The Fires of Midway: The Carrier Battles of 1942
The Fires of Midway: The Carrier Battles of 1942 Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components and Basic Concepts
The centerpiece of the game is the carrier cards, representing these all-important ships. Although support vessels were involved in the battle, the carriers were both the number-one weapon and the primary target.
A structure counter is flipped to its "on fire" side when it reaches the last space of a carrier tile's structure track. The letter on the counter is set by the fleet list and corresponds to a specific marker; the letter shows the carrier's position on the maneuver map.
The carrier marker on the maneuver map has two sides: Spotted and Hidden. Carriers are considered to be located in whichever space their marker occupies.
Midway Island is used only for the Midway scenario. A rule that refers to a carrier also applies to the island unless stated otherwise. For example, Midway uses a stationary island marker that is always Spotted.
Illustrated components: Structure counter (front) / Structure counter (back) / Hidden-side carrier counter (front) / Spotted-side carrier counter (back).
Setup
- Divide the table into 3 rows: one Fleet row on each side for each player, and an Ocean row in the middle. Place the maneuver map and the players' fleet-management boards in their fleet row.
- Consult the fleet list for the scenario. Each player lays out their carrier tiles in their fleet row, intact side up (full strength), with the matching structure counter placed on space 1 of the structure track. The appropriate admiral card is also added to the player's fleet row.
- Collect the aircraft cards matching each carrier on the fleet list to build its air wing, and place them in a stack, full-fuel side up, under their carrier.
- Place the action cards on the center space of the Staging mat.
- Shuffle the American and Japanese combat cards and place them on each player's board.
- Lay out the "Search or Destroy" (SoD) tiles face down in the Ocean row, forming a 6x5 grid of tiles.
- Set aside all carrier, weather, damage, and Victory Point markers.
- The Bluff card is the only card players are allowed to keep in hand (players draw further cards during the Search Phase).
- The island marker is placed on the "M" region space of the map when setting up the Midway scenario.
Setup diagram: Admiral card / Japanese player board / JAPANESE FLEET ROW / Staging mat / Maneuver map / OCEAN ROW / "SEARCH AND DESTROY" TILES FORMING A 5x6 GRID / Air wing stack / Carrier tile / Admiral card / AMERICAN FLEET ROW / US player board.
Search Phase
The Search Phase is played only once, at the start of the game.
Search grid. The United States Navy's superior code-breaking ability lets the American player always consult the grid first. Players take turns secretly looking at two face-down SoD tiles and examining the search icon in the top-left corner. One tile is turned face up and the other is left face down. The effects of the newly-revealed tile are applied before the other player is allowed to take their turn. The phase ends when the third enemy fleet result is revealed.
Example: the US player looks at 2 tiles from the grid and chooses to reveal one. He reveals a low clouds result, which is added to the maneuver map.
List of search effects:
- Empty ocean: no effect.
- Low clouds or squall: place a low clouds or squall marker on an empty space of the maneuver map that does not already hold an island marker or another weather marker. Weather markers cannot be placed on a fleet's starting spaces.
- Wake spotted & Escort spotted: draw 1 or 2 combat cards and add them to your hand.
- CAP (combat air patrol) ready: take a fighter from an air wing stack and place it on the open CAP slot of the matching carrier. Midway has 2.
- Enemy fleet: draw 3 combat cards and add them to your hand. The 1st and 2nd such tiles have no other effect beyond adding cards to your hand. The player who reveals the third enemy fleet tile gains the starting edge. The Search Phase ends once this 3rd tile is revealed. Shuffle the [remaining] tiles from the grid to form the SoD draw stack on the Staging mat.
Starting edge:
- Gain VP — Players place their VP counters on the first space of the VP track. The player with the starting edge advances their marker to space '2' and turns their VP counter to its "confident" face. The player who did not win the starting edge sets their counter to "desperate" and leaves it on space 1.
