Victory at Midway: Turning Point of the Pacific War, June 1942 Rulebook

Table of Contents

Introduction
Components
Setup
How to Win
The Turn Sequence
- In General
- The Turn Sequence
Ship Movement
Search Operations
Air Operations
Naval Combat
Invasion Combat
Optional Rules
Solitaire Play
Strategies for Victory at Midway

Introduction

Background

Victory at Midway simulates the World War II carrier battle of 3-6 June 1942. One player commands the American forces and the other the Japanese. Each attempts to destroy her/his opponent's fleet and/or take control of Midway Island.

A complete game takes one to three hours to play.

Scale

Each hex on the map represents 100 miles from side to opposite side.

Each complete turn represents 3 or 3.5 hours (depending on the time of day).

Abbreviations

Abbr	Meaning
AA	Anti-Aircraft
CAP	Combat Air Patrol
VP	Victory Point

Components

In General

A complete game of Victory at Midway includes these rules, two 17" x 11" mapsheets, 136 ½" and 55 ⅝" die-cut playing pieces (or counters).

Players also need to provide two decimal (10-sided) dice to play this game. If you do not have any, here are some options:

Purchase from any well-stocked game store.
Take the numbered counters provided with the game, place each set in its own mug or bowl, and draw one each time a die roll is required.
Order from a gaming website.

When using decimal dice, always read a rolled 0 (zero) as 10. (When a 0 is printed on a unit, however, it means zero, not ten.)

Counters

The counters include combat units and markers.

Combat units represent the naval, air, and ground forces that were present at the battle. The front shows the unit at full strength; the reverse shows the unit at reduced strength (used after it takes a hit in combat). Some units have printing on only one side and therefore may only sustain one hit before being destroyed.

Each ship counter with a name printed on it represents the named ship. Ship units identified only by their type and a number (such as BB2.1, CA5, DD19, etc.) represent two-ship battleship or cruiser sections, or destroyer or transport divisions of 4-5 ships each.

Each SS unit (see Submarines) represents a patrol of one to four boats.

Each aircraft unit represents one squadron of 6-12 planes.

Sample Ship Unit

A ship counter shows, in its corners: Type/ID (e.g., BB3.2) in the upper left, and Entry Turn in the upper right. Along the bottom it shows Anti-Air Strength, Surface Combat Strength, and Speed as a three-number string (e.g., 2-4-1).

Only Japanese units have an entry turn.

Abbreviations on Ships

Abbr	Type	Abbr	Type
BB	Battleship	SFT	Special Force Tender
CA	Cruiser	ST	Seaplane Tender
CV	Aircraft Carrier	TT	Troop Transport
DD	Destroyer

Sample Aircraft Unit

An aircraft counter shows Home Base and Type in the upper corners (e.g., Y for Yorktown, D for Dive Bomber), and Anti-Air Strength, Range, and Strike Strength as a three-number string along the bottom (e.g., 2-2-2).

Abbreviations on Aircraft

US	Japan	Type
H		Heavy Bomber
D	D	Dive Bomber
F	F	Fighter
T	T	Torpedo bomber
E		Enterprise
H		Hornet
M		Midway
Y		Yorktown
	A	Akagi
	H	Hiryu
	Ho	Hosho
	K	Kaga
	S	Soryu
	Z	Zuiho

Only an aircraft unit's broad type (H, D, F, or T) is important in play. For those interested in historical detail, we used line-drawings to identify each aircraft unit by its model. Those plane models are:

United States: F4F Wildcat (F), F2A Buffalo (F), SBD Dauntless (D), SB2U Vindicator (D), TBD Devastator (T), TBF Avenger (T), B17 Flying Fortress (H).

Japan: A5M Claude (F), A6M Zeke (F), D3A Vol (D), B5N Kate (T), B4N Jean (T).

Sample Ground Unit

A ground counter shows Type and Unit Size in the upper area (with the anchor symbol), ID on the left, and Anti-Air Strength and Combat Strength as a string along the bottom (e.g., 0-3).

Historical Note: The US ground defense of Midway Atoll centered on the companies of the 6th Marine Defense Battalion, augmented by about one company of sailors and a handful of tanks. The Japanese brought their 5th Combined Special Naval Landing Force, along with a portion of their army's 28th Infantry Regiment (called the Ichiki Detachment, after its commander, Col. Kiyonao Ichiki, later of Guadalcanal fame), to conduct the invasion. The detachment consisted of two battalion-sized echelons: 1st and 2nd. The 5th was made up of the Yokosuka and Kure SNLFs, each also about battalion-sized. The brackets atop the size symbol on the Japanese units signifies their ad hoc nature.

Markers

US Task Force / Japanese Fleet
Game Turn
Enemy Carrier(s)/Ships Sighted
Air Search/Ship Search
Battle Location
Air Strike
Dice Chit

The Maps

Separate Maps

Each player has her/his own map. (If this is the first match with these components, cut the two player sections apart.)

A hexagonal (hex) grid (coded alpha-numerically) has been overlaid onto the map to govern the placement and movement of pieces. All units in play are always located in one hex or another, and movement is always measured as taking place between hex and adjacent hex.

Design Note: Victory at Midway belongs to a genre of wargames called double blind, meaning each side's units and map are kept out of the direct sight of its opponent throughout much of the game. Given that, a degree of mutual trust and honesty is necessary if two people are to play the game successfully.

Current psychological theory holds that anyone will cheat if s/he perceives the stakes involved in a contest to be high enough to warrant it. If you are one of those for whom winning a given match of a boardgame represents high stakes, we caution you not to play Victory at Midway with another player-–use the solitaire rules. Otherwise, rather than being a source of pleasure, the game will only fill your leisure time with friction, acrimony, loathing, savagery, betrayal, etc.

Errata

For both maps:

Add two boxes: Withdrawn Ships and Ditched Aircraft, and Destroyed Units.
For each CV holding box, add a third compartment labeled Trapped.

For the Japanese map, label the lower half of the Air Strike Holding Box as Midway Airstrike Holding Box.

For the US map:

Divide the Midway Airfield Not Ready box in two: Not Ready and Not Ready 2 (H only).
Divide the Air Strike Holding Box in two. Label the lower half Midway Airstrike Holding Box.

Holding Boxes

Both players have holding boxes printed to the right of their map. These areas serve as holders for their air, ground, and (sometimes) naval units between battles.

