Pacific War: The Struggle Against Japan, 1941-1945 (Second Edition)
Pacific War: The Struggle Against Japan, 1941-1945 (Second Edition) Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- 1. General Introduction
- 2. Components
- 2.1. Playing Pieces
- 2.2. Combat Units
- 2.3. Installations
- 2.4. Game Markers
- 2.5. The Map and Displays
- 2.5.1. Map Definitions
- 2.5.2. Land Terrain Types
- 2.5.3. Water Terrain Types
- 2.5.4. Terrain Features
- 2.5.5. Map Assembly
- 2.5.6. Chart Screens
- 2.5.7. Operation Display
- 2.5.8. Player Displays
- 2.5.9. Force Displays
- 2.5.10. Limited Intelligence and Force Markers
- 2.5.11. Force Markers
- 2.5.12. Task Force Markers
- 3. Unit Strength, Damage, and Hit Distribution
- 4. Installations and Interdiction
- 5. Strategic/Campaign Scenario Sequence of Play
- 6. Weather
- 7. Strategic Intelligence
- 8. Strategic Bombing
- 8.1. Strategic Bombing Points
- 8.2. Strategic Bomber Markers
- 8.3. Strategic Bombing Raid
- 8.4. Multi-Target Raids
- 8.5. Destruction of Japanese Homeland Resource Hexes
- 8.6. Elimination of Strategic Bombing Points
- 8.7. Effect of Strategic Bombing on Strategic Initiative
- 8.8. Doolittle Raid
- 8.9. Atom Bomb
- 9. Merchant Shipping Attrition
- 10. Command
- 11. Command Links
- 12. Isolation Penalty
- 13. Strategic Transport
- 14. Reinforcements
- 15. Naval Repairs
- 16. Replacements
- 17. Engineering
- 17.1. Engineer Units
- 17.2. Airbase and Port Repairs
- 17.3. Offensive Support Base Repairs
- 17.4. Co-Prosperity Sphere Resource Hex Repairs
- 17.5. Building a Japanese Small Airbase
- 17.6. Building an Allied Small Airbase
- 17.7. Upgrading a Japanese Small Airbase
- 17.8. Upgrading an Allied Small Airbase
- 17.9. Building an Allied Dry Dock Port
- 17.10. Building a Japanese Dry Dock Port
- 17.11. Capturing an Enemy Airbase
- 18. Operation Player Determination
- 19. Strategic Initiative
- 20. Activation in the Operation Player Activation Phase
- 21. Operational Intelligence
- 22. Operational Intelligence: Ambush CV Condition
- 23. Movement
- 24. Search
- 25. Submarines
- 26. Lighting Conditions
- 26.1. In the First Lighting Phase of an Operation
- 26.2. In the Second and Subsequent Lighting Phases of an Operation
- 26.3. Lighting Condition Effects on Air Missions
- 26.4. Lighting Condition Effects on Flak Combat
- 26.5. Lighting Condition Effects on Naval Combat
- 26.6. Lighting Condition Effects on Search
- 27. Advantage Determination
- 28. Air Missions
- 28.1. Air Mission Eligibility
- 28.2. Air Mission Types
- 28.3. General Course of an Air Mission
- 28.4. Air Mission Movement Procedure
- 28.5. Search and Alert Procedure
- 28.6. Interception Procedure
- 28.7. CAP Procedure
- 28.8. Air Combat Procedure
- 28.9. Abort Procedure
- 28.10. Flak Procedure
- 28.11. Strike Procedure
- 28.12. Strafe Procedure
- 28.13. Simultaneous Strike Procedure
- 28.14. Paradrop Procedure
- 28.15. Air/Sea Rescue Procedure
- 28.16. Ferry Procedure
- 28.17. Air Mission Conclusion Procedure
- 28.18. Air Unit Reorganization
- 28.19. Kamikazes
- 29. Naval Combat
- 30. Demolition
- 31. Ground Combat
- 32. Deactivation
- 33. Countries and Resource Hexes
- 34. Optional Rules
- 34.1. Japanese KRS Submarine
- 34.2. Japanese STO Submarine
- 34.3. Yamato and Musashi
- 34.4. Dummy Task Forces
- 34.5. Defensive Pilot Skill
- 34.6. Extended Fighter Range
- 34.7. US Four Engine Bomber Toughness
- 34.8. Allied Four Engine Air Unit Search
- 34.9. LRA Night Attack
- 34.10. Strategic Bombing Fighter Escort
- 34.11. Night Combat
- 34.12. Radar and Improved Aircraft Intercept Doctrine
- 34.13. Allied Float Plane Doctrine
- 34.14. Allied ASW Sweeps
- 34.15. Armor Advantage
- 34.16. Fighter Patrol
- 34.17. Japanese Barges/Allied PT Boats
- 34.18. Midget Submarines
- 34.19. Special Forces Raiders
- 34.20. Tirpitz
- 34.21. Richelieu
- 34.22. CVS/CVL Conversion
- 35. Solitaire Guidelines
- 36. Miscellaneous Hits Chart
1. General Introduction
1.1. Scenario Types
There are 34 Scenarios in Pacific War, all described in the separate Scenario Booklet. Each Scenario is a complete game, taking anywhere from 20 minutes to many hours to play to completion. The Scenarios are divided into four types: Engagement, Battle, Campaign, and Strategic. The Engagement Scenarios are intended to teach the game and are the simplest and quickest to play whereas the Strategic scenarios are the most complex and time-consuming; the Battle and Campaign scenarios fall between these extremes.
1.2. Quick Start
The Engagement Scenarios are solitaire "hands-on" learning devices to help you become familiar with small pieces of the rules before wading into the complete game itself. They have their own rules booklet, so shift over to that rules booklet if you have not yet mastered the game system.
The Battle scenarios are complete two-player gaming experiences that also have their own complete rules booklet and are very compatible with an afternoon session.
The Campaign scenarios are, in effect, two or more Operations conducted sequentially to recreate a portion of the war, whereas the Strategic scenarios are the war itself, fought in its entirety. Campaign and Strategic scenarios use this rules booklet. All rules that are not specifically noted as necessary for the Strategic scenarios are used for the Campaign scenarios.
1.3. Advanced Concepts
Throughout the Engagement and Battle rules, certain terms are used that are not meaningful until the Campaign and Strategic rules are used:
Activation. In the Campaign and Strategic scenarios, the players must Activate units in order to do almost anything. In the Engagement and Battle scenarios, all units are considered Activated at the beginning of the scenario. Thus, the stipulations in many rules (Movement, for instance) that a unit be Activated can be ignored for the most part. Note, however, that the Battle scenario instructions usually call for units to be Deactivated by the end of the scenario. A brief description of how to Deactivate is included in the Engagement and Battle rules booklets. Once Deactivated, a unit cannot perform the functions allowed only to Activated units.
Linked. The concepts of Command are not used in the Engagement and Battle scenarios, but they are vital to the advanced scenarios. All units are always considered Linked (to a Command source) in the Engagement and Battle scenarios, so any rule in the Engagement and Battle rules that states a unit must be Linked to perform a function can be ignored.
The flip side is in Campaign and Strategic scenarios for readability we do not use the word linked in every place it could possibly go, so unless you see that the linked requirement is being waived you should assume that a unit, installation, or HQ must be linked to perform most if not all game functions.
Base Units. Base units are immobile ground units that turn map airfield and port locations (that are anchorages) into airbases and ports. A hex can contain only one base from one side. While Bases are considered ground units, unlike mobile ground units they can be overrun.
Note: One of the biggest changes in this edition over the original Victory Games edition is I have simplified and reduced the map clutter regarding airbases and ports. A map location without a base has no ability to operate aircraft or harbor capital ships.
Headquarters and Offensive Support Bases. These two types of playing pieces are used in the Campaign and Strategic scenarios only. Any mention of these counter types in the Engagement and Battle rules can be ignored.
A Note on the Rules Order and References: This Core Rules booklet is organized according to the Strategic scenario sequence in which various activities take place and are intended for Campaign and Strategic scenarios. If you are playing the Engagement or Battle scenarios, you can use the core rules, but the other versions are tailored to the shorter scenario levels.
2. Components
GMT's Pacific War includes the following components:
- 2 Mounted Maps
- 1 Paper map
- 10 sheets of counters
- 1 Core Rules Booklet
- 1 Scenario Booklet
- 1 Engagement Scenario Rules Booklet
- 1 Battle Scenario Rules Booklet
- 1 Battle of the Coral Sea (EEoP) Booklet
- 1 Operation Display
- 1 Allied Force/Task Force Display
- 2 Allied Force Displays
- 1 Allied Task Force Display
- 1 Japanese Force/Task Force Display
- 2 Japanese Force Displays
- 1 Japanese Task Force Display
- 1 Japanese Screen
- 1 Allied Screen
- 1 Japanese Player Display
- 1 Allied Player Display
- 1 pad of Replacement Record Sheets
- 2 Ten Sided Dice (different colors)
2.1. Playing Pieces
There are three basic types of playing pieces in Pacific War: combat units, installations, and markers. Combat units are color-coded by nationality (see Displays). Installations are color-coded simply as Japanese or Allied. Markers are either neutral (used by both sides) or color-coded as Japanese or Allied.
2.2. Combat Units
There are four types of combat units, each of which is subject to distinctive rules for movement and combat: ground, air, naval, and submarine units.
Note: Because submarines act quite differently from surface ships, they are treated as a separate category throughout the rules, although the submarine playing pieces are similar to naval unit counters. The term "Naval Unit" refers specifically to non-submarine ship units.
Each category of combat unit shares similar characteristics, summarized in the following diagrams and explanations.
A typical ground unit counter (front, Activated side, and back, Non-Activated side) shows: Unit Size, Unit Type, Unit Designation, Steps, Troop Quality, Anti-Air Strength, and Activation Point Cost.
2.2.1. Ground Units
All ground unit counters are printed with the following items of information:
Activation Point Cost. This cost is the number of Command Points that must be spent to Activate the unit (Campaign and Strategic scenarios only). In some Operations, this cost must be doubled or tripled.
Note: As a general rule, all units in Engagement and Battle scenarios are always Linked (in supply) and Activated (been given their orders and supplies).
Anti-Air Strength. A ground unit can use its Anti-Air Strength to conduct Flak Combat.
Steps. The number of men in a ground unit is indicated by the number of steps printed on the counter. As a unit takes losses, it loses steps, indicated by the use of Hit markers. The number of steps in a ground unit is important to Ground Combat, Strategic Transport, Amphibious Transport, and Paradrop. Also, each side can never be more than 48 ground unit steps in a single hex.
Troop Quality. A unit's Troop Quality (TQ) is a rating of the unit's efficiency, experience, and performance level. Troop Quality is important in Ground Combat, Retreat, Pursuit, Rally, Demolition, and various other game functions. Players are often required to take Troop Quality Checks by rolling the die and comparing the die roll to the unit's Troop Quality; if the roll is equal to or less than the unit's TQ, the unit passes; if the roll is greater, the unit fails.
Note: When a unit is Broken (as a result of combat) or conducting an amphibious assault alone, or conducting a paradrop, its printed Troop Quality is halved (rounding up).
Unit Designation. A ground unit's designation is simply its name—usually a number, together with one or more letter abbreviations. Units are usually referred to by their size, type, and designation.
The following abbreviations have been used in some designations:
USA: A = Americal, M = Marine (with Marine symbol), C = Cavalry, Rs = Reserve, NL = North Luzon, SL = South Luzon, M = Mindanao, V = Vizayan.
Britain: Sng = Singapore, I = Indian, HK = Hong Kong, Pj = Punjab, B = Burmese, Rgn = Rangoon, AR = King's African Rifles.
Australia: SF = Sparrow Force, GF = Gull Force.
France: NC = New Caledonia.
Japan: G = Guards, K = Karafuto, RG = Raiding Group.
Unit Size. There are six ground unit sizes in the game: battalion (II), regiment (III), brigade (X), division (XX), corps (XXX), army (XXXX), and army group (XXXXX). The division (XX) is the basic unit of the game.
Corps units appear only among the US and Red (Communist) Chinese. Army and army group units appear only among the Nationalist Chinese.
For reference in the rules where a division "or equivalent" is mentioned:
- 3 Battalions = 1 Regiment or Brigade
- 3 Regiments and/or Brigades = 1 Division
- 9 Battalions = 1 Division
Unit size is important for various types of Transport, and in Breakdown and Recombination.
Unit Type. There are seven ground unit types in the game: infantry, marine, engineer, special forces, airborne, armor, and base. All unit types are treated alike except when specified in a rule.
A typical air unit counter (front, Activated side, and back, Non-Activated side) shows: Name, CV-Capable status, Naval color and "F" plane type, Status Level, Range, CV/CAG name, Aircraft Type, Anti-Air Strength, Anti-Ground Strength, and Activation Point Cost. Aircraft Types are: B = Bomber (4 engine), F = Fighter (1 engine), T = Tactical (2 engine), and LRA = Long Range Reconnaissance Aircraft.
2.2.2. Air Units
All air unit counters are printed with the following items of information:
Activation Point Cost. This cost is the number of Command Points that must be spent to Activate the unit (Campaign and Strategic scenarios only). In some Operations, this cost must be doubled or tripled.
Anti-Air Strength. An air unit can use its Anti-Air Strength to conduct Air Combat and Strafe Combat. An air unit counter has its Anti-Air Strength printed on both sides of its counter because it can use the Strength whether it is Activated or not (see CAP, rule 28.7).
Anti-Ground Strength. An air unit can use its Anti-Ground Strength to conduct Strike Combat against ground units or against installations.
Anti-Naval Strength. An air unit can use its Anti-Naval Strength to conduct Strike Combat against naval units. For some air units, this Strength includes torpedoes.
Number of Engines. Air units have either one engine (F), two engines (T), or four engines (B). The number of engines an air unit has is important to certain Air Mission types and to the Replacement rules. Air units are usually referred to by their number of steps, engine abbreviation, carrier capability (CV capable units are F type and use the naval unit color and are indicated by CV or CAG=Carrier Air Group or CAD=Carrier Air Division in the Set up) and Status Level.
Example: A reference to (5)F-CV-L1 air unit means a five-step, single-engine unit, carrier-capable, with a Status Level of 1. An air unit identified as T-L2 is a T (two engine) unit with a Status Level of 2.
Historical Designations. All air units carry an historical designation. This is for narrative purposes only and it is possible to have two air units with a different number of engines and level with the same historical designation. For game play, the only designations that matter are the number of engines and the level of the air unit.
Range. This is the number of hexes the air unit can travel in one move.
Note: This number is not the number of hexes the unit can fly out and then repeat the same number of hexes again in a return trip. It is the total number of hexes the unit can move before it falls into the sea!
Silhouette. The silhouettes used to adorn the air units are actual aircraft types (Zeroes, B-17s, etc.), but we have not attempted to distinguish among the multitude of types in the actual war.
Status Level. An air unit's Status Level indicates its performance level, in much the same way as a ground unit's Troop Quality. Status Level is based on both pilot training and aircraft technology. Status Level is important in Replacement, Air Combat, and various other game functions. There are three Status Levels: L0 (zero, the worst); L1; and L2 (the best).
Long Range Aircraft (LRA) Units. Most air units are combat units, used to engage enemy units in battle. Air units are also extremely important to each player's ability to Search for enemy Task Forces. LRA units are used exclusively for Search. As an examination of the LRA counters will reveal, they have no Combat Strengths. Each LRA unit consists of 1 step of Status Level L0, for all purposes.
Note: Unless using the optional rule (34.9), LRAs cannot fire. They can certainly be attacked by enemy Air Strike Missions.
A typical naval unit counter (front, Activated side, and back, Non-Activated side) shows: Name/Class, Pennant Number, Silhouette, Hit Capacity (with a Crippled Strength if applicable), Anti-Air Strength, ASW Strength, Bombardment Strength, Gunnery Strength (Short/Medium/Long, and No Gunnery where applicable), Torpedo Rating (Short-Medium), a Spotter Plane indicator (where second die roll ≤ 4 is required), and Activation Point Cost.
2.2.3. Naval Units
All naval unit counters are printed with the following items of information:
Activation Point Cost. This cost is the number of Command Points that must be spent to Activate the unit (Campaign and Strategic scenarios only). In some Operations, this cost must be doubled or tripled.
Anti-Air Strength. A naval unit can use its Anti-Air Strength to conduct Flak Combat.
Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) strength. A naval unit can use its ASW strength to conduct ASW combat.
Bombardment (Anti-Ground) Strength. A naval unit can use its Bombardment Strength to conduct Bombardment Combat against ground units or installations.
Note: Fortifications are excluded, per rule 2.3.4.
Gunnery (Anti-Naval) Strength. A naval unit can use its gunnery Strength to conduct Naval Combat. During Naval Combat, players determine the Range at which the combat occurs and, once the Range (Short, Medium, Long) is determined, the appropriate (S, M, L) Gunnery Strength is used.
Torpedo Strength. A naval unit can use its Torpedo Strength (short or medium) during Naval combat.
Hit Capacity. The number of hits a naval unit can suffer before it sinks varies from unit to unit, as specified by an individual unit's Hit Capacity. A naval unit with a 'c' next to its Hit Capacity is capable of being Crippled.
Naval Unit Type Abbreviations. The following are Capital Ships, and each unit represents a single ship: CV = Aircraft carrier, BB = Battleship, CVL = Light carrier, BC = Battle cruiser, CVS = Seaplane carrier.
The following non-Capital naval unit counters each represent two ships (with some exceptions, listed in Naval Repairs): CVE = Escort carrier, CA = Cruiser, CL = Light cruiser.
The following naval unit counters each represent six ships, when at full Strength: DD = Destroyer, DE = Destroyer escort, APD = Destroyer transport, AA = Amphibious transport, ST = Seaplane tender.
Cripples. Naval units whose Hit Capacity is preceded by a 'c' are considered crippled when the number of hits received is one less than the Hit Capacity. Crippled naval units have the following restrictions:
- During Movement Phases, they can move 0 or 1 hex, but not 2 hexes.
- During Naval Combat, they cannot bid withdraw unless they are Activated and have another Activated non-crippled naval unit with a Gunnery Strength (other than 'x') accompany them per rule 29.2.5.
- Whenever crippled naval units move during the Strategic Transport Phase, a submarine attack procedure is initiated (25.4.B).
- Crippled aircraft carriers cannot launch air units.
Spotters. Certain naval units have spotter aircraft built into them. These naval units can conduct Searches beyond the hex they occupy (see Search Chart).
Aircraft Carriers. Aircraft carriers (CV, CVL, CVE) are considered air installations and are capable of launching Air Missions. Each aircraft carrier has an additional value affixed: its Launch Capacity. This number is the maximum number of air steps (CV-capable only) that the unit can carry. No aircraft carrier can ever carry more air steps than its Launch Capacity allows (2.3.2.2).
A typical submarine patrol unit counter (front and back) shows: Name, ID Letter, and Silhouette.
2.2.4. Submarines
Submarines are represented as Submarine Commands that have a number of individual submarines assigned to them and subsequently to a patrol area or to Merchant Shipping Attrition. Naval units that enter a Submarine Patrol area can be searched for and potentially attacked in a submarine/anti-submarine combat.
There are optional rules for two special Japanese submarine units (STO and KRS) that have counters akin to naval units that operate on the map. See rules 34.1 and 34.2 for details on these units.
The Submarine rules are in several locations—Merchant Shipping Attrition (9.0), Reinforcements (14.0), Submarine Commands (11.2.2), Submarine Patrols (25.1), Submarine Combat (25.2)—to conform to their roles in the sequence of play.
Note: Submarines are handled in a new manner than the original VG edition. If you are a veteran from those days, you will need to read all of the submarine rules carefully.
2.3. Installations
2.3.1. Base Units
Each side and nationality have a finite number of Base units. Base units are immobile ground units that have a single step, size (small or large), an anti-air flak rating, and a launch capacity. A Base unit either begins a scenario on the map or is built with engineering. Base units are always active.
A typical Base unit counter (front, Large Base, and back, Small Base) shows: Size indicators (colored for Large, white for Small), Troop Quality, Launch Capacity, and Anti-Air Strength. Note that all Base units have 1 Ground step.
A Base unit on an airfield location becomes an airbase. A Base unit on a port location also becomes a port. A single Base unit on a hex with both an airfield and port location is both an airbase and a port. It is possible to build an airbase (not a port) at any ground hex on the map, but it takes longer to complete; see Engineering (17.0).
Note: Base units on airfield locations are Airbases and have Launch Capacities, but the Launch Capacity of a base unit simply limits the number of air steps that can be Alerted or sent on a Mission; any number of air steps can occupy an Airbase.
2.3.2. Air Installations
Air units must be based on a friendly Air Installation in order to be in play and conduct air missions. There are three types of Air Installations: land airbases, aircraft carriers, and seaplane bases.
The Pacific War map shows available airfield (and port) locations. An airfield location without a Base unit is not an airbase and is ignored for all game purposes. An airfield location that contains a friendly Base unit is an airbase and can be used to employ air units. All types of air units can land on and operate out of airbases. Airbases either begin a scenario on the map or are built during Campaign and Strategic scenarios with engineers.
2.3.2.1. Land Airbases
Land airbases come in two sizes: small and large. The size of an airbase is determined by the size of the Base unit on an airfield location. Either size can have an unlimited number of air units containing any number of air steps on them at any time.
The number of air steps that a land airbase can launch at any time for a particular air mission or alert is known as its Launch Capacity. Each size airbase has a different Launch Capacity associated with it (6 small or 18 large). Launch Capacity does not affect searching or landing.
A land airbase may become interdicted (and designated with an Interdiction marker) due to enemy air missions and naval bombardment, or as a result of ground combat (31.2.2.D). It takes a combination of hits on the Base unit from air missions and/or naval bombardment to successfully interdict a land airbase (see 4.1).
A successful demolition, elimination by retreat, or change of hex control eliminates the Base unit. During each Airbase Repair Phase, all Linked airbases have all accumulated hits removed.
Note: During Engagement and Battle scenarios, all Airbases are automatically considered Linked. Campaign and Strategic scenarios require a Command Link in order to be Linked.
If a Ground unit at a friendly airbase retreats due to land combat and cedes control of the hex to the enemy, the Base unit is automatically eliminated (it does not retreat) and the hex reverts to an airfield location. If the attacking units have an engineer unit present, they may immediately deploy a Base unit at that location.
Whenever an airbase receives a hit from either an air mission or a naval bombardment, one step of unalerted air units present is also eliminated. Each hit on an Airbase has no effect on its Launch Capacity unless it is interdicted, in which case the launch is reduced to zero until it is repaired. Unalerted air units on airbases can also be directly attacked due to Strafing (28.12), which does not damage the airbase.
An airbase can be constructed on any airfield location, or any ground hex at an additional cost of time for construction. A small (only) airbase may be built on an atoll hex. Construction of airbases is covered in the Engineering rules (17.0).
An airbase (and associated port) in an enemy-occupied, friendly-controlled hex can function normally unless interdicted.
2.3.2.2. Aircraft Carriers
Aircraft carriers are any CV, CVL, or CVE naval unit. Only CV-capable, F air units of the same nationality can operate off—and land on—an aircraft carrier.
Exception: The Doolittle special counter which arrives in April 1942.
Aircraft carriers are naval units that can launch CV-capable F air units. The Launch Capacity of each aircraft carrier is printed on the counter. The total amount of CV-capable air steps that may be embarked on an aircraft carrier is the same as its Launch Capacity.
Each time an aircraft carrier receives a hit, its Launch Capacity is reduced by one and one step of Unalerted air units present is eliminated, owning player's choice. If, due to damage, more air steps are present than the current Launch capacity, excess air steps are immediately eliminated.
An aircraft carrier must reorganize its air units according to the rules of Reorganization in a manner identical to an airbase (28.18). If a carrier is eliminated or has its Launch Capacity reduced to zero, Alerted air steps can be landed on other carriers in the same Task Force or they are eliminated (28.18).
2.3.2.3. Seaplane Bases
- Only air units of the same nationality as the CVS/ST can operate off of and land on a Seaplane Base.
- If a CVS/ST is eliminated unalerted air units using the seaplane base are eliminated.
Seaplane bases are temporary airbases that can be established during the course of play by CVS and ST naval units. Only LRA- and CV-capable F-L0 air units with one step can operate out of and land on seaplane bases. Each seaplane base can operate only one LRA or (1)F-CV-L0 air unit at any given time.
Seaplane bases are established whenever an activated CVS or ST naval unit remains in a Coastal or Restricted water hex containing land without moving during any particular Battle Cycle. During the next Battle Cycle during an Air Mission Phase, one LRA air unit or (1)F-CV-L0 unit may land on and launch from that seaplane base. The seaplane Force/Control base remains established as long as the CVS/ST refrains from moving.
No more than one seaplane base may be in a hex.
Each hit on a CVS or ST which has established a seaplane base has no effect on the LRA or (1)F-L0 unit present. An LRA or (1)F-L0 unit air unit located on a seaplane base can be attacked through Strafing (28.12).
2.3.3. Ports, Anchorages and Dry Docks
Possible port locations are indicated on the map. Ports have numerous functions in Pacific War, most of them specific to activities in the Campaign and Strategic scenarios. For the Engagement and Battle scenarios, ports are important as legal points for Naval Deactivation.
A. A port location without a Base unit is considered an anchorage.
B. An anchorage is any Restricted water hex, atoll terrain island (2.5.1) or port location without a Base unit. It can hold up to three non-capital naval units or one CVS, no other types of capital ship units permitted.
C. A port location with a Base unit is a port. A single Base unit on a hex with both an airbase and port location is both an airbase and a port. Ports can hold any number and type of naval units, unless interdicted (4.2.B), in which case they have the same stacking limit as an anchorage.
D. Each side has a number of Dry Dock ports that begin a scenario on the map and cannot be relocated. A Dry Dock port is a port in all respects; in addition, naval units can be repaired at that port. If the Dry Dock port is captured, it is useable by the opposing side if repaired. Dry Dock ports never leave the map once placed but are only useable by the controlling side if in good repair.
E. There are also Allied Dry Dock ports located off the East, West, and South map edges.
F. The Allies have two Mobile Dry Dock ports (Large Base + Dry Dock marker) which can be constructed. They act in all ways like a permanent Dry Dock port, but they cannot be captured.
2.3.4. Fortifications
There are three fortifications in Pacific War:
- Singapore (British)
- Wake Island (US)
- Corregidor (US)
All three fortifications act substantially as naval units in a hex. So long as a fortification is not eliminated, an amphibious assault against a fortification hex is treated as an assault on a hex occupied by an enemy naval unit (see Amphibious Transport, 23.8).
Fortifications can be engaged only by Air Strikes, (vs. Installation) or by naval units in Naval Combat. In the latter case, the fortification is treated as an unactivated naval unit, and range is bid by both sides as per Naval Combat procedure (30.0). Naval units use their gunnery strength (not bombardment strength) but calculate the effect on the Bombardment versus Installation line of the Air/Naval CRT. Each fortification takes 5 hits to eliminate.
Fortifications do not count toward stacking. A unit stacked with a fortification ignores all retreat results. It can be removed only by elimination.
Once it has taken a hit, a fortification cannot be repaired. Once eliminated, fortifications are permanently removed from the map.
Singapore can be entered by a land hex, in which case the fortification fires with Strength 0.
Corregidor is an island, adjacent to the Manila hex, and it must be amphibiously assaulted.
Wake Island must be amphibiously assaulted.
2.4. Game Markers
Only the following markers are needed to play the Engagement and Battle scenarios. The particular uses of each marker type are covered in the applicable rules. The number of Task Force/Force markers, Offensive Support Base markers, Emergency Supply Link markers (see Campaign scenario rules) and dummy markers (see Optional Rules) are restricted to the counter mix. Other markers and installations are not limited in number.
The marker types include: a Submarine Command marker (3 Allied, 2 Japanese) tracking Torpedoes Remaining and Number of Hits (1-10), Sub Points/General Record Track markers, a BCM (Battle Cycle Move) marker whose number indicates the amount of Ground movement a unit may conduct, Allied Control/Japanese Control markers, Task Force markers (40 US, 20 Japanese), Undetected/Detected markers, Air Strike/Air Supremacy markers, Operation Complete/Interdiction markers, a Siege marker, Entry Hexside markers (Allied/Japanese), Range Short/Medium markers, Range Long/Withdraw markers, Surprise markers (Allied/Japanese), Broken markers (Allied/Japanese), Start Strategic Bombing markers, Air Mission Target markers, Operation Naval Movement and Reaction Naval Movement markers, Lighting Condition markers, and Day, Month, and Phase markers.
2.5. The Map and Displays
The game map is an equal area projection of the Pacific Theater of Operations with each hex equaling 100 miles.
There are six land terrain types, three water terrain types, and seven terrain features.
Land Terrain: Clear, Jungle/Hill, Mixed, Mountain, Chinese City, Indian City, Siamese City.
Water Terrain: Open, Coastal, Restricted.
Terrain Features: Homeland Resource, Co-Prosperity Sphere Resource, Soviet Border, Transport Routes (road/rail/river), Atoll, Named Location.
Certain hexes contain both land and water terrain types and are called shoreline hexes in the rules. Some hexes contain two distinct shorelines separated by the same land mass (for example, hex #4509). These are known as "double shoreline" hexes.
Naval units may only enter all-water and shoreline hexes. Naval units may never move across a body of land which resides within a "double shoreline" hex but may only exit the hex by moving across a contiguous all or partial water hexside.
Ground units may only enter all-land or shoreline hexes. Ground units may never cross an all-water hexside unless it is utilizing amphibious or strategic transport.
Air units may enter all types of hexes across any type of hexside.
2.5.1. Map Definitions
Atoll. An atoll hex is any hex with six white hexsides (i.e., all hexsides of that hex are white). Atolls are treated like a clear terrain hex for all combat purposes.
One-Hex Island. One or more non-atoll land masses surrounded by all water hexsides that typically have a terrain type other than clear terrain.
Named Location. Any hex with a black dot in it (as identified on the map Terrain Key), or a named city star, is considered a named location.
Multi-Hex Island. Several contiguous all-land and/or shoreline hexes surrounded by all-water hexsides.
Anchorage. Any restricted water hex, port location without a Base unit, or atoll terrain island.
2.5.2. Land Terrain Types
These types of hexes have varying movement point costs applicable to ground unit movement and when calculating the land portion of a Command Link (11.5). Certain land terrain types also have an effect on Ground Combat adjudication (31.0).
2.5.3. Water Terrain Types
The type of water hex is used for determining range bidding guidelines during Naval combat (29.0). Restricted water hexes are also anchorages.
2.5.4. Terrain Features
The two types of resource hexes (Homeland and Co-Prosperity Sphere) are used when calculating Japanese Command points (10.1) during Strategic scenarios.
The Sino-Soviet border is used for determining the location of the Japanese Manchurian/Manchukuo Garrison (33.3) during Strategic scenarios.
Control of the three types of cities (Chinese, Indian, and Siamese) is used as an input to determine Strategic Initiative. Chinese and Indian cities (only) are also used for determining surrender conditions and set up parameters during Strategic scenarios.
Named locations and friendly non-interdicted ports are the only type of hexes that Offensive Support Bases may be built on. For all game purposes, cities are also considered named locations.
2.5.5. Map Assembly
Whenever a scenario indicates the use of Map A or B, no assembly is required. Whenever both maps are to be used, abut the East edge of Map A against the West edge of Map B.
There is also a separate one-map scenario map (unmounted) that can be used as a substitute for Maps A and B for most of the non-Strategic scenarios.
2.5.6. Chart Screens
Each player has his own chart screen that includes:
- Merchant Shipping Attrition Table (used only in the Strategic scenarios)
- Air/Naval Combat Results Table
- Ground Combat Results Table
- Search Chart
Note: The three tables are identical on both the Japanese and Allied screens; the Search Charts for each side are different.
When playing solitaire, you will need to refer to both Search Charts. We recommend that you use the screens to hide your Force Displays and Player Display from your opponent.
Play Aids Note: Most of the charts, tables, tracks, and summaries of some rule's sections are included on the various displays.
1d10 Die Note: The die rolls for virtually every action in the game—including those resolved using the charts and tables on the screens—include a zero (0) die roll as a possibility. Do not read a 0 as a 10, as is done in some other games; it is a zero.
2.5.7. Operation Display
There is only one Operation Display in the game, used by both players in all scenarios. Players will need virtually all of the information on this display. Only the Strategic Initiative Track is omitted from most scenarios (it is used only in the Strategic scenarios).
