Flat Top Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 2. Units and Markers
• 3. Setting Up the Game
• 4. Operational Cards
• 5. Sequence of Play
• 6. Weather
• 7. Observation
• 8. Air Operations
• 9. Stacking
• 10. Planning TF Movement
• 11. Shadowing
• 12. Executing TF Movement
• 13. Initiative
• 14. Air Movement
• 15. Combat
• 16. Air-to-Air Combat
• 17. Anti-Aircraft Combat
• 18. Air Attack
• 19. Surface Combat
• 20. Combat Resolution
• 21. Damage
• 22. Replacements
• 23. Repairs
• 24. Time Record
• 25. Victory Conditions
• 26. Scenarios
• Scenario One: "Rings Around Rabaul"
• Scenario Two: "Coral Sea"
• Scenario Three: "East of the Solomons"
• Scenario Four: "Santa Cruz"
• Scenario Five: "Guadalcanal"
• Components
• Optional Rules
• Table Errata
• Designer's Notes
• Historical Background
• Terrain Key
• Credits

2. Units and Markers

2.1 Units represent the various types of aircraft and ships involved in these battles. Japanese units are red and Allied units are yellow. Information markers (blue) can be used by either side. The following illustrations explain the symbols printed on the units:

Air Units show the aircraft model, a silhouette, and the number of air factors. A dot to the right of the aircraft name distinguishes carrier-based aircraft from land-based aircraft.

Naval Units show the ship's name, its damage factor, ship type/silhouette, gunnery factor, anti-aircraft factor, and movement factor.

Ship types:

• CV — Carrier
• CVL — Light Carrier
• AV — Seaplane Tender
• CAV — Seaplane Cruiser
• BB — Battleship
• BC — Battlecruiser
• CA — Cruiser
• CL — Light Cruiser
• DD — Destroyer
• AP — Transport
• APD — Fast Transport
• AO — Oiler
• PG — Patrol Gunboat
• PT — Torpedo Boat
• SS — Submarine

Allied and Japanese Markers: Naval Formation marker, Air Formation marker, "Dispersed" marker, Victory Points marker, "Anchored" marker, Allied Base marker, Japanese Base marker (a radar icon marks bases or units carrying radar).

Informational Markers:

Weather markers: Wind Direction marker, Cloud marker.

Time Record markers: Date marker, Turn marker.

Damage markers: Hit marker (shows the number of hits), "Damaged" marker.

Armament markers: AP Bomb, GP Bomb, Torpedo, Para-Frag Bomb, "Skip" Bomb.

2.2 An air unit may be exchanged for other air units of the same aircraft type whose total air factors equal the air factor of the original unit.

Example: A 5-air-factor VAL unit may be replaced by five 1-factor VAL units, or by one 2-factor and three 1-factor units, or by two 2-factor units and one 1-factor unit.

2.3 The unit sheets contain some units that are not used in any scenario included in the game. These are provided for players who wish to design their own scenarios.

3. Setting Up the Game

3.1 Unfold the Board and place it between the two players, with Japan to the north and the Allies to the south. Note the hex grid printed on the Board, which is used to determine movement. Also note that the folds of the Board create 8 numbered sectors, I through VIII.

3.2 Cut out the Time Record markers and place them on the appropriate day and hour boxes on the Time Record Chart.

3.3 Players select the naval and air units indicated in the respective orders of battle for each scenario, then place them in the appropriate location on their Operational Cards.

3.3.1 Air Formation markers (numbered 1 to 35) are placed on the corresponding numbers in the Air Formation boxes of Air Operation Chart B.

3.3.2 Naval Formation markers (numbered 1 to 14) are placed on the corresponding numbers in the Task Force boxes of Air Operation Chart A.

3.3.3 Naval units are placed in the Task Force boxes in any manner following the dictates of rule 4.1 and the scenario's order of battle.

3.3.4 Air units are placed in the Task Force boxes and airbase boxes in any manner following the dictates of rule 4.2 and the scenario's order of battle.

3.4 Informational markers are placed anywhere convenient off the Board, ready for use when needed.

4. Operational Cards

4.1 Ships are placed in Naval Formations (Task Forces, from now on called TF) in any manner following these rules:

4.1.1 Allied TFs may contain a maximum of 15 ships each, and Japanese TFs a maximum of 10. Every ship sailing alone is considered, and must be, a TF.

Any type of ship may be combined in any TF, except for the special restrictions placed on the number of carriers (see 4.1.3 to 4.1.6). In addition, all carriers must be placed in TFs 1 through 9. TFs 10 through 14 are reserved for TFs that contain no carriers.

4.1.2 If a player has more than 14 TFs, additional TFs may be created by drawing TF boxes on a separate sheet of paper, numbering them starting from 15.

4.1.3 No more than one CV (or CVL) may be placed in the same TF box. If a TF contains more than one CV, the second CV is placed in the next TF box, and the second TF's marker is placed in the previous TF box to indicate that the second TF is actually part of the first TF and not a TF in its own right.

Example: Allied TF #1 contains the CV Lexington and Yorktown with 13 DDs. The CV Lexington and the 13 DDs are placed in TF #1. The CV Yorktown is placed in TF #2 and the TF2 marker is placed in TF #1.

4.1.4 No more than one AV (or CAV) may be placed in the same TF box. If a TF has more than one AV, use the preceding procedure.

4.1.5 A TF box may contain a CV (or CVL) and an AV (or CAV) at the same time, since the types of aircraft they carry are different and so it is obvious which aircraft belong to which ship.

4.1.6 Japanese BBs may each carry one air factor. They may be placed in any TF box regardless of whether it contains a CV (or CVL) or AV (or CAV) or combinations thereof. The Japanese player must record in the notes section of his Air Record Sheet the assignment of an air factor to one of his BBs.

4.2 Air factors are placed in TFs and in bases in any manner, subject to the following rules:

4.2.1 The number of air factors placed on any ship or base may not exceed that ship's or base's Maximum Capacity (see 8.2).

4.2.2 Carrier-based aircraft (on carriers, seaplane tenders, or other capable ships) must begin the game on those ships, within the restrictions on aircraft ownership. Land-based aircraft must begin the game at bases under the same restrictions (see 8.9).

4.2.3 Aircraft may begin the game in any readiness state (in any TF box or base box where they are located). Aircraft placed in "Ready" boxes may begin the game armed (see 8.6 and 8.7).

5. Sequence of Play

There are 10 Phases per game turn. These Phases may not be omitted or carried out out of sequence. Players carry out all Phases simultaneously except the Air Movement Phase.

5.1 Weather Phase — Changes in Wind Direction occur and Cloud markers are moved.

5.2 Air Operations Phase — Aircraft preparation and their organization into air formations takes place.

5.3 TF Movement Planning Phase — Movement is recorded on the Plotting Map for all TFs.

5.4 Shadowing Phase — All TFs and Air Formations that are Shadowing move on the Board, as do TFs that have been Shadowed.

5.5 TF Movement Execution Phase — TFs that did not move during the Shadowing Phase move on the Board or on the Plotting Map according to their planned movement.

5.6 Initiative Phase — Players determine who holds the initiative.

5.7 Air Movement Phase — The player who holds the initiative moves all his Air Formations on both maps (the Board and the Plotting Map), then the other player does the same.

5.8 Combat Phase — All combats are resolved one at a time, following the combat sequence for each battle.

5.9 Repair Phase — Damaged bases are repaired.

5.10 Time Record Phase — One more turn is marked off on the Time Record Chart.

6. Weather

6.1 The Weather Phase is the first phase of every turn except the first, which has no Weather Phase.

6.2 Wind Direction.

6.2.1 At the start of the game a Wind Direction marker is placed in each of the Board's 8 directional hexes, one per sector (numbered I to VIII). This marker's arrow points in the same direction as the one printed on the Board.

6.2.2 Every 6 turns (0600, 1200, 1800, 2400 — marked with an asterisk on the Time Record Chart), players check whether the wind direction has changed in any or all sectors. Roll one die for each sector and consult the Wind Direction Change Table. If there is a change, the Wind Direction marker is rotated accordingly.

6.3 Cloud Markers: These are placed at the start of the game as indicated by the scenario, which may be done in one of two ways:

6.3.1 Scattered Clouds: Place 4 Cloud markers in each directional hex. Then, sector by sector, resolve each Cloud marker by rolling one die and moving it a number of hexes equal to the die roll, in the direction also indicated by the die roll. Direction numbers are found on the hexes adjacent to the directional hex.

Example: 4 Cloud markers are placed in sector I, directional hex J12. Players place these markers by rolling one die for each. The first roll is a 4, so the marker is placed in J16. The second roll is a 1, so another marker is placed in J11. The third roll is a 3, and another is placed in M14. The last roll is a 5, and the marker is placed in E15.

6.3.2 Cloud Front: Place 3 Cloud markers in a row in each sector, starting from the NE to the SW (directions 2 and 5), one on the directional hex and the other two on either side of it, 5 hexes away. Then, sector by sector, resolve the 3 markers by rolling a single die for all 3 and moving them a number of hexes equal to the die roll, in the direction also indicated by the die roll.

Example: In sector I, the 3 Cloud markers are placed on hexes O10, J12, and E15. The die roll is a 3, so all 3 markers move to hexes R11, M14, and H16.

6.4 Cloud movement: During the game, Cloud markers move each even turn, one hex in the direction of the wind. Cloud markers that enter a hex that is part of 2 sectors at once are relocated; roll one die and consult the Cloud Movement Table to determine which sector this marker will move to. Place it on the directional hex of that sector and resolve it using the Scattered Clouds system (even if it started the game as a Cloud Front).

6.5 Size of Cloud markers: A Cloud marker occupies the hex it is on plus the 2 hexes surrounding it. Any hex where 2 Cloud markers overlap is a Storm hex.

Example: The Cloud marker occupies the same hex as the Cloud marker plus all the grey hexes around it.

6.6 Effects on movement: Air units may not enter a Storm hex unless they must land immediately and the base is located in a Storm hex. If, after a turn's Weather Phase, an Air Formation finds itself in a newly created Storm hex, it must move out of that hex or hexes by the shortest route before it may move in any other direction. Air units landing in a Storm hex use the Night Landing Chart. If it is also night, a -1 modifier is applied (see 14.10). If a TF begins a turn in a Storm hex, its movement factor is zero for that turn. If a TF enters a Storm hex during its movement, it must stop and may not move further that turn. Cloud markers that are not Storm markers do not affect movement in any way.

6.7 Effects on Observation: The Observation Tables contain separate rows for the different weather conditions. If a unit is in a hex with a Cloud marker, +1 is added to the die roll on the Search Table. A unit may not Observe anything in a Storm hex under any circumstances. A unit that begins the turn in a Storm hex may not Observe anything during that turn (see 7.3). A unit in a Storm hex may not be Observed.

6.8 Effects on Shadowing: If a TF that is being Shadowed moves to a hex with a Cloud marker, +1 is added to the die roll on the Shadow Table. Shadowing automatically fails if the TF being Shadowed moves to a Storm hex (see 11.3).

6.9 Effects on Combat: There are several combat modifiers for a cloudy hex. No combat of any kind may take place in a Storm hex.

6.10 Effects on carrier takeoff and landing: CVs and CVLs must move one hex against the wind direction (as indicated by the Wind Direction marker) during movement in any turn in which the total number of air factors landing and/or taking off exceeds the ship's minimum launch factor (see 14.8). A CV or CVL that moves only one hex in a turn, or does not move at all, is assumed to have moved one hex against the wind direction without actually needing to move any hex against the wind on the Board.

6.11 Shaded boxes on the Time Record Chart correspond to night turns.

7. Observation

7.1 Players must record the positions of hidden units (units that cannot be Observed at that moment) on the Plotting Map. Such units must be Observed by the opponent before they can be forced onto the Board. A player may, at his discretion, place any hidden unit on the Board at any time.

7.2 Observed units must be placed on the Board immediately.

7.3 During the Air Movement Phase, before a player moves each Air Formation that is on the Board, he must declare whether that Air Formation will attempt to Observe or not. If he decides to do so, the player rolls one die and consults the Search Table. This procedure is repeated each turn for each Air Formation that wishes to Observe.

7.3.1 If the result is an "S," the Air Formation may Observe that turn.

7.3.2 If the result is a "-," the Air Formation may not Observe that turn. It may move normally, but must remain on the Board.

7.3.3 If an Air Formation begins the turn in a hex with a Cloud marker, +1 is added to the die roll on the Search Table. +1 is likewise added if it is a night turn (both are cumulative).

7.3.4 If a unit begins a turn in a Storm hex it may not consult the Search Table or Observe anything that turn.

7.3.5 Air Formations that are not on the Board at the start of a turn may not consult the Search Table or Observe that turn.

7.4 A player is never required to use an Air Formation to Observe. If he does not wish to consult the Search Table, the Air Formation may not Observe that turn, but it may move normally. Whether or not a unit may Observe has nothing to do with whether it can be Observed.

7.5 TFs may always Observe. A player is never required to consult the Search Table for a TF.

7.6 A unit (TF or Air Formation that can Observe) may Observe all enemy units within range from the hex in which it begins its movement, from every hex it moves through, and from the hex where it ends its movement. All units (including bases and coast watchers) may Observe all enemy units within their range during any portion of any player's turn.

7.7 Units that are on the Board and that cannot be Observed at the end of the turn may be removed from the Board.

7.8 As soon as a unit that can Observe enters each hex of its movement, the player who is not moving declares whether any of his hidden units may be Observed. At the same time, the non-moving player's units on the Board may Observe the moving unit as it enters a hex.

Example: The Japanese player declares that Air Formation 5 (in hex BB14) will attempt to Observe. The die roll is a "1" and the attempt succeeds. Weather in that sector is clear. Japanese Air Formation 5 (10 air factors of Betty with GP bombs and 5 air factors of Zero) is at low altitude and moves to hex BB15. Allied TF3 (CV Enterprise, BB South Dakota, CA San Francisco, and 10 DD) is in hex BB17, but it is not on the Board because it has not been Observed (it is hidden) until now. The Allied player must inform the Japanese player that he has Observed an Air Formation (Condition Number 1) and places an FA marker on the Board in hex BB17.

The Allied player places the TF6 marker in hex BB17. Since Allied TF3 (represented by the TF6 marker) is now on the Board, it may be used to Observe. The Japanese player must inform the Allied player that he has seen an Air Formation (Condition Number 1), even though this is obvious since Air Formation 5 has been on the Board and Observing for some time. The Japanese player then continues moving Air Formation 5 to hex BB16. The Allied player must tell the Japanese player that he has discovered a TF made up of 7 to 20 ships (even knowing that the maximum number of ships in an Allied TF is 15), including carriers, large ships, and small ships (Condition Number 2). At the same time, the Japanese player must tell the Allied player that he has Observed an Air Formation made up of 8 to 22 aircraft, some armed with bombs and others not.

The Japanese player continues movement to hex BB17. The Allied player must tell the Japanese player that he has seen a TF with 13 ships including one carrier, 2 large ships, and 10 small ships (Condition Number 3). At the same time the Japanese player must tell the Allied player that he has detected an Air Formation with 15 aircraft, 10 of them armed and 5 unarmed, flying at low altitude.

7.9 Only units that are on the Board may be used to Observe other units. This includes Air Formations belonging to the non-moving player that are on the Board (including Air Formations that would not have been able to Observe during their own Air Movement Phase). Bases and coast watchers are considered to always be on the Board and may always be used to Observe.

7.9.1 Coast Watchers (CW) may Observe aircraft over any land hex on the island where they are located. If the hex is clear, the Condition Number is 3. If the hex has clouds, the Condition Number is 1. CWs may Observe aircraft over any partial land hex of the island where they are located. If the hex is clear, the Condition Number is 2, if cloudy the Condition Number is 1. CWs may Observe aircraft over any sea hex adjacent to any partial land hex of the island where they are located if the hex is clear. The Condition Number is always 1.

7.9.2 CWs may Observe ships over any partial land hex of the island where they are located. The Condition Number is always 2. CWs may Observe TFs in any sea hex adjacent to any partial land hex of the island where they are located. The Condition Number is always 1.

7.9.3 CWs may not Observe aircraft in an enemy airbase hex.

7.9.4 Japanese CW symbols in New Guinea only affect hexes within the perimeter line marked on the map by a broken black line. The Allied CW symbol in New Guinea affects all hexes on the island.

7.10 Some units (ships and bases) have radar, which in some cases improves Observation (in both day and night turns). Radar is not affected by cloud cover; however, it can only Observe air units at high altitude. It cannot detect aircraft at low altitude or ships. In addition, all bases and ships with radar may Observe enemy air units at high altitude at a distance of 3 hexes (in both day and night turns). The Condition Number is 1 (see 7.13).

