World War II: Pacific Theater of Operations
World War II: Pacific Theater of Operations Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- PART 0: PRELIMINARY ITEMS
- A0.0 INTRODUCTION
- B0.0 LEARNING THE GAME
- PART 1: SEQUENCE OF PLAY
- C0.0 MONTHLY AND SEASON TURN SEQUENCE OF PLAY
- C0.1 Monthly Turn Sequence of Play
- C0.1.1 Weather Phase
- C0.1.2 Strategic Warfare Phase
- C0.1.2.1 Step 1: Strategic Bombing of Japan
- C0.1.2.2 Step 2: Submarine Blockade of Japan
- C0.1.3 Naval and Air Phase
- C0.1.3.1 Step 1: First Naval Movement
- C0.1.3.2 Step 2: Air Attacks
- C0.1.3.3 Step 3: Naval Attacks
- C0.1.3.4 Step 4: Air Movement
- C0.1.3.5 Step 5: Final Air Movement
- C0.1 Monthly Turn Sequence of Play
- PART 2: WEATHER
- 1.0 WEATHER EFFECTS
- PART 3: STRATEGIC WARFARE
- 2.0 STRATEGIC BOMBING
- 3.0 SUBMARINE INTERDICTION OF SHIPPING
- PART 4: NAVAL OPERATIONS
- 4.0 NAVAL MOVEMENT
- 5.0 NAVAL INTERCEPTION
- 5.1 Interception Range Table
- 5.2 Interception During the Enemy Naval Movement Step
- 5.3 Interception and Counter-Interception During the Friendly Naval Movement Step
- 5.4 Interception and Counter-interception During a Sea Offensive
- 5.5 Naval Search Procedure
- 5.6 Restrictions on Interception
- 5.7 Automatic Interception
- 5.8 Evading Interception
- 6.0 NAVAL COMBAT
- 7.0 SEA TRANSPORT AND AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT
- 8.0 SUBMARINES
- PART 5: AIR OPERATIONS
- 9.0 USING AIR UNITS
- 10.0 MOVING AIR UNITS
- 11.0 AIR INTERCEPTION
- 12.0 AIR-TO-AIR COMBAT
- 13.0 AIR-NAVAL COMBAT
- 14.0 GROUND SUPPORT
- 15.0 AIR TRANSPORT
- 16.0 PARATROOPS AND PARADROPS
- 17.0 COMMITTING AIR UNITS
- 18.0 AIR OFFENSIVES AND AIRSTRIKES
- PART 6: OFFENSIVES
- 19.0 COMMAND AND ACTIVATION
- 20.0 MOVEMENT DURING OFFENSIVES
- 21.0 LAND COMBAT
- 22.0 LAND COMBAT EFFECTS
- PART 7: MOVEMENT PHASE
- 23.0 MOVING LAND UNITS
- 24.0 RAIL MOVEMENT
- PART 8: SUPPLY AND REPLENISHMENT
- 25.0 TRACING SUPPLY
- 26.0 UNSUPPLIED UNITS
- 27.0 REPLENISHMENT
- PART 9: SEASONAL TURNS
- 28.0 ECONOMIC POINTS AND INCOME
- 29.0 CONSTRUCTION
- 30.0 INITIATIVE
- PART 10: SPECIAL RULES
- 31.0 JAPANESE AIR LOSSES
- 32.0 1942 US CARRIER AIR IMPROVEMENTS
- 33.0 DELAYED US AIRCRAFT BUILDS
- 34.0 US SS QUALITY
- 35.0 CONQUEST OF AREAS
- 36.0 SPECIAL LAND UNITS
- 37.0 CHINA SPECIAL RULES
- LEARNING PTO IF YOU ALREADY PLAY ETO
- THE COMBINED GAME: ETO AND PTO
- 101.0 Moving Units Between Maps
- 102.0 Order of Battle Adjustments
- 103.0 Economic Adjustments
- 104.0 Soviet Asian Forces and Special Rules
- 104.1 Income and Builds
- 104.2 Order of Battle
- 104.3 Increased Order of Battle After Germany Falls
- 104.4 Japanese Manchukuoan Garrison
- 104.5 Soviet Supply Sources in PTO
- 104.6 Outbreak of Soviet/Japanese War
- 104.7 Territorial Clash (The Nomonhan Campaign)
- 104.8 Soviet Rail Capacity
- 104.9 ETO Rule Modification
- 105.0 Crossover Rules (Optional)
- 106.0 Combined Game Scenario 1: The Second World War
- 107.0 Combined Game Scenario 2: 1939 Campaign Start
- 108.0 Combined Game Scenario 3: 1942-The Decisive Year
- EXAMPLE OF PLAY
PART 0: PRELIMINARY ITEMS
A0.0 INTRODUCTION
A. The World War II: Pacific Theater of Operations game is a strategic-level game about the Second World War in the Pacific and Asia, from 1937 to 1945. It is a complete game in itself; however, it can be linked to World War II: European Theater of Operations to recreate the entire war in both theaters.
B. The game can be played by two players, or several more if teams are used. One player or team controls the Japanese forces, the other controls the Allied (China, United Kingdom, Dutch, Australian, United States) forces. Two players are all that are necessary or useful for the early China Incident scenarios (19371941). In the later years of the war, the Allies can be divided into national commands and Japanese forces split into the groups facing each of these players. Four players (US/Australia, UK/China/Netherlands, Japan east, and Japan west) is the optimum number for the full campaign game.
C. The game is played in monthly turns (12 per year), with four additional seasonal turns each game year (one before every three months). Many shorter scenarios allow players to recreate only a portion of the war, while campaign scenarios give players the option of starting in July 1937 or December 1941.
D. The rules are written in case format. Major topics are presented, as much as possible, in the order in which they occur during a game turn. These major topics are called Parts (e.g., Part 5: Air Operations). Within each part are one or more sections numbered 1.0, 2.0, etc.
The sections contain the numbered rules, called cases. Each case is designated by a decimal number (Rule 4.3, for example, is the third case of Section 4).
E. A section near the back of this rule book includes a summary of WWII: PTO rules for players of WWII: ET0 The two games share many systems in common, and players of one should have little difficulty in grasping the other.
F. We hope you enjoy this game. If you have any questions, please write to us at TSR/SPI. Identify the rule section by number and phrase your questions so they can be answered with a word, number, or short sentence, and please include a stamped, self-addressed return envelope.
G. Write to: Rules Editor Pacific Theater of Operations Game TSR, Inc. POB 756 Lake Geneva, WI 53147 USA. A complete copy of WWII: PTO includes the following:
A. One 48-page rule book (this book)
B. One 16-page scenario book
C. Two 22" x 34" game maps
D. 1,200 die-cut cardboard counters (three sheets of 400 each)
E. Two Player Aid Cards
F. Two plastic storage trays
G. One game box
H. 40 stickers
B0.0 LEARNING THE GAME
A. To learn the game, start by examining the components. Read the sequence of play to get the general idea of the flow of a turn.
B. If you have played the WWII: European Theater of Operations game, go to the rules section near the end of this rule book. This section summarizes the major differences between the ETO and PTO games. This should give you enough information to set up and begin playing this game, referring to this rule book for answers as questions arise.
C. If you have not played the ETO game, skim the PTO rules for naval and air operations. Then set up and play Scenario 1 (Day of Infamy). After you have run through this scenario a time or two, read the rules on offensive operations and land movement. Then play Scenario 2 (Fortress Singapore), a scenario that covers Japan's conquest of Malaya during the first months of the war.
D. The other scenarios gradually increase the complexity of the rules. Scenario 7 (Incident at the Marco Polo Bridge), however, is primarily a land war game, covering the first 18 months of the China Incident. It is great for familiarizing players with the flow of the game without a lot of complexity.
B0.1 The Scenario Book
The scenario book contains 11 scenarios, each focusing on a different aspect or stage of the war. These range from the short games mentioned above to sweeping portrayals of Japanese offensive in 1942 and the US and Allied counterattacks in 1944. Scenarios 9, 10, and 11 are campaign scenarios, using all of the rules and maps.
B0.2 The Game Maps
A. The game maps are identified as the Western and Eastern maps. A hexagonal grid regulates the placement of units and markers. When a specific hex is referred to in the rules, the four-digit number identifying the hex is preceded by W or E, indicating Western or Eastern map. Example: W2216 is Singapore.
B. The scale of the map is 100 miles per hex. Some terrain features, such as rivers and borders, have been modified slightly to conform to the hex grid.
C. To make the maps lie flat, open them and then backfold along the existing creases. Overlap the edge of the Western map over the edge of the Eastern map until the hex grid and terrain line up. Small pieces of masking or drafting tape at the corners will hold the maps in position.
D. Included on the map are the following player aids:
B0.2.1 Terrain Key
This shows the meanings of the colors and symbols on the map.
B0.2.2 Turn Record Tracks
Markers are moved along these tracks to show the current month (or seasonal turn) and year.
B0.2.3 Bookkeeping Tracks
There are two types of bookkeeping tracks on the map. The Economic Points Track displays the current number of economic points (EPs). The Offensives Track displays the current number of offensives available. There are three EP tracks: one for Japan, one the United States, and a combined track China, the UK, and the Netherlands. There are two Offensives Tracks, one for Japan and one for the Allies. The markers for several different nations (among the Allies) are used on the same track; the colors of the markers differentiate them.
B0.2.4 Display Boxes
These are used to hold counters which are in play but do not occupy a specific hex or sea area on the map, and include the following:
A. A force pool for each of the three groups with an EP track. The force pool is used to hold units and markers eligible to be built during a seasonal turn.
B. The Replenishment Box for infantry units destroyed within their home country during the current turn.
C. The US West Coast Ports Box and Panama hex represent areas not pictured on the map but which can hold units that are currently in play.
B0.2.5 Supply Base and Fleet Identification Stickers
There are two types of stickers included with this game: task forces and supply bases. There are ten of each type for the Allies and Japan. The stickers should be placed in the tops (the clear plastic sheets) of the two counter trays. One tray should be marked with the 20 Allied stickers, the other with the 20 Japanese stickers, one sticker per compartment. The counter tray tops are used during play to hold large groups of counters that are represented on the map by fleet markers or supply bases.
B0.2.6 Map Errata
Hong Kong should be separated from the Chinese mainland by a temporary border.
B0.3 Player Aid Cards
A. There is one Player Aid Card for Japanese side and one for the Allied side.
B. Each card contains the order of battle for the appropriate side for the campaign game, listing all forces used by that side and the dates those forces become available by entering the force pool or turn track.
C. In addition, the card lists tables and rules that are needed during play. These include the following:
B0.3.1 Combat Results Table
The CRT is used to determine the results of attacks by land units. Below the CRT are two tables listing the conditions that can modify the combat die roll and units' strengths.
B0.3.2 Transport Table
This table lists the STP costs for various types of transport.
B0.3.3 Bombing Table
This table is used to determine Japanese EP loss from Allied strategic bombing missions, as well as the success or failure of bombing missions intended to destroy enemy installations.
B0.3.4 Land and Airbase Stacking Limits
This information lists how many land units can occupy a given type of hex, as well as how many air units can base on a type of airbase.
B0.3.5 Weather Rolls
Die rolls that result in grounded air units are summarized.
B0.3.6 Economic-Point Costs Table
This table lists the EP costs for units built from a force pool during a seasonal turn, as well as the delay required before some units can enter play.
B0.3.7 EP Income
This lists the income received by the nation during each seasonal turn. In the case of Japan, the income it gains for its territorial holdings is also listed.
B0.3.9 Naval Search Modifiers
The card lists the modifiers that apply to naval interception rolls.
B0.4 The Counters
A. Several types of cardboard counters serve as playing pieces in the game. These include units, representing each nation's military forces; installations, showing hexes where airbases, fortifications, or supply bases have been built; and markers, used to display current game information on many game functions. Most counters are printed on both sides, with the back representing a different condition from the front.
B. Soviet counters are used only in the combined campaign game.
C. The UK battleship Royal Oak is not used in PTO It is a replacement for a misprinted counter in the WWII: ETO game.
B0.4.1 Sample Counters
Counter types shown in the rule book: land unit (full strength and depleted sides); naval unit (undamaged and damaged sides); air unit (full-strength and depleted sides); sea transport marker; air transport marker.
B0.4.2 Land Unit Types
Each land unit type is shown in full-strength and depleted form: Infantry, Armor, Paratroop, Engineer, Marines, Raiders.
B0.4.3 Naval Unit Types
Each naval unit type is shown in full-strength and damaged form: Battleship, Heavy Cruiser, Aircraft Carrier, Light Aircraft Carrier, Naval Squadron*, U-Boat Squadron, Tactical Submarine.
- CL: Light Cruiser; DD: Destroyer; DE: Destroyer Escort; CVE: Escort Carrier.
B0.4.4 Installations
Installations are shown on a front and a back side: Fortification (Under Construction / Coastal Defense), Small Airfield, Large Airfield, Supply Base.
B0.4.5 Other Markers
Month, Year, Japan/USSR War, Activate/Standby, Committed Aircraft, Out of Supply, Destroyed Installation, EP Track Marker, Purchased Offensives, Transported Supply, Task Force, Control Marker.
B0.4.6 Counter Errata
A. All Japanese STPs have a speed (movement rating) of 32.
B. Canberra has a speed of 24 when damaged.
C. De Ruyter's armor value is 8 when damaged.
D. Australian 4*-4/3 fighters still have range 4 when damaged.
E. U.S. 4-3/1 air units are fighter/bombers and should have white silhouettes.
B0.5 Abbreviations
| Abbr | Explanation |
|---|---|
| ASW | Anti-Submarine Warfare |
| ATP | Air Transport Point |
| CRT | Combat Results Table |
| DRM | Die Roll Modifier |
| EP | Economic Point |
| HQ | Headquarters |
| MA | Movement Allowance |
| SOP | Sequence of Play |
| SP | Strength Point |
| STP | Sea Transport Point |
| TT | Turn Track |
| UK | United Kingdom |
PART 1: SEQUENCE OF PLAY
It is easier to start a war than to end one. -- Sabaru Kurusu, diplomat, February 1944
C0.0 MONTHLY AND SEASON TURN SEQUENCE OF PLAY
A. The SOP describes the steps players follow during the course of a turn in the World War II game. Use the turn track (TT) to record each turn as it is completed by moving the Month marker to the current turn. Place the Year marker in the appropriate box on the Year Track.
B. There are two types of turns in the game: seasonal turns (winter, spring, summer, and autumn) during which players adjust their economic status and purchase new units and offensive capabilities; and monthly turns (January to December) during which players perform the actual air, land, and sea operations of the war. Each year starts with the winter seasonal turn. Each seasonal turn is followed by three monthly turns.
C0.1 Monthly Turn Sequence of Play
C0.1.1 Weather Phase
Check the TT for the weather in the current month. If more than one possibility is listed, roll a die to determine the actual weather condition. Determine which weather zone suffers any possible weather effects; this always includes the Arctic zone, and may include the Monsoon or land zones, depending on the condition for the month. Roll two dice for each affected weather zone to determine whether air units in that zone are grounded for the turn.
C0.1.2 Strategic Warfare Phase
Resolve all strategic warfare attacks the US chooses to make. Strategic warfare is optional; players are never required to attack, so some or all of these steps may be skipped in many turns. Perform strategic warfare in the following order:
C0.1.2.1 Step 1: Strategic Bombing of Japan
Mark as committed attacking Allied bombers and fighters on the map. Japan marks defending fighters. Alternate committing additional fighters, if desired, until all participating fighters have been marked. Air-to-air combat is resolved. Total the surviving, unaborted bomber strength points and roll two dice, consulting the Bombing Table determine how many Japanese EPs are lost.
C0.1.2.2 Step 2: Submarine Blockade of Japan
Roll a die for every eligible Allied SS unit, and subtract the total EP loss from Japanese EP track. Place activated markers on all SS units that performed strategic warfare.
C0.1.3 Naval and Air Phase
The player with initiative decides which side performs this phase first. That side performs the following steps:
C0.1.3.1 Step 1: First Naval Movement
A. Move friendly naval units and sea transport points (STPs). Units are embarked and moved for amphibious assault and naval transport. Supply markers are embarked on STPs and moved from port of origin to port of destination.
B. Enemy naval and air units in interception range (5.0, 11.0) can move to intercept moving units. Friendly naval and air units in interception range of intercepting enemy units can perform counter-interception. Resolve combat in each space as it occurs, counterinterceptions before interceptions.
C. Naval units that do not occupy a port, but have used half or fewer of their movement points (MPs) can be marked Standby at the owner's option.
C0.1.3.2 Step 2: Air Attacks
Friendly air units that are attacking enemy naval or air units move to their target hexes. These air units can be intercepted by enemy fighters, which can in turn be counter-intercepted, and so on. Interception combat is resolved in each hex during movement as it occurs; however, combat is not resolved in any final target hexes until all airstrike movement has been completed (18.5).
C0.1.3.3 Step 3: Naval Attacks
Friendly naval units that have not performed a successful counter-interception this phase can attempt to intercept enemy units if the two stacks occupy the same space. Resolve combat in each space as it occurs.
C0.1.3.4 Step 4: Air Movement
Move friendly air units that are changing base. Air transport points (ATPs) can carry air supply markers and land units from origin to destination. Enemy fighter units can move to intercept moving friendly air units within range; friendly fighter units can counter-intercept moving enemy fighter units. Resolve combat in each hex as it occurs, before air units continue moving.
C0.1.3.5 Step 5: Final Air Movement
Return all air units from both sides to base. No interception or air combat occurs during this step. Air supply markers are landed, with transporting ATPs returning to their original bases, if desired.
C0.1.3.6 Other Side's Turn Now the other side performs the Naval and Air Phase, following the same sequence. After both sides have concluded Steps 1-5, they perform step 6 simultaneously.
C0.1.3.7 Step 6: Sea Supply Debarkation
Supply markers that have been transported by sea are debarked in their ports of destination.
C0.1.4 Offensive Phase
A. A nation from the initiative side performs an offensive, activating some or all of its units and following the procedure below. After this offensive, an enemy nation performs an offensive. The sides alternate until all nations have performed all desired (or eligible) offensives.
B. A player may choose to perform a land offensive, a sea offensive, or an air offensive (19.0). Combined and joint offensives, involving multiple simultaneous offensives, can be performed, sometimes requiring an EP cost for additional offensives. A sea offensive cannot combine with a land offensive, but an air offensive can combine with either type.
C0.1.5 Attack Sequence
C0.1.5.1 Step 1: Command Status
A. Reduce the country's total on the Offensives Track by one, or more if this is to be a combined offensive. Pay EPs if necessary for combined offensive or impromptu offensive costs.
B. Indicate the nation or island group where the offensive will occur; indicate all locations if this is a combined or joint offensive.
C0.1.5.2 Step 2: Land and Amphibious Offensive
Movement
A. Move all eligible ground units activated for this offensive (20.0).
B. Debark units that will perform amphibious assaults in their destination hexes (7.6).
C. Perform air offensive here, if an air offensive is combined with the land offensive.
C0.1.5.3 Step 3: Combat
A. Activate and move friendly paratroops making paradrops in this step (16.0).
B. Move friendly bomber units providing ground support to friendly attacks. Friendly fighter units can move to accompany the bombers. Enemy fighter units can intercept moving friendly units within range; friendly fighter units can counter-intercept moving enemy fighters. If air combat occurs, all attacks in a given hex are resolved before unaborted, moving air units continue on to further hexes.
C. The attacker designates the attacking ground units and the enemy held hexes to be attacked.
D. Eligible enemy bomber and fighter units move to provide ground support to defending hexes. They can be intercepted (and interceptors counter-intercepted) per B above.
E. Resolve all paradrops (16.2).
F. Conduct all ground attacks (21.0). Perform advance after combat (22.5) for each combat as it is resolved.
G. Return all air units from both sides to base. No interception or air combat occurs during their return.
C0.1.5.4 Step 4: Unit Status
A. Mark all air units that flew, for either side, as committed.
B. Mark ground units Activated or Standby, as appropriate.
C0.1.6 Sea Offensive Sequence
Use this sequence only when performing a sea offensive instead of a land or air offensive.
C0.1.6.1 Step 1: Command Status
A. Reduce your country's total on the offensives track by one, or more if this is to be a combined offensive. Pay EPs if necessary for combined offensive or impromptu offensive costs.
B. Indicate the stack of naval units that initiates the offensive (the command stack), or each stack initiating an offensive if this is a combined offensive.
C. Other stacks marked Standby can be activated during this offensive, if they are within range of the initiating stack (19.1).
C0.1.6.2 Step 2: Naval Movement
A. Friendly naval units marked standby which are activated for the offensive can move. They can use up to 10 MPs. Exception: Damaged units and STPs can move only 5 MPs.
B. This move is subject to interception by enemy naval and air units, just like during the Naval and Air Phase except:
-
Only enemy naval units marked Standby or Activated can intercept; and
-
Only enemy air units that have not been committed can fly.
C. Perform air offensive here, if an air offensive is combined with the sea offensive.
C0.1.6.3 Step 3: Offensive Naval Attacks
A. Activated naval units in spaces with enemy naval units can attempt to intercept and attack the enemy units.
B. Enemy units fight back regardless of activation status.
C0.1.7 Air Offensive Sequence
C0.1.7.1 Step 1: Command Status
A. Pay for offensive.
B. Indicate target hex(es) (maximum of two per air offensive).
C0.1.7.2 Step 2: Air Movement
Move attacking air units to target hexes, resolving interception attempts along the way.
C0.1.7.3 Step 3: Airstrikes
Resolve airstrikes.
C0.1.7.4 Step 4: Return to Base
Return all air units to bases and mark all units participating in the offensive (for either side) committed.
C0.1.8 Movement Phase
A. The side with initiative performs this phase first, followed by the opposing side. Only ground units that were not activated for any offensive can move during this phase.
B. Move eligible units as desired by the phasing side, within the limits of the movement rules. Units transported by sea are debarked and, if in a port hex, can move up to one hex.
C. Rail capacity can be used to move eligible land units by rail.
C0.1.9 End Phase
All sides perform this phase simultaneously.
C0.1.9.1 Step 1: Second Naval Movement
A. Return all naval units to ports, or pay 1 EP per area to maintain ships at sea (or 1 EP per 3 SS units). The initiative side moves its naval units first. Observe restrictions on movement during this step (4.7).
B. Resolve air interception of moving naval units as it occurs; no naval interception or combat occurs during this step.
C. STPs that reach ports can debark transported land units, though those units must remain in the port hexes.
C0.1.9.2 Step 2: Supply
Determine and mark units that are out of supply (25.0). Roll for depletion of units marked.
C0.1.9.3 Step 3: Replenishment
A. Japanese, Chinese, Australian, and Indian units in the Replenishment Box may be returned to the map (27.1, 37.2).
B. Attempt repair of destroyed installations (27.5).
C. Attempt completion of airfields using engineer units (27.6).
C0.1.9.4 Step 4: Command Status
Remove all Committed, Activated, and Standby markers.
C0.1.9.5 Step 5: End of Turn
Advance the month marker to the next turn. If the next turn is a Winter seasonal turn, advance the year marker to the next year.
C0.2 Seasonal Turn Sequence of Play
A. All players perform the individual phases of the seasonal turn simultaneously.
B. When everyone has completed one phase, the next begins.
C0.2.1 Phase One: Income
C0.2.1.1 Step 1: EP Collection
Collect seasonal income for major countries. Japan adds EPs for conquests.
C0.2.1.2 Step 2: Lend Lease to China
The US and the UK can send EPs to China; up to 12 EPs total can be sent (28.3).
C0.2.2 Phase Two: Construction
C0.2.2.1 Step 1: Additions To Force Pools
On Winter seasonal turns, consult the Allied and Japanese orders of battle to determine what new units should be added to each force pool for the upcoming year and add these units to the force pools. Place units that are designated for the TT into their appropriate boxes there.
C0.2.2.2 Step 2: Entering Delayed Units
Place units in the current seasonal turn box of the TT onto the map. Flip under construction airfields, fortification counters, and supply bases to their completed sides.
C02.2.2.3 Step 3: Construction and Repair
A. Rebuild depleted land and air units and repair damaged naval units, paying EP costs for all repairs.
B. Pay for and build units from the force pool, placing them on the TT or map as appropriate.
C. Japan can add points to its economic reserve, adjusting the ER marker.
D. Pay for offensives to be declared in the Initiative Phase.
C02.2.3 Phase Three: Initiative
C02.2.3.1 Step 1: Adjust Offensive Tracks
Adjust all offensives tracks to 0. All unused offensives left over from the previous season are lost.
C02.2.3.2 Step 2: Buying Offensives
A. Secretly mark the number of offensives purchased on the Offensives Tracks, revealing the tracks when all have been adjusted. The side with the most offensives has the initiative for the coming three months. If the totals are equal, roll a die for each side. The high roll gets initiative. Reroll ties.
B. When these phases and steps are completed, the seasonal turn is over. Move the Month marker to the next turn on the TT. After three monthly turns have been played, another seasonal turn begins.
PART 2: WEATHER
Bougainville, November 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. It rained today. -- Letter from a US Marine, November 1943 In WWII: PTO, weather can affect ground operations, prohibit air activity, and hamper naval interception. Check the weather for the current month by looking at the TT. If only one condition is listed (W, M, or F), that is automatically the weather for this month. If several letters and numbers are listed, roll one die. The resulting number indicates the weather condition for this monthly turn.
1.0 WEATHER EFFECTS
A. Three types of weather occur in the game: fair (F), Monsoon (M), and winter (W). The weather condition lasts for an entire month.
B. There are four weather zones on the map: Arctic, Land, Monsoon, and Fair. The effects of weather vary depending on the condition and the weather zone.
C. Movement effects apply to all units that enter a hex in an affected weather zone during the month.
D. Combat effects are determined by the weather in the defender's hex.
1.1 F Condition
Fair weather has no effect on play, anywhere on the map, except that air units may be grounded in the Arctic weather zone. Roll two dice; a 2-6 has no effect, but a 7-12 means that all air units are grounded in the Arctic weather zone.
1.2 M Condition
A. Monsoon weather affects the Monsoon and Arctic weather zones.
B. Roll separately for each zone to see if air units are grounded.
| Zone | No Effect | Grounded |
|---|---|---|
| Arctic | 2-7 | 8-12 |
| Monsoon | 2-6 | 7-12 |
C. The movement allowance (MA) of land units entering a hex in the Monsoon zone is reduced to 1 hex, regardless of terrain.
D. All attacks against land units in the Arctic and Monsoon zones suffer a -1 die roll modifier (DRM).
E. Attacks across rivers into a Monsoon hex suffer a -2 DRM instead of a -1 DRM, cumulative with the above penalty, for a total of -3 DRM.
F. A -1 DRM applies to all naval interception rolls in the Monsoon zone.
1.3 W Condition
Winter weather affects the Arctic and Land (or Temperate) weather zones.
A. Roll separately for each zone to see if air units are grounded.
| Zone | Grounded | No Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Arctic | 2-5 | 6-12 |
| Land | 2-7 | 8-12 |
B. Land units in the Arctic and Land weather zones lose 1 MP if they enter a hex in an affected zone.
C. Land attacks in the Arctic and Land weather zones suffer a -1 DRM.
1.4 Grounding Air Units
A. If air units are grounded in a weather zone, every type of air activity, including air reconnaissance, is prohibited in all hexes of that weather zone.
B. If more than one zone can be affected, make separate dice rolls for each zone.
PART 3: STRATEGIC WARFARE
Japanese cities, being made of wood and paper, would burn very easily. -- Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, October 1939
A. Strategic warfare is combat directed by the Allies against Japan's economy.
B. Successful strategic warfare subtracts EPs from Japanese EP track during the Strategic Warfare phase of each monthly turn.
