War Plan Orange

[herwin]

This is scenario 1 with Blitzk playing Japan and herwin playing the Allies. It has variant victory conditions--if Japan avoids attacking Hawaii, Alaska, or the continental US, the war ends earlier. Here are the rules:

If the Allied player has a sea line of communications (a continuous path with air superiority) between North America and a fleet base in the Philippines and from there to a forward base in the Ryukyus, Korea, or Japan by 31 January 1944, he wins a decisive victory. If this requirement is met by 30 April 1944, this is a regular Allied victory. By 31 July 1944, a marginal victory, by 31 October 1944, a draw, by 31 January 1945, a Japanese marginal victory, by 30 April 1945, a Japanese regular victory, and by 31 July 1945 or later, a decisive Japanese victory.

If at any time, the Japanese player attacks a hex in Alaska, Hawaii (excluding Midway), or continental North America, the Allied player has an additional two years (just so) to meet his requirements for a victory.

The purpose of this scenario is to explore the Pacific campaign as both sides expected it to take place.

On December 7th, 1941, President Roosevelt comes on the radio to report: "The Empire of Japan has attacked American possessions in the Western Pacific and the Commonwealth of the Philippines. Germany and Italy have activated the mutual support clause in the Axis Treaty, and have also declared war on the United States. I am meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and have been in contact with Prime Minister Churchill, Secretary Stalin, and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. The United States is now at war and I am declaring a State of Emergency."

There are unconfirmed reports of air attacks on the Royal Navy in Singapore and a submarine attack on the US Battle Fleet. No damage is reported by allied sources.

[witpqs]

Cool, Harry. Will this be in 3-D, it's all the rage now!

[herwin]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Cool, Harry. Will this be in 3-D, it's all the rage now!

No resources!

[Canoerebel]

Great idea - victory conditions without points makes sense.  Now the Japanese player can focus on a realistic objective to measure victory.
 
I assume the "two-year extension" on victory conditions for a Japanese attack on the USA proper is primarily meant to deter Pearl Harbor?  Are there other reasons?  Why did you include Alaska?
 
I don't know about Scenario One, but for Scenario Two it would be essentially impossible for an Allied player to achieve an decisive victory against a somewhat experienced and competent Japanese player.

[ChickenOfTheSea]

Good to see this approach coming up again. It should be an interesting (and different) type of game to follow.

[Smeulders]

Interesting idea, I'll be following this one.

[herwin]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Great idea - victory conditions without points makes sense.  Now the Japanese player can focus on a realistic objective to measure victory.

I assume the "two-year extension" on victory conditions for a Japanese attack on the USA proper is primarily meant to deter Pearl Harbor?  Are there other reasons?  Why did you include Alaska?

I don't know about Scenario One, but for Scenario Two it would be essentially impossible for an Allied player to achieve an decisive victory against a somewhat experienced and competent Japanese player.

I was trying to model the 'pissing off' of the American people. The USN pre-war planning was always concerned with war-weariness. Note that I have Germany joining in the attack. The JCS would have gone Germany First in a big way if it had happened that way. This scenario doesn't have to deal with the tendency of the game to go off the rails in late 1944.

[herwin]

BTW, although Japan hit Manila with the KB, a minisub put a torpedo into the Tennessee at PH. That shouldn't count as an 'attack'. The PoW took a fish in Singapore, and most of the Asiatic Fleet is sitting on the bottom of Manila Bay. MacArthur had a very bad morning.

[whippleofd]

[LoBaron]

Extremely interesting HR´s because they could artificially slow the speed of advance and reconquer.

Good hunting herwin.

[Mac Linehan]

Harry -

I will follow this AAR with interest and anticipation!

Mac

[herwin]

December 8th, 1941

The Asiatic Fleet and civilian vessels boil out of Manila Bay due to the threat of the KB nearby. Surface actions sink a number of the escaping vessels.