The Operation Display includes:
- Day Track (20.2.1)
- Lighting Condition Display (26.0)
- Naval Movement Track (23.4)
- Naval Combat Display (29.2)
- Operational Intelligence Condition Box (23.4.F.c)
- Range Bid Chart (29.2.4)
- Strategic Initiative Track (19.1.A)
- Strategic Intelligence Box (7.0)
2.5.8. Player Displays
Each player has his own Player Display. The Phase Track and Air Mission Procedure Schematic diagram should be useful in any scenario. The Month Track, General Record Track, and various holding boxes and summaries are largely used only in the more advanced Scenarios.
The Playing Piece Nationality Color Codes section of the display is provided to remind the Allied player of his various units. The Japanese player also has a Color Codes section as a reference for Japanese unit color combinations.
2.5.9. Force Displays
Each player has four Force Displays. One is a combination Force and Task Force Display, which is all either player should need to play smaller scenarios.
Each player also has two Force Displays that include no Task Forces, and one Display that is solely Task Forces. Add these to play as you need them, depending on how many Forces and Task Forces you have in play at the time.
Note: The Japanese Merchant Shipping Points Track is included on his Task Force Display. This Track is used only in the Strategic scenarios.
2.5.10. Limited Intelligence and Force Markers
For the most part, Pacific War is played with a minimal number of counters actually on the map. Informational markers are all the counters that must be on the map. All combat units will be kept on the players' Force Displays, represented on the map by Force (or, for Activated naval units, Task Force) markers.
Note: The use of these Force markers is not mandatory. A player can place some or all of his units on the map if he wishes. To do so, however, is to give your opponent an edge in determining where your strengths and weaknesses lie.
In the event that you do place your units on the map, the general rule is that your opponent is not permitted to examine your units until he has performed a successful reconnaissance or has engaged your units. For the most part, only the top unit in such a stack will be visible.
Note: Because the Force and Task Force markers merely represent units, throughout the rules, the terms "Force" and "Task Force" are used as virtual synonyms for "units" or "naval units." Thus, unless stated specifically otherwise in a particular rule, any reference to a Task Force (for instance) is equally applicable to an individual naval unit.
2.5.11. Force Markers
A single Force marker can represent any combination of ground, air, and non-Activated naval units. More than one friendly Force marker can occupy a hex, along with any combat units the player may wish to place on the map.
Note: Each Force marker or unit over one in a hex makes enemy reconnaissance of the hex easier.
The Force marker is the only indication on the map that you have units in a given hex, and the composition of that Force is hidden from your opponent until he is entitled to learn its composition. You can freely and without restriction create force markers and remove them when they no longer hold units.
You place a numbered Force marker in a hex and place the units it represents on your Force Display in the space numbered the same as the marker.
Example: As the Allied player, in hex 3819 (Manila) you have one large Airbase with 18 steps of air units, one Unactivated destroyer unit, and one 12-step division. You place the Force marker numbered 8 in hex 3819, and place the units represented by the marker in the 8 box of your Force Display.
When individual ground units represented by the Force marker leave the hex containing the marker leaving other units in place, use a new Force marker to represent the moving ground units.
Example: The 12-step division moves from hex 3819 to 3920. Force marker number 8 remains in hex 3819 and you move new Force marker 16 into hex 3920, where it now represents the 12-step division.
When individual air units represented by the Force marker leave the hex containing the marker, they simply fly on their mission and, upon landing, either become part of an existing Force at their new location or become a new Force.
2.5.12. Task Force Markers
When individual naval units represented by the Task Force marker leave the hex containing the marker leaving other naval units in place, a new Task Force marker is deployed to represent them. This Task Force marker is put into play the moment the naval units are Activated.
A Task Force marker can represent from as few as one naval unit to a maximum of six capital ships and four non-capital ship units. Units represented by a Task Force marker are placed on the Task Force Display, divided between Core and Screen units, for AA fire or Air Strike resolution.
Only Capital Ships, AA naval units, or naval units transporting ground units may be placed in the Task Force Core. All other ships can only be placed in the Screen.
Only four Screen units or two Core units can conduct Flak Combat against enemy Air Strikes directed at the Task Force.
Units within a Task Force can be exchanged between the Screen and Core at any time, but the Core must always contain at least as many units as the Screen.
Carriers can never be placed in the Screen.
At the beginning of a friendly Movement Phase, two or more friendly Task Forces in a hex can be freely reorganized, merging, splitting, or exchanging units from one to another.
At the conclusion of Naval Combat (when opposing Task Forces no longer occupy the same hex), participating Task Forces can also be re-organized.
3. Unit Strength, Damage, and Hit Distribution
All combat units in Pacific War have various strengths, as denoted in the Combat Units summary (2.2), and various step levels.
As units take damage, their strengths and step levels are reduced. Whenever a unit of any kind receives a hit, as designated on the Air/Naval or Ground Combat Results Table, place a Hit marker beneath the unit, reflecting the number of hits the unit has taken to date and the number of steps the unit has lost.
Example: A naval unit that takes two hits has a 2 Hit marker placed beneath it. Should the naval unit take another hit, the 2 Hit marker is replaced with a 3 Hit marker.
The number of hits on a unit has various effects (usually involving a loss of strength), according to the type of unit, as described below.
Rounding Note: Any time the rules indicate that a unit's strength must be halved, always round fractions up.
Hit distribution for combat against naval targets is determined by the attacking player when he chooses the target for a naval unit or by establishing target priorities for air strikes.
The attacking player determines which target air units take the hits in both flak and air combat. The first hit in escort versus CAP combat must be taken by the air unit that conducts the combat procedure. Additional hits can be distributed without restriction by the attacking player.
Exception: All hits on Unalerted air units are allocated by the owning player. In ground combat, the hits taken are based on the priorities as stated in Ground Combat.
3.1. Naval Units Damage and Strength
Each step of a naval unit (reflected in the unit's Hit Capacity) represents the amount of damage the unit can take before it sinks. For each hit on a naval unit, reduce each of the following Strengths and Values by 1:
- Anti-Air Strength
- Gunnery Strengths (all Ranges)
- Torpedo Strengths (all Ranges)
- Bombardment Strength
- Anti-Submarine Strength
- Air Step Capacity (for aircraft carriers)
Do not reduce the unit's Activation Cost.
Certain naval units can be crippled (those marked with a c next to their Hit Capacity). Special rules apply to units once they have taken a number of hits that is one less than their Hit Capacity. Many naval units can regain lost Strength through Repair, Recombination, or Reinforcement, according to the type of unit; see Naval Repair (15.0).
When a naval unit has taken a number of hits equal to or exceeding its Hit Capacity, it sinks and is permanently removed from the game.
3.2. Air Units Damage and Strength
Each step of a combat air unit represents 12-15 aircraft.
Note: Long Range Aircraft are not combat aircraft, and they contain only one step each.
Any combat air unit that has no Hit markers beneath it is considered to contain 6 steps (the maximum) of aircraft. Each hit on an air unit represents the loss of one step. For each hit on an air unit, reduce each of the following Strengths and Values by 1:
- Anti-Air Strength
- Anti-Naval Strength
- Anti-Ground Strength
Do not reduce the unit's Activation Cost or Range.
A mission air unit that takes 2 or more hits in the course of a mission is forced to Abort.
When an air unit takes a number of hits equal to or exceeding its number of steps, it is eliminated (although it can be recreated, if Replacement steps are available).
During Air Mission Phases, air units are reorganized into 6-step units as much as possible. During Replacement Phases, air units can be created or receive replacements up to a maximum of 6 steps again.
Note: This is not optional, a hex must contain the minimum number of air units by type possible.
3.3. Ground Units Damage and Strength
Each step of a ground unit represents approximately a battalion.
Any ground unit that has no Hit markers beneath it is considered to contain the number of steps indicated on its counter. Each hit on a ground unit represents the loss of a battalion (or equivalent).
When a ground unit takes a number of hits equal to or exceeding its number of steps, it is eliminated.
During Replacement Phases, ground units can use ground Replacement steps to build up their Strength and some ground units can be recreated after elimination.
Note: The maximum number of ground steps that can ever occupy a single hex is 48 per side.
3.4. Strength Less than Zero
Strengths on some naval units are represented as 0*4. This indicates that the unit's Strength for that particular function is less than 0.
Note: This rule has no application to Air Step Capacity for aircraft carrier units. An Air Step Capacity of 0 or less means that no aircraft can be based on the unit.
When using the Air/Naval Combat Results Table to determine whether or not a unit with such a Strength inflicts damage, you must roll a 0, and then roll again; the second die roll must be a 4 or less. If successful, refer to the 0*4 column of the Air/Naval Combat Results Table and find the combat result normally. If you fail either to roll a 0 initially, or to roll a 4 or less subsequently, the attack has no effect.
As air and naval units take step losses resulting in the reduction of their Strengths, their Strengths may be reduced to less than 0. In such cases, the Strength in question is treated as 0*4.
A Strength of x on a counter indicates that the unit cannot use that Strength at all.
Example: A naval unit with a printed Medium Range Gunnery Strength of 1 takes two hits (reducing its Strength to less than 0). As long as the unit still has two or more hits (until it sinks), its Medium Range Gunnery Strength will be resolved as though it were 04.*
4. Installations and Interdiction
Airbase and port installations both have Hit Capacities like naval units. When an airbase or port has accumulated a number of hits equal to or greater than its Hit Capacity, it is immediately interdicted (place an Interdiction marker on it).
4.1. Airbase Interdiction
A small airbase is interdicted when the Base unit accumulates 5 hits or more; a large airbase is interdicted when it has 10 hits or more.
A Base unit can be eliminated through demolition (in Campaign and Strategic scenarios only), ground combat, or change of hex control (2.3.2.1).
An interdicted airbase cannot Search, launch Air Missions, or Alert air steps. Already Alerted CAP units can still land. Hits and Interdiction markers can be removed from Linked airbases during the Airbase Repair Phase (and, in advanced scenarios, the Engineering Phase).
Note: If an airbase has not accumulated the necessary number of hits for interdiction before its hits are removed, the airbase is not interdicted. It can be interdicted only by having the required number of hits on it at one time.
Each time an airbase suffers a hit as a result of an Air Strike or Bombardment, one Unalerted air step (attacking player's choice) is eliminated.
If a Strike or Bombardment results in the interdiction of the airbase, one additional air step is eliminated (attacking player's choice).
Note: Hits on airbases, short of interdiction, do not reduce the airbase's Launch Capacity.
4.2. Port and Dry Dock Port Interdiction
A. Non-Dry Dock ports cannot be directly interdicted, but if the Base unit that occupies the space is interdicted so is the port.
B. Ports are interdicted if the Base unit in the hex is interdicted. Any naval units that are located there in excess of the stacking limit can remain; but once they leave the port location, they must thereafter conform to the stacking limits (2.3.3).
C. A Dry Dock port is treated as any port for interdiction purposes.
An interdicted Base unit has little impact on Engagement or Battle scenarios, but can be catastrophic in Campaign and Strategic scenarios (see Command 11.0 and Activation 20.0).
5. Strategic/Campaign Scenario Sequence of Play
This Sequence of Play is used for all Campaign and Strategic scenarios.
Note: Several phases are omitted when playing a Campaign scenario as noted on the Phase Track on the Player Displays.
5.1. Strategic Phases
A. Weather Phase (Strategic scenarios only; OPTIONAL). Players determine the weather conditions in each of the four Weather Zones on the map. Clear weather has no effect on the game, but foul weather will impose restrictions on search, movement, and air missions (6.0).
B. Strategic Intelligence Phase. Each player's Strategic Intelligence level is a measure of how much information there is about the enemy's general disposition and intentions. During this phase, each player determines their own Strategic Intelligence level secretly (7.0). Strategic Intelligence levels will directly affect the outcome of the Merchant Shipping Attrition (9.0) and Operational Intelligence Phases.
C. Strategic Bombing Phase (Strategic scenarios only). The Allied player can affect the Japanese Homeland Resource Point level throughout the game by use of Strategic Bombing (8.0).
D. Japanese Escort Phase (Strategic scenarios only). In an effort to protect their Merchant Shipping (which in turn affects their Command Point allotments), the Japanese player can allocate escort naval units to their merchant shipping (9.1). The number of escorts allocated will affect the outcome of the Merchant Shipping Attrition Phase (Step F below).
E. Allied Submarine Priority Phase (Strategic scenarios only). In order to limit the Japanese supply of Command Points, the Allied player allocates submarines to an anti-merchant shipping role during the Reinforcement Phase (Step J below). In the Priority Phase, the Allied player must decide whether the primary target of his anti-merchant submarines will be the Japanese merchant shipping itself or the Japanese escorts (9.2).
F. Merchant Shipping Attrition Phase (Strategic scenarios only). Based on the Allied Strategic Intelligence level (7.0), number of escorts allocated by the Japanese (in the Japanese Escort Phase), on the number of submarines allocated by the Allies (in the previous Reinforcement Phase), and on the priority assigned by the Allies (in the Allied Submarine Priority Phase), the players determine in this phase how many Merchant Shipping Points, escorts, and submarines will be lost (9.3).
G. Command Point Phase. In a Strategic scenario, both players first eliminate all unused Command Points on their General Record Tracks (except those in a Future Operation Pool), and determine how many Command Points they will receive for the current Month, by referring to their individual Command Point Tables (10.0). In a Campaign scenario, Command Points are assigned for each month. Then each player allocates his Command Points to his Headquarters (10.3) and, if eligible, to a Future Operation Pool (10.4).
H. Isolation Penalty Phase. Combat units that do not have a proper Command Link suffer the consequences of lack of command (12.0).
I. Strategic Transport Phase. In this phase, players are permitted to move a limited number of ground and air units around in rear areas, out of harm's way (13.0). Crippled naval units can also be moved in this phase, subject to enemy submarine attack (13.2.5).
J. Reinforcement Phase. Each scenario specifies which reinforcing units are available to each side each month. These reinforcements include submarine points, Strategic Bombing Points (for the Allies), Merchant Shipping Points (for the Japanese), ground, and naval units. (See 14.0 for details.) During this phase, players may also be eligible to bring repaired naval units (15.0), disbanded Headquarters (11.2.1.3), and penalized naval units into play (20.2.3.F). A submarine Command can be built at a linked port (14.6). The players allocate their submarine points to submarine Commands or (for the Allies) to an anti-merchant shipping role in this phase (14.1 & 14.2). Both players establish and pay maintenance costs for Emergency Command Links already in play (11.7).
K. Naval Repair Phase. Repair allows a player to remove hits from a naval unit, one per Repair Phase, within certain restrictions (15.0). Players can also recombine certain naval unit types (15.2.3). Japanese naval units that begin this phase in a Dry Dock port hex may be eligible for repairs (15.1). Allied naval units in a Dry Dock port or in an off-map Holding Box may be eligible for repair (15.1).
L. Replacement Phase. Air unit steps and ground unit steps become available to players in this phase, according to the schedule listed in the scenario. These steps can be introduced into existing units or formed into new units, subject to certain restrictions (16.0). Ground units can also break down or recombine (16.9) in this phase, and air units can have their Status Level changed (16.3.4 and 16.5). Players can also upgrade the strength of amphibious transport (AA) naval units in this phase (15.2.4).
M. Engineering Phase. During this phase, players can construct and repair their Linked Base units (i.e. airbases and ports, (17.1.A), Co-Prosperity Sphere Resource hexes and Offensive Support Bases (11.3.1 & 17.0)).
N. Submarine Patrol Phase. During this phase, players remove all Submarine Patrol units from the map. Then players place Submarine Patrols on the map (25.0), mark the number of submarines, and pay to activate them.
Note: At this point, the counters would be removed and then purchased and deployed again. However, for ease of play, players can designate the number of Submarine Patrols, leave the counter where it is on map (or adjust it as needed) and simply pay the associated cost.
O. Operation Player Determination Phase. Both players have an opportunity to bid Command Points (18.0) in order to become the Operation Player. The winner of the bid must spend up to the number of points bid to conduct an Operation (20.0). Whenever a player becomes the Operation player for an Operation, he receives a free OSB (11.3.1). If neither player bids in this phase, the Month immediately ends and play returns to the Weather Phase (Step A).
P. Operation Player Activation Phase. Once his identity is determined (18.0), the Operation player must spend up to the number of Command Points he bid to launch an Operation. He will spend Points to Activate combat units (20.1), pay any Time multiples for an extended Operation (20.2.5), and pay the Operation cost of a Headquarters (20.2.5) if he Activates more than 10 Activation Points worth of combat units.
Q. Operational Intelligence Phase. The Reaction player, by referring to his own Strategic Intelligence level, determines the Operational Intelligence Condition for the current Operation (21.0). Only the Reaction player will know the Condition until he reveals it during the Operation Player Contact Phase.
R. Operation Player Contact Phase. The Operation player moves his air, ground, and naval units (23.4). Both players conduct Searches for one another's units (24.0). The Reaction player may be able to force the Operation player to end the phase at some point depending on the Operational Intelligence Condition (23.5). Throughout the phase, the Operation player must keep record of how many days have passed by adjusting the Operation Naval Movement marker and the Day marker.
S. Reaction Player Activation Phase. The Reaction player spends Command Points, within certain restrictions determined by the Operational Intelligence Condition (22.0) and the Operation Level conducted by the Operation player (20.3), to Activate combat units and to pay the Operation cost of a Headquarters (20.2.5) if he Activates more than 10 Activation Points worth of combat units. The Reaction player does not pay for Time Multiples.
T. Reaction Player Contact Phase. The Reaction player moves his air, ground, and naval units (23.5.1). Both player's conduct Searches for one another's units (24.0). The Reaction player can move his units only a limited distance, determined by the Operational Intelligence Condition (22.0) and the distance moved by the Operation player's Task Forces.
5.2. Battle Cycle
(Conducted multiple times until the Operation is concluded)
All of the following phases (Lighting through Day Marker Adjustment) constitute the Battle Cycle. Once the Contact Phases are concluded, the players continue to play through the Battle Cycle repeatedly, in order, until the Operation has ended.
A. Lighting Phase. Players determine the Lighting Condition (26.0) that will be in effect for the entire Battle Cycle. Lighting will affect search, air missions and naval combat.
B. Advantage Determination Phase. Players determine who will be the Advantage player and who the Disadvantage player for the entire Cycle (27.0). Advantage enables one player to move his units before his opponent.
C. Advantage Movement Phase. Once the Advantage player is determined that player can move his ground and naval units (23.6); he does not move his air units in this phase (except those moving with aircraft carriers).
Note: If using Optional Rules 34.1/34.2 the Japanese KRS/STO submarine units also move at this time.
Submarine combat (25.2) can occur during this phase, but no other combat is allowed. Both players can conduct searches (24.0).
Note: This is when the embarking and disembarking of ground units occurs.
D. Advantage Air Mission Phase. The Advantage player can launch air missions (28.0), and the Disadvantage player can attempt to interfere with those missions. All forms of air combat can occur during this phase. Any Air Strike Mission against a Task Force that includes aircraft carriers with air units can trigger a Simultaneous Strike (28.12). Paradrop missions may be performed (28.14).
E. Naval Battle Cycle. Naval combat is conducted in a series of phases that are played through once for each hex in which naval combat occurs. Once all naval combat situations are resolved, the Naval Battle Cycle ends, and play continues with the next phase (Bombardment).
a. Naval Combat Determination Phase. Players determine whether naval combat will occur (29.1), and, if so, which player (if either) will have Surprise (29.1).
b. Naval Combat Phases 1 through 3. Both players use their naval units to conduct naval combat (29.2). In each of the three phases, more naval units can be brought to bear on the enemy (29.2). (Submarines are not used in this phase.)
F. Bombardment Phase. Eligible naval units can be used to attack ground units and installations in shoreline hexes (29.3).
G. Demolition Phase. Eligible ground units can be used to eliminate Base Units, or to demolish Co-Prosperity Sphere Resource hexes (30.0).
H. Ground Combat Phase. Opposing ground units occupying the same hex can engage in ground combat (31.0).
I. Airbase Repair Phase. All Linked (2.3.2.1) airbases that have taken hits or been interdicted can have that damage removed during this phase (31.7).
J. Rally Phase. All Broken ground units that are not isolated (12.2) and/or in an enemy-occupied hex have an opportunity to Rally during this phase (31.8).
K. Disadvantage Movement Phase. The Disadvantage player can move his ground and naval units (23.6); he does not move his air units in this phase (except those moving with aircraft carriers).
Note: If using Optional Rules 34.1/34.2 the Japanese KRS/STO submarine units also move at this time.
Submarine combat (25.2) can occur during this phase, but no other combat is allowed. Both players can conduct Searches (24.0).
Note: This is when the embarking and disembarking of ground units occurs.
L. Disadvantage Air Mission Phase. The Disadvantage player can launch air missions (28.0), and the Advantage player can attempt to interfere with those missions. All forms of air combat can occur in this phase.
M. Joint Activation/Deactivation Phase. During this phase, both players have an opportunity to Activate and Deactivate units (20.4, 20.5 & 32.0).
Note: There is no Activation in Battle or Engagement scenarios, but there is deactivation in Battle scenarios.
N. Detection Removal Phase. All eligible Task Forces, with their Detected side up, can be inverted to their Undetected side (32.2).
O. Day Marker Adjustment Phase. At the conclusion of each Battle Cycle, the day-marker is advanced 2 Days on the Day Track (32.3).
5.3. Operation End Procedure
At the instant there are no Activated units on either side, an Operation ends (20.5).
At the conclusion of an Operation, both players must calculate the damage inflicted on enemy units for purposes of adjusting Strategic Initiative (19.3).
Play then resumes with one phase or another, depending on the Time situation at the conclusion of the Operation.
- If the Month ends on the same Day as the Operation ends, play reverts to the Weather Phase (5.1, Step A).
- If there are Days remaining in the Month at the conclusion of the Operation, play reverts to the Operation Player Determination Phase (5.1, Step O).
If the Operation just concluded is the final Operation of the scenario, play immediately ends and players refer to the scenario Victory Conditions.
5.4. Month End Procedure
A Month ends at the instant that:
- the Day marker enters the Month Begin space of the Day Track during an Operation Player Contact Phase or Day Marker Adjustment Phase; or
- the Day marker passes through the Month Begin space of the Day Track into the 1 space during a Day Marker Adjustment Phase or
- during an Operation Player Determination Phase if neither player bids.
Note: Since the Day marker is advanced two spaces during a Day Marker Adjustment Phase, it is possible to end a Month in the 1 space (if the marker begins the phase in the 30 space). In such a situation, the marker is advanced into the 1 space before the Month officially ends. In effect, the following Month will be one day short.
At the instant that a Month ends, any Operation that is currently in progress is immediately suspended. The Month marker is advanced one space on the Month Track and return to the beginning of the Sequence of Play (5.1, Step A), playing through the Submarine Patrol Phase (5.1, Step N).
The Operation is then resumed in one of several phases, depending on the situation when the Month ended:
- If the Month ended in the Operation player Contact Phase and the Operation player still has units Activated, the Operation resumes with the Operation Player Contact Phase (5.1, Step R).
- If the Month ended in the Operation player Contact Phase and the Operation player has no units Activated, play resumes with the Operation Player Determination Phase (5.1, Step O) and the previous Operation is over. In this case, the Reaction player can automatically become the new Operation player.
- If the Month ended in the Day Marker Adjustment Phase and there are any units still Activated, play resumes with the Lighting Phase (5.2, Step A).
- If the Month ended in the Day Marker Adjustment Phase and there are no units still Activated, play resumes with the Operation Player Determination Phase (5.1, Step O) and the previous Operation is over.
- If the Month just ended is the last Month of the scenario being played, the game is over and players refer to the scenario Victory Conditions rather than returning to the beginning of the Sequence of Play.
6. Weather
Note: Use of the Weather Phase is completely optional, subject to the discretion of the players. If the Weather Phase is used, all of the rules in this section must be used for the entire scenario. If the Weather Phase is omitted from the game, there are no weather effects in the game whatsoever.
The map is divided into four Weather Zones: Southeast Asia, Mainland Asia, North Pacific, and South Pacific. The precise boundaries of these zones are indicated on the Weather Zone map inset, beneath the Terrain Chart on Map A.
When the Weather rules are used in the game, roll the die once during each Weather Phase for each Weather Zone. Refer to the Weather Zone Condition Table and cross-index the current Month with the die roll to determine the weather in each zone.
Place a Weather marker on the Table—beneath the appropriate Weather Condition for that Zone—as a reminder for the rest of the Month of the Weather Condition in that Zone.
Clear Weather Condition Effects. There are no effects for Clear weather.
Squall Weather Condition Effects.
- Add 2 to the die roll when searching for enemy naval units (24.0).
Fog Weather Condition Effects.
- Use the procedure for Random Air Mission Cancellation (6.1).
- No air mission can be undertaken in Dusk or Night Lighting (26.3).
- Add 3 to the die roll when searching for enemy naval units (24.0).
Rain Weather Condition Effects.
- Use the procedure for Random Air Mission Cancellation (6.1).
- No air missions can be undertaken in Dusk or Night Lighting (26.3).
- Add 2 to the die roll when searching for enemy naval units (24.0).
- Add 1 to the die roll when the Japanese player searches for Allied air units (24.0).
- A ground unit that begins a phase (Contact or Movement) in a Rain hex can move no more than one hex in that phase.
Monsoon Weather Condition Effects.
- Use the procedure for Random Air Mission Cancellation (6.1).
- No air mission can be undertaken in Dusk or Night Lighting (26.3).
- Add 3 to the die roll when searching for enemy naval units (24.0).
- Add 1 to the die roll when the Japanese player searches for Allied air units (24.0).
- A ground unit that begins a phase (Contact or Movement) in a Monsoon hex can move no more than one hex in that phase.
- A ground unit cannot enter a Mountain or Mixed hex (even by a Transport Route) during its Contact or Movement Phase except by amphibious transport.
- A ground unit can retreat, but cannot pursue, into a Mountain or Mixed hex during the Ground Combat Phase.
6.1. Random Air Mission Cancellation
Each Fog, Rain, or Monsoon hex containing air units designated to participate in an air mission is subject to Random Air Mission Cancellation.
Roll the die once for each affected unit. If the die roll is greater than three times the Status Level of designated units in the hex, those units do not fly the air mission.
Other Activated air units can still attempt to perform a mission from the same hex by successfully performing this procedure.
Note: An L0 air unit can only fly if you roll a zero. L1 is three or less, and an L2 is 6 or less.
7. Strategic Intelligence
Design Notes: World War II saw the maturing of electronic intelligence, developed since its infancy in World War I into a strategic weapon of significant proportions.
The term "electronic intelligence" is being used here in the broad sense to encompass traffic analysis (Level 2 in the game), signals intelligence (Level 3), and cryptoanalysis (or code-breaking, Level 4).
Traffic analysis is the process whereby the volume of messages sent, in addition to other tactical intelligence means (Level 1), are used to predict when the enemy is ready to launch an operation.
Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is based on knowing the call signals of various units and headquarters, allowing the intercepting side to identify the origin and destination of a message as well as the type of code being used.
Cryptoanalysis is the process whereby a message's cipher and the code in which the message is sent is actually deciphered, allowing anywhere from 15 to 85 percent of its information to be understood by the intercepting side.
Midway was perhaps the ultimate instance in the war where the breaking of the Japanese code (up to 85 percent was being read), in conjunction with a bold and fortuitously executed counter-operation, led to a decisive Allied victory. Although many other victories were abetted by code-breaking intelligence, Midway remains the outstanding example.
Players cannot have more control over this portion of the game than was available historically, as the Japanese player would otherwise take advantage of the system to achieve results that, historically, were not possible. During the war, the Japanese questioned on several occasions whether or not the Allies were breaking their ciphers and codes, but they always decided that such was not the case.
Another area strongly affected by Strategic Intelligence is the effectiveness of the submarine campaign against Japanese merchant shipping. By knowing the timing and location of convoys, the Allies were able to position submarines in ambush positions, thereby significantly increasing their effectiveness.
Although the game system acknowledges four distinct levels of Strategic Intelligence, in reality all four levels contributed constantly to the intelligence picture. Even when the Japanese JN25 code was not being broken due to cipher changes, many lower level codes were being consistently broken throughout the war. The game system uses the different levels to denote the major intelligence contributor during each Month.
Each player's Strategic Intelligence Level represents his capability for intercepting, decoding, and reacting to enemy communications.
Throughout the game, Strategic Intelligence Levels will affect Operational Intelligence Conditions, Japanese merchant shipping attrition, and—indirectly—the tactical outcome of naval combat.
During the Strategic Intelligence Determination Phase, each player refers to his own Month Track and secretly rolls the die. Cross-reference the Month with the die roll to determine your own Strategic Intelligence Level for the Month and place the appropriate Strategic Intelligence Level marker on the Operation Display face-down in your Strategic Intelligence box.
8. Strategic Bombing
Design Note: Strategic Bombing was perhaps the most decisive element in the Allied arsenal during the Pacific war. The B-29 campaign against Japanese industrial targets was relatively ineffectual at the outset as a result of high-altitude bombing doctrine.
When General LeMay took over the direction of the campaign, his bold analysis changed the doctrine to the fire-bombing raid. This approach, customized to the type of construction prevalent in Japanese cities, allowed the US Air Force to literally torch all of the major industrial centers.
By the time the atom bomb was available, the bombing and submarine campaigns had already won the war. The mushroom clouds over Hiroshima and Nagasaki provided the missing psychological element which ended the war short of an actual invasion.
During the Strategic scenario, if the Allies can begin the Strategic Bombing Campaign in June 1944 and they are permitted to continue without interruption, the war for all practical purposes is over. This designer ends the war on 31 July 1945. If a Strategic Bomber is available, the opening of the nuclear era is assumed to begin six days later.
The only means at the Allied player's disposal for the reduction of Japanese Homeland Resource Points is Strategic Bombing. Beginning in the Reinforcement Phase of May 1944, the Allies begin to receive Strategic Bombing Points. In the Reinforcement Phase of May 1944, the Allies also receive one Strategic Bomber marker (the 20th Group); and in the Reinforcement Phase of November 1944, they receive another Strategic Bomber marker (the 21st Group).
The Strategic Bomber markers are placed on the Allied Force Displays (according to the restrictions detailed below). The Strategic Bombing Points are recorded, as they accumulate, on the Allied General Record Track.
During each Strategic Bombing Phase, the Allied player can use his Strategic Bomber markers to attack Japanese Homeland Resource hexes. The strength of his attacks is based on the number of Strategic Bombing Points he can bring to bear.
8.1. Strategic Bombing Points
Each time the Allied player receives a Strategic Bombing Point, he records it on his General Record Track using one of the Strategic Bombing Point markers provided.
Note: In May and June 1944, the points he receives must be assigned to the 20th Group marker, since the 21st Group marker is not yet in play. In November 1944, the points he receives must be assigned to the 21st Group marker. Each point received subsequently can be assigned to either Group.
Strategic Bombing Points are never expended; each Point can be used once per Strategic Bombing Phase for the remainder of the game or until it is eliminated. Once assigned to either the 20th or 21st Group, a Strategic Bombing Point can never be transferred to the other Group.
8.2. Strategic Bomber Markers
Once the Allied player has received a Strategic Bomber marker as a reinforcement, he can deploy it during any Reinforcement Phase on one of his Force Displays in any Allied large airbase that is Linked, non-interdicted, and within 15 hexes of at least one Japanese Homeland Resource hex.
Until the Allied player has such an airbase, he cannot deploy a Strategic Bomber marker. There is a box provided on the Allied Display Sheet for available Strategic Bomber markers that are not currently deployed on the Force Displays. Once deployed, if the airbase is interdicted or isolated, the marker is not removed.
At the instant an airbase containing a Strategic Bomber marker is overrun by Japanese ground units, the Strategic Bomber marker is removed and placed on the Allied player's Display Sheet (no Strategic Bombing Points are lost). During the ensuing Reinforcement Phase, the marker can be redeployed (provided there is an eligible airbase).
The Allied player can voluntarily remove a Strategic Bomber marker from an airbase during any Reinforcement Phase (but only during a Reinforcement Phase), regardless of the current condition of the airbase (interdicted, Linked, etc.). To do so, he simply removes the marker from its Force Display and places it on his Display Sheet in the Available Box. During the ensuing Reinforcement Phase, the marker can be redeployed (provided there is an eligible airbase).
Note: Any time a Strategic Bomber marker is removed, it will miss a Strategic Bombing Phase.
When an airbase occupied by a Strategic Bomber marker is attacked by Japanese air units, the Japanese player can inflict a maximum of 1 hit on the marker (or one on each marker if both are at the same airbase).
When an airbase occupied by a Strategic Bomber marker is attacked by Japanese naval units in a Bombardment Phase, the Japanese player can inflict as many hits as the combat result will allow. Each hit suffered by a Strategic Bomber marker results in the permanent elimination of 1 Strategic Bombing Point marker from that Group's pool on the General Record Track. There is no effect on the Bomber marker itself. Strategic Bomber markers with no Strategic Bombing Points can remain in play.
Note: Strategic Bomber markers do not count toward airbase capacity. Both markers can be based at the same airbase.