C. EP losses are subtracted as soon as they are inflicted, and will be reflected by a negative total on the EP track, if necessary. Japanese EPs in economic reserve are never lost through strategic warfare; losses are marked with the standard EP markers instead.
2.0 STRATEGIC BOMBING
2.1 Eligible Units
A. Allied land-based fighter and bomber units not marked out of supply are eligible to conduct a strategic bombing attack if they can reach a city in Japan from their current bases. Japanese fighters (not out of supply) on bases within Japan are eligible to defend against the attack.
B. An air unit in a weather zone with grounded air cannot conduct strategic bombing. Likewise, a city cannot be the target of strategic bombing if air is grounded in its hex.
2.2 Procedure
A. The Allies indicate the bombers to perform strategic bombing this turn, marking them Committed. To have fighter escorts, the Allies must also commit at least one fighter (or fighter-bomber to function as a fighter) at the same time.
B. Next, if Japan chooses to defend against strategic bombing, it must commit at least one fighter. If the Allies committed an escort, they can respond by committing additional escort units. Both sides alternate committing fighters.
C. Once a side declines to commit more fighters, it forfeits the opportunity for the rest of that strategic bombing raid.
D. After all desired units have been committed, fight an air-to-air combat (12.0) between those units exactly as if they were flying a mission in the same hex. If many planes are involved, use an open space on the board to resolve this battle, using the commitment markers to indicate which base each bomber returns to.
E. After the air battle, the Allies total the strengths of all of surviving, unaborted bombers, then roll two dice, finding the result on the column of the Bombing Table corresponding to the total strength of his bombers.
F. The resulting number indicates the number of Japanese EPs lost to the attack. If an asterisk result indicates an Allied bomber step loss, the Allies immediately deplete a bomber of their choice.
G. All surviving air units that participated in strategic bombing remain on their bases, marked Committed, for the duration of the turn.
3.0 SUBMARINE INTERDICTION OF SHIPPING
3.1 Eligible Units
Allied SS units can perform strategic warfare if they occupy a sea area that is adjacent to a Japanese resource city (3.3). One SS unit per area can attack.
3.2 Procedure
A. The Allies indicates the SS units performing strategic warfare, marking each one Activated.
B. Roll one die per SS unit.
C. Apply a +1 DRM for each SS unit adjacent to a Japanese homeland city hex.
D. Apply a -2 DRM to US SS units with a 0-gunnery rating. Each individual die roll cannot be modified below zero.
E. The sum of the modified rolls equals the EP loss suffered by Japan.
3.3 Resource Cities
A resource city is any Japanese homeland city or any city that has generated EP income for Japan during the previous seasonal turn.
PART 4: NAVAL OPERATIONS
Dixon to carrier. Scratch on flattop. -- Lt. Commander Bob Dixon, May 1942
A. Naval units perform many functions in the game: They can transport land units and protect those land units from enemy naval units; they can intercept enemy naval units and transports and attempt to destroy them; and they may be able to add strength points to land attacks and defenses.
B. During the Naval and Air Phase, move naval units, conduct all ship-to-ship combat, and use sea transport points (STPs) to move friendly land and air units and sea supply markers by sea.
C. The side with the initiative for the season decides which side performs the Naval and Air Phase first. The decision is made separately for each monthly turn of the season.
D. The Allied nations can freely combine their naval units for movement and combat.
4.0 NAVAL MOVEMENT
A. Naval units perform many functions: they can transport land units and protect transports from enemy naval units; they can intercept enemy naval units and transports and attempt to destroy them; and they can participate in several types of strategic warfare.
B. During the Naval and Air Phase, move naval units, conduct ship-to-ship combat, and use STPs to move friendly land units, air units, and supply markers by sea.
C. The side with initiative for the season decides who performs its Naval and Air Phase first. The decision is made separately for each monthly turn of the season.
D. The Allies can freely combine their naval units for movement and combat.
4.1 Movement Points
A. The MA printed on each naval unit and STP equals the number of MPs available to the unit or transport fleet during the friendly Naval and Air Phase and again during the End Phase.
B. A unit can move up to its full MA in both phases, but is subject to naval and air interception during the friendly Naval and Air Phase, and air interception during the End Phase. Further restrictions apply to movement in the End Phase (4.7).
C. Naval units can perform limited movement during the enemy Naval and Air Phase to attempt the interception of moving enemy naval units (5.0). Interception movement never costs MPs.
D. Naval units activated for an offensive can use 10 MPs if undamaged; damaged units and STPs can use 5 MPs if activated.
E. During an enemy offensive, naval units marked Activated or Standby can perform interception movement.
4.2 Coastal Hexes and Sea Areas
A. Coastal hexes are light blue, to distinguish them from sea areas.
B. Sea Areas are divided by dashed lines. Most sea areas have a hex grid within them while a few, representing vast expanses of ocean, do not.
C. The hex grid in coastal hexes affects the movement of air and naval units. The hex grid in a sea area primarily affects the movement of air units (10.0); naval units use the grid only when tracing a specific path through a sea area in an attempt to avoid enemy air units, or when joining stacks during naval movement.
D. The term spaces describes both sea areas and coastal hexes when a rule applies to both.
E. Moving naval units must trace a path of connecting spaces as they move, expending MPs for each space entered.
F. Units can move through coastal hexes, sea areas, or any combination of spaces during their move, as long as they have sufficient MPs.
G. There is no limit to the number of naval units that can occupy a single space. The number of naval units that can enter a port, however, is restricted (4.8).
4.3 Movement in Coastal Hexes
Naval units spend 1 MP to enter a coastal hex. Naval units cannot pass through an all-land hexside even if it connects two coastal hexes; they must follow a water path.
4.4 Movement in Sea Areas
A. Naval units spend 5 MPs to enter a sea area, unless a different MP cost is listed for the area on the map. Example: An area labeled MP 20 costs 20 MPs to enter.
B. A unit cannot enter an area unless it has enough MPs remaining to do so, though a unit can always move one space during the Naval and Air Phase (but not the End Phase), even if the area moved into costs more MPs than the unit possesses.
C. When moving a naval unit through a sea area containing a hex grid, the moving side may trace an exact path through the area to attempt to avoid enemy air units whose ranges extend into that area. Regardless of the length of this path, the unit still pays only the basic movement cost for entering the sea area.
D. If no enemy air units can fly over the sea area, it is not necessary to trace an exact path of hexes through it. Units are simply moved from one area to the next, counting MPs as they are spent.
4.5 Movement During the Naval and Air Phase
A. Naval units can use their full MA during the Naval and Air Phase. Naval units that use half or less of their MA can be marked Standby during this phase, indicating their eligibility to move during the Offensive Phase.
B. SS units marked Activated cannot move during the Naval and Air Phase except to intercept or counterintercept.
4.6 Movement During the Offensive Phase
A. Naval units marked Standby can be activated to move during a sea offensive (19.1).
-
Activated naval units can use 10 MPs during an offensive, regardless of the unit's speed.
-
Damaged naval units and STP can use only 5 MPs. If the unit is damaged during the offensive, its MA immediately drops; if it has already used 5 MPs or more, it can move no farther.
B. Once a unit has been activated for an offensive, flip its Standby marker to its Activated side.
4.7 Movement During the End Phase
A. Naval units can use their full MA during the End Phase.
The side with initiative performs all End Phase naval movement first, followed by the other side. Units can move individually or in stacks, with the same restrictions that apply during the Naval and Air Phase.
B. Naval units beginning the End Phase in a port cannot move during the phase.
C. Air units can intercept enemy naval units entering their interception range in the End Phase, exactly as they can during the Naval and Air Phase. If they begin their movement already within range of the aircraft, the naval units can leave the interception range of an enemy air unit without being intercepted. Friendly air units can counter-intercept enemy air units. Committed or Standby status is ignored for air units performing interception (of enemy naval or air units) during the End Phase. An air unit can fly only once during the End Phase except that a naval air unit can fly as often as necessary to defend its carrier.
D. Naval interception and combat never take place during the End Phase. However, units are restricted in where they can move during the End Phase. A naval unit cannot move into a space within interception range (5.1) of an enemy naval unit (even though no interception can occur during the End Phase) unless one of the following conditions applies:
-
The moving stack contains more naval units and has a more gunnery points than all enemy vessels in interception range; or
-
The enemy vessels in interception range are marked out of supply. If some, but not all, enemy vessels are out of supply, those units do not count for purposes of calculating condition 1 above.
E. Naval units that begin their movement within interception range of enemy units can move, leaving the range of those units by whatever route the owner desires. However, if the moving units enter the interception range of additional enemy naval units, all units within interception range are counted when considering condition 1, above.
F. In the End Phase, any naval unit not in a friendly port must move to such a port and enter it, unless one of the following conditions applies:
-
The naval unit participated in strategic warfare this turn (U-Boats, surface raiders, and Iron Route interdictors) or occupies a convoy escort box;
-
The owner pays to keep the unit at sea. The cost is 1 EP per area with naval units in it (2 EPs if more than eight units occupy the area). Every two SS units cost 2 EPs, even if they are in different areas.
G. If all naval units cannot return to ports, the owning side must pay the EP cost to keep them at sea if it has the EPs. All naval units still at sea that were not maintained with an EP expenditure must be marked out of supply (26.7)
H. A US submarine marked Activated cannot use its End Phase movement to move into a position from which it can perform strategic warfare on the following turn. If it already occupies such an area, it can remain there, as long as the US pays the required EPs (F above).
4.8 Ports and Port Hexes
A. Ports are considered to be special areas within port hexes. Port hexes are coastal hexes. All normal movement, combat, and interception rules applying to coastal hexes apply equally to port hexes.
-
During the friendly Naval and Air Phase, units can enter and/or leave ports.
-
During the enemy phase, friendly units can leave ports (to intercept).
-
During the End Phase, units can only enter ports.
B. Whenever friendly naval units are eligible to move, the owning side can declare that its naval units in a port hex are entering (or leaving) the port. Naval units can enter friendly ports. They can also enter enemy ports that do not currently contain at least one battleship (BB) or heavy cruiser (CA). Entering and leaving a port costs no additional MPs. Some ships in a stack can be in a port while others remain in the hex, outside of the port. Ships in a port can join moving stacks as the stack enters the port hex; it is not necessary for the entire stack to enter the port.
C. Up to 10 friendly naval units of any kind can enter a minor port. An unlimited number can enter a major port.
D. A limited port is a city or airfield (including airfields under construction) not marked as a port, but which occupies a coastal hex. It serves as a port for supply purposes and for the return of naval units to port during the End Phase. A limited port can hold up to five naval units. It does not provide protection against interception by enemy units, however, regardless of whether a CA or BB is present.
E. All STP markers present in a port count as one naval unit, regardless of the number of STPs represented by the markers.
F. Naval units usually enter port by the end of each turn (4.7). Units in enemy ports are treated as if they are still at sea. Naval units can base in partner nation's ports.
G. Units cannot enter an enemy port that contains an enemy CA or BB unit. If a stack of units enters a port containing enemy DD, CV, or CL naval units, or STP markers, a naval battle occurs with automatic interception (5.7). Neither side can withdraw after the first round of battle (6.6).
H. If a friendly port hex is occupied by enemy land units, it instantly becomes enemy controlled. Friendly naval units in the port are immediately considered to be outside of the port, though they remain in the port hex.
4.9 Special Terrain Effects on Movement
Unusual terrain features are covered by the rules in this section.
4.9.1 US West Coast Ports Box
This box is considered to be a port with unlimited stacking capacity for all types of Allied units. It is usable once the US enters the war. It costs 1 MP for naval movement to the box from the East Pacific Ocean area. Movement to the ocean from the box costs 25 MPs. The box can never be entered by Japanese units.
4.9.2 Panama Hex
This hex serves as a minor port, with an airbase capacity of three air units. Land-based air units in the hex can operate in the Gulf of Panama area. Japanese units can invade here.
4.9.3 The Port of Manila
Manila is only usable as a port if the side controlling it also controls hex W3226 (Bataan).
4.10 Task Force Markers and Task Force Boxes
A. Each side has markers for 10 task forces. Use the stickers enclosed with the game to label 10 depressions on one of the clear plastic counter tray tops, one for each task force. The only purpose of these boxes is to allow players to keep large stacks of ships displayed to the side, moving the marker instead of the stack. All naval units in Allied Task Force 1, for example, are assumed to occupy the space on the map containing the Task Force 1 marker for all purposes, including movement, interception, and combat.
B. A task force must contain at least three naval units (Exception: dummy markers); if it ever contains fewer, remove the task force marker, and place the units on the map.
C. One empty task force marker may be deployed as a dummy during the Naval and Air Phase, if that side has no other dummy markers on the board.
D. A dummy marker can be moved in whatever fashion the owner desires. The owner can remove it at any time.
E. If a dummy marker is ever reconned by the opponent, it is removed from the board. No side can ever have more than one empty task force on the map at a time (Exception: US setup in Scenario 9).
5.0 NAVAL INTERCEPTION
A. Naval interception occurs during the Naval Movement steps of the Naval and Air Phase and during the Offensives Phase. A successful interception must occur before naval combat. A successful interception is always followed by naval combat (Exception: Evasion, 5.8).
B. Naval interception attempts are made after resolving air interceptions, air-to-air combat, and air-naval combat occurring in the same space.
C. Naval units trying to intercept enemy naval units can be moved up to the limits of interception range (5.1). This movement costs no MPs. Naval units attempting to intercept must move to the hex occupied by the enemy target stack, if there is a hex grid in the space.
D. Naval units and stacks from many different spaces can converge to intercept a single enemy stack in a single space.
E. The enemy stack must be within interception range of all intercepting units.
F. Conversely, either side can designate as few of its units as desired to attempt an interception; other naval units (even if within interception range) can remain in place, or make a later interception attempt.
G. Naval units intercepting an enemy stack can be counter-intercepted themselves (by enemy naval units not in the target stack) as they move to intercept. These enemy counter-interceptors are also subject to interception, and so on.
H. Once a stack has been declared to make a certain interception attempt, it cannot change its target for another enemy stack. Also, once a stack has been declared the target of an interception, it cannot itself make an interception attempt until its own is resolved.
I. Naval units can also be intercepted by air units. This is treated as air interception (11.0) followed by air-naval combat (13.0).
5.1 Interception Range Table
| Naval units located in | Can intercept enemy naval units that enter |
|---|---|
| A coastal hex or port | any coastal hex within 3 MPs or an adjacent area |
| A sea area | that sea area (including any hex within that area) or any coastal hex adjacent to that area |
5.2 Interception During the Enemy Naval Movement Step
A. Only enemy stacks that move can be intercepted, including those moving to perform counterinterception.
B. An interception attempt can be declared when an enemy stack first enters interception range or whenever the enemy units enter a different hex within that interception range.
C. Units leaving a port can be intercepted immediately as they leave the port, before leaving the port hex. Units entering a port from the port's coastal hex cannot be intercepted as they do so.
D. When a naval stack is moving through enemy interception range, the moving side must indicate each space entered (and each hex within a gridded sea area) and give the opposing side an opportunity to announce interceptions. Once the enemy stack moves into a space outside of interception range, it is too late to intercept. Neither side can declare an interception attempt in a space the enemy stack has vacated.
E. When an interception is declared, the moving side ceases moving and the intercepting side moves its intercepting naval units, one stack at a time, to the hex containing the enemy stack.
F. If there is no hex grid in the area, all stacks are assumed to be in the same space. Stacks already in the area can counter-intercept enemy stacks as those enemy stacks announce their interception attempts.
G. Intercepting stacks are subject to counter-interception. If a counter-interception is declared, the intercepting stack ceases movement while the counter-intercepting stack is moved. If the counter-interceptors are themselves intercepted, that stack ceases moving to allow the counter-counter-interception attempt, and so on.
H. A unit that has been declared the target of an interception attempt cannot announce an interception attempt of its own until all previously announced interceptions and resulting combats are resolved. If the target of a counter-interception survives the attack on itself, it can either continue to its original target or break off and stop movement.
5.3 Interception and Counter-Interception During the Friendly Naval Movement Step
A. Friendly units that perform counter-interception during the friendly naval and air step are governed by all the rules of 5.2.
B. Friendly units can perform counter-interception whether or not they have moved. However, friendly units that perform counter-interception during this step cannot perform any naval movement after the interception attempt.
C. If the attempt fails, the units can attempt further counter-interceptions of different enemy stacks in the same sea area or coastal hex.
D. Friendly naval units can also intercept enemy naval units that are not moving during this step. This is the only time a stationary stack can be intercepted. The naval units must move to the space occupied by the enemy units and stop there. At the conclusion of the movement of all friendly naval units and air attacks, the moving side make interception attempts. Naval units searching for non-moving enemy ships cannot make any other interception attempts during the step.
5.4 Interception and Counter-interception During a Sea Offensive
A. Units marked either Standby or Activated can intercept moving enemy units during an enemy sea offensive.
B. Only Standby units can counter-intercept during a friendly sea offensive.
C. After movement of naval units during a friendly offensive, Standby stacks of friendly units activated for this offensive can attempt to intercept enemy naval units in the same space.
5.5 Naval Search Procedure
A. This procedure follows immediately when an intercepting (or counter-intercepting) stack occupies the same space as its target Exception: The search procedure is unnecessary in cases where interception is automatic (5.7).
B. No other naval movement is allowed once all naval units making a single interception attempt have reached the space occupied by the target enemy naval units. All intercepting units in a space are treated as a single stack for purposes of this procedure.
C. All enemy units in a hex must be intercepted as a single stack. Exception: Enemy units that have previously attempted to intercept the friendly stack can be excluded at the searcher's option. Also, if some enemy units are in a port while others are in the port hex, the units in the port might be able to avoid interception (4.8).
D. All units making the interception attempt are sorted by their owner. With large stacks, it is helpful to display the ships in an open space on the table. The intercepting naval units may be divided into several groups, thus increasing the chance of successful interception, or they can be left in one large group, maximizing firepower in the event of a successful interception.
E. Total the number of the intercepting groups.
F. A stack can be broken into groups of at least six units. Exception: If fewer than six naval units make up the stack, they are treated as one group.
G. At least one unit in each group must have a gunnery rating (even a zero is sufficient). Example: A stack of 19 naval units could intercept as three groups (two of six units and one of seven units), two groups (one of six units and one of 13 units, or any other combination in which each group contains at least six units), or as a single, powerful stack of 19 units.
H. It is vital to remember that all searching ships in a hex (or space) form a single stack, even if they are divided into multiple groups. This affects the enemy's ability to evade (5.8), as well as how those ships are themselves intercepted.
I. Regardless of the number of searching groups, the target ships remain together as a stack.
J. The searching groups are now arranged in order from fastest to slowest, according to their MAs. The slowest unit in a group determines the group's speed.
K. The intercepting side rolls one die per searching group, beginning with the fastest. If the roll, after DRMs, is 7 or more, that group has located the enemy stack. Combat between ships in that searching group and the enemy stack is resolved immediately, before any other groups search. If the modified roll is less than 7, the searching group found nothing. Repeat the procedure for the next slower group.
L. Apply relevant DRMs:
| DRM | Condition |
|---|---|
| +1 | per searching group (this DRM always applies at least once) |
| +1 | if any friendly air units are based within range of the coastal hex, or any part of the sea area*, containing the enemy naval units. |
| +2 | if the interception attempt takes place in a coastal hex (light blue) |
| +1 | if the interception attempt is being made by an SS |
| -1 | if the target of the interception is an enemy SS |
| +2 | if the target units are performing an amphibious assault |
| +2 | if the target units are leaving a port, and the intercepting units occupied the port hex before interception movement |
| X | DRMs appropriate to the sea area being searched** |
* The air units do not have to be able to reach the enemy naval units' hex in the area; simply having at least one hex in range of friendly air units (and weather condition that allows flying) grants this modifier. This does not allow air units to attack naval units they cannot reach, but it does narrow the area that must be searched.
** Some of the large sea areas (the North and South Atlantic, most notably) impose modifiers of their own. These are indicated by the abbreviation INT followed by -2 or -3.
M. A search die roll of 6 always finds the enemy stack, regardless of modifiers. Likewise, a die roll of 1 always fails to find the enemy stack.
N. If a CV is part of a group that performs a successful interception in a sea area with no hex grid, a naval air unit carried by that CV can attack before any naval gunfire occurs. Conversely, if a CV is part of a group that is successfully intercepted, the naval air can fly once against each group that successfully intercepts before naval combat occurs, unless the CV is damaged or sunk.
5.6 Restrictions on Interception
A. A group can search for a given enemy stack once per step. A group can try to intercept the stack once in the enemy Naval Movement step and once in the friendly Naval Movement step of the same turn, however.
B. A naval unit or stack can conduct several searches during a step, but each search must be against a different enemy stack. Once a naval unit finds an enemy stack, it cannot search any more during that step. A single enemy stack can be intercepted and found numerous times, but each search must be made with different friendly naval units.
C. Naval units in a stack including at least one BB or CA occupying a friendly port cannot be intercepted.
D. Naval units entering a port from that port's coastal hex cannot be intercepted.
E. CVs and STP markers cannot search by themselves. They can be included in searching groups as long as at least one unit in the group has a gunnery rating of 0 or more. The CV's naval air unit can intercept enemy ships automatically even if the CV's group fails to find the enemy; it uses the air interception (11.0) procedure.
F. Numerous special considerations apply to interception by and of submarines (8.2 and 8.3).
5.7 Automatic Interception
A stack of naval units that can enter an enemy port (4.8) can automatically intercept enemy naval units in that port.
5.8 Evading Interception
A. Under certain conditions, a naval unit or stack can evade an enemy group which has successfully intercepted it. If the slowest unit in the intercepting group is slower than the slowest unit in the target stack, the target stack can evade that group. The intercepted side simply announces that its stack is evading and that ends the encounter.
B. There are several exceptions:
-
A group that intercepted automatically (5.7) cannot be evaded.
-
If the stack has already evaded one intercepting enemy group from the stack, it cannot evade any other groups from the same stack.
-
If the stack contains any BBs and it is in a coastal hex, it cannot evade.
-
If the avoided group contains any naval air units, those air units can still attack the enemy stack.
C. Evasion is completely optional, and the option remains open until it is used. An intercepted stack could choose to fight the first slower group that finds it and evade a subsequent group.
D. Once a stack has evaded an enemy group, it must face and fight all other groups which were part of the same intercepting stack and which succeed in finding it.
E. In a sea space without a hex grid, evasion must be announced before resolving naval air attacks. Once avoided, a group need not be fought, even if damage from naval air reduces the speed of the evading group to a point below the speed of the intercepting group.
F. If a stack survives all interception attempts during its own Naval Movement Phase, it can continue moving.
6.0 NAVAL COMBAT
A. Naval combat is combat between opposing naval units only. Combat between air units and naval units is airnaval combat (13.0).
B. Naval combat always occurs after successful naval interceptions, unless the intercepted stack evades (5.8). Only naval units with a gunnery rating of 0 or more can attack during naval combat. Naval units are not required to attack.
6.1 Combat Eligibility
A. When a naval stack is intercepted by an enemy group, all naval units in the intercepted stack can participate in the combat. On the other side, only the group that just intercepted fights; other groups which have not searched yet must await the successful resolution of their own interception attempts.
B. Under some circumstances, a side does not have to involve all of its eligible naval units in the battle. It may want to keep a CV or STP safe. Units held out of the battle cannot attack or be attacked during a combat round.
C. The side with the fewest naval units must commit its entire stack to the battle. The side with more units must commit at least one naval unit to the battle for each enemy naval unit with a gunnery rating. It can commit more units, but may withhold any eligible naval units above the required number out of the battle.
D. Units are held out of battle on a round-by-round basis. A side with more ships can hold some out in Round 1 and commit them on Round 2, or vice versa. If that side loses ships in Round 1, it may be forced to commit ships in Round 2 (because the enemy now has more ships involved).
6.2 Combat Procedure
A. A naval unit with a gunnery rating can attack during each round of naval combat. Naval units without gunnery ratings cannot attack, but can be attacked, unless they have been held out of combat.
B. Each attacking unit selects a target enemy unit. Attacks are made individually, in the Naval Combat Sequence (6.3).
C. To attack, roll two dice, adding the attacking ship's gunnery rating to the roll. If the result is greater than or equal to the armor rating of the target unit, the target is hit. Otherwise, the attack has no effect. Exception: A roll of 12 always is a hit, even if a 13 or greater is required to hit.
D. The armor rating of a BB unit is reduced by 1 in a coastal hex, including a port.
6.3 Naval Combat Sequence
A. Resolve each naval combat completely before any other interception attempts, movement, or other game activities are performed. A naval combat consists of up to two rounds of attacks. Naval combat ends after two rounds, even if both sides still have ships left.
B. The first round of naval combat is resolved in six subrounds corresponding to ships' gunnery ratings. At the beginning of the round, both sides should organize their ships into groups with identical gunnery ratings: all the zeroes together, all the ones together, etc.
C. In the first sub-round, all ships with gunnery ratings of 6 attack. These attacks are considered simultaneous; no damage is assessed until the end of the sub-round (6.5). In the second sub-round, all ships with gunnery ratings of 5 attack. Again, attacks are simultaneous. This continues through four more sub-rounds for ships with gunnery ratings of 4, 3, 2, 1, and 0.
D. While damage within a sub-round is inflicted simultaneously, the sub-rounds themselves are sequential. Example: If a ship with gunnery rating 3 is damaged by a ship with gunnery rating 4, that damage takes effect before the smaller ship gets to fire. If this damage reduces the ship's gunnery rating to 1, then the ship does not get to attack until the sixth sub-round (with other gunnery rating 1 ships). It could even by sunk by a second salvo from an enemy ship with gunnery rating 3 or 2 before it gets to fire at all.
E. After the first complete round (not sub-round) of combat, both sides have the option of withdrawing some or all of their units (6.6). If both withdraw all their units, combat is over. If any units remain, a second round of combat occurs.
F. The second round of combat has no sub-rounds. All surviving naval units with a gunnery rating fire simultaneously. After all attacks have been made, hits take effect (6.5).
6.4 Firing Restrictions
A. No naval unit can fire more than once per round of naval combat. Each naval unit can fire in only one subround of the first round of combat.
B. No naval unit can be attacked twice in a round unless every other unit on its side has been attacked at least once; no unit can be attacked three times unless all have been attacked at least twice; etc.
6.5 Effects of Hits Upon Naval Units
A. Naval units can be hit in naval combat and in air-naval combat. Hits either damage or sink naval units. The exact effect of a hit is determined by the attack roll.
B. If a naval unit is hit with a roll of doubles (e.g., two 6s), it is automatically sunk. A roll of doubles that is too low to score a hit (e.g., two 4s, when a 9 is needed to hit) has no effect. Also, a roll of a 12 does not automatically sink the target, if the attacking unit needed a 12 or more to score a hit; the naval unit is just damaged in this case.
C. When an undamaged naval unit is hit and the roll is not doubles, the unit is damaged. Flip it over so its reverse side (with the lighter background color) is showing. The unit continues to function with the ratings shown on its damaged side. If the unit was damaged during its Movement Phase, its damaged speed takes effect and might prohibit any further movement.
D. A damaged naval unit that is hit again is sunk.
E. A sunk naval unit is removed permanently from the game if it represents a single vessel (any naval unit with a name: BB, CA, CV). If it represents a squadron of vessels (naval units without names: CL, DD, DE, CVE, SS), it is returned to the force pool.