Confidence: The player who leads in VP has their marker on the confident face and is considered the confident player. Their opponent is the desperate player. Both players are considered desperate if VP are tied. The confident player is restricted to following their admiral card's doctrine. The desperate player ignores their doctrine.
Placing the carrier task forces: Both players assemble their task forces. Players determine the composition of their stacks. The player with the starting edge determines where the stacks are placed on the maneuver map. Task forces may only be placed in one of the player's three starting-zone spaces, and are always placed Hidden side up. A task force's composition cannot be changed afterward, but two single-carrier task forces may be grouped into one starting space by the player with the starting edge.
Example: the American player found the third enemy fleet tile and won the starting edge — he gains 1 VP and is confident. Once the American player has finished placing his task force pieces, the Japanese player places the 1st Japanese Task Force (A & B) in the corner and chooses the left Japanese starting zone for the 2nd Combat Group (C & D).
Strategy Phase
Played once every game turn. Reshuffle the combat and SoD draw stacks at any point during the game when they run out of cards.
1. Deal Action cards. Shuffle the action cards and deal one to each carrier currently spotted in the fleet. The confident player places all of his action cards value side up (yellow number) for each carrier. Once the confident player has assigned his cards by carrier, the desperate player arranges his entire fleet. If both players are desperate, the Japanese player assigns his Action cards first. If there are fewer than eight carriers in play, discard the highest-value cards, keeping only values up to the total number of carriers. With 5 carriers in play, you only keep cards 1-5 for the game.
Example: both players have four carriers in play. Eight action cards are dealt, four per player. The American player is confident and places his action cards first, followed by the Japanese player.
2. Steal Action cards. The confident player may steal an action card from his opponent and replace it with one of his own. If both players are desperate, skip this step.
Example: the confident American player steals the '1' action card, swapping it for his '6' card from the Yorktown. The '1' card now belongs to the Yorktown, and the '6' card is now assigned to the Akagi.
Timing Doctrine: if the Japanese player is confident and has Admiral Nagumo, he is bound by the Doctrine of distribution — he is not allowed to steal the '1' card, but may steal any other card.
3. Maneuver forces. Players may choose to move their carrier markers one map zone. The confident player moves all his markers first. If both players are desperate, the Japanese player moves first. Carriers may only move into zones adjacent to their current position.
A maximum of two carrier markers may occupy the same space at once. A carrier cannot enter a zone containing an enemy marker or an island marker. A carrier marker that moves to a new space ends its movement Hidden side up. Always flip carrier markers to their Hidden side if they move to another space.
A carrier becomes Spotted if it was attacked on a previous turn. Islands never move and are always Spotted. Weather markers do not affect movement.
Squalls: carriers that enter a space with a "squall" marker remove three fire or inferno markers and rearm their CAP to full-fuel side.
Bull's Doctrine: if a confident American player has Halsey as admiral, all carriers must move closer to the nearest enemy if possible.
Example: the Japanese player moves carriers C & D into a zone with low clouds. The start- and end-of-movement markers are flipped Hidden side up.
Carrier Turn
The action card assigned to a carrier determines turn order. Carrier turns are taken in increasing order of initiative.
1. Carrier actions. One of the three actions shown on a carrier's action card may be chosen by the player. The number in the top corner of the Into the Wind / Battle Stations action indicates its launch points. The number in the bottom corner of Battle Stations / Save the Ship indicates its repair points. Once all actions are finished, or if no action is chosen for the turn, move on to the next Carrier Turn.
1. Into the Wind — allows a player to launch an air combat group to attack the enemy.
- Fire on deck: a carrier with one or more fire or Inferno counters cannot choose Into the Wind.
- Launch Group Strike: the points for Into the Wind and Battle Stations indicate the number of aircraft cards used, placed in the Ocean row full-fuel side up. CAP aircraft cannot join the combat group, and launch points cannot be used to add fighters to a CAP. The number of aircraft in the combat group cannot exceed the action's launch points.
- Bomber Mission: the combat group must always contain at least one bomber.