Example: If the American player had two carriers and several smaller ships located in the Midway hex (H6), rather than pile them all into a large and unwieldy stack directly in that hex, s/he could put them in a Task Force (TF) holding boxes (16 or 17), and then place that TF marker on the map, where it would represent all the ships in the holding box.

Each carrier's complement of aircraft units should be stored in the appropriately named holding box (rather than piled on top of the carrier counter itself).

Setup

Separation

Players should first decide who will command which side. Then each takes his/her chosen side's playing pieces and game map, and positions her/himself sitting opposite his opponent across a table or desk. Players should be close enough to be able to hand things back and forth without strain, but not so close as to be able to look at each other's map and holding boxes. This is most easily accomplished by setting some kind of divider (such as a bent piece of cardboard, a pile of books, or a large book partly opened and standing on end) between the two maps.

All double-sided units start (or enter) play at their full strength.

Japanese Setup

Only one Japanese unit starts the game already in play on the map, SS168, which sets up in any hex on the map the Japanese player desires.

Sort the other Japanese ships into six piles according to their entry turn (1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 13).

Place all Japanese aircraft on their proper carrier holding box in the Ready area.

Place the four Japanese ground units (I.D.1, I.D.2, Yoko, and Kure), one in each of the transport holding boxes (TT1-TT4).

US Setup

Set up all US surface ships anywhere within five hexes of hex N5.

Example: I4 is an allowable set up hex; H4 is not.

SS1, SS2, and SS3 may set up anywhere within two hexes of Midway. SS4 must always start in L5.

Place all US aircraft on their proper carrier (and Midway Airfield) holding box in the Ready area.

Put the six Marine ground units in the Midway Ground Defense box.

Markers

Place all the markers, sorted into piles by type, in a neutral area between the two players.

Entry of Japanese Units

Japanese units enter play through any hexes of column A. The number in the upper-right corner of each ship counter represents the earliest turn in which that unit may enter the map.

The Japanese may delay entry of an entire group or of any individual ships within a group until later turns. If more than one ship is delayed, they need not enter on the same (later) turn.

The Japanese may never advance the entry times.

Ships with movement factors of ½ enter the map with a special, one-time, factor of 1 (see Ship Movement).

Japanese Turn 13 Group

This group enters play five turns after the first US carrier or carrier aircraft unit has been sighted by the Japanese player, but never before Turn 13.

How to Win

In General

The Japanese are attempting to capture Midway Atoll-and, in the process, destroy as many American ships and planes as possible-while minimizing losses to their own forces.

Conversely, the Americans want to retain possession of Midway, destroy the greatest possible number of Japanese units, and minimize US losses.

Victory Points

The winner is the side that earned the most victory points (VPs) at the end of play.

VPs are awarded for inflicting damage on enemy units as follows:

VPs per Hit	Type
5	CV
5	Yamato
4	BB (except Yamato)
2	CA
2	TT, SFT, STD11
1	DD
½	Aircraft*
0	Ground Unit

*Planes ditched for lack of a place to land or trapped on a damaged CV do not count for VP purposes (see Strike and Escort Aircraft Retrieval, Carrier Damage).

Midway VPs

The side controlling Midway Atoll at the end of the game earns 11 VPs.

Midway is under the control of the US at the start of the game. It remains that way unless the Japanese eliminate all six Marine units and haves at least one of their own ground units there by the game's end.

If the game ends with both US and Japanese ground units on Midway, it is still considered US controlled for VP purposes.

The presence of either (or both) sides' ships and planes in, above, and around Midway has no effect on determining control for VP purposes.

Ending a Game

The game ends, and the winner is determined, at the end of Turn 25. At that point, all movement and combat operations cease, a final tally of all VPs is made, and the winner is declared. In the unlikely event both players end up with precisely the same amount of VPs, the game is a draw.

The game may end before Turn 25 if a new turn starts with one side having withdrawn (or lost in combat) all its units on the board. In such cases, tally points normally and declare a winner.

Alternatively, the game may end before Turn 25 if either player feels events have run so strongly against him it's become impossible for her/him to win no matter what s/he does. In such cases, no point tally need be made; the concession is simply declared. (The winner should feel free to snicker and make caustic remarks.)

Design Note: In multi-game series, wherein the total number of VPs earned by a player throughout several games is important, a Japanese concession yields the American 239.5 VPs; an American concession earns 111 VPs for the Japanese.

Exiting the Map

Japanese ships may move off the map edges anywhere west of hex row F, inclusive.

US ships may move off anywhere east of row G, inclusive.

Withdrawn units may not reenter play, but they are not considered hit or sunk for VP purposes (even if damaged). However damaged aircraft on withdrawn ships do count for VP purposes.

Play Note: A Japanese ship or group need not be entered before it is withdrawn; the Japanese may simply declare they are foregoing the entry of a given ship or group.

The Turn Sequence

In General

Each game of Victory at Midway is played in a series of turns, each of which is divided into a number phases and segments. Players must perform the possible actions during a turn in the order outlined by the turn sequence. A player may not go back to an earlier point in the turn sequence to redo or undo some forgotten or mismanaged action unless her/his opponent graciously permits it.

The Turn Sequence

Ship Movement Phase

Both players secretly move their own ship units on their own map (see Ship Movement).

Midway Air Strike Assignment

The Japanese may assign (but does not have to declare it until the Air Strike Resolution Phase) an airstrike against Midway (see Midway Base Strikes). This is the only phase that a strike may be assigned against Midway.

Search Phase

Both players conduct searches (see Search Operations).

Search Assignment Segment

Both sides secretly assign searches on their own map.

Search Announcement Segment

Both players (US first) announce all their searches.

Search Results Segment

Both players (US first) announce the results of the enemy's searches.

Air Strike Assignment Phase

Both players secretly assign their air strikes, except those for Midway.

Air Strike Resolution Phase

Both players (US first) resolve their airstrikes in any order desired. For each air strike, conduct the following:

Air-to-Air Combat Segment

Resolve air-to-air combat.

Anti-Aircraft Fire Segment

Ships fire at bombers.

Air-to-Surface Combat Segment

Surviving bombers attack ships.

Air Preparation Phase

Both sides may ready air units on the ground or on carriers for operations next turn.

Air Return Phase

Both sides retrieve and land their air units which flew in the Air Strike Phase.

