Scenario 10

 

Decision in the South Pacific

A Hypothetical Scenario by James Lutz

 

Time: 0500, 24 October to 1200, 31 October (175 turns)

Weather: Scattered Clouds

 

Allied Order of Battle

CV Enterprise

CV Saratoga

CV Yorktown

BB Mississippi

BB South Dakota

BB Tennessee

BB Oklahoma

BB Washington

BB West Virginia

CA Astoria

CA Australia

CA Chester

CA Minneapolis

CA New Orleans

CA Northampton

CA Pensacola

CA Quincy

CA San Francisco

CL Atlanta

CL Detroit

CL Helena

CL Hobart

CL Honolulu

CL Juneau

CL San Diego

CL San Juan

34DD, 4PG, 9AP, 3AO, 14SS

Sea Based Planes: 12 Avenger, 33 Dauntless, 30 Wildcat

Land Based Planes at Espiritu Santo, Henderson, New Caledonia and/or Ndeni: 5 B-17, 4 A-20, 9 Catalina, 3 Hudson, 13 Wildcat, 8 P-38, 5 P-40, 8 Dauntless

Land Based Planes at Australia, Port Moresby and/or Gili-Gili: 13 B-17, 21 B-26, 20 B-25, 5 Hudson, 3 Catalina, 14 P-39, 27 P-40, 5 Buffalo, 4 Beaufort, 4 Beaufighter

 

Allied Ships’ Starting Positions

  1. West Virginia, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Mississippi, Atlanta, Detroit, 12DD, 4PG, 9AP, 5APD and 2AO may start at Port Moresby or within two hexes of the south board edge.
  2. All other ships enter Turn 1 or later anywhere on the east edge south of Ndeni or on Turn 12 or later anywhere on the south edge.

 

Japanese Order of Battle

CV Hiryu

CV Junyo

CV Shokaku

CV Zuikaku

CVL Zuiho

AV Chitose

AV Kamikawa

BB Fuso

BB Hiei

BB Ise

BB Kirishima

BB Kongo

BB Musashi

BB Mutsu

CA Aoba

CA Atago

CA Ashigara

CA Chokai

CA Haguro

CA Kinugasa

CA Maya

CA Mikuma

CA Mogami

CA Myoko

CA Nachi

CA Suzuya

CL Abukama

CL Jintsu

CL Nagara

CL Oi

CL Sendai

CL Tama

CL Tatsuta

39DD, 12PG, 4APD, 12AP, 4AO, 19SS

Sea Based Planes: 5 Dave, 6 Jake, 2 Judy, 28 Kate, 8 Pete, 26 Val, 37 Zero

Land Based Planes at Buka, Buna, Buin, Gasmata, Kavieng, Lae, Rabaul, Shortland and/or Truk: 27 Betty, 3 Emily, 13 Kate, 6 Mavis, 19 Nell, 1 Pete, 4 Rufe, 22 Val, 42 Zero

 

Japanese Ships’ Starting Positions

  1. Mutsu, Ise, Fuso, Kamikawa, Tama, 14DD, 12PG, 12AP, 4APD, 3AO may start at Rabaul or enter on Turn 1 anywhere on the north board edge.
  2. All other ships enter Turn 1 anywhere on the north edge east of New Ireland or on Turn 5 anywhere on the north edge west of New Ireland.

 

Special Rules – Allied Only

  1. All Allied bases have radar.
  2. All Allied ships except PGs have radar.
  3. Captured bases can handle only P-38, P-39, P-40, Wildcat, Dauntless, Avenger and Buffalo.
  4. BBs loaded with HE have their gunnery factors reduced to the following; South Dakota and Washington 11, West Virginia 10, Tenessee and Mississippi 9, and Oklahoma 8.

 

Special Rules – Japanese Only

  1. All Japanese bases and CV have radar.
  2. Captured bases can handle only Zero, Val and Kate.
  3. BBs loaded with HE have their gunnery factors reduced to the following; Musashi 12, Mutsu, Hiei, Kirishima and Kongo 8, Fuso and Ise 7.
  4. AV Kamikawa and/or AV Chitose may start the scenario anchored with double maximum launch capacity active.

 

Special Rules – Both Players

  1. Use base values as given for the Guadalcanal scenario (#5).
  2. The Optional Rule - Expanded Ship Functions, 7. Ammunition Reloads, is compulsory.
  3. APs and APDs may transfer troops amoung themselves at the rate of 3 points per turn that the ships are anchored in port, including a captured port.
  4. Captured bases may be used to launch friendly aircraft two turns after the turn they were captured.
  5. Battleships may be designated at start or at reload time to be loaded with HE. BBs with HE use a BHT value of 16 for bombardment.

 

Special Victory Conditions

  1. Automatic Victory Level = 500 points
  2. To win, a side must accumulate 250 VP and have at least 50 VP more than its opponent. Any other result is a draw.
  3. Additional VP are allocated for the following:
    1. Japanese receive 100 VP for unloading 150 points more at Port Moresby than the Allies (thus capturing the base)
    2. Japanese receive 75 VP for unloading 75 points more at Espiritu Santo than the Allies (thus capturing the base)
    3. Japanese receive 50 VP for unloading 50 points more at Gili-Gili than the Allies (thus capturing the base)
    4. Japanese receive 50 VP for unloading 50 points more in any Guadalcanal hex than the Allies do at Henderson
    5. Japanese receive 25 VP for unloading 50 points more at Ndeni than the Allies (thus capturing the base)
    6. Allies receive 100 VP for unloading 125 points more at Lae than the Japanese (thus capturing the base)
    7. Allies receive 75 VP for unloading 100 points more at Buka than the Japanese (thus capturing the base)
    8. Allies receive 75 VP for unloading 100 points more at Gasmata than the Japanese (thus capturing the base)
    9. Allies receive 50 VP for unloading 50 points more at Buna than the Japanese (thus capturing the base)
    10. Allies receive 50 VP for unloading 75 points more at Buin than the Japanese (thus capturing the base)
    11. Allies receive 25 VP for unloading 50 points more at Shortland than the Japanese (thus capturing the base)
  4. If the above superiorities are not maintained, the extra Victory Points are lost but the base does not change hands. Once captured a base remains captured for the duration of the scenario.
  5. Victory Points for unloading are awarded only if:
    1. Unloading in a hex containing an enemy base, or
    2. Unloading in any Guadalcanal hex if Japanese and in the Henderson hex if Allied.

 

From James Lutz’ Players’ Notes

“Both the Japanese and the Allies throw almost all available forces into one last battle for the South Pacific. A ‘monster’ scenario. The potential exists for massive battles being waged. Emphasis is placed on eliminating the enemy fleets or capturing his bases.”