- Hiding Squall: a carrier located in the same zone as a squall marker cannot launch aircraft.
- Torpedo Doctrine: if the confident player has Fletcher as admiral, the first bomber included in a combat group must be a torpedo bomber if one is available in the carrier's air wing.
2. Battle Stations — a carrier may spend repair points and launch a combat group. Battle Stations may be chosen regardless of the damage counters present on a carrier. The Into the Wind and Save the Ship entries above give the rules for launching a combat group and for repair points.
3. Save the Ship — allows a player to draw combat cards and/or spend repair points.
Example: the Yorktown holds a card that is Into the Wind. 3 launch points are available for the combat group. A Devastator torpedo bomber must be taken due to Fletcher's Doctrine. The 2nd aircraft chosen is a Dauntless with a 500 kg bomb, and the 3rd aircraft is a Wildcat that will serve as fighter escort.
Draw 2 cards: a player who takes Save the Ship draws 2 combat cards, regardless of how many cards he already holds.
Cost to repair damage: repair points are used to reduce damage suffered by the carrier. These repair points are spent during the turn, and unused points are lost at the end of the turn.
- 2 repair points reduce an Inferno counter, flipping it to its Fire side.
- 1 repair point removes a Fire counter from the carrier.
- 3 repair points reduce a Flooding counter, flipping it to its Listing side.
- 2 repair points remove a Listing counter from the carrier.
- 3 repair points return an aircraft from the Watery Grave, placing it back in the carrier's air wing stack.
- 5 repair points stabilize a carrier by moving the structure marker from one of the top two spaces of the structure track down to the lowest level. The marker is not moved between spaces 4 and 3. Damaged carriers cannot be flipped back to their full-strength side.
Tagaki's aggressive doctrine: if Tagaki is confident, Save the Ship cannot be chosen.
Sortie Phase
A Sortie Phase is played if a combat group has been launched; otherwise move directly to the next Carrier Turn.
1. Flight plan to the target. The player who formed the combat group decides the path from the launch zone to the chosen target zone. Aircraft in the combat group travel by the same zones and may only attack enemies located in the target zone.
The total distance traveled is the number of spaces separating their carrier from the target. The launch zone does not count toward distance. If a Clouds marker is in a zone, that zone's distance value becomes 2. A path cannot be drawn into or through a zone with a squall. Hunt penalty: if all enemy carrier markers in the target zone are Hidden, add one point to the distance traveled. Midway is always Spotted.
Visible island: if Midway is in play, the first Japanese combat group must be sent to attack the island.
Example: the distance traveled is 4 zones, so 4 SoD cards are drawn. 3 gas icons are present. The fuel ratings of all three planes are each compared individually against the gas icons. The Devastator and Wildcat are flipped to their smoke side because their fuel rating (2) is lower than the number of gas icons (3). The Dauntless, with a rating of 4, is unaffected and remains at full value.
2. Find the target. 1 SoD tile is drawn for each zone traveled. Check the section in the top-right corner of the SoD tile and total up every dark gas icon revealed. The number of gas icons is compared against each aircraft's fuel rating in the combat group. An aircraft whose fuel rating is less than or equal to the number of gas icons revealed is flipped to its smoke side.
3. Locate the enemy fleet. Flip all Hidden carrier markers in the target zone to their Spotted side.
Example: Japanese carrier markers C and D are flipped to their Spotted side.
4. Spotting roll. The Japanese player rolls one die if the incoming combat group is American, and the American player rolls two dice if the combat group is Japanese. If the result of either die is equal to or greater than the number of aircraft cards in the combat group, they have been spotted.
If the combat group is spotted, a carrier in the target zone may either activate its CAP by placing a fighter in its CAP slot, or draw 2 combat cards. A CAP cannot be added if all CAP slots are already occupied by a fighter. If a player chooses to draw, the 2 combat cards may be added to his hand with no hand-size limit.