8.3. Strategic Bombing Raid
Each Strategic Bombing Phase, the Allied player can conduct one Strategic Bombing Raid using one or both Strategic Bomber markers.
To use either Group during a Strategic Bombing Phase, the Group's Bomber marker must be deployed, its large airbase must be Linked and non-interdicted, and there must be at least one Point in the Group's pool on the General Record Track. Only one raid can be conducted during a Strategic Bombing Phase using either or both Groups.
The target of the raid can be any Japanese Homeland Resource hex or hexes. All hexes attacked must be within 15 hexes of the Bomber marker(s) used for the raid.
Example: The 20th Group marker is 15 hexes from Sasebo, but more than 15 hexes from all other Homeland Resource hexes. The 21st Group marker is within 15 hexes of all five Homeland Resource hexes. Both Groups have Points to use and both occupy Linked, non-interdicted airbases. The Allied player can stage his raid in any one of three ways: (1) Combine both Groups to raid Sasebo (which is the only Resource hex both Groups can reach; (2) Use the 21st Group alone to raid all five Resource hexes; (3) Use the 20th Group alone to raid only Sasebo.
Once the Allied player decides whether one or both Groups will raid, he decides how many Strategic Bombing Points can be used. Each Group can use only the Points in its own pool on the General Record Track. For each Point he uses, the Allied player must pay 2 Command Points, drawn through the Headquarters to which the individual Group is Linked.
Example (continued): In the preceding example, 20th Group has 5 Bombing Points and 21st Group has 3 Bombing Points. The Allied player has decided to use both Groups in an attack on Sasebo. The Headquarters that Links the 20th Group has 12 Command Points remaining and the Allied player decides to use all 5 Bombing Points (deducting 10 Command Points from the Headquarters to do so). The Headquarters Linking the 21st Group has only 5 Command Points, and the Allied player decides to spend 4 so he can use 2 of the 21st's available Bombing Points. The Allied player is now ready to raid Sasebo with a total of 7 Strategic Bombing Points.
To resolve the raid, the Allied player simply totals his raiding strength, rolls the die, and refers to the Air/Naval Combat Results Table (using either the Normal or Fire-Bombing line, as directed below). The result listed is the number of Resource Points permanently lost by the Homeland Resource hex. Adjust the Japanese Homeland Resource Point marker accordingly.
For the first ten times that the Allied player conducts a raid with at least 1 Strategic Bombing Point (not including the Doolittle Raid; see 8.8 below), he uses the Normal Bombing line of the Table.
Beginning with the 11th raid, he automatically begins to use the Fire-Bombing line. The Allied player must keep track of how many raids he has conducted (using a Strategic Bomber marker on General Record Track) to determine when he can begin to use the Fire-Bombing line.
Note: Any time the Allied player rolls a 7, 8, or 9 to resolve a Strategic Bombing raid, he may lose Strategic Bombing Points to Japanese air defense (see 8.6 below).
8.4. Multi-Target Raids
When more than one Japanese Homeland Resource hex is the target of a Strategic Bombing raid, the Allied player can assign hits among the target cities in whatever combination he wishes.
Example: Both the 20th and 21st Groups are within range of both Sasebo and Kure, attacking with a combined strength of 7. The Allied player rolls a 1, which results in two hits. He could inflict both hits on either hex, or one hit on each, at his discretion.
8.5. Destruction of Japanese Homeland Resource Hexes
Each hit on a Homeland Resource Hex from Strategic Bombing results in the permanent loss of one Resource Point from that hex. The Japanese player adjusts the Homeland Resource Point marker to reflect each loss as it occurs.
At the instant a hex loses its last Resource Point, the Japanese player removes the Point marker for that hex from his General Record Track and places the marker, inverted, on the actual hex on the map, indicating that the hex is annihilated. There is no way for the Japanese player to repair hits on a Homeland Resource hex.
Note: The Japanese player is under no obligation to tell the Allied player how many Points are left in a particular hex. Once the Allied player announces how many hits he will inflict on a particular hex, he cannot change his mind, even if he inflicts more hits than are necessary to destroy the hex. It is therefore in the Allied player's best interest to keep track himself of how many hits he has inflicted on each hex.
8.6. Elimination of Strategic Bombing Points
Strategic Bombing Points are never expended, but they can be eliminated by Japanese attacks on Allied airbases (see 8.2 above) or by Japanese air defense over Homeland Resource hexes.
The Allied player loses one Strategic Bombing Point per Bomber Group used during a raid if both of the following conditions apply:
- Any target hex is occupied by a Japanese non-carrier capable F-L1 or F-L2 air unit; and
- The Allied player rolls a 7, 8, or 9 in resolving the raid.
Emergency Base. If the Allied player has a Linked, non-interdicted airbase within 7 hexes of any of the target Homeland Resource hexes (this does not have to be the airbase at which the Strategic Bomber Group is based), the Allies lose one less Strategic Bomber point, potentially to zero.
The Strategic Bombing Point is lost after the raid is resolved and must be taken from the Group that actually participated in the raid.
8.7. Effect of Strategic Bombing on Strategic Initiative
Each time the Japanese Homeland Resource level is reduced by 10 percent of its original (that is, when it reaches 90, 80, etc.), move the Strategic Initiative marker one space to the left.
8.8. Doolittle Raid
During April 1942, the Allied player receives the Doolittle air unit as a reinforcement with the CV Hornet. If the Hornet can move to within 7 hexes of a Homeland Resource hex, the Allied player can immediately, during whatever phase is in progress, make a Strategic Bombing raid with a strength of 1 Point. After resolving the raid, remove the Doolittle piece permanently and, regardless of the result, shift the Strategic Initiative marker three spaces to the left.
8.9. Atom Bomb
There is no atom bomb in the game. However, if an Allied Strategic Bomber marker is within 15 hexes of at least 4 Homeland Resource hexes and has at least 1 Strategic Bombing Point at the conclusion of July 1945 (in addition to other conditions listed in the Strategic scenario instructions), the game immediately ends in an Allied historical victory.
9. Merchant Shipping Attrition
The Allied player attempts to reduce the Japanese Command Point allotments by using submarines for merchant shipping attrition. This attrition is resolved over several phases.
Design Notes: One of the major problems that confronted the Japanese industrial infrastructure was their inability to transport the raw materials from their conquests back to the Japanese homeland.
At the beginning of the war, Japanese merchant shipping tonnage was automatically reduced some 40 percent due to the loss of Western hulls to carry their materials. Even the approximately 1.2 million tons of shipping captured in the early months of the war failed to improve the Japanese situation significantly.
As the war progressed and Allied intelligence broke the relevant Japanese codes, US submarines continued to climb in effectiveness, especially after the US torpedo defects were corrected in 1943.
Since convoy escort duty was seen as being beneath them, Japanese destroyer units did all they could to avoid such duty. As a consequence, ASW (anti-submarine warfare) units tended to be among the worst in the Imperial Japanese Navy.
It was not until the shipping losses had reached devastating proportions that the convoy escorts were beefed up. As the Japanese began to institute this change in their doctrine, the effects of their earlier destroyer losses were being felt. The US naval command was cognizant of this fact, and, for a period of time, the destroyers were made a priority target for submarines over the merchant ships that they escorted, further exacerbating Japanese escort problems. Capital ships, however, always remained the highest Allied submarine priority as represented by Submarine Patrols.
9.1. Japanese Escort Allocation
The Japanese player can remove Linked destroyer (DD) and destroyer escort (DE) units or steps from his Force Displays and place them in his Escort Allocation Box on his Display Sheet, or he can remove DD and DE units from his Escort Allocation Box and place them on his Force Displays (in Linked forces that contain an HQ). He cannot do both in the same phase.
Note: For owners of the original edition, you can no longer use this mechanism to forward deploy your destroyer units. Shame on those who walked that path in the past.
The Japanese player adjusts the Escort Allocation marker on his General Record Track to indicate how many steps of escorts he has on escort duty.
9.2. Allied Submarine Priority Assignment
The Allied player inverts his Submarine Priority marker to either the Priority Escorts or Priority Merchants side in his Submarine Allocation Box.
Note: The Allied player does not allocate his submarines to the fleet or anti-merchant shipping role in this phase. He allocates during his Reinforcement Phase only.
9.3. Merchant Shipping Attrition
Refer to the Merchant Shipping Attrition Table, calculate the ratio of Japanese escorts in the Japanese Escort Allocation Box divided by the number of submarines in the Submarine Allocation Box and roll the die.
Cross-reference the Allied Strategic Intelligence Level (in the column corresponding to the die roll) with the ratio to determine a letter code. Then find the correct letter code row on the second half of the chart and cross-reference (on either the Escort Priority or Merchant Priority line, whichever priority the Allied player has assigned) with the column corresponding to the number of Allied submarines in the Allied Submarine Allocation Box (using the appropriate dateline at the top of the chart).
The result is the number of Merchant Shipping Points immediately and permanently lost from the Japanese General Record Track and the number of escort steps the Japanese player must choose to lose from the Japanese Escort Allocation box (if there are no escorts allocated, none are lost).
The Submarines Lost line indicates the number of Allied submarine steps immediately removed from the Allied player's General Record Track. If there are no submarines allocated, there is no attrition. If there are no escorts, use the 0.25 ratio.
Example: The Allied Strategic Intelligence Level is 3, the Allied player has 30 submarines assigned to anti-merchant shipping, and the Japanese player has 15 escorts assigned (for a ratio of 0.50). The Allied player rolls the die and gets a 6. Reading down the "3" (Strategic Intelligence Level) portion of the "6" (die roll) column to "0.50" row (ratio of escorts to subs), the result is a "C." Referring then to row C of the second portion of the chart, the Allied player looks to the 19-38 column (it is December 1943), and reads down to Row C. The Allied Priority marker reads "Merchant Priority," so the Allied player reads the Merchant Priority portion of the line. The result: 5 Merchant Shipping Points lost, 1 Japanese escort step of the Japanese player's choice lost, and 1 Allied submarine step lost.
10. Command
Design Notes: The role of the players in the game is that of Commander in Chief of the various major "Strategic Directions" within the Pacific Theater (CinCPac under Nimitz, CinC SoPac under Halsey, the short-lived ABDA command under Wavell, or the opposing Combined Fleet under Yamamoto).
The Headquarters in the game represent these major HQ's. Headquarters represent the staffs controlling all of the command, logistic, and intelligence functions, whereas the lower level command functions are incorporated into the combat units actually performing the operations.
All logistic, national resource, and activation functions are equated into Command Points, which are created during the Command Point Determination Phase and are an expression of the amount of current activity a given side is capable of undertaking at any given time.
The number of Command Points allotted to a side depends on strategic decisions taken by the players and on the current situation in the game. Command Points represent the orders and materials required to activate a combat unit and maintain its effectiveness.
In the Strategic scenarios, the number of Japanese Command Points available in a given month is a product of Merchant Shipping Points and the current level of the Japanese Homeland and Co-Prosperity Sphere Resource hexes. Allied Command Points are made available in varying amounts according to the current month.
In the Campaign scenarios, the Command Points available to each player are listed for each month in the scenario instructions.
In order to use Command Points, combat units and installations must be able to trace a Command Link to their hexes from a friendly Ultimate Command Source (11.0).
10.1. Determining Japanese Command Points
For Strategic scenarios, during the Command Point Phase (5.1, Step G), the Japanese player first eliminates all Command Points on his General Record Track (except those allocated to a Future Operation) by reducing his Headquarters markers to zero.
He then refers to his General Record Track to find the current Resource level for the Japanese Homeland and the Japanese Co-Prosperity Sphere. The Japanese player notes which of those two levels is lower.
On his General Record Track, he then finds his current Merchant Shipping Point level. He secretly refers to the Japanese Command Point Table, cross-referencing the lower Resource Point level (Homeland or Co-Prosperity Sphere) with the Merchant Shipping Point level to determine the number of Command Points that become available this month and records the number.
For Campaign scenarios, Command Points are assigned in scheduled amounts according to the current month.
10.1.1. Japanese Strategic Reserves
During the months December 1941 through June 1942, the Japanese player automatically uses the 100 column of his Command Points Table, regardless of the Resource Point level of his Homeland or Co-Prosperity Sphere hexes. Beginning with July 1942, he determines his Command Points normally, as described above.
10.2. Determining Allied Command Points
For Strategic scenarios, during the Command Point Phase (5.1, Step G), the Allied player first eliminates any Command Points remaining on his General Record Track (except those allocated to a Future Operation) by reducing all of his Headquarters' markers to zero.
He then refers to the Allied Command Point Table and rolls the die, cross-referencing the die roll with the current month to determine the number of Command Points that become available this month and writes the number down.
Note: The Allied die roll can be affected by the current Strategic Initiative level (see 19.4).
For Campaign scenarios, Command Points are assigned in scheduled amounts according to the current month.
10.3. Command Point Allocation
After determining the number of Command Points available, each player allocates as many available Command Points as he wishes to each of his Headquarters to which he has a Command Link.
To allocate Command Points, place the Headquarters marker that corresponds to the Headquarters counter on the map on the General Record Track in the appropriately numbered space.
10.4. Future Operation Command Point Pool
Each player can allocate a maximum of 50 Command Points per Command Point Phase to a Future Operation Pool.
To establish a Pool, secretly place the Future Operation Month marker on your Month Track up to four months beyond the current month.
Example: If the current month is March 1943, you can place the marker in April, May, June, or July 1943.
Place the Future Operation Pool marker on the General Record Track, reflecting the number of Command Points allocated to it.
In each month until the Future Operation occurs, you can add up to 50 Command Points (maximum). Once committed to a Future Operation, Command Points cannot be removed or used for any purpose until the month specified.
Upon reaching the month when the Future Operation is to occur, all of the Command Points in the Pool must be allocated to a single Headquarters (in addition to any other Command Points that may be allocated to that HQ).
10.4.1. Command Point Bidding
During the first Command Point Bidding step (18.0) of the Future Operation month the player must bid at least as many Command Points as there were in the Pool. If this bid fails to win, there are no restrictions on the use of the Points for the remainder of the month. (See rule 19.4.)
A player cannot have more than one Future Operation Pool in progress at one time and he cannot begin a new Future Operation Pool in the same month that a previous Pool expires.
11. Command Links
In order to function to their full capacity, combat units and installations must be able to trace a Command Link to their hexes from a friendly linked Headquarters (any Nationality).
A hex and any units in the hex are considered linked if they are on a shoreline hex within command range across water hexes of a friendly, linked, non interdicted HQ (any Nationality) or if inland within 12 movement points of a linked non-interdicted port hex or Offensive Support Base.
A Command link cannot pass through an enemy controlled hex, linked unit (any type) or within 2 hexes of a linked enemy air unit unless the affected hexes are also within 2 hexes of a linked friendly F air unit.
At any time during the game that a player cannot trace a Command Link from a friendly linked Headquarters (any Nationality) to a hex, the hex—and any friendly pieces in the hex—are considered Isolated.
Note: For readability, HQs, ports, and OSBs in a Command link are assumed to be uninterdicted. If something is not linked it cannot do much. Hexes—not units per se—are linked, thus a Base unit on a airfield/port location, in a linked hex, is in turn a linked airfield/port.
11.1. Ultimate Command Sources
11.1.1. Japanese Ultimate Command Sources
Any Japanese-controlled Homeland Resource hex with Resource Points remaining in it is a Japanese Ultimate Command Source.
11.1.2. Allied Ultimate Command Sources
Any Water hex (Open, Coastal, or Restricted) that contains no Japanese linked naval unit (excluding a submarine patrol zone) or is not within 2 hexes of an enemy linked air unit (any type)—unless that hex is also within 2 hexes of a friendly linked F air unit—on the East, South, or West map edge is an Allied Ultimate Command Source.
11.1.3. China and Ultimate Command Sources
Nationalist Chinese forces must trace to an Ultimate Chinese Command source. An Ultimate Chinese Command Source is either:
- Directly from a linked Allied Headquarters, such as SEAC.
- An OSB in a non interdicted linked port.
- A linked OSB in a friendly controlled Chinese city (named location) with a Base unit.
- An OSB as described in 3 (above) is linked if an Allied Air Transport end marker (11.7.2) is present in the hex.
Any OSB in a friendly Chinese city that meets any one of these conditions is an Ultimate Chinese Command Source for all Chinese Nationalist and Allied units.
Command Points used to activate Nationalist Chinese units are expended from any Allied Headquarters that is linked to the Chinese Ultimate Command source.
Example: SEAC Headquarters is in a Calcutta (5610) a linked port. From there it is 10 MPs to Jorhat (5014) that has a Base and is not interdicted where the Air Transport North Start Marker is located. Chungking (5120) is 8 hexes from Jorhat where the Air Transport North End marker is located. Chungking also has Base unit and an OSB located there making this OSB an Ultimate Chinese Command Source. All Nationalist Chinese units or OSBs that are within 12 MPs of this OSB Command Source are linked. Therefore, activating a Chinese unit with an activation cost of 4, using CPs from SEAC HQ, require 8 Command Points.
Note: Using an Air Transport Emergency Command link (11.7.3), imposes an extra Command Point cost for each Command Point spent through this link.
Communist Chinese units are in supply if they are within 5 Movement Points of a Chinese Controlled city. Chinese Communist units that have a Command link to an Ultimate Chinese Command source can be activated akin to a Nationalist Chinese unit.
11.2. Headquarters
A Headquarters on the map must always occupy a friendly port hex.
A Headquarters unit counter (front, non-Interdicted, and back, Interdicted) shows: Name, Unit Symbol, Interdicted indicator, CP Cost, and Command Range.
In order to be Linked, a Headquarters must be non-interdicted (occupying a non-interdicted port) and must trace a continuous path of any number of Water hexes from the port hex it occupies to any friendly Ultimate Command Source.
In order to be Linked, any non-Headquarters piece must occupy a hex that is either occupied by a Linked Headquarters or must be able to trace a Command Link to a friendly Linked Headquarters, linked port, or to a linked Offensive Support Base.
Note: Only Headquarters can trace Command Links directly to Ultimate Command Sources. All non-Headquarters units must trace Water and/or Land Command links to a Linked Headquarters or a linked port in order to be linked themselves.
11.2.1. Headquarter Capabilities
11.2.1.1. Command Points to HQ
During the Command Point Phase (5.1, Step G), the Command Points allotted to each player are in turn allocated to his Headquarters units that are on the map (or to Future Operations).
Command Points are considered resident in those Headquarters for the remainder of the month and can be drawn by units that are Linked to the Headquarters, providing the Headquarters are in turn Linked.
11.2.1.2. HQ Designate Offensive Support Base
During the Engineering Phase (5.1, Step M), each Linked, non-interdicted Headquarters can designate one friendly Linked, non-interdicted port or Named Location as an Offensive Support Base (OSB).
A Headquarters can establish more than one OSB over the course of the game, up to the restrictions imposed by the counter mix.
11.2.1.3. HQ in Combat
Headquarters are not combat units and they cannot be attacked by enemy combat units of any kind.
They cannot move either as ground units or using Strategic Transport. They can be placed only in Linked, non-interdicted ports (see Command Links, 11.0).
The port containing a Headquarters can be attacked and, if the port is thereby interdicted, the Headquarters is interdicted as well (invert the HQ to its interdicted side).
If a Headquarters occupies a hex in which enemy ground units are located but no friendly ground units, the Headquarters is Involuntarily Disbanded and removed to the Involuntary Disband box of the player's Display Sheet. It may be removed from the box during a Command Point Phase (5.1, Step G) at a cost of 20 Command Points and placed on the Month Track in a space three months later to arrive as a reinforcement.
11.2.1.4. Voluntarily Disbanding an HQ
A Headquarters can be Voluntarily Disbanded during the Command Phase and removed to the Voluntary Disband box of the player's Display Sheet. It can be removed from the box during the Command Point Phase (5.1, Step G) at a cost of 10 Command Points and placed on the Month Track one month later to arrive as a reinforcement.
A Headquarters can be Voluntarily Disbanded from an interdicted port but is placed in the Involuntary Disband box and is treated like an Involuntarily Disbanded Headquarters.
A disbanded Headquarters can be left in the Involuntary or Voluntary Disband box for as long as the owning player wishes.
Note: The surrender of India, Malaya, and the Dutch East Indies by the Allies will result in the permanent loss of the SEAC, Malaya, and ABDA Headquarters, respectively.
11.2.1.5. Air Force / Air Division / Air Flotilla Commands
During any operation, an HQ can activate up to 8 land-based air units irrespective of the number of air steps they contain (48 air step maximum).
Design Note: An important change to this edition of Pacific War is a desire to create more realistic air operations. Toward that end, air units are abstractly associated with an HQ when they are activated. Essentially each grouping of eight air units comprises a US Army Air Force (e.g., 5th Air Force) or equivalent Japanese organization (5th Air Division/21st Air Flotilla). As these associations were in constant flux during the war and even within the same operation, I chose not to implement a more restrictive but time-consuming alternative way to show these organizations.
11.2.2. Submarine Commands
A. The Japanese have two Submarine Commands, the Allies have three. A Submarine Command must be stacked in the same hex as a linked port with a Base unit. Each Submarine Command begins a scenario stacked with a linked port; see scenario instructions.
B. Each Submarine Command has a number of submarines associated with it and these can change during the Reinforcement phase (5.1, Step J) or due to losses.
C. A Submarine Command at an interdicted port (Base unit is interdicted or removed) is removed or it can be voluntarily removed from play and can then be built at a linked port for 25 Command Points during the next Reinforcement Phase (5.1, Step J). During the next Reinforcement Phase, the Submarine Command can be placed at a new linked port location.
D. Any submarines associated with the disbanded Submarine Command remain on patrol and can be reassigned during the next Reinforcement Phase; however, they trace their strength from the other Submarine Command and, if none is available, the submarines have a strength of zero although they can still conduct search.
Design Note: Submarine Commands abstractly represent a major Submarine Command with its associated specialized ordnance and logistics. They are meant to be hard to move once placed; hence, you have to actually move a Submarine Command, which is costly. What I do not want you to do is easily move them forward to make them more effective. Therefore, you will not do it often, which was the case during the war.
Note: A Linked port contains an uninterdicted Base Unit and is within range of an uninterdicted HQ or can trace via water (11.4) or land (11.5) command links to the aforementioned HQ.
11.3. Offensive Support Bases
An Offensive Support Base (OSB) can be built in any Linked hex that contains either a Named Location or a friendly non-interdicted Port.
11.3.1. Offensive Support Base Characteristics
A. Offensive Support Bases (OSB) are used as an integral part of Command Links. OSB's may be acquired in one of two ways:
a. During an Engineering Phase, they may be built for the expenditure of 10 Command Points (11.8) at the rate of one per Linked Headquarters present from where the Command Points must be expended. They may be built in a Linked Port or any Linked named location.
b. Whenever a player becomes the Operation player for an Operation, he receives a free OSB (if one is available). This free OSB may be placed into any shoreline named location at the conclusion of an amphibious assault combat in which the assaulting units do not retreat. If the free OSB has not been utilized by the conclusion the Operation, it is removed from play. There may never be more OSB's of a particular side in play at any time than are in the counter mix.
B. An OSB in a linked Port has a water Command Link range of 20 hexes. A Linked OSB in a named location has an overland range of 12 Movement Points (over land only).
C. An OSB can be voluntarily removed during any Engineering Phase.
D. OSB's can be removed due to enemy actions. If an OSB receives a total of 5 hits during a Month from a combination of air strike hits and/or naval bombardment, it is immediately removed from play.
E. Each Engineering Phase, all Linked OSB's that have four or less hits have all hits automatically removed.
F. An OSB cannot move or retreat.
G. If an enemy ground unit is in a hex with an OSB without the presence of a friendly ground unit, the OSB is overrun and immediately removed from play.
H. A successful demolition immediately eliminates an OSB.
I. If for any reason an OSB becomes un-Linked, it is not removed from play.
Command Link Example: Allied. The Allied South Pacific Headquarters (with a Command Range of 17 hexes) in hex 0135 is Linked to an Ultimate Command Source. It is in a non-interdicted port with an unblocked path of hexes to the South map edge. All units are Linked in hexes 0722, 1134, and 1328 because they are all within 17 hexes of the South Pacific Headquarters and occupy shoreline hexes.
The path of hexes to 1134 is unblocked.
The path of hexes to 1328 is unblocked because, although the path of hexes passes through hex 1228 (which is within two hexes of the Japanese air unit in hex 1427), that hex is also within two hexes of a friendly linked F air unit in hex 1330.
The path of hexes to 0722 is unblocked and contains a non-Interdicted port and an Offensive Support Base. The Allied ground unit in hex 0223 is Linked because it is within 12 Movement Points of a Linked port.
The Offensive Support Base in hex 0922 is also Linked directly from the Headquarters in hex 0135, but it cannot be part of an over-water Command Link in this manner because it is not in a non-interdicted port. It is part of an overland Command Link via the Offensive Support Base in hex 0722, which is Linked and within 12 Movement Points of it, or directly from the Headquarters. In turn the Offensive Support Base in 0922 supplies a Command Link to the ground unit in hex 1121, which is 12 Movement Points from the OSB in 0922, or directly from the Headquarters.
The OSB in hex 0722 is also a potential Command Link for the ground unit in hex 1618, since it is within 20 Water hexes and occupies a shoreline hex; but this Command Link path must trace through (not into) either hex 1523 or 1623, both of which contain Japanese naval units that block the potential Command Link.
The Command Link from the Headquarters to hex 1426 is blocked by the Japanese F air unit within two hexes (in 1427), because there is no offsetting Allied F air unit within two hexes of hex 1426.
Japanese. The Japanese South Seas Headquarters in hex 2432 can trace a Command Link to an Ultimate Command Source (any Homeland Resource hex with at least one point remaining). It in turn Links hexes 1630 and 1432.
The T air unit in hex 1432 cannot cancel the effect of the Allied air units in hex 1330 and 1134. Therefore, no Command Link can exist between the Japanese Headquarters and hex 1134, except through the use of an Emergency Command Link (Tokyo Express). The Japanese player establishes the Emergency Command Link between hexes 1630 (Start) and 1134 (End). Nothing can block the over-Water path of hexes, up to 8 Water hexes in length. In this manner, the Japanese ground unit in hex 1134 is Linked.
Note: By combining water and overland Links, a chain of OSB's can be created to reach remote inland regions.
11.4. Water Command Links
Any shoreline hex within Command range of a friendly Linked Headquarters is Linked.
Any shoreline hex within 20 Water hexes of a friendly Linked Offensive Support Base occupying a non-Interdicted friendly port is Linked.
11.5. Land Command Links
11.5.1. To a Linked Port
Any Land hex within 12 Movement Points (over land only) of a friendly non-Interdicted Linked port is Linked.
11.5.2. To a Linked OSB
Any Land hex within 12 Movement Points (over land only) of a friendly Offensive Support Base is Linked.
11.6. Blocked Command Links
A naval or air Command Link can be traced into but not through a hex that is within 2 hexes of an enemy air unit, unless that hex is also within 2 hexes of a friendly Linked F air unit.
A naval Command Link can be traced into but not through a hex that contains an enemy naval unit unless that hex also contains a friendly naval unit.
An overland Command Link can be traced into but not through a hex that contains an enemy ground unit.
11.7. Emergency Command Links
11.7.1. Japanese Tokyo Express
The Japanese player has two Tokyo Express counters, marked Start and End.
During a Reinforcement Phase, the Japanese player can pay 5 Command Points to establish the Tokyo Express. To do so, he places the Start marker in any friendly Linked port that contains at least 6 steps of non-Activated DD units, and he places the End marker in any shoreline hex that is within 8 Water hexes of the Start marker.
This Emergency Command Link cannot be blocked by Allied units in any way but ceases to exist the moment there are less than 6 non-Activated DD steps with the Start marker.
11.7.2. Allied Air Transport
The Allied player has two sets of Air Transport counters. One is titled North and the other South. One counter in each set is marked Start and one is marked End.
During a Reinforcement Phase, the Allied player can pay 5 Command Points to establish either Emergency Command Air Transport Link (or 10 Command Points to establish both). To do so for one route, he places the Start marker in any Linked non-Interdicted Airbase (large or small) and he places the End marker in any friendly non-interdicted Airbase within 8 hexes that is not within 2 hexes of any enemy F air unit.
Any Allied piece that can trace through 6 Movement Points of terrain to the End marker is considered Linked, as is the Airbase containing the End marker.
This Emergency Command Link can be blocked according to the normal Blocked Command Link rules.
Note: The Allied player cannot place both Air Transport Route Start markers in the same hex or both End markers in the same hex. He can, however, place an End and Start marker from different sets in the same hex, thereby extending the effective range of the Emergency Command Links.
11.7.3. Command Point Cost
In each Reinforcement Phase after an Emergency Command Link is established, the owning player must pay 2 Command Points to maintain the Link. If the Points are not paid, the Link is immediately removed from the map.
Each time a Command Point is used by a unit or installation that is drawing on an Emergency Command Link, an additional Command Point must be spent.
Example: An Allied ground unit using an Air Transport Route for Linking has an Activation Cost of 2. To spend 2 Command Points to Activate the unit, the Allied player must spend an additional 2 Command Points.
11.8. Command Point Costs
The complete list of Command Point costs for Activation, construction and repair, Emergency Command Links, and so forth, is provided on each player's Display Sheet.
12. Isolation Penalty
At any time during the game, a unit that cannot trace a Command Link is considered Isolated. Isolated units cannot be Activated, and any ground or air unit that is Isolated during the Isolation Penalty Phase is liable to a penalty.
12.1. Effect of Isolation on Air Units
Each air unit of 2 or more steps that is Isolated during the Isolation Penalty Phase loses 1 step.
An air unit that is Isolated during the Replacement Phase can receive no Replacements.
12.2. Effect of Isolation on Broken Ground Units
Each Broken ground unit of 2 or more steps that is Isolated during the Isolation Penalty Phase must make a Troop Quality Check. Each Broken unit that fails the Check loses 1 step.
A Broken ground unit that is Isolated during a Rally Phase cannot attempt to Rally.
A Broken ground unit that is Isolated during the Replacement Phase can receive no Replacements.
12.3. Effect of Isolation on Unbroken Ground Units
Each Unbroken ground unit that is Isolated during the Isolation Penalty Phase must make a Troop Quality Check. Each Unbroken unit that fails the Check immediately becomes Broken.
An Unbroken ground unit that is Isolated during the Replacement Phase can receive no Replacements.
12.4. Effect of Isolation on Naval Units
A naval unit that is Isolated during the Naval Repair Phase can have no hits repaired.
Note: By definition, no Isolated unit can ever be Activated, since an Isolated unit has no Command Link to receive Command Points.
13. Strategic Transport
13.1. Strategic Transport Procedure
During the Strategic Transport Phase, players can re-deploy ground and air units, moving them from Linked port to Linked port.
To move a ground or air unit, the unit must begin the phase in a Linked, non-interdicted friendly port. The unit can move through a path of Water hexes of any length that does not come within 2 hexes of any enemy linked air unit or pass through a hex containing either linked enemy naval or a Submarine Patrol Zone and be placed in any other Linked, non-interdicted friendly port along that path of Water hexes.
Note: Unlike a Command link you cannot nullify the path with friendly units. This is rear area movement and cannot be used to push units into a contested area. For that you will have to use normal movement procedures.
13.2. Strategic Transport Capacity
13.2.1. Allied Capacity
The Allied player can move a total of 3 divisions (or equivalents) per phase.
13.2.2. Japanese Capacity
The Japanese player can move a total of 1 division (or equivalent) per phase.
13.2.3. Division Equivalency
For purposes of this rule, 9 air steps, 3 brigades or regiments, or 9 battalions each equal 1 division; 1 air step equals 1 battalion.
13.2.4. Route Limits
Different units using Strategic Transport can originate in and go to different hexes. In addition, each player can move 1 division by railroad movement (that is by continuous movement along roads or clear hexes) inside India, between Rangoon and China, and in Australia south of Cairns, during the Strategic Transport Phase.
13.2.5. Crippled Naval Units
Crippled naval units can also be moved during this phase, from port to port, as above. If a crippled ship moving during this phase passes within 10 hexes of an enemy submarine patrol marker, the submarine patrol can attack (25.4).
Note: Headquarters cannot move using Strategic Transport.
14. Reinforcements
In Campaign and Strategic scenarios each side receives Reinforcements during the Reinforcement Phase. Different unit types are treated in different ways, as follows:
14.1. Japanese Submarines
Japanese submarines received as Reinforcements are immediately placed in one of their two Submarine Commands. If neither Submarine Command is on the map the submarine reinforcements are lost.
