Holdfast: Pacific 1941-45

Holdfast: Pacific 1941-45 Rulebook

Table of Contents

1. Components

Game board
Order of Appearance
Green and Red blocks
Label & Counter sheet
Rules
Dice

1.1 Game Board

The game board shows a map of the major sea areas contested during World War II after the Pearl Harbor attack in the Pacific Theater.

Each sea area has a Victory Point (VP) value for the Japanese or Allies if they control it when a game turn ends. Sea area control can change from turn to turn and some sea areas have different VP values for the Japanese and Allies. Sea area control also affects movement of ships.

There are a total of 8 ports on the game board. There are 3 red shaded square Japanese ports that can only be used by Japanese ships until captured. There are 5 green shaded square Allied ports that can only be used by Allied ships until captured. PORTS CANNOT BE CAPTURED BY TRANSPORT UNITS, only through sea control do the ports trade hands. Each port has a number that shows its repair capacity for repairing damaged ships of the controlling player. Note that the port squares overlap the sea areas to which the port is adjacent and connected to. Bases are represented by the circles and are colored red or green based on initial control. BASES CAN BE CAPTURED BY TRANSPORT UNITS during a combat round or sea area control.

2. Blocks and Label Sheet

There are two sets of blocks, one green and one red. The green represents the Allied forces, the red the Japanese forces. On the label sheet there are three different colored groups of labels. The green and tan outlined labels are applied to the green blocks, one label per block. The red labels are applied to the red blocks, one label per block. (Labels are grouped as American, British and Japanese.)

Other labels are game markers for Victory Points (VP), Resource Points (RP), etc. that should be divided among the remaining blocks, one label per block. There is also a counter sheet of control markers to show sea area control during the game.

FOG OF WAR: During play blocks are stood upright, label side facing the controlling player. The only time the opposing player may see the label side of an enemy unit is when both sides reveal the type of unit for combat.

3. The Units

Each of the four sides of the labels have a number of pips from 1 to 4. This number is the strength points (SP) of the unit and determines how many hits in combat the unit can take before it is eliminated. The unit's current SP should be shown as the top SP on the upright unit. At the top of each major ship unit is the unit's historical name.

The label shows: current SP, target hit number, dice rolled in combat when firing, and ship name.

Target hit number is the number or higher that needs to be rolled on a die when the unit is attacked to score a hit on that unit.

The dice rolled in combat is the number of dice the unit rolls when firing. The number of dice rolled varies by unit. The number of dice rolled is given in the square in the upper right corner on units. It is highlighted in yellow for units that fire during air combat rounds. It is shown in a white square for units that fire during surface combat rounds. It is highlighted in green for land combat rounds.

During movement ships move from port/bases to connected sea areas and may move from sea area to connected sea area. Ships can move three sea areas but must stop movement when entering a sea area controlled by his opponent.

For example, ships in port at Pearl Harbor can only move to the Hawaiian Islands on their first move, while any ships in port at Truk can move to either Solomon Sea, Philippines Sea, or Marshall Islands for their first move.

Ships move three sea areas per turn. Submarines can be placed in any sea area. Land based air units can be placed in any sea area that has a friendly port or base touching that sea area.

BATTLESHIPS (SURFACE SHIP): Hit on 6. They fire in surface combat.

CRUISER GROUPS (SURFACE SHIP): Hit on 5-6. They fire in surface combat. Eliminated cruiser groups can return 2 turns later for 1 RP at 1 SP in a port.

AIRCRAFT CARRIERS (SURFACE SHIP): Hit on 4-6 (depending on the unit). They fire only in air combat. During surface combat they do not fire but can be targeted.

TRANSPORTS (SURFACE SHIP & LAND UNIT): Hit on 6. During surface combat they do not fire but can be targeted. These units may participate during land combat, where they may target and be targeted by opposing land units during land combat. Transport units start in a friendly port or base and move like ships. Also transports represent land units that can invade bases. Transports move and have land combat after all combat (Air or Surface) has been completed for a round. Any eliminated transport unit returns two turns later at any friendly port.

CONTROL MARKERS: Used to show player control of sea areas, and ports and bases. During land combat of bases, they are also a 1 SP land unit (Garrison) and roll 1 die when firing and are hit on 6.