Example: three aircraft are in the US combat group. The Japanese player rolls a die and gets a 3. The Japanese player adds a fighter to his carrier's empty CAP slot.
Air Combat
Players each choose a cockpit combat card and hold it in hand [face down], from the cockpit's point of view.
1. Position the CAP. The Engagement Phase happens only if there are one or more CAP with the target. Reposition all CAP above their carrier's card.
The presence of a fighter escort in the combat group determines which of the 2 kinds of air engagement will occur: a "dogfight" if the group has at least one fighter, or a "clay pigeon shoot" if the combat group is made up entirely of bombers or torpedo bombers. The type of engagement is set at the start of the 1st engagement and does not change afterward.
Dogfight: the owner of the combat group chooses which CAP will oppose him and moves it into the Ocean row facing the escort fighter. In a Dogfight, each CAP carries out one engagement. If there are multiple CAP in the target zone, the owner of the combat group determines the order in which the CAP are moved and their phases resolved. Newly engaged CAP must, if possible, be placed against an aircraft that has not yet fought.
Clay pigeon shoot: the owner of the defending carrier moves one of his CAP onto the Ocean row and places it in contact with one of the combat group's bombers. In this case, each CAP carries out 2 engagement phases and may engage the same bomber twice in a row, or 2 different bombers. If there is more than one CAP, the carrier's owner determines the order in which the CAP are moved.
Example: the Hiryu is in the target zone and has one CAP. The combat group has a Wildcat fighter escort, so a dogfight occurs. The American player moves the CAP into contact with the Wildcat.
Cockpit combat card effects:
- Bluff (card not shown): the Bluff card has no effect, but may confuse your opponent.
- Reticle (cross): the combat card used by the opposing player is immediately cancelled.
- Combat die (red or blue die): cumulative — the aircraft gains X combat dice for the engagement roll.
- Ammo (gold bullet): cumulative — the aircraft gains one die for the following damage roll.
- Deflection (a Zero with a red line) — Americans only: cumulative — X combat dice are removed from a Zero. Deflection only has an effect if the card is used against a Zero.
Example (see next page): each player chooses a cockpit combat card and reveals simultaneously. The American reveals Suicide Roll, and the Japanese player Spinning Dive. Players resolve the effects immediately. The US card's Reticle cancels the Japanese card and vice versa. If the Japanese player had also used a combat card with a Reticle icon, the US combat card would likewise have been simultaneously cancelled. Had the Japanese player used his Bluff card instead, the Reticle would have been used in vain to cancel a [Bluff].
Players place their chosen cards face down behind their aircraft. The Bluff card may be used if a player decides not to play a card. Combat cards bearing a fighter icon in their top-left corner are restricted — restricted cards may only be played with Wildcats and Zeros. Players simultaneously reveal their card and apply its effects.
Cards have either an immediate effect (resolved as soon as the card is turned face up) or a cumulative effect that applies during the engagement test die roll or a damage roll.
3. Engagement test die roll. Count the number of combat die icons present on the aircraft cards and cockpit cards (unless a card was cancelled). For each icon, the player rolls one combat die. A player may always roll at least 1 die even if he was the victim of a cancelling card. The winner of the test is the player with the highest die result. Resolve ties in the following order:
- The player with the highest score wins, and the player with the most dice showing that highest score wins (a double 4 beats a single 4).
- If both players have the same number of dice at the highest score, a full-fuel aircraft beats a smoke-side aircraft.
- If there is still a tie, the CAP aircraft wins.
Example: the Japanese player will roll two combat dice and the US player just one. The Japanese card is cancelled by the Reticle on the US card, which also removes 1 die from it. The US aircraft, which is on its smoke side, has only one die. Japanese result: 5, 1 — American result: 5. The highest dice are a 5 on each side — a tie. Victory goes to the Zero, which is at full strength, while the Wildcat is on its smoke side.