Ship-to-Ship Combat Phase

Both players resolve ship-to-ship combat, in the following sequence:

Submarine Attack Segment

Submarine attacks on surface ships (optional rule, see Submarines).

Surface Battle Segment

Conduct combat between surface ships.

Midway Bombardment Segment

Japanese may bomb Midway.

Midway Invasion Combat Segment

Japanese may attempt to invade Midway.

End Phase

Advance game turn markers and start the sequence over. (Optional: roll for fog, see Fog.)

Design Note: Turns 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, and 21 are night turns (see Air Searches, Surface Combat Example, Invasion Combat, Night Actions).

Ship Movement

In General

During the ship movement phase, both players may (simultaneously and secretly) move their ships on their own maps.

Units move only from hex to adjacent hex; no skipping of hexes is allowed. Once on the map, units with a speed of ½ may only move (one hex) on even-numbered turns.

Submarines only move one hex every third turn, as indicated by the S on the Turn Record Tracks.

A player is never forced to move a ships simply because it is on the map. Within the constraints above, a player may choose to move some, all, or no ships each turn.

Stacking

Placement of more than one unit into the same hex is called stacking. Any number of units may occupy the same hex.

To avoid large stacks, place a Task Force (US) or Fleet (Japanese) marker in the hex on the map, and put the ships it represents in the proper holding box.

Stack Movement

Any stack, when moved as a stack, has the speed of the slowest unit within it.

Example: If a player had three ships with a speed of 1 stacked with a ship having only a speed of ½, and wanted to move all those ships together, s/he could only move the stack on turns permissible for the slow ship to travel.

Players are always free to leave behind slower ships in a stack and proceed on with the faster ones (though that may expose the slower units to enemy attacks.)

Land Effects

The six land masses are so small relative to the area of the 100-mile hexes that they have no effect on the movement of ships or planes into or through them.

Search Operations

Assigning Searches

During the Search Phase, players begin the process of locating enemy ships by assigning searches on their own maps. Search is always voluntary; players need not assign any or all the searches available to each turn.

Both players should use the appropriately colored Air Search/Ship Search markers to note which hexes they are searching on a given turn.

Ship Searches

Players may assign ship searches in any hexes containing at least one of their ships.

A player with at least one ground unit on Midway may also assign a ship search in that hex.

A ship search automatically locates any enemy ships in that hex.

Exceptions: Fog (see Fog) and Ship Searches at Night (see Ship Searches at Night).

Air Searches

Air searches may only be assigned on day turns. An air search will locate any enemy ships in the assigned hex and every hex adjacent to the assigned hex.

Air Search Limits

The US may assign one air search in the Midway hex and up to three more air searches anywhere within six hexes of Midway, as long as there are no Japanese ground units on the atoll.

Both players may assign air searches to any hexes containing at least one friendly and undamaged carrier. In addition, the Japanese may assign up to two air searches per turn within two hexes of any one Japanese undamaged carrier (that is two bonus searches per turn in total, not two per carrier).

Declaring Searches

After both players have used the search markers to secretly assign all their searches on their own map, each (US first) declares those searches in any order. For each search, state the type of search and the hex ID.

While one player declares his/her searches, the other should mark them on her/his map for later verification.

Announcing Search Results

After both players have declared their own searches and recorded their opponent's, both (US first) announce the results of the enemy searches in any order.

For each enemy-searched hex containing one or more friendly ships, state: Ships in [hex ID]. If the hex contains one or more carriers, say instead: Carriers in [hex ID]. When doing this, the opponent should repeat the information, hex by hex, for verification, and place appropriate markers on his/her map.

Search Example

It is Turn 5. The Japanese Turn 1 units (First Fleet) are all in F5, and the Turns 2, 3, and 4 units have all combined into one stack (Second Fleet) in D7.

The Japanese player assigns an air search to H4 and another to H6 (Midway). These are the two bonus searches s/he may assign within two hexes of any one of his/her undamaged carriers. S/he also assigns an air search to F5, but chooses not to do so in D7.

After both players finish assigning their searches, the Japanese player declares: "Air searches in F5, H4, and Midway." The US player repeats that for verification while marking his/her map, then announces, "Air searches in E6, F5, G4, and Midway." The Japanese player repeats that as s/he marks those US searches on his/her map.

The Japanese Second Fleet (D7) has not been sighted by the US, but the First Fleet (F5) has, so the Japanese player says: "Carriers in F5." The US player repeats that for verification, then adds: "Carriers in I4." The Japanese player repeats that while placing a blue enemy carriers marker on I4 on his map.

Air Operations

In General

Aircraft units operate (or base) from carriers (CVs) or Midway Airfield.

Aircraft units may only fly on daylight turns.

Aircraft take off, fly their missions, and land again, all in the same turn.

Ready/Not Ready

Only Ready aircraft may fly during a given turn.

Each carrier (and Midway Airfield) has a named display area along the side of both players' mapsheets containing a Ready box and a Not Ready box.

All air units start the game (or enter play after turn one) in the Ready boxes.

When an aircraft that flew a mission during the turn returns, it is placed in the Not Ready box during Air Return Phase of that same turn. Such units may not fly again during the next turn, unless they were fighters on CAP (see CAP Retrieval).

During the Air Preparation Phase of every turn after the first, move aircraft then in Not Ready boxes to their Ready boxes to show they have been prepared for missions to be flown during the next game turn.

Play Note: Though it is usually advantageous to do so, players are not required to move planes from Not Ready to Ready. In this regard, players should take careful note of rule on Inferior Japanese Damage Control.

Midway Base Strikes

If the Japanese choose to send aircraft to attack the US base on Midway, s/he must decide to do so during the Midway Strike Assignment Phase. S/he should immediately take all the aircraft he wants to send on that mission that turn from their Ready boxes and place them in the Midway Strike Holding Box (the lower half of the Air Strike Holding Box) on his/her mapsheet.

Such aircraft must fly to attack that base that turn, during the Air Strike Resolution Phase (see Midway Base Strikes below). They have been armed to attack ground targets and are incapable of attacking ships that turn.

Other Air Strike Missions

During the Air Strike Assignment Phase, both players may assign Ready aircraft to fly strike missions against targets other than Midway. Such air units may be flown to any hex within range. Simply remove an air unit from its Ready box and place it on the desired target hex (on your own map).

All bombers (H, D, T) assigned to air strikes will attack any enemy ships in their target hex.

