s returned.13

VMSB-241 conducted two more strikes during the battle. That evening Norris led five SB2U-3s and six SBD-2s in a vain search for burning carriers. They found nothing, and Norris did not return, lost in the inky, moonless squalls. On 5 June, VMSB-241 attacked the cruisers Mogami and Mikuma. The squadron lost another Vindicator to antiaircraft fire and again scored no hits.14

What Was Done Well

MAG-22 did some things remarkably well in its first action. Due to superb intelligence and early warning, no airworthy planes were caught on the ground. The fighter direction center placed the fighters in an optimum intercept position. The dive bombers located the Japanese carriers. Most impressively, every fighter and dive-bomber pilot attacked without hesitation into the teeth of a formidable defense.

MAG-22’s efforts indirectly contributed to the destruction of the Akagi and two other carriers, the Kaga and Sōryū, later that morning. As historians Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully demonstrated, the cumulative effect of the series of failed attacks by bombers from Midway and U.S. carriers created conditions that delayed Admiral Chūichi Nagumo’s counterattack and placed his carriers at greater vulnerability to the dive bombers from the USS Enterprise (CV-6) and Yorktown (CV-5). Dodging the attacks required the carriers to maneuver violently. Defending against them required the carriers to launch and recover fighters. Perhaps just as important, Nagumo faced a series of menacing dilemmas, complicating his decision-making. When the dive bombers from the Enterprise and Yorktown appeared overhead at 1020, Kates and Vals were still below on the hangar decks, where their fuel and ordnance amplified the destructive power of the American bombs.15

VMF-221 also helped reduce the strength of Nagumo’s counterpunch when it did come. The only carrier that survived the Enterprise and Yorktown dive-bomber attacks was the Hiryū. It was her air group that VMF-221 had attacked. Though the Marine fighters shot down just two Kates outright, another seven Kates were shot down by Marine antiaircraft guns, ditched, or were too damaged to participate in the strikes against the U.S. carriers.16 In other words, the Marines did not bring down many aircraft, but the ones they did bring down were the right ones—aircraft from the Hiryū’s air group.

Nonetheless, 4 June had been an awful day for MAG-22. It had lost many aircraft, shot down only a handful of the enemy, and hit no ships. Forty-two MAG-22 Marines had died; 36 pilots and gunners were missing; and six Marines had been killed in the bombing of Eastern Island.17

‘Not a Combat Airplane’

On 17 April, Major (soon to be Lieutenant Colonel) Ira L. Kimes (below) landed at Midway Atoll to replace Lieutenant Colonel William Wallace as MAG-22 commander. Accompanying Kimes were six second lieutenants, green aviators who replaced six captains, seasoned fliers, who left the atoll with Wallace three days later. Public Domain

Every surviving Marine fighter pilot from VMF-221 attested to the superiority of the Zero over the Marine fighters. Captain

The F2A-3 is not a combat airplane. It is inferior to the planes we were fighting in every respect.

It is my belief that any commander that orders pilots out for combat in a F2A-3 should consider the pilot as lost before leaving the ground.18

Kimes agreed. In his endorsement to his aviator’s statements, Kimes recommended that the fleet relegate the F2A-3 Buffalo, the F4F-3 Wildcat, and the SB2U-3 Vindicator to training commands.19

The Vindicator was indeed past its usefulness. However, there is evidence that neither fighter was to blame for VMF-221’s poor performance. With improved tactics, Marine and Navy pilots would achieve far better results with the F4F in the Solomons. Captain Marion Carl, the only Marine to shoot down a Zero over Midway, believed the F2A-3 was as maneuverable and fast as the F4F-3, and its only drawbacks were that it could not absorb punishment and was less stable as a gunnery platform than the Wildcat.20

Some British and Dutch Buffalo aces, whose squadrons suffered grievously against Imperial Japanese Navy Zeros, attributed their lopsided outcome to Japanese proficiency and numbers rather than the Buffalo’s inferiority. Finnish Buffalo pilots enjoyed great success flying the planes against the Soviets.21 The Buffalo’s mixed performance in other theaters suggests that other factors contributed to VMF-221’s poor performance.

‘Half-Baked Flyers’

When VMF-221 and VMSB-241 had landed on Eastern Island in December 1941, both squadrons were top heavy with experience. VMF-221’s most junior pilot had been flying for at least a year since flight school.22 But the 57 aviators who flew on 4 June included 35 second lieutenants, none of whom had been with their squadron more than four months, and 17 of whom had arrived on 27 May directly from flight school.23

SB2U-3 Vindicator dive bombers take off from Midway’s Eastern Island in early June, possibly to attack Japanese carriers the morning of 4 June. While inferior aircraft—including Vindicators—were factors in MAG-22’s poor performance at Midway, tactics and training played key roles.