The winner of the engagement test rolls a number of dice equal to the number of ammo icons present on his aircraft card and his cockpit card (if not cancelled). If the winner has no bullet icons, no damage roll is made (bombers). The player making the roll chooses the single die that will be applied against the damage track of the unlucky aircraft that was hit; the other dice are ignored.
Damage icons and results:
- Shield: the shot strikes the airframe and has no effect.
- Fuel hit: the aircraft card is flipped to its smoke side.
- Fireball: discard the aircraft to the Watery Grave.
Example: the Japanese player rolls three ammo dice (the one from the combat card was cancelled). The results are a 1, 3, 4. The 4 result is kept, and the Wildcat is destroyed.
Cleanup: used combat cards are discarded, and the Bluff card (if used) returns to its owner's hand.
Return to slot: an undestroyed CAP aircraft returns to its carrier's CAP slot.
Next engagement: start a new phase for a CAP that has not yet fought, or, in a clay pigeon shoot, the CAP may begin a 2nd engagement phase. If all bombers are destroyed, move directly to the Bombing Phase.
Bombing Phase
A bombing phase is resolved for every bomber or torpedo bomber that was not destroyed in the Engagement Phase. Full-fuel bombers attack first, one at a time, followed by smoke-side bombers.
Full-fuel bombers: a bomber is moved from the Ocean row to above a carrier card located in the target zone. The aircraft's player decides which carrier will be targeted.
Smoke-side bombers: once the full-fuel bombers have been engaged (if any), a smoke-side bomber is engaged in turn, but it is the player of the attacked carrier who chooses the target.
Example: a full-fuel Dauntless is resolved before a smoke-side Devastator. The US player may position the Dauntless against the target of his choice and chooses the Hiryu. The Dauntless is moved into contact with the top of the Hiryu carrier card. When the Devastator's phase begins, the Japanese player will decide which carrier it attacks.
2. Attack. Players choose a combat card from their hand and place it face down. The owner of bombers or torpedo bombers may only use bomber cards (fire-colored border). The carrier's owner may only use carrier cards (steel-blue border). The Bluff card may be used by a player who has no appropriate card, or who does not want to use one. Players reveal their card simultaneously and apply its effects during the test roll or damage roll.
Note: the US player may not use a combat card for Midway and must use only a Bluff card.
Carrier and bomber card effects:
- Bluff: no effect
- Reticle: the opponent's combat card is immediately cancelled
- Combat die: adds combat dice to the carrier or aircraft card
- Bomb: a bomb die is added
- Torpedo: a torpedo die is added
- Ammo: a damage die is added
- Draw 2 cards: immediately draw 2 combat cards from the draw stack, up to hand size limit.
Example (see next page): the US player selects a bomber combat card (fire-colored border) and the Japanese player a carrier card (steel-blue border). The US player chose [Hell Dive] and the Japanese player Imperial Pride. The Japanese player may draw 2 cards and add them to his hand.
3. Bombing test. The bomber's player rolls as many dice as the number of combat die icons on his combat card and his aircraft, while the carrier's player does the same with his carrier and his combat card.
The player with the highest score wins, and the player with the most dice at the highest score wins (a double 4 beats a single 4). If both players have the same number of dice at the highest score, a full-fuel aircraft always beats a carrier.
Example: the US player rolls 4 dice and the Japanese player 3 dice. Japanese result: 6, 6, 1. US result: 6, 5, 4, 1. The carrier rolled two 6s against only one for the US aircraft. The carrier wins.
If the bomber wins, immediately make a damage roll [against the carrier]. If the carrier wins, make a damage roll [against the aircraft] equal to the number of ammo icons present on the combat card and the carrier card. The carrier's owner will choose a single die to apply against the damage track of the unlucky aircraft, hit by anti-aircraft fire (flak).
Aircraft damage track and results:
- Shield: no effect
- Fuel hit: the aircraft is flipped to its smoke side
- Explosion: the aircraft goes to the Watery Grave.
The carrier must absolutely destroy the aircraft to ensure its safety — an aircraft that is only hit will be able to make its attack at the next step.