Fighters (F) sent with the bombers are escorts, and their role is to protect the bombers from attack by enemy fighters.

During turns in which many aircraft are flying a strike mission, avoid an unwieldy stack by placing all the appropriate units in the Air Strike Holding Box and then simply putting the Air Strike marker in the target hex on your map.

Design Note: The ranges printed on aircraft units represent one-way flying distances. For instance, an aircraft with a range of 2, starting at Midway (H6), could fly to: H6, H5, I6, I7, H7, G7, G6, G5, H4, I5, J5, J6, J7, I8, H8, G8, F7, F6, or F5. Inherent in each one-way range factor is, of course, an ability to fly back over the same distance to land, usually, but not necessarily, at the takeoff point (see Strike and Escort Aircraft Retrieval).

Assigning Air Strikes Example

It is Turn 8's Midway Air Strike Assignment Phase. The Japanese player's Turn 1 units are in F5, within two hexes of Midway. S/he decides to strike Midway that turn, placing a strike force of four Fs, four Ds, and four Ts into the Midway Strike Holding Box on the mapsheet. Those units are committed to attacking the base. S/he holds the other Ready aircraft in reserve for use in air strikes against US ships.

During the Search Phase, s/he learns searching that there are US carriers in hex I4, which is out of range of F5 (three hexes). S/he therefore assigns no air strikes during the Air Strike Assignment Phase.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the divider, the US player has removed his/her five Midway bombers from their Ready box and placed them on F5 to strike at the Japanese ships there. The US decides to hold the three Midway fighters in reserve on the Ready box of the airfield.

Resolving Air Strikes

During Air Strike Resolution Phase, US player first, both players announce and resolve their air strikes in any order they desire. First a player selects one of her/his target hexes and announces its coordinate (such as H6). Both players then put their Battle marker in that hex on their own mapsheet (just as a reminder of exactly where the fight is taking place).

The defender next deploys all of his/her ship units in that hex off to the side of both mapsheets and in easy sight and reach of both players. If the defender's force includes any carriers, that player may also deploy any fighters in their Ready boxes as a Combat Air Patrol (CAP).

The attacker then deploys his/her air strike force for that hex in front of the deployed defending units.

Air-to-Air Combat

Combat between aircraft occurs only if the defender has CAP fighters in the target hex.

If the attacking air strike force contains any escorting fighters, there may be two rounds of combat, otherwise there will be only one.

In situations where there are fighters on both sides, each player rolls a die to determine which side's fighters have gained the position to fire in the first round.

If the defender rolls lowest, her/his CAP fires in the first round, and the attacking escorts fire in the second.
If the attacker rolls lowest, his/her escorts fire in the first round, and the defending CAP fires in the second. (Reroll any ties.)

The player whose fighters are to fire in the first round immediately selects any enemy air unit present in the battle as a target for each fighter before any of them fire. Two or more fighters may be given the same enemy aircraft as a target if desired, but a fighter may not switch targets once firing begins.

After target selection, each of fighter fires once. Roll two dice if the firing fighter is at full strength, or a single die if it the firing unit is at reduced strength.

Each roll that is less than or equal to the firing fighter's air-to-air combat value scores one hit on the target. One hit on a full strength target causes it to be flipped to its reduced strength side; a second hit eliminates it from play. Any one hit eliminates an already reduced target.

All hits take effect immediately, before any return fires are made. Ignore excess hits.

Return Fire

If a targeted enemy aircraft unit survives the enemy fighters' attack (either at full or reduced strength), it immediately returns fire at the attacking fighter unit. If more than one fighters attacked it, the enemy aircraft returns fire at only one of them (his/her choice). Follow the same dice rolling procedures as in Air-to-Air Combat.

Enemy aircraft units that were not just fired upon may not fire.

Second Round

After the first side's fighters have fired and their surviving targets have returned fire, the other player's fighters may then be given targets by that player and execute their own fires. Follow the same procedures (but with player rolls reversed) as in the first round, including return fires.

A fighter may fire up to two times in air-to-air combat: once to fire, and once to return fire if it is itself made into a target.

All bomber types can only fire once, to make return fires after surviving fire from enemy fighters.

In cases where only one side has fighters, no second round takes place. The player with fighters simply leads through the target/return fire procedures given in Air-to-Air Combat one time.

Anti-Aircraft Fire

After air-to-air combat occurs in a battle, the defending ships fire their anti-aircraft (AA) guns at the bombers (but never at escorting fighters).

The defender must select a target enemy air unit for each ship (meaning counter, regardless of type) before any ship fires. Only one ship may fire at a given enemy bomber; any excess ships may not fire at all.

A firing ship unit may not switch targets once AA firing begins.

Each ship fires once at its assigned enemy aircraft target. Roll two dice if the firing ship unit is at full strength, or a single die if it is reduced. Each roll less than or equal to the firing ship's AA strength scores a hit on the target. Treat AA hits the same as air-to-air combat hits.

Bombing

After AA fire has been resolved, surviving bombers attack the enemy ships in the hex. The aircraft-owner selects a target ship for each bomber before any of them attack. Two or more bombers may be assigned against the same ship, but a bomber's target may not change once bombing begins.

Each bomber attacks its target once. The attacker rolls two dice if the bomber is at full strength, or a single die if it is reduced. Each roll less than or equal to the unit's bombing value scores a hit on the target ship. Treat hits on ships in the same manner as hits on air units.

Play Note: See Battleship Damage concerning hits on Japanese BBs.

Midway Base Strikes (Resolution)

Resolve these in the same manner as other air strikes. However, only ground units and ready fighters on the airfield may defend against a base strike; any US ship units or carrier-borne CAP in that hex may not participate.

Likewise, base units and base CAP may not help US ships in the hex defend against an air strike.

Play Note: Midway is the only hex on the map in which two separate air/sea battles may take place during the same turn.

Ground Units vs. Aircraft Combat

Resolve these just like aircraft vs. ship combat, with the ground units playing the roll of ships, except that ground units may not be eliminated by air attack; they may be reduced from full strength by aircraft hits, but never wholly eliminated. Only ground units can eliminate enemy ground units (see Invasion Combat).

US Heavy Bombers

The US H unit represents a squadron of B17 Flying Fortresses. Japanese CAP and AA fires can never have any effects on it, but the unit requires two turns to become Ready after each mission it flies.