14.2. Allied Submarines
During the Reinforcement Phase, the Allied player not only receives new submarines as Reinforcements, but also has the opportunity to re-deploy submarines that are already in play. The Allied player can select any one of the four following options for incorporating submarine Reinforcements and re-deploying:
A. He can place some Reinforcements in an anti-merchant shipping role (adding them to his General Record Track) and others to a fleet role.
B. Allied units placed in a fleet role are put into a Submarine Command from which they will be placed on patrol.
C. He can place all Reinforcements in an anti-merchant shipping role, in which case he can also re-deploy any number of Linked submarines already in a fleet role to the anti-merchant shipping role.
D. He can place all Reinforcements in a fleet role, in which case he can also re-deploy any number of submarines already in an anti-merchant shipping role to a fleet role.
14.3. Strategic Bombing Points (Allied Only)
Strategic Bombing Points that become available as Reinforcements are immediately placed on the Allied player's General Record Track, using the marker for the Strategic Bombing Group specified in the Reinforcement Schedule or, when no Group is specified, placing them in either Group.
14.4. Strategic Bomber Markers (Allied Only)
During any Reinforcement Phase in which the Allied player has a large Airbase within 15 hexes of any Japanese Homeland Resource Hex and he either receives a Strategic Bomber marker or has one in the Available Box on his Display Sheet, he can deploy the Strategic Bomber marker(s) in any eligible Airbase or remove them from Airbases and place them in the holding box on his Display Sheet for re-deployment in the next Reinforcement Phase.
14.5. Merchant Shipping Points (Japanese Only)
Merchant Shipping Points (MSP) that become available as Reinforcements can be purchased for 3 Command Points each. Purchased Merchant Shipping Points are immediately placed on the Japanese Merchant Shipping Points Track (on the Japanese Force Display).
MSP's that are not purchased in the Month they become available are lost forever.
14.6. Headquarters and Submarine Commands
Headquarters received as reinforcements or returning (involuntary or voluntary disbandment) can be placed in any friendly, non-interdicted Port that can trace a Command Link to an Ultimate Command Source.
Any Submarine Command that was removed from the map due to the Base unit it was stacked with being interdicted/removed or if being received as a reinforcement is now placed on the map at any friendly linked port for a cost of 25 CPs.
14.7. Ground Units
Ground unit Reinforcements can be placed in any hex containing a Linked, non-interdicted friendly Headquarters. Ground units can never, however, exceed the stacking limitation of 48 steps per hex.
14.8. Naval Units
Naval unit Reinforcements can be placed in any hex containing a Linked, non-interdicted friendly Headquarters.
Note: Naval units eligible to return from Repair, naval units that were previously removed during penalty movement and are now eligible to return, plus disbanded Headquarters now eligible to return can also enter during the Reinforcement Phase.
14.9. Air Units
Air units are only received as Reinforcements when they enter with a carrier naval unit, strategic Bombing Commands, or the Doolittle Raid. Beyond these examples new air units are built from replacements.
In some scenarios, air units are available as Replacement steps.
15. Naval Repairs
Almost all damaged naval units can be brought back to full—or at least partial—strength by either Repair, Recombination, or Reinforcement, as described below.
Note: Repair and Recombination occur only during the Naval Repair Phase, while Reinforcement takes place only during the Reinforcement Phase.
15.1. Dry Dock Ports
All Repairs (not Recombination or Reinforcement) must take place in a Dry Dock port. The Dry Dock port sites for each player, together with the number of hits each Yard can Repair in one phase, are as follows:
A. Japanese Dry Dock Ports are located in Homeland Resource Hexes (see map) that have at least one Resource Point remaining. Each Japanese Dry Dock port can repair a maximum of 2 hits per Naval Repair Phase.
B. If the Japanese capture an Allied Dry Dock port, it can be used for naval repair, but only one hit non-capital ship maximum per Naval Repair Phase.
Note: Also see optional rule for CVS/CVL conversion (34.22).
C. Allied Dry Dock ports are located on the map in Oahu (2860), Manila (3819), Trincomalee (5402), Colombo (5502), Singapore (3908), and Soerbaja (3006). There are also Allied Dry Dock ports located off the East, West, and South map edges, which must be reached by exiting the map (see Movement (23.7)).
D. The Allies have two Mobile Dry Dock units that are built during an Engineering Phase. A port location with a mobile Allied Dry Dock acts exactly like any on-map Dry Dock port.
E. An Allied Mobile Dry Dock port cannot be captured. If the hex it is located in is captured by the Japanese, the Mobile Dry Dock Base unit is permanently removed from the game.
F. In order to remove 1 hit from a naval unit, the unit must begin the Naval Repair Phase in the Dry Dock port.
G. If the port is on the map (as opposed to an Allied Off-Map Dry Dock port), the Dry Dock port hex must contain a Linked, non-interdicted Base unit.
H. Each on-map Allied Dry Dock port can repair the number of hits shown on the Allied Dry Dock Capacities table on the Allied Player Display.
I. A maximum of 1 hit can be removed from each naval unit in the Dry Dock port per Repair Phase, up to the limit of the Dry Dock port's capacity.
J. Allied off-map Dry Dock Ports are always functional and each has its own rules. The details on using these off-map Yards are specified on Map A.
a. Map-edge Dry Dock port: Upon exiting the map, place the naval unit in the Enter box of the appropriate Map-Edge Holding box. In each Reinforcement Phase, move the naval unit one box along the track. Remove 1 hit from the unit during each Naval Repair Phase that the unit occupies a Repair or Return and Repair box. Once the unit occupies the Repair or Return Box, it can be returned to the map during any subsequent Reinforcement Phase.
- South Map edge: Enter Box, Repair and Return
- West Map edge: Enter Box, 3 additional boxes, Repair and Return Box
- East Map edge: Enter Box, 1 additional box, 2 Repair boxes as shown on the map, Repair and Return Box.
Design Note: The repair capabilities of the Allied Dry Dock Ports also referred to as Repair Yards vary widely and are summarized on the Allied Display Sheet, Allied Dry Dock Capacities.
Example: The Dry Dock port at Oahu (Pearl Harbor) could remove 1 hit from each of 2 naval units in a Repair Phase.
15.2. Partial and Full Repair
Some naval units can be Repaired completely (provided they have not been eliminated), while others can be Repaired only partially, as described below.
15.2.1. Full Repair
The following naval unit types can be Repaired completely, removing all hits, provided they have not been eliminated: CV, BB, CVL, BC, CVS.
In addition, the following nine specific units can be Repaired completely: US CA9 Houston, Australian CL2 Perth, US CA10 Wichita, Japanese CL4 Kuma, British CA4 Exeter, Japanese CL8 Yubari, Dutch CA1 DeRuyter, Japanese CL15 Oyodo, Dutch CL1 Tromp.
15.2.2. Partial Repair
The following naval unit types can be Repaired completely, removing all hits, provided they have suffered less than half their Hit Capacity: CVE, CA, CL.
If they have suffered half or more or their Hit Capacity, they can never be Repaired to better than half their Hit Capacity again.
Example: The US CVE8 (Casablanca) unit has suffered 3 hits and its Hit Capacity is 4. The unit can be Repaired partially by eliminating 1 hit, but no more hits can ever be removed from the unit.
The reason for this rule is that the CVE, CA, and CL units represent two ships each and an accumulation of half the unit's Hit Capacity actually indicates the elimination of one of the unit's component ships.
15.2.3. Recombination
The following naval unit types cannot be Repaired, but they can be Recombined: DD, DE, APD, ST.
A. In order to recombine, the units must occupy a friendly non-interdicted, Linked Port hex (not necessarily a Dry Dock port).
B. Two (or more) units of the same type (DD, DE, etc.) occupying the same Port hex can exchange steps to reduce damage from one of the units and increase damage to another, or even to completely absorb one unit into another unit of the same type up to a maximum of 6 steps.
C. The unit receiving the steps must have a Short Range Gunnery, Short Range Torpedo, and ASW Strength equal to or less than the unit that is donating the steps. Reduce the hits on the receiving unit by one for each step it receives and increase the hits on the donating unit(s) accordingly.
Note: Any naval unit that is totally depleted through Recombination is lost permanently.
15.2.4. Reinforcement
Only AA naval units and submarines can receive steps/points as Reinforcements, respectively.
A. The stipulations for submarine (SS) Reinforcements are covered in the Reinforcement rules (14.0).
Note: As indicated in the Reinforcement rules, submarine points are receive only during the Reinforcement Phase—never during the Replacement Phase.
B. Amphibious Transport (AA) units can receive Replacement steps during the Replacement Phase as though they were Reinforcements. The catch is that, unlike submarine Reinforcements (which arrive according to the Reinforcement Schedules in the Scenarios), AA steps must be purchased during the Naval Repair Phase.
a. To purchase a Japanese AA Replacement step, the Japanese player must deduct 1 Merchant Shipping Point permanently from his Merchant Shipping Track and deduct 3 Command Points from his General Record Track. He can then immediately place the newly-purchased AA step in any AA unit occupying a Linked, non-interdicted Japanese port. There is no limit to the number of AA steps the Japanese player can purchase in a phase, except that he can never have more than 6 steps in one AA unit and he can never have more units than the counter mix allows.
b. To purchase an Allied AA Replacement step, the Allied player must deduct 3 Command Points from his General Record Track from any Headquarters (but not from Future Operations). He can then immediately place the newly-purchased AA step in any AA unit occupying a Linked, non-interdicted Allied Port. The Allied player can purchase no more than 3 AA steps in a phase, he can never have more than 6 steps in one unit, and he can never have more units than the counter mix allows.
16. Replacements
During the Replacement Phase of Campaign and Strategic scenarios, players receive Ground and Air Replacement steps which they record on their Replacement Record Sheets.
Also, during this phase, players can take Ground and Air Replacement steps that have accumulated on their Replacement Record Sheets and use them to increase the number of steps in existing units or to form new units.
Note: Ground Replacement steps or units cannot be placed in a hex in excess of the 48-step stacking limit.
16.1. Ground Replacements
An existing ground unit can receive Replacement steps up to the number of steps printed on the unit counter provided it meets the following requirements:
A. A Ground Replacement step of the proper nationality must be available on the player's Replacement Record Sheet (note that this applies only to the Allied player). There are no distinctions among types of steps (infantry, armor, engineer, etc.); a Ground Replacement step can be used in any type of ground unit.
B. The unit cannot be Broken.
C. The unit cannot occupy a hex containing an enemy ground unit.
D. The unit must be Linked.
E. If a ground unit meets all of the above requirements and occupies a friendly non-interdicted port with an Offensive Support Base or Headquarters (or, if a Japanese unit, if it occupies a Japanese Homeland Resource hex), the unit can receive up to 3 Replacement steps.
F. If a ground unit meets the requirements above but does not occupy such a hex, it can receive no more than one Replacement step.
16.2. Ground Unit Reconstitution
Ground Replacement steps can also be used to reconstitute any ground unit with a printed Troop Quality of 4 or less. To do so, up to 3 Ground Replacement steps from the Replacement Record Sheet (of the appropriate nationality for the Allies) are used, up to the limit of the number of steps printed on the counter. The newly-reconstituted unit must immediately be placed in any friendly Linked, non-interdicted port with an Offensive Support Base or Headquarters (or, if it is a Japanese unit, in a Japanese Homeland Resource hex).
Note: Ground unit replacements are how you build Engineer units that are TQ 4 or less.
16.3. Air Replacements
Design Note: One of the major factors contributing to the momentum of Allied offensives beginning in 1942 was the declining quality of Japanese pilot replacements and high quality of their US counterparts.
The pre-war system of training Japanese pilots, especially the naval units, led to elite formations without reliable backups. This fragile elite was severely eroded by normal operational attrition and, more dramatically, by such decisive defeats as Midway.
Under the pressure of a war-in-progress, the training process could not give sufficient time and logistics support to replacement pilots before they were committed to combat. The resulting decline in Japanese pilot quality increased their attrition rate still further, as witnessed in the Battle of the Philippine Sea (also known as the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot). Ultimately, the Japanese solution was the creation of the Kamikaze units at the end of the war.
The US replacement situation, meanwhile, was one of continuing excellence. The US system made many veterans of the early war days into flight instructors, creating a large training system that eventually overwhelmed the Japanese with well-trained air crews—not to mention improved machines.
The US went to greater lengths to retrieve downed pilots during the war, a practice which is reflected in the return of a certain number of air step losses as replacements in instances where submarines are on hand where air mission losses occur.
A Japanese pilot usually died when his plane hit the sea, thus requiring another replacement. Over the long haul, many experienced Japanese pilots met this fate instead of being sent back to Japan to serve as instructors.
The air unit Status Levels represents the dual combination of aircraft quality as well as the quality of the pilots flying the Zeroes, Wildcats, and other aircraft. The replacement system allows both players to determine the quality of their replacement crews and new air units.
If the Japanese player can hold his losses down and disperse elite (Status Level 2) air steps among formations at opportune times while giving replacement pilots extensive training, the historical Japanese war record can be improved upon.
The Allied player will feel serious problems only if his early losses require using his replacements at a rate substantially higher than that experienced during the war.
Although Pacific War purposely does not have a production system (which, to many designers, seems very nearly mandatory), this is the one area in which players can determine the type and quality of their own air units (at least, in the Strategic scenario).
16.3.1. Air Replacement Steps
Air Replacement steps are used to create new air units and to bring existing damaged air units back to full strength (6 steps).
Air Replacement steps in Campaign scenarios are given as either a number of air steps of a particular Status Level or they are specified by both air unit type and Status Level.
Note: Strategic scenarios use the rules for creation and training of air Replacement steps.
16.3.2. At HQs, OSBs and Homeland Resource Hexes
During the Replacement Phase, existing air units (on Air Installations) in hexes containing Linked Headquarters or Offensive Support Bases, or Homeland Resource hexes, can receive from 1 to 5 air Replacement steps. See rule 19.4.B regarding Kamikaze air steps.
Also, during this phase, new air units can be created on Airbases or carriers in hexes containing Linked Headquarters and Offensive Support Bases or Homeland Resource hexes, with from 1 to 6 air Replacement steps.
If the Replacement steps available in the scenario instructions are not specified as a specific air unit type, the player can freely choose what type of air unit to create with the Replacement steps.
16.3.3. Not at HQs, OSBs or Homeland Resource Hexes
During the Replacement Phase, existing Linked air units (on Air Installations) in hexes without Headquarters or Offensive Support Bases, and not in a Homeland Resource hex, can receive 1 air Replacement step if an Airbridge exists between the air unit and a Linked Headquarters or Offensive Support Base or Homeland Resource Hex (see Airbridge, 16.8).
New air units cannot be created in non-Homeland hexes that do not contain a Headquarters or Offensive Support Base.
16.3.4. Status Levels
New air units must be established with air Replacement steps of the same status level.
Existing air units can receive air replacements of potentially different Status Levels.
L2 air units can receive only L2 Replacement steps.
An L1 unit can receive Replacement steps of any Status Level, but if it receives a number of L0 steps greater than half its pre-Replacement size during any one phase, the Status Level of the air unit is reduced from L1 to L0 (replace the air unit with a new counter).
An L0 unit can receive air Replacement steps of any Status Level, but its Status remains L0.
The Status Level of an air unit may never increase due to air Replacement steps of greater Status Level.
16.4. Strategic Scenario Air Replacements
During Strategic scenarios, air Replacement steps are received according to a schedule given in the scenario instructions.
A. The Status Level of each air Replacement step depends on the number of Months it has spent training on the Replacement Record Sheet without being used.
B. A step that has spent 12 or fewer Months on the sheet when it is used enters play as an L0 step of any air unit type. A step that spends 13 to 24 Months on the sheet enters play as an L1 step of any air unit type. A step that spends 25 or more Months on the sheet enters play as an L2 step of any air unit type.
C. All air steps except Kamikazes must spend 3 Months on the Record Sheet before being used (i.e., a step received in July 1942 cannot be used until October 1942). See rule 19.4.B regarding Kamikaze air steps.
D. A player must use steps with the most current training time before using another with less. To determine how long a step has been on the Sheet, subtract the current Month number from the number of the Month in which the step was received.
Example: It is now November 1942. An air Replacement step that started training in December 1941 is used. December 1941 (44) minus November 1942 (33) equals 11 Months of training. The replacement step would be an L0.
16.5. Japanese Flight Instructors / Squadron Leaders
During the Replacement Phase, the Japanese player has the option of eliminating L2 air steps at Linked Air Installations and receiving two L0 air Replacement steps (the two with the most training) as L1 air Replacement steps for each L2 step eliminated. The L0 and L1 steps could be a different air unit type than the eliminated L2 step. The L0 steps must still have at least 3 Months of training.
16.6. Allied High Technology Aircraft
From February 1943 through July 1945, all Allied air Replacement steps received add 6 Months to their training time to account for the superior quality of their aircraft.
Example: It is March 1945. An Allied air Replacement step that began training in August 1942 is to be used. August 1942 (36) minus March 1945 (17) is 19, plus 6 (High Technology) equals 25 Months of training. The air replacement step would be L2 status.
16.7. Combat Experience
During any Air Mission, any air unit (either side) of L0 or L1 air status that rolls a zero during an air combat procedure and does not Abort has its Status Level increased by one.
Air units of L2 air status cannot increase in status.
An air unit may not increase by more than one Level during the same Air Mission.
If there are no air units of the same type available for the increased Status Level, the increase is forfeited.
Air units which do not directly participate in air combat as either CAP or Escort are not increased.
16.8. Airbridge
In order for an air unit to receive an air Replacement step in a hex which does not contain a Headquarters or Offensive Support Base with a port, an Airbridge must exist between a Linked Headquarters/Offensive Support Base and the air unit that will receive the air replacement.
An Airbridge is one or more Air Installations between the Headquarters/Offensive Support Base and the air unit which are never further apart than the range of the air unit. If an Airbridge does not exist, the air unit may not receive the Replacement step.
16.9. Breakdown and Recombination
During the Replacement Phase, US (not Allied) and Japanese units of Troop Quality 6 or more have a limited capability to partially break down into regimental or battalion (Japanese only) size units.
A. To break down, place the breakdown unit(s) in the hex with the parent unit and place a number of hits on the parent unit equal to the hit capacity of the breakdown unit(s).
B. To recombine, the breakdown unit(s) must be stacked in the same hex with the new parent unit (can be any eligible unit); remove the breakdown unit(s) and remove the number of hits equal to the number of steps available in the breakdown unit(s).
C. If a breakdown unit is eliminated, it can be recreated using the breakdown procedure again. Replace these units on the appropriate spaces on the respective Player Displays.
D. If a breakdown unit is in play when a scenario calls for it to appear as a reinforcement, ignore the reference. If as a function of breakdown, the parent unit has zero steps remaining, it is permanently removed from play.
Note: It is intended that, after breakdown, the parent unit may remove the hits it incurred from the process with ground Replacement steps.
E. The US 1, 2, and 3 Marine Divisions may break down into one or more of the available three Marine regiments (Troop Quality 8 with 3 steps).
F. Any US infantry division of Troop Quality 6 or greater can break down into one or more of the available infantry regiments (Troop Quality 6 with 3 steps).
G. The pictures of the counters appear on the Allied Display Sheet.
H. Japanese infantry divisions with a TQ of 6 or greater may break down into one or more of the available infantry regiments (Troop Quality 6 with 3 steps.)
I. Japanese infantry divisions with a TQ of 7 or greater may break down into one or more of the available infantry battalions (Troop Quality 7 with 1 step.)
J. The pictures of the counters appear on the Japanese Display Sheet.
17. Engineering
During the Engineering Phase, both players can build and repair Base units plus Offensive Support Bases (11.3.1). Offensive Support Bases can also be removed (11.3.1.C), and Co-Prosperity Sphere hexes can be repaired.
17.1. Engineer Units
In all instances where it is stated that the presence of an engineer unit is required to perform any of the functions listed below, the following restrictions apply:
A. At the outset of the Engineering Phase, the engineer unit must be Linked and Unbroken.
B. If a required engineer unit stacked with a Construction marker is involved in ground combat (as either attacker or defender) or is Broken by any means, the Construction marker is removed and construction must begin again to complete whatever is being built.
17.2. Airbase and Port Repairs
An interdicted Base unit interdicts both the airbase and any associated port. At the beginning of the Engineering Phase, Hit and Interdiction markers are removed from each Linked Base unit at the owning player's option.
17.3. Offensive Support Base Repairs
At the beginning of the Engineering Phase, hits are removed from each Linked Offensive Support Base at the owning player's option.
17.4. Co-Prosperity Sphere Resource Hex Repairs
At the beginning of the Engineering Phase, Interdiction markers can be removed from Linked Co-Prosperity Resource hexes (17.1.A) that contain an engineer unit by spending twice the Resource Point value of the hex.
Note: It is unlikely that the Allied player would be disposed to take advantage of this option, since he probably went through great pains to Demolish the hex in the first place. This action is intended to help the Japanese player maintain his own supply of Command Points.
17.5. Building a Japanese Small Airbase
A. To build a small airbase, the Japanese player must have an engineer unit on a land hex with an airfield location containing no enemy units and no previously-established Airbase.
B. The Japanese player spends 5 Command Points and places a Base unit on its small airbase side and a Construction marker in the hex, 2-side up.
C. Throughout the remainder of the Month, the engineer unit cannot move or participate in ground combat. In the following Engineering Phase, the Japanese player spends another 5 Command Points and inverts the Construction marker to its 1-side.
D. Throughout the remainder of the second Month, the engineer unit cannot move or participate in ground combat. In the following Engineering Phase, the Japanese player removes the Construction marker, revealing the Base unit that is now a fully-functional airbase.
E. Any associated port location is now considered a port with its increased naval stacking limit.
F. If the engineer unit moves or participates in ground combat while the Construction marker is in place, the Construction marker is immediately removed, and airbase construction must begin all over again.
17.5.1. Building Without an Airfield
If there is no airfield location in the hex, a small Japanese airbase can be constructed but it takes six turns (not two) to construct. Each Construction level costs 5 Command Points, so six levels will cost in total 30 Command Points. A small airbase on a hex with no airfield location cannot be upgraded to a large airbase.
17.6. Building an Allied Small Airbase
A. The procedure for building an Allied small Airbase is identical to that for a small Japanese Airbase, except the Allied player takes only one Month to complete construction, placing the 1-side of the Construction marker up initially and pays the 5 Command Points only once.
B. If there is no airfield location in a hex, a small airbase can be constructed but it takes two turns to construct. A small airbase on a hex with no airfield location cannot be upgraded to a large airbase.
Design Note: For verisimilitude, do not let either side build a small airbase in Ndeni (hex 0837) or Gardner Island (hex 3055), although a Seaplane base is permitted. Ndeni was host to a fatal mosquito-borne bacteria and Gardner Island is geographically close to impossible to construct on.
17.7. Upgrading a Japanese Small Airbase
A. For the Japanese player to build a large Airbase, he must have an engineer unit on a land hex with an airfield location containing no enemy units and which must contain a non-Interdicted friendly small Airbase. An atoll hex can only contain a small Airbase due to its size.
B. The Japanese player spends 10 Command Points and places a Construction marker in the hex, 2-side up. Throughout the remainder of the Month, the engineer unit cannot move or participate in ground combat. In the following Engineering Phase, the Japanese player spends another 10 Command Points and inverts the Construction marker to its 1-side.
C. Throughout the remainder of the second Month, the engineer unit cannot move or participate in ground combat. In the following Engineering Phase, the Japanese player removes the Construction marker and inverts the Small Base unit to its Large Airbase side.
D. If the engineer unit moves or participates in ground combat while the Construction marker is in place, the Construction marker is immediately removed and Airbase upgrading must begin all over again. The Airbase can still be used as a small Airbase until the upgrading is completed.
17.8. Upgrading an Allied Small Airbase
The procedure for upgrading an Allied small Airbase to a large Airbase is identical to that for a Japanese Airbase upgrade, except that the Allied player takes only one Month to complete construction, placing the 1-side of the Construction marker up initially, and pays the 10 Command Points only once.
Note: Construction markers can be the object of Air Strike and Bombardment attacks. A Construction marker that accumulates 5 hits in a Month is eliminated.
17.9. Building an Allied Dry Dock Port
A. Both Allied Dry Dock ports enter play in the Strategic scenario during March 1943 and are available for construction thereafter.
B. The procedure for building a Mobile Dry Dock port is identical to that for upgrading an Allied small airbase except it costs 15 (not 10) Command Points only once.
C. The Allied player spends 15 Command Points and places an Allied Dry Dock port marker and a Construction marker in the hex, placing the 1-side of the Construction marker up initially. Throughout the remainder of the Month, the engineer unit cannot move or participate in ground combat. In the following Engineering Phase, the Allied player removes the Construction marker, revealing the completed Dry Dock port marker. If the engineer unit moves or participates in ground combat while the Construction marker is in place, the Construction marker is immediately removed, and construction must begin all over again.
17.10. Building a Japanese Dry Dock Port
The Japanese cannot build any Dry Dock ports during the game, they can only capture extant Allied Dry Dock ports.
17.11. Capturing an Enemy Airbase
If an attack on an enemy airbase forces the enemy base unit to retreat (eliminating it) and the attacking force is stacked with a friendly engineer unit, then the attacking force may immediately place a friendly base unit converting the formerly enemy airbase into a friendly small airbase for all purposes (even if the original was a large airbase).
18. Operation Player Determination
If the Operation player in the preceding Operation Deactivated all of his units during his Contact Phase or if he never Activated any units, the Reaction player from the preceding Operation can, at his option, become the Operation player for the current Operation without bidding. If he takes this option, he can spend any number of Command Points; if he declines the option, bid normally as below.
Both players bid a number of Command Points by secretly writing down a number. If either player has Strategic Initiative (Strategic scenarios only), he may add 5 times his Strategic Initiative Level to his bid (19.4).
Note: This addition for Strategic Initiative does not represent Command Points; it is merely a modifier. The player does not spend an additional "5 times his Strategic Initiative Level" worth of Command Points.
The higher bidder becomes the Operation player and he is obligated to launch an Operation, spending the number of Command Points he has bid (not including bonus for Strategic Initiative) to Activate combat units (including Time Multiples) and pay any Headquarters Operation Cost incurred (20.0). Any unspent CPs are lost. If the bids are identical (following any Strategic Initiative modification), the player with Strategic Initiative becomes the Operation player (if neither player has Strategic Initiative, bid again; if an impasse occurs the month ends).
If Future Operation Command Points are being used in this Month, the player's bid must be for at least the amount in the Future Operation Pool.
If neither player bids, the Month immediately ends.
19. Strategic Initiative
Design Note: The war in the Pacific saw an ebb and flow of Strategic Initiative. This concept accounts for the intangible benefit of momentum to the decision-making process of the side with initiative. Early in the war the Japanese, by virtue of starting the war and succeeding beyond even their own expectations, quickly and assertively gained the strategic initiative. The Allied forces were capable only of reacting to the Japanese Order Number 1 Plan, and then only in a feeble fashion. As the war progressed, the US began to react more to Japanese operations, culminating in the dual battles of Coral Sea and Midway, where the strategic initiative was neutralized. During the subsequent operations around Guadalcanal, the US seized the initiative and held onto it for the remainder of the war. The Strategic Initiative Track is used to reflect the relative advantage conferred by successful offensive operations bidding to reflect this momentum.
Various other game functions are keyed to the Strategic Initiative levels, such as the building of Kamikazes, to reflect the types of decisions possible when the war had reached a certain level of desperation or advantage.
19.1. Strategic Initiative Recording
A. In Strategic scenarios only, the Strategic Initiative level is recorded throughout the game on the Strategic Initiative Track printed on the Operation Display. Players can move the Strategic Initiative marker on the Track by inflicting damage on enemy naval units, capturing certain hexes, and performing various other activities as specified below.
B. Whenever the Strategic Initiative marker is in the Japanese area of the Track, the Japanese player has Strategic Initiative of a level corresponding to the number in the box the marker occupies.
C. Whenever the Strategic Initiative marker is in the Allied area of the Track, the Allied player has Strategic Initiative of a level corresponding to the number in the box the marker occupies.
D. When the marker is in the neutral area in the center of the Track, neither player has any level of Strategic Initiative. To move the Strategic marker in favor of the Japanese player, move the marker to the right; to move it in favor of the Allied player, move it to the left.
19.2. How to Affect the Strategic Initiative Level
At the instant a player overruns a Co-Prosperity Sphere Resource hex, he moves the Strategic Initiative marker 1 space in his favor.
Note: A hex can change hands repeatedly in this fashion, with the marker moving in the appropriate direction for each successive overrun.
A. At the instant that India surrenders, move the marker 3 spaces to the right (Japanese favor).
B. At the instant that China surrenders, move the marker 3 spaces to the right (Japanese favor).
C. At the instant that Bangkok is captured by the Japanese, move the marker 1 space to the right (Japanese favor).
D. If a Japanese Base unit (large or small) is eliminated by Allied action or Japanese demolition, move the marker 2 spaces to the left (Allied favor). This award can occur only once per Scenario per airfield/port location; subsequent overruns are ignored.
E. At the instant that the Allied player launches the Doolittle Raid, regardless of the outcome, move the marker 3 spaces to the left (Allied favor).
F. At the instant, the Japanese Homeland Resource Point level is reduced by 10 percent of its original (that is, when it reaches 90, 80, etc.), move the marker 1 space to the left (Allied favor).
G. At the instant a Japanese Homeland Resource is overrun move the marker one space to the left or right (33.2).
19.3. Naval Losses
19.3.1. Ship Points
At the conclusion of each Operation, players compare the damage inflicted throughout the Operation on one another's naval units. Naval unit damage is then translated into "ship points" for purposes of making shifts in Strategic Initiative.
Ship points are accumulated during an Operation as follows:
- 2 Points for each enemy CV sunk.
- 1 Point for:
- Each enemy BB, BC, CVL, or CVS sunk.
- For the Allied player, for every 10 hits inflicted on Japanese naval units except the types above (ignore fractions).
- For the Japanese player, for every 15 hits inflicted on Allied naval units except the types above (ignore fractions).
19.3.2. Impact on Strategic Initiative
Strategic Initiative shifts based on naval damage are then calculated as follows:
A. If one player has at least 7 more Ship Points than the other, he moves the Strategic Initiative marker 3 spaces in his favor.
B. If one player has 4, 5, or 6 more Ship Points than the other, he moves the Strategic Initiative marker 2 spaces in his favor.
C. If one player has 2 or 3 more Ship Points than the other, he moves the Strategic Initiative marker 1 space in his favor.
D. If neither player has an advantage in damage, there is no Strategic Initiative shift for naval losses.
19.4. Effects of Strategic Initiative
A player who has a Strategic Initiative level can, at his option, add five times his Strategic Initiative level to his bid. These additional Points are not spent during the Operation; they simply allow a player to win the bid.
Example: If the Japanese player has a Strategic Initiative level of 3, he can add 15 to his Command Points bid.
A. During the Command Point Determination (10.1, 10.2) Phase, the Allied player adds the Strategic Initiative level to his Command Point Determination die roll if the Initiative level is in his favor. He subtracts the Strategic Initiative level from his Command Point Determination die roll if the Initiative level is in the Japanese player's favor. There is no effect on the die roll if the Strategic Initiative is in the neutral area of the Track.
B. During any Replacement Phase in which the Strategic Initiative is 2 or more in the Allied player's favor, the Japanese player can create Kamikaze air steps, at the maximum rate of three times the Allied Strategic Initiative level.
C. Modify the Search Die Roll by +1 when the target player has the Strategic Initiative.
20. Activation in the Operation Player Activation Phase
The Operation player is obligated to spend the number of Command Points he bid in the Operation Player Determination Phase (excluding any bonus for Strategic Initiative). He may not spend more than his bid but he can spend fewer and the excess Command Points are lost.
All units Activated in this phase must trace a Command Link through the same Linked, non-Interdicted Headquarters.
20.1. Activation
In order to function at full capacity, a combat unit must be Activated. Units that are not Activated are limited as follows:
20.1.1. Ground Units
A. Cannot move (23.1.1) or initiate ground combat (although they can participate in ground combat if attacked).
B. Cannot pursue (although they can retreat).
Note: Non-Activated ground units can conduct Searches and fire Flak normally.
20.1.2. Air Units
Cannot move (23.2) or perform Air Missions.
Note: Non-Activated air units can conduct Searches, be Alerted, and be used for CAP normally.
20.1.3. Naval Units
A. Cannot move (23.3) or initiate naval combat (although they can participate in naval combat if attacked).
B. Cannot bid Withdraw in naval combat.
Note: Non-Activated naval units can conduct Searches, conduct ASW in response to submarine attack, fire Flak, and participate in naval combat (although they cannot initiate combat) normally.
20.1.4. Activation Eligibility
A. A combat unit must always be Linked in order to be Activated, and Command Points must be spent to Activate them at the rate of one Command Point per unit Activation Point regardless of the number of steps in the unit. Once Deactivated, a unit can never be Activated again in the same Month. All units must be Deactivated in order to end an Operation.