Example: the Japanese player rolls an ammo die and gets a '3,' which corresponds to a fuel hit. The Dauntless is flipped to its smoke side and weakened, but since it is not destroyed, it will make its damage roll against the carrier.
Example 2: if a damage roll gets a 6, the Dauntless is destroyed and a new phase begins with the smoke-side Devastator.
Damage roll against carriers. Unless the bomber is destroyed by the carrier's anti-aircraft fire, a damage roll is made against the carrier. Every bomb or torpedo icon on the aircraft and, if applicable, on the combat card, is counted. A bomb icon never benefits a torpedo bomber, and a torpedo icon never benefits a bomber.
Example: the Dauntless will roll 4 bomb dice — 2 dice from the aircraft and the other two from the Hell Dive combat card.
The player who won the bombing test draws 2 SoD cards and chooses which one will be used. He rolls the bomb or torpedo dice and compares each die's result against the chosen damage track.
Example: the Japanese player, who won the bombing test, draws 2 SoD cards. He wants to protect his carrier and chooses the card with the lowest number of explosion hits — in this case, the card on the right.
Damage track: icons and effects
- Water spout: a Flooding counter and one critical hit are inflicted for each water spout result. Only torpedoes score water spout hits.
- Shield: no effect
- Fireball: a Fire counter is added per hit. An explosion is inflicted only by a bomb.
- Fireball CR: an Inferno counter and one critical hit are inflicted for each Fireball CR (CR = critical). This result does not count for torpedoes.
- Critical hit: advance the structure counter 1 space to the right on the structure track. For a critical hit inflicted by a water spout or an explosion CR, when the last space is reached, the carrier card is flipped to its other side.
- Combined fires: whenever 2 Fire counters are inflicted, combine them into a single Inferno counter by simply flipping the tile.
Example: 4 bomb dice are rolled against the SoD card's damage track. The '1' rolled is a water spout, and the '3' is a null result. The '4' triggers an explosion, and the '6' an explosion CR. The structure counter is moved 1 space on the structure track because of the critical hit.
Structure counter. If the counter is moved onto space 3 or 6 of the track, it is flipped to its fire side. If a player uses the 'Save the Ship' action and spends 5 repair points to stabilize his carrier, move the counter back along the track. The counter is flipped back to its grey side if it is moved off spaces 3 or 6.
When a carrier is damaged and flipped at the end of a phase, the counter is placed on space 4. A damaged carrier takes critical hits normally and cannot be flipped back to its full-strength side.
Heroic sacrifice: a player on either side with a smoke-side bomber may declare a heroic sacrifice and reroll any bomb or torpedo dice during the damage phase. The aircraft is automatically destroyed after the reroll. Only one bomber per group may make a heroic sacrifice.
Kamikaze: if a group comes from a damaged Japanese carrier, all smoke-side aircraft in the group may declare a heroic sacrifice.
Midway: the island has a bunker counter that functions like the structure counter and follows the same critical-hit rules as carriers. Torpedo bombers cannot take part in an attack against Midway. Draw SoD cards as normal for damage inflicted by Japanese bombers. The island is considered knocked out when its marker reaches space 6.
New attack: combat and SoD cards used in the Bombing Phase are discarded, and the Bluff card returns to its owner's hand.
Resolution Phase
1. Emergency CAP landings. All smoke-side CAP that fought in the Engagement Phase immediately return to their carrier's air wing stack. Fighters are placed full-fuel side up when they land. Only CAP that begin the Resolution Phase on their smoke side land at this time.
2. CAP combat fatigue. Any CAP still full-fuel side at the Resolution Phase is flipped to its smoke side. A smoke-side CAP remains smoke-side until it is destroyed or lands.
3. Return roll. All surviving aircraft of a combat group are placed back on the Ocean row. Establish the return path by counting the number of spaces to travel to reach their carrier group. Low clouds are ignored.