End of Attack

After bombers have attacked, both players place all of their surviving units (including CAP) back on the battle hex on their own map. Choose the next strike to be resolved, and repeat the entire combat sequence for it.

Midway Base Strike Example

It is Turn 8's Air Strike Resolution Phase. The Japanese player announces s/he wants to resolve his/her earlier-declared base strike. Taking his/her 12 striking units (continuing from the Assigning Air Strikes Example) from the holding box, s/he places them off to the side of the maps. The US player deploys his/her six ground units and three Ready fighters from Midway in front of those Japanese units. All units are at full strength.

Because the defender has CAP, both players now roll a die. The US player rolls lower, so his/her fighters fire first, assigning both fighters with a combat value of 3, one each, against two Japanese T bombers, and sending the value 4 fighter against a Japanese fighter. The US player rolls two dice for the first fighter, a 3 and a 0 (10), yielding one hit. The defender flips the hit target unit to its reduced side. The Japanese player then rolls a die in return fire, but misses.

The US player then rolls two dice for the second fighter, but misses. The Japanese player rolls two dice for return fire, and also misses with both.

The US player then rolls two dice for the third (value 4) fighter, gets a 4 and 6, and thus scores one hit on the Japanese fighter. The defender flips it to its reduced side. The Japanese player then rolls a single 5 in return fire, which hits (combat value of 7), reducing the US value-4 fighter.

The Japanese player now fires in the second round, allocating one full strength fighter against the reduced US fighter, one full strength fighter against the second US fighter, and two fighters (one full strength and one half strength) against the last US fighter. In firing, s/he eliminates all three US fighters, so there is no refiring from them.

The US ground units then fire their AA at the bombers. After selecting the targets and rolling the dice (needing a 1), the US player scores one hit on a D bomber, reducing it. The surviving bombers now attack the ground units, and scores two hits, reducing two units.

The base strike is then over, so the Japanese air units are placed back in their Midway Base Strike Holding Box, and the US ground units are placed back in the Midway Ground Defense box. (Had any US fighters survived, they would go back to the Midway hex, to await retrieval during Air Return Phase.)

Example of Play: Air Strike

It is still Turn 8's Air Strike Resolution Phase, and the US player announces an air strike against hex F5 (continuing the situation from the earlier examples of play). S/he deploys his five Midway bombers to the side of both maps, and the Japanese player sets out nine ship units, along with four Ready fighters as CAP.

The US player does not have any escorts along on this mission, so the Japanese player immediately selects a US D or T bomber as a target for each fighter. (CAP may not engage the H unit, see US Heavy Bombers.) The CAP fire eliminates one T and one D, and reduces the other two D bombers. All return fires miss.

The Japanese player now the ships' AA. However, only two of the nine ships may fire because there are only two remaining targets. (Again, AA may not engage the US H unit.) The Japanese player chooses the DD4 and DD10 units to fire, rolling two dice for each, needing a 1 or 2, but both units miss.

The US bombers, all with values of 1, now attack. The H bomber attacks the Kaga, and the two reduced D bombers both go after the Akagi. The US player rolls two dice for the H (both miss), and one die for each of the reduced D bombers. A lucky roll of a 1 scores a hit on the Akagi. There happen to be two bomber units in its Ready box. Those units are eliminated, along with the Akagi itself, due to the poor Japanese damage control (see Inferior Japanese Damage Control).

The US player then places the three surviving air units back on hex F5 on the US mapsheet and smiles broadly at his opponent. The Japanese player returns the surviving ships to the First Fleet holding box, places the CAP fighters back on hex F5 on the Japanese mapsheet, and grumbles under his/her breath something like: "This game sucks! I hate this game! We're never gonna play this@#$%&*! game again!"

Strike and Escort Aircraft Retrieval

After all air strikes have been resolved (Air Strike Resolution Phase), and after any Not Ready air units have been readied (Air Preparation Phase), both players land their surviving strike and CAP units (Air Return Phase). US air units marked as originating on Midway Airfield (M) may only land at that airbase. All other air units may land at any other friendly carrier or air base within range, subject to the carrier's or field's capacity (see Carrier and Airfield Capacities).

Historical Note: The US M units were USMC and US Army Air Corps units whose pilots were not trained to land on carriers. The B17s would not fit on a carrier deck under any circumstances.

If a bomber or escort fighter unit has no place to land within range of its target hex, it is ditched. Ditched planes are out of the game just as eliminated planes, but ditched planes do not count for VP purposes (see Victory Points).

Retrieved strike and escort units are placed in the Not Ready box of the carrier or base at which they land. They cannot fly again on the next turn. This applies to strike and escort units that did fly but did not fire. They must still be placed in the Not Ready box.

CAP Retrieval

CAP units may only land on friendly carriers or bases within the hex over which they just flew CAP. Place CAP fighters in the Ready box; they can fly again in the next turn, either as CAP or escorts.

Carrier and Airfield Capacities

The Midway airfield and each carrier have a Capacity Number printed on their display area. That number is the maximum number of air units, full or reduced, that may end Air Return Phase based on that carrier or airfield. Aircraft units in excess of that number may not land there.

Carrier Damage

A reduced two-step carrier has a zero aircraft-carrying capacity for the rest of the game-such ships may no longer launch or retrieve aircraft.

Any Ready aircraft on board when the hit was received are considered eliminated.

Any Not Ready aircraft on board at the time are not eliminated, but are trapped on the ship for the remainder of play. They do not yield VPs to the enemy unless the carrier is sunk.

Inferior Japanese Damage Control

If any full strength, two-step Japanese carrier receives a hit while it has Ready planes on board, it immediately sinks (and is completely eliminated).

Midway Airfield Damage

Though the mechanics of the procedure make it appear a Midway Base Strike is being directed only against the enemy ground units there, in actuality, the striking planes are also shooting up the airfield and its facilities. Accordingly, every hit on a US ground unit on Midway reduces the airfield's aircraft-basing capacity by one, eliminates any one air unit on the field (Ready or Not Ready, US player's choice), and lowers the number of available Midway air searches by one.

Example: After two hits on the US Marine ground units on Midway, the airfield has an aircraft-basing capacity of 6, and the US player may only assign one air search within six hexes of the base (plus one air search in the Midway hex itself). After four hits on the Marines, Midway may only ship search.

Air Unit Retrieval Example

Continuing the examples from above, it is Turn 8's Air Preparation Phase. All aircraft in the game are in the air (that is, on the map), eliminated, or sitting in Ready boxes. Therefore neither player has any Not Ready units to make Ready.