B. When naval units are Activated, remove them from the Force box and place them in a Task Force box. Place the Task Force marker with the same number on the map in the hex in which the Task Force was formed. When ground and air units are Activated move them from the Unactivated side of the Force box to the Activated side and turn the counters to their Activated side. Each CV, CVL, CVE activated also activates its associated air unit at no extra cost.
Note: Per Optional Rules 34.1 and 34.2, when the Japanese KRS and STO units are Activated, remove them from their Force Displays and place them on the map in the hex represented by their Force marker.
20.2. Time
Design Notes: The time increments in Pacific War are variable amounts of time which reflect an average Months' worth of activity, assuming one or both players are willing to conduct an operation.
It may seem odd at first that a ground unit in clear terrain should apparently be able to move farther than a naval unit during a Battle Cycle. This discrepancy is illusory, however, since a ground unit can become Deactivated as a result of combat, while a naval unit cannot be Deactivated except by choice. The result is that, over the course of an operation, a naval unit will move (or at least be capable of moving) much farther than a ground unit. This difference reflects a design decision to abstract time even within a Battle Cycle for playability purposes.
Players must keep track of time throughout the game in two ways: Calendar Time and Operation Time. Both types of time are measured in increments roughly equal to Days. A Month comprises 30 Days in the game. An Operation can comprise virtually any number of Days.
It is up to the Operation player to "buy" the Operation Time he will require to complete his Operation. Should the Days he has purchased run out before he has completed his Operation, he may be forced to buy extra Operation Days or, if unable to purchase sufficient time, lose units (either temporarily or permanently).
Note: Although the term "Day" is used throughout the rules, it does not literally translate into a time increment equal to one day. Certain time increments, based on actions in the game, can be worth more than one day (ships do not usually steam at full speed) and others equal to less than a day when combat is continuous. This distinction reflects the tempo of operations increasing as units converge and decreasing when they are far apart.
20.2.1. Calendar Time
At the beginning of a Scenario, the Day marker is placed in the zero (Month Begin) space of the Day Track. The Day marker is moved during the phases listed below (only) to reflect the passage of Calendar Days.
A. During the Operation Player Contact Phase, each time the Operation Naval Movement marker is advanced into a tinted space on the Naval Movement Track, advance the Day marker one space on the Day Track.
B. During each Day Marker Adjustment Phase, advance the Day marker two spaces on the Day Track.
C. Whenever the Day marker enters or passes the Month Begins (zero) space of the Day Track, the Month immediately ends, and players return to the beginning of the Month sequence.
20.2.2. Operation Time
A. At the beginning of an Operation during the Operation Player Activation Phase, the Operation player places the Operation Begins marker beneath the Day marker. He then secretly decides how many Days of Operation Time he will purchase for his Operation (either 14, 21, or 28). There are three Operation Ends markers, of which two have "Dummy" on the back and one has "Op Ends." The Operation player secretly places the back printed marker on the proper Day Track space (either 14, 21, or 28 Days ahead of the Operation Begins marker) and places the other two Operation Ends markers in the other two possible spaces (the 14, 21, and 28 Day periods are calculated in the Operation End Space numbers appearing in each space of the Day Track).
Example: On Calendar Day 7, the Operation Player begins an Operation. He places the Operation Begins marker in the 7 space. He chooses to conduct a 21-Day Operation, so he places the back-printed Operation Ends marker in the 28 space (21 Days ahead of the Operation Begins marker). The other two Operation Ends markers are placed in the 21 space and 4 space (14 and 28 Days ahead of the Operation Begins marker, respectively). At this point, only the Operation player knows when the Operation is actually scheduled to end.
B. At the moment the Calendar Day marker enters or passes a space containing an Operation Ends marker, that Operation Ends marker is inverted. If the back displays "Dummy", it is simply removed from the Track. If the back displays "Op End," the Operation player must either immediately end his Operation or pay for Penalty Time.
Note: The only way for the Operation player to end his Operation is to have no Activated units on the map.
20.2.3. Penalty Time and Deactivation
At the moment the Calendar Day marker enters or passes the space containing the actual Operation Ends marker, the Operation player must immediately pay the total Activation Point cost of all his units that are currently Activated. If he has insufficient Command Points to pay the entire Activation Point cost, he must either pay for additional time or Deactivate units according to the following priorities.
A. If the Operation player pays for Penalty Time, he immediately places the Penalty Time marker on the Day Track 7 spaces beyond the actual Operation Ends marker and then removes all Operation Ends markers from the Day Track. The Penalty Time marker acts identically to the actual Operation Ends marker once it is placed on the Day Track. Any time the Calendar Day marker enters or passes the space occupied by the Penalty Time marker; the Operation player must deactivate units per priority schedule. The amount of Penalty time that can be purchased by the Operation Player is limited to the same duration as the original operation (e.g., only 21 days of Penalty time can be purchased after a 21-day operation). The Operation player cannot voluntarily Deactivate any unit during the Day Marker Adjustment Phase if he buys Penalty time; he must pay the Activation Point cost of all possible units.
B. Any Offensive unit that uses penalty time (land, air, or sea) loses one step for each battle cycle (beginning with the first one) that the unit remains activated during each Joint Activation/Deactivation Phase. If the number of units that require deactivation falls to 5 units or less, each unit loses 2 (not 1) hits per Battle cycle with one additional hit per unit for each number of units using penalty time below five.
Example: Five units: each lose two hits. Four units: each unit loses 3 hits. Three units: each unit loses 4 hits. Two units: each unit loses 5 hits. One unit loses 6 hits.
In a nutshell, do not go down this path to run the clock.
21st Century Player Note: I am now 35 years older, and I have less tolerance for those who want to muck around with the time rules while looking all innocent. I have seen and heard about every trick devised by rules lawyers to try to run the clock. So, I have now come up with as draconian a solution as I can imagine. This rule has little basis in history but is based on those who like to play with 'cute tactics' which some call 'gamey'. The reason for the additional penalty for leaving a small force active is to shut down yet another way you can try and work the system. You will quickly lose your force. So, feel free to sacrifice your full-strength destroyer unit to buy one additional cycle of penalty time. If you try to skirt the time rules, I punish you, that is what I do. You have been warned.
C. He must Deactivate air units (note that this does not include air units on aircraft carriers) until the total Activation cost is within his available Command Point total. If after Deactivating all Activated air units, he still has insufficient Command Points for his ground and naval units then proceed to the next step. Otherwise, proceed to Step H.
D. He must Deactivate ground units until the total Activation Point cost is within his available Command Point total. If after Deactivating all Activated ground units, he still has insufficient Command Points for his naval unit then proceed to the next step. Otherwise, proceed to Step H.
E. He must Deactivate naval units in ports or anchorages until the total Activation Point cost is within his available Command Point total. If after Deactivating all Activated naval units in such hexes, he still has insufficient Command Points for his naval units not in ports or anchorage then proceed to the next step. Otherwise, proceed to Step H.
F. He must Deactivate and remove naval units not in ports or anchorages and not in range of enemy naval or air combat units until the total Activation Point cost is within his available Command Point total. Naval units removed in this manner are placed on the player's Month Track, three Months beyond the Month currently in progress. They are available during the Reinforcement Phase of the Month whose space they occupy. If after Deactivating all Activated naval units not in ports or anchorages but beyond the range of Activated and non-Activated enemy air and naval combat units, he still has insufficient Command Points for his naval units not in ports or anchorages and in range of enemy air and naval combat units then proceed to the next step. Otherwise, proceed to Step H.
G. He must permanently eliminate naval units not in ports or anchorages but within 2 hexes of Activated and non-Activated enemy air units, or in the same hex as enemy naval units, until the total Activation Point cost is within his available Command Point total.
H. In Penalty Time, Operation player units cannot initiate combat, although submarine attacks can take place. The Operation player can activate additional units in the Joint Activation/Deactivation Phase but must pay the original Time Multiple.
Note: The restriction also implies that Operation player Task Forces therefore cannot enter hexes with enemy naval units. With proper planning—and a minimum of bad luck—the Operation player should have no need to go into Penalty time. He should be able to Deactivate his units prior to the completion of his Operation Time.
20.2.4. Reaction Player Time
A. If the Reaction player Activates any units during the Reaction Player Activation Phase, he immediately places the Reaction Time Ends marker 14 spaces beyond the Operation Begins marker. As long as the Operation continues, the Reaction player can purchase 7 additional Operation Days each time the Calendar Day marker enters or passes the space occupied by the Reaction Time Ends marker by paying the Activation Costs of currently Activated units.
Example: If the Operation Begins marker is in the 7 space, the Reaction player can Activate units during the Reaction Player Activation Phase by immediately paying the Activation costs for all units Activated and placing the Reaction Time Ends marker in the 21 space (14 Days beyond the current position of the Calendar Day marker.) If the Operation is still in progress when the Calendar Day marker moves into the 21 space, the Reaction player can again spend the Activation cost of all currently Activated units and move the Reaction time marker 7 spaces beyond its previous position to the 28 space.
B. When the Operation player ends his Operation by Deactivating his last unit, the Reaction player has a maximum of 5 Battle Cycles to Deactivate his own units. In the first of these five additional Cycles, he can initiate combat; in the ensuing 4 Cycles, he cannot initiate combat although he can perform all other functions allowable within the Cycle. The Reaction player may have to buy additional time in order to use all five Cycles available to him. Units that are not Deactivated at the end of this period must use the Penalty Time Deactivation procedure above (20.2.3), whereby units that remain activated will start taking attrition.
20.2.5. Headquarters Operation Cost
Depending on the number of unit Activation Points the Operation player plans to spend, he may have to pay a Headquarters Operation cost for the Headquarters he is using in the phase.
0-10 Activation Points: Level 0. If the Operation player will Activate 10 or fewer Activation Points, he is conducting a Level 0 Operation. There is no Headquarters Operation cost for a Level 0 Operation.
11-20 Activation Points: Level 1. If the Operation player will Activate 11 through 20 Activation Points, he is conducting a Level 1 Operation. There is a Headquarters Operation cost of 1x the Operation cost printed on the Headquarters counter.
21-30 Activation Points: Level 2. If the Operation player will Activate 21 through 30 Activation Points, he is conducting a Level 2 Operation. There is a Headquarters Operation cost of 2x the Operation cost printed on the Headquarters counter.
31 or More Activation Points: Level 3. If the Operation player will Activate 31 or more Activation Points, he is conducting a Level 3 Operation. There is a Headquarters Operation cost of 3x the Operation cost printed on the Headquarters counter.
Note: The Operation Levels are based on the number of actual unit Activation Points that will be Activated. Time Multiples (see below) are not used in this calculation.
Time Multiple. The Operation player can purchase 14, 21, or 28 Days in which to conduct his Operation. Headquarter Operation costs are not considered in this calculation.
When purchasing a 14-Day Operation, he spends 1x the Activation Point cost of each unit Activated.
When purchasing a 21-Day Operation, he spends 2x the Activation Point cost of each unit Activated.
When purchasing a 28-Day Operation, he spends 3x the Activation point cost of the number of each unit Activated.
Note: These multiples are not used in calculating the Level of the Operation or in determining whether or not a Headquarters cost must be paid.
20.3. Activation in the Reaction Player Activation Phase
The Reaction player can Activate units only if there are Operation player units still Activated. The Reaction player is not obligated to Activate any units. If the Reaction player does wish to Activate units, he is limited by the Operation Level selected by the Operation player and by the Operational Intelligence Condition. The maximum Operation Level the Reaction player can Activate is listed below:
| Operational Intelligence Condition | Op Level 0 | Op Level 1 | Op Level 2 | Op Level 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surprise Attack | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Intercept | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Ambush* | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
* including Ambush-CV
The Reaction player Activates units in exactly the same way as the Operation player, using the Command Points from a single Linked, non-Interdicted Headquarters, determining Operation Level, paying Headquarters Operation costs, and so forth. The Reaction player does not, however, pay any Time Multiples. The units Activated in the Reaction Player Activation Phase are always Activated for 14 Days.
20.4. Activation in the Joint Activation/Deactivation Phase
Each player can spend a maximum of 10 Command Points during this phase to Activate combat units. The Operation player must apply his Time Multiple for the length of Operation he is conducting to any units Activated in this phase.
Example: If the Operation player is conducting a 21-Day Operation (x2 Time Multiple), he would have to spend 4 Command Points to Activate a ground unit with an Activation cost of 2. He would not be able to Activate three units with Activation costs of 2 each in this case, since that would cost 12 Command Points which is over the maximum 10 allowed.
The Reaction player simply pays the Activation cost of any units he Activates. A player can use only one Headquarters to Activate units in any given Joint Activation/Deactivation Phase but can use a different HQ each time.
20.5. Deactivation
An Operation ends at the instant there are no Activated units remaining. This is the only way an Operation can end. Players are restricted in when they may Deactivate.
20.5.1. Contact Phase Deactivation
The Operation player can, at his option, deactivate all of his units before the Reaction player has terminated the Operation player movement. In order to do this, the Operation player must Deactivate all of his units. In this case, the Reaction player can automatically become the Operation player in the next Operation (see Movement 23.4.F.b).
20.5.2. Penalty Deactivation
If a player exceeds his legal Operation time and goes into Penalty time, he must pay Activation costs for all of his units. Units for which he cannot pay may have to Deactivate (see Penalty Time 20.2.3 for details).
20.5.3. Joint Activation/Deactivation
A. Most Deactivation occurs during the Joint Activation/Deactivation Phase. Both players are entitled to Deactivate any of their units during this phase (exceptions: see Amphibious Assault 23.8.3.A.b, Paradrop 28.14).
B. Air and ground units can be Deactivated where they are (again, see Amphibious Assault 23.8.3 and Paradrop 28.14). Naval units must occupy a port or anchorage in order to Deactivate. For details on failure to Deactivate, see Time 20.2. To show that a unit is Deactivated, see instructions on Force Displays.
Note: Ground units using withdrawal during the Joint Activation/Deactivation Phase can exit enemy-occupied hexes or re-embark on transports and Deactivate at the same time.
21. Operational Intelligence
Design Note: The war in the Pacific was a series of operations conducted across the breadth of the theater in pursuit of strategic goals. The players, in the positions of the various Commanders in Chief, conduct operations within the restrictions imposed by unit and resource (Command Point) availability. When an operation is initiated, the opposing player conducts an intelligence die roll that represents the various radio detection, call signal analysis, and breaking of the Japanese JN25 code achieved by the Allies. The result of the intelligence die roll determines whether the operation will be launched into a Surprise Attack, Intercept, or Ambush situation.
Surprise Attack was achieved by the Japanese in the beginning of the war, and it resulted in such notable operations as Pearl Harbor and the invasion of the Philippines.
Intercept represents the condition prevalent throughout the war in which the initiation of an operation was known to be brewing based on increased radio traffic and small snippets of information gleaned from lower security codes.
Operations occurring in an Intercept-type condition include those resulting in the Coral Sea and Eastern Solomons battles.
The Ambush condition occurred when the Japanese main code was broken or when effective radio direction-finding techniques were used, resulting in such situations as those at Midway and the Battle for the Philippine Sea, respectively.
All of these intelligence conditions dictate the degree to which the opposing player can react to an operation. A successful reaction will result in the enemy forces being intercepted prior to reaching their objective.
A. Unlike the Engagement and Battle Scenarios, players must determine the Operational Intelligence Condition for each Operation in Campaign and Strategic scenarios.
B. During the Operational Intelligence Phase, the Reaction player refers to the Operational Intelligence Table and rolls the die, cross referencing the die roll with his own Strategic Intelligence Level for this Month.
C. The resulting Operational Intelligence Condition is kept secret from the Operation player until the Operation player has completed the naval movement portion of his Contact Phase. Once he has determined the Operational Intelligence Condition, the Reaction player places the appropriate Operational Intelligence Condition marker face-down on the Operation Display.
22. Operational Intelligence: Ambush CV Condition
During Campaign and Strategic scenarios, players must determine the Operational Intelligence Condition for the Operation to follow. There are four possible Operational Intelligence Conditions:
- Surprise Attack
- Intercept
- Ambush
- Ambush-CV
The effects of the first three are summarized in the Movement rules. The Ambush-CV Condition is the same as Ambush, however, uses the following rules during the Advantage Air Mission Phase of the first Battle Cycle only (in addition to those normally used for an Ambush Condition):
A. All Activated Operation CV, CVL, and CVE naval units that have at least one air step embarked and are attacked have all hits inflicted doubled—even those attributed to Critical Hits.
B. All Flak Combat from Task Forces occurs after an Air Mission is completed rather than before, regardless of whether or not the Mission was Detected.
C. If any Alerted air units from an aircraft carrier are present in an Air Combat, only one air unit conducts CAP, without any Strength modifiers pertaining to other F air units present. Anti-Air Strength modifiers due to hits are still applied.
D. Simultaneous Strikes cannot be declared.
23. Movement
Only combat units can be moved from one hex to another in Pacific War. Combat units include air, naval, and ground units. The rules and restrictions for moving each type of unit in each of the phases that permit movement vary as described below.
23.1. Ground Unit Movement
23.1.1. Movement and Movement Cost
A ground unit must be Activated in order to move or paradrop and can only move from land hex to contiguous land hex (except when moving by Amphibious Transport 24.8).
Each ground unit has a Movement Point Allowance of 6. Each time a ground unit moves, it spends a portion of its Movement Point Allowance. A ground unit can never exceed its Movement Point Allowance in one phase, although it can spend its entire Allowance in each phase in which it is eligible to move.
The Movement Point costs for ground units (other than armored units) are as follows:
A. Enter a Clear hex from another land hex: 2 MPs.
B. Enter a Jungle/Hill hex from another land hex: 3 MPs.
C. Enter a Mixed hex from another land hex: 6 MPs.
D. Enter any land hex from another land hex by crossing a Transport Route hexside: 2 MPs. All railroads, rivers, and roads are transport routes.
Note: Entering a hex with a river has no impact on movement as it does in most wargames the cost is built into the other MP costs. More importantly as rivers are transport routes moving from river to contiguous river hex is 2 MPs per hex.
E. Embark on amphibious transport (23.8) unit: 6 MPs.
F. Disembark from amphibious transport (23.8) unit: 6 MPs.
Note: Movement by amphibious transport costs a ground unit no Movement Points; only embarkation and disembarkation costs are borne by the ground unit.
Armored units pay the same costs but can only move through Transport Route hexsides (into any kind of hex) or into Clear hexes.
23.1.2. Ground Unit Movement During Battle Cycles
A. When a Ground unit is activated, it has a Battle Cycle Move (BCM) marker assigned to it. The BCM is numbered from one to four on two of its edges. Place a BCM under each active Ground unit with a value equal to the number of weeks in the current Operation.
B. Place a BCM marker under each activated ground unit with the BCM number oriented toward the top of the counter.
Example: A 21-Day Operation has a BCM of 3. A Ground unit can move during a number of Battle Cycles equal to the number of weeks in the operation, so a two-week Operation yields 2 Battle Cycle moves per unit activated for the Operation, 3 for a three-week Operation, and 4 for a four-week Operation.
C. During any Battle Cycle that the ground unit moves, it expends one of its available Battle Cycle moves denoted by turning the marker underneath the active ground unit. When the Ground unit expends its last Battle Cycle move, remove the chit and, at the conclusion of the Battle Cycle, flip the ground unit to its Deactivated side.
D. A ground unit that loses a battle immediately expends one week of movement (one BCM), if available, or else it deactivates (retreat, 31.2).
E. Embarking units on a transport does not cost a ground unit BCM use.
F. Disembarking a unit from a transport, whether this leads to combat or not, costs one BCM use.
G. When a Reaction unit is activated, it receives a 2 BCM marker.
H. Ground units do not expend BCM during a Contact Phase.
23.1.3. Stacking Limitations
Each side can have a maximum of 48 steps of ground units in a given hex at any time (for a theoretical maximum of 96 opposing steps). If a ground unit would exceed this limitation by moving into a hex by any means—including Retreat, Pursuit, or Withdrawal—it cannot enter the hex.
23.1.4. Entering an Enemy-Occupied Hex
The instant a ground unit enters a hex occupied by an enemy ground unit, if no Entry Arrow marker is already in place to indicate the hexside crossed, place an Entry Arrow marker on the map.
Note: If a friendly or enemy Entry Arrow marker is already in place pointing to the same hexside, do not place another.
If an enemy or friendly Entry Arrow marker is in place pointing to a different hexside, place another friendly marker on top of the first but pointing to the new hexside.
The marker is placed in the hex from which the ground unit moved from to enter the enemy-occupied hex, with the arrow pointing toward the hex entered (use the green side of the marker for an Allied unit, and the yellow side for a Japanese unit). This marker remains in place as long as opposing units occupy the same hex and is removed at the instant that opposing units no longer occupy the hex.
Once a ground unit enters a hex occupied by enemy ground units, the moving unit's movement ends for that phase.
23.1.5. Overrun
At the instant a ground unit occupies a hex containing any of the following but containing no enemy mobile ground unit, the hex is considered Overrun.
An empty installation is considered overrun even if a ground unit ends its move in the hex via naval movement but does not disembark.
Overrun has numerous effects, depending on what is in the hex.
A. Co-Prosperity Sphere or Homeland Resource Hex. An Overrun Co-Prosperity Sphere hex instantly comes under the control of the overrunning player, who can place a Control marker on the hex. If the hex had an enemy Control marker on it, that marker is removed. At the instant you place a Control marker on a Co-Prosperity Sphere hex, move the Strategic Initiative marker one space in your favor (Strategic scenarios only).
B. Enemy Base unit. An Overrun of an enemy Base unit instantly removes the Base unit and all air units at that location are eliminated. All naval units at that location receive one hit and are removed from play to return as reinforcements on the next turn. The hex now reverts to an airfield/port location where the controlling player can use engineering units to construct their own airbase/port or convert into a friendly small airbase (17.12).
C. Enemy Offensive Support Base. An Overrun enemy Offensive Support Base is instantly eliminated.
D. Enemy Anchorage. Any enemy naval units occupying an Overrun anchorage at the end of the Operation are eliminated.
23.2. Air Unit Movement
23.2.1. Battle Cycle Movement
Only an Activated air unit can move. An air unit moves from hex to contiguous hex, tracing a flight path that is no longer than its Range. If an air unit exceeds its Range by a hex, it is immediately eliminated.
An air unit must always begin and end a move at a friendly Air Installation (e.g., airbase). Terrain has no effect on the movement of air units.
Note: The Range of an air unit includes all the hexes through which the unit moves, not just the hexes in one direction on a round trip. For instance, an air unit with a Range of 8 can fly a maximum of 4 hexes out and 4 hexes back to land at the same Air Installation, or it can fly a maximum of 8 hexes out to land at another Air Installation.
23.2.2. Contact Phase Movement
During its movement in a Contact Phase, an air unit cannot move within 2 hexes of an enemy linked air unit. Since the non-moving player's air units are not on the map (but are represented by Force or Task Force markers), the non-moving player must tell the moving player if he has inadvertently come within 2 hexes of an air unit. In such a case, the moving air unit is immediately returned to its Air Installation and is considered to have completed one move for the phase.
During the Contact Phase, the capacity of any Air Installation that an air unit moves through does not matter, but the restrictions on carriers requiring the right nationality and CV-capable air units still apply.
23.3. Naval Unit Movement
Only an Activated naval unit can move. Each naval unit can move a variable number of Water hexes during a Contact Phase. A naval unit can move up to two hexes in a Battle Cycle Movement Phase, according to numerous restrictions listed by phase below.
23.4. Operation Player Contact Phase Movement
A. During the Operation Player Contact Phase, the Operation player can move his Activated units. He can move his units in any order, but he must move all of one type of unit (air, ground, or naval) before moving another type.
B. Air Unit Movement. Each activated air unit can move from one friendly Air Installation to another and can then move again for a total of two complete moves. The air units cannot move within 2 hexes of an enemy linked air unit at any time during this movement.
C. Ground Unit Movement. Each activated ground unit that is not in a hex occupied by enemy ground units can move once, up to the limit of its Movement Point Allowance or embark. These units cannot move into a hex occupied by any enemy ground unit, or into any hex they would normally be prohibited from entering during movement in this phase.
D. Each Activated Task Force can be moved a variable number of hexes, depending on the Operational Intelligence Condition and the decision of the Reaction player. The operation player begins by placing the Operation Naval Movement marker in the zero space of the Naval Movement Track. Both players then have one opportunity to Search for one another.
E. The Operation player then starts a move-search cycle: he moves all Task Forces that he wishes to move one hex, advancing the Naval Movement marker one space (into the tinted 1 space) and advancing the Day marker one space on the Day track. Players again have an opportunity to Search for one another, as they do each time the Naval Movement marker is advanced (see Search).
F. The Operation player continues to move his Task Forces, one hex at a time, advancing the Naval Movement marker for each hex moved, advancing the Day marker whenever the Naval Movement marker enters a tinted space of the Naval Movement Track, and pausing while both players conduct Searches. The Operation player ceases his naval movement in one of three ways:
a. The operation player can declare his naval movement completed at any time.
b. The operation player can Deactivate all of his units (naval, air, and ground). If the Operation player does so, the Reaction player automatically becomes the Operation player in the next Operation Determination Phase, if he wishes, without having to bid.
c. The Reaction player can halt the Operation player's naval movement at some point, depending on the Operational Intelligence Condition. Until the Reaction player halts the Operation player's naval movement, only the Reaction player knows what the Operational Intelligence Condition is. Upon stopping the Operation player's naval movement, the Reaction player reveals the Condition marker, turning it face-up in the Operational Intelligence Condition Box.
23.5. Contact Phase Reaction Player Operational Movement
The Reaction player can stop the Operation player's movement according to the appropriate Operational Intelligence Condition as follows:
A. Surprise Attack. If the Condition is Surprise Attack, the Reaction player can halt the Operation player's naval movement at the instant the Reaction player Detects one of the Operation player's Task Forces. If the Reaction player Detects a Task Force and declines to halt the movement, he must make another successful Detection in order to halt the movement.
B. Intercept. If the Condition is Intercept, the Reaction player can halt the Operation player's naval movement at any time after the Naval Movement marker has entered or passed the 2 space of the Naval Movement Track, whether he has Detected a Task Force or not.
C. Ambush (or Ambush CV). If the Condition is Ambush, the Reaction player can halt the Operation player's naval movement at any time, even if the Naval Movement marker is still in the zero space of the Naval Movement Track, whether he has Detected a Task Force or not.
Note: If the Operation player's naval movement is stopped by the Reaction player, but the Operation player has not yet moved his ground and/or air units, he does move those units normally before proceeding to the Reaction Player Activation Phase.
23.5.1. Movement During the Reaction Player Contact Phase
During the Reaction Player Contact Phase, the Reaction player can move his Activated units. He can move his units in any order, but he must move all of one type of unit (air, ground, or naval) before moving another type.
The Operational Intelligence Condition determines the distance a player can move his units as follows:
A. Surprise Attack. If the Condition is Surprise Attack, the Reaction Player Contact Phase is omitted entirely. The Reaction player has no opportunity to move his units and neither player has an opportunity to Search during the phase.
B. Intercept. If the Condition is Intercept, the Reaction player can move his units as follows:
a. Air Units: Each Activated air unit can move once from one friendly Air Installation to another. The air units cannot move within 2 hexes of an enemy linked air unit at any time during this movement.
b. Ground Units: Each Activated ground unit that is not in a hex occupied by enemy ground units can move 1 hex or embark for amphibious transport. Units cannot move into a hex occupied by any enemy ground unit or into any hex they would normally be prohibited from entering during movement in this phase.
c. Naval Units: Each Activated Task Force unit can be moved a maximum number of hexes equal to the number of hexes moved by the Operation player's Task Forces (as recorded on the Naval Movement Track). The Reaction player begins by placing the Reaction Naval Movement marker in the zero space of the Naval Movement Track. Both players then have an opportunity to Search for one another. The Reaction Player then moves each Task Force that he wishes to move one hex, advancing his Naval Movement marker one space (into the 1 space). Players again have an opportunity to Search for one another, as they do each time the Naval Movement marker is advanced (see Search).
The Reaction player continues moving his Task Forces, one hex at a time, advancing the Reaction Naval Movement marker for each hex moved and pausing while both players conduct Searches. The Reaction player ceases his naval movement in one of three ways:
- He can declare his naval movement completed at any time before he has moved as far as the Operation player Task Forces.
- At the moment his Task Forces have moved as many hexes as the Operation player's, the Reaction player must end his naval movement.
- The Operation player can halt the Reaction player's naval movement at the instant the Operation player Detects one of the Reaction player's Task Forces. If the Operation player Detects a Task Force and declines to halt the movement, he must make another successful Detection in order to halt the movement.
C. Ambush (or Ambush CV). If the Condition is Ambush (or Ambush CV), the Reaction player can move his units as follows:
a. Air Units: Each Activated air unit can move from one friendly Air Installation to another and can then move again. The air units cannot move within 2 hexes of an enemy linked air unit at any time during this movement.
b. Ground Units: Each Activated ground unit that is not in a hex occupied by enemy ground units can move once up to the limit of its Movement Point Allowance or embark. These units cannot move into a hex occupied by any enemy ground unit, or into any hex they would normally be prohibited from entering during movement in this phase.
c. Naval Units: Each Activated Task Force can be moved a maximum number of hexes equal to twice the number of hexes moved by the Operation player's Task Forces (as recorded on the Naval Movement Track). The Reaction player begins by placing the Reaction Naval Movement marker in the zero space of the Naval Movement Track. Both players then have one opportunity to Search for one another. He then moves all Task Forces that he wishes to move one hex, advancing his Naval Movement marker one space (into the 1 space). Players again have an opportunity to Search for one another, as they do each time the Naval Movement marker is advanced (see Search).
Note: The Day marker is never advanced during the Reaction Player Contact Phase.
The Reaction player continues moving his Task Forces, one hex at a time, advancing the Reaction Naval Movement marker for each hex moved and pausing while both players conduct Searches. The Reaction player ceases his naval movement in one of three ways:
- He can declare his naval movement completed at any time before he has moved twice as far as the Operation player Task Forces.
- At the moment his Task Forces have moved twice as many hexes as the Operation player's, the Reaction player must end his naval movement.
- The Operation player can halt the Reaction player's naval movement at the instant the Operation player Detects one of the Reaction player's Task Forces. If the Operation player Detects a Task Force and declines to halt the movement, he must make another successful Detection in order to halt the movement.
23.6. Movement During a Battle Cycle Movement Phase
During the Advantage or Disadvantage Movement Phase, the Advantage or Disadvantage player, respectively, can move his Activated ground and naval units. He can move his units in any order, but he must move all of one type of unit (ground or naval) before moving the other type.
23.6.1. Ground Unit Movement
If a ground unit has remaining BCM movement and is not in a hex occupied by enemy ground units it can move once up to the limit of its Movement Point Allowance by expending one BCM. Ground units can enter hexes occupied by enemy ground units during a Movement Phase but must end their movement for the phase in the enemy-occupied hex.
Note: A ground unit must expend a BCM to move and if entering a solely enemy occupied hex it must attack.
23.6.2. Naval Unit Movement
Each friendly Task Force can move 0, 1, or 2 hexes during a friendly Movement Phase.
A Task Force must end its movement for the phase at the instant it enters a Coastal or Restricted Water hex that contains an enemy Task Force. A Task Force is not obligated to cease movement when entering an enemy occupied Open water hex. A Task Force is not obligated to cease movement when entering an enemy Submarine Patrol zone hex in any water type, but is subject to submarine combat (25.2).
The player whose phase is in progress conducts any Searches he wishes to conduct (while the non-Phasing player does likewise) before moving any naval units. He then moves all the Task Forces he wishes to move one hex and both players conduct Searches again; and then he moves his Task Forces another hex and both players Search again.
Note: Search is covered in section 24.0 but be aware that the moving Task Force (or even if it doesn't move) is searched for no more than once and the result of a search will determine if the Task Force is detected that has implications for whether movement can continue during a Contact Phase, and how much information is conveyed by a successful search.
23.6.3. Movement During an Air Mission Phase
Note: Air units do not move during the Movement Phase, but during the Air Mission Phase. They are covered here as I wanted to put all movement rules in one location. Air Missions are covered in 29.0.
A. During an Air Mission Phase, non-Activated air units cannot move but they may be Alerted or perform CAP if enemy air units enter their hex.
B. Activated air units can move during a friendly Air Mission Phase to perform Air Strike, Air Supremacy, Paradrop, or Ferry missions.
C. During an Air Mission, all air units from the same hex participating in the same Mission must move together (unless a unit is forced to Abort).