LAND BASED AIR: Hit on 6 during air combat. They are kept off board and placed during movement in areas where allowed. Port and base control affect where they can be placed. These units fire only in air combat. Any eliminated land based air unit can return two turns later for 1 RP at 1 SP.

SUBMARINES: They are kept off board and placed during movement in ANY area. Sea control does not affect how far they can move or where they can be placed. They roll 2 die in submarine combat. Submarines can only participate in submarine combat.

BLANK LABELS: Blank labels are included for each nationality, DO NOT APPLY to the blocks unless a replacement label is needed.

4. Set Up

To start the game players should set up their turn one units on the board and reinforcement units in the appropriate boxes on the order of appearance cards. Units start at their maximum SP. Place the RP markers for both players on the game chart. The Japanese starts at 7 RP and the Allies starts at 3 RP. Place the turn marker on 1 of the turn chart. (See the Starting Positions at the end of this rulebook.)

4.1 Sequence of Play

A full game turn is the sequence below. After turn 8 the game ends and a victor is determined.

Both players check for reinforcements and place them in ports. Land based air and submarines place off board.
The Japanese player activates units for movement and placement. Surface ships move from port/bases to connected sea areas, the submarine to any sea area.
The Allied player activates units for movement and placement. Surface ships move from port/bases to connected sea areas, the submarine to any sea area.
Starting with the Japanese player, each player will alternate placing land based air units where allowed.
Both players may repair any damaged units that did not move and remained in port using RP available (check order of appearance chart for Allied player's RP value) and port repair capacity.
Perform combat in any sea areas where opposing units are located. The Japanese player chooses the order if more than one sea area has combat.
Determine control of sea areas and place or change control markers. Adjust the VPs based on area control.
Return all surface ships to port, and submarines and air units off board.
Move the turn marker one space on the turn chart and begin a new turn.

5. Resource Points (RP)

The Allies start the game with 3 RP for each turn and it increases 2 RP each turn to a maximum of 15 RP. Japanese RP to start the game is 7 RP until the end of the game. No player may spend more RP than they receive in a turn. RP may not be saved for future turns. Damaged ships in PORTS (including transports) are repaired by RP. Land based air units not placed during movement can also be repaired by spending RP. RP available for repair in each individual port is limited by the port RP number. It cost one RP for every SP.

For example, an Allied 4 SP ship that is reduced by damage to 1 SP can be repaired and return to 4 SP in Pearl Harbor (repair capacity 11) but only to 2 SP if in Samoa (repair capacity 1).

6. Reinforcements

Both players check the order of appearance cards for reinforcements to start a turn and place them accordingly. All reinforcements enter the game at their maximum SP.

7. Movement

The Japanese player moves first each turn, moving all surface ships in eligible sea areas. The Allied player moves all surface ships after all Japanese surface ships have moved. Japanese player places the submarine block in any sea area, then the Allied places their submarine. Each player, starting with the Japanese, alternate placing Land Based Air units in eligible sea areas. Players can choose which ships to move or leave in port during movement. Ships in port can not participate in combat.

Note, surface ship movement is affected by what port/base the ship starts its movement from and what side controls a sea area the ship moves into. The submarine is not affected by ports or sea area control. Land Air unit placement is affected by port/base control.

Surface ships move FROM port/bases TO CONNECTED sea areas and the move into its first connected sea area is its first move. Submarines, from off board, can be PLACED in any sea area. A player's land based air is kept off board and can be deployed in ANY sea area where the owning player controls a port or base touching or within the sea area.

Any surface ship can move one sea area regardless of who controls the sea area, but moving to a second or third sea area is only possible if the previous area moved into is controlled by the moving player.

Movement Example

Note that ship movement is affected by what port the ship starts its movement from and what side controls a sea area the ship moves through. In this example sea area control markers show control to start the turn. The Japanese player has moved and all the Japanese ships shown have moved from the Truk Port.

All American ships are moving from port at Pearl Harbor. Cruiser 1 and 2 move 1 into Hawaiian Islands. The Essex unit moves 2 to the South Pacific Ocean. The California unit moves 2 into the Marshall Islands and must stop due to Japanese control of the sea area. The Enterprise unit can move 3 areas to the Philippine Sea because the first 2 sea areas were Allied controlled. The Yorktown moves 3 areas and stops in the Coral Sea. The Colorado and Marine Transport move 3 areas through Allied controlled sea areas and stops in the Solomon Sea.

