PACIFIC AIR WAR - 1941-45 A. Introduction 1. The Carrier Air War Mini-Campaign consists of 4-7 linked BLUE MAX games, each set in a different phase of the Pacific War, which are played in chronological order. 2. Between games players attempt to rescue downed pilots, replace lost pilots and add experience points to the survivors. 3. Both sides have 4-8 players, each with 1 pilot. 4. The objective is to shoot down enemy aircraft, bomb enemy ships and bases and develop your pilots skills. B. Campaign Set-up 1. Decide which of the games are to be played. Games 3, 5 and 6 are optional. 2. Roll 1D6 for each player and consult the following tables to determine initial pilot quality. 3. Each player takes one of the aircraft in the list of on-table forces for each game. Where 2 types are given all of the first type must be used before any of the second. Table 1: Initial Japanese Pilot Quality Roll Status Kills Abilities EP Rank 1 Ace 5 3 300 Lieutenant Commander 2 Veteran 4 2 200 Lieutenant 3,4 Veteran 3 1 125 Flight Officer 5 Veteran 2 - 75 Warrant Officer 6 Veteran 1 - 50 Sergeant Table 2: Initial American Pilot Quality Roll Status Kills Abilities EP Rank 1 Veteran 2 - 75 Lieutenant Commander 2,3 Veteran 1 - 50 Lieutenant 4 Novice - - 0 Lieutenant 5,6 Novice - - 0 Ensign C. The Games Game 1: The Japanese Offensive (Dec '41 - Apr '42) [odds 3:1] In the weeks and months after Pearl Harbour the seemingly invincible Japanese overwhelmed Allied forces throughout the Far East. In this game a scratch force of American aircraft try to defend an isolated base from a Japanese carrier air strike. Japanese Forces: 8 A6M2 "ZEKE" Off-Table: 4 D3A "VAL" and 4 B5N "KATE" American Forces: 4 F2A Buffalo and 4 P-40B Warhawk Note: Downed Japanese pilots will always be rescued, Americans will always be captured. Special "Pearl" Variant: To play the attack on Pearl Harbour itself replace the American forces with 2 SBD Dauntless and 1 P-40B Warhawk. Game 2: Early Carrier Battles (May '42 - May '43) [odds 2:1] In a series of evenly matched carrier engagements the Americans halted the Japanese advance and inflicted casualties on their aircrews which would be sorely missed. In this game both sides have located one another and launched air strikes. Japanese Forces: 8 A6M2 "ZEKE" Off-Table: 4 D3A "VAL" and 4 B5N "KATE" American Forces: 8 F4F Wildcat Off-Table: 4 SBD Dauntless and 4 TBF Avenger Game 3: Guadalcanal (Aug '42 - Dec '42) [odds 1:1] Henderson Field, the vital airfield on Guadalcanal, became the focus of months of desperate fighting on the ground and in the air. In this game the Japanese try to bomb the field while the American "Cactus Airforce" defend with every available aircraft. Japanese Forces: 4 A6M2 "ZEKE" and 4 D3A "VAL" American Forces: 4 F4F Wildcat and 4 SBD Dauntless Note: The SBDs are being used as fighters. The VALs are loaded and may bomb Henderson Field if they exit the American map edge with bombs aboard. Game 4: The Americans fight back (Jun '43 - Sep '44) [odds 1:2] With hard won experience and powerful new forces the Americans launched a series of heavy counter-attacks which effectively destroyed the Japanese carrier fleet. This game represents one of the last carrier v. carrier battles and includes the new US Navy fighter, the Hellcat, and the next generation Japanese strike aircraft JUDY and JILL. Japanese Forces: 8 A6M5 "ZEKE" Off-Table: 4 D4Y "JUDY" and 4 B6N "JILL" American Forces: 8 F6F Hellcat Off-Table: 4 SBD Dauntless and 4 TBF Avenger Game 5: The Philippines Campaign (Jul '44 - Oct '44) [odds 1:1] The liberation of the Philippines was strongly contested by Japanese Army, Navy and Airforces. In this game Wildcats from the Navys escort carriers try to protect Marine amphibious forces from a surprise attack by Japanese Army Air units. Japanese Forces: 4 Ki-84 "FRANK" and 4 Ki-61 "TONY" Off-Table: 4 Ki-45 "NICK" American Forces: 8 F4F Wildcat Game 6: Attacks on The Home Islands (Oct '44 - 'lay ·45) [odds 1:2] In preparation for their attacks on Iwo Jima and Okinawa the Americans attempted to neutralise Japanese bases in Japan and Taiwan. Japanese naval air units from these bases attacked the American taskforce. This game introduces 2 new fighters; the N1K2 GEORGE, of the Imperial Navy, and