D. Air units are moved hex by hex until they reach the Target hex.
E. In the event of an Interception, CAP combat occurs the instant the CAP player announces the Interception (28.6).
F. Units from different hexes can move together on an Air Mission when a stack enters a hex containing friendly air units, which are then "picked up" and added to the stack. Otherwise, each stack of Mission air units originating from a different hex must complete its movement alone to the target hex before another stack of Mission air units can begin to move.
G. After an Air Mission is completed and the units are returning to base, each stack of air units going to a different landing hex must complete its movement before another stack of Mission air units can begin to move. Units together in a stack but going to different hexes can move together and "drop off" air units from the stack as they move through hexes.
23.7. Exiting the Map
Allied naval units (including AA and APD units carrying ground units) can exit the map through any Open Water hex on the South, East, or West map edge.
Allied ground units using ground movement can exit any West or South map edge land hex that they would normally be allowed to enter.
Allied air units can never exit the map (unless they are aboard an aircraft carrier). Aircraft carriers that exit the map retain any air units onboard at the time.
Any Allied unit that enters or exits the map is placed in the appropriate map edge Holding Box. Each Naval Repair Phase (even if the unit is a ground unit), it advances one box along the Holding Box Track until it is eligible to return to the map. Once it is eligible to return, it becomes available as a Reinforcement in the next Reinforcement Phase.
Japanese ground units using ground movement can exit the map edge into India through the hexrow 5801-5812 provided the hex through which they exit is Linked (33.5).
Japanese naval and air units cannot exit the map.
Japanese ground units that exit the map can never re-enter the map.
23.8. Amphibious Transport
23.8.1. General Rule
A. A ground unit can embark on an amphibious transport (AA) naval unit when they occupy the same hex during any friendly Contact or Battle Cycle Movement Phase. Embarkation is considered the ground unit's movement not the naval units and does not cost a BCM use.
B. A ground unit can disembark from an AA in any friendly Movement Phase in a shoreline hex, even if the AA has moved, provided there is no enemy naval unit (excluding submarine Patrol zone) in the hex. This costs a BCM use.
C. A ground unit can disembark from an AA in any friendly Movement Phase in a shoreline hex if there are enemy naval units in the hex, provided the AA has not moved in the current phase. Fortifications are treated as a naval unit for this purpose. This costs a BCM use.
D. After disembarking, the AA cannot leave the hex during that phase.
E. Each AA unit, regardless of the number of steps, can carry up to one division of ground units (1 division is the equivalent of 3 regiments or brigades, or 9 battalions).
Note: Armor units can be amphibiously transported only by AA units (not by DD or APD units, as described below), and they can disembark only in Clear hexes or hexes containing Transport Routes.
F. Each time an AA unit takes a hit (short of elimination), 2 hits are inflicted on the total steps being transported (not 2 hits on each ground unit carried). When an AA unit is eliminated, all ground units being transported are also eliminated.
23.8.2. DD's and APD's
Allied APD's and Japanese APD's and DD's can also be used as transports, identical to AA naval units in all respects, except as follows:
A. An APD or Japanese DD, regardless of the number of steps it has, can carry only 1 regiment or brigade (equivalent to 3 battalions).
B. If the naval unit takes a hit (short of elimination), only 1 hit is inflicted on the units being transported. If the naval unit is eliminated, whatever it is carrying is also eliminated.
C. All of the naval unit's Combat Strengths—except Anti-Air—are halved until the ground unit(s) disembark.
23.8.3. Amphibious Assault
A. When a combat unit disembarks into a hex occupied by an enemy ground unit, the disembarking player must initiate combat (amphibious assault) whether he is the Operation player or not.
a. If the Advantage player conducts the assault, he must initiate combat in the ensuing Ground Combat Phase.
b. If the Disadvantage player conducts the assault, he must initiate combat in the Ground Combat Phase of the next Battle Cycle (he cannot Deactivate his assaulting units until the assault is resolved).
B. During this combat, the unit conducting the assault has its Troop Quality halved (round up) for the combat ratio determination only, unless a friendly ground unit already occupies the assault hex, or the assault hex is being simultaneously attacked by friendly ground units from another land hex.
C. If a unit performing amphibious assault suffers a mandatory retreat result and does retreat, it takes double the losses specified on the Combat Results Table, embarks, and immediately Deactivates.
D. If the assaulted hex is not occupied by enemy ground units, the assaulting unit still can move no further.
E. A unit performing amphibious assault cannot pursue.
24. Search
In order to attack anything in Pacific War, you must Detect it. In order to find out what enemy units occupy a given hex; you must conduct a successful Reconnaissance. Both Detection and Reconnaissance come under the heading of Search.
Design Notes: During naval operations, one of the more significant factors in the outcome of engagements was "who saw who first."
Air search was a problematical affair in which the number of accurate detections was small in comparison to the number of sightings claimed. As a naval unit approached the origin of the search, the probability of detection increased because the loiter time for search aircraft increased the chance of an accurate position report.
The reason that a search unit can search only a limited number of times per phase (or that a target unit can be sought only a limited number of times) lies in the historical search patterns flown during the war. Each air unit would be responsible for a search arc limited to a given number of degrees. Numerous individual aircraft (all represented within the same air unit in the game) would be required to fly one of these search arcs in order to cover a full 360 degree search from a given location.
Another important aspect of search is that it allows the players to play a hidden movement game without the difficulties attendant in many "simultaneous pre-plotted movement" games. Although the players can see enemy Task Force markers on the map, their units cannot react to the presence of the enemy without a successful detection as a prerequisite for combat.
Technically, according to the game rules, nothing can be attacked unless it is Detected. In fact, all Force markers (and everything they represent), Land Airbases, Seaplane Airbases, ports, Offensive Support Bases, Headquarters, Resource hexes, terrain features, and virtually anything else on the map are always automatically and permanently considered Detected. The only targets that you must actually Search for in order to Detect (and attack) are Task Force markers and moving air units.
24.1. Detection
Once a successful Search is carried out against a Task Force marker or moving air units, they remain Detected as follows:
A. A Detected Task Force marker is flipped from its Undetected side to its Detected side, and it remains Detected until the Detection Removal Phase. It does not matter which enemy unit Detected the Task Force; any enemy unit can attack it while it is Detected.
B. A Detected air unit remains Detected until it lands (or is destroyed). When any unit on an Air Mission is Detected, every unit on the Air Mission is Detected (28.5.1).
Example: If one air unit is forced to Abort before reaching the target hex and returns to its Air Installation, it is considered Detected until it lands, as are the air units that continue the mission.
24.2. Reconnaissance
Every successful Search will result in the target being Detected; but the Reconnaissance information gained from a successful Search can vary. The results listed on the Search Chart indicate three successful Search results that offer different degrees of accuracy in their reporting. The target player is obliged to reveal no more about his situation in the target hex than is required by the Search result called for by the chart.
A ground unit entering a land hex with an enemy force present constitutes a Green Reconnaissance result.
24.3. Search Procedure
Any combat unit, port, Air Installation, Offensive Support Base, or Headquarters can conduct a Search in the hex they occupy (whether Activated or not, whether linked or not), but only air units can Search outside the hex they occupy (whether Activated or not, whether linked or not).
Note: Submarine Patrol Areas use different rules for search (25.2).
Search involves no movement whatsoever on the part of the searching unit. To conduct a Search, simply select the unit that will Search, count the number of hexes from the hex the searching unit occupies to the target of the Search, and refer to the Search Chart. Roll one die and refer to the portion of the Chart appropriate to the Lighting Condition, type of searching unit, and range. If the number rolled on the die is listed in the appropriate portion of the Chart, you have Detected the target; the color of the number refers to the Chart's Reconnaissance Level key, which indicates how much information you receive about the target.
24.3.1. When Search Is Performed
Players can attempt to Search only during the following phases:
- Operation Player Contact Phase
- Reaction Player Contact Phase
- Advantage Movement Phase
- Advantage Air Mission Phase
- Disadvantage Movement Phase
- Disadvantage Air Mission Phase
24.3.2. Contact Phase Search
Both players are entitled to conduct Searches with all of their combat units with the following restrictions:
A. Submarine Patrols cannot conduct Search.
B. A unit can conduct only one Search in any one Naval Movement increment.
C. A hex can be the target of a Search only once in any one Naval Movement increment. When conducting a search during a Contact Phase use the Day portion of the Search Chart (26.6).
Example: The Allied player has two LRA units, A and B. During the Japanese Operation Contact Phase, before the Japanese player has moved a Task Force and the Naval Movement marker is still in the zero space, the Allied player conducts a Search of Task Force X with LRA A and the Search fails. He cannot attempt to Search Task Force X with LRA B, because he has already searched the hex it occupies during this Naval Movement increment. Once the Japanese player moves his Task Forces and moves the Naval Movement marker into space 1, the Allied player can Search for Task Force X again, even if Task Force X itself did not move, because it is now a new Naval Movement increment.
24.3.3. Movement Phase Search
Both players are entitled to conduct Searches with all of their combat units and submarine patrols with the following restrictions:
Note: For readability Submarine Patrol, Submarine Patrol Area and Submarine Patrol Zone are used interchangeably, they all mean the same thing.
Note: Submarines can attack detected enemy Task Forces that enter any hex that is within their zone (within three hexes of the Patrol marker). Usually, the submarine will both detect and then conduct an attack, but if a detected enemy Task Force enters a Patrol area an attack can immediately occur.
A. A hex can be Searched only once during the phase.
B. A Task Force can be Searched for only once during the phase whether it moves or not.
C. A Submarine Patrol area can conduct only one Search attempt during an enemy Movement Phase per movement increment (25.2.A).
D. A unit can conduct only one search per Movement Phase.
24.3.4. Air Mission Phase (Advantage or Disadvantage) Search
In an Air Mission Phase (Advantage or Disadvantage), both players are entitled to conduct Searches with all of their combat units with the following restrictions:
A. Submarine Patrol Areas cannot search during an Air Mission Phase.
B. Only Mission air units can be the target of a Search and they can be Searched for only once each time they enter a hex, only by units in the hex (28.5.1).
25. Submarines
Design Note: Submarines are treated very differently in this edition of the game.
A. Submarines in the game do not move per se but are deployed during the Submarine Patrol Phase during a Campaign or Strategic scenario or are specified for a Battle Scenario.
Note: The Japanese KRS and STO submarines are covered in the Optional Rules (34.1, 34.2).
B. The Japanese player has two Submarine Commands, and the Allies have three in the Strategic scenario and usually no more than one during any Campaign scenario.
C. A Submarine Command is removed from play if its Base unit at its linked port is either interdicted or removed due to combat. It is available for redeployment in the next Reinforcement Phase.
D. A player can redeploy a Submarine Command during a Command Phase by removing it from the map and placing it in a friendly linked Port during a future Reinforcement Phase at a cost of 25 Command Points.
E. At the beginning of each Submarine Patrol Phase, all submarine patrols are removed from the map and can be immediately redeployed during that phase if their activation cost is expended with at least 6 submarines assigned.
F. Unactivated submarines assigned to a Submarine Command can be attacked as naval targets by air strikes but are ignored in naval combat or naval bombardment.
25.1. Submarine Patrols
During the Submarine Patrol Phase in a Campaign or Strategic scenario, each player can expend CPs to activate and deploy submarines. Submarines are deployed into Submarine Patrols that are placed on the map. Each Submarine Patrol has a three hex radius.
Note: For readability Submarine Patrol, Submarine Patrol Area and Submarine Patrol Zone are used interchangeably, they all mean the same thing.
During the Submarine Patrol Phase, both players (Allies first) pay to activate and place Submarine Patrols on the map.
A. Each submarine patrol has a number of submarines associated with it as denoted by a number counter placed under the Patrol marker when it is placed.
B. The cost for a Submarine patrol is 1 CP for each 6 submarines (round all costs up to the nearest increment of 6) in the patrol. Each Submarine Command can place up to 8 Patrol areas on the map, but each Patrol area has to have at least six submarines when deployed.
25.2. Submarine Search and Combat
A. During an enemy Movement Phase, after each hex of enemy Task Force movement, if an enemy Task Force enters (cannot be stationary) a hex in a Submarine Patrol zone it may be searched for and if detected (or if already detected) it may be subjected to a submarine attack.
B. If the Submarine Patrol has an attack strength of at least 1 (see H) it can conduct submarine search and uses the Search table Night, Same hex search range and it therefore successfully detects an enemy Task Force on a die roll of 5 or less, else it fails. A Submarine Patrol with a strength of less than 1 cannot search or attack.
C. Each Submarine Patrol area may make only one search after each hex of enemy Task Force movement even if multiple Task Forces qualify for a search. This equates into a maximum of two potential submarine searches per Patrol area per enemy Movement Phase.
D. If a Submarine Patrol searches for a Task Force, it can only attack that Task Force. If the Task Force that is being attacked is already detected the Submarine cannot conduct a search against another Task Force.
E. A Submarine Patrol can attempt only one attack against any detected moving enemy Task Force per hex of enemy movement. This equates into a maximum of two potential submarine attacks per Patrol area per enemy Movement Phase but per F., the second attack must be against a different Task Force.
F. A Task Force can be subjected to only one Submarine attack per Movement Phase. If an enemy Task Force is being subjected to a Submarine attack this occurs immediately after the Task Force movement that triggered the attack.
G. A Submarine Patrol conducts a number of Submarine attacks against the target enemy Task Force equal to its attack strength or six whichever value is smaller.
H. Submarine Attack Strength Calculation.
a. Take the number of Submarines in the Patrol area and divide this number by,
b. The distance the Patrol marker is from the nearest friendly Submarine HQ as measured in 5-hex increments or partial 5 hex increments.
c. Round the final result down to the nearest whole number.
Example: A patrol representing 6 submarines that is 30 hexes from the nearest Submarine Command is equal to 6/(30/5)=1. Round all values down. So, if the submarine patrol in our example were 31 hexes from the nearest Submarine Command, it would be 6/7 rounded down that equals 0 attack strength, and the Patrol Area could not be used for search or attack.
Note: A Submarine Patrol in range of an enemy port can never attack Deactivated naval units in that port as they are not moving.
I. To resolve each individual submarine attack, use a strength of two and roll the die referring to the Air/Naval Combat Results Table on the Torpedo Combat line for the outcome. Each attack is made in succession and each attack must be made against a different naval unit.
J. Defective US Torpedoes. Any submarine attack that calculates its range from a US Submarine Headquarters is a US submarine attack. Any US submarine attack that occurs on turns December 1941 to February 1943 inclusive adds one to the die roll, but a natural 0 die roll still causes a critical hit without a die modifier.
K. If there are more attacks permitted than there are naval unit targets, the excess attacks do not occur. Hits are applied immediately before another attack is resolved.
25.3. Anti-Submarine Combat
Immediately following the final submarine attack in the hex, any surviving naval units in the hex—whether they were specifically attacked or not—can conduct Anti-Submarine Combat. To conduct Anti-Submarine Combat:
A. Add the Anti-Submarine Strengths of all naval units in the hex even if from a different Task Force into one total and execute a number of individual ASW attacks equal to the number of submarine attacks executed.
B. Roll the die and refer to the Air/Naval Combat Results Table, Naval vs Submarine line.
C. Immediately reduce the submarine patrol by the result after each ASW attack.
D. Ignore Critical Hits.
E. If a Submarine Patrol no longer has any submarines it is removed from play for the remainder of the Month.
Note: If no submarine attacks occur, there is no Anti-Submarine Combat.
25.4. Crippled Naval Vessels
All naval units designated with a c next to their Hit Capacity are considered Crippled when they have taken all but one hit necessary to eliminate them.
A. If a submarine attack is conducted against a crippled naval unit, 2 is subtracted from the submarine attack die roll.
B. During the Strategic Transport Phase (in Campaign and Strategic scenarios), if a Cripple is moving, and it moves within 10 hexes of an enemy Patrol Area marker (not zone) the Submarine Patrol receives one and only one submarine attack per Patrol Area marker against the crippled naval unit, no search is required. The submarine attack has 2 subtracted from the combat die roll. There is no Anti-Submarine combat triggered by this attack. Use the Defective US Torpedo modifier if it applies.
26. Lighting Conditions
At the beginning of each Battle Cycle, the players determine what Lighting Conditions will be in effect for the entire Cycle. The Lighting Condition will affect Air Missions, Naval Combat Phase and Search.
Design Note: The time of day during which a successful search was made was often problematical. An enemy force could be sighted during daylight, dusk, or night. The effect of timing on battle was often crucial. During the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the US forces sighted the Japanese fleet at dusk and the decision was made at that time not to launch an air strike and face night landings. The next day presented the same situation and the strikes were launched—yielding a 75 percent loss of landing air strike aircraft.
Another factor concerns the deliberate arrival of forces at the operation objective at night to conduct a landing or reinforcement without aerial interference or to conduct a night surface engagement such as occurred during the Guadalcanal Campaign. The vast majority of surface engagements that occurred during the war in the Pacific were conducted at night.
26.1. In the First Lighting Phase of an Operation
A. If the Operational Intelligence Condition is Ambush (or Ambush-CV), the Reaction player places the Lighting Condition marker in any section of the Lighting Condition Display at his discretion.
B. If the Operational Intelligence Condition is Intercept or Surprise Attack, the Operation player can place the Lighting Condition marker in any section of the Lighting Condition Display at his discretion.
Note: The Operation Player can preserve the option to affect the Lighting condition to use at a later time, if he wishes. He is not obligated to use it in the first Battle Cycle of the Operation. See below.
C. If neither player selects a Lighting Condition, refer to the Random Determination portion of the Lighting Condition Display, roll the die, and place the Lighting Condition marker in the portion specified.
26.2. In the Second and Subsequent Lighting Phases of an Operation
A. If the Operation player has not yet used his once-per-Operation option, he can move the Lighting Condition marker 2 spaces clockwise on the Lighting Condition Display.
B. If the Operation player has used his option or chooses not to use it at this time, move the Lighting Condition marker 1 space clockwise on the Lighting Condition Display.
C. Any time the Lighting Condition marker enters the Random Determination portion of the Lighting Condition Display (even if the Operation player uses his option to place it there), immediately roll the die, and place the marker in the portion specified by the die roll.
26.3. Lighting Condition Effects on Air Missions
Day Lighting Conditions (either A.M. or P.M.) have no effect on the game in any way.
Dusk and Night Lighting Conditions have the following effects on Air Missions:
A. Dusk Lighting Conditions require that all units flying Air Missions (not CAP) must conduct a Dusk Landing Procedure at the conclusion of the Air Mission. The owning player rolls the die for each air unit individually. If the die roll is more than 3 times the Status Level of the unit, the unit loses one step; if the die roll is 3 times the Status Level or less, there is no effect on the unit.
B. Night Lighting Conditions prohibit any Air Missions except the following:
a. Japanese T-L2 units can conduct Air Strikes against Task Forces (only);
b. US (not other Allied) F-L2 units can be Alerted and conduct CAP against such a Japanese Strike in the Target hex (no interception).
c. In both of these cases, the Anti-Naval Strength of the Japanese units and the Anti-Air Strength of the Allied units are halved when resolving combat (round down).
d. The two Allied F Night Fighters can fly at Night with no penalties to landing or combat.
C. Flak Strengths are halved at night.
26.4. Lighting Condition Effects on Flak Combat
All Anti-Air Strengths used in conducting Flak Combat are halved when the Lighting Condition is Night.
Day and Dusk Lighting Conditions have no effect on Flak Combat.
26.5. Lighting Condition Effects on Naval Combat
When determining the Range at the beginning of a Naval Combat Cycle, use the Day/Dusk or Night column of the Range Determination Table (see Operation Display).
In subsequent Naval Combat Phases, using the Range Bid Chart. Long Range can never be bid during Night Lighting Conditions.
26.6. Lighting Condition Effects on Search
When conducting a Search during Day, Dusk, or a Contact Phase, use the Day portion of the Search Chart.
Use the Night portion of the Search Chart only when conducting a Search during Night Lighting Conditions.
27. Advantage Determination
During the Advantage Determination Phase, determine which player will be the Advantage player and which will be the Disadvantage player for the entire Battle Cycle. The Advantage player has the benefit of performing various actions before the Disadvantage player can do so.
27.1. In the First Advantage Determination Phase of an Operation
A. If the Operational Intelligence Condition is Ambush (or Ambush-CV), the Reaction player is automatically the Advantage player.
B. If the Operational Intelligence Condition is Surprise Attack, the Operation player is automatically the Advantage player.
C. If the Operational Intelligence Condition is Intercept, each player rolls the die. The player with the higher die roll is the Advantage player. If both players roll the same number, the Operation player is the Advantage player.
27.2. In the Second and Subsequent Advantage Determination Phases of an Operation
Each player rolls the die and applies the following modifications to the die rolls:
A. If the Operational Intelligence Condition is Ambush (or Ambush-CV), the Reaction player adds 2 to his die roll.
B. If the Operational Intelligence Condition is Surprise Attack, the Operation player adds 2 to his die roll.
C. If the Operational Intelligence Condition is Intercept there is no die roll modifier.
D. The player with the higher modified die roll is the Advantage player. If both players have the same result after applying modification, the Operation player is the Advantage player.
28. Air Missions
The rules on night air combat reflect the creation of the Japanese night torpedo bomber units and the introduction of night fighters for US carriers beginning at the middle of the war. There were other night air operations during the war but all were of little significance at the strategic level. (See 26.3.B.d.)
Important Note: There are three combat air unit types F (single engine), T (two engine), and B (four engine). The CRTs use the letter designations whereas the Search Charts use the original edition's engine designations. In all cases consider the letter or the number of engines on air units to be interchangeable in the rules and charts.
Design Note: Each air unit represents an air group of various types of aircraft. The three combat air unit types are F (single-engine), T (two-engine), and B (four-engine aircraft). All fighters are included as F, single-engine types (including P-38s and other multi-engine fighter aircraft). Each air step represents 12-15 aircraft. Each air unit has a particular Status Level that represents both pilot and aircraft quality.
In the Strategic scenario, the Allied player has a shortened training cycle in which to deploy his elite (Level 2) air units later in the war, to reflect the improved airframes that eventually came off US production lines (such as the Hellcats).
The Japanese aircraft types did not dramatically change during most of the war and, of the few improved types that were developed, few ever became available.
The air replacement rules reflect the problems the Japanese faced due to the declining quality of their replacement pilots. Players, through more judicious use of Japanese airpower, can improve the quality and quantity of what was historically available.
28.1. Air Mission Eligibility
The following characteristics are common to each of the four Air Mission types:
A. Only Activated air units can perform an Air Mission.
B. The Air Installation from which the air units depart must be non-Interdicted (and Linked in Campaign and Strategic scenarios).
C. The total strength flying from an Air Installation cannot exceed its Launch capacity. No redistribution of strength or creation of new units is permitted.
D. No hex can be designated as the target of an Air Mission more than once in a single Air Mission Phase.
E. A "suicide mission", in which an air unit has insufficient Range to reach its target and land again, is not allowed except for Kamikazes.
28.2. Air Mission Types
The only time air units can be used to perform any of the four possible types of Air Missions is during a friendly Air Mission Phase. While an Air Mission is in progress, it may be subject to Flak, CAP (Combat Air Patrol), and Interception from enemy units. The general characteristics of each type of Air Mission are as follows:
A. Air Strike. The general purpose of an Air Strike Mission is to attack enemy naval or ground units, or enemy installations. Any type of air units except LRA units can participate in Air Strike Missions.
B. Air Supremacy. Air Supremacy Missions are conducted in order to engage enemy air units in Air Combat. Only F air units with a Status Level of 1 or 2 can participate in Air Supremacy Missions.
C. Ferry. An air unit conducting a Ferry Mission simply moves from one friendly Air Installation to another during an Air Mission Phase. Any type of air unit can conduct a Ferry Mission.
D. Paradrop. In conducting a Paradrop mission, an air unit transports an airborne ground unit to a designated land hex, where the ground unit "jumps." Only T and B air units can perform Paradrop Missions and they can perform such missions only during the Advantage Air Mission Phase. F air units can participate to serve as escorts.
28.3. General Course of an Air Mission
Essentially, each Air Mission involves one or more air units flying from their Air Installation to a target hex and performing a task there. On the way to the target, over the target, and on the way back to a friendly Air Installation, the air units performing the Air Mission may be subject to Interception, Flak, and CAP. The order in which the various procedures that make up an Air Mission occur can vary according to circumstances. The Air Mission Procedure Schematic Diagram, shown below and reproduced on each player's Display Sheet, illustrates the order in which events occur in an Air Strike, Air Supremacy, and Paradrop Mission.
Note: To conduct a Ferry Mission, simply refer to the Ferry Procedure (28.16) below.
28.3.1. Air Mission Procedure Schematic
A. Move the Mission air units.
B. Any time an Air Mission enters a hex, other than the Mission Target hex, that contains enemy air units and is Detected prior to or upon entering, it may be Intercepted.
C. Once all air units have entered the Target hex, if they were Detected prior to or in the Target hex, a CAP and Flak procedure precedes the adjudication of the Air Mission. If the Mission units were not Detected prior to the Target hex, a Flak procedure follows the adjudication of the Air Mission.
D. At the conclusion of all combat or after all Mission units have Aborted, the Air Mission is concluded.
Note: Air units can take off from different Air Installations and only meet over the target hex.
The Air Mission Procedure Schematic diagram walks through this flow step by step: after the Mission air units move, if the Mission is Detected in a hex before the Target hex, an Interception Procedure occurs, and any Mission units that Abort there end the sequence; units that survive continue toward the Target. If the Mission is Detected in or prior to the Target hex, the sequence runs a CAP Procedure and then a Flak Procedure before the Strike/Strafe (or Paradrop) Procedure; if the Mission is not Detected until the Target hex itself, the Strike/Strafe (or Paradrop) Procedure runs first and the Flak Procedure follows it. Either way, once the Mission's targets are struck (or, if all Mission units Abort along the way, without a strike), the sequence ends with the Air Mission Conclusion Procedure.
28.3.2. Air Mission Preliminary Procedure
To begin any Air Mission other than Ferry, perform the following steps:
A. Place the Target marker in the Target hex (wherever you intend to perform your Mission), with the Supremacy side up for an Air Supremacy Mission, or the Strike side up for an Air Strike or Paradrop Mission.
B. Place all air units that will participate in the Mission (the Mission air units) in their Air Installation hex(es).
C. Determine whether or not the Mission is Coordinated (see the Coordination Procedure).
28.3.3. Coordination Procedure
A. All Air Supremacy missions, and all Air Strike missions consisting of only one air unit, are automatically Coordinated.
B. All Ferry and Paradrop missions are automatically Uncoordinated.
C. Air Strike missions consisting of more than one unit may or may not be Coordinated. To attempt to Coordinate a multi-unit Air Strike mission, roll one die. The die roll must be equal to or less than 3 times the lowest Status Level represented among the Mission air units (i.e., if there are only L2 units, you must roll a 6 or less; if there are L1 and L2 units—or only L1 units—you must roll a 3 or less; if there are any L0 units, you must roll a 0). If the die roll exceeds the required results, the Air Strike is considered Uncoordinated for the entire Mission.
D. Use the Uncoordinated line on the Air/Naval CRT for each Air Combat the Mission air units are involved in. If Coordinated, use the Coordinated line of the CRT.
28.4. Air Mission Movement Procedure
Only an Activated air unit can move. An air unit moves from hex to contiguous hex, tracing a flight path that is no longer than its Range. If an air unit exceeds its Range by a hex, it is immediately eliminated.
An air unit must always begin and end its movement at a friendly Air Installation. Terrain has no effect on the movement of air units.
Note: The Range of an air unit includes all the hexes through which the unit moves, not just the hexes in one direction on a round trip. For instance, an air unit with a Range of 8 can fly a maximum of 4 hexes out and 4 hexes back to land at the same Air Installation, or it can fly a maximum of 8 hexes out to land at another Air Installation.
28.5. Search and Alert Procedure
28.5.1. Air Detection
Any time an Undetected Mission air unit enters a hex containing an enemy ground unit, naval unit, Base unit, Offensive Support Base, or Headquarters, the enemy player can attempt to Detect the air unit. At the instant any air unit participating in the Mission is Detected, the entire Mission is considered Detected for all purposes until the conclusion of the Air Mission. An air unit (or stack of air units) can be searched for only once each time it enters an enemy occupied hex.
28.5.2. Alert Procedure
A. Any time a detected air unit enters a hex occupied by enemy air units, the enemy player can Alert a number of air steps (whether Activated or not) up to the Launch Capacity of the non-Interdicted Air Installations in the hex, provided the Air Installation is not Interdicted. It is not permitted to redistribute strength between air units at this time even if strengths do not sum up to the exact Launch capacity.
Example: A hex containing a small Airbase can place no more than 6 air steps on Alert. A hex containing both a small Airbase and a CV naval unit (capacity of 5) could Alert 11 steps. A hex containing a small Airbase with a 3-strength and a 4-strength air unit could Alert either unit, but not both.
B. Alerted air steps are never subject to Strafe Combat, and they do not suffer damage from Air Strikes against their Air Installations (although they may suffer damage from air combat).
C. Once Alerted, an F air unit may be used for CAP and engage mission air units in air combat. All other Alerted F air units in the same hex can be used to modify the CAP unit's Anti-Air Strength for Air Combat (see modifications on the Air/Naval Combat Results Table).
28.6. Interception Procedure
Any time an Air Mission enters a hex other than the Mission Target hex that contains enemy air units and is Detected prior to or upon entering, perform the following procedure:
A. The non-Mission player can Alert F air units in the Interception hex and designate one of those units to conduct Air Combat against the Mission air unit(s) in the hex (see Alert Procedure, 28.5.2).
B. Resolve the Intercepting air unit's Air Combat attack against the Air Mission unit(s) using the CAP vs Coordinated or CAP vs Uncoordinated line of the Air/Naval Combat Results Table (see Air Combat Procedure, 28.8).
Note: In an Interception, the Mission player does not resolve Air Combat against the Intercepting air units.
Note also that Mission air units can be forced to Abort due to Interception (see Abort Procedure, 28.9).
28.7. CAP Procedure
Any time a Detected Air Mission enters the Mission Target hex, and it contains at least one enemy air unit, perform the following procedure:
A. The non-Mission player must Alert air units in the hex up to the Air Installation Launch Capacity (see Alert Procedure, 28.5.2).
B. The non-Mission player can, at his option, designate one Alerted F unit as his CAP unit. If he has no Alerted F unit, he cannot designate a CAP unit.
C. Determine whether or not the Mission player designates an Escort unit:
- If the non-Mission player has designated a CAP unit, the Mission player must designate one Mission unit as an Escort unit. The Escort unit must be an F unit if one is available; otherwise, any T or B unit is designated.
- If the non-Mission player designated no CAP unit, the Mission player can, at his option, designate one Mission F unit as his Escort unit (if he has no Mission F unit, he cannot designate an Escort unit in this case).
D. Determine whether or not Air Combat is conducted:
- If there is a designated CAP unit, conduct Air Combat between the CAP unit and the Escort unit (see Air Combat Procedure, 28.8).
- If there is no CAP unit but there is a designated Escort unit, conduct Air Combat between the Escort unit and the Alerted non-Mission units (see Air Combat Procedure, 28.8).
- If there is neither a CAP nor an Escort unit designated, there is no Air Combat.
28.8. Air Combat Procedure
Air Combat can occur in three ways:
A. CAP unit against Escort unit (and vice versa). To resolve CAP vs Escort, take the Anti-Air Strength of the CAP unit, modify it for any other Alerted F non-Mission units (see Air/Naval Combat Results Tables, Modifications), and refer to the Air/Naval CRT to determine how many hits are inflicted on the Escort unit. Then take the Anti-Air Strength of the Escort unit and follow the same procedure. Hits are applied to units simultaneously after both have had an opportunity to fire. If the Escort unit is eliminated, unsatisfied excess hits can be applied to other Mission units.
B. Intercepting unit against Mission air units. Follow the same procedure as above but no Mission air unit can fire at the Intercepting unit.
C. Escort unit against Alerted units when there is no CAP unit. Follow the same procedure as above but no Alerted air unit can fire at the Escort unit.
28.9. Abort Procedure
Any non-Kamikaze Mission air unit that takes 2 or more hits during a single Air Mission and is not completely eliminated must Abort. An Aborted air unit can use none of its Combat Strengths for the remainder of the Air Mission. The specific details of an Abort vary according to where the Abort occurs.
Note: Kamikaze air units never abort.
28.9.1. Aborting in a Target Hex
An air unit that Aborts due to Flak or CAP in a Target hex must remain in the Target hex until all combat in that hex is completed by both sides.
Example: An air unit takes 2 hits from CAP in a Target hex. The unit must remain in the Target hex to take further possible damage from Flak, despite the fact that the air unit cannot use its Combat Strengths to participate in the Air Mission.