Play then moves to Air Return Phase, and both players have air units to land. The three US bombers land in the Not Ready box of Midway Airfield.

The Japanese player faces a problem: s/he has 16 air units flying and seven others still sitting aboard the three main carriers. But the carriers together have a capacity of 20. S/he must therefore ditch three air units in the ocean, and wisely chooses to expend the reduced ones returning from the Midway Base Strike. The four CAP fighters land in the ships' Ready boxes; the strike units land in the Not Ready boxes.

Naval Combat

In General

During Ship-to-Ship Combat Phase, players may conduct combat between opposing ships located in the same hexes.

Surface Combat

If searching has revealed to either player they have ships in a hex also containing enemy ships, either may initiate surface combat there. Surface combat may occur only once per turn per hex. A player is not required to initiate surface combat in a hex simply because s/he knows opposing ships are there, too.

With the US going first, each player announces any hex(es) where s/he has one or more ships and wishes to attack. If the opponent has any ships in that hex, they both mark the hex for battle on their mapsheet. Both players then deploy all the ships they have in the selected hex off the side of the mapsheets. (If the surface action is taking place in the Midway hex, do not deploy any ground units.)

Play Note: There is no evasion of surface combat. You accomplish that by not allowing yourself to end up in the same hex as the enemy fleet.

Defensive Fire

The defending ship units fire first. Ships with a Surface Combat Value of zero never fire, but still must deploy if in a battle hex). The defender first selects a target for each firing unit. Two or more units may be assigned to the same target, but no unit may be switched to another target once firing is begun. Further, a player may not select carriers (CV) or Transports (TT, ST11, SFT) as targets without first allocating at least one firing unit against every non-carrier/non-transport in the hex.

Each unit fires once at its target. Roll two dice if the firing unit is at full strength, or a single die if it is reduced. Each roll less than or equal to the firing unit's Surface Combat Value scores one hit on the target. Treat surface combat hits the same as bombing hits (and similarly for carrier damage, etc.).

Offensive Fire

After the defending units have fired, surviving attacking units may similarly select targets and fire. Follow the same procedures as in Defensive Fire.

After all attacking units have fired, return all the survivors to the battle hexes previously marked on each player's map, then go on to the next combat, if any.

Battleship Damage

The Japanese BBs in the game are able to absorb more damage than other targets. Therefore, any time any hit (of any kind) is scored on such a target, roll one die again: on a second roll of 1-5 treat the hit normally; on a 6-10, ignore that hit.

Surface Combat Example

It is Turn 16's Ship-to-Ship Combat Phase. The surviving naval units have discovered one other in hex I6. However, neither side declares a surface attack because neither wants to risk suffering the enemy's defensive fires first.

Invasion Combat

Japanese Ground Units at Sea

While loaded on their transports, Japanese ground units have no effect on play, and each of the four battalions completely shares the fate of its particular transport unit. On board ship they may never fire their combat values, and if their transport is reduced or eliminated, they, too, are reduced or eliminated along with it. Ship-to-ship transfer of ground units is not permitted during play.

Declaring an Invasion

The Japanese player may declare an invasion of Midway during the Ship-to-Ship Combat Phase of any daylight turn during which there is a transport (TT1-TT-4) with at least one ground unit (full or reduced) in the Midway hex at that point. The Japanese player is not required to land all available ground units during the same turn, though is permitted to do so. If landing a unit, its transport must remain in the hex as long as the unit is on Midway.

Invasion Combat (Resolution)

The Japanese player must launch one round (limit of one round per turn) of invasion combat in Ship-to-Ship Combat Phase of every daylight turn in which s/he has one or more ground units on Midway. Japanese units are always the attackers.

Both sides' ground units are deployed off to the side of the maps as in other kinds of combat. The defending US forces fire first, hits take effect instantly, and both players are free to assign more than one of their units against a single enemy unit as long as each enemy unit has at least one unit committed against it. No ground unit of either side on Midway can be withheld from invasion combat.

Use the same firing and hit procedures as in the other kinds of combat described above. Invasion combat never takes place during night turns; both sides simply sit tight.

Airfield Shut Down

The basing capacity of Midway Airfield is permanently reduced to zero (and any planes there are destroyed) at the end of the first turn that any Japanese ground units land.

Ground Unit Elimination

Air and surface bombardment can only reduce ground units. Ground units can never be wholly eliminated by anything other than invasion combat with enemy ground units.

Optional Rules

Fog

At the start of the game, fog exists in the gray-tinted section in the northwest portion of the map. At the end of every turn, one player rolls one die: on a 1, fair weather returns to the fog area for the remainder of that game.

Fog has these effects:

Units in the fog area may not conduct ship or air searches, nor may air searches be traced from carriers inside the zone, even if the searches themselves fall outside the fog.
Ships in fog may not be located by enemy searches.
Carriers in fog may not launch or recover air units, nor may air units launched from non-fog hexes fly strikes into the fog.
Ships may not conduct surface combat in fog.

Wake and Johnston Islands

On daylight turns, the Japanese player may assign one extra air search within two hexes of A11. (Wake Island is off the map to the southwest.)

On daylight turns, the US player may assign one extra air search within two hexes of K12. (Johnston Island is off the map to the south.)

Extra Scouts

During the Search Phase, both players may use Ready bombers (H, D, T) to generate extra air searches. To do this, remove the bomber unit from its ready box and place it on any hex within range of its carrier or airfield. Then place an air search marker on top of the aircraft. During Air Return Phase, scouts land in the Not Ready box of any appropriate carrier or airfield within range of the hex they just searched.

Submarines

Submarines may move every third turn as shown on the Turn Record Tracks. A sub unit may ship search its hex during Search Phase; however, subs themselves are never spotted by enemy searches of either kind.

Air units may not attack subs, nor may subs participate in surface combat. Instead, they perform their own sub attacks. During Ship-to-Ship Combat Phase, prior to any surface combat resolution, players may conduct sub attacks in any order. Sub attacks are voluntary.

First, either player announces a hex with one or more subs and wishes to attack with them. If the opponent has any ships in that hex, both players mark the hex for battle. The defender deploys all ships from the battle hex off to the side of the maps, and the attacker deploys the subs in front of them.

Defending DDs then conduct screening operations. That is, the defender selects a sub target for each DD unit present. Two or more units may be assigned to the same target, but a unit may not be switched to another target once die rolling is begun.