7.11 To use the Observation Tables, players must look up the type of unit doing the Observing, the type of unit being Observed, and the weather condition of the hex being Observed, cross-referenced with the distance between the Observer and the Observed on the corresponding day or night table. The hex of the Observed unit is counted, but not that of the Observer: however, if both units occupy the same hex, the distance is "zero."

7.12 Condition Numbers:

7.12.1 Condition 1: The Observer is only informed that something is there and that it is an Air Formation or a TF. He is not informed of the number of Air Formations or TFs present.

7.12.2 Condition 2: The Observer is informed of the exact number of Air Formations and TFs in the hex, of all classes of aircraft present (armed or unarmed), of all classes of ships present (carriers, Large Ships or Small Ships), and of the total number of ships and air factors — however, the Observed player may lie about the total number of ships and air factors, increasing or decreasing the number by up to 50%. An Air Formation or TF may be declared as one or two. He does not have to specify how many ships or aircraft of each class there are in total or in each TF or Air Formation (armament status or size).

7.12.3 Condition 3: The Observer is informed of the exact number of Air Formations and TFs, and of the exact number of each class of ship and aircraft present. He does not have to declare the names of ships or aircraft models. The altitude of the aircraft must be indicated (high or low).

Important note: For Observation purposes, ship and aircraft classes are as follows:

CV, CVL = Carriers AV, CAV, BB, CA, CL, CLA = Large Ships DD, PG, PT, AO, AP, APD = Small Ships SS = Submarines

Armed Aircraft (with bombs) = Bombers Unarmed Aircraft (without bombs) = Interceptors

7.13 When the Observing unit has no radar, aircraft altitude is only revealed when the Condition Number is 3, or at the start of any type of Air-to-Air Combat. When the Observing unit has radar, and the Condition is 1 or 2 and the Observed unit includes aircraft at high altitude, the Observer is only informed that there are aircraft at high altitude (he is not told whether there are any at low altitude or how many at each altitude). When the Condition is 3, the Observer is informed of the exact number and class of aircraft at each altitude.

7.14 Aircraft in TF boxes and airbase boxes may only be Observed if the Condition Number is 3. Only aircraft in "Just Landed" and "Ready" boxes may be Observed, and the Observer is then informed only that aircraft are present on the ship or base. Aircraft in "Readying" boxes may never be Observed.

7.15 The exact names of ships and aircraft are never revealed during movement. Ship names and types are only revealed if they are attacked by aircraft, and then only if at least one aircraft survives the Air-to-Air Combat Step. If an aircraft survives, the name of every ship in the hex must be revealed. The exact names of aircraft are revealed at the start of the Air-to-Air Combat Step.

7.15.1 The locations and exact number of aircraft on carriers and in base boxes are never revealed unless necessary during combat resolution. Likewise, the fact that aircraft are dispersed is never revealed unless necessary for combat resolution (see 21.7).

7.15.2 The fact that ships are anchored is not revealed until the start of the Anti-Aircraft Combat Step. If there are anchored ships, the opponent must be informed which specific ships are anchored at the start of the Anti-Aircraft Combat Step.

7.16 A player does not have to place the correct TF or Air Formation marker on the Board when units are Observed. He may use any TF or Air Formation marker (from now on called FA) to represent all Observed units in a hex. The only restriction is that if the Observed unit is an FA, an FA marker must be placed, and if it is a TF, a TF marker must be placed. FA and TF markers may not be used to represent anything other than FAs and TFs respectively. The actual position of TF and FA markers must be recorded on the Plotting Map. If a player has both a TF and an FA in the same hex, he must place one TF marker and one FA marker. If, during a Shadowing Phase, a TF Movement Phase, or an Air Movement Phase, ships or aircraft that have been Observed at the start of the turn and can still be Observed are reorganized, the opponent must be informed of such changes within the limits of the current Condition Numbers.

7.17 The player who is not moving may not place TF or FA markers on the Board during the other player's Movement Phase in order to Observe units or initiate combat against units that he can see within the range of his hidden units. Naturally, if these units are Observed by the moving units, they must be placed on the Board and may be used to Observe enemy units.

7.18 Observations do not cost any additional movement points.

8. Air Operations

8.1 The information relevant to Air Operations for ships and bases for both sides is shown on the respective Air Operations Charts. The information relevant to Air Operations for aircraft of both sides is shown on the Air Record Sheet (on the back of the Plotting Map).

8.2 Maximum Capacity (MC) is the maximum number of FAs (air factors) that can be present on a carrier or base at any one time. The infinity symbol indicates that there is no limit to the number of air factors that can be present at a given time.

8.3 The Launch Factor (LF) represents the number of aircraft that can take off from and land on a carrier or base in any turn. The LF can be reduced by damage (see 14.8).

8.3.1 Normal LF: The number to the left of the slash. It includes any launch greater than the minimum LF and up to the normal LF.

8.3.2 Minimum LF: The number to the right of the slash. It includes any launch equal to or less than the minimum LF.

8.3.3 Maximum LF: Equal to double the normal LF. It includes any launch greater than the normal LF and up to the maximum.

Example: The CV Yorktown has an LF of 11/3. The minimum LF ranges from 1 to 3. The normal LF ranges from 4 to 11 and the maximum LF from 12 to 22.

8.4 Combining LFs: A player may use a combination of LFs when launching aircraft. If some aircraft use the minimum LF and move their maximum allowed movement, while others use a normal or maximum LF, they must be placed in more than one FA. However, if all aircraft take off from the same hex, in a hex where they could reorganize (see 8.11), they may form several FAs during movement, and are not restricted to the organization they received during the Air Operations Phase. Aircraft that take off from more than one carrier and/or base in the same hex may combine into one FA within the LF restrictions of each carrier and/or base. Their movement in the turn they take off is restricted by the type of LF used. Carriers and bases may not transfer any or all of their LF or their Readying Factor to other carriers or bases under any circumstances. The maximum number of aircraft a carrier or base can launch and land in one turn (Total LF) is equal to its Maximum LF (see 14.8 and 14.9).

Example: The CV Yorktown has launched FA2, 3, and 4. FA2 (1 air factor of Avenger) uses the minimum launch factor and moves at maximum movement capacity. FA3 (10 air factors of Dauntless) uses the normal LF and moves half its total allowed movement. FA4 (5 air factors of Wildcat) uses the maximum LF and remains in the launch hex (it may not move). Note that all these launches are legal because neither the total LF nor the minimum, normal, or maximum LF were exceeded.

8.5 Air Record Sheet.

8.5.1 The Air Record Sheet must be filled out for each FA formed during the Air Operations Phase. Once recorded on the Air Record Sheet, this FA must take off that turn during the Air Movement Phase.

8.5.2 Air factors are placed in any FA box that does not currently contain other air factors.

8.5.3 The player notes where the FA takes off from by writing the TF number or base code at the top of the numbered column of the Air Record Sheet that corresponds to the FA box where its air factors are located.

8.5.4 The player writes an "X" at the hour of takeoff in the corresponding column of the Air Record Sheet.

8.5.5 The player looks up, on the Plane Data Chart, the Range Factors (RF) of the aircraft making up the FA. He then counts a number of turns equal to the RF of each aircraft model present in the FA, counting down from the turn of takeoff (inclusive), and writes the code for each aircraft model in the hour at which those aircraft models must land.

Example: FA18 contains 8 air factors of P-40 and 2 air factors of Beaufighter. The Air Record Sheet shows that FA18 took off from Port Moresby at 0800. The P-40s have an RF of 5 and must land at 1200. The 2 Beaufighters have an RF of 6 and must land at 1300.

8.5.6 If some air factors of the same aircraft model in the same FA land while others remain airborne, or some use an RF while others do not, or some have been part of an FA for a turn or more; players must be careful to note which air factors must land and when. The Notes section should be used for this. Alternatively, in these cases, players may keep air factors in more than one FA box, using a system similar to the one described in 4.1.3.

Example: Allied FA5 contains 12 air factors of Wildcat; 5 of them took off at 0900 and must land at 1400. They remain in FA5; 7 air factors of Wildcat took off at 1000 and must land at 1500; they are placed in FA6. The FA6 marker is placed in FA5's box to indicate that the Wildcat air factors in FA6 are actually part of FA5 (and not a separate FA in its own right).

8.6 Readying Factor (RF): The maximum number of air factors that may be moved from one box to another on a carrier or base in one turn. A move can be from the "Just Landed" box to the "Readying" box, from the "Readying" box to the "Ready" box, or from the "Ready" box to the "Readying" box. All 3 types of moves may be combined in a single turn in any way, as long as the number of moves does not exceed the Readying Factor. No air factor may make more than one move in a single turn. No air factor may be in more than one readiness state at the same time.

Example: At Port Moresby, the Allied player has 10 air factors of P-39 in the "Just Landed" box and 5 air factors of B-17 in the "Readying" box. Port Moresby's Readying Factor is 8. The Allied player moves 3 P-39 from the "Just Landed" box to the "Readying" box, and 5 B-17 from the "Readying" box to the "Ready" box. The total is 8, and no more air factors may move that turn.

8.7 Arming: An air factor is armed during the movement it makes between the "Readying" box and the "Ready" box. Simply place the desired bomb type on the air factor when it moves to the "Ready" box. The possible ways an air factor may be armed are shown on the Air Hits Tables. If a number appears under the appropriate column (AP, GP, or Torpedo) on that Table, an air factor may be armed with that type of bomb. An air factor may only be armed with one type of bomb per mission. An aircraft does not have to be armed to be moved to the "Ready" box, but if it is unarmed in the "Ready" box, to arm it, it must return to the "Readying" box and then, in a later turn, be moved to the "Ready" box, at which point it is considered armed. The same procedure is followed for an armed air factor in the "Ready" box that requires a change of armament.

8.8 Dispersal: Air units in the "Readying" boxes of bases may be dispersed using one Readying Factor per air factor dispersed. Likewise, dispersed units may be regrouped using one Readying Factor per air factor regrouped. Units that begin the game in the "Readying" box may be dispersed. Dispersal counts as one move, so an air factor must begin the turn in the "Readying" box to be dispersed that turn, and an air factor that has just regrouped may not move to the "Ready" box that same turn. Dispersal reduces aircraft losses (see 21.3.2).

8.9 Plane Handling (PH): An air factor may only take off from and land on a carrier or base if that carrier or base can operate that type of aircraft. CVs and CVLs may only operate carrier-based aircraft. (These are distinguished by the "•" symbol, a black dot to the right of the name.) Japanese AV, CAV, and BB may only operate light seaplanes. Bases listed as LP may operate all carrier-based aircraft (•) and all land-based aircraft. Bases listed as SP may operate all seaplane models, both light and heavy (not carrier-transportable). EXCEPTION: 12.7.3

8.9.1 Carrier-based Aircraft (on carriers): Avenger, Dauntless, Devastator, Judy, Kate, Val, and Zero.

8.9.2 Light Seaplanes (carrier-based): Dave, Jake, Pete, and Rufe.

8.9.3 Land-based Aircraft: B-17, A-20, B-25, B-26, P-38, P-39, P-40, Beaufighter, Beaufort, Hudson, Avenger, Dauntless, Wildcat, Betty, Nell, Kate, Val, and Zero.

8.9.4 Heavy Seaplanes (not carrier-transportable): Catalina, Emily, and Mavis.

8.10 Sequence of Air Operations: Players carry out Operations in this order:

8.10.1 Air factors move from "Readying" boxes to "Ready" boxes, arming aircraft if desired. Dispersed air factors regroup.

8.10.2 FAs are formed by moving air factors in "Ready" boxes to FA boxes (including air factors that moved from "Readying" boxes to "Ready" boxes this turn).

8.10.3 Air factors move from "Just Landed" boxes to "Readying" boxes.

8.10.4 Air factors move from "Ready" boxes to "Readying" boxes. Air factors are dispersed.

8.11 Reorganizing FAs: FAs may only be reorganized in hexes with a friendly base or carrier. They may only be reorganized during the Air Movement Phase. It does not cost any additional movement points. If several FAs are in a hex where reorganization is possible, they may reorganize at any point during movement in any way desired. This includes combining 2 or more FAs into one, splitting one FA into 2 or more, or a combination of both.

Example: Allied FA18 (10 air factors of Wildcat), FA26 (10 air factors of P-40), and FA30 (8 air factors of B-17) are at Port Moresby at the start of a turn. The Allied player decides to reorganize them. The 10 air factors of FA18 join FA30, so FA18 no longer exists. 5 air factors of P-40 from FA26 form another FA: FA27. The Allied player now has FA26 (5 air factors of P-30), FA27 (5 air factors of P-40), and FA30 (8 air factors of B-17 and 10 air factors of Wildcat) in the Port Moresby hex.

8.12 Only certain types of aircraft may perform certain missions.

8.12.1 The following aircraft types may always serve as interceptors, escorts, or bombers: Zero, P-38, P-39, P-40, Beaufighter, Wildcat, Rufe. The following aircraft types may serve as interceptors or escorts, but not as bombers: Dave, Jake, and Pete. The following aircraft types may serve as interceptors (only at low altitude) and bombers, but not as escorts: Avenger, Dauntless, Judy, and Val.

8.12.2 If an air factor that can serve as an interceptor or escort is in an FA with bombers, it is considered an escort. If the FA has no bombers, it is considered an interceptor.

8.12.3 All other aircraft models may only serve as bombers.

8.12.4 If an air factor arms while taking off, it is considered a bomber until it lands, even if it has already completed its mission or dropped its bombs. Each armed air factor may only carry out one attack. To carry out another attack it must land, rearm, and take off again.

8.12.5 Aircraft that cannot serve as interceptors or escorts may fly unarmed, but may not initiate combat of any kind.

9. Stacking

There is no limit to the number of units that may be stacked at any time in any hex on the Board, except as imposed by the air capacities of TF and base boxes and the TF capacities of ships (see 8.2 and 4.1.1).

10. Planning TF Movement

10.1 Each TF's movement is recorded on the Plotting Map each turn without regard to whether that TF might be Observed or not.

10.2 Movement on the Plotting Map is recorded by writing the TF's number in the hex it occupies at the start of the scenario. Afterward, each turn, movement is indicated by drawing an arrow from the hex where the TF begins the turn to the hex where it ends the turn, and marking that arrow with the turn number. Nothing is recorded if the TF does not move.

Example: Allied TFs 2, 5, and 6 have deployed and moved during the first three turns as shown in the diagram.

11. Shadowing

11.1 Ships and aircraft may shadow TFs. Only TFs may be shadowed; FAs may never be shadowed. Shadowing may not be attempted on night turns.

11.2 A unit may only shadow a TF if it can Observe it at the start of the Shadowing Phase and the Condition Number is 2 or 3.

11.3 At the start of the Shadowing Phase both players announce which TFs they are attempting to shadow.

11.3.1 The shadowing player declares which unit is attempting to shadow which TF, rolls one die, and consults the Shadow Table to determine whether the unit may shadow. If the result is "S" the unit may shadow the TF, but if it is "-" it may not.

11.3.2 If the TF being shadowed has moved to a hex with clouds, +1 is added to the die roll. After the roll, the TF's player simply declares whether the attempt succeeded or not. He must not declare that the TF moved to a cloudy hex if the attempt fails (which would be providing useful information to the enemy).

11.3.3 If the TF being shadowed has moved to a Storm hex, the Shadowing attempt fails automatically. After the die roll, the player with the TF simply declares that the attempt failed; he must not declare that the TF moved to a Storm hex (which would be providing useful information to the enemy).

11.4 Only one unit (FA or TF) may attempt to shadow each TF per turn.

11.5 Any unit that has successfully shadowed must move on the Board during the Shadowing Phase with the movement planned during the TF Movement Planning Phase. Then, the unit that shadowed it moves.

11.6 A shadowing unit may move up to the shadowed unit, beyond it, or even attack it while the TF remains Observed throughout the unit's movement. If the TF moves outside Observation range, the shadowing unit must move directly toward it until it can Observe it again, before making any other kind of movement.

11.7 Units that move during the Shadowing Phase may not move during the TF Movement Phase or the Air Movement Phase. A unit attempting to shadow a TF that receives a "-" result may neither move nor Observe that turn.

11.8 The movement of a TF attempting to shadow an enemy TF must be planned during the TF Movement Planning Phase; however, the planned movement is ignored and changed to reflect the actual movement made by the TF during the Shadowing Phase (if they differ).

