Turn 1

Turn 2

Turn 3

Turn 4

Turn 1

USN Report: The Pearl Harbor raids did not go as Yamamoto expected.  Not only were there no American carriers present, but few other ships were sunk as well.  Only Maryland, West Virginia, Arizona, and San Fransisco were destroyed.  Tennessee and California were left in the mud with 9 and 8 damage respectively.  Pennsylvania and the two cruisers escaped untouched.  Nevada took 1 damage while Oklahoma was crippled.  On the downside for the USN, the 7th AF was destroyed on the ground in the first round.  With the destruction of the 7th AF, I also lose my chance to control the Hawaiian Islands.  I pay the price -- but at least the 7th drew off a lot of hits that would have otherwise been on my ships.

As a consequence of the heavy number of surface ships in the Hawaiians and the relatively small number (compared to many Turn One setups) in the Central Pacific, I decide to risk a venture near Midway with everything I can muster.  As long as I can get one day before any sort of night action I should be able to screen my carriers.  The first round is day.  The Hosho puts one damage on Enterprise.  In return, I sink both Hosho and Yamashiro.  That's enough to get the IJN to retreat.  I decide not to pursue since I've accomplished my primary mission (opening a hole in the IJN perimeter) and the IJN would once again lap my surface fleet by two (since the Pennsylvania wouldn't be able to keep up).

In Indonesia, things go much better for the IJN.  The 5th AF and both British ships are destroyed.  In retrospect, it's a good thing that the Hosho failed its speed roll to Indonesia!

IJN gains 5 PoC.

Turn 2

USN Report: My biggest weakness this turn is that I have only two LBA.  That's not very intimidating to the IJN.  Nonetheless, I'll use both in the U.S. Mandate to see what options I can create to get out of a KO situation.

The IJN patrols are weak in the back field -- not surprisingly.  I patrol in every area where I'm likely to score POC or have the potential to create a hot spot -- with the CPO wide open that includes the Marianas and Japanese Islands.

As expected my LBA didn't intimidate John out of a two-area attack.  At least it wasn't three.  My gut reaction is to try for the Marshalls block (given how weakly defended that area is).  However, a suicide CV in a flag-less Hawaiians has a 35% chance or so to fail its mission.  I don't want to throw away a promising game.  So I decide to try to win the Mandate by committing two carriers.  If I can win day or day/night first, I should win the area.  I also go for the Marshall even though it increases risk because there's just a slight chance of getting flags from Japan all the way to the U.S. Mandate -- which would limit the IJN's Pearl conversion attempt next turn to what they've already got in the Hawaiians.  The downside is the chance to be missing three CV...  However, it's my hope that the attrition of IJN LBA and CV will also slow down his attempt to convert Pearl next turn.

The IJN open with a fearful round -- sinking Hornet in the Marshalls, my patroller in the Marianas, a CA in CPO and the crippled BB in the Coral Sea.  I perform similarly (though I used a heck of a lot more firepower to do it) by sinking the CA in Coral Sea, Central Pacific, Japanese Islands, and the Marianas.  I also down the LBA in the Marshalls.  My CA in the Aleutians escapes.

However, it's the U.S. Mandate that matters.  It's a day action -- which is what I needed.  I'm feeling pretty confident.  The IJN decides to shoot at everything.  Enterprise gets away with a disable result (setting it up to use the Singapore sling to the Philippines).  Yorktown is sunk.  Worse, the 11th AF goes down (taking three hits)!  In return, I sink Shokaku and disable Zuikaku with 3 damage.  My two LBA whiff.  Not pretty -- that leaves one LBA against two good CV.  The IJN are definitely favored to win this battle at this point -- which, given the base at Johnston, has a good chance to produce a KO next turn.  Aack!

The IJN easily cleans out the bottom dwellers in Pearl Harbor.  Thankfully, the I-Boat whiffs.  The IJN whiffs in the U.S. Mandate too.  Unfortunately, so does my LBA.  At that point, I figure I'm pushing my luck too far and withdraw in both the U.S. Mandate and the Marshalls (to Singapore to take the sling to the Philippines).  The IJN control of my Home Areas is huge, but I figure I should be able to win one of the two next turn since I can threaten both areas with my fleet.

IJN converts Singapore, Attu, and Lae by isolation; Dutch Harbor and Johnston Island by invasion.

IJN gains 2 PoC to increase the over-all IJN lead to 7 PoC.

Turn 3

USN Report: John Sharp gambles everything on taking both Pearl Harbor and Samoa and capitalizing on his luck in the U.S. Mandate last turn.  Given his poor POC and base positions this might be a reasonable gamble on his part.

I put all five of my LBA in the U.S. Mandate hoping to either get John to abandon his attack on Samoa or to make one of the two port-conversion attacks weak enough that I can thwart it.  I bring the Marines out in the Hawaiians to maximize my chances of saving one major port.  In the end, however, I use my fleet to decimate the IJN POC and flag situation even more -- believing that I could bleed myself dry if I tried a major battle in either the Hawaiians or Mandate.  My five LBA in the U.S. Mandate should have the edge against just six IJN CV.