In the first half of 1942, Marine aviation had two conflicting missions: defending the fleet’s advanced bases and training new aviators. Newly winged aviators reported to the fleet with just 200 hours of flight time, and none in the aircraft they would fly in combat.24 The new aviators needed operational training, but the aircraft they needed to train in were defending advanced bases in the Pacific.

On 8 January 1942, Brigadier General Ross E. Rowell, the commander of 2d Marine Air Wing, described the dilemma in a letter to Vice Admiral William F. Halsey Jr., the commander of Aircraft, Battle Force, Pacific Fleet: “I have now accumulated 35 second lieutenants in various stages of advanced training. . . . If ComAirBatFor approves and you want some half-baked flyers, send me a dispatch to that effect.” Halsey approved; he directed Rowell to order the green fliers to squadrons like VMF-221 and VMSB-241.25 This decision set in motion a sequence of personnel transfers that diluted the combat readiness of forward-deployed squadrons. As inexperienced aviators joined squadrons at advanced bases, experienced aviators left to form new squadrons in Hawaii and California.

Marine aviation was still following its prewar training pipeline. Once students were designated naval aviators, they reported to squadrons in the Fleet Marine Force for about a year of operational flight training in combat aircraft.26

Not only did MAG-22 not have a year to train its new aviators, but the group’s commitment to the defense of Midway also required it to devote most of its operational flights to patrols and radar calibration vice gunnery and tactics. Less than 30 percent of VMF-221’s missions from December 1941 to May 1942 were dedicated to improving the lethality of its fighter pilots.27

Logistics shortfalls further impinged on the group’s training. A shortage of .50-caliber machine-gun ammunition often limited gunnery practice to dummy runs.28 In the final week before combat, PBY Catalinas and B-17 Flying Fortresses drew thirstily from Midway’s fuel stocks, which were already limited due to an incredible blunder. On 22 May, demolition charges placed at an underground fuel storage facility detonated when one of the defense battalion batteries fired its 11-inch guns. The station lost 375,000 gallons of precious aviation fuel and its pipeline to Eastern Island.29 The resulting shortage prevented the group from providing the 17 Marines fresh out of flight school with anything more than familiarization flights. VMSB-241 could not even check out its new pilots in their SBDs.30

Without question, MAG-22 fought the Battle of Midway with inferior aircraft and many “half-baked” pilots. Though the odds were stacked against the group’s aviators, command decisions may have stacked the odds higher than they needed to be.

‘No Organized Plan Whatsoever’

In a 1966 interview, MAG-22’s former executive officer stated there had been “no organized plan whatsoever” to coordinate Midway’s Army Air Forces, Navy, and Marine aircraft.31 Though not strictly true, his characterization betrays how Naval Air Station Midway and MAG-22 struggled to coordinate air operations.

In anticipation of the coming fight, Nimitz had abundantly reinforced Midway. In addition to MAG-22, Midway’s air force included 31 PBYs, 17 B-17s, the 4 B-26s, and the 6 TBFs. Nimitz assigned tactical control of all these to the naval air station commander, Navy Captain Cyril T. Simard, and sent an experienced aviator and a naval base air defense detachment to coordinate air operations.32

While the naval air station directed scouting operations superbly, integrating the bombers in a coordinated strike proved beyond its reach. Each aircraft type attacked without regard to the next, permitting the Japanese the opportunity to fend off each in turn. As Kimes observed in perfect hindsight, “It would have been better had they arrived simultaneously.”33

Coordination was exacerbated by the physical separation of the naval air station and MAG-22 command posts. Simard and his air operations officer were on Sand Island; Kimes and his command post were on Eastern Island. According to Kimes’ executive officer, the “Marines ran their own show” but did not command the other services’ bombers on Eastern Island, including the six Navy TBFs.34

Kimes’ air group struggled to coordinate its own aircraft. VMSB-241 does not seem to have attempted to integrate its SBD and SB2U attacks. Most puzzlingly, MAG-22 allocated no fighter protection to VMSB-241 for its strike against the Japanese carriers.

‘Go All Out for the Carriers’

Kimes employed his fighting squadron in what Marine Corps doctrine termed “general support.” As then–Major William J. Wallace lectured Marine officers at Quantico in 1941, general support was an offensive mission that allowed fighters the freedom to be “on the prowl.” In contrast, missions that tied fighters to protection missions, such as escorting bombers, were termed “special support.” As a fighter pilot, Wallace clearly favored the freedom to go find trouble and emphasized, “The rule, then, for the employment of fighter units should be-—general support wherever and whenever possible.”35

In January 1942, now–Lieutenant Colonel Wallace took command of Marine aviation on Midway, which he retained until relieved by Kimes in April. It was Wallace who had developed the fighter direction system MAG-22 employed for defense of the atoll. As Wallace’s views on fighter employment reflected Marine Corps doctrine, and Wallace commanded MAG-22 until two months before the battle, this bias likely influenced Kimes’ decision to place all of VMF-221 in general support on 4 June.