11.9 If two (or more) TFs wish to shadow each other, the player who does not have the initiative moves first.

Example: Japanese TF6 and Allied TF4 attempt to shadow each other. The attempt automatically succeeds. The Allied player has the initiative, so the Japanese player moves TF6 first as indicated by his Plotting Sheet. The Allied player then moves TF4 and erases the movement on his Plotting Sheet for this turn (if they differ).

11.10 If a player announces that he wishes to shadow a TF and that TF had planned to split into 2 or more TFs that turn, the Observer must receive updated information within the limits of rule 7.12 at the start of the Shadowing Phase.

12. Executing TF Movement

12.1 TFs that did not move during the Shadowing Phase now execute their planned movement. Observed TFs must move on the Board. Unobserved TFs may move on the Board or on the Plotting Sheet. They may be placed on the Board at the start, during, or at the end of their movement if the controlling player wishes. TFs that remain hidden are assumed to be in the position indicated on their Plotting Sheet.

12.2 Each ship has a Movement Factor (MF). Each ship spends one movement point from its MF for each hex it enters. A unit may enter as many hexes as its MF allows, or fewer, but not more. MF may be reduced by damage (see 21.2.1).

12.3 Two or more TFs may combine at any time during the TF Movement Phase if they are in the same hex, at no MF cost. Likewise, one or more TFs may split into 2 or more TFs, or carry out any combination of splits, as long as all TFs involved in the changes are together in the same hex during the TF Movement Phase.

12.4 A TF's MF is always the MF of the slowest ship in that TF. Unused MF is lost; it may not be accumulated or transferred from one turn to another or from one TF to another.

12.5 Movement may be made in any direction or combination of directions. It must be made hex by hex; hexes may not be skipped. TFs may not enter a full land hex or cross a hexside that is a full land hexside or a reef hexside. Players will use common sense when moving a TF near land. It will be obvious when a TF can move from one hex to another and when it cannot.

12.6 TFs may exit the Board through any edge, but remain permanently out of the game and may not return. They are not considered sunk, but the Victory Points for any damage they received are assigned normally at the end of the game.

12.7 Anchoring.

12.7.1 Ships may only anchor in a partial land hex. They may not move in the turn they anchor. Place an "Anchored" marker on ships that are anchored. Anchored ships wishing to weigh anchor simply remove the marker but may not move in the turn they do so.

12.7.2 Some ships in a TF may be anchored while others are not. If all ships are anchored, place the "Anchored" marker on the TF marker.

12.7.3 AV and CAV must be anchored to establish a temporary seaplane base for heavy seaplanes (active while they remain anchored). When an AV or CAV anchors, the base is established that same turn. A ship that has established a temporary seaplane base has its MC and Maximum LF doubled (Normal and Minimum LF do not change) and may receive both light and heavy seaplanes.

12.7.4 Transports (AP and APD) must anchor to unload. Unloading may begin the turn after anchoring. Transports may only unload in the hexes specified by each scenario's instructions (all are partial land hexes). A transport may unload over 1 to 8 turns (which need not be consecutive), and the controlling player receives Victory Points for each turn the transport unloads. The transport's value, if sunk, is reduced proportionally for each turn it has unloaded, as indicated on the Victory Points Table.

12.8 TFs of both sides may coexist in the same hex without combat occurring if neither detects the other. Surface combat can only occur if both players know that both have TFs in the same hex.

12.9 A player may scuttle his own ship during the TF Movement Phase. He simply announces that he is scuttling the ship and removes it from the game. Scuttled ships are considered sunk by the enemy, who receives the Victory Points assigned to it.

12.10 An AO must always be in a TF with at least one other ship that is not an AO.

13. Initiative

During the Initiative Phase of the Sequence of Play, both players roll one die and whoever rolls the higher number holds the initiative. If the result is a tie, the player who did not have the initiative on the previous turn holds it now. The player with the initiative plays the Air Movement Phase first.

14. Air Movement

14.1 The Air Movement Phase is the only one that is not carried out simultaneously. The player with the initiative moves all his FAs first, then the other player does the same.

14.2 Sequence: Players carry out their aircraft movements in the following order:

14.2.1 Landing of all FAs and removal of their FA markers from the Board, from the Air Record Sheet, or from the Operational Cards. Air factors are removed from FA boxes and placed in the "Just Landed" boxes of the carriers or bases where they landed.

14.2.2 Move all FAs currently on the Board that will remain on it at the end of the turn.

14.2.3 Plan movement on the Plotting Sheet for all FAs present on the Board that will not be on it at the end of the turn, for all FAs that are not currently on the Board and will not be on it at the end of the turn, for all FAs that take off this turn and will not be on the Board at the end of the turn, and for all FAs that enter through an entry hex from an off-map base this turn but will not be on the Board at the end of the turn.

14.2.4 Launch all FAs that will be on the Board at the end of the turn and move them on the Board. Place or move on the Board all FAs that were not on it at the start of the turn but will be so at the end of it.

14.2.5 Withdraw all FAs currently on the Board that will not be on it at the end of the turn, and all FAs that leave an entry hex on their way to an off-map base. All FAs are now considered to have moved either on the Board or on the Plotting Sheet.

14.3 Each air factor has a Movement Factor (from now on called MF), shown on the Plane Data Chart of the Air Record Sheet. Each air factor spends 1 movement point per hex it enters. An air factor may enter as many hexes as its MF allows, or fewer, but not more.

14.4 An FA's MF is always that of its slowest air factor. Unused MF is lost; it may not be accumulated for another turn or transferred to another FA.

14.5 Movement may be in any direction or combination of directions. It must be carried out hex by hex without skipping any.

14.6 A player may move all, some, or none of his FAs. EXCEPTION: Air factors placed in an FA box during the Air Operations Phase must take off that turn, although they do not have to move out of the takeoff hex.

14.7 An FA may move on the Board or on the Plotting Sheet. If it moves on the Plotting Sheet, the same procedure used for TFs is used, recording it in the appropriate column of the Air Record Sheet or in the "In Flight" box of the TF or base from which it took off.

14.8 On the turn of takeoff or landing, FAs may have their MF reduced depending on the type of launch performed.

14.8.1 If the Minimum LF is used, the FA may move using all of its MF. All air factors in the FA must use the minimum LF on takeoff or landing to use their maximum movement capacity.

14.8.2 If the Normal LF is used, the FA may move half its MF (rounded up). All air factors in the FA must use the normal LF on takeoff or landing to use half of their movement capacity.

14.8.3 If the Maximum LF is used, the FA may not move that turn; it must remain in the takeoff hex or begin the turn in the landing hex.

14.9 The total number of air factors taking off and landing on a ship or base may not exceed the LF of that carrier or base. Note: LFs may be reduced by damage.

Example: The CV Yorktown has an LF of 11/3. FA20 (10 air factors of Dauntless) using the maximum LF and FA21 (8 air factors of Avenger) using the normal LF have landed on the Yorktown this turn. The maximum number of air factors that could take off this turn without exceeding the Yorktown's total LF would be 4, 3 for the minimum LF and 1 for the maximum LF.

14.10 Night landings: For each air factor that lands on a night turn, the player must roll one die and consult the Night Landing Table. If the result is "OK," the air factor lands safely. If the result is "ELIM," the air factor is eliminated. Note: There are two columns on the Night Landing Table, one for landing on carriers and another for landing at bases.

14.11 Entering the Board: The Allied bases of New Caledonia and Australia, and the Japanese bases of Truk and Kavieng, are off the map. An FA that takes off from one of these bases is not placed on the Board immediately, but remains in the "In Flight" box of that base (or is recorded on the Air Record Sheet) in the appropriate entry hex, after having been in flight for a certain number of turns after takeoff. On the turn it is placed on the entry hex it may not move, but it may on the following turn.

Example: Allied FA2 (1 air factor of Catalina) takes off from New Caledonia at 0500. It is placed in New Caledonia's "In Flight" box. At 1000 it is placed on entry hex 5N, but may not move. At 1100 it may move normally.

14.12 Leaving the Board: Landing at off-map bases is carried out by reversing the procedure in rule 14.11. An FA must move to the entry hex and stop. On the following turn it is placed in the "In Flight" box of the corresponding base; after a number of turns equal to the number shown on the entry hex, the FA lands. Aircraft may not leave the Board from any other location.

Example: Allied FA8 (5 air factors of B-17) reaches entry hex 1A at 1400 and ends its movement there. At 1500 it is placed in Australia's "In Flight" box. At 1600 it may land.

14.13 Special Interception (Air-to-Air): This is combat during movement, and there are only two circumstances in which this is permitted:

14.13.1 If, at the start of the Air Movement Phase, a hex (where combat may occur) contains Observed FAs of both sides, combat may occur before either player moves. Only a player with interceptors may attempt to initiate combat, following the Air-to-Air Combat rules (see 16.). If both players have interceptors, either player may want to initiate this type of combat and the other cannot prevent it if the attempt succeeds. If both players have interceptors and agree to initiate combat, it begins automatically. Otherwise, the player attempting to initiate combat consults the Interception Table to resolve the interception attempt. The combat is resolved as a normal Air-to-Air combat, including interceptor-escort and interceptor-bomber attacks when applicable.

14.13.2 If, at any point during movement, FAs on the Board move into a hex with enemy FAs that are on the Board (which are in a hex where combat may occur) and that enemy formation contains interceptors, they may attempt to initiate combat. The player must consult the Interception Table to see if the attempt succeeds. If it does, the combat is resolved as a normal Air-to-Air Combat, including interceptor-escort and interceptor-bomber attacks when applicable. Note that the reverse of this rule does not apply; the moving player may not attempt to initiate an Interception Combat.

14.13.3 In 14.13.1 and 14.13.2, only enemy aircraft at the same altitude may intercept or be intercepted. When there is doubt about whether they are at the same altitude, the player attempting the interception declares the altitude of his aircraft and the opponent must declare whether the interception is possible. Note that it is possible to have two different interception attempts in the same hex, or to have some aircraft of an FA involved in combat and others not. Aircraft at one altitude have no effect on aircraft at another altitude in the same hex.

14.13.4 Special Interception Combat may also take place during the Shadowing Phase.

14.13.5 A player may only make one interception attempt in a hex per turn. An FA suffers no penalty for having made a failed interception attempt.

14.13.6 If the FA attempting the interception and the FA it wishes to intercept were involved in Air-to-Air Combat against each other on the previous turn, +1 is added to the die roll on the Interception Table.

14.14 Dropping bombs: Aircraft armed with bombs may drop them at any time during the Air Movement Phase. This does not constitute an attack and no hit should be recorded. Aircraft that land while still armed use the Night Landing Table (if it is night, -1 is subtracted from the die roll). (See 14.10.)

14.15 FAs may be at low altitude or high altitude. FAs at low altitude are placed in the "Low" section and FAs at high altitude are placed in the "High" section of the FA boxes.

14.15.1 The air factors of an FA may be at different altitudes, some at low altitude and others at high altitude.

14.15.2 Aircraft may change altitude in each hex they enter. An air factor that remains in one hex for an entire turn may also change altitude.

14.15.3 Aircraft may only land if they enter the landing hex at low altitude.

14.15.4 On the turn of takeoff, armed aircraft may not climb to high altitude, but unarmed aircraft may.

14.15.5 Aircraft must be at high altitude to fly over mountainous hexsides.

14.15.6 Aircraft at low altitude may only attack and be attacked by aircraft at low altitude, and likewise for those at high altitude.

14.15.7 Aircraft at low altitude cannot be detected by radar.

14.16 Escorts must be at the same altitude as the bombers when they form an FA with them. If a bomber is at low altitude and others are at high altitude, the escorts in the FA must be all at one altitude or the other, or some at high altitude and others at low altitude.

14.17 When a player has an FA with interceptors and an FA with bombers (with or without escorts) in the same hex, the interceptors may be treated as escorts for the bombers, even though they remain in a separate FA. They are added to and combined with other escorts for combat purposes.

14.18 If both players have FAs with interceptors and FAs with bombers (with or without escorts) as specified in rule 14.17, both players simultaneously and secretly write down which of their interceptors will be used to attack enemy escorts/bombers, and which will act as escorts. Once written and revealed, players may not change this information. These decisions are irreversible and their interceptors are obligated to perform the written function. Interceptors from one FA may split between these two functions, and perform both, if they are present in more than one FA. All interceptors of one FA must perform the same function and may not split between doing one thing and another. In such cases, two separate Air-to-Air Combats are carried out in one hex, with each of them having a different player as the attacker. Aircraft in one of the Air-to-Air Combats in the hex have no effect on the aircraft in the other Air-to-Air Combat. Note that there could even be two Anti-Aircraft Combat Steps and two Air Attack Steps if TFs of both sides were present at the same time in the same hex.

14.19 An FA in the "In Flight" box of a carrier is considered to be moving with that ship's TF during the TF Movement Phase. If the FA decided to leave the hex the TF occupies, the FA would have its MF reduced by the number of hexes the TF moved that turn. An FA in the same hex as a TF that is not in the carrier's "In Flight" box may not move with the TF during the TF Movement Phase.

14.20 No movement is permitted off-map between off-map bases.

14.21 A player may destroy any of his air factors that are on the ground (at a base or on a carrier) at any time during the Air Movement Phase. Aircraft in flight may not be destroyed. Destroyed aircraft are considered eliminated and the opponent receives the Victory Points for them.

15. Combat

15.1 Units must occupy the same hex for combat to occur. All combats in a hex form part of the same battle. Observation Condition Numbers are not taken into account once combat begins.

15.2 Air-to-Air Combat may only occur within a two-hex radius of a carrier or base, or in any hex that contains a ship, and only between Observed units. Anti-Aircraft Combat and Air Attack may only occur in a hex with a ship or base, and only between Observed units. Surface Combat may occur in any full sea hex or partial land hex on the Board, but only between Observed units. Note that combat in general is not mandatory, although certain Combat Steps are mandatory once combat has been initiated.

15.3 Each unit has a Basic Hit Table (BHT) for all types of combat it can participate in. In all Combat Steps, players must always announce which enemy units are attacking which of their own units before rolling the die to resolve combat.

15.4 Combats in different hexes may be resolved in any order. All combats in a hex (one battle) will be resolved before resolving any other combat in another hex. Note that a battle may contain more than one sequence of Combat Steps, in the cases of 14.18, 16.8, and 16.9. Players must skip Combat Steps that do not apply in a battle.

15.5 Sequence: Players carry out combat in the following order for each battle:

15.5.1 Air-to-Air Combat Step.

15.5.2 Anti-Aircraft Combat Step.

15.5.3 Air Attack Step.

15.5.4 Surface Combat Step.

15.6 Effect of combat on RF: Aircraft spend RF during certain types of combat. When an aircraft expends an RF due to combat, the Air Record Sheet is adjusted. The number of turns an aircraft that has spent an RF may remain in flight is reduced by 1, modifying the landing turn record one turn earlier. This is done every turn an RF is spent for combat.

15.6.1 Interceptors and escorts spend one RF for each turn they are involved in an Air-to-Air Combat. Only one RF is spent per turn even if the air factor is involved in more than one Air-to-Air Combat that turn. Interceptors and escorts may choose not to spend the RF, but if they do so their BHT is reduced by six columns (-6). This reduction is repeated for each and every Air-to-Air Combat they take part in that turn, if they do not wish to spend the RF.

15.6.2 Bombers do not spend RF in Air-to-Air Combat.

15.6.3 Bombers spend one RF if they carry out a dive-bomb attack, torpedo attack, or a low-altitude level bombing attack. They do not spend it if they bomb from high altitude.

15.7 Only one engagement of each type of combat is permitted in the same turn. After a Surface Combat engagement has taken place, there may be no other in that hex that turn. If the combatants remain present in the hex on the following turn, the procedure begins again. That is, there are no subsequent engagements of the same type of combat in any turn.

16. Air-to-Air Combat

16.1 Air-to-Air Combat only affects aircraft. Only interceptors may initiate an Air-to-Air Combat; escorts and bombers may not do so.

16.1.1 If both sides have aircraft in a hex with a ship or base, and one of them has interceptors, they may automatically initiate Air-to-Air Combat; the other side cannot avoid it. The Interception Table is not used.

16.1.2 If both sides have aircraft in a hex that is one or two hexes from a carrier or base, and one side has interceptors, they may attempt to initiate Air-to-Air Combat. The Interception Table must be consulted to see if the attempt succeeds.

16.1.3 The player with interceptors may choose not to use all of them in the Air-to-Air Combat (even if they are all in the same FA), except when both players have interceptors in the hex, in which case both must use all of them if combat is initiated.