F. Damage to STPs works differently (7.9).
6.6 Withdrawing from Combat
A. After the first round of combat, each side decides whether to withdraw some or all of its units from combat. A side can withdraw up to half (rounded up) of its units, or all of them, but not more than half unless all are withdrawn. A side need not withdraw any units.
B. Decide secretly which units to withdraw by screening the forces from the opponent with one hand then simultaneously revealing the decision. Damage has no effect on whether a ship is allowed to withdraw, though damaged ships are easier to pursue.
C. If both sides withdraw all units, the battle is over. If any ships of either side remain, a second round is fought.
D. If neither side withdraws any units, all units fight in Round 2.
E. If both sides withdrew some units and left others behind, the units that were left behind fight Round 2 and all withdrawn ships escape safely. The side with the most ships still involved can hold its excess out of the battle, if desired.
F. If one side withdrew entirely and the other withdrew only partially, the ships that remained behind can fight Round 2 with the entire withdrawing enemy force. This is at the option of the side whose ships remained. It may decline to fight Round 2 after seeing the odds.
G. Naval units that withdraw from combat do not actually leave the combat space. They must remain in place for the duration of that step. They cannot attempt interception for the remainder of the step. They cannot participate in or aid (with gunnery) any amphibious assault during that turn.
7.0 SEA TRANSPORT AND AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT
A. A country's ability to move units and supplies by sea and to conduct amphibious assaults on hostile coasts is measured in STPs. Sea transport or assault originates in friendly port hexes. Exception: Evacuation (7.7).
B. Sea transport moves units to another friendly coastal hex; amphibious assault moves those units to an enemy shore.
C. Supply markers are necessary when land or air units are conducting a campaign in an area beyond the range of permanent supply sources (25.1). Supply markers can be transported from ports of origin to sea or to ports of destination during the Naval and Air Phase.
D. Purchase STPs during the Construction Phase of a seasonal turn and immediately place them on the map.
E. STPs move and can be attacked like other naval units. Each STP counter is treated as a separate naval unit during naval interception and combat STPs cannot attack during naval combat because they have no gunnery rating.
F. Each STP can be used for only one task per monthly turn.
G. STPs can be used to carry an ally's units.
H. STPs can be lost to air-naval combat or naval combat (7.9).
I. A combination of a CL and a DD unit can also serve as an STP for some purposes (7.8). These ad hoc STPs are not represented by STP markers on the board.
7.1 Sea Transport Point Markers
A. Each STP marker represents a specific number of STPs, from 1 to 2. The reverse represents a lower number than the front, not a damaged STP. The markers included in the game are an intentional limit on STPs in play; when all markers are in use with their front faces showing, no more STPs can be built (or split) until some are destroyed. All unused STP markers are stored in each side's force pool.
B. STP markers in the same space can be treated like change. STP marker substitutions can be made at any time, as long as the number of STPs in the space remains the same.
C. An STP marker can carry marine, infantry, armor, paratroop, and engineer units, and air units with ranges of 6 or less.
D. Several STP markers can combine to carry a single unit. Conversely, one marker can carry several units, if the marker represents sufficient STPs. More STPs may be used than the number required for a mission, making it possible to lose an STP or two in combat without abandoning the objective or losing the transported unit.
E. All units carried by STPs must be stacked under the marker when they embark, and they move with it as it moves. Take care about stacking order when STPs are involved; if there is ever doubt, any eligible unit that is stacked directly beneath an STP is assumed to be aboard that STP.
7.2 Capability in Naval Transport and Amphibious Assault
A. The capability of STPs to move units by sea is listed on the Transport Table.
| STPs/unit | Transporting |
|---|---|
| 1* | Infantry, paratroop, marine, engineer |
| 2 | Armor, air unit |
| 3 | American corps |
| 1 | Supply marker |
* per division or brigade
B. Evacuation requires double the listed amount of STPs (7.7).
C. Transporting a unit to be debarked in a friendly coastal hex that is not a port also requires double the listed number of STPs.
D. Transporting a unit for amphibious assault requires double the listed number of STPs if the assault units are carried a distance of 6 MPs or less. The STP requirement is tripled if the assault is carried farther than 6 MPs. Exception: Japanese marines (special naval landing forces) cost only 1 STP to transport for an amphibious assault, regardless of the distance traveled.
E. Corps (except American) and armies cannot be transported by sea.
7.3 Moving STPs
A. An STP marker moves like a naval unit and is subject to all the rules and restrictions of naval movement (4.0). Any number of STP markers in a stack count as a single naval unit for stacking in ports, regardless of how many STPs are represented by the markers.
B. STPs can remain at sea during the End Phase, like other naval units. If a stack containing an STP is marked out of supply, all embarked units in that stack are also out of supply. Embarked land units suffer the normal attrition effect (26.5).
7.4 Embarking Units
A. Units occupying ports can embark for transport or amphibious assault during the friendly Naval Movement Step of the Naval and Air Phase. All units embarked by a single STP marker must occupy the same friendly port at the start of the Naval and Air Phase.
B. When embarking for transport or supply, the STP marker can move to the port containing the units or supply marker and pick them up.
C. If embarking units for an amphibious assault, the STP must begin the phase in the same port as the units to be transported.
7.5 Debarking Transported Units
A. Transported units debark into the same hex occupied by the STP marker. Transported units can never debark into a neutral or enemy-controlled hex.
B. Transported sea supply markers must debark at the end of the Naval and Air Phase if they are in a friendly port.
C. Transported land or air units can debark during an Offensive Phase, during the Movement Phase, or during the End Phase.
D. Transported land units can be activated during a friendly offensive, debarking during that offensive, if the transporting STPs are marked Activated or Standby.
-
If the coastal hex containing the STP marker and the transported units is a friendly port, the debarked land units can move one hex.
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If the coastal hex does not contain a port, the transported units cannot leave that hex for the remainder of the Offensive Phase.
-
Debarking units can participate in attacks. Units that debark and attack in the same Offensive Phase cannot advance after combat.
E. Transported land units not activated for an offensive can debark during the Movement Phase, subject to the same restrictions and MA as units debarking during an Offensive Phase.
F. If the units do not debark during the Movement Phase, they can debark during the End Phase. Units debarking during an End Phase must debark in a port hex and cannot leave that hex.
G. Air units can debark from an STP during the Movement Phase or the End Phase. Air units must debark into a friendly port hex with enough basing capacity (10.2) to hold that unit. The air unit cannot move from that port for the duration of the turn. Weather conditions do not affect air units' ability to debark from (or embark on) STP markers.
7.6 Debarking Units For Amphibious Assault
A. Land units can debark in an enemy-controlled coastal hex by performing an amphibious assault during a friendly land offensive. They must begin the phase aboard STPs marked Activated or Standby, and the transports must occupy the coastal hex under assault. Land units must be activated for that offensive in order to debark, and they must attack when they debark.
B. The presence of enemy land, air, or naval units in a hex does not prevent a friendly amphibious assault from occurring there (though they might affect its success).
C. Units performing an amphibious assault cannot leave the landing hex during that Offensive Phase.
D. All units attacking the same hex via amphibious assault must attack as one group during the same offensive; thus, no hex can be attacked by more than one amphibious assault in a single turn.
E. Units in the transport fleet cannot be held out of the first offensive and then activated for a later assault if the first one fails. However, units aboard ships can be kept in Standby; if the assault gets ashore, the standby units can be activated in a subsequent offensive in an effort to enlarge or reinforce the beachhead.
F. Only as many units as can stack in the assaulted hex can participate in the amphibious assault.
G. After the assaulting units debark, the target hex must be attacked even if there are no enemy units in it. An empty coastal hex has 1 SP when defending against amphibious assault (Exception: 21.2).
H. Naval units in the target hex can use their gunnery ratings to contribute strength points (SPs) to the assaulting (or defending) units (21.2).
I. The assault is successful if all enemy land units are eliminated or forced to retreat from the hex. If there were no enemy land units in the hex, the assault is successful on any combat result requiring a defender retreat or step loss. Following any assault, surviving attacking units must remain in the coastal hex. If the assault was successful, a supply marker is stacked with the assaulting units.
J. If the assault is unsuccessful, surviving attacking units are left in the coastal hex, but no supply marker can be landed.
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If no enemy units occupied the hex, it becomes friendly to the assaulting player at the end of the current offensive.
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If enemy units still occupy the hex, it remains controlled by the enemy. (This is the only case where friendly and enemy land units can stack together in the same hex.)
K. Attacking units that survive in a hex after an unsuccessful amphibious attack cannot use any installations in the hex, nor do they receive any terrain benefits from terrain in the hex. (Thus, four Japanese marine units may attempt an amphibious assault into a port hex, but if the assault fails, one of the attacking units is automatically eliminated because of overstacking.)
-
If they are forced to retreat before gaining control of the hex, they are eliminated.
-
They can only attack, and be attacked by, enemy units in the hex. Further friendly units (but not supply markers) can debark by naval transport into the hex during subsequent turns, if stacking limits allow.
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Friendly units occupying and controlling adjacent hexes can join the stranded units in attacking the enemy units controlling the landing hex.
7.7 Evacuations
A. Evacuation is the only kind of transport mission that allows units to embark from a non-port hex.
B. Paratroop, engineer, marine, and infantry units occupying a coastal hex can be embarked during the friendly Naval and Air Phase aboard an STP and/or DD/CL combination (7.8).
C. Evacuation requires twice as many STPs as a normal transport mission. In addition, evacuated land units can be moved no more than 12 MPs and must end that move at a friendly port. If they fail to do so, the evacuated units are eliminated at the end of the Naval and Air Phase.
D. Armor and air units can never be evacuated.
7.8 DD/CL Transport
A. A DD unit and a CL unit that are stacked together can function as 1 STP for transport (including amphibious assault) of infantry or marine brigades, engineer units, or supply markers. DD/CL transports cannot carry armor or air units. The naval units do not have to begin movement stacked together, but they must remain stacked for the entire time they carry the unit(s).
B. Two DDs and two CLs are required to carry a division for an amphibious assault (one of each for a brigade).
C. The ships must start in the same port as the assaulting unit. The naval units can carry the assaulting unit up to half of their naval movement. Unlike an amphibious assault involving STPs, there is no increase in transport requirements if the units travel more than 6 MPs to their target hex, as long as the units are transported exclusively by DD/ CL combinations and no STPs are involved in the assault. Of course, like any amphibious assaulting units, the stack must be placed on Standby during the Naval and Air Phase.
D. If a stack containing a DD/CL transport mission is attacked, the owner must identify which naval units are performing the transport. If either naval unit is sunk, the unit transported is considered eliminated (7.9).
7.9 STPs in Naval Combat
A. In naval combat, each STP counter in the stack is treated as a separate naval unit.
-
The number of attacks that can be directed against STPs equals the number of counters in the stack; no STP counter can be attacked twice until every other naval unit has been attacked once; etc.
-
Each time an STP marker is hit, 1 STP is lost. A roll of doubles has no additional effect against an STP counter.
-
Return a destroyed STP counter to its force pool.
B. Even though the counters are attacked individually, STP counters do not represent distinct ships, but transport capacity. Thus, units that are being transported are not aboard specific STP counters, but are borne by the stack as a whole. As long as there are sufficient STPS left in the stack to carry the transported units, no units are lost.
C. If the number of STPs in the stack falls below the minimum necessary to transport the units in that stack, transported units must be eliminated by the owner until the surviving STPs are sufficient to carry the remainder.
D. The side performing an amphibious assault can, at any time downgrade the mission to a simple transport if STP losses are such that it no longer has enough to meet the amphibious assault requirement.
E. An evacuation mission, however, cannot be converted to a transport mission. The owner must eliminate one or more of the evacuated units if its STP total falls below the required number for an evacuation.
8.0 SUBMARINES
A. Submarines (SS) are naval combat units with special procedures for interception and combat. Each counter represents a group of submarines.
B. If the counter is hit in combat, it is sunk. SS have no depleted side. Return sunk SS to the force pool.
8.1 Moving Submarines
A. SS move like regular naval units.
B. They cannot stack with other friendly naval units (including other SS) outside of ports, though they can occupy the same area as other friendly units.
C. They can enter a hex containing other friendly units if they intend to depart that hex immediately.
D. They cannot be part of a fleet.
8.2 Intercepting Submarines
A. SS cannot be intercepted during movement.
B. SS in friendly ports can be intercepted by bomber or naval units exactly as any other naval squadron in a port.
C. SS at sea can be intercepted by a special procedure.
D. Enemy SS not in ports can be intercepted during Step 2 or 3 of the friendly Naval and Air Phase.
E. Air units and SS, DD, or DE units in the same space as an enemy SS can attempt to intercept the it. Air units attempt first; then the naval units.
F. To intercept an enemy SS at sea with an air unit:
-
The air unit must be a bomber or a fighter-bomber and it must be in the same space as the enemy SS.
-
Roll one die, adding the number of bomber and fighter-bomber units in the space. Apply a -2 DRM if the attempt is being made in a weather zone that does not currently have fair weather.
-
On a 7 or more, the SS has been intercepted.
-
An intercepted SS can be attacked once by only one air unit, regardless of how many were involved in the search.
G. DD and DE units follow the standard naval search procedure when intercepting an SS.
- They are divided into groups and each group rolls to intercept the SS. In addition to normal interception modifiers (for number of groups, presence of air units, weather, and space), a -1 DRM applies to SS searches.
H. If the SS is found, naval combat occurs between the intercepting group and the SS. The SS can attack any naval units in the intercepting group, not just the DD/DE units. If the SS survives the first round and withdraws, the enemy cannot pursue.
I. SS units must intercept enemy SS units alone. The +1/-1 DRMs of 8.2 and 8.3 cancel each other. If the interception is successful, a naval battle is fought between the SS units. Unlike normal naval combat, however, the intercepting unit shoots first each round; if the enemy is hit, it is sunk before it can return fire.
8.3 Interception by SS
A. An SS always intercepts by itself (since it cannot stack with any other units), following the normal procedure for interception by a single naval unit, with one modification: an SS receives a +1 DRM to its search roll.
-
More than one SS can try to intercept an enemy stack in the same area, but not in the same hex. Each SS must intercept individually.
-
The presence of other friendly SS or naval units in the area has no effect on an SS search die roll.
-
SS can also use automatic interception (5.7) in the same situations where it would be allowed by a surface unit.
-
SS cannot be evaded.
B. If the intercepted enemy stack contains no DD or DE units, the SS can attack the stack twice, and then the combat is over. No surface units other than DDs and DEs can fire at the sub.
C. If the intercepted enemy stack contains DD or DE units, the intercepted side rolls a die before combat begins.
-
If the roll is equal to or less than the total number of DD and DE units in the stack, those DD/DE units can attack the SS before it attacks.
-
If the roll is higher than the number of DDs plus DEs, the SS is not detected until after its first attack. A roll of 5-6 always fails, even if more than four DD/DEs are present.
D. SS that survive the initial DD/DE attack or escape detection can make one attack against any ship or STP marker in the enemy stack.
E. After its first attack, an SS may withdraw from combat with no pursuit, or it can fight a second round. If the SS fights a second round it gets one more attack, and all DD and DE units in the enemy stack attack the SS. All attacks in the second round are simultaneous.
8.4 Combat Involving SS
A. SS can only use their gunnery rating as a DRM when attacking named naval units.
B. Against squadrons or STP markers an SS has a gunnery rating of 0.
C. US subs with GR= 0 are considered to have GRs of -2 against unnamed counters.
D. Increase the armor rating of a DD or DE by 1 when it is attacked by an SS unit.
8.5 Standby/Activated Status for SS
A. SS are never marked Standby, regardless of how far they move during the Naval and Air Phase. However, all SS (except those marked Activated during strategic warfare) are considered to be on standby status at the start of the Offensive Phase. SS activated for offensives are thus marked at the time of the offensive.
B. A sub marked Activated has an additional restriction during End Phase movement (4.7).
PART 5: AIR OPERATIONS
I saw a glint in the sun ...like a beautiful silver waterfall. It was the dive bombers coming in." -- Commander John Thach, June 1942 Air operations in the game encompass air attacks against aircraft and naval units, support of ground attacks, bombing of installations, transport of paratroop and infantry units through the air, and also strategic warfare, detailed previously in Part 3.
9.0 USING AIR UNITS
A. All air units can move (to attack or change base) during the Naval and Air Phase, unless they have been committed for strategic warfare or are grounded by weather.
B. Air units can also move and attack during one friendly or enemy Offensive Phase (intercepting enemy air units or lending support to ground attacks, attacking enemy air and naval units and installations, or changing base).
C. An air unit may also be allowed to move and attack during the End Phase.
D. Specific air activities are referred to as missions.
-
An air mission begins when a unit leaves its base and ends when it returns.
-
An air unit on a mission can usually attack only one enemy occupied hex (though it may be entitled to several attacks in that hex). However, if a fighter is intercepted on the way to its destination, it can attack the intercepting unit(s); if it is not aborted in that combat, it can continue on to attack in its destination hex (or even to fight another air battle if it is intercepted again).
E. Combat occurs when air units occupy hexes containing enemy air units (air-to-air combat), enemy naval units (air-naval combat), enemy land units (ground support), or enemy installations (airstrikes).
9.1 Types of Air Units
9.1.1 Fighters
An air unit with an asterisk beside its combat strength and a quality rating in the upper right corner is a fighter unit. It can attack enemy air units, but not enemy naval units or installations. All fighter units have black silhouettes.
9.1.2 Bombers
A. An air unit with no quality rating (or a circled QR) on the counter is a bomber.
B. A bomber can attack enemy naval units and installations, and it can add SPs to land attacks and defenses during offensives.
C. Bombers cannot attack air units.
D. If the combat strength of a bomber is underlined, that strength is halved (round down) when the bomber attacks naval units.
9.1.3 Fighter-Bombers
A. An air unit with a quality rating, no asterisk beside its combat strength, and a white silhouette is a fighterbomber. It has the capabilities of both types; rules that apply specifically to fighters or bombers apply to fighter-bombers as well.
B. A fighter-bomber must function as one or the other type (not both) on a single mission. The owner must announce what function the unit will perform before air-air attacks are declared, but after all friendly and enemy air units involved in a combat have flown to the combat hex.
9.1.4 Naval Air Units
An air unit with a Naval designation is a fighter-bomber unit that can base on an aircraft carrier (CV), light carrier (CVL), escort carrier (CVE), or a land base. In all other respects it is treated as a normal air unit. Because all naval air units are fighter-bombers, all have white silhouettes.
9.1.5 Air Transport Points
A. ATPs are not air units, but many of the rules pertaining to air units apply to ATPs as well. They can carry paratroops on paradrop missions, infantry, or paratroops on air transport missions, and can also haul air supply markers from origin to destination hexes.
B. ATPs do not count against air units for purpose of airbase stacking limits; however, no more ATP counters can base at a hex than the number of air units that could base at the same hex.
9.2 Using Air Units For Strategic Warfare
A. During the Strategic Warfare Phase, Allied air units can attack and Japanese air units defend in a strategic bombing mission.
B. Any air unit that participates in this mission is marked committed for the month/turn and can perform no other missions.
9.3 Missions During the Friendly Naval and Air Phase
During the friendly Naval and Air Phase, an air unit can perform one of these missions:
9.3.1 Change Base
A. The air unit moves from one friendly base to another. The new base must be within twice the air unit's range. The air unit can make three such hops when changing base. Each hop must be to a friendly air base. Stacking limits apply at the end of each unit's change-of-base mission, but not during the intermediate stops along the way.
B. A unit that changes base cannot engage in combat unless it is intercepted by enemy fighters as it moves. If intercepted, and then aborted in air combat, it must return to the last base where it stopped during the course of its rebasing flight.
9.3.2 Attack Enemy Naval Units
A bomber (or fighter-bomber) unit can move to a stack of enemy naval units within range of the bomber's base and attack. The bomber can counter-intercept enemy naval units that move to intercept friendly naval units.
9.3.3 Attack Enemy Air Units
A fighter can move to an enemy airbase within range and attack air units there. A fighter that has not yet moved during the phase can counter-intercept an enemy fighter that is moving to intercept other friendly air units.
9.4 Missions During the Enemy Naval and Air Phase
A friendly air unit can fly one interception mission during this phase, against a moving enemy unit within range. Bombers can intercept moving enemy naval units; fighters can intercept moving enemy air units.
9.5 Missions During the Friendly Offensive Phase
A. Only friendly air units that are uncommitted at the start of the phase can move or attack. They must be committed as they do so.
B. The missions flown depend on the type of offensive (land, air, or sea). Regardless of the type, an air unit can fly only one mission during an offensive, and it can fly in only one offensive per turn. Exception: Naval air units based on CVs may be able to fly multiple missions.
9.5.1 Friendly Land Offensive
A. Bombers and fighters can fly ground support missions by moving to an enemy-controlled hex under attack. Only bombers contribute SPs to ground attacks, but either type's presence counts for the air superiority combat DRM (14.2).
B. Fighters that do not fly ground support can counterintercept enemy air units intercepting friendly air units or performing defensive ground support.
9.5.2 Friendly Sea Offensive
Bombers can attack enemy naval units in the same hex with friendly naval units; fighters can counter-intercept intercepting enemy air units.
9.5.3 Friendly Air Offensive
Bombers can attack installations or naval units; fighters can attack enemy air units or counter-intercept moving enemy air units. Units that do not attack can change base per 9.3.
9.6 Missions During the Enemy Offensive Phase
A. An uncommitted air unit can fly a mission during an enemy Offensive Phase, becoming committed as it does so.
B. During any enemy offensive, uncommitted friendly fighters can intercept moving enemy air units within range of the fighters' bases.
C. Air units may perform missions during enemy offensives.
9.6.1 Enemy Land Offensive
A. Friendly fighters or bombers can fly ground support over friendly-controlled hexes under enemy attack.
B. Friendly fighters can intercept moving enemy air units within range.
9.6.2 Enemy Sea Offensive
During an enemy sea offensive, friendly bombers can intercept moving enemy naval units.
9.6.3 Enemy Air Offensive
Friendly fighters can intercept moving enemy air units.
9.7 Air Reconnaissance
A. Air reconnaissance is not an air mission: no air units move to perform it and it is not assigned to a particular unit. Air reconnaissance can be performed by any side at any time and as often as desired after the Weather Phase of a monthly turn. Air reconnaissance is not allowed during seasonal turns.
B. Air reconnaissance entitles the examination of enemy stacks within range of any friendly air unit. Any and all enemy stacks can be examined, though the enemy must be shown that a friendly air unit is within range of the stack. This reconnaissance extends to examining the face-down side of an under-construction installation marker and the contents of supply bases and task forces (however, see 11.7).
C. Air reconnaissance of a hex is not permitted if weather conditions prohibit air operations over a hex or ground all friendly air units within range of the hex.
10.0 MOVING AIR UNITS
The range of an air unit represents the number of hexes it can fly from its base when performing a mission, and again when returning to base at the end of the mission. Exception: Changing base, (9.3.1).
10.1 Terrain Effects on Movement
10.1.1 Sea Areas with Hex Grid
A. Air units move into and through these areas as they do over land and coastal hexes. The area boundaries have no effect on air movement. Instead, the hex grid regulates all air (including naval air) movement.
B. It is possible for naval units to be in a sea area but outside the range of enemy air units flying over that area. This is why naval units must show a path of movement through the hex grid when passing through such an area (4.4).
10.1.2 Sea Areas Without Hex Grid
A. Land-based aircraft cannot enter these areas. Exception: Land-based air in Panama can fly in the Gulf of Panama.
B. A naval air unit can perform missions only within the area occupied by its CV base. The naval air unit has sufficient range to reach any naval unit (or enemy naval air unit) within the area.
10.2 Basing
A. An air unit must have a base designated for it at all times, even when it is in the air. When an air unit is in the process of changing base, its designated base is always the last base it occupied, however briefly.
B. One air unit can base on a friendly city (including ports) or small airfield marker. Two air units can base on a large airfield, major port, or supply base; these locations are considered two bases in effect. All basing is cumulative, so a major port with a small airfield and a supply base marker can hold five air units.
C. An airbase can hold its capacity in both combat air units and ATPs. Example: A small airfield can hold one fighter and one ATP marker.
D. After completing a mission, the air unit must return to the same base from which it took off. Exceptions: When a naval air unit is performing a mission and its CV base is damaged or destroyed (10.4.3) and when changing base (10.3.2).
E. If a land airbase is occupied by an enemy land unit, or if the airbase installation is destroyed (22.6), each air unit based there is allowed to immediately evacuate to any other friendly airbase within two times the air unit's range. If no such base exists, the air unit is eliminated. The air unit can evacuate even if weather would prevent air operations (an exception to 1.4). The air unit cannot be intercepted as it rebases and it must move to an unoccupied base closer to its nearest supply source, if possible. It can overstack on a base if necessary (10.4).
F. Allied air units with a range of 7 or more can change base from the US West Coast to Panama, Hawaii, or Alaska; such a change counts as one hop.
G. Allied air units with ranges of 6 or less can change from the West Coast to Panama or Alaska, but this is considered to be all three hops of the base change.
10.3 Basing on Aircraft Carriers
10.3.1 Carrier Capacity
A. A naval air unit can base on a CV, CVL, or CVE unit of its own nationality.
B. CVEs can carry only naval air units that have 1 SP at full strength.
C. CVLs (white silhouette) can carry up to 2 SPs of naval air units (including depleted two-step naval air units).
D. CVs can carry up to 3 SPs of naval air units.
E. Carriers can carry only air units of their own nationality. Exception: US CVs can carry U.K. air units.
10.3.2 Changing Base
A. Naval air units change base like all air units; the difference being that CVs as well as land bases serve as bases for them.
B. A CV can serve as the start or end of a naval air unit's change of base.
C. A CV cannot serve as an intermediate base during the course of a base change, however.
D. The Naval and Air Sequence allows CV units to perform naval movement before air units (including naval air)
change base.
10.3.3 Effect of Damaged/Sunk Carriers
A. If a CV unit is sunk while a naval air unit is aboard, that naval air unit is immediately eliminated and returned to the force pool.
B. If a CV is damaged, a naval air unit aboard cannot perform any mission except to change its base; once on a new base it can function normally.
C. A naval air unit can land on a damaged CV.
10.3.4 Hornet Bomber Unit
The 1-9 bomber unit which comes on the Hornet can take off from the carrier once, but cannot land on any carrier. Its first mission can combine rebasing with an attack.
10.4 Overstacking on Airbases
A. It is occasionally possible to place more air units on an airbase than it can actually support. A base can never have more than two air units on it; additional units are destroyed if no other base is available. A large airfield, since it is two bases, could hold four air units under certain conditions.
B. Overstacking is allowed only in the following circumstances:
10.4.1 Airbase Capture
When an airbase is captured, an air unit on that base can move to a base already containing a friendly air unit if no vacant base is available.
10.4.2 Changing Base
A. When changing base, an air unit can stop at a base already holding a friendly air unit. An occupied base cannot be the ultimate destination of the base change, however. To relocate to an already occupied base, the air unit on the must first move to another base. If the first unit cannot relocate, the second cannot move in.
B. An air unit that aborts while changing base must return to the last base it occupied, even if that base already contains a friendly air unit.
10.4.3 Damaged or Destroyed Carrier
A. When a carrier is destroyed or damaged while its naval air unit is airborne, that naval air unit can rebase to a land base within twice the unit's range, even if that base already holds an air unit.
B. A carrier can never hold two air units, but a naval air unit could return to a different CV if its own was sunk, as long as it was the only air unit on the CV. In effect, the owner gets to choose which air units are ditched when there are too few carrier bases for them all.