Full-fuel aircraft return automatically. Roll 1 die for each smoke-side aircraft in the group.
If the die result is less than or equal to the return distance, the aircraft fails to return and is placed in the Watery Grave.
If the result is a 1, the aircraft crashes on its carrier's deck. The aircraft is placed in the Watery Grave and a Fire counter is added to the carrier's card.
Any smoke-side aircraft that survives a return trip is placed in the air wing stack, full-fuel side up. These aircraft are operational for a possible new flight operation. If the return distance is only 1 space, the only roll that fails is a 1.
Example: the smoke-side Devastator and Dauntless are placed on the Ocean row. The return distance to the Yorktown is 2 spaces (not counting clouds). The Devastator's die roll is a 2. It fails and does not manage to reach the carrier — it is destroyed. A roll of 1 is obtained for the Dauntless...
Admiral Phase
Admiral action. Players see to their admiral card. The next Carrier Turn begins once both players have completed one of the three admiral actions.
Reload: a player may discard as many combat cards as he wishes. He then checks his VP level. A confident player may draw combat cards until he holds a total of seven cards, including the Bluff card. A desperate player may draw until he holds nine cards, including the Bluff card. Reshuffle the combat discard pile if there are not enough cards left.
Recover: all or part of a player's full-fuel or smoke-side CAP may be returned to the carrier's air wing stack. Fighters are placed full-fuel side up when they rejoin the air wing. The player may then recover an aircraft and place it in the CAP slot. Carriers in a squall zone are still entitled to a CAP.
Restore: three repair points may be spent on Damage (see the Carrier Turn section above). The points may be used together or split across several carriers.
Example 1: the US player has 4 cards and takes a reload action. He discards 3 cards, and 6 new cards are drawn and added to the Bluff card to form a 7-card hand. Example 2: a recover action is taken. 1 smoke-side CAP from Midway and one full-fuel CAP from the Yorktown land; a fighter is placed for the Hornet's CAP. Example 3: a restore action is chosen, and 3 repair points are used to turn one of the Hornet's Flooding markers into Listing.
End Phase
1. Carrier carnage. A full-strength carrier that begins the End Phase with its structure marker on space 3 of the structure track is flipped to its damaged side. All damage counters are kept. The carrier's CAP (if any) is unaffected and remains in the damaged carrier's CAP slot. Place the counter on space 4. The opponent scores VP whenever a player's carrier is damaged — in that case, advance the VP counter on the VP track.
Example: the Hornet begins the End Phase with its structure marker on space 3. The Hornet is flipped and its damage counters are carried over. The marker is placed on space 4. The Hornet's CAP is unaffected and remains effective. The Japanese player scores 1 VP. The Japanese player now makes an explosion test.
2. Explosion test. Every carrier with at least one damage counter makes an explosion test. Three explosion dice are rolled for a Flooding counter, one die is rolled for each Fire and Listing counter, and 2 dice per Inferno counter. A roll equal to or greater than the carrier card's structure rating (top center of the carrier card) inflicts a critical hit. Advance the counter one step for each critical hit scored. Additional critical hits are ignored once the counter has reached step 3, as detailed below.
Carrier crippled: after the explosion test, if a full-strength carrier has its structure marker on step 3, the carrier is flipped to its damaged side. Place the counter on step 4. 1 VP is scored and damage counters carry over. The CAP (if any) remains in the CAP slot.
Carrier sunk: after the explosion test, a carrier whose marker reaches step 6 is removed from the game. VP are scored and its air wing stack is placed in the Watery Grave.
CAP saved: if a carrier sinks and has a CAP airborne, the fighter may land if there is a friendly carrier within 2 zones on the maneuver map. The fighter joins that friendly carrier's air wing for the rest of the game.
Reroll dice for the US player: the US player may choose to reroll one of the dice from the explosion test [for a damaged carrier]. Only the selected dice are rerolled, and the 2nd result is kept.
