Turn 1

Turn 2

Turn 3

Turn 4

Turn 5

Turn 6

Turn 1

IJN Report: Both British escape the air raid in Indonesia.  In the Hawaiians, the two 453 BB and the 7th AF get away -- one BB with 3 damage.  The first two regular rounds in the Hawaiians are night as well such that the USN still has four bottomed ships available to repair.  This could be real surface trouble for the IJN if the USN is allowed to make those repairs!

In the North Pacific, the first action is day.  However, the Hiryu whiffs before being blown to shreds.  That doesn't look good for the IJN.  However, the I-Boat saves the day by sinking Enterprise.  Each side has lost one CV.  In the pursuit that follows, both IJN CA are disabled!  Who needs armor anyway?

IJN gains the standard 3 PoC.

Turn 2

IJN Comments: I use fairly standard patrols.  With an Allied CV in Australia, I put 4 LBA in Indonesia.  Despite the spread out LBA, I decide that with the Hiryu gone that attacking all three Allied Home Areas would be too much.  So I go for the typical TKO.

In Indonesia, the Ramillies is sunk (I picked a single target to focus one rather than just dinging up ships that are withdrawing).  In the Marianas, it's day but Sasebo makes it through to invade the Philippines anyway.  Both Allied patrollers in the SPO and Marshalls get away untouched.  I lose one cruiser before running in the Coral Sea.  I destroy the Allied patroller in CPO but disable the cruisers in the Aleutians.  In the North Pacific Ocean, the cruiser fight goes my way -- as Chicago is sunk without loss.  That'll help me ramp up my score to the max!

The U.S. Mandate is good news for the IJN as the Allied LBA is shot down without loss.

In the Hawaiians, the first round is a night action.  I sink two BB and three CA.  In return I lose one CA, Shokaku, and Zuikaku.  Ryujo and my NLF are also disabled.  The I-Boat saves my bacon again by sinking Yorktown.  I have the edge at night, but against the +2 and three USN CV (with only Hosho left to provide air cover), I exercise the better part of valor and run away.  There's no pursuit with the USN BB unable to pursue (which would give the IJN enough lap to wipe out the USN CV).

Ultimately, I think the attrition was good for the IJN as was the base conversion situation.  However, with no forward base for my LBA, the USN is in good position with respect to his ports.  If it weren't for the I-Boat, CV attrition would be bad for the IJN.  Next turn should be very interesting and unusual (with the US Marines free to roam)!

IJN converts Attu, Midway, Singapore, and Lae by isolation; the Philippines by invasion.

IJN gains 11 PoC to increase the total IJN lead to 14 PoC.

Turn 3

IJN Comments: With no forward base for my LBA, I have plenty of LBA for Indonesia and perimeter duties.  No freebie for the British in this game!  In fact, I hope to lure the British in and sink an 027 CVL to put a near-end to British air power.

I use two CA each for patrols in the SPO and Coral Sea since there's only one Allied CA that can reach either area.  That should guarantee those areas for me unless he uses LBA and weakens the Samoa defense.

I patrol both the Hawaiians and U.S. Mandate heavily to hedge my bets based on US moves and defensive strength.  Absent three major CV, I'm not sure I can convert Samoa against all five Allied LBA.  Ultimately, however, Nick elects to put only three in the U.S. Mandate while one each go to the Coral Sea and the Hawaiian Islands.

Ultimately, the challenge of the LBA, the lack of a secure way to seize New Hebrides, and other opportunities get me to abandon the conversion of Samoa.  Instead, I head to the Hawaiians to convert Johnston Island and air raid the bottomed BB at Pearl Harbor.  I also send two major CV to secure the Coral Sea (and threaten Guadalcanal with isolation next turn).

I send a CV to CPO too in an attempt to hold Midway and an NLF to the Aleutians to secure Dutch Harbor.

The USN responds with heavy raids into the NE corner and Marines aimed at Midway and Dutch Harbor.