10.4.4 Overstacked Airbases
A. Stacking order is significant on an overstacked airbase. The top air units (up to the hex's capacity) are based in the hex and function normally. Excess units beneath can perform no missions during the current phase. In an upcoming phase they can only change base.
B. If the base is destroyed or captured, excess air units are destroyed. If the air unit based on the hex is destroyed, the excess air unit can then use the base normally. Otherwise, the stacking order is determined at the moment of overstacking and can be changed only during a friendly Naval and Air Phase.
C. Once an airbase becomes overstacked, there is no obligation to move units off. Excess units can remain overstacked (and in enforced idleness) as long as the owner wants.
D. If enemy fighters attack an overstacked base and outnumber flying defenders in either the first or second round of air-to-air combat, the extra attacking fighters can attack overstacked units on the ground. The overstacked units may not fight back and their quality rating is automatically 0 for this combat. They are unaffected by aborted results (i.e., if an overstacked unit is hit and aborted on the first round, it will still be there and can be attacked again in the second round).
10.5 Building Airfield Markers
A. Only one completed airfield marker can occupy a given hex.
B. Airfield markers can never be built in mountainous terrain.
C. Only small airfields can be built in jungle terrain or small (black dot) islands.
D. A second small airfield can be constructed in a clear terrain hex. When it is completed, the small airfield marker is replaced with a large airfield.
E. A large airfield marker can be built in a hex without an airfield, unless the hex can hold only a small airfield.
| Airfield Size | Terrain |
|---|---|
| None | Mountain |
| Small | Jungle |
| Small | Small (black dot) islands |
| Large | Clear |
10.6 Stacking in the Air
A. There is no limit to the number of air units that can stack together in flight in the same hex. Units in a stack can combine to perform a single mission, or can perform individual missions, as the owner chooses.
B. However, air units flying from different bases and joining en route to a destination hex cannot all move to one hex individually and then continue on. The first plane to take off must fly to the next base to pick up the second unit, then both fly to the third base, etc. Each air unit pays MPs only for the hexes it actually moves into.
11.0 AIR INTERCEPTION
A. Air interception can occur whenever air missions are performed or whenever naval movement occurs. A bomber is eligible to intercept enemy naval units only. A fighter is able to intercept enemy air units only.
B. When performing air interception, move an air unit from its base to a space containing the enemy air or naval unit(s). Usually this will occur as the enemy units are moving. Exception: Intercepting Stationary Air Units (11.5).
11.1 Interception Procedure
A. The intercepting side declares the interception when an enemy unit enters a hex within range. The enemy unit must immediately cease moving until the interception and subsequent combat are resolved.
B. The interception attempt need not be declared when the enemy unit enters the first hex within interception range; it can wait until the unit moves farther. If the enemy moves out of interception range, however, it is too late.
C. An air unit taking off from its base can be intercepted in that base hex, before it moves into another hex.
D. An air unit may intercept an only within its range. Interception can be declared whenever an enemy unit enters a hex in range of an air unit (also see 11.5).
E. Unlike naval interception, no search is required. Air units find their targets automatically. Air units cannot evade air interception. Air interception always results in combat. However, the optional search rule (11.7) affects the interception of moving naval units by bombers.
F. An enemy unit can be intercepted in each hex it enters, but each interception must be performed by a different air unit. All air units intercepting a single enemy unit or stack in a single hex must move to that hex before any combat is resolved. They need not move in as part of the same stack.
G. After combat is resolved, intercepting units remain in that hex until all air units return to bases. Moving units that were intercepted can resume their movement, if they were not aborted or eliminated by air combat.
11.2 Counter-Interception
A. Air units moving to intercept enemy air or naval units can be counter-intercepted by enemy air units still on their bases. Counter-interception can occur in any space the intercepting unit enters, including its base hex as it takes off, or the enemy-occupied hex that is the intercepting unit's destination.
B. Counter-intercepting enemy units can be themselves intercepted (counter-counter-intercepted, technically) by friendly units still on their bases, and those friendly units can be intercepted by other enemy units (still on bases), etc. This sort of chain reaction can continue until one or both sides have no more eligible air units within range.
C. Counter-interception is resolved the same as any other air interception. If intercepting air units are aborted before reaching their target enemy units, that interception does not occur. Clarification: In all cases, even when optional Rule 11.7 is in effect, the non-phasing side always has the first chance to announce an interception. This is followed by alternating counter-interceptions, resolved in reverse order. Only after the initial interception (by the nonphasing side) is resolved does the phasing side have the opportunity to declare an interception of its own.
11.3 Interception Combat
A. Combat in a specific hex is not fought until all intercepting (and all levels of counter-intercepting) units have reached that hex.
B. All air-to-air combat (12.0) in a given hex is resolved before any other combat in that same hex, including air-naval combat (13.0).
11.4 Restrictions on Interception
A. An air unit can perform only one interception per step. Exception: A CV-based naval air unit can defend its CV against air interception several times during naval movement, but only once in a given hex. If it defends the CV while the CV moves, it cannot perform an attack mission after the Naval Movement Step of that same phase.
B. SS are intercepted through a special procedure (8.2).
C. During an offensive, only uncommitted air units can intercept; they become committed when they do so.
D. During the End Phase, air units can intercept only those naval units that enter interception range during that phase.
E. Naval units that begin the End Phase within interception range cannot be intercepted unless they leave and subsequently reenter the air unit's interception range.
11.5 Intercepting Stationary Enemy Units
Interception is usually triggered by enemy movement; however, nonmoving units may be intercepted at the following times:
11.5.1 Friendly Naval and Air Phase
An air unit that does not change base or perform counterinterception can move to an enemy unit, intercepting and attacking that unit, during this phase. Bombers can attack naval units; fighters can attack air units.
11.5.2 Friendly Air Offensive
The same circumstances apply as during the Naval and Air Phase. In addition, bombers can make airstrikes against enemy installations (however, see 11.6).
11.6 Avoiding Interception
A. When an airbase with one or more air units on it is attacked by an airstrike (during an enemy air offensive), those air units do not necessarily participate in the combat. If they are already committed, or if they are uncommitted and the owner wishes to avoid committing them at this time, they can attempt to avoid the interception in the air or on the ground.
B. The avoiding units cannot make any attacks. Their chances of suffering damage depend upon whether they suffer the attack on the ground or in the air. This decision is made before attacking fighter-bombers are declared as bombers or fighters.
11.6.1 On the Ground
A. The air units remain on the ground. Enemy fighters can make no attacks against them.
B. The base is bombed normally (Airstrikes, 18.5). For every # result on the Bombing Table, one step of air on the ground is eliminated, whether or not the base is destroyed. Alternate selecting the steps to be eliminated, starting with the defender.
11.6.2 In the Air
The defender declares its air units to be in the air. Each attacking fighter can make one attack against one defending air unit. Subtract for the defending unit's quality rating, though the defending unit makes no return attacks. The defending air unit can then abort after the first round of air-to-air combat.
11.7 Air-Naval Search Procedure (Optional)
11.7.1 Searches in Gridded Areas
A. This rule is optional but recommended, as it simulates a key feature of the war in the Pacific. It applies only to enemy naval stacks which are at sea or in coastal hexes outside ports.
B. Enemy naval units outside of ports can be intercepted by air units only after they have been found. This requires an air-naval search.
C. To be searched for, enemy naval units must be within eight hexes of the searching air unit's airbase (including a carrier) and within the searching air unit's range. The searching side designates the searching unit.
D. Only one air unit can search for an enemy naval stack in any given hex. If the stack moves to another hex, another air unit can search for it.
E. The counter for the air unit flying reconnaissance is not physically moved to the target's hex and cannot be intercepted by enemy fighters. Reconnaissance is an air mission, however, and does commit the air unit if it occurs during the Offensive Phase.
F. The searching side rolls one die, applying relevant DRMs:
| DRM | Condition |
|---|---|
| +1 | The target stack occupies a coastal hex. |
| +1 | Friendly naval or land units occupy the coastal hex containing the target stack or if any friendly naval unit occupies the sea area containing the target stack. |
| +1 | The target stack was successfully found in a previous air search this phase. |
G. If the modified roll equals or exceeds the range in hexes from the airbase to the target hex, the enemy naval units are found. If it is less than the range, the enemy is not found.
H. If the search is successful, the enemy stack can be examined. Any air units in range (including those more than eight hexes away) can move to attack the enemy stack in its current position. The unit which performed the reconnaissance can join this attack. All attacking air units can be counter-intercepted and attacked normally.
11.7.2 Searches in Areas Without Grids
A. When enemy stacks are together in a non-gridded area, they are automatically within each other's air interception range, by definition (10.1.2.B). In hex terms, this equates to the smallest of the opposing air units' maximum ranges. (In most cases this will be three hexes, because most US naval air units have range 3 and most Japanese naval air units have range 4. Because they are within each other's range, they are three hexes apart).
B. Searches can be conducted at this point. After all air interceptions and attacks are resolved, the phasing side has two options.
-
It can leave the area, preventing any further searches by air units in that area.
-
It can reduce the range, allowing more searches, this time at two-hex range. In the same manner it can approach to one hex, or even zero (same-hex) range. The approach is always one hex at a time, and searches are allowed at each new range.
C. If the moving group approached to less than three-hex range and decides to leave the area, it must follow the same procedure, but in reverse, to escape: increasing the range one hex at a time, allowing air searches after each incremental change, until it reaches range 3. After that it can leave the area, or stay put.
D. All of this movement is free, because the unit has already paid a movement cost to enter the area.
E. The procedure for conducting and resolving air searches is identical to that described in 11.7.1 The only modifiers which apply to the die roll are: +1 for having a friendly naval unit in the sea area; minus the interception modifier listed in that sea area (-3 everywhere but the Great Australian Bight, which is -2).
12.0 AIR-TO-AIR COMBAT
Whenever opposing air units occupy the same hex and at least one unit is a fighter, air-to-air combat occurs. An air unit cannot avoid combat, even in its own base hex. Exception: Avoiding Interception (14.6).
12.1 Air-to-Air Combat Eligibility
An airborne fighter in a hex with enemy air units can attack in air-to-air combat. An air unit without a quality rating (a bomber) cannot attack, but can be attacked in air-to-air combat. A fighter-bomber performing as a bomber for the current mission cannot attack in air-to-air combat, though it can be attacked.
12.2 Air-to-Air Combat Sequence
Combat is fought in one or two rounds, according to this sequence:
A. All sides declare that no more intercepting air units will fly to the combat.
B. All sides declare whether fight-bombers will function as bombers or fighters. The first side with an air unit in the hex during this step announces first.
C. Round 1: Each fighter attacks an opposing air unit.
D. Losses from the attacks in Round 1 are inflicted and aborted units are set aside. Players can voluntarily abort any of their air units at this time.
E. Round 2: Each unaborted fighter with a combat strength of 3 or greater attacks an unaborted enemy air unit.
F. Losses from the attacks in Round 2 are inflicted and additional aborted units are set aside. Air-to-air combat is now concluded.
12.3 Attack Procedure
A. Each fighter attacks individually against a specific enemy air unit (target). The target is declared immediately before the attack is made. Targets can be declared one at a time in air-to-air combat involving multiple planes on both sides.
B. To attack, add the quality rating and combat strength of the attacking fighter. Subtract the quality rating of the target unit (0 if it is a bomber). The result is the target number for that attack. Roll one die.
-
If the die roll is higher than the target number, the attack has no effect.
-
If the die roll and the target number are equal, the target unit is aborted but suffers no damage.
-
If the die roll is less than the target number, the target unit suffers a step loss. If that loss does not eliminate the target unit, it is also aborted at the end of the round.
-
Rolls of 1, 5, or 6 might be automatic results (12.7).
12.4 Air-to-Air Combat Modifiers
Apply these strength modifiers to attacking fighters:
12.4.1 Fighting Over Own Base
A. Add 1 to the combat strength of a fighter if the combat occurs in the fighter's base hex. Exception: Naval air units do not get this bonus when flying above their carrier bases.
B. If an air unit is changing base, it receives the bonus at intermediate bases as well as the origin and final destination.
12.4.2 Fighters Escorting Bombers
Add 1 to the strength of a fighter that is not itself being attacked, if its target is an enemy fighter that is attacking a bomber.
12.5 Doubling Up
In each round of air-to-air combat, each unaborted enemy air unit must be attacked once before any enemy unit can be attacked twice. Each unit must be attacked twice before any unit can be attacked three times, and so forth.
12.6 Combat Effects
A. An air unit can be aborted, depleted, or unaffected as a result of air-to-air combat. No other results are possible.
B. An aborted air unit remains in the combat hex until all air units return to base. It can neither attack nor be attacked in subsequent rounds, nor can it participate in air-naval combat, ground support, or installation bombing. Aborted air units can fly normally in future steps.
C. Flip a depleted air unit to its reverse (depleted). It is also aborted. If the unit has already been depleted, or if the reverse is blank, it is eliminated. A depleted unit can perform all missions a full-strength unit can, only at reduced strength.
D. Eliminated air units are returned to the Force Pool of the owning country. Exception: Japanese Air Losses (31.0).
12.7 Automatic Results
Certain attack die roll results are exceptions to 12.3:
A. A roll of a 1 always aborts and depletes the target air unit, even if a 1 would not normally be a hit.
B. A roll of a 6 never affects the target unit, even if it would normally cause a depletion or abort the unit.
C. A roll of a 5 never depletes the target unit. If the target number is 5 or more, a roll or 5 simply aborts the target.
12.8 Bomber Quality Rating
A. Bombers with a circled quality rating receive a benefit when they are attacked by fighters. The QR is subtracted from the fighter's target number, just as if a fighter were being attacked.
B. If the attack roll is a 6, the attacker must roll again. If the roll is equal to or less than the bomber's QR, the fighter suffers a step loss. Exception: Kamikazes (13.6).
13.0 AIR-NAVAL COMBAT
A. Air-naval combat occurs between unaborted bombers and enemy naval units and/or STPs in the same hex, after air-to-air combat has been resolved in that hex.
B. Air-naval interception can only occur in a hex, not in a sea space without a hex grid. Exceptions: Naval air units and the Gulf of Panama (10.1).
13.1 Air-Naval Combat Sequence
Individual air units attack specific enemy naval units one or more times, using this procedure:
A. The bombing side can examine all the enemy naval units in the hex to choose its targets. Exception: A naval air unit defending its CV stack against interception can only attack enemy naval units in the specific group that has intercepted the carrier.
B. The bombing side selects one of its air units and rolls two dice for each of that bomber's attacks. Each attack is directed against a specific naval unit; however, a bomber entitled to more than one attack can designate a new (or the same) target before each attack. Damage is inflicted on naval units as it occurs.
C. Anti-aircraft hits (13.4) against bombers are marked after all bombing attacks have been made.
13.2 Air-Naval Combat Procedure
A. A bomber can attack as many times as its combat strength. Exception: Bombers with underlined combat strengths can attack only half as many times, rounded down, to a maximum of four attacks. Thus, even a 10-strength bomber with underlined combat strength is limited to four attacks.
B. Roll two dice per attack. The attack hits the naval unit or STP if the number rolled is equal to or higher than the ship's armor rating. As with naval combat, a hit rolled with doubles automatically sinks the naval unit, but does not cause extra damage to an STP. No side is ever required to make air-naval attacks.
13.3 Air-Naval Combat Modifiers
A. These DRMs apply to air units attacking specifically named naval units (BB, CV, CB, CA). They do not apply when attacking squadrons (CL, DD, DE, CVE, SS) or STPs.
| DRM | Condition |
|---|---|
| +2 | Attacking unit is a land-based bomber or fighter-bomber. |
| +3 | Attacking unit is a naval air unit. |
B. Reduce a BB unit's armor rating by 1 in a coastal hex.
13.4 Anti-Aircraft Effects
A. Occasionally a bomber may suffer depletion as a result of a bombing roll:
| Roll | Condition |
|---|---|
| 2 | Target unit occupies a minor port or is a stack of at least 5 naval units (not counting STPs). |
| 2-3 | Target unit occupies a major port, a supply base hex, or a fortified port OR if it is in a stack containing at least 10 US naval units and it is after 1942. |
B. Anti-aircraft results apply against only the unit currently designated as bombing. If a particularly unlucky bomber suffers more hits than are needed to destroy it, excess hits are ignored and do not apply against other bombers.
C. AA hits take effect after all bombing attacks have been made.
13.5 Attacking Carriers
The attacker in air-naval combat may inspect the defender's CV, CVL, and CVE units in the target stack (if any). The defender must show which carriers have air units on them, and reveal the commitment status of those air units.
13.6 Kamikazes
A. Starting after the summer 1944 seasonal turn, Japan can declare that air-naval attacks are kamikaze attacks. Kamikaze attacks cannot begin until after Summer 1944, and only if one of the following has occurred:
-
The US controls a hex in the Mariana Islands.
-
The US controls a hex in the Philippines.
-
The US controls a hex in the 36xx hex row or north that is within ten hexes of Japanese home islands.
B. Any unaborted bombers surviving one round of air-toair combat can be designated as kamikazes.
C. Kamikaze units attack before the second round of airto-air combat is fought. Each unit makes a number of attacks equal to its strength (halved for bombers with underlined strengths). A +4 DRM applies to each attack roll. A hit with doubles is not an automatic sinking; it is treated as a damage result. Exception: Double 6s do sink a ship.
D. The kamikaze is destroyed after the attack.
E. Japanese 4-2/(5) bombers added to the 1945 force pool are special kamikaze units, subject to unique rules:
-
Each unit can fly only one mission and is automatically destroyed at the conclusion of that mission.
-
The units can be transported by ATPs (as one-step infantry) or STPs.
-
These are one-step units, despite their 4 SPs. They must be placed on airbases. They do not count toward airbase stacking limits; an unlimited number can be placed at a given base together with the air units that can normally stack there.
-
They cannot be aborted in air-to-air combat; a roll that would abort one is ignored. However, a single hit against one eliminates it.
-
An attacking fighter does not suffer a step loss when it rolls a 6 (12.8).
-
A kamikaze can launch its mission from a base when a target is within two hexes, or it can be carried by any two-step bomber with an underlined attack strength, as long as the bomber and kamikaze began the mission on the same airbase. The kamikaze takes off and flies with the bomber up to the bomber's full range.
F. At any point during its flight, the bomber can release the kamikaze, which can fly an additional two hexes before attacking enemy naval units. If the bomber is intercepted by enemy fighters, it can declare that the kamikaze has been released before the air-to-air combat is resolved; if the bomber is hit or aborted before the kamikaze is released, the kamikaze is destroyed.
G. A bomber that carries a kamikaze cannot perform a bombing mission, though it can perform a kamikaze attack.
14.0 GROUND SUPPORT
Ground support is used during offensives, whenever unaborted air units fly over a hex that is the target of a land attack.
14.1 Ground Support Procedure
Ground support is not a separate game process; it is part of the land attack procedure, and provides both additional land SPs and DRMs.
14.2 Air Superiority
A. The presence of an unaborted air unit (fighter or bomber) in the combat hex gives that side the air superiority combat DRM: + 1 for the attacker, – 1 for the defender.
B. If both sides have an unaborted air unit in the hex, air superiority is contested and the modifiers cancel each other.
C. ATPs cannot establish air superiority, even if no enemy air units are present in the hex.
14.3 Adding Bomber Combat Strength
A. In addition to contributing to air superiority, unaborted bombers can add strength to the attacking or defending ground units.
B. Each unaborted bomber friendly to the defender adds 1 SP to the defense, to a maximum of 2 additional SPs.
C. Each unaborted bomber friendly to the attacker adds its strength to the attacking land units, to a maximum equal to the land units' strength (21.2).
15.0 AIR TRANSPORT
A nation's capacity to move units and supply by air is measured in ATPs. Movement by air occurs during the friendly Naval and Air Phase. ATPs can also carry paratroops during an offensive (16.0).
15.1 Air Transport Points
A. Although they are not air units, ATP markers move like air units when performing missions or changing base. Like STPs, each marker represents a specific number of ATPs. Points can be transferred between markers in the same hex at any time except when the ATPs are airborne.
B. An ATP marker (or a stack of markers) counts as one air unit for basing purposes, regardless of how many points are represented, but ATPs and combat air units are counted separately for airbase stacking; they do not interfere with each other.
C. An ATP marker in air-to-air combat cannot be attacked unless every friendly escorting fighter is also being attacked.
D. An ATP marker in air-to-air combat is treated like a bomber. If aborted, the marker must return to its base, even if it is a two-point marker. If it is hit, one ATP is lost and the remaining one (if it had two points) is aborted. Multiple ATP markers function as multiple air units in the air.
E. A unit or supply marker carried by an aborted ATP returns to its base of origin when the ATP returns to its base.
F. A unit or supply marker carried by a destroyed ATP marker is also destroyed.
15.2 Air Transport Procedure
A. During the friendly Naval and Air Phase, an ATP marker may move, pick up a land unit or air supply marker on an airbase hex, and move again, so long as the total distance moved is not greater than 12 hexes (10 for Japan).
B. During Step 4 of the friendly Naval and Air phase, the transported unit or supply marker is landed in its destination hex. The ATP marker can remain there or return immediately to its original base.
C. Air transport is subject to air interception by enemy fighters.
15.3 Air Transport Unit Eligibility
A. Paratroops, infantry, and marines can be transported by air.
-
One ATP is required to transport a one-step unit.
-
Two ATPs can transport a two-step infantry or marine.
-
Three-step and four-step units may not be transported by air.
B. Units need not be in supply to be transported by air. The transporting ATP marker itself must be in supply, however.
C. Land units transported by air are not considered activated; they can be activated for offensives during the current turn, or perform normal land movement if not activated for an offensive. They cannot move by rail on the same turn.
15.4 Air Transport Requirements
Moving an air supply marker, paratroop, or a step of infantry requires one ATP.
15.5 Restrictions
A. ATPs cannot fly in or enter weather zones where air activity is grounded (1.4).
B. An ATP used for transport during the Naval and Air Phase cannot be used for a paradrop during an Offensive Phase of the same turn. (If confusion is possible, place Committed markers on ATPs that are used during the Naval and Air Phase.)
C. An ATP marker that is out of supply can do nothing except change base during the Naval and Air Phase. It functions in all respects like an out of supply air unit.
16.0 PARATROOPS AND PARADROPS
A. Paratroops can move and fight like normal infantry units, and are subject to all movement and combat rules that apply to infantry.
B. They can also move by air transport (18.0) and they can perform paradrops during a friendly Offensive Phase. Paradrops allow paratroop units to move directly into enemy-controlled hexes, either in support of other attacking land units or as an unsupported attack.
C. Paratroops have 1 SP and count as one step, whether they are at full or depleted strength. They never count against land unit stacking limits (20.2).
16.1 Requirements
A. Before making a drop, a paratroop unit must be in supply and must occupy an airbase that is also occupied by an ATP. That ATP cannot have moved previously during the current turn.
B. The hex attacked must be in the operation zone of the offensive.
16.2 Procedure
A. The ATP marker and paratroop are moved when indicated during the SOP (under the Offensive Phase, Combat Step). The ATP marker moves like a bomber with a range of 10 or 12. It can be intercepted like any other air unit.
B. The drop is made in the hex that is under attack, occurring after air-to-air combat. The drop does not occur if the ATP has been aborted at any point during the mission.
C. When the drop is made (and before rolling for land combat), the owner rolls a die on the table below.
| Result | Effect |
|---|---|
| ≤2 | Eliminated |
| 3-4 | Depleted |
| 5+ | No Effect |
D. Apply relevant DRMs to the roll:
| DRM | Condition |
|---|---|
| +2 | friendly air superiority in the combat hex |
| -1 | landing in jungle or mountain hex |
| -2 | landing in jungle/mountain hex (both in the hex) |
| -2 | enemy air superiority in the combat hex |
| -2 | combat hex not adjacent to a friendly land unit* |
* Land units occupying the hex in preparation for an amphibious assault qualify as adjacent as do paratroop units dropped any time previously.
E. Apply the result immediately.
16.3 Effects
A. A paratroop landing (and surviving) in an unoccupied, enemy-controlled hex makes that hex friendlycontrolled. The paratroop cannot make any attacks during the turn.
B. A paratroop landing on an enemy-occupied hex (including a fort or coastal fort) must attack that enemy unit, stack, or fortification. It must do so in conjunction with other attacking land units, if any are present during the current step, adding its SP to the total attacking strength.
C. If no other friendly units are attacking the hex, the paratroop must attack alone; perhaps aided by ground support or naval bombardment.
D. The land SPs of attacking units (1 in this case) can never be more than doubled by such additions (to 2, for a paratroop attacking with naval or air support).
E. An undamaged paratroop, attacking the hex it has just dropped into, contributes a +1 DRM to the combat die roll.
F. A depleted paratroop uses its 1 SP, but no DRM.
G. The paratroop does not negate terrain considerations, such as a river barrier or amphibious assault, that impose negative DRMs on other attacking ground units. Example: An attack across a river suffers a -2 DRM when all attacking units are across a river. An undamaged paratroop dropping on the defending stack provides its +1 DRM to the attack is rolled, plus 1 SP to the attacking units. It does not negate the -2 DRM, as all other attacking units must still cross the river.
16.4 Restrictions
A. A paratroop cannot move on the ground during the turn it drops. It must end the turn in the drop hex. Exception: It can retreat during enemy offensives.
B. A depleted paratroop unit cannot make a drop. it can be moved by air transport normally.
C. A paratroop cannot be depleted to satisfy a required land unit step loss. Removal of a full-strength or depleted paratroop unit does count as a step loss.
D. If an enemy unit remains in the hex after the paratroop attacks it, the paratroop is automatically eliminated.
This counts as an attacker step-loss for purposes of combat results.
17.0 COMMITTING AIR UNITS
A. Commitment markers are used to show air units that have been committed during the current turn. Air units without markers are uncommitted; they can be used for air missions during the current phase, though such use may cause the air units to become committed. Air units with committed markers are committed.
B. naval air units based on carriers are committed exactly as air units on land bases (however, see 17.3).
17.1 When Units Must Be Committed
A. Air units are committed immediately before they take off from their bases. At the start of a phase or step, it is not necessary to designate which units might be committed during that phase or step.
B. Uncommitted air units flying the following missions during the indicated phases must be committed at the following times. A unit can be committed only once per turn.
17.1.1 Strategic Warfare Phase
Air units performing a mission during this phase are committed.
17.1.2 Naval and Air Phase
No units become committed during the Naval and Air Phase.
17.1.3 Friendly Offensive Phase
A. An air unit performing a mission during a friendly land, sea, or air offensive is marked Committed when it first moves.
B. A committed unit can fly one mission when committed for an offensive.
17.1.4 Enemy Offensive Phase
An uncommitted air unit must be committed if it flies any mission (possible exception: 17.2).
17.2 Using Committed Units
A. A committed, land-based air unit can fly during subsequent offensives, but only to defend its own hex against an airstrike or ground attack.
B. An uncommitted unit must be committed if it flies to defend its own hex (also, see 11.6). However, if an uncommitted unit's airbase hex is attacked, the unit can remain uncommitted by flying, suffering one round of air-to-air combat while making no return attack, then aborting. Such units receive the full benefit of their quality ratings when attacked (including bombers with circled quality ratings).
C. If an air unit is already committed and its airbase is attacked, it can either remain on the ground or avoid combat in the air with this procedure (see Airstrikes, 18.5).
17.3 Removing Commitment Markers
Commitment markers are normally removed at the end of the turn. However, a committed air unit aboard a CV has its marker removed if the CV is activated after the unit has been committed. The marker is removed the moment the CV is activated, whether the carrier moves or not.