16.2 Aircraft could be involved in more than one Air-to-Air Combat in the same turn if they were involved in a Special Air-to-Air Combat during the Air Movement Phase. However, aircraft may only be involved in one Air-to-Air Combat Step in one battle during the Combat Phase.

16.3 Air-to-Air Combat is resolved in two parts, in the following order:

16.3.1 Interceptor-Escort Combat.

16.3.2 Interceptor-Bomber Combat.

16.4 The player with the interceptors has the option to divide them into two groups, one to attack escorts and another to attack bombers. Interceptor-Escort combat is resolved first. Interceptors designated to attack bombers do not take part. A player may assign all interceptors to attack escorts if he wishes.

16.5 Interceptor-Escort Combat:

16.5.1 Interceptors must be at the same altitude as the enemy escorts they attack.

16.5.2 The total number of attacking interceptors in the hex designated for the attack against escorts is added up, even if they are in more than one FA. The defender adds up the total number of escorts he has in the hex, even if they are part of more than one FA.

16.5.3 Combat is simultaneous. Each player rolls one die for each aircraft type, using his BHT. All hits are removed after all aircraft (interceptors and escorts) have attacked.

16.5.4 Each aircraft type may attack one aircraft type, or several air factors of one type may split up to attack two or more enemy aircraft types.

16.5.5 After each aircraft type on both sides has attacked, all air factors that were eliminated are removed and recorded as Victory Points.

16.6 Interceptor-Bomber Combat.

16.6.1 Interceptors must be at the same altitude as the bombers to be able to attack them.

16.6.2 After the interceptor-escort combat, if the ratio of surviving interceptors (of those designated to attack escorts) to surviving escorts is 2:1 or higher, the surviving interceptors from the attack against escorts may join the interceptors designated to attack bombers. Follow the procedure in 16.5.2 to 16.5.5 except that combat is between all interceptors and the bombers; escorts do not take part.

16.6.3 After the interceptor-escort combat, if the ratio of surviving escorts to interceptors (designated to attack escorts) is 2:1 or higher, no interceptor-bomber attack is permitted. The Air-to-Air Combat has ended in every respect.

16.6.4 If neither the interceptors (designated to attack escorts) nor the escorts achieve a 2:1 advantage, only the interceptors designated beforehand to attack bombers may do so. Follow the procedure detailed in 16.5.2 to 16.5.5, except that combat is between interceptors designated to attack bombers and the bombers. Escorts and interceptors designated to attack escorts do not take part in this combat.

16.6.5 The player with interceptors is never obligated to attack the bombers after the combat between interceptors and escorts, even though he could do so.

16.7 Interceptor-vs-interceptor combat is the same as combat between interceptors and escorts, except that here there is no interceptor-vs-bomber combat, and both sides must use all their air factors in the combat hex. If one player has only interceptors, while the other has interceptors and bombers, and the player with only interceptors wishes to attack the bombers, the player with the bombers may require (and initiate) an Air-to-Air Combat between his interceptors and the other player's first. The interceptor-bomber combat would follow (see 14.17 and 14.18).

16.8 If some interceptors, escorts, or bombers in the same hex are at high altitude and others at low altitude, there will be two separate sequences of Air-to-Air Combat in one hex, each involving the aircraft at the same altitude. Aircraft may not change altitude during combat, and those at one altitude have no effect on those at another altitude.

16.9 When a battle contains the situations described in 14.18 and 16.8, it is possible to have four Air-to-Air Combats in the same hex during the same turn; two at each altitude and one with each player as the attacker at each altitude.

16.10 Modifiers:

16.10.1 If interceptors and escorts do not spend RF their BHT is reduced by six columns (-6). Bombers never spend RF in Air-to-Air Combat.

16.10.2 If combat takes place in a hex with clouds, the BHT is reduced by one column (-1).

16.10.3 If combat takes place at night, the BHT is reduced by two columns (-2).

16.10.4 If any of the following aircraft are armed, their BHT is reduced by six columns (-6): Wildcat, P-38, P-39, P-40, Beaufighter, Zero, and Rufe.

Example of Air-to-Air Combat:

The Japanese player has 2 FAs in a hex: FA5 which contains 15 unarmed air factors of Zero (5 at high altitude and 10 at low altitude) and FA17 which contains 4 unarmed air factors of Val at low altitude.

The Allied player has 3 FAs in the hex: FA1 with 10 armed air factors of B-17 at high altitude, FA2 with 9 air factors of Wildcat (3 at high altitude and 6 at low altitude), and FA4 with 2 armed air factors of Hudson, 2 armed air factors of A-20, 10 armed air factors of B-26, and 2 unarmed air factors of Beaufighter, all at low altitude.

The Japanese player initiates the Air-to-Air Combat. The players decide to resolve the high-altitude combat first. The Japanese player assigns all his interceptors (5 Zeros) to attack the escorts (3 Wildcats). The BHT for the Zeros is 9. The Japanese player rolls a "4." 2 hits are scored. The BHT for the Wildcats is 9. The Allied player rolls a "3." One hit is scored. Two Wildcat air factors and one Zero are eliminated.

The interceptor-to-escort ratio is 4:1, higher than the 2:1 required, so the interceptors designated to attack escorts may, if they wish, attack the bombers.

The Japanese player decides to make the attack. He rolls a die and gets a "6." 3 hits are scored. The BHT for the B-17 is 8. The Allied player rolls a "2." One hit is scored. 3 B-17 and one Zero are eliminated.

The high-altitude combat has ended; now the players must resolve the low-altitude combat.

The Japanese player assigns some of his interceptors (4 Vals and 4 Zeros) to attack the escorts, and some (6 Zeros) to attack the bombers.

The BHT for the Vals is 2. The Japanese player declares they will attack the Wildcats. He rolls a "3." No hits. He then declares the Zeros' attack against the Wildcats. He rolls a "5," 2 hits are scored.

The BHT for the Beaufighters is 6. The Allied player announces they will attack the Zeros. He rolls a "4," no hits. The Allied player then declares the Wildcats will attack the Zeros. He rolls a "5," 3 hits are scored.

2 Wildcats and 3 Zeros are eliminated.

The interceptor-escort ratio is 5:6, less than 2:1 for either side, so only the interceptors designated to attack bombers may do so. Surviving interceptors designated to attack escorts, and the surviving escorts, do not take part.

The Japanese player declares that the Zeros will attack the B-26s. He rolls a "2" and scores one hit.

The BHT for the Hudson is 3. The Allied player rolls a "3." No hits. The BHT for the A-20 is 3. The Allied player rolls a "5" and scores one hit. The BHT for the B-26 is 4. The Allied player rolls a "1" and scores no hits.

One Zero and one B-26 are eliminated.

The low-altitude combat, and all Air-to-Air Combat in that hex, has ended.

17. Anti-Aircraft Combat

17.1 Anti-aircraft fire affects only bombers, and only those that the player announces are attacking a TF or bases. If he decides not to attack, there is no anti-aircraft fire. Interceptors and escorts never suffer anti-aircraft fire.

17.2 Before resolving anti-aircraft fire, the attacker must declare which targets all his bombers are attacking. He may attack any enemy unit in the hex. He may split his units in any way to attack these enemies, and once he has declared these attacks he is obligated to carry them out; the decision is irreversible.

17.3 After the attacker has announced his targets, the defender resolves the Anti-Aircraft fire. The BHT used to resolve anti-aircraft fire is 4 for all ships and bases.

17.3.1 All ships in a TF being attacked may use their Anti-Aircraft Factor (called AAF) against each FA attacking that TF.

17.3.2 Any base being attacked may use its AAF against each FA attacking it.

17.3.3 Any ship anchored in a hex with a base may use its AAF against each attacking FA that is attacking the base, even if it (or the TF it belongs to) is not being attacked itself. This includes combining the ship's and the base's AAF.

17.3.4 Any base in a hex with anchored ships may use its AAF against each FA attacking those ships, even if the base itself is not being attacked. This includes combining both AAFs.

17.4 If air factors from several different FAs are attacking the same TF or base, they may each use their AAF against each FA.

17.5 A ship or base may not, individually, use its AAF against more than one aircraft type in each attacking FA, although several ships in the same TF may split their fire in any way against different types of attacking aircraft within the same FA. No attacking aircraft type in an FA may be attacked more than once by A/A fire. All AAF of ships used against the same attacking aircraft type must be combined.

17.6 If several aircraft of the same type attack one ship, and several attack another ship or ships, each of the attacking groups is considered a different aircraft type for A/A fire purposes. Sometimes, when air factors of the same aircraft type in the same FA carry out different types of bombing (from the same or a different altitude), each group carrying out a different type of bombing is treated as a different aircraft type for A/A fire purposes.

17.7 Modifiers.

17.7.1 If the target aircraft are at high altitude, the BHT is reduced by 2 columns (-2).

17.7.2 If combat takes place in a hex with clouds, the BHT is reduced by 1 column (-1).

17.7.3 If combat takes place at night, the BHT is reduced by 2 columns (-2).

Example of Anti-Aircraft Combat:

Allied FA20 and FA21 are in the same hex as Japanese TFs 7 and 8. The Allied player announces he will attack.

Allied FA20 has 10 air factors of Dauntless at high altitude armed with AP bombs. FA21 has 5 air factors of unarmed Wildcat and 10 of Avenger armed with torpedoes, all at low altitude.

The Japanese player declares that TF7 contains the CV Shokaku, the BB Kongo, the CAs Atago and Takao, and 6 DDs. TF8 contains the CL Isuzu, 5 DDs, and 4 APs. He also declares that there are aircraft visible on the deck of the CV Shokaku.

The Allied player declares that the 10 Dauntless and the 10 Avengers will attack the CV Shokaku. The 5 unarmed Wildcats acting as escorts may not take part in the attack. TF8 will not be attacked either.

The Japanese player has a total of 18 AAF that can be fired twice, once at each FA. The BHT for A/A fire is 4.

The Japanese player fires at the 10 Dauntless. Since the attack is at low altitude no modifiers apply. He rolls a "4." 2 hits are scored. 2 Dauntless are eliminated.

The Japanese player then fires at the 10 Avengers and rolls a "6." 4 hits are scored. 4 Avengers are eliminated. Anti-Aircraft Combat has ended.

18. Air Attack

18.1 The attacker now carries out the attack he had declared before resolving Anti-Aircraft Combat. He may have fewer aircraft than he originally declared would attack due to losses from A/A fire. He may not change his plans or abandon the attack.

18.2 Each attack is resolved separately for each aircraft type, rolling one die. EXCEPTION: See 17.6. No aircraft are lost during Air Attack combats.

18.3 Types of Bombing:

18.3.1 Dive-bombing: Dive bombers must begin the Combat Phase at high altitude and remain at that altitude during the Air-to-Air Combat Step, if there is one. However, they are assumed to dive to low altitude during the Anti-Aircraft Combat Step and carry out their attack at low altitude. They must move from the high-altitude box to the low-altitude box at the start of the Anti-Aircraft Combat Step, so they are considered to be at low altitude during the Anti-Aircraft Combat Step. They may attack with GP or AP bombs. Each air factor carrying out a dive-bomb attack spends one RF.

18.3.2 Torpedo Attack: Must be made at low altitude and only by aircraft that can carry, and are carrying, torpedoes. Each air factor carrying out this type of attack spends one RF.

18.3.3 Level Bombing: May be done from high or low altitude. May attack with GP or AP bombs. Each air factor spends one RF only when attacking from low altitude.

18.4 Off-map bases can never be attacked.

18.5 Modifiers.

18.5.1 If the target ship is damaged, the BHT is increased by 2 columns (+2).

18.5.2 If the target ship is anchored, the BHT is increased by 2 columns (+2).

18.5.3 If combat takes place in a hex with clouds, the BHT is reduced by 2 columns (-2).

18.5.4 If combat takes place at night, the BHT is reduced by 4 columns (-4).

Example of Air Attack:

Continuing the Anti-Aircraft Combat example, the surviving Allied aircraft (8 Dauntless and 6 Avengers) attack the CV Shokaku.

The 8 Dauntless carry out a dive-bomb attack with AP bombs. The BHT is 7. The Allied player rolls a "3." 2 hits are scored, which are doubled because the Japanese player declared there were aircraft on deck (in the "Ready" box), so 4 hits are recorded.

The 6 Avengers carry out a torpedo attack. The BHT is 6. The Allied player rolls a "1." No hits.

The Shokaku has taken 4 hits. In addition, the Japanese player must eliminate 4 air factors from the Shokaku's deck. The Air Attack has ended.

19. Surface Combat

19.1 Affects only ships. Never mandatory, however, once a player initiates it, the other cannot avoid it. All ships present in the hex (even if there is more than one TF) must take part in the battle once Surface Combat is initiated.

19.2 Both players take all the ships they have in the hex out of the TF boxes and place them beside the Board in a free area. After seeing the exact composition of the enemy force, each player must secretly note the position of his ships.

19.3 A ship may initially be placed in any of the following three positions, which it must maintain during the combat:

19.3.1 Gunnery Attack: They must use their Gunnery Factor in combat. They may not use their Torpedo Factor. They may be attacked by enemy ships.

19.3.2 Torpedo Attack: They must use their Torpedo Factor in combat. They may not use their Gunnery Factor. They may be attacked by enemy ships. Place a Torpedo marker to indicate which ships are carrying out a torpedo attack.

19.3.3 Screen: May not attack or be attacked in any way. They are placed behind the other two groups to indicate their screening position. All anchored or damaged ships must be placed in this position.

19.4 After placing all their ships, but before revealing their positions, both players take a die and place it secretly next to their ships. The die may show any number face up. The sum of both dice will be the BHT for that turn of combat. Now the positions of each side's ships are revealed, along with the dice numbers.

19.5 Gunnery Combat: Both players total the Gunnery Factors of all ships placed in that position and announce how many factors they will use and against which enemy ships.

19.5.1 The total Gunnery Factor may be divided in any way: against a single ship, or against several different ones. EXCEPTION: Only the portion of the total Gunnery Factor belonging to BBs, CAs, and CAVs may be used against enemy BBs.

19.5.2 The attacks are then resolved using the resulting BHT from the sum of the two dice. Combat is simultaneous, that is, both players use their total Gunnery Factor before any damage takes effect.

19.5.3 After both players have attacked, all sunk ships are eliminated and all damaged ships are given a Hits marker equal to the number of hits they have received.

19.6 Torpedo Attack: After resolving Gunnery Combat, all ships placed in the Torpedo Attack position that survived the gunnery attack may attack with torpedoes. Ships sunk in the gunnery phase are removed before the Torpedo Attack. They may neither receive nor make torpedo attacks.

19.6.1 Torpedo attacks may only be made if the BHT for this phase is 10 or higher (during the day) or 7 or higher (during the night). If the BHT is not sufficient to permit the Torpedo Attack, no hit is recorded, but the torpedoes are considered fired and therefore expended.

19.6.2 The Japanese Torpedo Attack uses a BHT of 15 and the Allied one of 10. Combat is simultaneous, that is, both players use all their Torpedo Factors before recording any damage.

19.6.3 Both players total the Torpedo Factors of all ships in the Torpedo Attack position and then announce how many factors will be used and against which enemy targets. The total may be divided in any way: against a single one, or against several.

19.7 When Gunnery Combat and Torpedo Combat have been resolved, both players count their surviving Gunnery Factors from ships in the Gunnery Attack and Torpedo Attack positions. If one side has a ratio of 3:1 with respect to the other, it may carry out a Breakthrough Attack. If neither side achieves a 3:1 advantage, this type of combat cannot occur.

19.7.1 In the Breakthrough Attack, the attacker may use the total of surviving Gunnery Factors corresponding to ships in the Gunnery Attack and Torpedo Attack positions. The defender may only use the total Gunnery Factors of ships placed in his Screen position.

19.7.2 The Breakthrough Attack is resolved like the Gunnery Combat, using the same BHT used in the preceding Gunnery Combat procedure.

19.7.3 The attacker may choose not to use some of his eligible ships in the Breakthrough Attack, in which case they may neither attack nor be attacked. The defender must use all his ships placed in the Screen position.

19.7.4 No Torpedo Attacks may be made in the Breakthrough Attack.

19.8 Ammunition Record Sheet (Ammunition Record Sheet).

19.8.1 Every ship with a Gunnery Factor has an initial Ammunition Factor that is recorded on the Ammunition Record Sheet (ARS), on the back of the Plotting Map. It may be kept hidden, on the contrary. In each turn of Surface Combat in which a ship uses its Gunnery Factor, it will expend a number of Ammunition Factors equal to the BHT used. This is marked by crossing out the old Ammunition Factor and writing the new one to its right on the ARS. When a ship's Ammunition Factor reaches zero it may no longer take part in further Gunnery Combats. If the ship has Ammunition Factors remaining but the BHT to be used is greater, its Gunnery Factor is halved (rounded up) that turn and its Ammunition Factor is reduced to zero.

