Great Pacific War Replay
1939 Campaign Scenario
Part VII: Spring, 1942
By Doug McNair
January 2008

Both sides are loaded for bear as 1942 begins in today’s episode of my Great Pacific War 1939 Campaign Scenario replay. As 1941 came to a close, the US and Japan were stalemated in a fierce land war on Luzon, and the US invasion of the key Japanese island base of Truk was repulsed with heavy losses. Japan has contained the Chinese armies North of the Yangtse and held onto her gains in Southern China, and her Siamese allies have crossed the border into Burma with Japanese forces close behind them. But Britain’s war engine is up and running now, and she’ll receive several new Commonwealth INF units in her force pool this turn plus the BRPs to build them. Japan will need to capture the British and Dutch bases in Malaya, Borneo (and the rest of Indonesia) to block Commonwealth armies from entering her sphere of influence while simultaneously trying to destroy the US Navy.

NOTE: One correction from last time – I had it in my head that Hong Kong was a capital city and therefore a supply source. But had I bothered to look under the two British 1-0 GAR units there, I would have seen that it’s just an objective city and therefore not a supply source (since it’s just two islands and a small peninsula bordering Japanese-occupied China, it’s easy to isolate). When Japan got sole control of the South China Sea in the fall of 1941, it cut the supply line of the two 1-0 GAR units at Hong Kong and they would have been eliminated in the Supply Segment of that turn. It would have made no difference to play in the winter, 1941 turn, as neither side had the BRPs, LCs or available SURF to mount an invasion or relief of Hong Kong - nobody had any ground units anywhere near it - but it does mean that it’s now open for invasion in 1942.

The war continues…

TURN 11 – SPRING, 1942
Production Segment: Britain (and especially) the US receive numerous force pool additions, while Japan (who already has nearly all her forces in the field) receives just a few. The nations on the Asian mainland control approximately the same territories that they did in Spring, 1941 and thus receive the same BRPs as they did then: 11 for Nationalist China, 14 for Communist China and 20 for the Soviet Union. The Netherlands is now at war and receives her full wartime BRP base of 19. Britain lost a lot of TAC factors battling the Japanese for sea control last year and is therefore unable to make her required minimum deployments in India, Burma, and Malaya, so she receives 56 BRPs. The USA receives 162 BRPs, and Japan receives 149 (including 62 for occupied China, 1 for Mindanao and 4 from her new ally, Siam).

The United States receives a previously built 4 CV unit in the West Coast box. Nationalist China builds a 2-2 INF and 2 x 1-2 INF for 7 BRPs, leaving her with just 4 BRPs and hoping for more from the USA. Communist China builds the same unit types for 7 BRPs. The Netherlands has no units in her force pool, and the Soviet Union hangs onto her BRPs for now. Britain purchases a 2 CV (available this winter), 2 SUB, a 3-4 British INF, a 3-3 African INF and a 1-3 PARA division (all in the Britain box), a 3-4 Indian INF (at Chittagong near the northern Burmese border), a 3-4 and a 2-3 ANZAC INF, and a 1-4 TAC factor at Brisbane for 37 BRPs. Japan adds factors to three different depleted SURF and CV units at shipyards, builds 3 LC factors (one of which she must send to the civilians to keep the economy going), a 4 CV unit (available this winter), a 1-4 TAC unit, a 3-3 INF, a 2-3 INF, 2 x 1-3 INF and 2 x 1-5 ARM divisions for 57 BRPs. Finally, the USA buys 9 SURF and 4 CV (both available this winter), a 4-4 MAR unit and a 2-4 MAR division, a 5-4 TAC, a 3-4 INF, a 2-6 ARM division, 2 x 1-3 Filipino INF and a Filipino 1-4 TAC for 97 BRPs (a hefty price, but unavoidable since the US Navy will likely get battered this year and also needs another 9 SURF to SR and transport all the ground and air units she’s building).

Several new chits go in the political cup, and the chit drawn is AIF, which is ignored because Britain has already built all ANZAC 3-4 INF units in her force pool (they would have gotten one for free next turn with this chit).

The two Chinas and Britain buy one impulse chit each, the USA buys two and Japan buys three.

Sea Zone Box Placement Segment: The Netherlands spends 4 BRPs to put TAC, SURF and SUB factors in the Java Sea and Sulu Sea Control Boxes, and Britain spends 3 BRPs to put a 2-4 TAC in the Bay of Bengal Sea Control Box and a 1-4 TAC in the Gulf of Siam. The United States spends 5 BRPs to place units in the Sea Control Boxes of the Hawaiian Islands, Midway, Marianas Islands, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea and South China Sea zones. Then Japan spends 5 BRPs to place units in the Gulf of Siam, South China Sea, East China Sea, Marianas Islands (a lot of them there), Solomon Islands, Pacific Ocean 8 and Sea of Japan zones.