18.0 AIR OFFENSIVES AND AIRSTRIKES
18.1 Eligible Units
A. Friendly, uncommitted land-based and carrier-based air units not marked out of supply can be committed for an air offensive. Each committed unit can perform one mission during the air offensive.
B. Air units from a nation performing an air offensive can be committed anywhere on the map; there is no command radius restriction as in a land or sea offensive (19.1, 19.2).
C. Only uncommitted enemy fighters can intercept air units flying during a friendly air offensive (Exception: 17.2.A).
18.2 Air Offensive Procedure
A. The procedure for conducting an air offensive is explained under the SOP (C0.1.7).
B. Up to two target hexes can be designated for the offensive; each must contain an enemy naval unit or installation.
18.3 Movement in Air Offensives
A. The rules regarding air movement (10.0) apply to all units moving during an air offensive.
B. Changing base is allowed for air units that are committed during this offensive but do not attack.
18.4 Combat In Air Offensives
A. Three types of combat are possible during air offensives: air-to-air combat, air-naval combat, and bombing installations (airstrikes). The first two follow the same procedures and restrictions that apply during the Naval and Air Phase.
B. Airstrikes (18.5) can occur only during an air offensive.
18.5 Airstrikes
A. If a hex containing an enemy installation has been designated as a target hex for the offensive, unaborted bombers flying in that hex may try to destroy the installation after air-to-air combat is resolved.
B. Installations include fortification and airfield markers that are placed on the map, ports, and any hex that can serve as an airbase.
C. The attack uses the following procedure:
-
Determine the result needed to destroy the installations in a hex. This number equals the number of air units that could base in the hex (without overstacking). Add 1 if the hex is fortified, and add 2 if the hex contains a supply base.
-
The attacker totals the combat strength of all surviving, unaborted bombers in the hex.
-
The attacker rolls two dice, consulting the column on the Bombing Table that corresponds to the bombing SPs.
D. All installations in the hex are destroyed if the result on the table is greater than or equal to the number determined above. If the result is less than this number, the attack has no effect on any installation in the hex. If the result includes an asterisk, the attacking bombers suffer one step loss (to a unit selected by the owner) due to antiaircraft fire.
E. If the installation is destroyed, place a Destroyed Installation marker in the hex. The hex cannot be used as an airbase, port, or fortification until the installation is repaired and the marker is removed.
F. When an installation is destroyed, other units in the hex are affected as follows:
-
Land units or supply markers within the hex and land movement through the hex are not affected.
-
Air units that remained on the ground (11.6) during the attack are destroyed if the base is destroyed.
-
Air units based on the hex that were in the air when the base was destroyed can rebase to another airbase within twice their range. They are eliminated if no such base exists.
-
Attacks against the hex are not affected, except that units there cannot benefit from any fortifications that might have once existed.
G. Destroyed installations can be repaired during the Construction Phase of a seasonal turn for 2 EPs. Attempt repairs during the Replenishment Step of a monthly turn (27.5).
H. An installation under construction can be bombed. Treat all installations in as completed for purposes of determining the Bombing Table roll needed. If the installations are destroyed, remove any that were under construction from the map, while mark any that were already completed as destroyed.
18.6 Disrupting Engineer Units
An engineer unit can be bombed during an airstrike as if it were an airbase with a capacity of one (cumulative with other bases in the hex). If a destroyed result is obtained, the engineer unit cannot be used to build an airbase that turn, though the unit suffers no other effect.
PART 6: OFFENSIVES
A million men cannot take Taiwan in a hundred years. -- Rear Admiral Keiji Shibasaki, November 1943
A. During the Offensive Phase, a both sides can activate groups of units for movement and attack, supporting them by committing air units. Both sides alternate conducting offensives until all declare they will conduct no more offensives during that monthly turn. Because of this sequence, some turns will have no offensives, while others might have a dozen or more.
B. Each offensive involves the activation of groups of land, sea, and/or air units. The safe with initiative (30.0) for the turn takes the first offensive; the other side the next, and so on, until both sides have used all the offensives they want to and can afford.
C. A given offensive must be either a land, sea, or air offensive. It is possible to combine land/air and sea/air offensives in joint offensives. Land/sea offensives are not allowed.
D. Each offensive uses one offensive, marked off the appropriate nation's Offensive Track.
19.0 COMMAND AND ACTIVATION
A. Units must be activated in order to move and/or attack during an offensive. A unit can be activated for only one offensive per turn.
B. Land units and naval units on Standby status are eligible to be activated.
C. Uncommitted air units are eligible to be activated, and always become committed when they are activated.
D. Supply status has no effect on eligibility for activation.
E. The units eligible for a given offensive are determined by the type of offensive: sea, land, or air. A unit is never activated just because it is eligible; its owner must declare an eligible unit activated, if movement or combat does not make its status clear.
F. Units from several different Allied nations can be activated for the same offensive; at least half the units of each type must belong to the nation paying for the offensive, however.
G. Australian units count as US units when being activated. They are activated with US offensives and built with US EPs.
19.1 Activation During Sea Offensives
A. At the start of a sea offensive, one stack of friendly naval units on Standby status is designated the command stack. Any standby naval units in that stack, or within interception range (5.1) of the stack, are eligible to be activated.
B. Friendly air units can be committed to counterintercept enemy naval and air units during naval movement.
C. SS cannot be activated as part of a naval offensive simply by being within interception range of the command stack. SS can only be activated as part of a sub offensive. A naval offensive can be combined with a sub offensive, at the cost of two offensives and 2 EPs.
19.2 Activation During Land Offensives
A. Land offensive activation takes place within a specific area: a country or an island group (see special maps). When performing an offensive, indicate the country, or island group, upon which the offensive takes place (e.g., China, Malaya, Philippines, Iwo Jima). All standby land units within that area are eligible to be activated for a single offensive (though the activating side can choose to activate only some of the units in the area for a particular offensive). This includes standby units aboard STPs, if the STPs are marked as either Activated or Standby and occupy a coastal hex in the area.
B. Up to two enemy-controlled hexes can be attacked during a land offensive (unless the offensive occurs on a one-hex island). Uncommitted air units can be committed (and thus activated) to provide ground support against these defending hexes, or to intercept and counter-intercept enemy air support.
C. A given country or island can host several offensives during the same turn, as long as each one is paid for.
D. No unit can be activated for more than one offensive per turn.
19.3 Activation During Air Offensives
A. Only air units can be activated for air offensives, though often an air offensive is used in conjunction with a land or sea offensive (19.5) to enable combined operations.
B. An air offensive allows two target hexes, containing enemy air units, naval units, or installations, to be designated. These hexes can be anywhere on the map.
C. Friendly bomber and fighters within range of these target hexes can be activated to move to the target hexes and attack. Friendly fighters within range of enemy interceptors can be activated to counterintercept.
19.4 Activation During Enemy Offensives
A. Land and naval units are never activated during an enemy offensive.
B. Naval units on Activated or Standby status can intercept moving enemy naval units. Land units on either status defend normally against ground attacks.
C. Air units, however, are activated as soon as they are committed, whether this occurs in a friendly or enemy offensive.
19.5 Joint Offensives
A. By paying for two offensives, instead of one, a side can perform a sea/air or land/air offensive. Such an offensive enables the use of air power to attack enemy strong points with land or naval attacks. Joint sea and land offensives are not allowed.
B. When a performing a joint offensive, follow the SOP for the land or sea offensive. Then, when the SOP indicates, follows the sequence for an air offensive before completing the land or sea procedure.
19.6 Special Activation Considerations
19.6.1 Naval Air Units Aboard CVs
A. The status of its CV base has no effect on the activation status of a naval air unit. The air unit is committed and activated just like any other air unit.
B. However, if a CV is carrying a committed naval air unit and the CV is subsequently activated and moved during an offensive, the commitment marker is removed from the naval air unit.
C. Committed air units which become uncommitted when their CV base moves as part of a naval offensive can participate in a joint sea/air offensive that same phase.
19.6.2 Submarines
A. SS are activated through a slightly modified sea offensive. Instead of designating a command stack, the side performing a SS offensive can activate two SS anywhere on the map.
B. SS are never marked Standby; all SS can be activated, even if they have moved their full MA during the Movement Phase.
C. An SS can be activated only once per turn, then it is marked Activated.
19.6.3 Naval Units Performing Interception
A. Naval units marked Activated or Standby can intercept moving enemy naval units during an enemy offensive within the normal interception rules (5.0).
B. Naval units that are not marked in either status (because they used more than half of their MA during the Naval and Air Phase) cannot perform counterinterception during an offensive.
C. Friendly naval units that have been activated for a previous offensive cannot perform interception during any subsequent friendly offensive.
D. Naval units performing interception do not change activation status during an enemy Offensive Phase; they must be activated to intercept during a friendly Offensive Phase.
19.7 Combined Offensives
A. The phasing side can perform several land, air, or sea offensives at one time. Mark each off on the Offensive Track, and pay 2 EPs per offensive beyond the first. The steps of a combined offensive are performed simultaneously in all areas, or with all groups of activated units.
B. For a combined land offensive, each named area (nation or island group) in which units are activated requires an offensive. Alternatively, a combined offensive could be used to perform more than two attacks in a single area during a single offensive. Example: Japan could pay for a combined offensive (marking two offensives and 2 EPs off its tracks) and then activate only units in China, but it could attack up to four Chinese-occupied hexes instead of just two.
C. A combined sea offensive enables a side to designate several command stacks (19.1), one per offensive.
D. A combined air offensive enables two target hexes (19.3) to be designated per offensive spent.
20.0 MOVEMENT DURING OFFENSIVES
A. Land units activated for an offensive can move a number of connected land hexes equal to the MA printed on the units.
B. A unit's MA can be reduced by weather conditions, by being out of supply, and by the presence of jungle or mountain terrain. These rules apply to units moving by land, not by air or sea.
20.1 Terrain Effects
A. Each clear or city hex costs 1 MP to enter.
B. Each desert, jungle, mountain, or jungle/mountain terrain hex costs 2 MPs to enter.
C. The terrain below limit movement:
20.1.1 Impassable Hexside
No land unit can cross an impassable hexside.
20.1.2 All-Sea Hex
No land unit can enter an all-sea hex.
20.1.3 All-Sea Hexside
No land unit can cross an all-sea hexside.
20.1.4 Coastal Hex
The effects of a coastal hex depend upon the other terrain in the hex.
20.1.5 River Hexside
A river hexside has no effect upon movement.
20.1.6 Road Hex
Road hexes do not benefit movement; their effect is to allow tracing of supply (25.0).
20.1.7 Fortification Marker
A fortification marker has no effect upon the movement of friendly units. Enemy units cannot enter the hex until it is captured, destroying the fortification marker.
20.1.8 Coastal Fortification Marker
Coastal forts have no effect on the movement of friendly units. If an enemy unit enters the hex by land movement (or the hex is captured in an amphibious assault), the fortification marker is removed.
20.1.9 Airfield Marker
An airfield marker has no effect upon movement. It becomes enemy-controlled if an enemy unit moves onto it.
20.1.10 Special Islands
Arakan (W3410) and Singapore (W2216) are islands but the hexsides separating them from adjacent land hexsides are considered river, not sea, hexsides.
20.1.11 Mongolia
No units may enter Mongolia, unless the combined ETO/PTO game rules are used.
20.2 Stacking
Stacking limits are in effect at the end of every step during a seasonal or monthly turn. If stacking limits are exceeded at the end of a step, the owner must eliminate enough units to bring the stack down to legal size. Even when overstacked during a phase, only as many units as can legally stack in a hex can attack out of it.
20.2.1 General Rule
Land units can stack with other units of the same or partner nationalities, subject to the following stacking limits:
| # Units | Terrain |
|---|---|
| 2 | Jungle/Mountain/Desert/small island hex |
| 3 | Clear or any fortified hex |
| 4 | City hex |
20.2.2 Chinese Exception
Chinese land units (Communist and Nationalist) can stack only one unit per hex, except in cities, where two can stack.
20.2.3 Free-Stacking Units
Paratroops, engineers, air and naval units, and all types of markers do not count against land stacking limits.
20.3 Control of Hexes
A. Each land hex (including coastal) is either controlled by one side or the other (Japan or Allies). Hexes begin a game friendly to the side controlling them.
B. Control of hexes is important for rail movement, supply, debarking of transport missions, and use of installations.
C. Hexes friendly to Japan are indicated at the start of a scenario. All other hexes are friendly to the Allies.
D. When a land unit enters an enemy-controlled hex, that hex becomes friendly-controlled. The hex remains friendly to the last side whose land unit moved through it. Exceptions: Conquest may possibly change this (35.0); also see Chinese special rules (37.3).
E. Japanese and Allied Control markers are included. They can be used to show control of hexes in cases where their status is not obvious; in most cases the markers are not necessary.
20.4 Breaking Down Divisions
A. Before a full-strength division moves during a turn, it can break down into two brigades of the same type and nationality. The breakdown costs 1 MP. The division is returned to the force pool and replaced by two brigade counters.
B. Brigades cannot recombine into divisions.
21.0 LAND COMBAT
A. All land units activated for an offensive can attack during that offensive.
B. Attacking units must be adjacent to the enemy hex being attacked. Exceptions: Units making amphibious assaults and paradrops occupy the hex they are attacking.
C. Up to two enemy hexes can be attacked per offensive.
D. Friendly units in several different hexes can combine to attack a single enemy hex.
E. Attacks are made against hexes containing enemy land units or fortifications.
F. An amphibious assault attack must still attack, even if no enemy units occupy the intended landing hex.
21.1 Combat Procedure
The attack sequence indicates when land combat is resolved. Use this procedure for each land attack:
A. Total the SPs of all attacking land units. Add SPs contributed by bombers or naval bombardment.
B. Total the SPs of all defending units in the same way as A, above, also adding SPs for fortifications if the defender's hex is fortified.
C. Divide the attacker's SPs by the defender's, rounding the odds in the defender's favor, to reach one of the ratios on the Combat Results Table (CRT). Example: 10 SPs attacking 4 SPs becomes a 2:1 attack.
D. Odds worse than 1:3 are treated as 1:3; odds better than 6:1 are treated as 6:1. Odds of 5:1 are treated as 4:1.
E. The attacker rolls one die, adding all die modifiers that apply. Find the modified result on the appropriate column of the CRT.
F. Implement the result immediately. If both sides are affected, the attacker's losses take effect first.
21.2 Strength Points
Attackers and defenders gain SPs for the following conditions:
21.2.1 Land Units
Each attacking or defending unit contributes the number of SPs printed on the counter.
21.2.2 Fortification Markers
A. Only one unit in a hex with a fortification may have its strength doubled; the SPs of other units are not affected.
B. If the fort is unoccupied, it has a combat strength of 2.
21.2.3 Coastal Hex Defenses
A. A coastal hex occupied by defending land units defends according to the strengths of those units.
B. If no enemy land units occupy the hex and it is the target of an amphibious assault, it defends with an intrinsic strength of 1.
C. A coastal hex with a fortification marker (either coastal or standard fort) unoccupied by a land unit adds the 2 SPS for the marker to the hex's intrinsic defense of 1 (before doubling for bombers and naval units is calculated).
D. The conditions above form the basic attacking or defending strength. The following types of SPs are added to this base, but can never exceed it. The final SP total of an attacking or defending force can never be more than twice its basic strength.
21.2.3.1 Bombers
Unaborted attacking and defending bombers over the defender's hex contribute SPs per rule 14.3.
21.2.3.2 Naval Bombardment
A. When the defender occupies a coastal hex, activated or standby naval units in the hex can contribute 1 SP for each of the following conditions:
-
If any DDs are present.
-
If any CLs are present.
-
For every 4 points of gunnery ratings of CA and BB units in the naval stack. The gunnery ratings of all friendly CA and BB naval units in the hex are added together, and fractions are dropped.
B. Both friendly and enemy units in the same hex can contribute SPs; however, naval units that have withdrawn from naval combat (6.6) cannot. Also, a ship can contribute its gunnery to only one land offensive per turn. It can contribute its gunnery to any number of defenses.
21.3 Combat Restrictions
A. Attacking units must be activated in order to attack.
B. A unit may move out of the country of activation and attack a hex outside of that country, as long as it was within the country at the moment of activation. Example: Japan takes an offensive in China, activating Japanese units there. Some of these units attack a Chinese unit in China, while others move into Burma and attack a British unit.
C. An attacker can cancel an announced attack at any point before the actual die roll Exceptions: Once a paratroop drops into an enemyoccupied hex, it must attack. Likewise, once amphibious assaulting units have debarked, they must attack.
D. All units in a hex must be attacked together, as a single combat strength.
E. A single attack is always directed at a single defending hex, regardless of the number of attacking units and the number of hexes they occupy.
F. All units in an attacking stack need not attack. Units in a stack can attack different enemy hexes, but each target hex must be identified during step C of the attack sequence (C0.1.5.3.C).
G. The same defending hex can be attacked only once per offensive, but possibly several times during a turn by different attacking units.
21.4 Combat DRMs
All DRMs are cumulative. They are summarized on the Player Aid Cards with the CRT.
21.4.1 Air Superiority
Apply a +1 DRM or -1 DRM, per 14.2.
21.4.2 Weather
Apply a -1 DRM if monsoon (1.2) or conditions (1.3) winter weather exists in the defender's hex.
21.4.3 Paratroops
If a paratroop dropped into the hex as part of this combat without becoming depleted, apply a +1 DRM.
21.4.4 Supply Status
A. If the defending hex cannot trace a supply line at the moment of combat, apply a +1 DRM.
B. If any attacking units cannot trace a supply line, apply a -2 DRM.
21.4.5 Terrain
These types of terrain can impose die roll penalties on the attacker:
21.4.5.1 Rivers
A. River DRMs are:
| DRM | Condition |
|---|---|
| -1 | All attackers are across river |
| -2 | All attackers are across river from defenders in Monsoon |
| -3 | All attackers are across river and all units are in Monsoon. |
B. These DRMs are in addition to the weather DRM in 21.4.2.
C. Paratroops dropping across the river do not negate the river modifier.
21.4.5.2 Rough or Jungle Terrain
If the defender occupies a mountain or jungle terrain hex, apply a -1 DRM.
21.4.5.3 Coastal Hex
If at least half the land SPs attacking a coastal hex are making an amphibious assault, apply a -3 DRM. Exception: If all assaulting units are marines, apply only a -1 DRM.
22.0 LAND COMBAT EFFECTS
Every time a combat die roll is made, one or more units will be affected. Specific results on the CRT and their effects are explained here.
22.1 Combat Results
The results listed on the CRT have the following effects. If several effects are listed (e.g., D2x), they all take effect, with the attacker implementing its results first. All results on the CRT affect land units only.
| Result | Explanation |
|---|---|
| x | The attacker loses one step (22.2) from any attacking unit of its choice |
| xx | The attacker loses two steps (22.2) from any attacking unit or units of its choice |
| D1 | The defender loses one step from the defending stack, or retreats that stack one hex. |
| D2 | The defender loses two steps, retreats the defending stack two hexes; or a combination of step losses and retreats equaling two. |
| D3 | The defender loses three steps, retreats the defending stack three hexes; or a combination of step losses and retreats equaling three. |
| (D2) | The defender must retreat all units two hexes; step losses cannot be used to satisfy this result. If the defending units cannot retreat two hexes, they are eliminated instead. |
| AE | All attacking units are eliminated. |
| DE | All defending units are eliminated. |
22.2 Implementing Step Losses
A. A step loss is indicated by flipping a unit over to its reduced strength side (reverse), or by removing a unit that has already suffered a step loss. Some units (those with blank backs and paratroops) must be removed if they suffer a step loss.
B. Eliminated land units are placed in the owner's force pool.
C. Chinese, Japanese, Australian, and Indian infantry units that are destroyed within the borders of their home country can be placed in the Replenishment Box (22.7).
22.3 Units With More than Two Steps
A. Certain divisions, when eliminated, are replaced by brigades. A division must be replaced by the same nationality and type of brigade
B. The following types of divisions are replaced by brigades (except US corps, see below). (The table lists, for each Nationality/Type, the Eliminated Unit and its Replacement Unit as counter illustrations.)
| Nationality/Type |
|---|
| UK |
| Australia |
| US Infantry |
| US Marines |
| US Armor |
| US Corps |
| Japanese Infantry |
| Japanese Guards |
| Japanese Armor |
C. A marine brigade has reduced strength on its reverse, indicating that it is a two-step unit itself. Thus, a marine division is a four-step unit, while an infantry division is a three-step unit.
D. The US can build corps in 1944 and later. Each corps is a five-step unit; if two steps are eliminated, it is replaced by a full-strength infantry division.
22.4 Retreats
A. Retreats are conducted by the defender. A stack of retreating units can split up, retreating in different directions. Units that cannot fulfill all retreat requirements are eliminated.
-
The unit must always retreat away from the combat hex; thus, after a three-hex retreat it must be three hexes away.
-
The unit must retreat to a hex that is closer to its supply source than the combat hex. Designate any supply source before counting. This condition does not apply if the unit is out of supply at the moment of combat; however, if the unit can retreat to a hex that is in supply, it must do so.
-
A unit cannot retreat into a hex it cannot enter nor across a hexside it cannot cross.
B. A retreating unit can end its retreat stacked with friendly units, but cannot end its retreat overstacked. If this would be the case, the unit retreats one (or more) additional hexes, still abiding by the above conditions.
C. A retreating unit cannot enter a hex adjacent to an attacking unit, unless no other retreat path is available.
D. If a retreating unit stacks with friendly units, it cannot add its strength to the defense of that hex if that hex is attacked during the same step it retreated. It also cannot be depleted to satisfy defender step losses in that hex, unless all other defending units are eliminated. If the defending stack retreats or is eliminated, the previously retreated units abide by that same result.
22.5 Advance After Combat
22.5.1 Attacking Units
A. If the defending hex is vacated by elimination or retreat, attacking units can advance after combat. If the defending hex is already vacant (only intrinsic defense) any result affecting the defender (from D1x on up) allows the attacker to advance after combat.
B. Defending units never advance after combat.
C. Stacking limits are enforced for units advancing after combat at the end of the current step.
22.5.2 Secondary Advance
A. Friendly units can perform a secondary advance if they:
-
Are activated for this offensive,
-
Did not advance into the defender's hex, and
-
Did not attack a different enemy hex.
B. They must move into the hexes exited by the initial advancing units. Other activated units can move into hexes left by secondary advance, and so forth. An entire stack can perform secondary advance if it is not in an enemy ZOC. If it is in an enemy ZOC, it must leave at least one unit behind as it advances; it can still advance from ZOC to ZOC. Lone units in an enemy ZOC cannot perform secondary advance.
22.6 Combat Effects on Installations
A. Airfield markers in the defender's hex are captured if all defending units retreat or are eliminated.
B. Installations marked on the map (ports and cities) are captured by the attacker.
C. Supply bases and fortifications are destroyed and returned to the force pool if captured by enemy forces.
22.7 Replenishment Box
A. When infantry units of China, Japan, Australia, and India are eliminated within their respective home countries, they are placed in the Replenishment Box when removed from the map. Exception: If marked with an out of supply marker, an infantry unit of one of these countries goes immediately to the force pool if eliminated.
B. During the End Phase, some of these units may be eligible to return to the map (27.1, 27.2, 27.3).
C. Any units in the Replenishment Box during the End Phase that are not replenished must be moved to the force pool at that time.
PART 7: MOVEMENT PHASE
Go to Manila. Go around the Japs, bounce off the Japs, but go to Manila. -- General Douglas MacArthur, February 1945
During the Movement Phase, land units that were not activated for an offensive during the current turn can perform land movement. Nations can use rail capacity to move units long distances. Units embarked on STPs in ports can debark
23.0 MOVING LAND UNITS
The rules that apply to movement of land units during offensives also apply during the Movement Phase. Units are not activated during the Movement Phase; all unactivated units are eligible to move.
23.1 Movement Allowances
A. Infantry and armor units can move their full MAs, subject to rules in this section.
B. Paratroops moving on the ground move as infantry.
23.2 Terrain Effects
All provisions of 20.1 apply.
23.3 Weather Effects
Weather conditions established during the Weather Phase (1.0) apply during the entire turn, including the Movement Phase.
23.4 Naval Transport
Transported land and air units can debark during the Movement Phase, subject to 7.5.
23.5 Control of Hexes
Control of hexes changes with the movement of units, as during the Offensive Phase (20.3).
23.6 Breaking Down Divisions
Divisions break down into brigades during the Movement Phase per 20.4. These brigades cannot move by rail that turn.
24.0 RAIL MOVEMENT
A. Rail movement is used to move a unit a distance that exceeds its MA.
B. Rail movement can be used in any country listed in 24.4 in which the phasing side controls two or more cities. Up to one unit per country can be moved.
C. Only unactivated units can use rail movement.
D. A unit moving by rail cannot leave the country in which it begins rail movement.
24.1 Eligible Units
Infantry, marine, armor, engineer, and paratroops can be transported by rail, within the restrictions of 24.3. One unit can be moved in any country in which a two or more cities are controlled.
24.2 Rail Movement Procedure
A. The moving side picks up the unit from its location at the start of the Movement Phase and traces a path of hexes to its destination, placing the unit there.
B. A unit moving by rail can follow any path of friendly hexes, as long as all hexes are within the same country and all hexes are friendly-controlled.
C. Subject to the restrictions below, the path of rail movement can be of any length. There is no maximum MA for units moving by rail.
24.3 Restrictions
A. A unit activated during an Offensive Phase cannot move by rail during the same turn.
B. A unit cannot use rail movement if it starts the Movement Phase adjacent to an enemy unit unless the two units are separated by an impassible or all-water hexside.
C. A unit's rail movement must end as soon as it moves adjacent to an enemy unit.
D. A unit moving by rail can pass through friendlycontrolled hexes (20.3) only.
E. Rail movement cannot be used to cross impassable hexsides, lake hexsides, all sea hexes, or all sea hexsides. Rail movement can cross ferry hexsides.
F. A unit moving by rail can move freely through clear terrain, or through jungle or mountain terrain by following a road. A unit using rail movement must stop as soon as it enters a jungle or mountain hex with no road. A unit can never enter a jungle/mountain hex by rail. A unit in mountain or jungle terrain can be railed out only if the first hex it enters is either clear, city, or road terrain.
G. Rail movement cannot be used to cross impassable hexsides or all sea hexes or hexsides.
24.4 Where Rail Movement Can Be Used
If two cities are controlled in one of the following countries, the phasing side can rail a unit within that country, if allowed within the restrictions of 24.3: Australia, Burma, China, India, Indochina, Japan, Java, Korea, Malaya, Manchukuo, Thailand, USSR
PART 8: SUPPLY AND REPLENISHMENT
We have not eaten or drunk for five days but our fighting spirits are high. -- Lt. General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, March 1945
A. Check the supply status of all land and air units during the Supply step of the End Phase.
B. Supply is also determined for units before they begin moving and at the moment they participate in combat.
C. During the Replenishment Step, each side may be able to replace eliminated infantry units, repair depleted air units, repair destroyed installations, and build new airfields.
25.0 TRACING SUPPLY
A. For a unit to be in supply, a path of passable hexes must be traced from a supply source to the unit.
B. Often, supply lines will be traced across water.
25.1 Supply Sources
A. Each friendly supply base or supply marker can provide supply for all of that side's units that can trace a supply line to it.
Exception: An air supply marker can supply a maximum of three units.
B. Chinese forces have no supply bases. They trace supply to Chinese cities that unoccupied by Japanese units. Chinese forces can also trace to other Allied supply bases and supply markers, but other Allied units cannot trace supply to Chinese cities.
C. Supply markers may be consumed (25.4) during the Supply Step. Supply bases remain on the map until occupied by enemy units.