After all ship movement is completed, players alternate placing Land Air units in sea areas where they control a base or port touching those sea areas. The Japanese place a Land Air Unit in Coral Sea because they have control of the Guadalcanal base. The Allied player places his Land Air Unit in the Solomon Sea using the controlled base in Lae.

7.1 Ships Remaining in Port During Movement

Any ships not moving and remaining in port can not be attacked during a turn. They may not participate in combat during the turn. Players can repair any damaged ships that remain in port during movement. They use one RP to repair one damage point by increasing the SP of the ship. Rotate the ship from its lower SP to its next higher SP for each RP spent. No ship can be repaired more than its maximum SP or use more than the port's repair capacity.

8. Combat

After both sides have ended all movement for the turn any sea areas where both sides have units will cause combat. There are four types of combat: Submarine, Air, Surface, and Land. The Japanese player chooses the order if more than one sea area has combat. Combat is fought in a series of rounds, until only one side's units remain in the area.

SUBMARINE COMBAT: If submarine units are present then ONE round of submarine combat occurs, before any other combat. Any submarine unit gets to fire at any surface ship (one ship per submarine) including aircraft carriers and transports. Die roll results are based on the target ships target hit numbers and are applied immediately, and any sunk ships are removed immediately. Any disabled ships return to the nearest friendly port. After the submarine units fire then submarine combat for that sea area is over for the turn and the submarine unit is removed from the board.

BATTLE BOARD: All units, other than aircraft carriers and transports, in the contested sea area are placed in the battle station section in the battle board. Task force units in the sea area are replaced with the corresponding ships from the task force box to the battle board. Carriers and transports are placed in their respective section.

DETERMINING AIR OR SURFACE COMBAT: For each round of combat, air or surface combat will need to be determined. Each player states whether they want a round of air or surface. If agreed then that type of combat round is completed. If not agreed then each player rolls one die. The player choosing air combat adds one to his die roll. The player controlling the sea area where that combat is being fought adds one to his die roll, these are cumulative. The high die total for the winning player determines the type of combat for that round. If a tie, roll again.

8.1 Combat Overview

If a submarine is present, only one round submarine combat will take place at the beginning of combat. Next, players choose to have a round of either Air or Surface combat. Regardless of the type of combat in a round (air or surface), the current firing player lines up his firing ships across from the targeted ships.

Japanese target and fire their attack first, then the Allied player can target and return fire before sunk/disables take effect. Once set for a round of combat, the ships firing may not change the targeted ship even if the targeted ship is sunk or disabled.

Each firing ship rolls the number of dice allowed in its die rolled box on the label. For each die rolled whose number is equal to or higher than the targeted ships hit number, one hit is scored. If a 1 is rolled the targeted ship is DISABLED.

Hits are marked by rotating the targeted the ship once for each hit. If a ship is sunk or disabled it is placed in the "sunk" or "disabled" box until it has fired once in the round. After all eligible ships have fired in a combat round then any sunk ships are removed from the game and disabled ships are moved to the nearest friendly port or base. At the end of any round of combat players can engage in land combat if units are present.

8.2 The Combat Sequence for Each Round Is

A single round of submarine combat if submarines present.
Determine if Air or Surface Combat is to occur.
Commence Air or Surface Combat.
- A. Air combat involves using only aircraft carrier air values and land based air values for FIRING.
- B. Surface combat involves using only surface ships for FIRING.
Land Combat involves using only transport units and land control counters for FIRING.
Repeat steps 2-3 until only one side remains in the sea area.

Air Combat

This involves using only aircraft carrier air values and land based air values for FIRING. Any ship unit, land based air unit, and transport unit can be targeted during air combat.

Land based air units are treated as an aircraft carrier during air combat in that they can receive hits and be disabled and can be eliminated (sunk for game purposes). Game note: Aircraft carrier units and land based air units take the hits, not their air values.