Britain spends 2 BRPs to put 2 SUB in the undefended Yellow Sea zone’s Raiding box, and the US (who has already spent her maximum 5 BRPs) sends 2 SUB to the raiding box of the undefended Pacific Ocean 7 zone and 5 SUB to the Sea of Japan (which is patrolled by a 2 CV).

Declaration of War Segment: Nobody declares.

Sea Control and Raiding Segment: The Japanese air force downs the British 1-4 TAC unit in the Gulf of Siam, gaining sole control of that Sea Zone. They follow that up with another brilliant performance in the South China Sea, scoring 2 hits on 4 dice to down both the American and Filipino 1-4 TAC units there and gaining sole control of that zone. This means Japan can SR units through both those zones with just 9 SURF, freeing-up the other 9 SURF that was on SR duty for other operations.

Then a huge battle erupts in the Marianas Islands zone between the US 4 CV and 9 SURF from Guam (who were sent to sea to protect the SR route and supply line from Hawaii to the Philippines) and the Japanese 3 CV and 9 SURF from Truk plus 4 SUB from Taiwan.

The Americans score one hit to none in the Naval Air Battle segment, killing a Japanese BRP. Then the American "dive and torpedo" bombers perform brilliantly, scoring 2 hits on 4 dice to sink 2 Japanese CV factors, while the SURF scores 2 hits on 9 dice to sink 2 Japanese SURF factors. The Japanese score NO HITS AT ALL on 15 dice!!! The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot comes early, and the US Navy redeems its reputation after last year’s failed invasion of Truk.

The British SUBs in the Yellow Sea fail to sink any Japanese merchant shipping, but the US Sub in the Pacific Ocean 7 zone kills a Japanese BRP. The Japanese Navy continues to perform atrociously and fails to kill any of the US 5 SUB in the Sea of Japan; those subs go on a rampage and kill 3 Japanese BRPs.

Strategic Redeployment Segment: Nationalist China leaves her units in place, and Communist China SRs a new 1-2 INF unit to a position near Mao’s defiant one-hex stand on the South bank of the Yangtse. With the South China Sea and Gulf of Siam under Japanese control and wide-open for invasion and SR, Britain uses her 9 SURF unit at Madras to SR a 3-4 Indian INF from there to Singapore. The Dutch 1-4 TAC in the Java Sea zone allows this by contesting the Singapore hex, since that hex borders both the Java Sea and Gulf of Siam zones (if there was no Dutch TAC in the Java Sea, then the Singapore hex would be under sole Japanese control and no Allied units could SR through there by sea). Then Britain SRs a 2-4 TAC unit by air from Brisbane to Rabaul, a 3-4 Indian INF from Chittagong to Rangoon and a 1 SURF from the Middle East box to Taralam on Borneo. The Netherlands SRs a 1-3 INF from Sandakar in British Borneo to the capital of Dutch Borneo, Balikpapan. The Soviet Union and the US each send 4 BRPs to their Chinese allies (two get through). The US then spends 2 SRs to send a British 2-5 ARM unit around the horn from Britain to the Middle East box (using her 9 SURF unit there), spends another 3 SRs to send a 4-4 MAR, a 2-4 MAR division and a 5-4 TAC from the US West Coast box to Pago Pago, and then SRs a 4 CV from the US West Coast box to Pearl Harbor. Unfortunately, so much American SURF is currently committed to sea control, the Philippines, SR-ing British units onto the board or preparing to re-invade Truk, that the US does not have the factors necessary to SR any new units through contested waters to the Philippines. Finally, the floodgates open and Japan SRs a 1-5 ARM division and a 1-3 INF unit to the South Chinese beachhead, another 1-5 ARM and 1-3 INF to Bangkok along with 8 SURF that helped them get there (the Siamese 1 SURF at Bangkok did the rest), a 2-3 INF from Fusan to the Vigan beachhead in the Philippines, and a 5-4 SAC from Taiwan to Kweilin in mainland China.

Operations Segment: The first chit drawn is…

NATIONALIST CHINA ATTRITION: The reconstituted Kuomintang Army gets the jump on the Japanese and crosses the Yangtse to seize a defensible mountain hex, and then attacks the 1-3 INF unit holding the extreme Japanese left flank. The 3 die to 1 attack scores one hit per side and kills a Japanese 1-3 INF and a Kuomintang 1-2 INF. The Chinese opt not to advance into the vacated hex as that would force them to either create a gap in their line or sacrifice control of the mountain hex that is such a good anchor for their flank.

The next chit drawn is…

JAPANESE NAVAL: The Imperial Japanese Navy gets the jump on the Allies and seeks revenge for the defeat in the Marianas. Carriers from Yokohama and the Marshall Islands head for Pago Pago, and the 4 CV at Davao heads out to sea to join them but must first do battle with the American 3 SURF, Dutch 1 SURF and 2 SUB in the Sulu Sea Control Box. The Japanese carriers score one hit and sink a Dutch SUB (important because SUBs get to choose their targets), and the Allies score no hits. The 4 CV makes for Pago Pago unharmed and 12 CV attack the American 4 CV and 6 SURF assigned to the gathering Marine invasion force there.