Example 1: the Hiryu rolls three explosion dice, two for Inferno and one for Fire. The results are a 1, 4, and 5 against the carrier's structure rating of 4. Two critical hits are scored. The first critical moves the structure counter to the last space of the structure track. Because of this, the other critical is ignored. The carrier card is flipped and becomes damaged, so the American player scores 1 VP. Damage counters carry over and the counter is placed on step 4.
Example 2: eight explosion dice are rolled for the damaged Hornet, inflicting four critical hits. By rerolling the dice, the US player reduces this to only two critical hits, but that is still enough to move the marker to space 6. The air wing is destroyed, but the CAP is saved. The Japanese gain is 2 VP for sinking the Hornet.
3. Loss of air wing. Each player keeps his lost aircraft in his Watery Grave throughout the game. The Japanese player forms groups of 5 lost aircraft, while the US player forms groups of 7 lost aircraft. Each group grants 1 VP to the opposing player. Once counted for VP, a group of lost aircraft is removed from the game; uncounted aircraft remain in the Watery Grave.
Example 1: the US grave holds 10 aircraft. A set of seven aircraft cards is removed from the game, granting 1 VP to the Japanese player and leaving 3 aircraft. Example 2: the Japanese Watery Grave has 4 aircraft. Since a group of 5 cannot be formed, no point is granted and the 4 aircraft remain in the grave.
4. Victory or withdrawal. The player who leads in VP sets his VP marker to confident; the other player is desperate. If players are tied in VP, both are desperate. A player who reaches or exceeds the game's Intensity level (11 Intensity for Midway) — a draw is possible if both players exceed the Intensity level with the same VP score. If Intensity has not been reached, each player decides whether to withdraw or continue the fight.
The confident player decides first whether to withdraw, and in that case loses 3 VP; if he decides to fight on, the desperate player must then make a choice. If a player withdraws, the game ends and the player with more VP wins. The Japanese player decides first if both players are desperate. A new game turn begins with a Strategy Phase if both players agree to fight on. A player must retreat...
Turn Sequence Summary
Search Phase — one phase, only at the start of the game. Search grid: players search the grid until the 3rd enemy fleet result is found.
Strategy Phase — one phase each game turn
- Deal Action cards: players place one action card per carrier.
- Steal Action cards: the confident player may swap an action card.
- Maneuver: carrier markers may move one map zone.
Carrier Turn — one phase per carrier, following Initiative Carrier actions: the player chooses an action.
Sortie Phase — carried out if a combat group was launched
- Flight plan: determine the distance to the target zone.
- Hunt the target: draw SoD cards and apply fuel effects.
- Locate the enemy fleet: flip spotted carrier markers.
- Spotting roll: Americans roll 2 dice / Japanese roll 1, against the aircraft.
Engagement Phase — 1 or 2 phases for the CAP
- CAP placement: determine the type of combat and move the CAP.
- Air combat: players simultaneously reveal combat cards.
- Engagement test: full-fuel aircraft win ties over smoke-side aircraft.
Bombing Phase — one per bomber in the group
- Bomber placement: place bombers against an enemy carrier.
- Attack: players simultaneously reveal combat cards.
- Bombing test: bombers always win ties against carriers.
- Damage roll: dice are rolled against an SoD damage track.
Resolution Phase — complete for the CAP and strike group
- Emergency CAP landings: smoke-side CAP must land.
- CAP combat fatigue: full-fuel CAP become smoke-side.
- Return home: one die per smoke-side aircraft, against the return distance.
Admiral Phase — once carrier actions are finished Admiral action: each player may take one action from his admiral card.
End Phase — once per turn
- Carrier carnage: full-strength carriers with damage counters on space 3 of the structure track are flipped.
- Explosion test: explosion dice are rolled against the carrier's structure rating.
- Loss of aircraft: 1 VP per 5 Japanese / 7 American aircraft in the grave.
- Victory or withdrawal: players must decide whether to stay in the fight.
Once the End Phase is finished, the following turn begins with a Strategy Phase.