After target selection, each destroyer screens once. The defender rolls two dice for a full-strength DD, or a single die for a reduced-strength DD. On a 1, the targeted submarine immediately breaks off its attack for that turn without firing. (Subs are never reduced or eliminated.)

After all DDs have screened, any remaining sub units may fire. The attacker selects a target for each sub unit. A submarine may attack transports or carriers, if desired. Two or more subs may be committed against the same target, but a unit may not be switched to a new target once firing begins. Each sub fires once (one or two dice) at its target, following the same procedures as given for surface actions.

Subs may not attack in fog, nor may subs fire at each other.

Finding the Enemy

Background

One problem that plagued both sides during the carrier battles of 1942 was that aircraft sent on strike missions sometimes failed to find the enemy, particularly if the distance to the target was great. Therefore, when assigning air strikes, players must also determine if their strike units actually locate the enemy ships once at the target hex.

Forming Waves and Sighting the Enemy

Players must form their strike/escort forces sent to each given target hex into waves. A wave may consist of one or more air units that took off from the same hex and flew to the same target hex.

Before starting any combat in the target hex, the attacker rolls one die for each wave. If the roll is less than or equal to the distance in hexes from the wave's launch hex to the target hex, that wave fails to find the enemy, and its units do not participate in combat that turn. Place a failed wave back in the targeted hex on your own map, but turn the units' facing direction so they point in a different direction from successful waves.

Successful waves in each target hex immediately regroup into one strike force and attack normally. Strikes that fail to locate the enemy still go into their Not Ready box upon retrieval.

Base strikes automatically find Midway, and likewise, any air strikes against enemy ships in the Midway hex also automatically locate the enemy ships there.

Examples: If the launch hex and target hex are the same hex (distance = 0), the wave always finds the enemy. If the target hex is adjacent to the launch hex (distance = 1), the wave fails to find the enemy on a 1. If the target hex is two hexes away, the wave misses on a 1 or 2 (and so on for the US H unit).

Finding the Enemy Example of Play

The US player has assigned 12 air units from the Enterprise and Hornet in I5 to strike the Japanese carriers in G5 (distance = 2). The US player could commit units in up to 12 individual one-unit waves, or one wave of 12 units, or any combination between those two extremes.

If the Hornet were in a different hex than the Enterprise, the US player would have to send their respective striking units in at least two separate waves.

So the US player elects to send two waves of five units and one wave of two units. Unfortunately, s/he rolls a 2 for one of the large waves, so it misses. The other waves find the enemy. When resolving that strike, only those seven units may deploy into combat.

Reserve Zekes

The Japanese brought along extra Zeke fighters and pilots for them to base on Midway after its capture and repair. When the battle heated up on 4 June, they dipped into that reserve.

Once per game, the Japanese player may take any eliminated 7-0-2 fighter and replace it at full strength on the ready box of the Akagi during Air Return Phase.

The Japanese player may also do this once per game on board the Kaga.

The US player earns ½ VP each time either of these actions occurs.

Seaplane Tenders

The Japanese planned to save Seaplane Tender Division 11 (ST11) to establish a seaplane base on Kure Atoll (G6) on 5 June, the day before their troops were to splash ashore at Midway.

The Japanese player may establish a seaplane base on Kure by moving ST11 onto that hex and announcing, during Search Phase, that s/he has begun building the installation. The base may begin operations three turns later.

If ST11 is eliminated or moves from the hex before or after the seaplane base is completed, the base is permanently closed.

While the base is functional, the Japanese player may assign, on daylight turns, an air search to that hex and two other (extra, new) air searches within two hexes of Kure. (Only one bonus air search is allowed if ST11 is reduced.)

US ships may not fire at ST11 in surface combat unless that player has first allocated fire against every non-carrier, non-transport, and non-tender target in the battle.

US subs may not attack ST11 once it is building or operating the seaplane base, as the tenders would be inside the reef.

Special Force Tenders

The Japanese also planned to establish midget submarines and motor boats at Midway once it was captured. The SFT unit carries those forces.

SFT enters on Turn 11. US ships are under the same firing restrictions against it in surface combat as in Seaplane Tenders for ST11.

t the end of the game, the Japanese player earns 1 VP (½ VP is SFT is reduced) if the SFT is in the Midway hex and Midway is under Japanese control as defined in Midway VPs.

Ship Searches at Night

For obvious reasons, it is much harder to see a ship at night than during the day. To reflect this difficulty, roll one die for each ship search declared during a night game turn.

On a 1-5, the search in ineffective: no enemy ships in the hex are spotted (but the other still knows you were there to make the search).

On a 6-10, the search is effective and enemy ships in the hex are spotted.

Night Actions

Due to their inferior night optics and training for night combat during this phase of the war, all US surface fires made during night turns earn a +1 die roll modifier.

Midway Bombardment

After all surface combats have been resolved for a given game turn, either player may initiate ship bombardment of Midway. Bombardment may occur only during daylight turns, and may only be executed by BB and CA units in the Midway hex. (Ships which just participated in a surface action that same turn may not bombard Midway.)

Follow the same procedures given for surface actions above, with the enemy's ground units on the Atoll cast in the roll of the defending ships. There is never, however, any defensive fire from them.

Just as in aircraft vs. ground unit combat (see Midway Base Strikes (Resolution)), ground units may never be completely eliminated by ship fires, only reduced.

If Japanese ground units are on Midway, the US player may begin sending base strikes against them, using the same procedures as the Japanese. (The American air strike holding box has been divided in two for this purpose.)

Solitaire Play

In General

Though VaM has been designed primarily for play between two opponents, one player can have some fun and gain insight into the way the battle was fought historically by playing solitaire. The player commands the US forces and moves the Japanese according to guidelines provided below.

You must use both sides' historical set up and entry when playing solitaire.

US Setup

Deploy all aircraft and Midway ground units as in the two-player scenario.

Deploy ships as follows:

Hex	Unit(s)	Hex	Unit
I4	all surface ships	H5	SS3
F6	SS	L5	SS4
G6	SS2

Japanese Set Up

SS168 in H6. All aircraft start in normal ship locations.

Japanese Entry

Units enter on the turn indicated on their counter.

Turn	Entry Hex	Turn	Entry Hex
1	A1	4	A8
2	A9	11	A2
3	A9	14	A1

Japanese Movement

All Japanese forces stay in the groupings they had upon entering play, and sail in the straightest line possible toward Midway.