D. The US West Coast Ports Box is a permanent supply source for the Allies.
E. Japanese units on Japanese home islands can trace overland supply to any Japanese-controlled homeland city.
25.2 Overland Supply Lines
A. Supply can be traced from a supply source to a unit through a line of friendly land and coastal hexes of any length. The line cannot cross impassable hexsides and all hexes of the supply line must be friendly-controlled.
B. In addition, if the supply line enters a desert, jungle, or a mountain hex, that hex must be occupied by a friendly land unit, city, or installation, or it must contain a road symbol for a supply line to be traced into it. The supply line must follow the path of the road entering and leaving the hex for the road to aid in tracing supply.
C. Hexes that are both jungle and mountain terrain cannot have supply traced into or through them. All units in such hexes are automatically out of supply.
25.3 Oversea Supply Lines
Supply can be traced through a path of sea and coastal hexes, from a unit on an island (for example) to a port or supply base.
25.3.1 Tracing to a Supply Base
If the supply source is a supply base, a unit on a port or an island without a port must trace a path of no more than 9 MPs to a supply base for the unit to be in supply. No STPs are required for this supply line, but the line cannot be traced into hexes containing enemy surface ships. Count naval movement from the unit to the base.
25.3.2 Tracing to a Supply Marker
A. If the supply source is a supply marker, a unit on a port or an island without a port must trace a path of no more than 3 MPs to the supply marker for the unit to be in supply.
B. In either case, the unit can trace supply overland to a port, and then 9 (or 3) MPs to supply base (or marker). However, the source of the supply must also be in a port.
25.4 Supply Markers
A. Supply markers serve as portable supply sources. They are created during the Naval and Air Phase expressly for naval and air transport. A marker can only be created in a hex containing an STP or ATP with an overland supply line to a supply source. They are moved by sea or air transport, and then placed on ports (including limited ports) or airbases.
B. Supply markers are free; each side can have as many as can be transported.
C. Land and air units can trace supply to a supply marker just like to a supply source, within these restrictions:
-
Air supply markers can supply only three units per turn. Sea supply markers can supply an unlimited number of units per turn; if more than one unit traces to it, it is consumed.
-
Only one sea supply marker can be placed on a normal port or airbase in a coastal hex. Two can be placed on a major port.
-
Only one air supply marker can be placed on an airbase; one marker can be placed for each airbase in a hex.
D. Once a unit is designated as receiving supply from a marker, that unit counts toward the marker's capacity. If that unit is later destroyed or surrounded, (and the marker's capacity in units has been filled) another unit cannot be supplied from that marker.
E. Supply markers are consumed during the Supply Step. Any marker that provides supply to any unit that turn must be removed from the map. Exception: Sea supply markers that supply no more than one unit that turn do not need to be removed.
F. Players are not required to send supply from markers to units; they can place units out of supply to conserve markers.
G. A sea supply marker can be landed on a coastal hex of an island without a port by paying double the usual STP cost.
25.5 Sea Supply
A. Embark supply markers on STPs in any port with a land supply line to a supply source. One STP can carry one marker.
B. A sea supply marker can be debarked in a friendly port hex. It may also be debarked in a friendly coastal hex-if the coastal hex is a clear terrain hex on an island with no ports, or if it is a jungle hex on an island with no ports and no clear terrain.
C. If a regular supply route repeats each turn, there is no need to move the STP to pick up a new marker, unless enemy interception is possible. If both players agree, simply announce the ports the markers are being brought to. As long as there is an STP in each port that is receiving supply, and that STP can get to a friendly supply source and back, place the supply marker in the destination port.
25.6 Air Supply
A. One ATP can carry an air supply marker to an airbase within 10 or 12 hexes of the ATP's base. The ATP's base must have a land supply line to a source. This source can be a sea supply marker, but not an air supply marker.
B. Transport the air supply marker during the friendly Air Movement Step of the Naval and Air Phase. After landing the air supply marker, the ATP can return to its original base hex.
C. An air supply marker is consumed if any unit traces supply to it during a turn. Up to a maximum of three units can use it as a supply source.
25.7 Supplying Amphibious Assaults
If units successfully make an amphibious assault, a sea supply marker is placed in the landing hex immediately after combat is resolved.
26.0 UNSUPPLIED UNITS
A. If a land unit cannot trace a supply line at the moment it begins to move, attack, or defend, it suffers the out of supply penalties to movement and combat. Units in cities do not suffer these penalties, unless they were previously marked out of supply.
B. A unit marked out of supply suffers these penalties, and also can become depleted or eliminated unless a supply line is restored.
C. Lack of supply has different effects on air and naval units, as explained below.
26.1 Movement Effects
The following effects apply to land units that cannot trace a supply line when they start to move, whether in the Movement Phase or an Offensive Phase.
A. The MA of infantry, engineer, and paratroops is reduced to 2.
B. The MA of armor units is reduced to 1.
26.2 Combat Effects
A. If any attacking unit cannot trace a supply line at the instant it attacks, apply a -2 DRM to the combat roll.
B. If the defending stack cannot trace a supply line at the moment of combat, apply a +1 DRM applies to the combat roll.
26.3 Using Out of Supply Markers
A. Place an Out of Supply marker on any land or air unit that cannot trace a supply line during the Supply Step. This applies to units that cannot trace for any reason, whether it is lack of STPs or port capacity, or being surrounded by enemy units or enemy-controlled hexes.
B. Multiple units in a hex can have different supply states. Air supply markers may supply some land or air units in a stack, while other land or air units are placed out of supply (under the Out of Supply marker).
C. If an insufficient number of supply markers forces a side to choose some units in an area to be placed out of supply, it can select any friendly units in that area. If supply is still not sufficient on the next turn, it can place different units out of supply and restore supply to those units first marked and thereby avoid having to deplete any units.
26.4 Restoring Supply
Immediately remove an Out of Supply marker whenever a unit is able to trace a supply line to a permanent supply source, regardless of the phase. If placed out of supply later that same turn, it is not marked again until the End Phase.
26.5 Depleting Unsupplied Units
A. When marking a land unit with an Out of Supply marker during the Supply Step, check to see if it depletes, unless it occupies a city hex.
B. Roll a die for each friendly stack of containing any out of supply land units.
C. Apply these DRMs:
| DRM | Condition |
|---|---|
| -1 | Hex is mountain terrain or jungle. |
| -3 | Hex is mountain and jungle, or is desert. |
| -1 | per each out of supply land unit (after the first one) in the hex |
D. Immediately implement the results of the modified roll:
| Roll | Step Loss |
|---|---|
| 3-6 | None |
| 0-2 | One |
| ≤ 0 | Two |
26.6 Air Units Out of Supply
A. An air unit suffers no ill effect from lack of supply unless it is marked out of supply.
B. If marked, an air unit can only fly missions in its base hex or any adjacent hex during an Offensive Phase or End Phase.
C. During a Naval and Air Phase, an out of supply air unit can fly a mission in its own or an adjacent hex, or change base to any friendly airbase within twice the unit's range. It cannot change base within three times as in a standard base changing mission. It is allowed only one hop.
D. Unlike land units, air units are never depleted from lack of supply.
26.7 Naval Units Out of Supply
A. Naval units do not trace supply during the Supply Step. However, mark naval units with an Out of Supply marker if they do not return to port during the End Phase and are not maintained at sea by an EP expenditure (4.7).
B. Naval units marked out of supply must move toward the closest (in MPs) friendly port during each subsequent Naval Movement Step. They cannot deviate from the most direct path to this port. These units cannot intercept enemy naval units (or air units, with naval air units) as long as they are marked.
C. They fight normally if intercepted by the enemy.
D. Remove Out of Supply markers from naval units at the end of the phase in which they enter a friendly port.
27.0 REPLENISHMENT
A. During Step 3 of the End Phase, each side may be eligible to replace lost infantry units, repair air units that have lost a step, or rebuild damaged installations, within the following limitations.
B. Unlike when units are built during a seasonal turn, the presence of enemy land-based fighters does not prohibit replenishment. Exception: Chinese (37.2).
27.1 Home Country Infantry Reinforcements
A. Infantry units in the Replenishment Box can be rebuilt by the owner. The cost is normal for infantry (Exceptions: 27.2, 27.3) and can be paid from economic reserve or the EP track.
B. Units rebuilt from the Replenishment Box must be placed within their home country on a supplied hex.
C. Units that have been reduced one step, but not eliminated, cannot be rebuilt during the End Phase (Possible exception: 27.2). Any units in the Replenishment Box that are not rebuilt must be returned to the force pool.
27.2 Chinese Free Reinforcements
One to six Chinese infantry steps (Communist or Nationalist) in the Replenishment Box can be rebuilt for no EP cost. If no units are in the box, depleted Chinese units on the map can be flipped to their full-strength sides (37.2).
27.3 Japanese Free Reinforcements
When Japanese infantry units are eliminated in their home territory, place them in the Replenishment Box. Japan can rebuild up to three of these units per monthly turn, for no EP cost. These units must be placed in a Japanese homeland hex. Place any excess units into the force pool.
27.4 Pilot Recovery
A. When an air unit suffers a step loss over a home country hex (including a coastal hex), but is not eliminated, it can be rebuilt to full strength at the end of the turn in which it suffers damage. Japanese air units defending their home country against strategic warfare are eligible for replenishment with this rule.
B. The cost of this rebuild is 3 EPs, which must be paid from economic reserve or the EP track.
27.5 Repairing Installations
A. Destroyed installations may be repaired, whether they were destroyed this turn or previously, however repair is not certain. The installation hex need not be in supply to be repaired.
B. The cost of a repair attempt is 2 EPs. After paying from economic reserve or the EP track, roll a die for the installation.
C. Apply a +1 DRM if an engineer is present (maximum one per attempt).
D. Apply a -1 DRM if the hex is within range of an enemy land-based fighter, if weather conditions would allow the fighter to reach the hex.
-
On a 1-3, it remains destroyed.
-
On a 4-6, the installation is repaired.
27.6 Building Airbases
A. An attempt to build an airbase can be made in a supplied, non-mountain hex containing an engineer.
B. The cost is 2 EPs, followed by a die roll to determine success.
-
Apply a -2 DRM if the terrain is jungle.
-
Apply a +1 DRM if a US engineer unit is attempting to build the base.
-
Apply a +1 DRM if a small airbase already exists in the hex, but ignore any result below a modified 6.
C. Roll on the table below:
| Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| ≤1 | No airfield possible in this hex* |
| 2-3 | No effect this turn |
| 4-5 | Small airfield built |
| 6+ | Large airfield built |
* When this result is gained, place a Destroyed Installation marker in the hex (under other markers, if any are present). No additional airfields are possible in this hex.
PART 9: SEASONAL TURNS
If you insist on my going ahead, I can give them hell for a year and a half, but can guarantee nothing as to what will happen after that. -- Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, September 1941 During each seasonal turn, players attend to matters of economics and production, performing the phases and steps of the seasonal turn in the order shown in the sequence of play.
28.0 ECONOMIC POINTS AND INCOME
A. A country's income and expenditures are calculated in EPs. EPs are used to build units, conduct operations, and repair damaged units. Japan and the US each has three EP markers: 100, 10, and 1; the UK, China, and the Netherlands each has a 10 and a 1. Place them on the appropriate EP track to indicate the country's current EP total.
B. Different countries use different colored markers to keep their EP totals separate, even though they are recorded on the same track. Except as allowed by Rules
28.3 - 28.5, trading EPs between countries is prohibited.
C. The reverse of Japanese EP markers shows negative numbers. Strategic warfare against Japan can drive its EP total below 0. If this happens, flip the counters to keep track of the negative EPs.
D. A country can never willingly spend EPs if that expenditure would result in a negative EP total on the track, or if the country already has a negative EP total.
28.1 Allied EP Income
Each unconquered Allied power receives EPs during the Income phase of each seasonal turn. EPs are not gained at any other time during the game. For the US, UK, China, and the Netherlands, this income is a number which varies from year to year and are listed on the Allied Player Aid Card.
28.2 Japanese EP Income
A. Japanese EPs are added to the EP track after all income and debits are calculated.
B. If the track has been reduced to negative numbers by strategic warfare, that negative is subtracted from the net income before the track is marked. Example: If Japan receives an income of 132 EPs, but shows -20 EPs on the track because of prior strategic warfare losses, mark the EPs at 112.
C. If the scenario does not list a fixed income for Japan:
-
It gains EPs for territory held in the amounts listed on Japanese Player Aid Card. To collect the EPs listed for an area Japan must control all cities in that area.
-
If Japan holds a portion of a resource territory, but not all, it receives 2 EPs per controlled city. It also receives 2 EPs per captured Chinese city (beyond the temporary borders, including Hong Kong).
-
Japan receives 2 EPs for a city even if it is marked with a Destroyed Installation marker.
28.3 Lend Lease to China
A. The US or the UK can send EPs to China. Such exchanges are deducted immediately from the sending nation's track and added to the Chinese track. However, the exchange rate is less than 1:1.
B. If the Burma road is open (all hexes from Lashio to Chungking are Allied-controlled), China receives 1 EP per 2 EPs sent.
C. If the Burma road is closed, the allies can send 3 EPs per ATP in airbases in India. China receives only 1 EP for every 3 EPs sent.
28.4 Lend Lease to the United Kingdom
The US can send up to 16 EPs per seasonal turn to the UK, in multiples of 4. The UK receives 3 EPs per 4 EPs sent.
28.5 US Lend Lease Limit
The US cannot spend more than one-fourth of its income any seasonal turn on Lend Lease.
29.0 CONSTRUCTION
A. Construction is the process of building units, fortifications, and airfields, and repairing depleted or damaged units. Each type of construction has an EP cost. The cost is paid immediately, and the constructed units are placed on the map, or in a later seasonal turn box on the TT.
B. Units built must come from the force pool of the country building them. Fortifications and airfield markers are kept in a general pool where they are available to all sides.
C. Every winter seasonal turn, countries add new units to their force pools, making them available for construction. When adding unnamed naval units (DDs, DEs, CLs, CVEs) to the force pool, the slowest units available must be added first.
D. The cost for each type of construction, as well as the number of seasons of delay required (if any), are listed on the Economic Point Costs Table for each partnership, on the Player Aid Card.
29.1 Requirements
A. A country must have a positive number of EPs to construct anything and can only spend EPs it has. No deficit spending is allowed.
B. Eligible units must be available. These include units in the force pool and any depleted units or damaged ships that are on the map (but see 29.3, 29.4).
C. Fortifications and airfields can be constructed if a country has the necessary EPs. If all of these markers are in use, players can make additional ones.
29.2 Building Units
A. Remove the unit from the force pool and immediately pay the EP cost to build that unit.
B. If the unit is infantry, STP, or ATP, no delay is required; the unit is immediately placed on the map.
C. Other types of units require a delay of 1-4 seasons. These units are placed in the seasonal turn box that many seasons down the track. Example: During the Spring seasonal turn, Japan builds a unit with a two-season delay. That unit is placed in the Autumn seasonal turn box. It will enter play in the Autumn seasonal turn.
D. Land and air units can be built at half (depleted) strength, if they have depleted values on the reverse of the unit. The unit must then enter play at depleted strength. After three monthly turns on the map, it can be built to full strength using the procedure in 29.3.
E. Naval units must be built at full strength.
29.3 Rebuilding Depleted Land and Air Units
A. Depleted land and air units on the map can be rebuilt to full strength by paying the EP cost to build one step of that unit from the force pool, if they meet the following conditions:
-
The unit is not marked out of supply.
-
The unit is not within range of an enemy landbased fighter.
-
The unit is not currently embarked upon an STP.
B. Rebuilt units are flipped to their full-strength sides wherever they are on the map.
C. Brigades can be replaced by divisions of the same type, as long as the requirements for rebuilding are met, and the player has a division in the force pool. Example: To replace a 3-3 Japanese brigade (one step) with a 6-3 Japanese division (three steps total) Japan must pay 4 EPs to build two steps of infantry.
29.4 Repairing Naval Units
A. Damaged naval units in friendly supply bases can be repaired during the Construction Phase. All naval units cost 2 EPs to repair.
B. If the repaired unit is a squadron of vessels (DD, CL, CVE, DE) flip the unit and return it to play immediately at full strength.
C. Named vessels (BB, CA, CB, CV, CVL) do not return to play immediately. Roll a die for each repaired ship.
-
Apply a -1 DRM for a damaged CV.
-
A result of 0-4 is the number of seasons before the ship is returned to service.
-
A 5 or 6 indicates the ship will not be repaired for at least a year; place the (still damaged) naval unit in the current seasonal turn box; it can be rolled for again in one game year.
-
Place vessels undergoing repair on the TT. They reenter the game the same as new naval units.
D. The number of units that can be repaired in a given supply base (per seasonal turn) is two, except in Kure, Yokohama, and the US West Coast Ports Box, which have no limits.
29.5 Repairing Destroyed Installations
A. A Destroyed Installation marker can be removed from a friendly hex occupied by a friendly land unit or landbased air unit, even one marked out of supply, for a cost of 2 EPs. This repair fixes all installations in the hex.
B. However, enemy land-based fighters in range of the hex prohibit this repair; such damage can only be fixed during the Replenishment Step (27.5).
29.6 Placing Units on the Map
The side that last had the initiative has the option of placing its units first or last. In most circumstances the sequence is not important; players simply put their units on the map as they are built.
29.6.1 Placing Installations
A. Airfield and fortification markers can be placed in any non-mountain friendly hex currently in supply, but with their Under Construction side showing. They are flipped to their operational sides one season later. No more than one type of each marker can be built per hex. A completed coastal fort may be converted into a completed fortification marker for 3 EPs.
B. Large airfield markers can be placed under construction in hexes containing small airfields for the cost of a small airfield; when the large airfield is completed, the small airfield marker is removed.
C. A small airfield can be placed on Iwo Jima.
D. Supply bases must be placed (under construction) in supplied port, limited port, or major port hexes that can base at least two air units. They are completed one season later. If all ten of a side's supply bases are on the map, a new one may be built by removing an existing marker and placing it, under construction, in the new hex. There is no compensation for the removal of the base from the original location.
E. An under-construction supply base is not affected by being placed out of supply.
26.6.2 Placing Combat Units
A. All units that enter play must be placed as follows, determined by nationality. Stacking limits must be observed, and naval units must be placed in ports. Note that, unlike depleted units being rebuilt on the map, new units can be placed on the map within range of enemy land-based fighters.
B. Transport point markers (STPs and ATPs) are placed like new naval units (STPs) or air units (ATPs), though these markers go on the map immediately, without the delay necessary for naval and air units.
C. Newly-built naval air units can be placed on existing or newly-built carriers in appropriate ports. Units can be placed on supply bases that are under Destroyed Installation markers.
D. If a unit is due to arrive on the map and there is no eligible hex for it to enter, it is returned to the force pool. The EPs spent to construct it are lost.
29.6.3 National Requirements
A. US units must be placed in the US West Coast Ports Box.
B. Japanese units must be placed in city or port hexes in Japan.
C. Chinese units must be placed in China, in or adjacent to Chinese cities. Also, see 37.4.
D. UK and Indian units must be placed in Bombay, except for Indian infantry units, which can be placed in any city in India.
E. Australian units must be placed in a supply base in Australia.
F. The Netherlands can rebuild units its force pool at Soerabaja. It can repair the de Ruyter at Soerabaja, Singapore, Colombo, Bombay, or Pearl Harbor. It can build additional supply bases in suitable hexes on Sumatra, Java, Timor, or in Dutch-conquered territory.
29.7 Economic Reserve
A. Japan can place up to 20 EPs in economic reserve. These EPs remain safe from strategic warfare, so even if Japan's economy sinks into negative numbers during monthly turns, reserve EPs are available for combined and impromptu offensives (19.0), keeping naval units at sea (4.7), repairing destroyed installations (27.5), and rebuilding home country losses (27.1). Record these EPs on the EP track with the economic reserve markers.
B. If reserve EPs remain after the three monthly turns, they can be retained in economic reserve during the following seasonal turn, or they can be spent for construction, repair, and offensives like regular EPs.
29.8 US Restriction
The US must spend a significant amount of its income on naval construction. This includes building naval units, building STPs, and repairing naval units. The amount, per season, that must be spent is listed by year:
| Year | EPs/season |
|---|---|
| 1942 | 60 |
| 1943 | 100 |
| 1944 | 60 |
30.0 INITIATIVE
The side purchasing the most offensives during the Initiative Phase of a seasonal turn holds the initiative for the following three monthly turns. During each monthly turn, the initiative side chooses which side performs the Naval and Air Phase first, performs the first offensive each turn, must move first during the Movement Phase, and must perform the Second Naval Movement Step first.
30.1 Adjusting Offensives Tracks
In Step 1, all offensive track markers are reduced to zero. All unused offensives are lost.
30.2 Buying Offensives
A. In Step 2, each side decides how many offensives to buy for use in the coming three monthly turns. Partners may discuss this decision with each other, but this information should be kept secret from the opponents.
B. No country cannot buy more offensives than it can afford. However, if a nation has no EPs remaining after construction, it receives one free offensive.
30.3 Costs of Offensives
Offensives cost 2 EPs each for Japan; they cost 3 EPs each for China, the UK, the Netherlands, and the US.
30.4 Using the Offensives Track
A. When all players have decided how many offensives to buy and have paid the EPs for those offensives, they simultaneously mark their offensive tracks to show the number of offensives purchased. The EPs can be paid during the Construction Phase, if desired, to conceal the number of offensives from the opponent during the Initiative Phase.
B. Each major nation receives an Off marker and an Off x 10 marker. When purchasing fewer than ten offensives, only the Off marker is used; for ten or more offensives, both markers are used to indicate the total number of offensives purchased. This enables each nation to purchase between 0 and 99 offensives.
30.5 Determining Initiative
A. Allied offensives are added together and compared to Japanese offensives. The side with the greatest number of offensives marked on its track wins the initiative.
B. If the number of offensives is the same for both sides, one player from each side rolls a die, rerolling ties. The high roll has the initiative.
PART 10: SPECIAL RULES
The Red Army lives among the people as fish dwells in the water. -- Chou En-Lai
31.0 JAPANESE AIR LOSSES
A. When a 3-quality Japanese air unit is eliminated, it is not returned to the force pool until the following Winter seasonal turn, regardless of when the loss occurred.
B. This rule is in effect from the start of the game until Japan gets a 4-quality air unit on an airbase on the game map. Then the above rule applies to 4-quality air units until the end of the game. From this point on, any 3 quality air unit losses (including those already set aside under this rule) are immediately placed in the force pool like any other losses.
32.0 1942 US CARRIER AIR IMPROVEMENTS
Up to six US naval air units can improve their quality ratings from 2 to 3.
32.1 Procedure
A. At the end of any successful attack mission performed by a 2-quality US naval air unit, that surviving unit can be returned to the force pool and replaced on the map by a 3-quality naval air unit from the counter tray. If the original unit was depleted, the replacement must be also.
B. A successful attack mission is one in which the naval air unit scored a hit against an enemy naval or air unit, or it contributed its strength to a bombing mission that destroyed an installation.
32.2 Limits
Only one naval unit may be improved per turn. The air unit to be improved must have itself scored a hit on the target.
33.0 DELAYED US AIRCRAFT BUILDS
A. Two types of US aircraft require two seasons to construct, rather than one. This rule applies only to the first units built. This more accurately simulates the development of these crucial models.
B. The rule affects the 3-3/4 naval air F6f Hellcat units introduced in 1943 and the 10-16/(3) 829 Superfortress units introduced in 1944. This rule affects each type separately.
C. Until at least one of these units is completed and deployed on the map, there is a two-season delay in their construction. Once the first units enter play, the delay is reduced to one season.
34.0 US SS QUALITY
A. The improvement of US torpedo performance is reflected in the improved quality of US subs, beginning in the winter 1943 seasonal turn.
B. During each seasonal turn, beginning with Winter 1943 and continuing until all subs have been improved, the US rolls one die, halving it (rounding fractions up). The result is the number of 0-GR subs that can be removed and replaced with 2-GR subs from the force pool. Subs can be picked up anywhere on the map, TT, or force pool. The old subs are removed from the game and placed in the tray.
35.0 CONQUEST OF AREAS
Conquest affects control of hexes throughout an area, which is important for tracing supply lines, constructing installations, and landing transport missions.
35.1 Conquering Nations
A. Every nation on the map is subject to conquest, with the exception of the US. A nation is conquered when all cities and installations within its borders have been made friendly to the attacker.
B. Japan can be conquered as explained above, but Japan is also conquered if strategic warfare ever reduces its net seasonal income to 0 or less (including any EPs in Japan's economic reserve) at the end of Step 1 of the seasonal turn.
35.2 Conquering Island Groups
A. An island group is conquered when all cities and clear terrain hexes (excluding small islands) in the group have been made friendly to the invader. The rule applies to the following island groups: Andaman, Aleutian, Bismarck, Borneo, Caroline, Celebes, Fiji, Gilbert, Hawaii, Java, Kurile, Mariana, Marshall, New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Sumatra, Timor
B. The boundaries of these island groups are shown on the special maps.
35.3 Effects
A. When an area is conquered, all hexes of that nation or island group become friendly to the conquering side, except for hexes that are occupied by enemy land units. In addition, all forces from that country (if any) are removed from the game.
B. Several nations suffer additional effects from conquest:
35.3.1 China
Chinese units are not removed from the game, but they are all considered to be out of supply. No new Chinese units can be built, damaged units cannot be replenished, and eliminated units cannot replaced. China receives an automatic one offensive per season (plus any additional offensives purchased with Allied Lend Lease aid) as long as it has a land unit on the board.
35.3.2 India
If India is conquered, UK income falls to 5 EPs per season until one or more Indian cities are recaptured by the Allies.
35.3.3 Australia
If Australia is conquered, US income is reduced by 15 EPs per season, until one ore more Australian cities are recaptured by the Allies. Australian naval units remain part of the US fleet.
35.3.4 Netherlands East Indies
Dutch land and air units must be removed from the map when all of Java, Sumatra, and the Celebes have fallen to Japan. Dutch naval units remain in play and are treated as other Allied naval units.
36.0 SPECIAL LAND UNITS
36.1 Raiders
Raiders receive a +3 DRM when making attrition die rolls.
36.2 Armor
A. Armor units receive a + 1 DRM when all-armor attacks are made against infantry/marine/engineer/ paratroop/raider units, if the defender occupies a clear terrain hex with no adverse weather conditions.
B. Armor units cannot perform amphibious assaults.
C. Two STPs are required to transport a single step of armor.
36.3 Japanese Imperial Guards
If a Japanese Imperial Guards infantry division is placed in the force pool, it can be only rebuilt in Japan itself.
36.4 Special Australian Infantry
The three Australian 4-3 (with the 3 in a white circle)
infantry units cannot leave Australia.
37.0 CHINA SPECIAL RULES
These rules apply to all scenarios in which Chinese units appear.
37.1 Supply Effects
A. Chinese land units in China are never marked out of supply (and thus never suffer attrition from lack of supply), nor do they suffer out-of-supply penalties to movement when starting from or entering hexes in China.
B. Combat penalties for being out of supply do apply to units that cannot trace a supply line when they attack or defend.
C. Chinese air units follow the normal supply rules for air units.
37.2 Replenishment
A. China rolls a die during the Replenishment Step. The result is the number of steps (1-6) that can be returned to the board from the Replenishment Box. If sufficient units are not available in the Replenishment Box, one depleted Chinese land unit can be rebuilt for every step not returned from the box.
B. Replenished units must be placed on the map within the provisions of 37.4. In addition, they cannot be placed (or returned to full strength) within range of Japanese land-based fighters, on turns during which air units can fly. If weather prevents air operations, replenishment can occur without regard to the location of Japanese air units.