Each air combat round is considered simultaneous. Units with air combat values can target and fire on any opposing surface ships and land air units. Any unit may be targeted by more than one air unit regardless if other ships on the battle board have been targeted OR NOT (Air units can gang up on a single target, but air values may not be split). Targeting cannot be altered during a combat round. Aircraft carriers and transports CAN BE targeted along with the units in the battle station position of the opposing side.

Die roll results are based on the targeted ships target hit numbers. Once both sides have targeted and fired air units for the round and applied all hits, then any eliminated and disabled units results take affect thereby removing those units from the battle board and sea area. This ends the air combat round.

For example, if an aircraft carrier with an air value of 4 is facing more than one ship, the carrier must choose one ship to attack. Air units may not split air values when firing.

Surface Combat

Individual ships target and fire on each other. No ship may be targeted by more than one opposing ship unless all ships in the battle station position have been targeted by at least one ship. Aircraft carriers and transports do not fire during surface combat and CAN NOT be targeted until the battle station position of the opposing side has no opposing ships in it. Ship targeting cannot be altered during a combat round.

Each surface combat round is considered simultaneous. In each round the Japanese player's firing surface ships targets the Allied surface ships and fires. Hit results are applied but sunk and disabled ship results do not take affect until AFTER the Allied ships target and fire on the Japanese ships for the combat round. To show this move sunk and disabled ships to the sunk and disabled boxes on the battle board.

Die roll results are based on the targeted ships target hit numbers. Once both sides have targeted and fired surface units for the round and applied all hits, then any eliminated and disabled units results take affect thereby removing those units from the battle board and sea area. This ends the surface combat round.

Land Combat

Land combat involves only transport and garrison control marker units which represent marine and army land units. Control markers on bases and ports represent a Garrison unit for land combat. They are one SP and are hit on 6.

Land combat occurs after one round of either surface or air combat in a sea area is completed. Any side that has transport units remaining in the area may initiate land combat. The transport unit(s) attempt to gain control of the base by having land combat.

Land combat is a series of rounds of combat between the transport units and any opposing land units or garrison control marker units present on the base. Each player rolls one die for each units current SP of transport or garrison marker. Hits are scored SIMULTANEOUSLY. Once land combat begins, repeated rounds occur until one side is eliminated. It is possible for both sides units to be eliminated in land combat in which case the player currently controlling the base retains control and a new garrison control marker would be placed.

Completing a Round of Air or Surface Combat

To end a round of air or surface combat, each side determines if they will stay or withdraw. The Allied player decides first and if he stays then the Japanese player decides to if he will stay for another round of air or surface combat or to withdraw. If both players decide to stay and land combat has been resolved, then another round of air or surface combat occurs. If one player decides to withdraw, then all units of the withdrawing player must withdraw and are subject to pursuit fire from the units of the staying player.

Combat Pursuit Fire

The staying player can choose which ships will pursue. His pursuing ships get to target one LIKE withdrawing ship for pursuit fire. Transports cannot be targeted during pursuit fire until their battle station position has no ships in it. Targeting like ships means that battleships target battleships, cruisers target cruisers, aircraft carriers target aircraft carriers (with their air values), and land air units can only pursue land air units. Each pursuing unit can roll one round of combat fire at the target unit it is pursuing and the withdrawing unit applying the die roll results based on its target hit number. Once withdrawing units have been targeted by at least one pursuing like unit, then they may be targeted by more than one like unit. After pursuing units fire, withdrawing units return fire on like pursuing units. Surviving withdrawing ships then use normal movement and ignore control markers when RETURNING to port.

For example, one Allied battleship and one cruiser withdraw from surface combat in the Coral Sea. The Japanese has two battleships in the sea area surface combat. Both Japanese battleships could use pursuit fire on the Allied battleship because they are like types. The Allied cruiser can withdraw and is not subject to pursuit fire because there are no Japanese cruisers present in the battle.

Battle Example

In this example these units ended movement in the Coral Sea and have been placed on the battle board to begin battle.