19.8.2 Ships' Torpedo Factors (FT) are shown on the HRM. Every ship with FT that carries out a Torpedo Attack expends its entire torpedo supply. Cross it off on the HRM; it may not make further Torpedo Attacks for the rest of the game.

19.8.3 DDs and APDs do not appear on the HRM. They may use their Gunnery Factor for one turn without regard to the BHT. After using it, the marker is flipped over to indicate that it has expended its entire Ammunition Factor. DDs also have a Torpedo Factor of 1. Place a torpedo marker on a DD that has expended it.

19.9 Coastal Bombardment: May be carried out by ships in the same hex as an enemy base. Any ship used in a Surface Combat may not be used in a Coastal Bombardment. If another Surface Combat takes place in the same hex where a player wishes to carry out a Coastal Bombardment, the ships taking part in it must have been placed in the Screen position (and not have been involved in a Breakthrough Attack). Coastal Bombardments are never mandatory and may only be initiated by the player who controls the ships, not the one who controls the base. If the player with the ships initiates it, the other cannot prevent it.

19.9.1 The BHT used in Coastal Bombardment is 8 for all ships and bases. Only BBs, CAVs, CAs, and CLs may take part in this type of attack.

19.9.2 In a Coastal Bombardment, the Gunnery Factors of all participating ships are added together. No more than one attack of this type may be made per turn. A ship carrying out a Coastal Bombardment expends 8 Ammunition Factors.

19.9.3 A base with a Surface Factor (FS) may attack any ship attacking it. It may split its FS in any way against the attacking ships. A base with FS may also attack anchored ships in that hex, whether or not that ship has carried out a Coastal Bombardment or not. However, a base may not use its FS against anchored ships that have not bombarded if other ships have, unless those bombarding ships are also anchored.

19.10 Modifiers.

19.10.1 If the target ship is damaged, the BHT is increased by 1 column (+1).

19.10.2 If the target ship is anchored, the BHT is increased by 1 column (+1).

Example of Surface Combat:

Night turn. Allied TF12 and Japanese TF14 are in the same hex. The Allied player initiates Surface Combat.

Allied TF12 is made up of: BB South Dakota, BB Washington, CA Pensacola, and 12 DDs. Japanese TF14 is made up of: BB Haruna, BB Hiei, BB Kirishima, BB Kongo, CA Kumano, and 5 DDs.

Both players withdraw their ships and place them secretly, along with the die. Positions are now revealed. The Allied player has placed all his ships in the Gunnery Attack position and rolled a 1 on the die. The Japanese player has placed the 5 DDs in Torpedo Attack and the rest of his ships in Gunnery Attack with a 6 on the die.

The Gunnery Combat is resolved first. The Allied player has a total Gunnery Factor of 67, however only 55 may be used against the Japanese BBs. The Japanese player has a total of 54 and may use it all against the Allied BBs.

The Gunnery Combat uses a BHT of 7, the sum of the dice (6+1).

The Allied player distributes his Gunnery Factors; he directs 41 against the Hiei, 11 against the Kongo, and 3 against each of the 4 DDs. Against the Hiei he rolls a "4," scoring 10 hits, and the Hiei sinks. Against the Kongo he rolls a "5," scoring 4 hits. Against the 4 DDs he rolls "1," "6," "3," and "3." One DD receives 3 hits, two of them receive 1 each, and the other none. The DD with 3 hits sinks.

Now the Japanese player distributes his Gunnery Factor (including that of the sunk ships, the BB Hiei and the DD, since Gunnery Combat is simultaneous). He directs 46 against the Washington and 8 against the Pensacola. Against the former he rolls a "6" and scores 13 hits; against the Pensacola he rolls a "2" and scores 1 hit.

Gunnery Combat has ended and the sunk ships (BB Hiei and the Japanese DD) are removed. Ships that received hits but did not sink (2 Japanese DDs, the Washington, and the CA Pensacola) receive Damage markers equal to the number of hits received.

Now the Torpedo Combat is resolved, since the sum of the dice (7) is sufficient to permit that combat on a night turn. The Japanese player has 3 surviving DDs with an FT of 3 each. He directs all 3 against the Washington. The Japanese Torpedo Attack uses a BHT of 15 and he rolls a "4." The Washington receives 2 hits, and with a total of 15 it sinks and is eliminated.

Surface Combat has ended.

20. Combat Resolution

20.1 All combats are resolved using the Combat Results Table (CRT), cross-referencing the BHT with the number of attacking units. Aircraft have different BHTs for each type of attack or target (bases or TFs).

20.2 All modifiers for each type of combat are shown on the Combat Modifiers Table (CMT). All are cumulative and are added to or subtracted from the BHT, which will never be less than 1, no matter how many negative modifiers are applied. If the modified BHT is greater than 15, it is treated as 15.

20.3 The numbers in the CRT boxes are the Result Numbers. For each attack roll one die:

• If the die roll is a "1," the number of hits equals the Result Number minus two (-2).
• If the die roll is a "2," the number of hits equals the Result Number minus one (-1).
• If the die roll is "3" or "4," the number of hits equals the Result Number.
• If the die roll is a "5," the number of hits equals the Result Number plus one (+1).
• If the die roll is a "6," the number of hits equals the Result Number plus two (+2).
• If the Result Number is an asterisk (*), a die roll of "6" equals one hit and a roll of 1-5 has no effect.

Example: If the BHT is 8 and the number of attacking factors is 14, the Result Number is 4. If a "1" is rolled, 2 hits are scored. If a "2" is rolled, 3 hits are scored. If a "3" or "4" is rolled, 4 hits are scored. If a "5" is rolled, 5 hits are scored, and if a "6" is rolled, 6 hits are scored.

21. Damage

21.1 Hits on aircraft are recorded by eliminating a number of air factors equal to the number of hits received. If more hits are scored than there are air factors, the excess is lost. They may not be transferred or accumulated.

21.2 Hits on ships are recorded by placing Damage markers equal to the number of hits received. If the number of hits equals the ship's Damage Factor (FD), it sinks and is removed from the game. If the number of hits is greater than the ship's FD, the excess is lost; it may not be transferred or accumulated. Damage affects ships' capacities.

21.2.1 When the number of hits on a ship equals or exceeds half its FD, its movement is reduced by half. Ships with an MF of 2 reduce it to 1, and those with an MF of 1 remain at 1 for every two turns, starting from the turn after the one in which they received the damage. Note ships with reduced MF in the Notes section of the Air Record Sheet, indicating whether they may move on even or odd turns. Ships with an FD of 3 or higher, with a number of hits equal to their FD minus one (-1), receive a "Damaged" marker. They are considered stopped and may not move for the rest of the game.

21.2.2 Each hit on a ship reduces its Gunnery Factor by 1 and its AAF by 1. If the ship does not have one of those factors, the reduction is ignored. Torpedo Factors are never reduced.

21.2.3 Each hit on a CV reduces its LF by -3/-1. Each hit on a CVL reduces its LF by -2/-1. Each hit on an AV, CAV, or BB reduces its LF by -1/-1. Aircraft may not take off from or land on a ship whose LF is zero.

21.2.4 Each hit on a ship carrying aircraft eliminates one air factor from that ship (if any are present).

21.2.5 If a ship carrying aircraft is sunk, all air factors aboard at that moment are lost (eliminated). Victory Points are counted normally. However, those air factors may not be used as replacements; they are eliminated immediately and permanently from the game.

21.3 Hits on bases are recorded by noting them in the Notes section of the Air Record Sheet or by placing a Damage marker equal to the number of hits received in that base's box on Operational Chart B.

21.3.1 Each hit reduces a base's LF by -2/-1, its AAF by -1, and its FS (if it has one) by -1. EXCEPTION: Each hit on a base with only SP PH (that is, one that only operates seaplanes) reduces the base's LF by -1/-1 and not -2/-1.

21.3.2 Each hit on a base eliminates one air factor from that base (if present). EXCEPTION: 2 hits are needed to eliminate a dispersed air factor.

21.4 A ship's Gunnery Factor, AAF, and LF may be reduced to zero by damage, but never to negative numbers. This damage is never repaired.

21.5 A base's FS, AAF, and LF may be reduced to zero by damage, and even to negative numbers. When the number of hits received by a base reduces its LF to zero, additional hits are also recorded. The base must repair that damage first and only then repair the remaining hits to increase its LF (the FS and AAF factors would likewise be repaired each turn from the moment the LF is no longer negative). Victory Points are earned for each turn a base has an LF of zero or less. Aircraft may not land at or take off from a base with an LF of zero or less.

Example: Gasmata has an LF of 8/4, an AAF of 5, and no FS. It receives 5 hits at the 1200 turn. Its LF is reduced to -2/-1 and its AAF to 0. It cannot repair at the 1200 turn. At the 1300 turn it is not attacked and may repair one hit. Its LF is now 0/0 and its AAF is 1. At the 1400 turn it is not attacked and repairs another hit. Its LF is 2/1 and its AAF is 2, and so on.

21.6 If a ship carrying aircraft, or a base, has any aircraft in the "Ready" or "Just Landed" box when it receives one or more hits from a level or dive-bombing attack, the hits are doubled. Likewise, if a ship carrying aircraft has any aircraft in the "Readying" box when it receives one or more hits from a torpedo (air) attack, these hits are doubled.

21.7 When a ship carrying aircraft or a base receives hits, the air factors present are eliminated as follows:

21.7.1 On a day turn, and if the hits are due to dive-bombing or low-altitude level bombing, the attacker chooses which type of aircraft (if there is a choice) is eliminated from the ship or base.

21.7.2 On a night turn, or if the hits received are from an aerial torpedo attack, high-altitude level bombing, or surface combat, the defender chooses which type of aircraft (if there is a choice) is eliminated from the ship or base.

21.7.3 Air factors must be eliminated from the TF or base box in the following order:

1. From the "Ready" box
2. From the "Just Landed" box
3. From the "Readying" box

Dispersed air factors are only eliminated after all others have been, and at a rate of 2 hits per air factor eliminated.

21.7.4 The attacking player is never informed how many air factors of each aircraft type are present (see 7.14 and 7.15). The defender only tells him which types he may choose among (when possible).

22. Replacements

22.1 All aircraft lost during the day must be stacked off the Board until the 0100 turn of the following day. Each side receives replacements at the 0100 turn of each day, at the start of the Air Operations Phase. These aircraft must be placed in the "Just Landed" box of TF boxes or bases. Short versions of some scenarios do not receive replacements.

22.2 The number of replacements received depends on the number of losses suffered the previous day. For every three air factors of each aircraft type eliminated, one returns to the game as a replacement; all fractions are lost. Replacements for aircraft types that can be both land-based and carrier-based must respect the proportion between the two subtypes (land-based or carrier-based) as closely as possible, although the surplus fraction of one subtype (land-based or carrier-based) may join the surplus of the other subtype of that same aircraft type.

Example: It is 0100. The Japanese player lost the previous day 22 air factors of Zero (16 land-based and 6 carrier-based), 6 air factors of Betty, 10 air factors of Val (8 carrier-based and 2 land-based), and 9 Kate (all carrier-based). He may take 7 Zeros (5 land-based and 2 carrier-based), 2 Betty, 3 Val (2 carrier-based and 1 land-based), and 3 Kate (all carrier-based) as replacements. The remainder is permanently eliminated from the game.

22.3 Once replacements have been taken, the remaining aircraft are permanently eliminated.

22.4 When a ship carrying aircraft is sunk, the aircraft present on the ship are lost and may not be used as replacements. They are eliminated immediately and permanently from the game.

22.5 Ships may never be replaced.

23. Repairs

23.1 Damage to bases may be repaired during the Repair Phase. Each base may repair one point of damage per turn, unless otherwise specified in the scenario being played. Simply remove the Damage marker and replace it with the next lower value. Each point of damage repaired increases the LF value by +2/+1, the AAF by +1, and the FS (if any) by +1.

23.2 A base involved in any type of Air Attack or Coastal Bombardment may not repair that turn.

23.3 A base may never be repaired beyond the initial capacities of the scenario being played.

24. Time Record

During the Time Record Phase, one more turn is marked off on the Time Record Chart.

25. Victory Conditions

25.1 Players score points according to the Victory Points (VP) Table. They must be recorded as they are earned, using the VP markers on the Board's VP Record Table.

25.2 Each scenario has an Automatic Victory Level. If, at the end of the 2400 turn, the difference between the players' total VPs is equal to or greater than the Automatic Victory Level, the game ends at that instant and the player with more points wins.

25.3 If neither player achieves an automatic victory during the game, the winner is whoever has the most VPs at the end of the scenario; however, in every scenario a minimum of 50 VPs must be achieved. If no one achieves this, the result is a tie.

25.4 Unnecessary Loss of air factors: Generally, eliminated air factors are worth 2 VPs each. Those lost unnecessarily are worth 10 VPs each instead of the normal 2 VPs. This only applies to air factors unable to land on the landing turn, due to a player's error or choice. This does not apply to air factors that could reach a hex where landing was possible, but is no longer so upon arrival, due to damage suffered by the bases or ships carrying aircraft. This applies to air factors in flight at the end of the game; all air factors in flight at that point should have been able to land safely had the game continued.

25.5 VPs are earned each turn an AP unloads (up to a maximum of 8 turns). At the same time, the AP's value (if sunk) is reduced in direct proportion for each turn it has unloaded, down to a minimum of 2 VPs if it is fully unloaded (has unloaded over eight turns).

Example: It is 21:00. The Japanese player has an AP anchored in the Guadalcanal hex. It begins unloading; this turn it unloads 3 VPs (it would be worth 21 Allied VPs if sunk). At 22:00 it unloads another 3 VPs (it would be worth 18 Allied VPs if sunk). At 23:00 it unloads another 3 VPs (it would be worth 15 Allied VPs if sunk). At 04:00, after unloading another 3 VPs, it has reached the maximum number of unloading turns (8) and would be worth only 2 Allied VPs if sunk.

26. Scenarios

26.1 It is suggested that players first play the "Rings Around Rabaul" scenario twice, once on each side. This scenario has far fewer ships and aircraft than the others and will let players familiarize themselves with the game system before moving on to more complex scenarios.

26.2 Some scenarios include a short version. The Orders of Battle (OB) and Special Rules apply to all versions of the scenario, and the short versions differ only in game length and the initial positions of the ships.

26.3 Even though a scenario's OB gives submarines to both sides, they are not used unless the Optional Submarine Rule is in effect. Special Rules listed as Optional Rules are only used by prior mutual agreement.

Scenario One: "Rings Around Rabaul"

Duration: February 23, 0600 to February 23, 1800 (13 turns). Weather: Scattered clouds.

Allied Order of Battle — Ships: CV Lexington, CA Minneapolis, CA San Francisco, CA Indianapolis, CA Pensacola, 10 DD. Carrier-based: 8 Wildcat, 12 Dauntless, 4 Devastator. Base: Port Moresby. Land-based: 12 P-40, 4 Catalina. Initial ship positions: all within one hex of the east edge (sector II).

Japanese Order of Battle — Bases: Rabaul, Gasmata, Kavieng, Truk. Land-based: 10 Zero, 8 Mavis, 1 Jake, 1 Rufe, 10 Kate, 12 Nell.

Special Rules: (1) Only the west half of the map is used. (2) The CV Lexington and Port Moresby have radar. (3) Wildcats have a BHT of 7 in Air-to-Air Combat. (4) The turn after any Allied ship is Observed, the Japanese player receives 5 Zero and 5 Betty at Truk. (5) The 15 Allied ships must begin the game in a single TF and remain in it the whole game. (6) Ignore the Japanese Coast Watcher symbol on New Guinea. (7) Japanese aircraft may not take off on turn 1. (8) Catalinas that begin the game at Port Moresby may take off without restriction, but must remain airborne for the entire game.

Special Victory Conditions: (1) No automatic victory level. However, Japan wins immediately if it sinks the CV Lexington. If it is not sunk and the Allies have scored 4 or more hits on Rabaul and at least 20 total VPs, the Allies win regardless of who has more points. (2) If neither side achieves the above, the Allies must score at least 2 hits on Rabaul and 20 total VPs, and have more points at game end, to win. Otherwise Japan wins.

Scenario Two: "Coral Sea"

Duration: May 4, 0600 to May 8, 1800 (109 turns). Weather: Cloud front.