In the Marianas, I shoot down the LBA in a single round while the LBA and I-Boat whiff to leave me with the control flag.  I lose the Canberra in the Japanese Islands.  In the Hawaiians, John sinks one Marine and sends the other into Pearl Harbor with 3 damage.

I believe the USN will have the game locked up if it wins in the U.S. Mandate this turn.  On the other hand, the IJN will have it almost locked up if they win in the U.S. Mandate.

The battle in the Mandate has gone very slowly -- with both sides shooting badly over and over.  After five rounds, we're down to an LBA with 2 damage vs. Ryujo.  Soryu and Kaga were sunk while Akagi was crippled.  The battle for the U.S. Mandate rages, but I've put the likely list of area controls below.

USN Report: The battle in the Mandate went two more rounds.  Ultimately, the LBA survived while Ryujo was disabled.

I figured that would draw a surrender from the IJN, but John Sharp vowed to fight on.  I'll be impressed if he can save himself from all the trouble spots I've set up for next turn.

In hindsight, I think it might have been worth putting a damaged CV into the U.S. Mandate to help.  I risked too much on that battle -- even though the odds were in my favor.

IJN converts Pearl Harbor by isolation.

USN gains 2 PoC to decrease the over-all IJN lead to 5 PoC.

Turn 4

USN Report: John patrols aggressively -- as he must in order to have any chance of putting some PoC on the board.  My patrols are designed to put on maximum pressure, particularly with the hot spots where base control is at stake (Indonesia, Marianas, Aleutians, and Marshalls).  Because I'll have 10 LBA next turn, I'm willing to give up the U.S. Mandate if needed to secure some advanced bases.

My LBA back up my Indonesia and Marianas patrols -- particularly because I want a shot at any IJN NLF trying to take the Philippines.  John can tell these are the most critical areas, so he's sent his own LBA here as well.  I use one damaged LBA in the Coral Sea -- just to keep the PoC score low.

Not surprisingly, all three IJN NLF head for the Marianas to attempt to secure the Philippines.  The Philippines is just one nasty base for the IJN when the USN manages to hang on to it.

I wasn't sure what my raiders would look like -- since I simply planned to take advantage of any base-flipping opportunities.  However, with just five surface escorts and one LBA, my chances to save the Philippines and convert Saipan in the process are just too good to pass up.  Even if all I can do is stop the NLF, I'll have an excellent chance to convert Singapore and Saigon.  I have enough CV to hit each NLF with an LBA to spare.  I also have enough bonus babies to hit each NLF in the event of a night action.

Elsewhere I sent two BB to the Aleutians in the hopes of securing Attu.  The odds are against me, but if those IJN CA whiff just once...  The IJN abandons the Marshalls to the Allies.  I send two BB to ensure that my two patrollers are enough.  I send a few ships to the CPO to provide advanced patrollers for next turn and to keep Midway IJN-flag free.

I use two Australian CA in the Coral Sea -- just in case I can take out the IJN CV at night.  I wouldn't normally do this, but these two CA couldn't reach any other area where their firepower could do anything.

I use both British CVL (Hermes moved as a patroller) and one USN CV to back up my LBA in Indonesia for a good conversion attempt should my Marianas crew stop the NLF.

The day/night roll in the Marianas is a disaster for the IJN -- day followed by night -- the USN has maximum odds of stopping the NLF.  His LBA whiffs.  My CV put a little damage on his LBA and disabled one NLF with damage.  At night my BB easily sink both remaining NLF.  My overwhelming daylight firepower makes Saipan a good bet for conversion.

In Indonesia, the IJN LBA cripple the Enterprise and put 1 damage on Formidable.  In return, the Allied LBA and CV shoot down two IJN LBA and wound the third!  The conversion of Singapore and Saigon is now certain.

In the Japanese Islands, the USN loses a CA.  In the Aleutians, the USN loses its patroller while the IJN loses both of its CA.  In the CPO and Marshalls, the IJN CA escape without a fight.  The IJN easily stops my Marines in SPO -- also with a day followed by night!

In the Coral Sea, a night action allows the Australians to disable the IJN CV and claim the area for the Allies.

That's enough to draw a surrender from the Emperor.  Far from getting the luck he needed, the bad luck continued to pile up for the IJN.  Of course, all this game really shows is that if the Allies take far-too-dangerous risks on Turns 2 and 3 and get away with it, they'll really clean up.  I got lucky.  Yes, in each individual case, the odds were with me.  But when one plays with fire too often, one frequently gets burned.  Last turn a single LBA with 2 damage was all that stood between me and my own surrender.  That's cutting it too close!

IJN Surrender: I concede. Congratulations. I'm out of it right now. Too much on my plate, and you've picked me apart on this one. Nice job.

USN converts Singapore, Saigon, Saipan, Kwajalein, and Maleolap by isolation.

IJN gains 4 PoC to increase the over-all IJN lead to 9 PoC.

IJN surrenders -- congratulations, John!