Scenario 9

 

Encircling Rabaul

A Hypothetical Scenario by James Lutz

 

Time: 0100, 15 January to 0800, 20 January (128 turns)

Weather: Scattered Clouds

 

Allied Order of Battle

CV Enterprise

CV Hornet

CV Lexington

BB Colorado

BB Nevada

BB South Dakota

BB Washington

BB West Virginia

CA Astoria

CA Chicago

CA Indianapolis

CA Minneapolis

CA Pensacola

CA Portland

CA Quincy

CL Atlanta

CL Helena
CL Hobart

CL Honolulu

CL Raleigh

CL San Diego

CL St Louis

31DD, 3PG, 6APD, 11AP, 14SS

Sea Based Planes: 12 Avenger, 34 Dauntless, 31 Wildcat

Land Based Planes at Espiritu Santo, Henderson and/or New Caledonia: 6 B-17, 14 B-25, 5 Catalina, 12 Dauntless, 7 P-38, 10 P-40, 11 Wildcat

Land Based Planes at Australia, Port Moresby, Gili-Gili and/or Buna: 12 B-17, 8 B-25, 21 B-26, 3 Beaufighter, 1 Catalina, 6 Hudson, 10 P-39, 19 P-40

 

Allied Ships’ Starting Positions

  1. West Virginia, Nevada, Colorado, St. Louis, Hobart, San Diego, 11AP, 6APD, 14DD, and 3PG at Port Moresby or two hexes from the south edge of Sector V, VI, or VII.
  2. 1DD at Buna.
  3. All other ships enter Turn 1 anywhere on the east edge south of Ndeni; on Turn 6 or later, anywhere on the south edge of Sector VIII; Turn 10 or later, anywhere on the south edge of Sector VII; Turn 14 or later, anywhere on the south edge of Sector VI.

 

Japanese Order of Battle

CV Hiyo

CV Zuikaku

CVL Shoho

CVL Zuiho

AV Chitose

BB Hiei

BB Kongo

BB Yamashiro

BB Yamato

CA Aoba

CA Ashigara

CA Atago

CA Chokai

CA Furutaka

CA Kumano

CA Maya

CA Mikuma

CA Mogami

CL Isuzu

CL Jintsu

CL Kitakami

CL Nagara

CL Sendai

CL Yubari

30DD, 8PG, 3APD, 4AP

Sea Based Planes: 3 Dave, 4 Jake, 2 Judy, 28 Kate, 6 Pete, 22 Val, 38 Zero

Land Based Planes at  Buka, Buna, Buin, Gasmata, Kavieng, Lae, Rabaul and/or Truk: 26 Betty, 7 Kate, 7 Mavis, 24 Nell, 2 Pete, 3 Rufe, 3 Emily, 12 Val, 35 Zero

 

Japanese Ships’ Starting Positions

  1. 8 PG in Sectors I, II, III, or IV.
  2. AV Chitose may have established a seaplane base in any partial land hex in Sectors I, II, III, or IV. 2DD may accompany the Chitose. If not, the 2DD enter with the “other ships”.
  3. 4AP, 3APD, 6DD and 1CL at Rabaul or enter with other ships.
  4. All other ships enter Turn 1 or later anywhere on the north board edge.

 

Special Rules – Allied Only

  1. All Allied bases except Buna have radar.
  2. Allied CV, BB, CA, CL, DD, SS, AP and APD have radar.
  3. Buna can handle only Wildcat, Dauntless, Avenger, P-38, P-39 and P-40 aircraft, and has no Maximum Launch capability. The same restrictions apply to any Japanese base captured by the Allies.
  4. A base is captured by landing the required number of troop points in excess of Japanese troop points (see Special Victory Conditions below). The Allied player may start using a captured base two turns after the turn of its capture.
  5. BB West Virginia, BB Colorado and BB Nevada may be pre-designated as carrying HE ammunition and may be reloaded with same or normal when in port. BBs with HE use a BHT value of 16 for bombardment. Their gunnery factors are reduced as follows: West Virginia 10, Colorado 9 and Nevada 8.

 

Special Rules – Japanese Only

  1. Japanese bases Rabaul and Lae and CV Zuikaku and AV Chitose have radar.

 

Special Rules – Both Players

  1. Use base values as given in the “Guadalcanal” scenario.
  2. The Optional Rule - Expanded Ship Functions, 7. Ammunition Reloads, is compulsory.
  3. APs and APDs may transfer troops among themselves at the rate of 3 points per turn that the ships are anchored in port, including a captured port.

 

Special Victory Conditions

  1. Allies capture Rabaul and score 100 points if they unload 150 more troop points at Rabaul than the Japanese do.
  2. Allies capture Gasmata and score 50 points if they unload 100 more troop points at Gasmata than the Japanese do.
  3. Allies capture Buka and score 25 points if they unload 75 more troop points on Buka island than the Japanese do.
  4. Allies capture Buin but score no extra points if they unload 75 more troop points at Buin than the Japanese do.
  5. Japanese score 2 points for each troop point unloaded at any of his bases or on Buka island.
  6. Japanese score 1 point for each troop point unloaded within two hexes of Gasmata or within three of Rabaul or Buin.
  7. Japanese score 25 points if the Americans fail to unload at least 15 points at Henderson.
  8. The Allies win and the game ends immediately if at any time the Allies capture Rabaul and have more victory points than the Japanese.
  9. The Allies win if they capture Gasmata or Buka and have more victory points than the Japanese.
  10. If the Allies do not capture one of Buka, Gasmata or Rabual but they have at least 150 victory points more than the Japanese, the game is a draw.
  11. The Japanese win if the Allies do not capture one of Buka, Gasmata or Rabaul and have less than 150 victory points more than the Japanese.

 

From James Lutz’ Players’ Notes

“Overall, this scenario can lead to massive air actions and surface battles. The fight for control of bases will be critical.”