37.3 Control of Hexes
A. Hexes inside China are friendly to Japan only when occupied by a Japanese land unit. If Japanese land unit moves out, the hex immediately reverts back to Chinese control.
B. Use of a hex as an airbase does not ensure Japanese control. If the only land unit in the airbase hex moves out, the air unit is treated as if the base had just been captured, and-it must rebase immediately.
C. Japanese supply bases and fortifications do control the Chinese hexes they occupy, even without Japanese land units.
D. These restrictions apply only to hexes within the brown-bordered area labeled China (on both sides of the temporary borders and including Hainan), but not to Manchukuo.
37.4 Placing Chinese Units on the Map
A. Chinese units from the Replenishment Box or the force pool must be placed on or adjacent to a Chinese city. They cannot be placed on Japanese units. They can be placed next to cities occupied by Japanese units, but at some risk, however.
B. After all units are placed, the Allies roll a die for each Chinese unit that entered adjacent to a Japanese-held city, but no roll is necessary if the unit is also on or adjacent to a Chinese-controlled city.
-
If the roll is equal to or greater than the number of Japanese SPs in the city, the Chinese unit remains in place.
-
If the die roll is less than the number of Japanese SPs, the unit is immediately removed to the force pool.
-
Apply a +1 DRM if the unit is a Chinese Communist unit (37.5.)
37.5 Chinese Communists
Chinese Communist units have unique restrictions and capabilities:
A. Hex row 46xx is a southern boundary for Chinese Communist units. They may not be placed or move south of that hex row. If forced to retreat south of hex row 46xx, they are eliminated.
B. Chinese Communist units cannot use rail movement.
C. Chinese Communist units can be built and replenished exactly like other Chinese units, within the location restriction above.
D. When a Chinese offensive is declared, Communist units cannot be activated with Nationalist units.
-
Communist units can be activated for an offensive only on a roll of a 4-6 after the offensive is declared. If this roll fails, the offensive must be used to activate Nationalist units.
-
Only one attempt to activate Communists can be made per turn.
-
This rule no longer applies if Japan captures Chungking.
E. For every city in China held by China at the start of Japanese war with the western Allies (December 1941, or as determined by scenario) and subsequently captured by Japanese during the game, an additional Communist corps can be placed in the force pool until all nine corps are in play. These units can be built just like other Chinese units.
F. If a Communist unit is placed next to a Japanesecontrolled city when it is constructed (37.4), it receives a +1 DRM when rolling to see if it can remain on the map, per 37.4.B.
G. Communist units can never stack with Nationalist units, and vice versa. If one is forced to retreat onto the other, it is eliminated instead.
37.6 Fortification Restriction
Chinese land units (both Communist and Nationalist) cannot benefit from fortifications.
LEARNING PTO IF YOU ALREADY PLAY ETO
Below me lay the US Pacific Fleet in a formation I would not have dared to dream of in my most optimistic dreams. -- MItsuo Fuchida, December 1941
A. WWII: PTO is at heart the same game system as WWII: ETO, however, a number of modifications have been made to fit the theater, which experienced a war that was quite different from the war in Europe.
B. Most of these changes result from the fact that the PTO map covers approximately four times as much territory as the map in ETO, yet the density of land and air units is much lighter.
C. The nature of the war itself has resulted in just a few changes, primarily in the fact that naval units can be activated for naval offensives, and that the army group and armored operation rules of ETO have been mostly deleted, as they have no relevance to PTO.
D. Although individual case numbers vary between the games, the parts into which the rules are divided remain the same for Parts 1-9. Thus, while naval interception is case 8.0 in ETO and 5.0 in PTO, it is the second case of Part 4 in both games.
E. All case numbers given in this section are those of the PTO rules, unless specifically indicated as being from ETO.
F. Where new rules have been added, the summary refers players to those rules; where modifications have been made to existing rules, these changes have been summarized as much as possible. If a conflict arises between a rule expressed one way in the summary and another way in the PTO rules, the PTO rules take precedence.
Notes on Game Scale
A. The following considerations constitute the rationale for most of the differences between games.
B. In WWII: PTO:
-
Each base, fortification, or airfield is a much smaller and more specific location than in ETO.
-
Each air unit is a smaller, more tactical unit of aircraft than it is in ETO. In PTO there are approximately 20 to 30 planes per SP.
-
Each land unit is a small, specific formation (brigade or division, usually) instead of the large, corps/army sized units of ETO. A full-strength Japanese or US division in PTO is the equivalent of 1-2 SPs in ETO.
-
Each hex represents twice the distance, and many times the area, of an ETO hex.
Time Frame
A. The emphasis in each game has been to create a playable and interesting simulation of action that occurred in that theater. Thus, the playing times for the early parts of the war vary considerably. 1939 and 1940, for example, take a lot longer to resolve in ETO than in PTO.
B. When playing these portions of the war, players may find it useful to resolve a season of play on the ETO map and then quickly resolve the corresponding PTO season. After the US entry into the war, however, the playing times are more balanced, and the two games can be played simultaneously, phase by phase.
C. A given phase can be played on one map and then followed by the same phase of the same turn on the other map; however, as a general rule the phase should be completed on both maps before moving on to the next phase on either map. Slight modifications to this can be made when there is no effect on game interaction.
D. Offensive sequencing on one map has no effect on the sequence on the other map. Thus, in a two-player game, the Offensive Phase should be resolved on one game before it is played on the other. If more players are available, offensives can be played simultaneously, though the alternating sequence is still kept separate for each game.
E. Offensives and initiative are never linked between the two maps. The side with the initiative on the ETO map performs the first offensive there; if the other side has the PTO initiative, it performs the first offensive there.
Counters
A. The PTO counters should be very familiar to ETO players. Note that some heavy bombers have been given a circled quality rating; this is explained in the summary under Air Operations.
B. Marines and engineers have been added as land unit types. Also, ETO players will find replacements for the misprinted UK BBs of the Revenge class.
Part 1: Sequence of Play
The same SOP is employed, with some minor variations:
A. Strategic warfare is different in PTO, as it includes only US SS and bomber attacks against Japanese economy.
B. Naval offensives can be performed in the PTO Offensive Phase. The ETO Breakthrough and Exploitation steps are removed from the Offensive Phase. An air offensive can be combined with a land or naval offensive for a joint offensive in PTO.
C. Skip the Convoy Status Step in the PTO seasonal turn.
Part 2: Weather
There are four weather zones in PTO: Arctic, Land, Monsoon, and Fair. Weather can cause adverse effects, as detailed in 1.0 and summarized on the Player Aid Card.
Part 3: Strategic Warfare
Two types of strategic warfare, SS and bomber attacks, can be directed by the US against Japan. No other types exist in PTO, and these two generally are not relevant before 1943 at the earliest. They are covered in Rules 2.0 and 3.0.
Part 4: Naval Operations
4.0 Naval Movement
A. Most significantly, naval units and STPs that move half or less of their MA during the Naval and Air Phase can be marked with Standby markers. This signifies their eligibility to be activated for an offensive.
B. During an offensive, an activated, undamaged naval unit can use 10 MPs. An activated, damaged unit or an STP can use 5 MPs.
C. Limited ports are cities and airfields not marked as ports, but which occupy coastal hexes. They can hold five naval units when ships return to port. However, they provide no protection against enemy interception, even if a CA or BB is present.
D. 4.9 lists the special terrain effects on naval movement of the PTO map.
5.0 Naval Interception
A. A group of intercepting ships must number six in PTO, not three as in ETO. A stack of 12 or more units is needed to break into two groups.
B. There is no automatic interception except when entering an enemy-occupied port. However, see the interception modifiers listed under rule 5.5.
C. A stack containing BBs that is intercepted in a coastal hex cannot evade that interception, even if it is faster than the intercepting group.
6.0 Naval Combat
A BB unit' armor rating is reduced by 1 when it occupies a coastal hex (including a port). For example, a 4-12-28 battleship in Pearl Harbor is considered a 4-11-28 BB for all purposes until it reaches deep water (dark blue sea areas).
7.0 Sea Transport and Amphibious Assault
A. Rule 7.2 and the Player Aid Card list the costs (in STPs) of the various types of naval transport, which are very similar to the ETO costs.
B. Units debarking for an amphibious assault must first occupy the coastal hex in an STP marked Activated or Standby. They do not require an STP to be destroyed for each (or any) assaulting unit. If the enemy hex is cleared when they land, a supply marker is placed with the landing units. If the enemy hex is not cleared, assaulting units still land, sharing the hex with the defending units, and do not get a supply marker. See Rule 7.6 for details.
Part 5: Air Operations
10.2 Basing
Some airbases allow two air units to base there; basing capacities are summarized on the Player Aid Card.
12.0 Air-to-Air Combat
Some bombers have a circled quality rating. These bombers are harder for fighters to hit and more dangerous to attack (12.8).
13.0 Air-Naval Combat
A. Remember that a BB's armor rating is reduced by 1 in coastal hexes.
B. Kamikazes (13.6) have been added to the game.
17.0 Committing Air Units
Generally, an air unit is committed the first time it flies during the Offensive Phase, and it cannot fly again during the entire phase. See 17.0 for details.
18.0 Air Offensives and Airstrikes
These are more limited in scope than in in ETO, but they can occur during naval or land offensives (18.0).
Part 6: Offensive Phase
19.0 Command and Activation
A. Land units are activated by geographical area, not army group HQ. Areas include countries and island groups, as detailed in 19.2.
B. Two hexes can be attacked during a land offensive.
C. A given area (e.g., China or the Philippines) can host several offensives per player during a turn, as long as different units are activated each time.
D. Activation of naval units is done by indicating a command stack (19.1). Any standby naval units in that stack, and those within interception range of it, can be activated for the sea offensive.
20.0 Movement During Offensives
A. Most significantly, there are no ZOCs in PTO.
B. Jungle and mountain terrain slow movement (20.1).
C. Stacking limits are summarized on the Player Aid Card.
D. Roads have no effect on movement; they aid supply only.
E. Players can sometimes break a full-strength division into two brigades before it moves (20.4).
21.0 Land Combat
A. Fortifications and the SPs gained from naval bombardment are slightly different.
B. There are no armor reaction attacks.
22.0 Land Combat Effects
A. Note the different CRT on the PTO Player Aid Card.
B. Some units have more than two steps (22.3). These divisions may be replaced with brigades if removed from the map.
Part 7: Movement Phase
24.0 Rail Movement
A side has rail capacity in each country where it controls two cities. It can move one unit per country, and it must remain in that country; see 24.0 for details.
Part 8: Supply and Replenishment
25.0 Tracing Supply
A. Supply is traced to supply bases, which are installations placed on the map, or to air or sea supply markers as in ETO. Exceptions: Chinese units trace to Chinese cities; Japanese units trace to supply bases or to Japanese home country cities.
B. A supply marker can supply an unlimited number of units per turn, though it is consumed if more than one traces to it.
C. A supply line cannot be traced into a jungle or mountain hex unless the hex is occupied by a friendly land unit (or the supply route follows a road).
D. Supply can never be traced through or into a jungle/ mountain hex; a unit in such a hex is automatically out of supply.
E. A supply line can be traced for up to 9 MPs from a port to another port containing a supply base; or 3 MPs from a port to another port containing a supply marker. An island without a port is considered to be a port for purposes of receiving, but not sending, supply.
26.0 Unsupplied Units
Out of supply land units deplete on a die roll (26.5).
27.0 Replenishment
A. China can replace one to six (die roll) free infantry steps per turn (27.2).
B. Engineer units can attempt to build airbases during this step (27.6).
Part 9: Seasonal Turns
28.0 Economic Points and Income
A. Japan is the only nation that gains EPs for territorial holdings.
B. See the Player Aid Card for all national incomes.
C. The US can send Lend Lease to China (28.3) and the UK (28.4).
29.0 Construction
A. A depleted unit cannot be rebuilt if it is within range of an enemy land-based fighter.
B. Placing units on the map (29.6) is specific to PTO.
C. The US must spend a minimum amount of its income on naval builds in 1942-1944.
Part 10: Special Rules
These are all specific to PTO; they cover the depletion of Japanese and the improvement of American aircraft and pilot quality, as well as American SS quality. They also cover conquest, special land units, and Chinese special rules.
THE COMBINED GAME: ETO AND PTO
There is no great beauty that hat no some strangeness in the proportion. -- Francis Bacon
A. When ETO and PTO are played side by side, they provide a grand strategic depiction of the entire Second World War. These rules provide the framework for the combined game.
B. Three potential scenarios are included:
-
The Second World War, beginning in China in 1937 and continuing through the war's ultimate resolution.
-
The 1939 start to the campaign, which includes the entire European War and begins the Pacific War in December of 1941.
-
1942: Year of Decision, which runs from January through December of 1942.
C. The maps can be set side by side, although any area where both can be set up and are not too far apart for communication and movement will work.
D. Specific rules that differ between games remain in force on the map that they apply to. For example, a group attempting naval interception can number as few as three units on the ETO map, but it must include six units on the PTO map.
101.0 Moving Units Between Maps
101.1 Naval Movement Between Maps
A. Naval units and STPs are the same on both maps; either type can move back and forth, subject to the following rules.
B. Naval units and STPs can move from specific ocean spaces on one map to specific spaces on the other map; these spaces are assumed to be adjacent for such movement:
| PTO Area | ETO Area |
|---|---|
| Southeast Pacific | South Atlantic |
| Indian Ocean | Indian Ocean |
| Panama hex* | US Coastal Water |
* The Panama route can be used only by the US and its allies, and only if the US controls the Panama hex.
C. A naval unit can move to a different map only during the Naval and Air Phase; a naval unit can never move from game map to game map during an Offensive or End Phase.
D. A naval unit cannot be activated during two Naval and Air Phases in one turn, even if the country takes the first phase on one map and moves the ship to the other map for the second Naval and Air Phase.
E. Naval units undergo no changes when moving from map to map.
F. STPs can be used to transfer land and air units from map to map, provided the transported units can meet the requirements of 101.2 and 101.4. Transported units will need to be converted when they are carried from map to map.
G. If a stack of naval units is to be moved onto the other game map during a subsequent turn, it can remain at sea and be marked out of supply; it does not need to return to a port, even if it is within reach of one. The stack must be moved onto the other game map during the following Naval and Air Phase.
101.2 Converting Land Units Between Maps
A. Land units of the UK, US, and USSR must be converted to units from the appropriate game when they enter a new map. Remove two steps of a PTO unit to make one step of an ETO unit. Conversely, one ETO step becomes two steps of the same type of unit on the PTO map.
B. The only types of land units that can be transferred are infantry, armor, and paratroops. Marines and engineers are limited to the PTO game. HQs and generals are limited to the ETO game.
C. When a unit moves to a new map, the owner puts that unit into its original force pool and removes the appropriate type of unit from the other force pool. The USSR uses the ETO force pool for all of its units. Players can make change with steps and counters as they wish.
D. Infantry must always be converted for infantry, armor for armor, and paratroops for paratroops. Armor units converted from PTO to ETO units must always be converted to the weakest strength armor units available (6-5 for US and UK; 4-5 for USSR.).
E. Soviet PTO infantry become 5-3 ETO infantry if available. 5-3 ETO Soviet infantry must be converted to PTO infantry, if available on the ETO map. If not, 4-3 infantry can be used for the conversion. Example: Two Soviet infantry divisions are moved from the Siberian front to the Soviet Transfers Box. They total six steps of PTO infantry. The USSR puts the PTO counters in its force pool and removes three steps of 5-3 infantry, either as one full-strength and one depleted counter, or as three depleted counters.
101.3 Land Movement Between Maps
A. Land units must transfer between maps during the Movement Phase, unless transported by ATPs or STPs. Units transferring cannot have been activated for an offensive, nor can they have been moved by transport or land movement during the current turn.
B. Allied land units can move from the US Box (ETO map) to the US West Coast Ports Box (PTO map). Up to four ETO steps (eight PTO) can be transferred per turn. This figure includes both units going west to east and those going east to west.
C. Soviet land units can move from Soviet home country territory on either map to the Soviet Transfers Box. One or two units can be removed from one map, but not both, and placed in the box; these units must be moved off the map by rail capacity. On the following turn, the converted units can be placed on any map edge hex(es) on the new map that are not adjacent to enemy units. Eligible hexes include E0122 through E2610 on the ETO map, and W5409 to W6134 (and E5909/5910) on the PTO map. The conversion of counters always occurs when the units are moved from the transfer box to the new map.
101.4 Converting Air Units Between Maps
A. Air units need not necessarily convert to the exact same aircraft type to pass from map to map; the counter mix makes these conversions very difficult. Instead, types of aircraft must be converted to similar types. Like land units, one step of ETO air converts to two steps of PTO air; two steps of PTO air convert to one in ETO.
B. Conversion must be consistent for nationality and type (fighter, fighter-bomber, bomber with underlined attack strength, and bomber without underlined attack strength). Example: A full-strength UK 6-12 bomber and a US depleted 8-16 bomber fly to the PTO map. The US bomber can be converted to two steps of American PTO air, either 6-10/(2) or 7- 12/(1), or one step of each. The UK bomber can be converted to four steps of British Commonwealth air-6-9 bombers.
C. ATPs can move between maps like long-range air units (101.5). They undergo no conversion when they do so. Any land units carried by ATPs, however, must be converted normally.
D. The UK air units that start the game on the PTO map are obsolete types and cannot be sent to the ETO map.
E. The US 10-16/(3) bombers must be built on the PTO map; they can be sent (and converted) to ETO bombers, but ETO bombers can never be converted to these.
101.5 Air Movement Between Maps
A. Air units can move between maps:
-
Via naval transport (short-range air units only);
-
By flying from the US, Europe, or North Africa via Capetown and Iraq (long-range air units only);
-
By entering the Iraq Land Transit Box via Iraq, and then flying to India;
-
By the same two routes used by land units in the US and USSR.
B. The move from map to map must be made during the Naval and Air Phase. It counts as a base change mission, and the unit can perform no other mission or movement during the friendly Naval and Air Phase.
C. An unlimited number of air units can transfer via the US boxes, the Soviet Transfers Box, or naval transport.
D. The number that can pass through the Iraq Land Transit Box is limited to two ETO steps per turn.
101.5.1 US Transfer
Simply pick up the units in one box, convert them, and place the new units in the box on the other map.
101.5.2 Soviet Transfer
A. Air units must be on bases within Soviet home country territory in weather conditions that allow them to fly. Pick up air units from the map and place them in the Soviet Transfers Box.
B. During the Naval and Air Phase of the following turn (weather on the new map permitting), they can be converted and moved to any airbases within two times the unit's range from the map edge of the new map. This counts as the unit's full base change.
101.5.3 Crossing Africa
A. The Capetown route is an abstraction of a transSaharan route that was used to ferry long-range bombers to India. Long-range (range of 12 or more) air units in the UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar, North Africa, or the US Box on the ETO map can be moved to the Capetown Box during a Naval and Air Phase, subject to weather allowing aircraft to fly in the moderate weather zone.
B. On a subsequent turn's Naval and Air Phase, one of these units can be transferred to the Iraq Transit Box if no other air unit occupies the box.
C. On a third turn, the unit can fly to India, as if making an Iraq-India transfer (101.5.4).
101.5.4 Iraq-India
A. Any air unit in the Iraq Land Transit Box can fly to an airbase within India, undergoing conversion as it does so. Conversely, air units based anywhere in India (even from several bases) can fly to the Iraq Land Transit Box, as long as no more than one ETO air unit is converted.
B. The airbase must be no more than twice the unit's range from the map edge; and the move from the box to India (or vice versa) counts as the unit's full base change.
C. This route is open only when air is eligible to fly in the Monsoon weather zone.
101.6 Naval Air Movement Between Maps
A. Naval air units are exchanged as explained below, always for naval air units of the same nationality. It makes no difference whether the unit flies between maps or is carried by a CV or STP.
B. A naval air unit on the ETO map that moves to the PTO map undergoes no conversion; the counter is simply moved to the PTO map.
C. Naval air units moving from the PTO map to the ETO map are converted as follows:
-
1-quality naval air units are not affected.
-
2-quality naval air units are reduced to depleted status, if they are two-step units. One-step units are not affected.
-
3-quality and 4-quality naval air units (of one or two steps) are reduced to 2-quality, one-step naval air units from the US force pool. If these units are not available, the conversion cannot be made.
101.7 Converting With Future Force Pool Adds
The counter mix represents the limit of units that can be used in play. However, if there are insufficient units in a country's force pool to make a conversion, it can use units from next year's force pool to increase the number of units in a given theater. Example: A full-strength UK 4-12 bomber moves from the Iraq transit box to an airbase in India in February of 1942. This entitles the UK to place four steps of 6-9 air in India. However, it does not receive any until 1943, when it receives one. It can take the 6-9 bomber from the 1943 force pool and place it, by conversion, on an airbase in India. Since it has only two steps of eligible air, the other two steps are lost. During the Winter 1943 seasonal turn, it can add the 6-9 air unit due in 1944 to the force pool.
101.8 German/Italian Incursion into PTO
A. Under certain circumstances, Axis infantry units can enter the Iraq Land Transit Box and then move to the PTO map via India. This overrules the Axis movement restriction in ETO rule 7.8.
B. If all land hexes in the Middle East between the Suez Canal and the northern edge of the Fair weather zone are neutral or friendly to the Axis, and all hexes adjacent to the Suez Canal are friendly to the Axis, the Axis can move land units into the Iraq Land Transit Box as soon as the UK abandons it, per ETO 7.8.
C. When the Axis occupies the Iraq Land Transit Box, the restriction requiring Italian naval units to remain in the Mediterranean Sea (46.1) is lifted. Italian naval units can leave the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal; they cannot leave via Gibraltar unless Gibraltar is free of Allied units.
D. When the Axis fulfills the conditions listed below, it can move infantry units from the Iraq Land Transit Box to India:
-
At least one Axis infantry unit occupies the Iraq Land Transit Box.
-
At least one Axis naval unit is in the Persian Gulf, and no Allied naval units are in the Persian Gulf.
-
Two-step Axis infantry units occupy Port Said,
Cairo, and Mosul.
E. Up to two infantry units in the Iraq Land Transit Box can be transported per turn. They are not converted; they are simply moved to the PTO map. They can enter along any map edge hex of India (W3501-4201). They can trace supply to that map edge as long as the Axis retains control of the Iraq Land Transit Box. They can also trace supply to Japanese supply bases and supply markers. They are subject to all PTO rules for land operations such as no ZOC. They are not replaced with brigades if eliminated in combat. They cannot return to the ETO map once they have been transferred. Any rebuilding of step losses costs twice the normal amount of EPs.
F. Additional units can be transferred in later turns as long as the three conditions are still fulfilled. If one of the conditions is not met, new units cannot be sent until all conditions are met once more; however, the Axis can continue to trace supply to the PTO western map edge as long as it retains control of the Iraq Transit Box.
G. One Axis air unit may also be transferred per turn. Like land units, air units are not converted. They function normally on the PTO map except that the range of German and Italian bombers is reduced to 8 on the PTO map; they cannot return to the ETO map.
H. Relative strength is lost to the Axis in this one-way conversion, representing in an abstract sense the vast supply and transport network the Axis would have to improvise in order to perform this grand strategic maneuver. In effect, Axis air and land units lose half their strength when they enter the PTO map.
102.0 Order of Battle Adjustments
A. The original game rules that reflect grand strategic unit transfers are modified in the combined game, giving players greater freedom in deployment. Specifically, UK and US naval deployments are affected, as well as the Soviet infantry transfers from Asia to Europe.
B. These adjustments are fully employed in Combined Scenario 1 and Combined Scenario 2; see Combined Scenario 3 for its special rules.
102.1 United Kingdom
Delete the following units from the PTO order of battle:
A. All BBs (Prince of Wales, Repulse, Warspite, Resolution, Ramillies, Revenge, Royal Sovereign, King George V, Anson, Duke of York).
B. All CVs (Indomitable, Formidable, Victorious, Illustrious, Indefatigable).
C. All Australian land units listed as entering at Bombay; place these units in the force pool at the start of their year of entry.
D. CA Exeter
102.2 United States
A. Ignore the arrivals listed for the following units in the PTO order of battle (1942). These units can be placed in the US box of the ETO map, or the US West Coast Ports Box or Pearl Harbor space of the PTO map, when US units are placed on either map. They can be moved back and forth between maps, at the US option.
-
CVs (Yorktown, Wasp; 2-3/2 NA apiece).
-
BBs (New Mexico, Mississippi, Idaho).
-
CAs (Vincennes, Quincy).
-
CLs (x3).
-
DDs (x3).
B. Delete from PTO order of battle BBs (New York, Texas, Arkansas, Massachusetts)
C. The following units enter as listed on the ETO and PTO OBs; they can be placed on either map when they enter in the East Coast or West Coast boxes of the US:
-
ETO: BB Massachusetts (1942).
-
PTO: BBs (North Carolina, Washington, South Dakota, Indiana) (1942).
102.3 USSR
A. The USSR receives the order of battle listed under 104.2.
B. The USSR can transfer land and air units from one map to another as soon as it goes to war with an Axis nation.
103.0 Economic Adjustments
A. The UK, US, and USSR each receives income equal to the totals of their ETO and PTO incomes combined. Example: The US has an income of 200 (140 PTO + 60 ETO) each seasonal turn of 1942.
B. EPs can be shifted between games only during the Income and Construction phases of seasonal turns (Exception: USSR.). EPs are simply deducted from one track and added to the other.
C. Offensives marked on one map must be spent on that map; likewise with EPs in economic reserve or left on the EP track after the Initiative Phase of the seasonal turn.
D. All USSR EPs are totaled and recorded on the ETO map. They can be spent on either map.
103.1 Lend Lease
A. The ETO and PTO restrictions on US and UK Lend Lease apply.
B. If Japan and the USSR are at war with each other, or if Mosul is controlled by the Axis, only 5 EPs can be sent to the USSR prior to the opening of the Arctic convoy route. If both conditions are met, the Arctic route must be used for all lend lease to Russia.
103.2 UK Theater Exchanges
Unlike the US and USSR, the UK suffers a penalty for sending EPs from one map to the other. The exchange rate is 4:3, and EPs must be sent in increments of 4.
103.3 US Naval Spending Requirement
The EPs required for US naval spending for PTO (29.8) must be observed during each seasonal turn from 1942 onward.
103.4 Conquest
Conquering a nation on one map has the following effects on the other map:
103.4.1 ETO
A. f the UK is conquered in ETO, its PTO seasonal income is increased by 12.
B. If the USSR is conquered in ETO, its PTO income is increased by 24 (up to 30 (104.11) on each subsequent seasonal turn. In addition, the increased Soviet OB from Rule 104.3 is added to the force pool, eligible for immediate building and use in PTO. These units still do not require the delay normal for air and armor units.
103.4.2 PTO
A. If all UK territories are conquered in the PTO game, the UK suffers a -10 EP penalty to its income in all future ETO seasonal turns.
B. If all USSR territory in PTO is made friendly to Japan, the USSR suffers a -10 EP penalty to its ETO income in all future seasonal turns.
104.0 Soviet Asian Forces and Special Rules
A. The Siberian garrisons of the USSR are represented in the combined game. They serve as a buffer against Japan and as a source of reinforcements for the USSR forces in ETO. Delete the Soviet transfer rules (43.1) from ETO.
B. The USSR should use a corner of the ETO force pool for its PTO units, and display its PTO markers on the China/UK/Dutch EP track.