Allied Order of Battle — Ships: CV Lexington, CV Yorktown, CA Chester, CA New Orleans, CA Astoria, CA Portland, CA Minneapolis, CA Australia, CA Chicago, CL Hobart, 14 DD, 2 AO, 5 SS. Carrier-based: 14 Wildcat, 25 Dauntless, 8 Devastator. Bases: New Caledonia, Australia, Port Moresby. Land-based: at New Caledonia, 4 Catalina; at Australia or Port Moresby, 1 Catalina, 2 Hudson, 12 B-26, 5 B-25, 3 Dauntless, 12 P-39, 2 P-40, 5 B-17. Initial ship positions: CV Yorktown in sector VII, no more than 16 hexes from the south edge. CV Lexington and 2 AO in sector VII, no more than 5 hexes from the south edge. All other ships must begin with one of the two CVs.

Japanese Order of Battle — Ships: CV Shokaku, CV Zuikaku, CVL Shoho, AV Kamikawa, CA Myoko, CA Haguro, CA Aoba, CA Kako, CA Kinugasa, CA Furutaka, CL Yubari, CL Tenryu, CL Tatsuta. Carrier-based: 16 Zero, 14 Val, 17 Kate, 3 Dave, 4 Pete. Bases: Tulagi, Rabaul, Kavieng, Lae, Shortland, Truk. Land-based: 21 Zero, 12 Betty, 16 Nell, 5 Mavis, 1 Rufe. Initial ship positions: 2 AO, 12 AP, and 4 PG must begin at Tulagi. CVL Shoho and 1 AO must begin within 5 hexes of Bougainville. CV Shokaku, CV Zuikaku, and 1 AO must begin within 8 hexes of Rabaul. All other ships must join one of the above three groups.

Abridged versions: "The Crucial Days" — May 7, 0100 to May 8, 1800 (42 turns). Allied ships begin in sector VI or VII, no more than 12 hexes from the south edge. Japanese ships: CVL Shoho within 10 hexes of Deboyne island; CV Shokaku and Zuikaku within 6 hexes of Guadalcanal; 12 AP, 4 PG, and AV Kamikawa within 6 hexes of Woodlark island; all others join one of these groups. "The Battle" — May 8, 0100 to May 8, 1800 (18 turns). Allied ships begin in sector VI, no more than 15 hexes from the south edge. Japanese CV Shokaku and Zuikaku within 7 hexes of New Georgia island; AV Kamikawa and 2 PG at Deboyne island; all others join one of these groups.

Special Rules: (1) Ships beginning at Rabaul must be anchored and may not weigh anchor until May 5, 1800. (2) Ships beginning at Tulagi must be anchored and may not weigh anchor until an Allied ship is Observed or they are attacked. (3) Allied bases and CVs have radar. (4) Japanese APs may only unload in the Port Moresby hex. (5) The Kamikawa's floatplane Petes may only be used if the AV Kamikawa has established a temporary seaplane base. (6) The AV Kamikawa may begin at Deboyne island as a temporary seaplane base; it may be accompanied by 1 or 2 PG. (7) Wildcats have a BHT of 7 in Air-to-Air Combat. (8) The Shokaku and Zuikaku have only 5 Damage Factors. (9) Ignore the Japanese Coast Watcher symbols on the following islands: Choiseul, Santa Isabel, Vella Lavella, New Georgia, and Guadalcanal. (10) OPTIONAL RULE: The CV Lexington, Shokaku, Zuikaku, and CVL Shoho are refueling, as are their accompanying ships, at scenario start. The CV Yorktown and its accompanying ships must refuel at 0100 on May 5. Applies only if the Refueling rule is in use. (11) OPTIONAL RULE: Include the following Allied aircraft: 5 B-17, 6 P-39, 5 Wildcat. Include the following Japanese aircraft: 10 Zero, 5 Betty. Used only with the Additional Aircraft rule.

Special Victory Conditions: (1) Automatic victory level: 100 points. (2) The Allies receive 50 points if the Japanese cannot unload 50 points at Port Moresby. (3) If Japan unloads 150 points at Port Moresby, the game ends immediately and Japan wins.

Scenario Three: "East of the Solomons"

Duration: August 24, 0100 to August 26, 1800 (66 turns). Weather: Scattered clouds.

Allied Order of Battle — Ships: CV Saratoga, CV Enterprise, CV Wasp, BB North Carolina, CA Minneapolis, CA New Orleans, CA Portland, CA San Francisco, CA Salt Lake City, CL San Juan, CL Atlanta, 21 DD, 3 AO, 6 SS. Carrier-based: 34 Wildcat, 36 Dauntless, 15 Avenger. Bases: Henderson, New Caledonia, Ndeni, Espiritu Santo, Gili-Gili, Port Moresby, Australia. Land-based: at Henderson, New Caledonia, Ndeni, or Espiritu Santo — 5 Catalina, 4 Wildcat, 3 Dauntless, 2 P-39, 3 B-17, 2 Hudson; at Gili-Gili, Port Moresby, or Australia — 8 B-17, 20 B-26, 10 B-25, 1 Hudson, 6 P-39, 1 Catalina, 3 A-20, 16 P-40, 3 Beaufort, 2 Beaufighter. Initial ship positions: 1 DD at Gili-Gili. CV Wasp, 3 AO, CL San Juan, CA San Francisco, CA Salt Lake City, and 8 DD must begin in sector VIII, no more than 10 hexes from the east edge. All others in sector IV.

Japanese Order of Battle — Ships: CV Shokaku, CV Zuikaku, CVL Ryujo, AV Chitose, CAV Tone, CAV Chikuma, BB Mutsu, BB Kirishima, BB Hiei, CA Atago, CA Maya, CA Takao, CA Myoko, CA Haguro, CA Suzuya, CA Kumano, CA Aoba, CA Kinugasa, CA Furutaka, CL Nagara, CL Yura, CL Jintsu, CL Tenryu, CL Tatsuta, 31 DD, 4 APD, 5 AP, 1 PG, 12 SS. Carrier-based: 25 Zero, 17 Val, 17 Kate, 1 Judy, 8 Pete, 4 Jake. Bases: Shortland, Gasmata, Buna, Buka, Rabaul, Lae, Truk, Kavieng. Land-based: 20 Zero, 8 Betty, 3 Nell, 2 Val, 2 Mavis, 1 Emily, 2 Rufe. Initial ship positions: 2 AP, 1 PG, CL Tenryu, and CL Tatsuta (with any number of DD) at Rabaul. 2 AP and any number of DD within 2 hexes of Goodenough island. CL Jintsu, 4 APD, and 1 AP (with any number of DD) within 4 hexes of Ontong Java Atoll. All others in sector III, within 3 hexes of the north edge, or at Rabaul.

Abridged version: "The Battle" — August 24, 0100 to August 24, 1800 (18 turns). Allied ships begin in sector IV. Japanese ships: CL Jintsu, 4 APD, and 1 AP (with any number of DD) within 4 hexes or less of Ontong Java Atoll; all others in sector II or III but not within 7 hexes of Henderson or Gili-Gili.

Special Rules: (1) Allied CV, BB, CA, CL, and bases have radar. Japanese bases at Rabaul and Lae have radar. (2) Japanese AP and APD may only unload at Gili-Gili or Guadalcanal (except Henderson). If Japan unloads 50 or more points at Gili-Gili, it converts to Japanese control in all respects the following turn; the Japanese player must record Gili-Gili's Air Operations box separately, and any existing damage is removed. Only these Japanese aircraft types may land at or take off from Gili-Gili: Zero, Val, Kate. (3) The CV Enterprise has an AAF of 5. (4) Only these Allied aircraft types may land at or take off from Gili-Gili: P-39, P-40, Avenger, Dauntless, Wildcat. (5) The following special rules apply to the CV Wasp: (a) all Dauntless and Avenger air factors that begin the scenario aboard the Wasp add +2 to the die roll when landing on the Wasp on a night turn; (b) these same air factors have their BHT reduced by only 2 columns instead of the normal 4 when carrying out air attacks on night turns (not during Air-to-Air Combat); (c) if this option is used, only these air factors may begin the game aboard the Wasp: 17 air factors of Dauntless and Avenger, and only they are affected by these rules. (6) OPTIONAL RULE: The CV Wasp and its accompanying ships are refueling at scenario start. The CV Enterprise and Saratoga with their accompanying ships must refuel on August 25 at 1200. Applies only with the Refueling rule. (7) OPTIONAL RULE: Include the following Allied aircraft: 5 B-17, 10 Wildcat, 7 Dauntless, 6 P-39, 2 B-26. Include the following Japanese aircraft: 20 Zero, 6 Betty. Used only with the Additional Aircraft rule.

Special Victory Conditions: (1) Automatic victory level: 200 points. (2) Japan receives 50 points if it unloads at least 50 points at Gili-Gili.

Scenario Four: "Santa Cruz"

Duration: October 25, 0100 to October 27, 1800 (66 turns). Weather: Scattered clouds.

Allied Order of Battle — Ships: CV Enterprise, CV Hornet, BB South Dakota, BB Washington, CA Portland, CA Northampton, CA Pensacola, CA San Francisco, CL San Juan, CL San Diego, CL Juneau, CL Helena, CL Atlanta, 22 DD, 2 PG, 11 SS. Carrier-based: 23 Wildcat, 24 Dauntless, 9 Avenger. Bases: Henderson, New Caledonia, Espiritu Santo, Gili-Gili, Port Moresby, Australia. Land-based: at Henderson, New Caledonia, or Espiritu Santo — 8 Wildcat, 3 P-39, 3 Hudson, 9 Catalina, 10 B-17, 6 Dauntless; at Gili-Gili, Port Moresby, or Australia — 9 B-17, 24 B-26, 16 B-25, 2 Hudson, 2 Catalina, 4 A-20, 4 P-39, 24 P-40, 4 Beaufort, 4 Beaufighter. Initial ship positions: CV Hornet, CV Enterprise, and BB South Dakota within 8 hexes of Ndeni island. BB Washington in sector VII within 6 hexes of Guadalcanal. 2 DD and 2 PG within one hex of Henderson. All others join any of the above groups.

Japanese Order of Battle — Ships: CV Shokaku, CV Zuikaku, CV Junyo, CVL Zuiho, CAV Tone, CAV Chikuma, BB Kongo, BB Haruna, BB Kirishima, BB Hiei, CA Atago, CA Takao, CA Myoko, CA Maya, CA Kumano, CA Suzuya, CA Chokai, CL Isuzu, CL Nagara, CL Yura, 38 DD, 12 SS. Carrier-based: 31 Zero, 21 Val, 17 Kate, 4 Pete, 2 Jake, 1 Judy. Bases: Shortland, Gasmata, Buna, Rabaul, Lae, Buin, Buka, Truk, Kavieng. Land-based: 2 Rufe, 1 Emily, 4 Mavis, 6 Kate, 15 Val, 30 Zero, 9 Nell, 11 Betty. Initial ship positions: CL Yura with any number of DD in sector III within 4 hexes of Guadalcanal. All others in sector III within 8 hexes of the north edge.

Abridged version: "The Battle" — October 26, 0100 to October 26, 1800 (18 turns). Allied ships: CV Hornet, CV Enterprise, and BB South Dakota within 5 hexes of Ndeni; BB Washington in sector VII within 3 hexes of Guadalcanal; 2 DD and 1 PG within 3 hexes of Henderson; all others join the above groups. Japanese ships: 8 DD at Shortland; all others within 5 hexes of the Stewart Islands.

Special Rules: (1) Allied ships and bases have radar. Japanese bases at Rabaul, Lae, Shortlands, Gasmata, and Buna have radar. (2) During day turns, Henderson may repair 2 hits of damage per turn. (3) OPTIONAL RULE: Include the following Allied aircraft: 6 Wildcat, 8 P-39, 4 P-38, 4 B-26, 1 Hudson. Include the following Japanese aircraft: 15 Zero, 10 Betty. Used only with the Additional Aircraft rule.

Special Victory Conditions: (1) Automatic victory level: 250 points. (2) The player with more points at game end must have at least 200 points to win.

Scenario Five: "Guadalcanal"

Duration: November 12, 0600 to November 15, 1200 (79 turns). Weather: Scattered clouds.

Allied Order of Battle — Ships: CV Enterprise, BB Washington, BB South Dakota, CA San Francisco, CA Pensacola, CA Portland, CA Northampton, CL Helena, CL Juneau, CL Atlanta, CL San Diego, 23 DD, 1 PG, 7 AP, 12 SS. Carrier-based: 13 Wildcat, 10 Dauntless, 3 Avenger. Bases: Henderson, New Caledonia, Espiritu Santo, Gili-Gili, Port Moresby, Australia. Land-based: at Henderson, New Caledonia, or Espiritu Santo — 9 Wildcat, 12 B-17, 2 Hudson, 8 Catalina, 1 P-39, 12 Dauntless, 3 Avenger; at Gili-Gili, Port Moresby, or Australia — 9 B-17, 20 B-26, 20 B-25, 2 Hudson, 2 Catalina, 4 A-20, 24 P-40, 4 Beaufort, 4 Beaufighter, 5 P-38. Initial ship positions: 7 AP, the CA Portland, CA San Francisco, CA Pensacola, CL Atlanta, CL Juneau, CL Helena, and 1 PG (with any number of DD) at Henderson. All others do not begin on the map; they enter through the south edge of sector VIII on November 13 at 0100.

Japanese Order of Battle — Ships: CV Junyo, CV Hiyo, CAV Tone, BB Hiei, BB Kirishima, BB Kongo, BB Haruna, CA Atago, CA Takao, CA Chokai, CA Kinugasa, CA Suzuya, CA Maya, CL Nagara, CL Sendai, CL Isuzu, CL Tenryu, 37 DD, 11 AP, 12 SS. Carrier-based: 14 Zero, 12 Val, 6 Kate, 2 Jake, 3 Pete. Bases: Shortland, Gasmata, Buna, Rabaul, Lae, Buin, Buka, Truk, Kavieng. Land-based: 2 Rufe, 2 Emily, 4 Mavis, 3 Kate, 9 Val, 30 Zero, 2 Nell, 20 Betty. Initial ship positions: CA Chokai, CA Kinugasa, CL Isuzu, CA Suzuya, CA Maya, CL Tenryu, 11 AP, and 17 DD at Shortland. All others within 4 hexes of Ontong Java Atoll.

Special Rules: (1) BB Hiei and Kirishima are armed with special HE ammunition: their Gunnery Factor is reduced to 8 in Gunnery Combat but increased to 16 in Coastal Bombardment. (2) The CV Enterprise has a Readying Factor of 6. (3) Allied APs may only unload at Henderson; Japanese APs may only unload on Guadalcanal island except at Henderson. (4) Allied ships and bases have radar. Japanese bases at Shortlands, Rabaul, Lae, and Gasmata have radar. (5) Japanese seaplane types have their BHT reduced by 1 for all combat types. (6) During day turns, Henderson may repair 2 hits of damage per turn. (7) OPTIONAL RULE: Include the following Allied aircraft: 4 Wildcat, 4 Avenger, 5 B-26, 8 P-39, 1 Hudson. Include the following Japanese aircraft: 20 Zero, 10 Betty. Used only with the Additional Aircraft rule.

Special Victory Conditions: (1) Automatic victory level: 100 points. (2) The player who unloads more points receives 50 points at game end. (3) If Japan unloads 100 points, the game ends immediately and Japan wins.

Components

• One 44" x 28" mapboard
• 1,300 counters
• Seven Player Aid Cards: two Allied Operational Cards, two Japanese Operational Cards, three Tables and Aids cards
• A pad of Air Record Sheets
• A pad of Ammunition Record Sheets
• This rulebook

Not included, but needed to play: two pens or pencils and one six-sided die.

Optional Rules

After becoming familiar with the game, players may add some of the following optional rules. Remember these rules are exactly that — OPTIONAL. The game was tested mostly without them and they could, in some circumstances, unbalance play. Used correctly (as common sense dictates), the optional rules serve a purpose: adding variety once basic play is mastered, and adding realism to the action. However, while they increase realism, optional rules decrease scenario playability. Some players nonetheless prefer more realism at the cost of a bit more complexity. Players may include the optional rules wholesale or in part; even just part of some rules may be included.

Additional Aircraft: Included (as indicated in each scenario) under certain conditions: (1) Additional Allied Aircraft — only if a Japanese TF is Observed in sectors V or VIII of the map. They are placed in the Ready box of the Espiritu Santo or Australia bases at the start of the Air Operations Phase of the turn following the one in which the Japanese TF was Observed. (2) Additional Japanese Aircraft — only if an Allied TF is Observed in sectors I or II of the map. They are placed in the Ready box of the Truk base under the same conditions as rule 1.