Exception: ST11 breaks off from its group at the last possible moment to move to Kure Atoll.

Once at Midway, all Japanese ships remain in that hex until the end of the game.

Japanese Doctrine Toward Midway

The Japanese ships never deviate from their course or fastest possible speed, except the Turn 2 group DDs sail at half speed to stay with their transports.

Also, one DD may lag behind with any reduced CV or the Yamato.

When the ships are within 2 hexes of Midway, they launch at least four bombers and two fighter escorts against Midway. If no US carriers are in range of the Japanese carriers, hold one Japanese carrier's (the single largest) planes in reserve and launch everything else available against Midway.

All available Japanese troops go ashore to invade Midway during the 0430 turn of 6 June.

Japanese Doctrine Toward US CVs

Whenever the US player moves any carrier within range of a Japanese carrier, roll one die. On a 1, the American search has located the Japanese (only); on a 10, the Japanese search has located the US carriers (only); and on 2-9, both sides' searches have located each other.

Whenever a US carrier is spotted, the Japanese immediately suspend all air operations against Midway and begin sending all available bomber units and one-half of their available fighter units against the US CVs. In cases where the US CVs are in more than one hex, divide the Japanese strike force in half, by plane type, as equally as possible.

No Surface Combat

The US player may never move any surface ships (but subs may do so) into a hex with Japanese surface ships.

Ending a Solitaire Game

The game ends as soon as one of these events happens:

Midway is controlled by the Japanese as defined in Midway VPs.
A turn ends with at least two US CVs eliminated.
A turn ends with at least five Japanese CVs eliminated.

Victory

Determine which side won by adding up VPs just as in two-player matches.

Strategies for Victory at Midway

In General

Despite one's best plans, the gods of air units, and consequently aircraft carriers, are, of course, the best weapons for gaining victory. Aircraft units will dominate play, and the player who wins control of the air should win the game. Therefore, make enemy carriers your priority target. Air units will suffer heavy casualties in battle. To help minimize losses, maximize the size of your air strikes: a large strike made up of many bombers and an escort can break through or overlap the enemy's defenses where a small one cannot.

There are three defenses against enemy air strikes: CAP, AA, and guile. Fighters on CAP will prove effective against unescorted strikes, and players tend to fly the majority of their fighters as CAP rather than as escorts. AA, when used in sufficient quantity, can knock down approximately 20% of striking bombers. However, for CAP and AA to be most effective, ships must operate together in the same hex.

Guile, on the other hand, often requires the splitting of forces to confuse or surprise the enemy. In search operations, a task force built around a single carrier looks the same to enemy eyes as a task force built around three or four. Thus a small force can decoy the enemy, while another force moves in to deliver an unexpected blow. Similarly, a small force can serve as bait to take the brunt of an enemy attack (the Japanese used this tactic during the war). Perhaps the best advice is to study your opponent's style of play. What is s/he most likely to do in a given situation? Is s/he aggressive? Stealthy? If you know your opponent well enough to guess his/her intentions, then you will be better able to exploit his/her weaknesses and frustrate his/her plans. At the same time, vary your own style of play. Don't use the same tactics or strategy repeatedly, or your opponent will anticipate your actions and prepare his defense accordingly.

Finally, learn when to accept defeat and cut your losses. If disaster overtakes you, make a fighting retreat rather than a reckless advance. In other words, do not expect miracles. Then, when the game is over, challenge your opponent to a best of three rematch.

Despite one's best plans, the gods of war are fickle by nature. An enemy bomber that scores a hit despite heavy opposition, a strike group that fails to find its target these and similar occurrences can suddenly alter the balance of victory, yet they reflect events outside the control of the admirals. Indeed, it was rather appropriate that the Americans, when gathering for the battle, named the rendezvous point for their two task forces Point Luck.

Japanese Strategy

Your primary objective is to sink US carriers; capturing Midway is of only secondary importance. Indeed, the whole point of moving against Midway is to lure the US carriers into battle.

A conservative IJN player will delay the entry of his/her forces for several turns and then combine ships into one fleet, which s/he then sails inexorably toward Midway. Such an approach allows for maximum CAP and AA coverage of the carriers and transports, but the US player can easily keep track of the combined fleet's movement.

A bolder IJN player will launch a base strike against Midway early on 4 June to knock out its airbase and, more importantly, its air search capability. This can greatly handicap the US player. For this strategy to work, however, you must commit most, if not all, of your bombers to that base strike, leaving none to attack any US carriers which might be ready and waiting within range to attack you.

To avoid surprise US strikes, conduct your searches thoroughly and with care. While the pattern of your searches will disclose information to the enemy about your fleet's whereabouts, you may capitalize on this by using patterns that slightly mislead your opponent. For example, draw his/her attention toward one side of the map while part of your fleet infiltrates on the other side.

When using the optional scouting rule (see Extra Scouts), it pays to supplement your air searches with bombers. It is better to have a small percentage of your bombers on search patrol than to have all of them idle on your carriers because no target was sighted.

Given your preponderance of surface combat vessels, it is only necessary to cripple US carrier and cruiser units with one hit during an air strike, then send in your battleships and destroyers to complete their destruction.

US Strategy

Your three carriers can fight any three IJN fleet carriers on an equal basis, but three against four puts you at a significant disadvantage. Therefore, you must rely on Midway's air units and your own stealth to help even the odds.

If your opponent chooses the conservative approach described above, you can respond in one of three ways:

Keep your fleet out of sight, or at least out of range, and let Midway fend for itself. With luck, your heavy bombers and/or submarines will sink an enemy carrier, or your opponent will fly a large base strike, at which time you can move in to counterattack while his/her air units are Not Ready.
Confront the combined fleet as soon as it is within range of Midway, but have your own fleet divided between two hexes. This allows you to mass all your bombers, including Midway's, in one strike, while your opponent must decide whether to attack only one of your task forces or split his attack into two strikes. In either case, one of your TFs should escape major harm.
Take advantage of the Combined Fleet's poorer search abilities to sneak up on its flank or rear and launch a large, escorted strike from out of the blue.

The key word for the US player is patience. You do not have to rush into battle on 3 or 4 June. Indeed, it is largely up to you to decide just when and where the battle will actually be fought. Therefore, seek to fight only on your own terms.