The battle in Indo goes the way I want it to.  Although the British do shoot down an LBA, I manage to sink an 027 -- eliminating all British CVL except for Hermes.  In the Aleutians, the Allies sink my NLF and shoot down my LBA all in the first round.  My LBA whiffs in return.  I'd hoped for at least two rounds from the LBA and even a possible victory.  In the North Pacific, I run away during daylight.

In the Central Pacific, Hiyo sinks the 2nd Marines.  The I-Boat has its first miss.  Disaster strikes the USN as Hornet whiffs on Hiyo.  The next round is also day and sees Hiyo annihilate the Hornet and then be sunk in return.  My patroller runs away.

I escape at night in the U.S. Mandate.  In the Coral Sea, my CV put out 3 damage on the first round.  In return the Allied LBA rolls two hits -- 5 damage each -- to sink Akagi.  Kaga sticks it out -- but misses on next round.  The Allied LBA does likewise.  On the third round, Kaga finishes the LBA off while the Allies LBA whiffs again.

In the Hawaiian Islands, I sink the USN LBA without any trouble and finish off the bottomed BB in air raids.

With only one more CV lost and Johnston Island secure, I have a decent shot at converting Pearl Harbor on Turn 4.  With the Wasp trapped in the Hawaiians next turn and only two CV elsewhere, I should make a lot of progress next turn.  I really run the POC score up this turn too -- which will make life very tough on the USN during Turns 6-8.

IJN converts Johnston Island by invasion.

IJN gains 11 PoC to increase the total IJN lead to 25 PoC.

Turn 4

IJN Pre-Combat Comments: I place light patrols everywhere, use 1 LBA to secure Indonesia against Hermes, put three CA in the U.S. Mandate in case opportunity presents itself, and patrol the Hawaiians heavily.  I even patrol NPO -- no sense in giving up anything for free.  I use my remaining 3 LBA in the Hawaiians.  We'll see if that lures the 1st Marines back home from their Dutch Harbor base.

The USN patrols the Japanese Islands and send the Marines there.  An early invasion of Okinawa could really ruin my day!  Other US patrols leave the U.S. Mandate just weak enough to go after -- with enough surface escort to protect Shoho.  I also spare one CV to defend the Japanese Islands.  I don't mind losing Okinawa, but the USN cannot be allowed to take the islands AND flag the area.

Only five LBA defend Pearl Harbor (with one taking the SPO).  I send a NLF to the Coral Sea to threaten Guadalcanal (or even New Hebrides if needed).  Everything else goes for the Hawaiian Islands and the Pearl Harbor conversion.

Interestingly, the US ducks again -- giving me excellent odds at converting Pearl Harbor AND flagging the U.S. Mandate.  The USN could be in a world of hurt -- particularly since a U.S. Mandate flag will keep a lot of USN ships from being able to take advantage of that SPO hole.

The I-Boat plays defense in the Japanese Islands.  My hope there is to exchange carriers during an initial day round, stop the CV or Marines with the I-Boat, and stop the flag with Yamato sinking Canberra.  I can re-take Okinawa next turn if I've shot down all of the USN LBA this turn (or try my hand at taking Samoa if that option presents itself).

IJN Comments: A few areas of the board go really well.  My LBA in Indonesia sinks the Hermes without loss.  My CA in the Central Pacific sinks both Allied CA and controls the area.  In the Japanese Islands, Junyo and Saratoga sink each other.  Hoewver, the I-Boat whiffs and the Yamato merely disables Canberra before being disabled with 5 damage herself.  The Marines invade Okinawa.  Believe it or not, in over 30 years of play this is the very first time my Japanese have lost Okinawa -- and here it is only Turn 4!

I lose the 118s in the Aleutians, North Pacific, and Marshalls -- but not before I deny the Allies control of the Marshalls.  However, the Emperor's Track Squad is severely damaged.

I get away in the Coral Sea (after losing my NLF), in SPO (after taking 2 damage), and in the Marianas.  In the U.S. Mandate, a night action sees both sides lose one CA while the US BB is disabled with 4 damage.