Loss of DD Peary on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of PG Isabel on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of AM Lark on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of AM Whippoorwill on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Pike on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Perch on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Seal on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Stingray on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Sturgeon on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Sargo on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Saury on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Spearfish on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Sculpin on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Sailfish on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Swordfish on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS S-38 on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS S-40 on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of PT-31 on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of PT-33 on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of PT-35 on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of PT-41 on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of PT Q-112 on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of DD John D. Ford on Dec 08, 1941 is admitted
Loss of PG Tulsa on Dec 08, 1941 is admitted
Loss of AS Holland on Dec 08, 1941 is admitted
Loss of AS Otus on Dec 08, 1941 is admitted
Loss of AM Tanager on Dec 08, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Porpoise on Dec 08, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Shark on Dec 08, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Skipjack on Dec 08, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Seadragon on Dec 08, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Sealion on Dec 08, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Searaven on Dec 08, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS S-41 on Dec 08, 1941 is admitted
Loss of AO Pecos on Dec 08, 1941 is admitted
Loss of TK Mindanao on Dec 08, 1941 is admitted
Loss of xAP President Madison on Dec 08, 1941 is admitted
Loss of xAKL Sagoland on Dec 08, 1941 is admitted
Loss of xAKL Anakan on Dec 08, 1941 is admitted
Loss of xAKL Princess of Negros on Dec 08, 1941 is admitted
Loss of HDML Pennigat on Dec 08, 1941 is admitted

[herwin]

Japanese landings reported in the Philippines.

Kota Bharu attacked and holds.

ASW operations near Hawaii.

[herwin]

Vigan, Aparri, and Kota Bharu fall.

The Axis player muttered something about unescorted Betty strikes. His Betty and Nell groups from Indochina hit Moulmein without escort and ran into the AVG. I guess I won't have to worry about torpedo attacks on my shipping in the area for a while. Do most players limit the range of their bombers to that of the available escorts to avoid this?

[PaxMondo]

I find that it is very wise to examine the ranges of Nettie's to ensure that they won't overfly an allied AB, else the results I think your opponent saw.  Unescorted Netties can get badly mauled.

[Bliztk]

Evil Japanese here. I sent a Zero Sweep to test the waters over moulmein, then happily my nells went unescorted and got botchered.

Philippines landings proceed as expected. Khota Baru assaulted and conquered, and IJA Units reach the outskirts of Hong Kong

[herwin]

Although Japan captures Miri, an allied task force does significant damage in a raid on the invasion shipping:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Miri at 64,87, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Chokai, Shell hits 1
DD Sagiri

Allied Ships
CL Java
CL Dragon, Shell hits 1
CL Durban, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Van Nes
DD Evertsen

Night Time Surface Combat, near Miri at 64,87, Range 10,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
APD Aoi, Shell hits 2, on fire
TB Kasasagi
AMc Wa 19
xAK Hokko Maru, Shell hits 5, heavy fires
xAK Zinzan Maru, Shell hits 17, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Kinkasan Maru, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Giyu Maru
xAKL Kembu Maru, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Kiko Maru, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
xAKL Anbo Maru, Shell hits 14, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CL Java
CL Dragon, on fire
DD Van Nes
DD Evertsen

Comment: my professional intuition seems more accurate with this version.

[herwin]

Japanese landings at Legaspi, Davao and Guam. Legaspi and Davao captured.

[herwin]

The 1 and 5 Carrier Divisions spotted south of Jolo, while the 2 Carrier Division is operating north of Brunei.

Manus, Wewak, Hollandia, and Aitape invaded.

Mauban captured by the Japanese.

Deliberate attacks on Hong Kong and Guam repulsed.

Chinese shock attack on Japan at Ichang repulsed.

Allied submarine attacks successful on Japanese shipping.

[herwin]

The main body of the KB hits Balikpapan with airstrikes, sinking two trawlers. The rump of the KB with the 2nd CAD maintains its position north of Brunei.

Japanese forces CAPTURE Hong Kong !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Tuguegarao !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Guam !!!
Japanese forces CAPTURE Victoria Point !!!