Critical Hits: (1) During combat resolution (of any type), if a "3" or "4" is rolled (the number obtained equals the number of hits) there is a chance of inflicting a Critical Hit. (2) When this chance exists, the attacker rolls one die for each hit. If it is a "6," a Critical Hit is scored and the Critical Hit Tables are consulted. (3) To use these tables roll a die and cross-reference the result with the type of target hit.

Critical Hit Table — CV/CVL/AV: 1 = 2 additional hits. 2 = 1 additional hit. 3 = roll a die and eliminate the indicated number of air factors. 4 = the ship has no Readying Factor next turn. 6 = the ship may not move next turn.

Critical Hit Table — Other Ships: 1 = 3 additional hits. 2 = 2 additional hits. 3–6 = 1 additional hit.

Critical Hit Table — Base: 1 = 2 additional hits. 2 = 1 additional hit. 3–4 = roll a die and eliminate the indicated number of air factors. 5 = the base has no Readying Factor next turn. 6 = aircraft may not take off from or land at that base next turn.

Critical Hit Table — Air Formation: 1–2 = no effect. 3–6 = roll a die and eliminate the indicated number of air factors.

Expanded Air Functions: (1) Combining Air Factors: When two or fewer air factors of one aircraft type are involved in an Air-to-Air Combat or Air Attack, those air factors may combine with any other type(s) carrying out the same mission (whether as Escorts or Interceptors in Air-to-Air Combat, or as Bombers in an Air Attack). (2) Air Modifiers: Some aircraft may use a modifier during Air-to-Air Combat to represent their inferior or superior defensive ability, as shown on the Air Modifiers Table. In Air-to-Air Combat the attacker adds (or subtracts) the defending aircraft's modifier to his own BHT.

Air Modifiers Table: Avenger −1, Beaufort −1, B-17 −2, B-25 −1, B-26 −1, Dauntless −1, Hudson −1, P-38 −1, Dave +2, Jake +2, Kate +1, Pete +2, Rufe +1, Val +1, Zero +1.

(3) Para-Frag Bombs: Only in the "Santa Cruz" and "Guadalcanal" scenarios and only on the following aircraft: A-20, B-25, B-26. To use them they must bomb a base at low altitude; against any other type of target they have no effect. The same BHT as the GP bomb is used. They cause no damage to the base itself, but each hit counts as 2 toward eliminating air factors.

(4) "Skip" Bombs: Only in the "East of the Solomons," "Santa Cruz," and "Guadalcanal" scenarios and only on the following aircraft: A-20, B-25, B-26. Must bomb a ship at low altitude; otherwise no effect. Uses a BHT of 1. However, if the ship receives any hit, it is automatically a Critical Hit.

(5) Strafing: Only by Zero, Wildcat, Beaufighter, P-38, P-39, P-40, A-20, and B-25. When taking off, these aircraft may not be armed. This attack may be used together with Air-to-Air Combat. It is subject to anti-aircraft fire.

(a) Strafing Bases: By a low-altitude attack against a base. Any other attack type has no effect. The same BHT is used as in Air-to-Air Combat for each aircraft type. Causes no damage to the base but serves to eliminate air factors.

(b) Strafing Ships: By a low-altitude attack against a ship. Any other attack type has no effect. The same BHT is used as in Air-to-Air Combat for each aircraft type. Causes no damage to the ship but serves to eliminate air factors.

(6) Special Aircraft Movement: (a) "Sea" and "Float" type aircraft may land at bases listed as LP (Plane Handling). However, each box-to-box move costs 2 Readying Factors instead of 1. (b) The following aircraft may move through more than one box to reach a base or a ship carrying aircraft during an Air Operations Phase: Zero, Wildcat, P-39, P-40, and Beaufighter. This lets those aircraft take off the turn after they landed, at a cost of 2 Readying Factors — one to move to the Readying box and one to move to the Ready box. The air factor is then placed in an FA. (c) The following aircraft spend 2 RF instead of 1 for each box-to-box move at a base: B-17, Hudson, A-20, B-25, B-26, and Betty. (d) An aircraft may land while armed instead of dropping its bombs when landing. For each armed air factor the player rolls one die and consults the Night Landing Table (+1 if it is night). An armed aircraft may be placed in the Ready box on the turn it lands.

(7) Landing at Damaged Bases: Aircraft may land at a damaged base exceeding its LF using the Night Landing Table (+1 if it is night) (see 14.10). Aircraft may not land at a base, even if undamaged, if doing so would exceed that base's Maximum LF.

(8) Effects of Altitude on Movement: Air factors at low altitude spend 2 MF per hex instead of 1. This includes the hex in which an air factor changes from low to high altitude. Only 1 point is spent to go from high to low altitude.

(9) Victory Points for Land-Based Aircraft: Land-based aircraft are worth 1 Victory Point instead of 2.

(10) Chance Combat: Players may attempt to initiate Air-to-Air Combat in any hex, not only those indicated in section 14.2. All other rules apply normally. (See 13.13, 14, and 15.) Interception attempts are resolved using the Interception Table.

(11) Movement Between Off-Map Bases: Aircraft may move between 2 off-map bases. Record this movement in the Notes section of the Air Record Sheet. The hex distance between off-map bases is as follows: Kavieng to Truk — 36, Australia to New Caledonia — 73. Additionally, players may use the following hex distances between off-map bases and map hexes: Kavieng to S1 or U1 — 3, Truk to AA1 — 33, Australia to A40 or B40 — 7, New Caledonia to II44 or KK44 — 23.

Other Ship Functions:

(1) Refueling: Ships may refuel in any turn in which the TF they are in contains an AO (Oiler), no matter how many ships are in the TF. Each ship that refuels must remain in the TF with the AO for one turn. Otherwise their MF is reduced to one (ships with an MF of 1 are unaffected) until they finish refueling. This applies even to a TF that does not refuel in the turn required by a scenario's Special Rules. It takes 10 turns to refuel, but they need not be consecutive; if the process is interrupted it need not start over. The presence of more than one AO in a TF does not reduce the time needed to refuel. Ships may not refuel in a Storm hex. Players note the turns in which they refuel in the Notes section of the Air Record Sheet.

(2) Towing: A ship immobilized at sea may be towed by another ship. The towing ship must begin the turn in the same hex as the towed ship and may move with it that turn and subsequent turns. Both ships' MF is 1 hex per 2 turns (see 20.2). The towing ship may cut the tow at any time and return to its normal MF; the towed ship remains immobilized at sea. A ship may not tow another in or through a Storm hex. PG and SS may not tow other ships, but may be towed.

(3) Rescuing Survivors: When a CV, CVL, AV, CAV, BB, CA, CL, AP, or APD sinks, other ships may attempt to rescue survivors (except PG and SS). A ship has 5 Survivor Factors. Ships may rescue survivors of either side. To do so the ship must remain in the hex of the sinking for 5 turns beginning with the one in which it occurred. Each ship may carry only 2 Survivor Factors at a time. Each Survivor Factor counts as 5 VP at game end. If a ship carrying Survivor Factors sinks, they are lost. Players note all Survivor data in the Notes section of the Air Record Sheet.

(4) TF Organization: Aircraft attacking the edge of a TF are not subject to the anti-aircraft fire of every ship in the TF. Only CL, DD, and PG may use their AA Factor against aircraft attacking CL, DD, or PG.

(5) Long-Range Bombardment: During Coastal Bombardment, long-range bombardment may be used instead of the normal type. All ships in a TF must use the same bombardment type. Only BBs may use long-range bombardment, with a BHT of 6. A base may not use its SF Factor against a ship using long-range bombardment.

(6) Torpedo Reload: Only Japanese DDs (and no other ship, of either side) may reload torpedoes after firing them in a Torpedo Attack. This may be done on any turn in which the ship is not in combat. Remove the Torpedo marker. Reloaded torpedoes may be used normally afterward.

(7) Ammunition Reload: A ship at any of the following base hexes for 6 consecutive turns may reload Ammunition and Torpedoes: Rabaul, Lae, Espiritu Santo, and Port Moresby.

Alternative Initiative: Players may choose one of the following 3 options to decide which player holds the Initiative each turn: (1) Alternately. (2) Roll a die; the player who did not have the initiative adds +1 to the result. (3) Roll a die; the player with more FAs on the map adds +1 to the result.

Alternative Air Movement Sequence: Players may move FAs alternately instead of one player moving all his FAs first, then the other. In this case, a player must declare that he is moving an FA on the Air Record Sheet and not on the map. Once a player has moved all his FAs (whether on the map or on the Air Record Sheet), the other player moves those he has left, on the map or on the Air Record Sheet. FA markers on the map that have moved must be flipped over, and FAs on the Air Record Sheet that have moved must be noted, so that each FA moves only once.

Submarines: (1) Submarines (SS) may be placed in any hex at the start of the game except an enemy base hex. No more than 6 SS may be placed in a sector. (2) Submarines move at the end of the TF Movement Execution Phase, after all TFs have moved on the map and on the Plotting Sheet. Each player may move 6 or fewer submarines per turn (including none). A player may never move more than 6 submarines per turn. Submarines may not move on any turn in which they are involved in any type of combat. Submarines always have an MF of 1. (3) Submarines are never placed in a TF. They may move on the map or on the Plotting Sheet like any other ship. When moved on the Plotting Sheet they are marked with an "S." Submarines on the map are always considered Observed units. Submarines at periscope depth that move on the Plotting Sheet may be Observed by low-altitude aircraft, and may only Observe units in the same hex; the Condition Number is 3. Submarines at deep depth may not Observe enemy units. (4) No more than 6 submarines per side (12 total) may occupy a hex at once. This is an exception to rule 9. Submarines may not enter any full land hex, partial land hex, or cross a reef hexside. (5) Submarines may be used to Observe, but are limited by their MF and only if at periscope depth. Submarines may be discovered if at periscope depth, but only by low-altitude aircraft. Submarines at deep depth may not be discovered. (6) If a submarine goes to deep depth during the Combat Phase, it is considered at deep depth for the entire following turn. Otherwise it is always considered at periscope depth. (7) In any turn a submarine is in a hex with enemy units, an extra Combat Phase is carried out in the Combat Sequence after the Surface Combat Phase: Submarine Combat. Submarines take no part in any other type of combat, and may not combine an attack with other ships or aircraft in any way. Submarines in a hex with enemy units may announce that they are diving to deep depth and evading the attack. If they do not do so, this maneuver takes place in the Submarine Combat Phase. There are 2 types of Submarine Combat: submarine vs. aircraft and submarine vs. ships; if both types of combat are possible in the same hex, submarine vs. aircraft combat is resolved first. (8) Submarines in the same hex as enemy aircraft that wish to resolve combat against them fire anti-aircraft fire against the attacking aircraft as in the normal Anti-Aircraft Combat Phase, and are then attacked by the aircraft in the normal Air Attack Phase. (a) The BHT used to resolve a submarine's normal anti-aircraft fire is 4. (b) Only the following aircraft types armed with GP bombs, bombing at low altitude, can score hits on a submarine; other attack types have no effect. BHTs are in parentheses: A-20 (1), Avenger (1), Beaufighter (1), Beaufort (1), B-25 (1), B-26 (1), Catalina (2), Dauntless (1), Devastator (1), Hudson (1), Betty (1), Emily (2), Jake (1), Judy (1), Kate (1), Mavis (2), Nell (1), Val (1). (c) All normal Air Attack and Anti-Aircraft modifiers apply. (9) Submarines in a hex with enemy ships are attacked first by them, and then surviving submarines attack the ships. (a) Only CL, DD, and PG may attack submarines. CL and PG each have an attack factor of 1. DD have 2 attack factors. The BHT used is 2 for Allied ships and 1 for Japanese ships. Subtract (-1) if it is a night turn. (b) The BHT used by Allied submarines is 9 and 11 for Japanese submarines. Submarines have 4 attack factors. (Submarines are not limited by rule 18.8.2 and may make an unlimited number of attacks during the game.) Add +1 if it is a night turn. Add +3 if the submarine has not been attacked by aircraft or ships that turn. Subtract -1 for each ship that has attacked the submarine that turn. All normal Surface Combat modifiers apply. (10) Submarines are worth 8 Victory Points (VP) each.

Reducing the Luck Factor: Use one of the following procedures to reduce the luck percentage during combat resolution: (1) The number of hits scored always equals the Result Number for all combat types. The die is not rolled. (2) The die roll modifies the Result Number as follows: "1–2" — hits scored equal the Result Number minus one (-1); "3–4" — hits scored equal the Result Number; "5–6" — hits scored equal the Result Number plus one (+1). Another way to reduce the luck factor in the game is to not use the Search and Shadow Tables. All aircraft may attempt to Observe every turn, and all Shadowing attempts automatically succeed.

Table Errata

Search Table: Add the following modifier: +1 if the FA begins the turn in a hex with clouds.

Cloud Movement Table: Should read: 1 — same sector; 1–5 — the sector the marker came from (or the same sector if it has reached the edge of the map); 6 — sector I.

Night Landing Table: Add the following modifier: -1 in a Storm hex; -1 if armed.

Combat Results Table: The attacking-factor range "21-23" should read "21-25."

Japanese Air Hits Table: Attacks against bases, level bombing at low altitude, Dave/Jake/Pete — the "1" should be a dash "-".

Observation Tables: Delete the Coast Watcher row wherever it appears in these tables.

Allied Air Operations Card B: Gili-Gili should have an RF of 2 in the "East of the Solomons" scenario.

Japanese Air Operations Card B: At Rabaul, "AF: 8" should read "SF: 8."

Ammunition Record Sheet: The AV Kamikawa has no Gunnery Factor. Add the CA Indianapolis with an Ammunition Factor of 15.

Translator's note: The reader should not be surprised not to find some of the preceding rules or errata in the original rulebook. These modifications come from issues of "The General" magazine (especially Vol. 18 No. 6), which cover modifications and expansions to Flat Top.

Designer's Notes

by S. Craig Taylor, Jr.

Flat Top reflects rigorous research and the accumulation of data from all kinds of sources. This information had to be assimilated, evaluated, and converted into game form. It was later expanded, simplifying, polishing, and modifying it through a period of extensive playtesting.

Air operations were far from perfected in this period of the Second World War. Strange things could and did happen. The initiative die roll for aircraft movement simulates many of the problems encountered, in a simple and playable, but realistic, way.

The restrictions on the Air-to-Air Combat rules are based on historical fact. Combat is only possible in certain hexes, because only in those hexes do aircraft come close enough together to find each other and stage a battle. Although there were some cases in which combatants assigned as Escorts left their positions to attack enemy aircraft, these cases were few and far between. Normally the commander of an Escort group stayed in position to make sure the mission was completed. Otherwise, he would look rather foolish, later explaining at a court martial why no bomber he had been ordered to protect had returned.

But why, if all Allied ships have radar, is Air-to-Air Combat not permitted within the radar range of all Allied ships, instead of only carriers? What the bases and American carriers had that the other Allied ships lacked was fighter direction equipment, with radio links to the fighters, that could vector interceptors onto radar tracks. The technique of putting this equipment on other ships, as with the destroyers off Okinawa in 1945, had not yet been developed (such equipment was aboard the Chicago during the early stages of the Guadalcanal landings, but this was a temporary measure and was not repeated during this period). Why didn't Japanese ships have radar? Well, some of them did, but got no useful service out of it whatsoever. American military personnel in 1942 were as "gadget-oriented" then as they are today, and there was no trouble recruiting good people to operate and maintain complex radar equipment. Japanese personnel of this period had a very different outlook on this equipment. The average or higher-ranking Japanese officer wanted to play a more active and traditional role in combat. As a result, Japanese radar technicians tended to be recruited from the pool of men nobody else wanted. The radar equipment was poorly maintained and manned with indifference.

As the game mechanics demonstrate, "wave attacks" were a function of range, rather than a deliberate tactic. Air strikes would include every possible aircraft that could be launched and formed into groups, which had enough range to reach the target. The more distant the target, the fewer aircraft could be launched and formed per group, and the more the strike force would have to be split up.

Why didn't the Japanese commit their heaviest battleships to the Solomons battles, especially their super-battleship Yamato, which was available at Truk? In reality, despite their experience with carriers, the Japanese high command still believed strongly in the battleship's big guns. All of Japan's best battleships were held in reserve to face the Pacific Fleet's battleships in a confrontation similar to Jutland. And where were the American battleships? As part of an elaborate cover plan, they were being used to neutralize large portions of the superior Japanese surface fleet. A task force of old, slow American battleships cruised throughout the Pacific (California, Oahu, Fiji, Australia) to keep the Japanese guessing about their intentions and to force them to hold back their own battle fleet.