the Corsair, for the USN. Japanese Forces: 4 N1K2 "GEORGE" and 4 A6M5 "ZEKE" Off-Table: 4 G4M2 "BETTY" American Forces: 4 F4U Corsair and 4 F6F Hellcat Note: Downed American pilots will always be rescued, the Japanese will always be captured. Game 7: Devine Wind (Nov '44 - Aug '45) [odds 1:3] As American forces came within striking distance of the Japanese mainland itself, desperate measures were required. In mass suicide attacks wave upon wave of brave young pilots died for their Emperor flying obsolete planes loaded down with explosives. Most were shot down by the swarms of Hellcats or the wall of radar-directed flak but many got through sinking several destroyers and damaging some carriers. Japanese Forces: 4 A6M2 "ZEKE" and 4 D4Y "JUDY" American Forces: 8 F6F Hellcat Note: Downed American pilots will always be rescued, the Japanese will always be captured. The JUDYs are special suicide attack single seaters without observer guns. Any number of the ZEKEs may be designated kamikazes. All kamikazes are considered loaded and may not ditch bombs. The Japanese receive VPs for exiting the map and attacking the enemy Carrier Taskforce with suicide planes. Roll 1D6 and consult the following table for each kamikaze exited in any condition. American aircraft may not exit the map at any time. Table 3: Kamikaze Attack Results Roll Result VP Award 1-3 Destroyed by flak 0 4 Crashed into sea 0 5 Hit Escort 3 6 Hit Carrier 10 D. Off-Table Strike Aircraft 1. These aircraft are considered to be behind the friendly table edge. While off-table they can only be attacked by exiting enemy aircraft. 2. At the end of the game each surviving off-table aircraft may attack its target. 3. If an on-table aircraft is shot down the player may bring on 1 or 2 off-table aircraft. If 2 are chosen they must fly in formation at all times. These strike aircraft are considered loaded when they arrive on-table. The pilot(s) will be of the same status as that shot down but do not have any special abilities or accumulate Experience Points. 4. If an aircraft is brought on-table and exits the enemy table edge without being damaged it may attack its target. E. Exiting The Table 1. Aircraft may exit the table from any edge and are assumed to return to base. In games where the enemy has strike aircraft off-table one of these is considered shot down for each friendly aircraft exiting the enemy map edge. 2. If an aircraft exits the map but is "chased" by an opposing aircraft which exits no later than the next turn, no more than 3 hexes away and has working guns, then the first aircraft is considered damaged. 3. Damaged aircraft or those without working guns may still exit but do not get any bonus kills against off-table enemy aircraft and may not "chase" others. F. After Each Game 1. Each enemy aircraft shot down counts as 1 kill. Each enemy aircraft damaged at the end of a game counts as half a kill. An aircraft is damaged if it has lost at least half its damage points in at least 2 sections. 2. A kill is worth 2 Campaign Victory Points. A damage result is worth 1. A successful bombing mission by strike aircraft is worth 1. 3. After each game players may attempt to rescue downed pilots by rolling 1D6 for each one. Unless otherwise stated 4-6 means the pilot is rescued. 4. Each carrier aircraft must roll 1D6 twice after the game; once to get home safely and once to land aboard. Subtract 1 for each of the following; damaged aircraft, wounded pilot, novice pilot. Add 1 for Ace Pilot. Consult Table 4. 5. Pilots who are killed or who cannot be rescued are lost from the campaign. Lost Japanese pilots are replaced by Novice Flight Officers with 0 EP. Lost American pilots are replaced by Veteran Lieutenants with 50 EP. 6. Those pilots who survive a game unharmed receive double EP for that game, if wounded they get normal EP. Table 4: Carrier Aircraft Recovery Roll Result 0 Lost at Sea/Crashed - Crew Killed 1 Ditched/Bad Landing - Crew Wounded 2+ Safe G. Other Campaign Special Rules 1. All World War II Variant rules are in force. 2. Each game lasts a maximum of 36 turns. 3. The table should be approximately 25-30 hexes square. 4. If a pilot does not get a kill during a game but does score hits on an enemy, 5 EP are awarded. (mod 1 - 12/4/92)