28.9.2. Aborting as a Result of Interception
An air unit that Aborts due to Interception before reaching the Target hex must immediately move to a friendly Air Installation and land. The Aborted air unit moves normally and can be subjected to further Interception. Once the Aborted air unit lands or is eliminated, the remaining air units on the Air Mission can (at the owner's option) continue their movement to the Target hex.
28.10. Flak Procedure
Any time an Air Mission enters a Target hex (only) containing ground units, naval units, Air Installations, or ports, conduct the following procedure according to the type of Air Mission:
A. Determine which units in the Target hex can conduct Flak Combat:
a. Air Supremacy Mission: All ground units and any Base unit (with or without port) can conduct Flak Combat.
b. Paradrop Mission: All ground units and any Base unit can conduct Flak Combat.
c. Air Strike Mission (with no Activated or non-Activated naval targets): All ground units and any Base unit can conduct Flak Combat.
d. Air Strike Mission (including or exclusively against non-Activated naval targets or Submarine Headquarters with unactivated submarines): All ground units, up to 4 non-Activated naval units, and any Base unit can conduct Flak Combat.
e. Air Strike Mission (with one or more Task Force targets): Each Task Force in which at least one unit is attacked can conduct Flak Combat. Each such Task Force conducts Flak Combat individually using either 4 screening units or 2 core units.
B. Determine the Anti-Air Strength of units conducting Flak Combat and refer to the Air/Naval CRT. Use the Improved Flak line for the Allies beginning in February 1943 and all Battle Scenarios that occur on or after this date; in all other cases, use the Normal Flak line.
C. In any case except an Air Strike against Task Forces, add together the Anti-Air Strengths of all participating units into a single combined Anti-Air Strength and refer to the Air/Naval Combat Results Table.
D. In an Air Strike against one or more Task Forces, resolve Flak Combat for one attacked Task Force at a time, adding together the Anti-Air Strengths of either 4 screening or 2 core units from that Task Force and referring to the Air/Naval Combat Results Table. Repeat this process for other Task Forces attacked by the same Air Strike.
Note: Never add Anti-Air Strengths of 0 to Anti-Air Strength totals. A 0 is used as a Strength only if no unit participating in Flak Combat has an Anti-Air Strength of 1 or more.
28.11. Strike Procedure
A. The Mission player designates the target of his Strike. His target can be either enemy Task Forces or all other units in the hex.
Example: If a target hex contains an enemy Task Force, an enemy Force marker, and a Base unit, the Mission player must designate either the Task Force(s) or everything in the hex except the Task Force(s).
B. The Mission player announces which Mission units will attack which Target units. Aborted units cannot attack but must remain in the Target hex until the end of the Air Mission. Once an individual air unit's target(s) is designated, it cannot be changed even if the target is destroyed before the air unit attacks.
Note: Even if all air units Abort, they must designate a Target for determining Flak.
C. Each Mission air unit individually attacks one Target piece or group of target naval units using its Anti-Ground or Anti-Naval Strength. Refer to the Air/Naval Combat Results Table for each attack.
D. When one air unit attacks a group of naval targets, they must be designated by their priority: primary, secondary, etc. When more than one target is attacked, each target must receive one hit before another can receive a second hit, and so on. Critical Hits are added to the total.
E. To resolve an individual attack by an air unit, find the air unit's Anti-Naval Strength (if attacking Task Forces or non-Activated naval units) or Anti-Ground Strength (if attacking anything else), and use the Air/Naval Combat Results Table normally.
Note: Each type of attacking air unit (F, T, B) has a separate line on the CRT for attacking naval targets and there are also separate lines for attacking ground units or installations.
Note also that a ground unit never makes more than one Troop Quality Check per Air Mission Phase.
F. The attacker chooses the first hit against Unalerted air, and the defender chooses all other hits.
The following examples come from the Comprehensive Example:
Detected Air Strike vs a Target Hex with CAP: 1st Battle Cycle, Disadvantage Air Mission Phase. The B air unit leaves Townsville and is detected when it reaches the Rabaul hex due to a successful search. The three Japanese air units present totaling 6 steps alert, which consist of (2)F-L1, (3)T-L1, and an LRA (equal to 1 step).
Since an alerted F air unit is present in the target hex, a CAP vs Escort procedure occurs. The air mission consists of no F air units; therefore, the B air unit directly participates in the air combat. The combat is simultaneous, so it does not matter which side adjudicates first.
The CAP air unit has a printed strength of 5 which is reduced to 1 (Anti-Air rating of 5 minus 4 hits). The die roll is 1, scoring 1 hit on the B air unit using the CAP versus Coordinated Mission line (air strike missions with only one air unit are always coordinated) on the Air/Naval CRT.
The B air unit's return fire has a printed strength of 2 which is not reduced since the unit is at full strength (6 steps). The die roll is 2 on the Coordinated Strike versus CAP line on the Air/Naval CRT, yielding a result of 1 hit on the CAP air unit.
The B air unit then declares that the installations are the target of the strike. Based on this information, the Flak fires at the B air unit with a Flak value of 3, calculated in the following manner: Large Airbase (3) for a total of 3. The die roll is 2 on the Unimproved Flak versus Air line of the Air/Naval CRT, resulting in a 1 hit result. Since the B air unit has taken 2 hits, it immediately aborts and does not conduct its strike mission and returns to the Townsville Airbase.
Air Strike Mission vs Unalerted Air Unit: 1st Battle Cycle, Advantage Air Mission Phase. A Japanese T air unit moves from Rabaul to Port Moresby via Lae Airbase, where it is joined by an F air unit. The Japanese pass their Coordination die roll, so the mission is considered coordinated.
Upon entering the Port Moresby hex, a search is conducted which fails; therefore, the Allied F air unit cannot alert and is grounded during the attack. The Flak will occur after the strike has been adjudicated.
The T air unit attacks the Airbase with a printed Anti-Ground Strength of 5 which is reduced to a modified strength of 2 (5 minus 3 hits). The die roll is 1 which, upon examining the Air versus Installation line of the Air/Naval CRT, shows a 2 hit result.
The F air unit strafes the Unalerted air unit with a printed Anti-Air rating of 7 which is reduced to 3 (7 minus 4 hits). The die roll is 3, which yields 1 hit on the Air versus Unalerted (Grounded) Air line of the Air/Naval CRT. The Airbase takes 2 hits and the Allied F air unit takes 3 hits (2 for the hits inflicted on the Airbase and 1 from the strafing) which eliminates it.
The Flak strength of the hex is 1, Small Airbase (1) for a total of 1. The die roll is 1 on the Unimproved Flak versus Air line on the Air/Naval CRT, resulting in 1 hit taken by the T air unit. The 3 hit marker is replaced with a 4 hit marker. The Japanese air units return from whence they came.
Air Strike vs Naval Task Force without CAP: 1st Battle Cycle, Disadvantage Air Mission Phase. The two (4) F-CV-L1 carrier air units in Allied Task Force 1 attack Japanese Task Force 4 in the Guadalcanal hex. The Allied air units fail their coordination die roll but, since there is no CAP in the hex they are attacking, it has little meaning.
Japanese Task Force 4 consists of CL1, CL8, APD5, CVS4. The Japanese detect the air strike. Since there is no CAP available, no air combat occurs.
Flak combat (due to the successful detection) occurs before the strike is adjudicated. The Japanese player places CL1 and CVS4 in the core with CL8 and APD5 in the screen. The Flak value can be determined in one of two ways, but the most advantageous is using the two screen naval units yielding a Flak value of 3. The die roll is 4 which yields no hits. The best that could have been achieved would have been 1 hit.
The air units designate CVS4 as the primary target and CL8 as the secondary target. The Anti-Naval strength of both units is 4 (Anti-Naval strength of 6 minus 2 hits). The first die roll is 1 which yields 2 hits. Each of the targets receives one hit. The second die roll is 2 which yields 1 hit. Since the CVS4 is the primary target, it receives the next hit and sinks (its hit capacity is 2 hits). The air units return to their carriers.
Carrier Strike Mission vs Enemy Task Forces: 3rd Battle Cycle, Advantage Air Mission Phase. The US carrier force launches a coordinated strike (coordination die roll of 2) against an open water hex containing two Japanese Task Forces. Since the Japanese had already detected the US Task Force from whence the strike is originating from and successfully detect the air mission when it enters their hex, the Japanese player has the option to immediately declare a simultaneous strike (can only be done during an Advantage Air Mission Phase).
All three Japanese air units (two from Task Force 1 and one from Task Force 3) are alerted and conduct CAP versus Escort combat. Combat is simultaneous.
The Japanese CAP uses one of the F-CV-L2 air units. Its printed Anti-Air strength is 7 which is modified to a 6 (7 Anti-Air minus 2 hits, plus 1 for 3 steps of alerted L2 air unit steps present). The die roll is 4 on the CAP versus Coordinated Mission line, yielding a 1 hit result on the Air/Naval CRT.
The US Escort uses one of the two identical air units. Its printed Anti-Air value is 6 which is reduced to 4 (6 Anti-Air minus 2 hits). The die roll is 4 on the Coordinated Strike versus CAP line, yielding a 1 hit result on the Air/Naval CRT.
The Allied player then declares that both air units will attack Task Force 1. Since Task Force 3 is not being attacked it does not fire Flak, but Task Force 1 does with a Flak value of 4 (both CVs are in the Core and the CA and DD in the Screen; using either combination the Flak value is 4). The die roll is 4 on the Unimproved Flak versus Air line resulting in 1 hit which the Japanese player places against the Escort air unit giving it a second hit and causing it to abort.
The remaining US air unit, which has not received any damage, declares that CV6 is its sole target for its strike. The printed Anti-Naval strength is 6 which is reduced to 4 (6 Anti-Naval minus 2 hits). The die roll is 1 on the F air unit versus Naval line yielding 2 hits, both of which are applied against CV6. Then both Allied air units return to their carriers.
Since the Japanese player declared a simultaneous strike at the beginning of the strike, the three Japanese air units in Task Forces 1 and 3 also fly to the US Task Force 1 to conduct a similar strike mission procedure which will be adjudicated during the ensuing Disadvantage Air Mission Phase.
28.12. Strafe Procedure
Any time there are un-Alerted air units at a Target hex Air Installation, Mission F air units in the Target hex can perform Strafe Combat instead of Strike. To do so, each Mission air unit individually uses its Anti-Air Strength to attack the un-Alerted air units (not the Air Installation), using the Strafe vs Unalerted (Grounded) Air line of the Air/Naval Combat Results Table. All Mission air units make their attacks before hits are allotted, at the Mission player's discretion, among the target air units.
28.13. Simultaneous Strike Procedure
During an Advantage Air Mission Phase (not during a Disadvantage Air Mission Phase), any Air Strike Mission against a Task Force that includes aircraft carriers with air units can trigger a Simultaneous Strike.
The Disadvantage player can announce a Simultaneous Strike provided that:
- all Disadvantage air units on Target aircraft carriers are Alerted,
- if the Air Strike originated from an aircraft carrier, the Task Force containing the carrier has already been Detected; and
- the current Operational Intelligence Condition is not Ambush-CV (during the first Battle Cycle only).
When performing a Simultaneous Strike, conduct the initial Air Strike normally, including CAP, Flak, and Strike Combat. However, the Alerted Disadvantage air units do not return to their carriers; instead, during the Advantage Phase, they are moved to the hex from which the Advantage player's Air Strike originated. During the ensuing Disadvantage Air Mission Phase, the air units can conduct an Air Strike Mission in that hex and then return to a friendly Carrier with their remaining Range.
Note: Disadvantage air units using Simultaneous Strike do not Reorganize at the conclusion of the Advantage Air Strike Mission, even if they performed CAP. Instead, they Reorganize at the conclusion of the Disadvantage Air Mission Phase.
28.14. Paradrop Procedure
Only T and B air units can be used for a Paradrop mission and the mission can be conducted only during an Advantage Air Mission Phase.
At the beginning of the phase, one or more activated airborne ground units must occupy the same hex as the air units and the Advantage player must use one eligible air step for each step of airborne units.
Announce the Mission type, place the Mission air units and airborne units on their Airbase hex, then move them hex by hex to any non-Mountain land Target hex. At the Target hex, the Advantage player simply places the airborne units (or the Force marker representing them) and returns the air units to their Airbase (or to another friendly Airbase).
In the event the Paradrop Mission is attacked, it is considered Uncoordinated; air units on a Paradrop Mission cannot initiate combat of any kind. Each air step eliminated also eliminates one airborne ground unit step.
Airborne units dropped into an enemy-occupied hex must initiate combat in the following Ground Combat Phase in the same manner as Amphibious Assault. Paradropped units use half their Troop Quality (rounded up) in the phase in which they attack unless other friendly ground units already occupy the hex.
Airborne units paradropped onto a one-hex island cannot retreat (re-embark) as amphibious assault units can. The paradropped unit can move no further in the phase in which it is dropped.
28.15. Air/Sea Rescue Procedure
When an Allied Air Mission is conducted against a hex that is in a Submarine Patrol zone (within 3 hexes of the marker), the losses taken by the Air Mission in the hex are automatically reduced by one (Allied player's choice), and that one step is received by the Allied player as a Replacement step of the same type and Status Level during the Replacement Phase.
Note: A rescued Air step does not allow an air unit that has taken 2 or more hits to avoid Aborting.
28.16. Ferry Procedure
Any number of Activated air units from a single Air Installation can perform a Ferry Mission. Announce the type of Mission, place the Mission air units on their Air Installation hex, then move them hex by hex to a target friendly Air Installation hex (which need not be disclosed to the enemy player until landing).
In the event the Ferry Mission is Intercepted, it is automatically considered Uncoordinated. Units on a Ferry Mission cannot initiate combat of any kind.
Note: Air units on a Ferry Mission cannot be forced to Abort, regardless of how many hits they may suffer.
28.17. Air Mission Conclusion Procedure
At the conclusion of an Air Mission (if using the schematic the Air Mission Conclusion Procedure box) all surviving Mission air units simply move to a friendly Air Installation, land and reorganize (28.18), conducting any Interceptions as they occur along their route.
28.18. Air Unit Reorganization
At the conclusion of an Air Mission, all air units in the Target hex must reorganize. At the conclusion of a friendly Air Mission Phase, all air units must reorganize at each friendly Air Installation.
To reorganize, the owning player combines air units of the exact same type (including CV capabilities) and Status Level into the largest possible units so that no Air Installation contains more than one air unit of the same type and Status Level with fewer than 6 steps.
Air units on CAP landing on aircraft carriers may reorganize prior to landing. If a CAP air unit's carrier has been sunk, it may land on another carrier in the same Task Force.
Note: This is the only time when steps can be redistributed between air units. No new air units can be created nor can any ever be created outside of the air replacement step procedure for any reason.
Example: At the conclusion of the Allied player's Air Mission Phase, one Allied large Airbase (capacity of 18 steps) is occupied by the following air units: (3)F-L1; (4)F-L1; (2)F-L0; (6)F-L0; (3)T-L1. The Allied player must reorganize these air units to the following configuration: (6)F-L1; (1)F-L1; (2)F-L0; (6)F-L0; (3)T-L1.
Note that when reorganizing CV-capable air units cannot recombine with non-CV-capable air units.
28.19. Kamikazes
In Strategic scenarios, the Japanese player can begin to build Kamikaze air units any time after the Strategic Initiative reaches Level 2 in favor of the Allies. Kamikazes are always F-L0 air units and they can contain up to 6 steps (see Replacements, 16.3).
Kamikazes are treated as normal air units except for the following:
- A Kamikaze can perform no Mission other than Air Strike against Task Forces.
- A Kamikaze cannot perform CAP (since it has no Anti-Air Strength).
- Kamikazes never Abort.
- A Kamikaze can expend its entire Range to reach a Target unit (it does not return to a friendly Airbase).
- After resolving a Kamikaze's Air Strike, the Kamikaze is immediately eliminated regardless of the outcome of the attack.
- Kamikazes use the F vs Naval line of the Air/Naval Combat Results Table.
29. Naval Combat
As the war was predominantly a naval war, any strategy in the game must be based upon the proper use of aircraft carriers and surface combatants.
The Naval Combat Cycle comprises four phases:
A. Naval Combat Determination
B. Naval Combat 1
C. Naval Combat 2
D. Naval Combat 3
This Cycle is played to completion for each naval combat situation that exists on the map.
Design Note: The naval units in the game represent either individual capital ships, cruiser divisions (2 ships of a class), or miscellaneous squadrons/groups of small naval combatants. Strong emphasis is placed on ranged combat, as the effectiveness and tactical nature of the war in the Pacific was most important during naval actions. The effects of lighting on range bidding contribute to the decisive nature of night actions.
29.1. Naval Combat Determination Phase
When opposing Task Forces occupy the same hex and they are not separated from one another by land, determine during this phase whether or not those units engage in naval combat. This determination is made based on the type of water in the hex (Open, Coastal, or Restricted) and on whether either, both, or neither of the opposing Task Forces is Detected.
Note: The term "Task Forces" used below applies as well to non-Activated naval units that are part of a Force. Remember that non-Activated naval units can still Search and participate in combat, although they cannot initiate combat.
Players then determine Surprise, as follows:
A. If the opposing naval units have Detected one another in any type of water, begin Naval Combat Phase 1 with neither side achieving Surprise.
B. If the opposing naval units have both failed to Detect one another in Open Water, skip all three Naval Combat Phases (in that hex) for that Battle Cycle.
C. If the opposing naval units have both failed to Detect one another in Coastal or Restricted Water, immediately invert both Task Forces to their Detected side and begin Naval Combat Phase 1 with neither side achieving Surprise.
D. If one side's naval units have Detected opponents and are not Detected themselves in any type of water, begin Naval Combat Phase 1 with the Undetected side achieving Surprise.
If either side has achieved Surprise, place the Surprise marker (with the appropriate—Allied or Japanese—side up) in the box provided on the Naval Combat Display as a reminder.
29.2. Naval Combat
29.2.1. Phase 1
Once it is determined that a naval combat will take place in a hex, begin Naval Combat Phase 1. Each player places four naval units from his engaged Task Force on the Naval Combat Display on the Operation Display Sheet. If a player has fewer than four naval units in his Task Force, he places all he has. The players then determine the current Range by referring to the Range Determination Procedure, and combat is then resolved.
Note: There is no bidding for Range in Naval Combat Phase 1 and, consequently, neither side has an opportunity to withdraw.
If either player has Surprise, only that player can fire in this Segment; if neither player has Surprise, both can fire.
Each naval unit fires individually at a target, with gunnery and/or torpedoes, using the Strength on his counter appropriate to the Range. The same enemy naval unit can be the target of more than one friendly firing unit. All fires must be declared before any are resolved.
If a unit fires guns and torpedoes, it must declare which it is firing first and both attacks must be directed at the same unit; the second firing cannot be withheld in the event that the first firing eliminates the target.
Allied units that have Torpedo Strength can fire only once per Operation. Japanese units with Torpedo Strengths can fire only twice per Operation. Place a 0 Torpedoes marker on an Allied naval unit that has fired torpedoes once or a Japanese naval unit that has fired twice in an Operation; place a 1 Torpedo marker on a Japanese naval unit that has fired once in an Operation.
To resolve fire, the player determines which Strength is being used (Gunnery or Torpedo, at Short, Medium, or Long Range) and refers to the Air/Naval Combat Results Table. He then makes a die roll and cross-references the appropriate Combat Strength of the firing unit with the die roll result and reads down to the appropriate combat type (gunnery or torpedo) and range (Gunnery S, M, L or Torpedo S, M).
All hits are applied simultaneously at the conclusion of each Combat Phase. Once all combat is resolved, go to Naval Combat Round 2.
29.2.2. Naval Combat Phase 2
If neither player bids Withdraw, each player places 4 more naval units from his Task Force on the Naval Combat Display. Again, if a player has fewer than four naval units in his Task Force at this time, he places all he has. Players bid for Range using the Range Determination Procedure. Either player can bid to Withdraw at this time (see Withdrawal 29.2.5 for restrictions). If one player has Surprise, only that player can fire. Combat is resolved in the same manner as Phase 1, after which Naval Combat Round 3 commences.
29.2.3. Naval Combat Phase 3
If neither player bids Withdraw, each player places all remaining naval units from his Task Force on the Naval Combat Display. Players then bid for Range using the Range Determination Procedure. Note that either player can bid to Withdraw (see Withdrawal 29.2.5 for restrictions). Regardless of whether either player has Surprise, both players can fire with all of their units.
At the conclusion of Naval Combat Phase 3, the Advantage player has the option to Withdraw. If he declines the option, the Disadvantage player can Withdraw. If the opposing Task Forces remain in the hex and neither Withdraws, neither can move during an ensuing Movement Phase; both must continue the combat in the next Naval Combat Cycle beginning automatically at Short Range.
All Naval Combat Phases in a continuing naval combat are conducted as Phase 3 and no Naval Combat Determination Phase is conducted. Any new Task Forces arriving in the hex can participate in the continuing Naval Combat Phases as though they had been there from the beginning. Once one side or the other has either been totally eliminated or has Withdrawn, all surviving Task Forces can reorganize.
29.2.4. Range Determination Procedure
During Naval Combat Phases, players must determine the Range at which their Task Forces engage so they know which gunnery and torpedo Strengths (Long, Medium, or Short) to use in resolving their combat. There is no long range Torpedo combat.
During Phase 1, the Range is automatically determined according to the type of water and the Lighting Condition.
Beginning in Naval Combat Phase 2 prior to resolving any combat, players bid for a new Range by each selecting a Range Bid marker and revealing them simultaneously. In conjunction with the current Range, the bids determine the new Range during Phase 2 using the Range Bid Chart on the Operation Display.
Example: Naval Combat Phase 1 occurred during Day Lighting in Coastal Water; thus, Phase 1 was automatically conducted at Medium Range. In Phase 2, the Japanese player bids for Medium Range and the Allied player bids for Short Range. Referring to the Range Bid Chart, the result is that Phase 2 combat is conducted at Short Range.
The following restrictions apply to bids according to type of Water hex in which the naval combat occurs:
A. Long Range can be bid only in Open Water and only if the Lighting Condition is Day or Dusk.
B. Medium Range can be bid only in Open or Coastal Water in any Lighting Condition.
C. Short Range can be bid in any type of Water in any Lighting Condition.
D. Withdraw can be bid only in Phase 2 or 3, and only by a Task Force (see Withdrawal 29.2.5 for restrictions).
E. Each time an AA unit takes a hit (short of elimination), 2 hits are inflicted on the total steps being transported (not 2 hits on each ground unit carried). When an AA unit is eliminated, all ground units being transported are also eliminated.
F. Each time an APD or DD unit that is transporting ground units takes a hit (short of elimination), 1 hit is inflicted on the total steps being transported. When the APD or DD is eliminated, all ground units being transported are also eliminated.
Note: Task Forces may also be able to Withdraw at the conclusion of Phase 3 (see Withdrawal).
29.2.5. Withdrawal Procedure
Any time players are eligible to bid for Range, either can bid to Withdraw (except as noted below).
When one side Withdraws, neither side places any new naval units on the Naval Combat Display for that phase. Instead, the Withdrawing player immediately moves all of his naval units in the hex into any adjacent Water hex that contains no enemy naval units or dummies. If no such adjacent hex exists, the Task Force cannot Withdraw.
As the Task Force Withdraws, the non-Withdrawing Task Force can fire one last time; the Withdrawing Task Force cannot return fire.
Example: During Naval Combat Phase 3 of a Naval Combat Cycle, the Allied player bids Withdraw and the Japanese player bids Short Range. The Range in Phase 2 was Medium, so Range remains Medium for Phase 3 (as indicated on the Range Bid Chart). The Allied player moves his Task Force one hex, and the Japanese player conducts one final fire at Medium Range as the Allied player Withdraws.
If both players bid Withdraw at the same time, the Operation player Withdraws and the Reaction player remains in the hex. In this case, the Reaction player does not have an opportunity for a final fire.
After Naval Combat Phase 3, the Advantage player has an option to Withdraw without being fired upon. If he declines the option, the Disadvantage player can Withdraw without being fired on.
If the opposing Task Forces remain in the hex and neither Withdraws, the naval combat must continue in the next Battle Cycle (see Naval Combat Phase 3). The following units can never Withdraw:
- Cripples, unless Activated and accompanied by at least one Activated (2.2.3) non-Crippled naval unit with a Gunnery Strength (other than x).
- Amphibious Transports (does not include DDs and APDs used for transport) unless accompanied by at least one non-Crippled naval unit with a Gunnery Strength (other than x).
Note: A naval force that includes both Task Force(s) and non-Activated naval units cannot Withdraw.
The following example comes from the Comprehensive Example:
Naval Combat: 4th Battle Cycle, Naval Combat Cycle. During the Advantage Movement Phase, the Japanese Task Forces 1 and 3 enter the China Strait which contains Allied Task Force 2. During any Naval Combat Determination Phase that opposing Naval units occupy the same Restricted water hex, naval combat will occur.
As already indicated in the Coral Sea example explanation, both sides detect each other when the Japanese enter the hex, and the lighting condition is night. The range for the first round of naval combat is automatically short range and both sides are obligated to place four naval units on the Surface Combat Display. Since combat is simultaneous it does not matter which side adjudicates first.
All naval units use their short range gunnery and torpedo strengths on the back of the counter. All gunnery combat will be conducted on the Short Range versus Naval line of the Air/Naval CRT, with the Torpedo combat being conducted on the same CRT using the Submarine or Naval versus Naval line. There are also no modifiers for the printed values unless the optional Night Combat rule is in use (it is not in use in this example).
The Japanese fire first with CA1 firing at Allied CA2; the die roll is 3, resulting in 1 hit. CA2 fires at Allied CA2; the die roll is 7, resulting in no hits. CA3 fires at Allied CA2; the die roll is 2, resulting in 2 hits, for a total of 3 hits against Allied CA2. All three of these units were capable of also firing their torpedoes but elected not to do so.
DD1 fires at Allied CA1 with both its gunnery and torpedo strengths. The die roll for the gunnery combat is 5 which yields no hits, but the torpedo die roll is a zero which results in 4 hits plus a critical hit. The critical hit die roll is 6 which yields an additional hit, totaling 5 hits versus CA1 (place a 1 torpedo marker on top of DD1). The total results are Allied CA1 receives 5 hits and CA2 receives 3 hits.
The Allied return fire has both naval units fire at Japanese CA1. Allied CA1 uses its gunnery and torpedo strengths; the die roll for the gunnery combat is a zero, resulting in 3 hits and a critical hit. The critical hit die roll is a 2 which results in zero additional hits. The die roll for the torpedo combat yields a zero also, resulting in one hit but the subsequent critical hit die roll is 4 with no additional hits (place a 0 torpedo marker on top of CA1).
Allied CA2 conducts its gunnery combat (it has no torpedo value) which results in a die roll of 2, resulting in 2 hits. Japanese CA1 takes a total of 6 hits which sinks it.
The hits inflicted on the Allied naval units are now applied; Allied CA1 receives 5 hits (eliminating it) and CA2 takes 3 hits (a 3-hit marker is placed under the counter.
At the beginning of Naval Combat Phase 2, both sides bid for range or withdrawal. Both players bid short (in restricted water the only other bid would be withdraw). The Japanese player places another 4 naval units on the surface combat display (which are all those remaining).
The Allied CA2 only needs an additional 2 hits to be eliminated (which will not be elaborated on).
The return fire from the Allied CA2 is against the AA1 carrying the all-important Japanese ground units. The gunnery strength of Allied CA2 is 5 minus 3 (for the 3-hit marker from the previous phase) for a total strength of 2. The die roll is 2 which results in 1 hit on AA1. Since AA1 is carrying ground units, the result inflicts a total of 2 hits between the two ground units. The Japanese player decides to eliminate both steps from the 144th Infantry Regiment.
Since there are no remaining Allied naval forces, there is no Naval Combat Phase 3 and the Naval combat is concluded. The Japanese Task Forces are reorganized at the Japanese player's discretion.
29.3. Bombardment
During the Bombardment Phase, players can perform Bombardment with any Task Force occupying a shoreline hex that contains no enemy naval unit. Bombardment can be used against any ground unit or Base unit in the hex.
To perform Bombardment, the player reveals whatever naval units he plans to use (that have Bombardment Strengths on their counters) and the target player reveals whatever ground units he has in the hex.
The bombarding player fires each of his units individually at any target he wishes. He can fire at a target more than once, but no ground unit can be forced to make more than one Troop Quality Check per Bombardment Phase.
Refer to the Air/Naval Combat Results Table, using the firing unit's Bombardment Strength and either the Bombardment versus Installation (for Base unit) or Bombardment versus Ground Unit line, whichever is appropriate.
30. Demolition
Any Linked, Unbroken ground unit can attempt Demolition against a Base unit or Co-Prosperity Sphere Resource hex during the Demolition Phase. The ground unit must begin the phase in the hex and no enemy ground unit can occupy the hex. A Base unit can attempt to Demolish itself and uses its Troop Quality rating to determine its success.
To attempt Demolition, the unit must pass a Troop Quality Check. If the unit passes the Check, the Demolition is successful; if the unit fails the Check, the Demolition has no effect.
A successful Demolition against a Base unit eliminates the unit. A success against a Co-Prosperity Sphere hex demolishes the hex; place a Demolished marker in that hex.
Only one Demolition attempt can be made per hex in a single Demolition Phase.
31. Ground Combat
Design Notes: The conflict on land during the war in the Pacific was, to say the least, diverse. The major land campaigns, such as those occurring in Malaya and Burma, were quite different from those waged in the central Pacific. The war also saw the amphibious assault raised to a science. Even in the assault on various islands, diversity was great.
The land combat in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea was drawn out and bloody, whereas the battles for the atolls—while just as bloody—tended to end quickly.
The casualties taken by the US during an amphibious assault were usually around one-half to two-thirds of those taken by the Japanese defenders, except that nearly all of the Japanese casualties were KIA's (Killed in Action).
The land combat in China, for the most part, occurred late in the war, as both sides conducted a long "sitzkrieg." The land combat in Malaya, the Philippines, and Burma early in the war was initially quite mobile as the new Japanese battle doctrine overwhelmed its opponents in those areas.
The land combat system in conjunction with the game's central operational theme is designed to cover this wide diversity through simple mechanics. It is the strategic and operational nature of the conflict that is important, not the tactical aspects. The combat system is designed to allow fairly large advances over the course of a month, but a successful defense will shut an offensive effort down. When US/Allied units are cornered and forced to retreat, they surrender as they did during the beginning of the war in large numbers. The Japanese forces, when similarly cornered, exact a stiff toll on the attacker, as the Allies are forced to dislodge their opponents from every spider hole and cave.
What you will discover is that an amphibious assault that involves enough troops and prevents enemy naval intervention will succeed, but the cost will be high. During the war, only one amphibious assault was ever stopped—the first Japanese assault on Wake Island—which boded ill for the Japanese concept of 'perimeter defense.'
31.1. Ground Combat Phase
During the Ground Combat Phase, both players examine, each hex that contains both Allied and Japanese ground units, one at a time. Any time a combat unit deactivates it forfeits any available BCM it has remaining. The Operation player determines the order in which the hexes are examined, and the following rules are applied:
A. If there are no Activated units on either side in the hex, there is no ground combat in the hex.
B. If there are Activated Operation player units, the Operation player immediately states if he will or will not attack.
- If neither side had any Ground units enter the battle hex during the current Battle Cycle, each of the Operation player's Activated ground units must resolve combat and expends one BCM or Deactivate all active units, forfeiting any BCMs remaining.
- If the Operation player had one or more Ground units enter the battle hex during the current Battle Cycle and the hex previously contained only enemy unit(s), the Operation player must conduct an attack and does not expend an additional BCM.
- If the Operation player had one or more Activated Ground units enter the battle hex during the current Battle Cycle with enemy and friendly units already present, the Operation player may choose whether or not to conduct an attack, expending one BCM, but if no attack is conducted one BCM must still be expended.
- Resolve a combat according to the procedure below (31.1.1).
C. If the Reaction player has no Activated units in the hex, then he cannot attack.
D. If there are no Activated Operation player units or the Operation player is not conducting a combat while there are Activated Reaction Player units in the hex, the Reaction player must immediately resolve combat expending one BCM or Deactivates all active units, forfeiting any BCMs remaining. If he will attack, resolve a combat according to the procedure below (31.1.1).
E. If either side is conducting an amphibious assault in a hex, that player's units must attack regardless of whether the assaulting units belong to the Operation or Reaction player.
Note: Owners of the original VG edition will find that based on 35 years of experience I have simplified the ground combat conditions.
Rule 31.1 is a long set of conditions that says if the Operation player moved units into a solely enemy occupied hex, he must attack and if not subsequently reinforced he must continue the attack or end the attack. To simulate reinforcing an attack if the Operation player had units co-located with Reaction player units and moved activated units into the hex he MAY attack, but he still expends a BCM. Subsequently, the Operation player must attack and if not it ends the attack.