The first phase of the battle is submarine combat. The Japanese submarine targets the Allied aircraft carrier Intrepid. He rolls two dice and rolls a 5 and a 6. The Intrepid gets two hits and reduces its SP from 3 SP to 1 SP. Submarine combat is over and the submarine unit is removed from the game board.
Both players decide on air combat. Only aircraft carriers and land based air units can target and fire at ANY opposing units. The Japanese Land Based Air Unit (LBAU) targets the Allied LBAU with 3 dice rolling 3, 4, and 1. The 1 disables the Allied LBAU and it will be taken off board AFTER it fires. The Akagi targets the Tennessee rolling a 2, 3, 4, 6, scoring one hit.
The Allied LBAU and the Intrepid both target the Japanese Cruiser 1. The LBAU rolls 2 dice and the Intrepid rolls 4 dice. They score 4 hits on the Japanese Cruiser 1, which sinks it. This concludes the first combat round which was air.
After round one both players decide to stay in battle and select surface combat. Surface combat battles are simultaneous and only SHIPS can attack and target other ships. Yamato targets the Tennessee, rolling 6 dice and rolling 6, 5, 5, 4, 2, 1. Tennessee takes one hit (from the 6) and is disabled by the 1. Kongo targets the Wisconsin and rolls 3 dice and rolls 6, 3, 2. Wisconsin applies one hit for the 6 rolled.

The Allies now attack. Tennessee targets the Kongo, the Wisconsin targets the Yamato. All Japanese ships in the battle station position have been targeted. Now Cruiser 1 can also target one of the two Japanese ships. It targets the Yamato. Tennessee rolls 4 dice and resulting in 6, 5, 5, 2, scoring one hit. The Wisconsin and Cruiser 1 roll 9 dice at the Yamato, rolling 6, 6, 5, 5, 5, 4, 2, 2, 1. This scores 2 hits and 1 disabled. After all hits are applied the Yamato and Tennessee are moved to their nearest friendly port ending surface combat for this round.
Before the next round of combat the Allied player decides to stay but the Japanese player decides to withdraw. All his units must withdraw and are subject to one round of pursuit fire from the like units of the allies. The Japanese land air unit can not be pursued since there are no Allied units still in the battle. The Wisconsin pursues the Kongo and the Intrepid aircraft pursue the Akagi. The Allied Cruiser 1 does not have a like unit to pursue. The pursued Japanese ships return fire. Any hits and disables are applied. The Japanese withdrawing units which then move to the nearest friendly port, ending the battle.

9. Determine Control of Sea Areas

Sea area control for the turn end is determined when all combat in all sea areas has been completed. Any sea area that has no surface ship or land based air in it is neutral, remove any control markers. Any sea area with only one player's surface ships or land based air in it is controlled by that player. He removes any opposing player control markers and places his control marker over his opponents VP number in that sea area. VP is only awarded to only one player in each sea area per turn. Sea area control at the end of the turn determines sea area control at the beginning of the next turn.

For example, after all combat is completed the Japanese player is the only player with ships in the Coral Sea and Sea of Japan. He controls those areas and earns 5 VP for the turn. The Allied player is the only player with ships in Central Pacific Ocean and Marshall Islands. He controls these sea areas and earns 2 VP for the turn. The Allied player is the only player with Land Air units in the North Pacific Ocean and earns 1 VP for the turn. The total affect is the Japanese player gains a net of 2 VP for the turn.

10. Determine Control of Ports and Bases

All surface ships, still on the game board establishing sea area control, return to friendly ports and bases. Land based air units still on the board are removed from the board, make sure when removing air units from the board you maintain their current SP. Surface ships use normal movement and ignore control markers when RETURNING to port and bases.

Only one control marker can be in any port or base area at a time. Control markers on bases and ports represent a Garrison unit for land combat. They are one SP.

A player controlling a sea area to BEGIN and END a turn, gains or maintains control of any bases and ports WITHIN that sea area.

For ports and bases that touch multiple sea areas, control is gained when ALL SURROUNDING sea areas of the base or port are controlled at the BEGINNING and END of the turn.

Any opposing ships and land units in the port/base when it is captured immediately move to the closest friendly PORT. To show control of base and ports place the controlling player's control marker on the base or port.

For example; to start a turn the Allies control the Marshall Islands sea area and control Maloelap base in that sea area. The Japanese control Kwajalein base in the sea area. If the Allies control the sea area at the END of the turn, they will gain control of Kwajalein from the Japanese. Truk port "touches" the Marshall Islands sea area but control of it does not change unless the Allies control the Solomon Sea area and the Philippines Sea area and Marshall Islands sea area SIMULTANEOUSLY to start and end a turn.