MAG-22’s fighter employment stands in stark contrast to how Japanese and U.S. carrier task forces operated on 4 June. Carriers were far more vulnerable to air attack than an island base. Nonetheless, every Japanese and American task force commander allocated fighter escorts to increase their bombers’ chances of getting through the enemy’s fighters.

Hitting the Japanese fleet was exactly what Nimitz had in mind when he reinforced Midway with so many aircraft. On 20 May, Nimitz provided the Chief of Naval Operations and Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Fleet, Admiral Ernest J. King, with some views on the role of land-based aircraft he had drawn from the recent Battle of the Coral Sea:

The shore commander should assign attack missions designed to render the greatest possible assistance to the Fleet Task Force when it is engaged and should particularly be ready to provide fighter protection when it is practicable.36

Nimitz incorporated these views in his planning guidance for Midway. In a 23 May memorandum to his chief of staff, Captain Milo F. Draemel, Nimitz explicitly directed that “Midway planes must thus make the CV’s [aircraft carriers] their objective, rather than attempting any local defense of the atoll.”37 In an undated memorandum likely written about the same time, Nimitz reiterated his intent to Captain Arthur C. Davis, his air officer:

Balsa’s [Midway’s] air force must be employed to inflict prompt and early damage to Jap carrier flight decks if recurring attacks are to be stopped. Our objectives will be first—their flight decks rather than attempting to fight off the initial attacks on Balsa. . . . If this is correct, Balsa air force . . . should go all out for the carriers . . . leaving to Balsa’s guns the first defense of the field.38

But in his operations order for Midway, Nimitz was less clear in the tasks he assigned to Simard at Midway:

(1) Hold MIDWAY.

(2) Aircraft obtain and report early information of enemy advance by searches to maximum practicable radius from MIDWAY covering daily the greatest arc possible with the number of planes available between true bearings from MIDWAY clockwise two hundred degrees dash twenty degrees. Inflict maximum damage on enemy, particularly carriers, battleships, and transports.

(3) Take every precaution against being destroyed on the ground or water. Long range aircraft retire to OAHU when necessary to avoid such destruction. Patrol planes fuel from AVD [seaplane tender] at French Frigate Shoals if necessary.

(4) Patrol craft patrol approaches; exploit favorable opportunities to attack carriers, battleships, transports, and auxiliaries. Observe KURE and PEARL and HERMES REEF. Give prompt warning of approaching enemy forces.

(5) Keep Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Commander Hawaiian Sea Frontier fully informed of air searches and other air operations; also the weather encountered by search planes.39

The very explicit language Nimitz used in his planning guidance—that Midway’s aircraft “should go all out for the carriers”—is not reflected in his order. Absent such direction, Simard left it to Kimes to command the Marine squadrons as he saw fit. In accordance with Marine Corps doctrine, Kimes placed his fighting squadron in general support over Midway—and sent his dive bombers against the Japanese fleet without fighter escorts. Had he allocated one or two divisions from VMF-221 to escort VMSB-241, more Marine dive bombers may have survived to drop bombs on the Hiryū, and their accuracy may have improved had they attacked with less interference from the Japanese combat air patrol.

Trying to Do More with Less

MAG-22 had not gone all out for the carriers but had massed its fighters in defense of Midway. Naval Air Station Midway had struck the Japanese carriers with every bomber available but had been unable to coordinate their attacks to increase their chances for success and survival. Most tragically, many of the Marines lost in the battle were just not ready to fight the Imperial Japanese Navy, despite their willingness and eagerness to try.

MAG-22’s very bad day is a cautionary tale. Trying to do more with less—in MAG-22’s case, trying to defend Midway while training novice aviators—carries risks that may be hidden until they are exposed through combat. In his report of the battle, Kimes included a page and a half of candid comments and recommendations.40 After Midway, Marine aviators applied the lessons MAG-22 had learned at enormous cost and achieved spectacular results against the same foe in the Solomons, often under the leadership of aviators who had survived Midway.

Those same lessons are noteworthy today. Naval experts have cautioned the naval services against maintaining too much forward presence with too little fleet.41 An enduring lesson of MAG-22 may be that very bad days result from very bad choices, and that choosing to do more with less is often a very bad choice.

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