Once the Operation player has decided not to attack the Reaction player has less options and must either immediately counterattack or go on the defensive.
Design Note: Units from both sides can be co-located in the same hex indefinitely. Imagine the situation on Bougainville where the Allies never formally captured the entire island.
If you consider Guadalcanal, you had a situation for an extended period of time where both sides from August 1942 to February 1943 co-existed on the island with each side periodically launching attacks while each side received a stream of reinforcements.
The simulation allows for these situations to exist and are part of the operational challenge each side will periodically face.
31.1.1. Ground Combat Resolution
A player who initiates combat in a given hex is the attacker and his opponent is the defender. All units in the hex participate except attacking non-activated units.
All participating units and any of their markers are revealed to the opposing player. Each player chooses a lead unit for the ground combat. The Troop Quality rating of the lead units is modified for a variety of conditions (31.1.2).
To resolve ground combat, refer to the Ground Combat Results Table (CRT). The Ground CRT has two components, first you determine the initial CRT Column by Cross-referencing the attacker and defender Troop Qualities (the lead unit chosen by each player) then modify this Troop Quality Column by applying the Lead Troop Quality modifiers. Find the column on the main body of the Table.
Roll the die (applying any necessary modification to the die roll) and read across on the line appropriate to the number of steps involved to find the result. If neither side retreats, combat is concluded after taking losses. If either player is forced to retreat or chooses to retreat, follow the Retreat procedure (31.2).
31.1.2. Lead Ground Unit Troop Quality Modifiers
All Troop Quality column modifiers are cumulative; if the final result is less than zero, it is an auto 0 result. Modifiers are applied in the following order:
- Lead unit is broken halve its Troop Quality value (round up).
Note: A broken ground unit can initiate combat, but its Troop Quality is halved.
-
Lead unit is conducting an Amphibious Assault: halve Troop Quality value (round up).
-
Jungle/Hill hex or a hex that contains a river: defender plus 2.
Note: If a river is in a hex, treat the terrain as Jungle/Hill hex terrain. If this hex is already Jungle/Hill, there is no additional affect.
-
Mixed/Mountain: defender plus 3.
-
Armor Advantage (optional; per 34.15): plus 1 to advantaged side.
31.2. Retreat Procedure
The Ground Combat Results Table may result in a Mandatory Retreat outcome for either side. Otherwise, an Optional Retreat result is obtained.
Regardless of type, a retreat costs the retreating side one ground activation if one is available. In all cases, a ground unit with no available activations after retreat automatically deactivates.
31.2.1. Optional Retreat Result
When the ground CRT specifies an optional retreat, the Operation player has the option to retreat one hex. If the Operation player chooses not to retreat, the Reaction player has the option to retreat one hex. If the Reaction player also chooses not to retreat, both forces remain in the hex and each force loses the number of steps specified for it on the CRT. Both forces then Deactivate forfeiting any available BCM.
If the Operation player does choose to retreat, he immediately refers to the Mandatory Retreat Result section (31.2.2 below) and follows the procedure. The Reaction player cannot retreat if the Operation player chooses to retreat.
If the Reaction player chooses to retreat (following the Operation player's decision not to retreat), he immediately refers to the Mandatory Retreat Result section (31.2.2 below) and follows the procedure. The Operation player cannot retreat once he passed his option to the Reaction player, whether the Reaction player chooses to retreat or not.
31.2.2. Mandatory Retreat Result
When the Ground CRT specifies a mandatory retreat, the indicated side may be forced to retreat one hex. The other player's force cannot retreat but may be able to pursue. When retreating (by either optional or mandatory retreat result), the following priorities and conditions apply:
A. A unit that is already Broken (previous to retreating) must retreat one hex when receiving a mandatory retreat result. The unit loses as many steps as called for by the CRT (round up) plus 1 additional step. After retreating, the unit immediately Deactivates, forfeiting any available BCM. The non-retreating player's unit can attempt to pursue.
B. A unit that is not Broken (previous to retreating) must make a Troop Quality Check (31.4) using the Troop Quality of the same unit that was used to calculate the combat in the first place even if that unit is eliminated in the combat.
- If the unit fails its check, it must immediately retreat one hex, lose as many steps as called for by the CRT, Deactivate all units, forfeiting any available BCM, and all units remaining from the combat become Broken; the non-retreating player's units can attempt to pursue.
- If the unit passes its Check, it can do either of the following:
a. Retreat all units one hex, lose half as many steps as called for by the CRT (round up), and Deactivate, forfeiting any available BCM (the non-retreating player's unit can attempt to pursue); or
b. Remain in the hex, lose as many steps as called for by the CRT, and not Deactivate.
C. Non-Activated units must join a retreat.
D. If a unit occupying a friendly Airbase receives a mandatory Retreat result, passes its Troop Quality Check and does not Retreat—the Base unit is Interdicted, which would also interdict any associated port location.
31.2.3. Blocked Retreat
A unit cannot retreat into a hex:
- Occupied by an enemy ground unit.
- With terrain through which the unit could not normally move.
- Where it would exceed the stacking limit of 48 steps.
- By crossing an enemy Entry hexside.
A unit cannot choose to retreat if there is no hex into which it can legally retreat. If a unit is forced to retreat and has no legal hex into which to retreat, apply the following rules:
- If the unit is Allied, it is removed from play (it has surrendered). The Japanese take no losses and there is no pursuit.
- If the unit (or units) is Japanese and the Allied unit (or units) has a total step strength equal to or less than the Japanese step strength in the hex, both sides take the full number of losses called for by the CRT, both remain in the hex, and neither Deactivates. There is no pursuit.
- If the unit (or units) is Japanese and the Allied unit (or units) has a total step strength greater than the Japanese step strength in that hex, the Japanese unit is eliminated and the Allied unit loses a number of steps equal to half (round up) the Japanese steps removed (ignore the CRT result). The Allied unit remains in the hex and does not Deactivate. There is no pursuit.
Note: Base units cannot retreat, however they can be converted with Engineers. See 17.11 Capturing an Enemy Airbase.
31.3. Pursuit
If all enemy units are eliminated, there is no Pursuit.
Whenever one side retreats (whether mandatory or optional), the opposing side's active ground units may attempt to pursue. The presence of other friendly deactivated units does not affect Pursuit outcomes. Pursuit does not cost any BCM.
If the non-retreating unit chooses not to pursue the retreating unit, the non-retreating unit Deactivates, forfeiting any remaining BCM.
If the retreating unit is pursued, the non-retreating Lead unit makes a Troop Quality Check (31.4):
- If it passes the check, the owning player can move any or all of the units involved in the combat into the retreating unit's hex and takes one additional step loss, the pursuing unit(s) do not Deactivate and the retreating unit takes additional losses equal to one half (round down) of the CRT result it just received but not less than 1 step.
- If it fails the check, it Deactivates and takes no additional losses.
A Broken unit can pursue using half its Troop Quality. A non-Activated unit cannot pursue.
31.4. Troop Quality Check
Whenever a Troop Quality Check is called for (for Demolition, Rally, Retreat, etc.), roll the die and compare the die result with the Troop Quality of the selected ground unit.
- If the die roll is equal to or less than the unit's Troop Quality, the unit passes the check.
- If the die roll is greater, the unit fails.
In ground combat, when an unbroken Lead unit makes a TQ check its outcome is applied to all units in the hex even if it's TQ was halved for a previous calculation.
When making a Troop Quality Check for a Broken unit, halve the unit's printed Troop Quality before rolling the die (round up).
When the Air/Naval Combat Results Table calls for a Troop Quality Check (a T result), make the TQ Check normally. If the unit making the check is not already Broken and it fails the check, it is immediately Broken. If it passes the check, there is no effect.
If the unit making the check is already Broken, has 2 or more steps in it, and fails the check, then it immediately loses 1 step and remains Broken. If it passes the check or has only 1 step in it, there is no effect (it remains Broken).
31.5. Step Loss Procedure
Once it is determined how many steps a player's units must lose as a result of a ground combat, hits are scored against those units as follows:
- One step must be lost by the lead unit, even if this step loss will eliminate the unit.
- That same unit must lose all other steps called for until either:
a. all step losses have been taken, or
b. the lead unit has only one step remaining.
- Once the lead unit has only one step remaining, the owning player can assign step losses to any other friendly ground units in the hex until all step losses have been taken.
- If any friendly units must be eliminated, the lead unit must be eliminated first.
Example: Following a catastrophic attack, the Allied player has three units that suffered 5 hits. The lead unit has 3 steps in it, each of the others has 2 steps. The first step loss must be from the lead unit and subsequent step losses must also come from that unit until it has one step remaining. So, the first two steps are removed from the lead unit (leaving it with 1 step). The Allied player must now resolve three more hits and he cannot do it without eliminating at least one unit. Therefore, he must eliminate the lead unit. Then he must choose to either eliminate one of the remaining units for two steps or remove one step from each of the two remaining units.
31.6. Siege
If a ground unit begins an Operation stacked with an enemy unit in a hex other than an atoll or a one-hex island, the Operation player can declare a siege if he has at least a 2-to-1 advantage in ground unit steps at the time of siege declaration. Place a Siege marker in the hex.
By definition, a unit under siege has no valid retreat hex. If, at any time, the Operation player's units retreat (voluntarily or otherwise) or their advantage is reduced below 2-to-1, the Siege marker is automatically removed, and the siege situation ends immediately.
The following example comes from the Comprehensive Example:
Ground Combat (Amphibious Assault): The Japanese player attempts an Amphibious Assault to capture the Port Moresby hex. The Japanese are attacking with a Marine Battalion (Troop Quality of 7) and an Infantry Regiment with 2 hits (Troop Quality of 6). The Allied player is defending the hex with an Infantry Brigade (Troop Quality of 5).
The combat is adjudicated during the Ground Combat Phase even though the Japanese forces entered the hex during the previous Movement Phase.
Comparing the Japanese Troop Quality of the Marine Battalion versus the Allied Ground unit is done as follows:
The Japanese are conducting an Amphibious Assault which halves their Troop Quality (round up), resulting in a Japanese Troop Quality of 4 versus the Allied Troop Quality of 5.
Comparing these on the Troop Quality Matrix results in the 9 column being used initially for the Combat calculation.
Since the hex being assaulted is a Mountain hex there is a 3-column shift (in the defender's favor) moving the combat resolution to the 6 column.
The Japanese are attacking with 2 steps of ground forces versus four Allied ground steps, yielding a force ratio of .50 (2 divided by 4). This ratio requires no die roll modification. The die roll is 6 which is a 3/0 result with a mandatory attacker retreat.
The Japanese attempt to pass their Troop Quality Check but fail with a die roll of 8. Since this is an amphibious assault, with a retreat the attacker losses are doubled—which is more than sufficient to eliminate the Japanese units. The Allied ground unit receives no damage.
31.7. Airbase Repair
During the Airbase Repair Phase, each player can remove all Hit and Interdiction markers on a linked Base unit. A player can choose to leave damage on an Airbase if he wishes.
31.8. Rally
All un-isolated (12.2) Broken units in a hex containing no enemy ground units during the Rally Phase can attempt to Rally, simply by passing a Troop Quality Check. As in calculating Ground Combat, only one Broken unit's Troop Quality is used for all Broken ground units in the hex.
Reminder: The Broken unit whose Troop Quality is used for the Check has its Troop Quality halved (round up).
A player can attempt to Rally units in any number of eligible hexes each Rally Phase, but no more than one Rally attempt per phase can be made in a given hex. If the Rally succeeds, remove the Broken marker. If the Rally fails, leave the Broken marker where it is and Deactivate the unit.
32. Deactivation
During the last Joint Activation/Deactivation Phase of most Battle Scenarios, a Task Force in a friendly port or anchorage (Atoll or Restricted Water hex that contains no enemy naval units) is Deactivated.
Ground units can be Deactivated in any land hex. Air units can be Deactivated in any friendly Airbase whether linked or not.
Deactivation is not required for units in Engagement Scenarios.
Units Deactivated as a result of combat remain Deactivated for the rest of the Battle or Engagement scenario.
Note: See Activation (20.0) for details on both Activation and Deactivation in Campaign and Strategic scenarios.
32.1. Ground Unit Withdrawal
As an exception to the rule that ground units cannot exit an enemy-occupied hex, ground units that are not being Sieged can do so by Deactivating (rendering them unable to move or initiate combat), and only during the Joint Activation/Deactivation Phase.
When a ground unit Deactivates during this phase in an enemy-occupied hex, it can be re-embarked on Amphibious Transports or moved into a neighboring hex that is not enemy-occupied and does not contain an Entry Hexside marker pointed in the opposite direction.
All units in a hex which withdraw during the same phase must enter the same hex.
Each time one or more units withdraws; each is immediately Deactivated and the group loses one ground step (if all units are un-Broken) or three ground steps (if any unit in the group is Broken).
All units in a hex need not withdraw at once, but each time one or more units exit a hex, the losses are assessed again.
Units under siege cannot withdraw.
32.2. Detection Removal
During the Detection Removal Phase of each Battle Cycle, all Task Forces on their Detected side that occupy hexes containing no enemy air, naval, or ground units, (not Base units) are flipped to their Undetected side.
Successful Detections that occur during an Operation or Reaction Player Contact Phase cannot be removed until the Detection Removal Phase of the first Battle Cycle.
At the end of an Operation, all Task Force markers are removed as the naval units they contain are Deactivated.
32.3. Calendar Time Passage
During an Operation the Day marker is moved around the circular Day Track to account for the passing of Days. The Day marker is moved during the phases listed below.
The Day marker is moved during the phases listed below:
- During the Operation Player Contact Phase, each time the Operation Naval Movement marker is advanced into a tinted space on the Naval Movement Track, advance the Day marker one Day on the Day Track.
- During each Day Marker Adjustment Phase, advance the Day marker two spaces on the Day Track.
In Battle scenarios the Day marker begins in the zero space on the monthly time track. When the number of Days specified in the scenario instructions have passed the scenario is concluded.
Note: In Battle Scenarios the players must Deactivate their units by the end of the game, so it is important to leave yourself sufficient time to return naval units to ports or anchorages.
Note: Engagement scenarios do not use Days, but are conducted over the length of one or two Battle Cycles.
33. Countries and Resource Hexes
The following items of information dealing with the game map are relevant to the play of the Campaign and Strategic scenarios.
In the Strategic scenarios, the Japanese player relies on his Homeland and Co-Prosperity Sphere Resource hexes to maintain his flow of Command Points.
33.1. Co-Prosperity Sphere Resource Hexes
At the beginning of a Strategic scenario, place Control markers on each of the 16 Co-Prosperity Sphere Resource hexes, as listed in the Scenario Instructions.
At the instant, a Japanese unit overruns an Allied-controlled Co-Prosperity Sphere hex, replace the Allied Control marker with a Japanese Control marker and move the Strategic Initiative marker one space to the right (Japanese favor).
At the instant, an Allied ground unit overruns a Japanese controlled Co-Prosperity Sphere hex, replace the Japanese Control marker with an Allied Control marker and move the Strategic Initiative marker one space to the left (Allied favor).
At the instant, a Co-Prosperity Sphere hex is demolished, place an interdiction marker on the hex.
Note: Allied control of a Resource hex does not have the same effect as Demolition.
The Japanese player can use the Resource Points from a Co-Prosperity Sphere hex only if the hex is Japanese-controlled and does not have an interdiction marker on it.
Note that Interdicted Co-Prosperity Sphere Resource hexes can be repaired during the Engineering Phase (17.4).
33.2. Japanese Homeland Resource Hexes
At the beginning of a Strategic scenario, each of the 5 Japanese Homeland Resource hexes is under Japanese control.
At the instant, an Allied ground unit overruns a Japanese-controlled Homeland Resource hex, place an Allied Control marker and the destroyed Homeland Resource marker in the hex plus move the Strategic Initiative marker one space to the left (Allied favor).
At the instant, a Japanese ground unit overruns an Allied controlled Homeland Resource hex, remove the Allied Control marker, and move the Strategic Initiative marker one space to the right (Japanese favor). The demolished Homeland Resource marker is not removed.
Each time a hit is inflicted on a Homeland Resource hex from Strategic Bombing, deduct 1 from the hex's total on the Japanese General Record Track. These hits can never be removed. Once all Resource Points have been destroyed in a Homeland Resource hex, remove the marker from the General Record Track, invert it to its destroyed side, and place it on the map in the appropriate Homeland Resource hex.
The Japanese player can use a Homeland Resource Hex as an Ultimate Command Source only if the hex is Japanese-controlled and there is at least one Resource Point remaining in the hex.
33.3. USSR
Any Allied unit that enters the USSR (by crossing from China across the Sino-Soviet border) or amphibiously is interned and permanently removed from play. Japanese units can never enter the USSR.
Note: The USSR entered the war in August of 1945. Since there is no August 1945 in the game, the following rules deal with the Japanese need to maintain a garrison to offset Soviet forces that posed a constant threat to Manchuria/Manchukuo.
The Japanese must maintain a garrison of ground and air units within 4 hexes of a Sino-Soviet border hexside.
The number of division-size formations and air steps that must garrison Manchuria is based on the current Month.
Each division or 6 air step increment below the specified garrison size reduces the number of Command Points available to the Japanese player by 3.
For purposes of this rule, every 15 steps of non-division ground units equal 1 division and, for a division unit to be counted for garrison purposes, it may have no more than 5 hits on it. The minimum garrison sizes, by Month, are as follows:
- Dec 1941 through Dec 1942: 12 Divisions/30 Air steps
- Jan 1943 through Dec 1943: 15 Divisions/30 Air steps
- Jan 1944 through Dec 1944: 20 Divisions/30 Air steps
- Jan 1945 through Jul 1945: 34 Divisions/30 Air steps
Note: These requirements are listed on the Japanese Display Sheet on the Month Track.
33.4. Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies is defined as the multi-hex island of Java. Whenever the Japanese capture all hexes of Java and there are no Allied ground or air units on Java, the Dutch East Indies immediately surrenders. When the Dutch East Indies surrenders, permanently remove the Allied ABDA Headquarters and all Dutch units from play.
33.5. India
India is defined as the ten hexes containing Indian cities (orange stars). If the Japanese capture all ten cities and exit 80 steps of ground units off the map edge hexrow 5801-5812, then India immediately surrenders.
If India surrenders, all existing and future British replacements are immediately lost for the remainder of the game. All British units remaining in play may continue to operate normally.
Immediately upon surrender, the British SEAC Headquarters is permanently removed from play. The 80 exited steps do not return (they represent garrison forces).
33.6. China
China is defined as all hexes within two contiguous land hexes of a Chinese city (red stars), except Hanoi. All Activation Costs for Japanese units in China are tripled at all times (this is done prior to calculating the cost of time multiples). All operation costs incurred by Japanese units in China must be paid for by the China Headquarters unit. If the Japanese capture all of the Chinese cities on the map, then China immediately surrenders.
When China surrenders all Chinese units (Nationalist and Red) that cannot trace a Command Link (excluding Emergency Command Link) are immediately and permanently removed from play. All Chinese Replacement steps are lost as are all future Replacement steps. If a Chinese city is subsequently recaptured by the Allied player none of these effects are rescinded.
Once China has surrendered, the Japanese do not have to garrison China in any manner, although this has no effect on the Manchurian garrison. Any Chinese units that were not removed from play due to the surrender are treated as any other Allied unit for the remainder of the game; the surrender removal is a one-time effect.
Such units cannot, however, receive any other type of Allied Replacement step and there will be no new Chinese Replacement steps forthcoming.
There are two types of Chinese units (Nationalist and Red); these types of Chinese units may never stack with each other. If the only hex available for retreat would cause this to occur, then the retreating unit has no eligible retreat hex.
Note: Nationalist air units can only receive replacements if they are linked through the Nationalist Army HQ.
33.7. Malaya
Malaya is defined as all contiguous land hexes within 4 hexes of hex 3908 (Singapore). Whenever hex 3908 is captured by the Japanese, Malaya immediately surrenders, and the British Malaya Headquarters is permanently removed from play.
34. Optional Rules
The following rules can be used separately or in conjunction with one another. Most of the optional rules given here can be used in any of the scenario types upon the agreement of both players.
A typical Japanese KRS Submarine Unit counter shows: Activation Point Cost, no flak rating, and Steps.
34.1. Japanese KRS Submarine
The Japanese have one KRS submarine which has no combat capability but acts as a special refueling point for Long Range Air units. Treat it like a naval unit.
One LRA unit can fly up to its full range (16 hexes) to a Coastal or Restricted water hex containing the KRS submarine unit and no enemy units of any type. The LRA can then search any one hex within 8 hexes of the KRS unit. Upon completing its Search attempt, the LRA returns to its original Airbase.
Players never pay a Time Multiple for Activating submarines and submarines are never used in calculating Operation Level. A submarine unit always costs 1 Command Point to Activate and is treated as a naval unit that moves like a naval unit, but only one hex—not two—during a Battle Cycle Movement Phase.
The special Japanese KRS submarine unit can never be Repaired, Recombined, or Reinforced.
Example: The KRS submarine unit is in hex 2956 (French Frigate Shoals) and an LRA unit is in hex 2942 (Wake Island). During a Movement Phase, the LRA flies 14 hexes to French Frigate Shoals and conducts a Search into hex 2860 (Oahu), which is 5 hexes from French Frigate Shoals. After completing its Search attempt, the LRA then flies 14 hexes back to Wake Island in the same phase.
Any Japanese submarine occupying an Overrun anchorage at the end of the Operation is eliminated.
A typical Japanese STO Submarine Unit counter shows: Activation Point Cost, no flak rating, and Steps.
34.2. Japanese STO Submarine
The Japanese have an STO submarine which has a limited search capability due to the seaplanes it carries. The special Japanese STO submarine unit can never be Repaired, Recombined, or Reinforced. Treat it like a naval unit.
Players never pay a Time Multiple for Activating submarines and submarines are never used in calculating Operation Level. A submarine unit always costs 1 Command Point to Activate and is treated as a naval unit that moves like a naval unit, but only one hex—not two—during a Battle Cycle Movement Phase.
In a Strategic scenario in December 1941, if the STO unit is in any hex on the East Map edge, the Japanese player can immediately declare that this unit is bombing the Panama Canal (off map).
After declaring the attack, the Japanese player rolls the die twice. If he rolls 2 consecutive zeroes, the locks of the Panama Canal are considered damaged, and all US reinforcements scheduled to arrive from January through December 1942 are delayed one Month. All other results are a failure, and the STO unit is eliminated. This is the only time that this attack can be declared during the game.
Any Japanese submarine occupying an Overrun anchorage at the end of the Operation is eliminated.
34.3. Yamato and Musashi
Besides being the world's largest battleships, the Yamato and the Musashi were also the headquarters of the Combined Fleet during much of the war. Neither ship can be Activated unless the Combined Fleet Headquarters is used for Activation during that phase; both can then be Activated.
34.4. Dummy Task Forces
Upon the initial Activation of naval units (during the Operation or Reaction Activation Phase), a number of dummy Task Forces can be created. The total number of dummies depends on the level of the Operation:
| Level | # of dummies |
|---|---|
| 0 | 2 |
| 1 | 4 |
| 2 | 6 |
| 3 | 8 |
The dummies can be placed in any friendly Linked, non-Interdicted port during the player's Activation Phase. Once Detected, a dummy is removed for the remainder of the Operation. No new dummies can be created during the Operation.
Note: Dummies cannot conduct Searches.
34.5. Defensive Pilot Skill
If an air unit attacks an enemy air unit of superior Status Level, the difference in their respective Status is subtracted from the attacking unit's Air Combat Strength after all other modifiers have been applied.
Example: If an L0 air unit is attacking an L2 air unit, the L0 air unit subtracts 2 from its Air Combat Strength.
34.6. Extended Fighter Range
Japanese F non-CV-capable air units with L2 Status Level can add 2 to their range when escorting or conducting Air Supremacy missions.
Design Note: This represents the more experienced pilot's engine throttle skills that enabled Zeros to exceed their plane's specified range.
Allied F non-CV-capable air units with L2 Status Level can add 4 to their range when escorting or conducting Air Supremacy missions.
The term "escorting" in this context indicates that the F air unit extending its range can engage only in Air Combat or Air Installation strafing.
Note: The extended range is based on the aircraft's added drop tanks, increasing their effective range beyond the aircraft's innate limits.
34.7. US Four Engine Bomber Toughness
All US B air units of Status Level L0 or L1 are treated as L2 units for target purposes only. When they attack using air combat, they are treated as their normal Status.
Note: This rule must be used in conjunction with the Defensive Pilot Skill (34.5) optional rule.
34.8. Allied Four Engine Air Unit Search
An Activated Allied B air unit that does not fly on an air mission during a Battle Cycle can be used as an LRA for search purposes, but cannot utilize the LRA night attack option (see below).
34.9. LRA Night Attack
If an Allied LRA Detects a Japanese naval unit, the LRA can launch a night naval strike. Only the actual target naval unit within the Task Force can fire flak but does not have to roll to Detect the strike beforehand. If the flak scores one or more hits, the LRA is eliminated.
If the flak scores no hits, the attack is conducted on the F Air vs. Naval line of the Air/Naval Combat Results Table, with an attacking Strength of zero.
34.10. Strategic Bombing Fighter Escort
In April 1945, the Allied player receives a special (6)F-L2 air unit: the P-51. This unit can receive only L2 replacements. It can engage any Japanese F air unit in a hex attacked during the Strategic Bombing Phase. It is always considered Activated and it uses the Coordinated Strike vs. CAP column of the Air/Naval Combat Results Table.
If no F enemy air unit is present in a hex, then a strafe attack is conducted against any Japanese Air Installation within range during the Strategic Bombing Phase. This air unit receives replacements normally, as any other air unit. During Air Missions Phases, this unit can be Alerted and conduct CAP but can perform no Strike Missions.
34.11. Night Combat
The Strength of naval units is modified, based on the current Strategic Initiative situation, during naval combat when the Lighting Condition is night or dusk, during Naval Combat Phases 2 and 3.
A. Japanese add 1 to their Gunnery and Torpedo Strengths when the Japanese have Strategic Initiative or neither player has Strategic Initiative. For purposes of this rule, Strategic Initiative for non-Strategic scenarios is as follows:
| Scenarios | Initiative |
|---|---|
| Engagement 1-4 | Japan |
| Engagement 5-8 | Allies |
| Battle 1-3 | Japan |
| Battle 4-12 | None |
| Campaign 1-3 | Japan |
| Campaign 4-9 | Allies |
B. Japanese add nothing to their Gunnery and Torpedo Strengths when the Allies have Strategic Initiative.
C. Allies add 1 to their Gunnery and Torpedo Strengths when the Allies have Strategic Initiative.
D. Allies add nothing to their Gunnery and Torpedo Strengths when neither player has Strategic Initiative.
E. Allies subtract 1 from their Gunnery and Torpedo Strengths when the Japanese have Strategic Initiative.
34.12. Radar and Improved Aircraft Intercept Doctrine
Subtract 2 from all Allied Search die rolls from January 1943 until the end of the game.
Subtract 1 from all Japanese Search die rolls from January 1944 until the end of the game.
34.13. Allied Float Plane Doctrine
Allied naval units with spotter planes cannot conduct Searches beyond the hex they occupy until the Allies have Strategic Initiative of any level. Once they have attained Strategic Initiative, they can use spotters throughout the remainder of the game, even if the Initiative reverts to the Japanese again.
34.14. Allied ASW Sweeps
From January 1943 on, US DD and DE units can conduct ASW sweeps. To do so, the DD/DE must enter a hex containing a Japanese submarine Patrol area.
The ASW naval forces roll a die and if the die roll is equal to or less than the Patrol zones submarine attack strength then a number of ASW attacks is conducted equal to the die roll. The combat is conducted normally, using the Naval vs. Submarine line of the Air/Naval Combat Results Table. Remove any submarine losses.
At the conclusion of the ASW attack the Japanese can conduct a single Submarine attack regardless of how many submarines are present or if none survive.
34.15. Armor Advantage
Throughout the game, a side in a ground combat situation that possesses armor may be eligible to shift the column used on the Ground Combat Results Table by one column.
Excluding all US ground units, in any combat where one side has an armor unit and the other has none, the side with armor can shift the column; in situations where both sides have armor, there is no shift.
US units are all considered to have armor for defensive purposes; no Japanese unit can ever shift in a combat against a US ground unit. This built-in US armor does not allow the US unit to shift; the US unit must actually have an armor unit (and the opposition must have none) to shift the combat.
34.16. Fighter Patrol
During the Advantage Air Mission Phase, Advantage air units can undertake Ferry missions to another hex that is not more than half their Range away, where it can conduct CAP during the Disadvantage Air Mission Phase.
No more than one air unit per hex may fly Fighter Patrol in a hex, but other air units based in the hex can also perform CAP.
The Fighter Patrol unit need not be Alerted; it automatically conducts CAP whether an incoming enemy Air Mission is Detected or not.
34.17. Japanese Barges/Allied PT Boats
During Strategic Transport Phases, the Japanese can move one Division (or equivalent) from a shoreline hex across one hexside of water into another shoreline hex. This is not considered Amphibious Transport.
During each June, the Allies receive one "hex" of PT boats, which the Allied player secretly assigns to a friendly-occupied hex. Whenever a Japanese unit attempts to use barge movement (see above) into a hex containing PT boats, the Japanese unit loses one step. The Allies can redeploy their PT boat hexes each Reinforcement Phase.
34.18. Midget Submarines
During the December 1941 turn of a Strategic scenario any Japanese air strike against unactivated Allied naval units in an Allied port can have a single submarine attack declared against the naval units prior to the air mission.
34.19. Special Forces Raiders
Special Forces ground units can be used as normal ground units or they can be used as Raiders.
When a Special Forces unit conducts a Raid (one-unit maximum), it can disembark in or enter an enemy-occupied hex to conduct combat (no Amphibious Assault Troop Quality penalty) and uses the 1-5 steps line of any combat result, regardless of the forces present.
After the combat, if the Special Forces unit survives, it is immediately embarked or exited from the hex. If the Special Force unit eliminates all enemy ground units in the hex, all installations and Co-Prosperity Sphere Resource Points in the hex automatically suffer the effects of Demolition.
34.20. Tirpitz
During the January 1944 Reinforcement Phase, the Japanese receive the German battleship BB Tirpitz provided they have Strategic Initiative.
34.21. Richelieu
During the setup of any Strategic scenario, place the French battleship BB Richelieu in Noumea (hex 0135).
34.22. CVS/CVL Conversion
Japanese CVS2 Chitose and CVS3 Chiyoda can be converted to CVL8 Chitose and CVL9 Chiyoda.
To do so, the Japanese player must leave one or both of the CVS's in a functioning Japanese Dry Dock port for 6 consecutive Months.
If the unit is damaged prior to conversion, it must have all hits repaired before beginning the 6-Month conversion process. If the conversion process is interrupted for any reason, it must begin again.
35. Solitaire Guidelines
To play Pacific War solitaire (other than the specifically solitaire-designed Engagement Scenarios), use the rules normally except as indicated otherwise below:
All Operation player movement during his Contact Phase should be pre-plotted. The Operation naval units can be forced to cease their movement prior to the conclusion of their movement plot only by a successful Reaction search, regardless of the Intelligence Condition.
In the Campaign and Strategic scenarios, the Operational Intelligence Condition is determined only when a successful search is made against the Operation units.
To conduct Command Point bidding during the Operation Player Determination Phase, use the Bidding Table below. Compare the difference in Command Points available to each side and use the highest applicable column that expresses the difference between the higher and lower totals.
Example: If the Allies have 284 and the Japanese have 140 Command Points, use the 2x column.
The side determined on the Table conducts the Operation at any amount of Command Points you wish.
Solitaire Bidding Table — Comparison of Higher-to-Lower Command Point Totals
| Die | 1-10 | 11-20 | 21-30 | 2x | 3x | 4x |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | H | H | H | H | H | H |
| 5 | L | H | H | H | H | H |
| 6 | L | L | H | H | H | H |
| 7 | L | L | L | L | H | H |
| 8 | L | L | L | L | L | H |
| 9 | L | L | L | L | L | L |
H: Higher total conducts Operation. L: Lower total conducts Operation.
36. Miscellaneous Hits Chart
The following chart is provided as a reminder of how various types of damage affect miscellaneous targets (targets other than combat units).
| Target Type | Hit Capacity | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| OSB | 5 | Eliminated |
| Construction | 5 | Eliminated |
| Base unit with Small Airbase | 5 | Interdicted |
| Base unit with Large Airbase | 10 | Interdicted |
| Port or Dry Dock Port | Same as co-located Base Unit | Interdicted |
| Co-Prosperity Sphere Resource | Demolition only | Interdicted |
| Homeland Resource Hex | Strategic Bombing | Reduction |