I'm OK with all of that until we get to the Hawaiians.  Here the first round seems to favor the IJN -- with one USN LBA shot down and Kaga disabled with 3 damage.  Kaga goes to Johnston Island -- thinking I might need to attack Samoa from there (if Marshalls are blocked).  The second round, however, is decisive.  I put 1 damage on a single LBA.  Nick's LBA, however, send three CV away (albeit without sinking any).  It's now 3 IJN LBA plus Hosho against 4 USN LBA.  It's not over, but the odds now slightly favor the USN.  The next round we each lose a single LBA.  The edge moves slightly to the USN.  The next round I manage to shoot down a previously damaged LBA; however, the USN shoots down both remaining IJN LBA.  Hosho and the Japanese fleet run for it.

The turn is OK for the IJN attrition-wise (aside from the three lost LBA), but it's a POC and position disaster.  I'll have to exploit my surface edge and six CV next turn to establish a perimeter and take a few final key bases.

USN converts Okinawa by invasion.

USN gains 3 PoC to decrease the total IJN lead to 22 PoC.

Turn 5

IJN Comments: The map is so wide open after last turn that, given three Allied CV available, there's no realistic way to plug the perimeter.  I'll use my NLF to secure Okinawa and Guadalcanal.  I use one LBA to secure Indonesia (although Nick could go up against it with one CV).  I patrol the perimeter lightly and threaten the Hawaiians and U.S. Mandate a bit.  I plan to ensure a flag in CPO, but Nick leaves the Hawaiian Islands fairly weak.  As a result, I decide to gamble on controlling the Hawaiian Islands -- a perimeter of one!  It's risky, but it could give me the time I need to solidify everything else (particularly if I can also kill an Allied CV).  Nick could choose to fight for the Hawaiians -- but that could also help me by giving me most of the rest of the ocean and risking serious attrition.  Instead he elects, like last turn, to fight everywhere -- causing attrition to me and keeping the POC low.  It could be just what I need...  or not.

I win the Hawaiians to pin down his Turn 6 reinforcements, but I win very little else.  The USN wins an improbably night action in the Japanese Islands and the very low probability to stop both NLF too.  Worse, the USN sinks them both.  Musashi can't even dispatch North Carolina on the first round, so the USN ends up denying the Japanese control too.  The South Pacific is worse.  The IJN CVL can't send Lexington away.  Lexington blows away the NLF.  The next round the IJN CVL still can't send Lexington away while being sunk.  The USN not only stop the invasion but sinks every IJN piece in the area while securing the flag too.  Worst of all, the loss of all three NLF means that all of the USN bases are secure LBA platforms for next turn.  The USN manages to secure two new bases boardering three new areas too.

I think that I'm done for, but given the entrapment of the USN reinforcements, I'll play for one more turn.

USN converts Attu by isolation; the Philippines and Maloelap by invasion.

USN gains 4 PoC to decrease the total IJN lead to 18 PoC.

Turn 6

USN Comments: Yes, the situation is pretty bad for the IJN. I thought you based well to have your fleet support an invasion of Okinawa and the Philippines this turn. However, with only the Hosho left to threaten Allied LBA in the perimeter areas, the USN could easily reduce the IJN lead to 5 POC or less at the end of turn 7.

In any case, it was another exciting game between us. Your aggressive early play almost won the game, but I again managed to come back strong. I still find new and interesting situations in VitP even after playing more than 165 times.

I hope you have better luck in your other Top 10 matches.

IJN Comments: I manage to set up a perimeter this round -- Indonesia, South Pacific, Marshall Islands, and the Central Pacific.  However, with half of the US fleet based at the Philippines, Okinawa, and Dutch Harbor I'll have a hard time not losing Japan itself next turn let alone keeping to POC in a rational range.  So it's time to surrender.

Perhaps I should have tried to convert Pearl Harbor this turn?

Nick played an awesome USN game and deserves this victory.  I took too many risks after my initial lead was established.  This was probably my worst man-handling by the USN ever!  Luck deserves a little credit -- but Nick deserves most of it.

USN converts Johnston Island by invasion.

USN gains 7 PoC to decrease the total IJN lead to 11 PoC.

Congratulations, Nick!