104.1 Income and Builds
A. The USSR receives no income before the Autumn 1939 seasonal turn. Beginning in Autumn 1939, it receives its normal ETO income. Its EPs may be spent for activities in either game.
B. After the USSR attacks Japan (104.6), or after Japan puts its Japan/USSR war chit on the TT, the USSR receives 12 additional EPs per seasonal turn, representing Asian off-map resources.
C. Soviet PTO builds use the Japanese EP cost table.
D. Soviet land units must be placed on the map on or adjacent to a Soviet city or in the USSR adjacent to the map edge. They cannot be placed adjacent to Japanese land units.
E. Soviet air units must be placed on Soviet cities or airbases.
F. Land and airbase stacking limits apply.
104.2 Order of Battle
Place the following Soviet units on the PTO map or force pool, as indicated, at the beginning of the scenario:
| Location | Units |
|---|---|
| Any hexes in the USSR | 14 x 8-3 Inf, 6 x 4-4 Arm |
| Any cities in the USSR | 1 x fortification marker, 2 x 4-4/2 ftr-bmr |
| Vladivostok | CL, DD, SS |
| Force Pool | 6 x 8-3 Inf, 2 x 4-8 bmr (x2), 1 x 4-4/1 ftr-bmr, 8 x 3-3 Inf |
104.3 Increased Order of Battle After Germany Falls
A. Add the following to the Soviet PTO force pool immediately after Germany is conquered:
| Qty | Type | Qty | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 20-3 Inf | 3 | 8-8 bmr, |
| 6 | 9-4 Arm | 3 | 4-4/2 ftr-bmr |
B. These units are available for building during any subsequent seasonal turn.
C. Unlike the armor and air force pool units in 104.2, these units never require a delay in building. All types of units can be paid for and immediately placed on the map during a seasonal turn.
104.4 Japanese Manchukuoan Garrison
A. Add the following units to Japanese initial setup:
| Qty | Type | Qty | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 6-3 Inf | 2 | 3-3 Inf |
| 1 | 3-4 Arm |
B. Place these units in Manchukuo in hexes bordering the Soviet Union.
104.5 Soviet Supply Sources in PTO
Soviet units can trace supply to any map edge hex in the USSR along the north or west map edges, or to any Soviet city.
104.6 Outbreak of Soviet/Japanese War
A. The USSR cannot initiate war with Japan as long as every Manchukuoan hex along the border with the USSR is garrisoned with a Japanese land unit.
B. The USSR can attack without restriction if Japan does not fulfill this condition, or if Japanese units attack Soviet units or enter Soviet territory first (Exception: 104.7).
C. This restriction is lifted after the conquest of Germany. It is also lifted nine months after the turn in which Japan plays the Japan/USSR war chit if Japan fails to attack the USSR.
D. Japan cannot attack the USSR prior to the end of attrition warfare, except as in 104.7. After attrition warfare ends, Japan can declare an attack (or invasion, in ETO parlance) against the USSR. However (to reflect the excellent Soviet spy network in Tokyo), this invasion must be declared before it actually occurs.
E. At the start of the game, Japan places its four Japanese/USSR War chits in a cup and draws one blindly.
F. Japan may look at the chit, which tells how many months' delay is required between announcing the invasion and actually launching it (3, 5, 7, and 9 months). During the Weather Phase of any turn, Japan announces its intent to go to war with the USSR by placing this chit, number side down, on the current turn of the TT.
G. After the requisite number of months have passed, Japan is free to attack the USSR. If it attacks, it must reveal the chit to the USSR.
Example: If the three-month chit is played in January, the invasion can occur beginning in April.
H. Japan is not required to attack, but nine months after the chit is played, the USSR is free to attack Japan at any time.
104.7 Territorial Clash (The Nomonhan Campaign)
A. During the period of attrition warfare, Japan can attempt to seize one Soviet city (except Vladivostok), without triggering all-out war with the USSR. The clash must be declared at the end of a seasonal turn. The attrition warfare turn sequence (scenario rule 8.4) remains in effect.
B. Japan and the USSR each adds two free offensives to their respective offensive tracks. This is in addition to the free offensive Japan receives during the attrition war. These can be used to activate units in Manchukuo or the USSR during the upcoming monthly turn.
C. During the following seasonal turn, each adds two more offensives, with the same condition. The clash ends after the second monthly turn is played.
D. If after these two turns of attacking, Japan occupies a Soviet city, that city, and any Japanese-occupied hexes adjacent to both the city and the Manchukuoan border, become part of Manchukuo. Japan adds 2 EPs to its income for holding the city.
E. If Japan does not hold a Soviet city, it must move its forces back to the original border. The status quo is restored.
104.8 Soviet Rail Capacity
The USSR has a rail capacity of two, not one, on the PTO map.
104.9 ETO Rule Modification
Ignore the ETO Soviet transfer rules (43.1). The extra ten 5-3 Soviet infantry for ETO are left in a box of the counter tray. They can enter ETO only after the USSR and Germany go to war with each other. After this point, PTO infantry can be converted into these units. PTO infantry exchanged for these 5-3 units are placed in the USSR force pool.
105.0 Crossover Rules (Optional)
Certain rules designed for one game can be applied to both games, if all players agree before play starts.
105.1 Armor Breakthrough
A. Breakthrough movement and attack with armor can be performed on the PTO map during any land offensive when activating an armor unit, as long as the unit neither enters nor attacks a hex that is subject to Monsoon or winter conditions.
B. Breakthrough attacks cannot be made against jungle (including jungle/mountain) terrain hexes.
C. Generals cannot be used in PTO.
105.2 Naval Offensives
A. Naval units use the standby and activation procedures of the PTO rules on the ETO map.
B. Naval air units aboard activated CVs can perform airnaval or air-to-air combat during any naval offensive; they are not marked committed.
C. Friendly uncommitted land-based air units can be committed to perform counter-interception of enemy air or naval units during naval offensives.
D. Both PC and uncommitted enemy land-based air units (and naval air units) can intercept friendly units, with no change in commitment status.
105.3 Battleship Limitations
Two rules unique to BB units in the PTO apply to the ETO map as well:
A. Battleship armor ratings are reduced by 1 when the BB unit occupies a coastal hex.
B. A stack of naval units that includes a BB cannot evade a successful interception if that interception occurs in a coastal hex.
105.4 Repairing Naval Units
PTO rules on the duration of naval repairs (29.4) apply.
106.0 Combined Game Scenario 1: The Second World War
This scenario covers the entire Second World War, from its start in China to the conclusion of the war in both theaters. Playing Time: One summer Start: July 1937 turn End: After all Axis countries are conquered or after the December 1945 turn
106.1 Procedure
A. This version combines the extended PTO campaign game with the ETO campaign game. Play begins on the PTO map per PTO Scenario 11. Soviet Asian forces and Japanese Manchukuoan garrison units are placed at the start. Play is limited to the PTO map until after the Summer 1939 turn.
B. Before the September 1939 turn, the ETO map is set up for the ETO campaign game. The two games are played side by side from this point on, though the attrition war sequence of play (scenario rule 8.4) is used on the PTO map until the end of attrition warfare.
106.2 US Entry into the War
The US does not automatically enter the war; it must be invaded. It is considered to have been invaded immediately when one or more of the following four events occurs. The US can go to war against just the ETO Axis powers, just Japan, or with all Axis powers simultaneously, depending upon where and how it was invaded.
106.2.1 Japanese Invasion
A. Japan cannot invade until after it ends attrition warfare (PTO rule 8.4F in Scenario 8). Territory belonging to the US, UK, and the Netherlands is considered one country for purposes of this invasion, thus a Japanese move into any of these areas is an invasion of the US and all other allies.
B. Invasion is defined per ETO rule 39.1. Exception: A Japanese amphibious assault force moving into an allied coastal hex is not an invasion; landing the force is.
C. The surprise attack rules (PTO scenario rules 9.3, 9.4) are in effect unless the US is already at war with Germany.
D. The US and PTO forces of the UK and the Netherlands go to war with Japan as soon as the invasion occurs.
E. If it is after the Autumn 1941 turn, the US also goes to war with Germany and Italy.
106.2.2 U-boat Damage
A. This check must be made during the Strategic Warfare Phase, starting after Japan invades the US (per the above condition) or during January 1942, whichever comes first. The US must roll a die if the UK loses at least 5 EPs to German U-boats and raiders.
B. Total the EP losses inflicted by U-boats and raiders during the current turn on the North and South Atlantic convoy routes, then divide by 5 and discard any fractions. This is the target number for the US roll. Example: 19 EPs lost yields a 3 (19/5 = 3).
C. If the roll is equal to or less than the target number, the US is considered to have been invaded by Germany.
D. If it is prior to 1942, the US receives one free offensive per month remaining in the current season, including the current month (thus, three offensives would be awarded in October). The US 1942 ETO forces are immediately placed in the force pool, except 1942 US naval units, which are placed on the map, in the US box. Exception: The BB Massachusetts enters in Summer 1942.
E. If it is 1942 or later, the US receives no free offensives, though the US would have had the opportunity to purchase them during the previous seasonal turn (106.2A).
F. If the US and Japan are not at war, the surprise attack rules (PTO scenario rule 9.3, 9.4) are ignored and do not go into effect when Japan invades.
106.2.3 Conquest of the UK
A. This is per ETO rule 40.7, with the additional consideration that it can occur even after 1941 is over.
B. Per ETO 40.7 (although note that after Winter 1942, the US forces are already in the US force pool).
C. If the US and Japan are not at war, the surprise attack rules (PTO scenario rule 9.3, 9.4) are ignored and do not go into effect when Japan invades.
106.2.4 Die Roll
A. If the US is still neutral during the Spring 1942 seasonal turn, it rolls one die (possibly two) at the start of this and each subsequent seasonal turn that the US is neutral.
B. The US automatically rolls to determine if it is considered to have been invaded by Germany; the number needed depends upon the turn:
US Entry Table
| Turn | Number |
|---|---|
| Spring 1942 | 1 |
| Summer, Autumn 1942 | 1-2 |
| 1943 or later | 1-3 |
C. The US rolls to determine if it has been invaded by Japan, but only if one of the following has occurred: Japan has occupied Chinese cities beyond the temporary border, or Japan and Germany are both at war with the USSR.
-
In the first case, total the number of cities beyond the temporary border controlled by Japan; a roll equal to or lower than this number brings the US and its allies into the war.
-
In the second case, a roll of 1-2 brings the US into the war.
-
If both cases are fulfilled, the US chooses which condition to base the roll on, but only one roll is allowed.
D. Alternatively, the roll to determine if the US is at war with Japan can happen earlier if Japan moves into hexes of Indochina prior to the dates listed under Rule 8.4E in Scenario 8. In this case, the US rolls at the start of each subsequent seasonal turn. On a 1, the US is considered to have been invaded by Japan.
E. The effects are the same as if the US is brought into the war by Japanese invasion or U-boat damage, as explained earlier.
106.2A US Income and Force Pools
A. The US receives no EP income and force pool units until 1942, unless it has been invaded on one or both maps.
B. If the US has not been invaded prior to 1942, it receives an income of 50 EPs in ETO and 80 EPs in PTO, starting in Winter 1942; the 1942 force pool units are added to each force pool. At least 40 EPs must be spent for naval construction in the PTO theater. The US can build units and buy offensives; it cannot invade, move units out of the US box (on the ETO map), or move units to non-US occupied airbases, ports, or supply bases on the PTO map. These incomes last until the US is considered to have been invaded, at which point the US income jumps to the appropriate amount for that theater during that year.
C. If the US is invaded prior to Autumn 1941, its income is 50 EPs/season in ETO, and as listed under PTO Rule 8.4G in Scenario 8 until Winter 1942. The US can be invaded and receive income and units on one map while the other map gets no income and no units.
106.2B Lend Lease
A. US Lend Lease prior to 1942 to the invasion of the US (whichever comes first) remains as defined by ETO Rule 36.6. The US cannot send Lend Lease to the USSR until both nations are at war with Germany.
B. At the start of 1942, the US (even if neutral) can send Lend Lease to the UK per ETO Rule 36.7.
106.2C US Pre-1942 Force Pool Adjustments
If the US is invaded in ETO prior to 1942, the provisions of ETO Rule 40.7.E apply. If the US is invaded in PTO prior to 1942, the provisions of PTO Rule 8.4G in Scenario 8 apply.
106.3 Indochina
A. Ignore the attrition warfare condition (PTO Rule 8.4E in Scenario 8) that prohibits Japan from moving into areas of Indochina before certain dates. Japan can enter Indochina whenever it chooses; however, see 106.2 for this action's effects on US intervention. All invasion conditions of ETO Rule 39.1 constitute an invasion of Indochina.
B. If Japan invades Indochina before France has been conquered, France can make a naval reaction by immediately designating up to nine naval units to intervene, including a maximum of three BBs and one CV (with naval air). These units must depart for PTO on the Naval and Air Phase immediately following Japan's invasion of Indochina.
C. If France is conquered after these ships have been so designated (even if they have not yet departed), the ships automatically become part of the British fleet. They must still be sent to the PTO map as soon as possible.
D. Once on the PTO map, these units must be placed in an Allied port and cannot move until Japan goes to war with the Allies.
106.4 Victory
Victory conditions are established for each country. A player or team controlling several countries can win with some nations and lose with others.
106.4.1 Germany
A. Major victory if the United Kingdom or the USSR is conquered and remains Axis-controlled at the end of the game.
B. Minor victory by controlling ten city resource hexes at the end of the game.
106.4.2 Italy
A. Major victory if it is not conquered at the end of the game.
B. Minor victory if it is not conquered by the end of 1943.
106.4.3 Japan
A. Major victory if it conquered India, Australia, or China, and it is not conquered itself.
B. Minor victory if at some point in the game it conquered India, Australia, or China, or it is not conquered at the end of the game.
106.4.4 United Kingdom
A. Major victory if all Axis nations are conquered and the USSR controls no more than one city resource hex in Germany.
B. Minor victory if all Axis nations are conquered.
106.4.5 France
A. Major victory if it is never conquered. B. Minor victory if free of Axis units at the end of the game.
106.4.6 USSR
A. Major victory if all Axis nations are conquered and the USSR controls 14 city resource hexes outside its original borders. Port cities in Asia count as city resource hexes for purposes of this victory condition.
B. Minor victory if all Axis nations are conquered.
106.4.7 United States
A. Major victory if all Axis nations are conquered before the Summer 1945 turn.
B. Minor victory if all Axis nations are conquered.
107.0 Combined Game Scenario 2: 1939 Campaign Start
This scenario covers the outbreak of Nazi aggression and continues through ultimate resolution in both theaters. Playing Time: A little less than combined Scenario 1. Start: September 1939 End: With conquest of all Axis powers, or after December 1945.
107.1 Procedure
A. The game starts with the full ETO campaign game Scenario 12 (The War in Europe).
B. Prior to the December 1941 turn, the PTO map is set up for PTO scenario War in the Pacific. Starting in December 1941, the two games are played together.
C. Within the limits of rule 101.1, naval units can be transferred from ETO to PTO prior to December 1941. Air and land units cannot be transferred until after the Pacific War starts.
107.2 Victory
As 106.4.
108.0 Combined Game Scenario 3: 1942-The Decisive Year
A look at the key year of the war-a period of decision on virtually all fronts. This is a good scenario for a long weekend of play, or as a convention or game club activity. Playing Time: 18-24 hours Start: Winter 1942 Seasonal Turn End: December 1942
108.1 Procedure
A. Set up ETO per ETO Scenario 15, except as noted in Rule 108.2 below. All ETO rules for the scenario (except victory conditions) apply.
B. Set up PTO as for PTO Scenario 4, except as noted in Rule 108.3.
C. Begin the scenario with the income phase of the Winter 1942 seasonal turn.
108.2 Modifications to the ETO Orders of Battle
A. UK OB: Delete the BB Repulse and the two CVs, Indomitable and Formidable.
B. US OB: BBs Texas, Arkansas, and New York can begin the scenario in either the US box of the ETO map or the US West Coast Ports Box of the PTO map.
108.3 Modifications to the PTO Orders of Battle.
Make the following changes to the OB and setup rules of PTO Rule 4.1 in Scenario 4.
108.3.1 China
Use the Chinese starting forces listed for December 1941 in the starting order of battle.
108.3.2 Japan
A. Add to the Summer and Autumn boxes of the TT those units listed on the 1942 order of battle.
B. Add one DD and one SS to the Summer box.
C. Add Japanese Manchukuoan garrison (104.4).
D. Place a supply base in Shanghai.
E. Place the following units in China in any hexes on the eastern side of the temporary borders:
| Qty | Type | Qty | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | 6-3 inf | 1 | 4-7 bmr |
| 1 | 6-10 bmr | 1 | 4*-3/1 ftr |
| 1 | 4*-5/2 ftr |
108.3.3 USSR
Add the USSR order of battle from 104.2.
108.3.4 United States
A. Delete the damaged US battleships from the setup of Rule 4.1 in PTO Scenario 4.
B. CVs Yorktown and Wasp, plus BBs Idaho, New Mexico, and Mississippi, as well as two DDs, can begin play in the US East or West Coast boxes, or Pearl Harbor, at the US option. Deplete the 3-3/2 naval air units if set up in ETO.
C. Add to the Summer and Autumn boxes of the TT those units listed in the US 1942 order of battle.
D. Add one DD and one SS each to the Summer and Autumn boxes of the TT.
108.4 National Incomes
A. Each nation receives the following seasonal EP income during the Winter, Spring, and Summer seasonal turns.
B. During the Autumn turn, the income is reduced to half.
| Nation | Total |
|---|---|
| Germany, Italy, USSR, UK | Calculate normally. |
| Japan | 60 EPs plus territorial holdings. |
| US | 140 EPs (total). No minimum naval spending requirement. |
108.5 Victory
The victory conditions vary by nation.
108.5.1 Germany
Control and be able to trace supply lines to five or more British or Soviet city resource hexes at the end of the scenario than at the start.
108.5.2 Italy
Italian or Axis forces control all ports in Libya, Crete, Greece, and Sicily. Tunisian ports must be either neutral or Axis-controlled.
108.5.3 Japan
A. Control Japan, the Philippines, Formosa, the Marshall Islands, Burma, New Britain, New Ireland, and at least one hex in the Gilbert Islands.
B. Control the Malay Barrier and all island hexes (except for the Aleutians) to the northeast of a line running from W3007 to W1415 to E1406, following the hex grain to the northeast, including hexes in the line itself.
108.5.4 USSR
Lose control of no more than four city resource hexes that it controlled at the start of the scenario.
108.5.5 United Kingdom
Control all ports in India, Libya, and either Crete or Tunisia.
108.5.6 United States
The USSR or the UK meets its victory condition and Japan does not meet its victory condition.
108.5.7 China
Control every city that it controlled at the start of the scenario.
EXAMPLE OF PLAY
A. The US intends to complete its conquest of the Marshall Islands by capturing Eniwetok with an amphibious assault launched from nearby Kwajalein. It will be supported by a carrier task force from Pearl Harbor.
B. Japan does not know its opponent's intent, but as it has recently lost Kwajalein and other nearby islands to US assault, it suspects that Eniwetok might be next and has garrisoned and fortified the island, stationing ships and air units at Truk to counter the threat.
-
Truk: Japanese supply base #6, Task Force #1, SS.
-
Eniwetok: coastal fortification, small airfield, Japanese 4-3 marine, 3-3 infantry, small airfield.
-
Kwajalein: US Task Force #1, 10-3 marine (x2), small airfield.
-
Hawaii: US Task Force #2, 6-10(2) bomber, 1 STP.
C. Players have the following units displayed in the task force and supply base boxes.
-
Japanese Supply Base 6: 4*-6/3 air (x2). Japanese Task Force #1: 4 DDs, 4 CLs, 8 CAs, 4 BBs.
-
US Task Force #1: 4 STPs, 3 DDs, 3 BBs.
-
US Task Force 2: 3 DDs, 8 CAs, 6 CVs, 3-3/4 naval air units (x6).
D. The turn is November 1943. The Allies have the initiative.
E. The Strategic Warfare phase goes quickly: three US subs do a total of 12 EPs damage to Japanese economy.
F. The Allies, having the initiative, give the first move of the Naval and Air Phase to Japan. Japan moves its sub to hex E2811 in the sea area between Truk and Eniwetok. It may want to activate Task Force 1 for an offensive, so it leaves the port of Truk (the player simply declares that the task force is outside of the port). It remains in the Truk coastal hex, however, to take advantage of the port's anti-aircraft benefits if its fleet is attacked by US air units. It places a Standby marker on the task force. It has no other naval or air moves.
G. Next, the US performs the phase. In the Naval Movement Step, it brings Task Force 2 from Hawaii to hex E3016 in the sea area northeast of Eniwetok. This places its carrier air units in range of the island. The task force entered four sea areas, expending 20 MPs. This is no more than half the MA of all the ships in the task force, so it marks it Standby.
H. Next, it embarks the two marine divisions on Kwajalein onto the STPs (in the same hex). Task Force 1 (including the STPs) moves to Eniwetok.
I. When US Task Force 1 enters the Eniwetok hex it is within Japanese sub's interception range, and Japan declares an interception attempt. Japanese Task Force 1 at Truk is out of range and cannot intercept.
J. Japan moves its sub into the hex with the US task force. A modified roll of 7 is needed for a successful interception. The relevant modifiers (summarized on the Player Aid Cards) are a + 1 (one group, the lone sub attempting to intercept); + 2 (in a coastal hex); + 1 (within range of friendly air, from Truk); + 1 (attempt made by a SS); and + 2 (target of interception intends to perform an amphibious assault). Thus, its total of + 7 virtually guarantees success. It still has to roll, however, since a roll of 1 always fails. It gets a 2 and intercepts the US stack.
K. Task Force 1 includes three DDs. The US rolls to see whether the destroyer screen finds the sub. It needs a 3 or less, but rolls a 4. Only the sub gets to attack in the first round. It can target any enemy ship in the hex, and Japan selects an STP. Its roll of a 7 is a miss, however (the STP's armor rating is 8). It decides to stay and fight the second round, even though that lets the DDs attack its sub. This time, a roll of 10 hits and sinks an STP. In return, one of the DDs rolls an 8, which sinks the sub.
L. Having lost one STP, however, the US cannot use both marine divisions in the amphibious assault; one is downgraded to a transport mission, leaving one marine division to attack Eniwetok. Task Force 1 used less than half of its MPs, so it is marked Standby.
M. With this combat over, the US continues its Naval Step. The STP in Hawaii embarks a sea supply marker from the supply base at Oahu. It carries the marker to Kwajalein.
N. This is all the US naval movement. The US has no airnaval attacks or naval attacks. During the Air Movement Step, the 6-10/(2) bomber at Pearl Harbor, relocates to Kwajalein. Japan has no fighters in position to intercept.
O. Finally, the US debarks its supply marker from the STP onto Kwajalein.
P. Next comes the Offensive Phase. The US, having initiative, performs the first offensive of the turn. During Step 1, it declares that it will activate units in the Marshall Islands. During Step 2, it debarks its one assaulting marine division in Eniwetok.
Q. During Step 3, the attack against Eniwetok is resolved:
-
The US is not using paratroops;
-
The US commits its bomber on Kwajalein and moves it to Eniwetok. Feeling pressured, Japan commits one of its fighters from Truk and flies it to Eniwetok to intercept the Allied bomber. The US was waiting for this. It commits three naval air units from its carriers and flies them all to Eniwetok to counter-intercept Japanese fighter. Japan throws its last fighter into the battle in response, so the US sends its last three naval air units.
R. Both sides have committed as many air units to the battle as they have in range, so now the air battle is resolved. First, the US declares that two of its naval air units will function as bombers, the remaining four as fighters.
S. All attacks are simultaneous; the players agree that the US will make its rolls first. Japan announces that one Japanese fighter will attack the bomber. This conveys a bonus to US attacks against that fighter. The US fighters are strength 3 + quality 4 = 7, minus the 3-quality of the Japanese fighters, so each unit's target number is 4 (5 against Japanese fighter attacking the bomber). The attacks must be distributed as evenly as possible, so each Japanese fighter is attacked twice. Rolls against the first are 4 and 6, so it is aborted and must return to its base at the end of the round. Against the second fighter it rolls 3 and 5, so it is aborted and depleted.
T. Japan makes its attacks before implementing the step loss or the aborted missions. The first unit (4 + 3 -4) has a target number of 3 against a US fighter; a roll of 2 hits and aborts it. The second attacks the bomber with a target number of 5 (4+3-2). Its roll of 1 also hits and aborts this unit.
U. With the first-round attacks completed, depleted units are flipped to their reduced-strength sides and aborted units are set aside (though they remain flying in the hex). Since this includes both Japanese air units, there is no second round of combat.
-
The US declares that one marine division will attack Eniwetok.
-
Japan has no unaborted air units for defensive ground support.
-
There is no paradrop with this attack.
-
The ground attack is resolved.
V. The US has 10 SPs (the marines). It adds 6 SPs for its two naval bombers (3 each) in the hex. Then it adds up its naval gunnery, getting 1 SP for the DDs in the hex and 3 more SPs for BB gunnery (converting naval gunnery to land strength in a 4:1 ratio). All of this totals to 20 SPs.
W. Even if more bombers or ships were available, they could not be used because the attacker can only double its land unit strength, no more. Japan has 7 ground SPs. The fortification doubles the strength of one ground unit. Naturally, Japan doubles its 4-strength marine unit to 8, giving a total of 11 points in the hex. The odds are 20:11, which rounds down to 3:2.
X. The US's die roll modifiers are -3 for making an amphibious assault, +2 for using marines, and +1 for air superiority, all of which net to 0. It rolls a 5 and checks the 3:2 column of the CRT-D3x! The US marine division loses one step and is flipped it to its depleted side. Japanese must lose three steps. (It cannot retreat because the island is too small.) With only three steps in the hex, both units are eliminated, along with the fortification. The airfield marker remains. The depleted marine controls the hex, so a supply marker is placed under it.
Y. Japanese fighters return to Truk, the naval air to their carriers, and the bomber to Kwajalein. All air units are marked committed; the marine on Eniwetok is marked Activated.
Z. It is now Japan's turn for an offensive, so it considers its options. It could take a sea offensive and activate Task Force 1, moving the ships to Eniwetok to attack US Task Force 1. The US naval air in Task Force 2 is all committed, so it would not be able to intercept during this offensive. US Task Force 2 could counter-intercept, however, because Eniwetok is within their interception range and they are marked Standby. Japan does not know the makeup of Task Force 2; if it includes many battleships, a surface battle could be disastrous. The same argument works against attacking Task Force 2 outright. AA. Also, Japan realizes that even if it wins the naval battle for Eniwetok, the US could activate Task Force 2 on the following US offensive. If the carriers move, the committed markers come off the naval air and those air units could attack the Japanese task force. BB. Task Force 2 could even activate and move closer to Truk, allowing the naval air to attack Japanese fleet anyway. But the committed Japanese aircraft can fly to defend their own hex (Truk), so Japan elects to keep its ships at home, under the protective umbrella of its Zeroes. It passes. CC. The US, satisfied with its gains, passes also. The Offensive Phase is over. DD. During the Movement Phase, the US debarks the other marine division in Eniwetok. EE. During the End Phase, the US sends Task Force 2 back to Pearl Harbor. Task Force 1 ends the turn at Eniwetok. The airbase qualifies the island hex as a limited port. During Japanese Second Naval Movement, Japan decides that the central Pacific is getting too dangerous, and it moves Task Force 1 all the way back to the Philippines. FF. In the Supply phase, the supply marker on Eniwetok is consumed because both marine divisions trace supply to it. The marker on Kwajalein remains because only the bomber draws supply from it.