Historical Background

Guadalcanal! One of the best-known and least understood campaigns of the Second World War. In 1942, the Solomon Islands, of which Guadalcanal is part, New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, and the surrounding waters were home to some of the hardest and most critical battles in the Pacific Theater. Here, for the first time, Japanese expansion was halted (the Battle of the Coral Sea) and the first Allied offensive in the Pacific took place (Guadalcanal). In fact, the Coral Sea and Guadalcanal battles account for half of all the carrier battles fought in history. These operations changed the course of the Pacific War and saw the development of the weapons and tactics that would ultimately doom the Japanese Empire.

In the Second World War, the aircraft carrier was the newest advance in naval armament and warfare. Of questionable effectiveness in its early development, its potential had been foreseen by its advocates even during the First World War. Developments during the twenties and thirties saw the rapid evolution of maritime air power. By 1942, less than thirty-nine years after the Wright brothers' flight at Kitty Hawk, even skeptics were convinced, and the aircraft carrier had become the world's navies' principal capital ship.

Air power dominated the Pacific Theater, and an aircraft carrier (also known as a FLAT TOP) represented air power in its most mobile, flexible, and forceful form. It was nothing more than a large, vulnerable, floating airfield, incapable of standing up to a light cruiser in a conventional gunnery action, but the carrier's strength lay in its aircraft and its mobility, which let it strike with force and speed, then vanish into an endless, sprawling ocean.

The Japanese were the first to grasp the full potential of carrier air power, as shown by their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by aircraft from six large carriers. The Japanese then exploited their superiority, using their fast carriers as the spearhead of their whirlwind early victories and their expansion across the Pacific. With its battleships sunk at Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy, in turn, was forced to rely on its carriers. Learning fast, by 1942 it had reached rough parity with its Japanese counterparts in carrier operating techniques.

Tulagi was occupied on May 3. Japanese forces positioned themselves for the next step of their operations. Japanese transports and their escorts were to pass through Jomard Passage and invade Port Moresby. Direct support was to be provided by the auxiliary ship Kamikawa, which would establish a seaplane base on Deboyne Island, and by the light carrier Shoho. Lurking at a distance, the powerful task force of Vice Admiral Chuichi Hara, with the carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku, would slip east of the Solomon Islands to cut off any American carriers that might try to interfere. The Japanese did not expect major opposition. But the Allies were intercepting Japanese messages (having broken the Japanese naval code) and were fully aware of Japanese plans. Two carriers, the Lexington and the Yorktown, under the command of Rear Admiral Frank J. Fletcher, were sent to turn back the invasion.

The battle began with a devastating raid on Tulagi on the morning of May 4 by aircraft from the Yorktown. This was the first sign for the Japanese that there were American carriers in the area. The following days passed with little action, while both sides refueled and the large Japanese carriers advanced at full speed up the Solomons chain around the east end of San Cristobal. Now knowing there were two American carriers present, the Japanese transports, which had finally left Rabaul, circled slowly at sea awaiting the outcome of the carrier duel before proceeding.

On May 7, both sides made sightings and launched strikes. The American strike, originally planned to attack the two large enemy carriers, instead found the Shoho and sank it within minutes — an event commemorated by the phrase "Scratch one flat top!" (which became an Allied war cry meaning that a carrier had been sunk). The Japanese strike was less impressive, finding and sinking a destroyer and a fleet oiler. Another Japanese strike, launched from Rabaul, attacked an Allied cruiser force that Fletcher had detached to block Jomard Passage, and failed to score any sinkings. The last Japanese strike of the day, launched from the carriers, was a fiasco, failing to find any target and ending with the loss of most of the aircraft, which were forced to attempt night landings on the carriers (several pilots were so lost that they tried to land on the American carriers). At this point, the Allies were well ahead. The Japanese had not only lost a light carrier and suffered heavy aircraft losses, but their invasion fleet had finally turned back to Rabaul. The first Japanese fleet invasion of the war had been repelled.

May 8 proved to be a decisive day. Sighting each other early in the day, both fleets quickly launched strikes. The American strike found the Shokaku and damaged it badly. The Japanese strike, despite heavy aircraft losses, managed to inflict fatal wounds on the huge "Lady Lex" and damage the Yorktown. That night the battered fleets separated, ending the battle. For the first time in history, two fleets had fought a battle without either side sighting an enemy ship. Both sides claimed victory — the Allies because Port Moresby had been saved, and the Japanese because they had traded the 11,000-ton Shoho for the "Queen of Carriers," the 36,000-ton Lexington.

The defeat at Midway in June abruptly halted Japanese expansion, handing the strategic initiative to the Allies. Nevertheless, the Japanese continued a slow advance in the area, taking Buna in July and pushing into the eastern Solomons, beginning construction of an airfield on Guadalcanal. The Allied reaction was Operation WATCHTOWER (more exactly known as Operation SHOESTRING), an amphibious assault to capture the new airfield. The U.S. 1st Marine Division landed on August 7, quickly overcoming light resistance, and renamed the airfield Henderson Field, in honor of a hero of Midway. So began one of the longest and bitterest struggles in military history.

The Japanese reaction, though quick and sharp, was largely ineffective. A series of air strikes from Rabaul caused no substantial damage to the Allied ships, while crippling Japanese land-based air power. The disastrous Allied naval defeat at Savo Island had no lasting consequences, since the Japanese did not follow up. More than two weeks passed before the Japanese could mount a serious large-scale counterattack.

The Japanese response showed that they were more concerned with New Guinea than with the situation on Guadalcanal. Of the three Japanese operations underway, the Guadalcanal operation was the smallest. Only 1,500 troops were embarked to land on Guadalcanal, while two major operations were simultaneously underway on New Guinea. The first operation had already begun: a powerful Japanese column had pushed from Buna across New Guinea's Owen Stanley Mountains, and was stopped by some Australian troops on the outskirts of Port Moresby. The other operation involved two amphibious forces that were to land at Milne Bay to seize the new Australian combat zone at Gili-Gili, threatening the flank of the Port Moresby position. To cover these various operations, the Japanese Combined Fleet, committed for the first time since Midway, was to sortie and destroy the American carrier forces.

The Allied intelligence system apparently failed during this operation, and the American fleet, built around three carriers, was caught while the Wasp task force was refueling. This left only the Enterprise and Saratoga, with their escorting ships under Fletcher's command (Vice Admiral by this time), to face the entire Combined Fleet under Vice Admiral Nagumo.

The Japanese plan was to lure the American carriers in and then destroy them while their aircraft were away or in the middle of refueling and rearming. A fleet that included the light carrier Ryujo sailed some sixty miles ahead of the main Japanese force to serve as bait for the trap. The Ryujo was to draw the attack of the American carriers. The trap did not fully close. A strike from the Enterprise and Saratoga sank the Ryujo as planned, but the Japanese strike plan fell apart thanks to a powerful American CAP and tremendous anti-aircraft fire, failing to reach the Saratoga and only damaging the "Big E" (Enterprise). A late strike from the Saratoga damaged the auxiliary ship Chitose before nightfall ended the battle with a general Japanese withdrawal. The Japanese transports reached Guadalcanal on the night of August 24-25 and landed the 1,500 troops, while Henderson Field was shelled by Japanese ship gunfire. The next morning, aircraft from Henderson attacked these ships as they withdrew, sinking a destroyer and damaging the cruiser Jintsu. Subsequent fighting saw the destruction of most of the 1,500 Japanese reinforcements. On New Guinea, Australian troops repelled the Japanese at Port Moresby, an eventual defeat that led to a Japanese retreat back to Buna. At Milne Bay, Australian P-40s armed with light bombs managed to sink or damage every Japanese transport and barge involved before they could complete their landing operations. The fighting ashore dragged on for more than a week, but the outcome of the operation was really decided by the loss of Japanese ships.

Throughout September and October the Guadalcanal campaign dragged on, generating one crisis after another. At night, the Japanese "Tokyo Express" carried supplies and reinforcements down The Slot, and during the day the "Cactus Air Force" at Henderson Field dominated the surrounding waters, letting Allied ships dock and unload. In the jungle itself, there was fighting every day, and most nights the sky was lit by the flashes of Japanese shelling. At sea, Japanese submarines whittled down the American fleet, sinking the Wasp and damaging both the Saratoga and BB North Carolina.

In October, the Japanese tried to break the stalemate. The cruiser action off Cape Esperance on the night of October 11-12 mauled the Tokyo Express for the first time. To remedy this, the Japanese sent battleships into action for the first time; the Haruna and Kongo shelled Henderson on the night of October 13-14, and cruisers repeated the operation the following night. Nonetheless, the morning showed that the Cactus Air Force was still strong enough to attack the Japanese transports, so the Japanese counterattacked again on the night of October 14-15, landing troops on the island in a continuous stream; the American situation was deteriorating rapidly. On October 15, the American Pacific naval commander, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, expressed his assessment of the situation: "It now appears that we cannot control the sea in the Guadalcanal area... supplying the position will only be possible at great cost to us. The situation is not hopeless, but it is certainly critical." In the United States, steps were already being taken to prepare the American public for the loss of Guadalcanal. Every available ship and aircraft was being readied to be sent to the theater of operations; the best Nimitz could offer was to send his most aggressive subordinate, Vice Admiral William F. Halsey, to take command.

The Japanese hoped to whittle down the Marine and Army infantry forces on Guadalcanal a week before "Y-Day" (October 22), when the Japanese assault that would finally recapture Henderson Field would take place. American troops did not cooperate and refused to give in, and Y-Day was postponed by a day. Troop strength on the island was roughly equal; the Americans were somewhat more numerous, but the Japanese were fresher and in better condition than their exhausted counterparts. The Combined Fleet had sortied again and was nervously loitering near Ontong Java Atoll, awaiting word that Henderson had been recaptured. Determined to do something, Halsey, with the veteran "Big E" repaired and the new battleship South Dakota, both fitted with new 40mm anti-aircraft guns, ordered Rear Admiral Thomas Kincaid to sortie from New Caledonia. The bold decision was made not to send the American carriers to their normal patrol positions supporting Henderson Field, but to sweep east, past Santa Cruz Island, in an attempt to outflank the Combined Fleet. At 0126 hours on October 25, Japanese ground forces mistakenly radioed that Henderson Field had fallen. Fully confident, Admiral Kondo committed the Combined Fleet to action, believing he had given the Allied naval forces the slip (the Japanese knew the Wasp had been sunk and that the Enterprise had returned). Halsey was sending Kincaid the order "Attack — Repeat — Attack." The stage was set for the last great carrier battle of 1942, and the last carrier action until the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June 1944.

Santa Cruz proved to be a very confused battle. The action opened when two Dauntless dive bombers from the Enterprise found the Zuiho, attacked it, and knocked it out of the battle. Both sides had located each other, and the main strikes followed. The Enterprise managed to disappear under a rain of fire when the Japanese strike hit the Hornet with full fury, inflicting heavy damage but suffering heavy aircraft losses (twenty-five of twenty-seven aircraft). The American strike was less costly, but also less successful. Damage was inflicted on the Shokaku and the Chikuma, but neither ship sank. Later, Japanese strikes hit the Hornet again, and also damaged the South Dakota (which was throwing up a fantastic volume of anti-aircraft fire, claiming twenty-six Japanese aircraft shot down by day's end), the San Juan, and the Enterprise. They were forced to withdraw, and the Americans tried to save the Hornet, but the great carrier was still burning when Japanese surface units arrived to deliver the final torpedoes that sent the ship to the bottom. The American fleet had been defeated, but the Japanese had lost a hundred aircraft and the last irreplaceable survivors of their excellent pre-war air crews. The battle's outcome was not decisive, since the Japanese had no way to exploit their victory. To almost everyone's surprise, except perhaps themselves, the American soldiers and Marines on Guadalcanal had utterly defeated every Japanese attack, and the bone of contention, Henderson Field, remained securely in American hands. The Cactus Air Force still dominated local waters by daylight, and even managed to sink the cruiser Yura on October 25.

But nothing had been decided at Santa Cruz. Both sides again began preparing for future operations. The Japanese continued their nightly Tokyo Express runs down The Slot, and on November 12, for the first time, they outnumbered American forces on the island. The carrier strength of both sides had reached the lowest point of the war to date. The Japanese could field only two light-carrier air groups. The Americans, with the Saratoga not due back until the end of the month, had only the partially repaired Enterprise available, with an incomplete air group and a jammed elevator. Nevertheless, because of the weakness of the air power available, both sides were, for the first time, prepared to commit major surface forces to a gunnery action.

On the morning of November 12, American transports and their escorts were unloading troops and supplies at Henderson Field. And in the afternoon, despite heavy Japanese air attacks, the unloading was completed. That night, the Japanese sent a task force including the battleships Hiei and Kirishima to shell the American position. They were met in a confused, close-quarters battle by an American cruiser force, with heavy losses on both sides. The Americans lost the Atlanta, the Juneau (sunk the next day by a Japanese submarine), and four destroyers; in addition the San Francisco, the Portland, and another destroyer were badly damaged. The Japanese lost two destroyers and the Hiei, which was hit by more than eighty 8-inch shells and left too damaged to escape; it was finally sunk the next day by aircraft from Henderson Field and the Enterprise — the first Japanese battleship lost in action in the Second World War. The "Big E," having left part of its air group at Henderson, withdrew south during the night.

A Japanese cruiser force shelled the field during the night of November 13-14, but was slow to clear the island and was still within range when the sun rose. The morning of November 14 saw repeated air strikes from Henderson Field and the Enterprise against the withdrawing ships, ineffectively covered by a CAP from the Hiyo. The Kinugasa was sunk, and the Chokai, the Maya, and a destroyer were damaged. During the afternoon, a Japanese transport convoy heading down The Slot suffered a heavy attack. Japanese carrier fighter cover again proved ineffective, and Rabaul's air units were too busy with the intense fighting on New Guinea to be of much help. By nightfall, seven Japanese transports had been sunk.

That night, another Japanese task force, which included the battleship Kirishima, headed for Guadalcanal. The Americans were waiting for them, this time with the Washington, the South Dakota, and four destroyers. There followed another night of confused close-quarters combat, with the United States losing three destroyers and the South Dakota suffering damage, but the Japanese lost a destroyer and the Kirishima.

The morning found the surviving Japanese transports still unloading at Guadalcanal, and the four of them were quickly sunk by air strikes and a destroyer's gunfire. November's battles were a total disaster for the Japanese. Their carriers withdrew with badly depleted air groups, and although they remained around Guadalcanal until February 1943, November's effort proved to be the last Japanese attempt to retake the island. Facing Allied ground forces, the first Allied base on the north coast of New Guinea.

The battle for Guadalcanal continued for more than two years, but for all practical purposes, the Allies had won the island by the end of 1942. Around Guadalcanal, the Coral Sea remained littered with the wrecks of some of the largest carrier battles in history.

Terrain Key

The Terrain Card illustrates: Sea hex, Partial Land hex, Land hex, Reef hexside, Allied Coast Watcher symbol, Japanese Coast Watcher symbol, Japanese Coast Watcher perimeter line, Entry hex, Base, Mountain hexside, and Map Sector numbers (the Board's folds divide it into 8 numbered sectors, arranged around a central directional hex, running clockwise from sector 1 in the north).

© 1981 The Avalon Hill Game Company, 4517 Harford Rd., Baltimore, MD 21214. (Catalog no. Y-2730, 11/84 printing.)

Credits

Original game design and development: S. Craig Taylor. Avalon Hill edition development: Bob Beardsley. Illustrations and graphics: Dale Sheaffer, Charles Kibler, Jean Baer, Monarch Services. Box illustration: Rodger MacGowan. Battleline edition playtesting: Harold Baker, John Castro, Jack Greene, Jim Henson, Tim McGray, Steve Peek, Mark Peterson, George Petronis, Phil Poulos. Avalon Hill edition playtesting: Don Eisan, Bob Beardsley, John C. Loy, Kenneth J. Breeze, Mike Lewis, Don R. Gilman, J.L. Burnett, Michael Kennedy, Guy Raymaker, Mark Brownell, John R. Hooper, Phil Kline, Josh Bayer, John Durko, Mike Noble, D.A. Burrell, W.T. Flanagan, Tom Brix, Stanley Cwiklinski, C.J. Populus, Stephen C. Maxon, Steve List, Gary W. Jones, Jack C. Thomas. Production coordination: Thomas N. Shaw. Typesetting: Colonial Composition. Pre-press department coordinator: Elaine M. Adkins. Printing: Monarch Services.