Note that DURING the turn both players could deploy land based air in that sea zone because BOTH players control islands in that sea area.

11. Determining Net VP Earned in a Turn

Only one player can earn VP in a turn. It is the player with the most total NET VP awarded for sea area control for that turn.

To determine the net VP earned each player totals their VP earned for sea area control at the end of the turn. The player with the highest total VP for the turn subtracts the opposing players VP for the turn. The result is the net VP earned by that player for that turn. Move the VP marker for the difference for the turn.

For example, to start the turn the Allied player have 4 total VP on the Game Track for the game. During the turn, the Japanese player is awarded 9 VP and the Allied player is awarded 3 VP for controlled sea areas. The Japanese player has won the turn and has earned the net total (9 VP-3 VP=6 VP) of 6 VP for the turn. Then adjust the total VP marker on the game track from 4 VP Allied player to 2 VP for the Japanese player.

No player can earn more than 30 VP total VP in a game. If more than 30 VP is earned the VP marker stays at 30 VP until reduced by his opponent.

12. End of Turn

Move the turn marker one space on the turn chart and begin a new turn.

13. Victory

The player with the most total earned VP points in the game track at the end of turn 8 is the winner. If a tie, the Japanese player claims victory.

14. Optional Rules

TASK FORCE: Only the Japanese player has task force blocks. These units are placed on the board to represent several ships that will move together. Ships remain located in the task force box on the board until moved to the battle board. Task force blocks can serve also as decoys blocks, thus not having any ships in the corresponding task force box.

Ships are added to the task force boxes during the movement phase and are replaced with the task force block in the sea area.

AIR RAID: An opponents port repair facilities can be attacked by land based air units. To do this the land based air units must deploy over the port during movement. Before repairs are attempted the air units get to attack the port. Each rolls it's air value and rolls of 4, 5, and 6 hit the port, reducing its RP repair capacity for this turn by 1 for each hit. After the attack the air units are removed from the game board and not available until the next turn.

Allied Starting Positions

Turn 1: Pearl Harbor. Each entry lists the printed target hit number and dice.

Battleships (hit on 6): Nevada (4 dice), West Virginia (5 dice), Tennessee (4 dice), Maryland (5 dice), California (4 dice), Pennsylvania (4 dice)
Aircraft carriers: Enterprise (hit on 4, 4 dice), Lexington (hit on 4, 4 dice), Saratoga (hit on 4, 4 dice), Hornet (hit on 4, 4 dice), Yorktown (hit on 4, 4 dice)
Cruiser Groups 1, 2 and 3 (hit on 5, 3 dice each)
Land based air unit (hit on 6, 2 dice)

Start in India: Revenge (battleship, hit on 6, 4 dice). Start in Australia: Cruiser Group 1 (hit on 5, 3 dice). Start in Singapore: Cruiser Group 2 (hit on 5, 3 dice); land based air unit (hit on 6, 2 dice).

CONTROL MARKERS ARE PLACED IN ALL GREEN PORTS AND BASES. ALSO, CONTROL MARKERS ARE PLACED IN: HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN, CORAL SEA, SOLOMON SEA, INDIAN OCEAN, BAY BENGAL, & SOUTH CHINA SEA.

Japanese Starting Positions

Turn 1: all units start at Yokosuka Naval Yard. Each entry lists the printed target hit number and dice.

Aircraft carriers (hit on 4): Shokaku (3 dice), Zuikaku (4), Akagi (4), Kaga (4), Soryu (3), Hiryu (3), Ryuho (1), Hosho (1), Zuiho (3)
Battleships (hit on 6): Mutsu (5 dice), Fuso (4), Nagato (5), Hyuga (4), Ise (4), Yamashiro (4), Haruna (3), Hiei (3), Kirishima (3), Kongo (3)
Cruiser Groups 1 to 5 (hit on 5, 3 dice each)
Transport (hit on 6, 3 dice)
Land based air units, six (hit on 6, 3 dice each)
Submarines, two (2 dice each)

CONTROL MARKERS ARE PLACED IN ALL RED PORTS AND BASES. ALSO, CONTROL MARKERS ARE PLACED IN: JAPANESE ISLANDS, PHILIPPINES SEA, & MARSHALL ISLANDS.