The Japanese score 2 hits to none in air battle and kill 2 American BRPs, and then they score 4 hits on 12 dice and sink all 4 American CV factors!!! Honor is avenged, and the carriers return to the relative safety of ports on Japan and Taiwan.

Then 2 LC leave Kagoshima with a 3-3 INF and a 2-3 INF, rendezvous with 2 CV at Takao on Taiwan, rendezvous with another 4 CV at the Vigan beachhead, and land at Manila. But since the Sulu Sea zone borders Manila the American 3 SURF and Dutch 1 SUB and 1 SURF can attack the invasion force before it lands.

Everything depends on the Dutch 1 SUB, which can target a landing craft for any hit it scores. But none of the Allied units score hits, and the Japanese carriers score 3 hits to wipe-out the entire Dutch force plus one American SURF factor, and the escorting Japanese 9 SURF score one more hit to destroy all but the last US SURF. The landing goes in, and all the Americans have left on the Philippines for air support is a 2-4 TAC at Manila. The Zeroes score a hit in air battle to down a one American TAC factor, and the Americans score one hit in air battle to kill a Japanese BRP, but the 14 die Japanese attack (5 INF factors, 5 CV factors and 4 dice from SURF fire support) scores exactly the 3 hits necessary to reduce the American 3-4 INF at Manila and force it to retreat. The Americans score no hits in return, and the reduced American INF and its HQ retreat down the peninsula Southeast of Luzon toward the Filipino forces holding Legaspi. This is crucial since now that Manila and Davao have both fallen, the only supply line the US forces on the Philippines have is through Legaspi and overseas to either India, Australia or the US. The 1-4 TAC unit is displaced from Manila and has to land at Legaspi as well.

The next chit drawn is…

BRITISH ATTRITION: The 2-3 INF at Kuala Lumpur moves south to reinforce the defenses around Singapore.

JAPANESE CEA HQ OFFENSIVE: A new 2-3 INF unit and the CEA HQ move out of the beachhead to attack the American 3-4 INF unit northeast of Manila. The 3-4 TAC from the beachhead provides air support and blitzkrieg bonuses along with the 3-4 ARM, but the 11 die attack scores just 2 hits, which kills 2 American BRPs, but is not enough to reduce the American INF unit. The shaken US troops score no hits in return, but their lines hold during Japanese exploitation combat, with Japan scoring just one hit to kill another American BRP and the Americans scoring one hit to kill a Japanese BRP.

The next chit drawn is…

US ATTRITION: The fall of Manila leaves the American lines outflanked, and they have to withdraw from Maolos and down the peninsula to the Southeast to keep from being split in two next turn and to guard their supply line. The two 3-4 INF units, now East and Southeast of Manila, attack toward the city and score one hit to kill a Japanese BRP; the Japanese are too busy pillaging and score no hits in return.

The next chit drawn is…

COMMUNIST CHINA ATTRITION: With the Kuomintang having cut the end off the Japanese left flank, Mao hits the Japanese center in hopes of stretching Japanese lines in two directions. The 8 die to 2 attack scores 2 hits to none and wipes-out a Japanese 2-3 INF to create a new breach in the chronically hot sector between the rivers northwest of Hankow.

The next chit drawn is…

US NAVAL: The previously-unactivated American 4 CV at Pearl Harbor relocates to Pago Pago to replace the 4 CV the Japanese destroyed there, and the US 2 CV at Rabaul makes a run for the Sulu Sea to make a naval strike on the invasion force that took Manila. But the lone Japanese 1 SURF in the Solomon Islands Sea Control Box attacks, and it scores one hit to none to kill an American CV factor (those Long Lance torpedoes are murder…). The remaining 1 CV makes the naval strike with no opposition and scores a hit to kill a Japanese CV factor. It then makes port at Legaspi.

The American LCs and SURF at Guam would love to either land their 3-4 INF unit on Luzon behind Japanese lines or try and retake Davao, but the Japanese have 7 SURF, 4 SUB and 1 CV remaining in the Marianas Island Sea Control Box. That gives Japan a shot at sinking one or both of the US LCs and possibly the 3-4 INF along with it. With this turn’s horrible losses, the Americans can’t afford that kind of risk, so they hold position and wait for the invasion of Truk (next turn) to start eroding the Japanese basing capability in the Marianas.

The last chit drawn is…

JAPANESE ATTRITION: Mao and Chiang Kai Shek’s simultaneous attacks have put the Japanese in a major pickle. The Yangtse River Containment Line is broken and outflanked, and Japan doesn’t have enough troops there to deal with it all. So they move forces Eastward to close the gap Mao made in the line and will have to find other forces to deal with the resurgent Kuomintang next turn. They then make an 11 die to 3 counterattack against Mao’s breaching forces but score just one hit to none, taking-out a 1-2 INF unit but nothing else.

Siam opts to keep her 1-3 INF unit in place at Tavoy.

Supply and End Segments: The only unsupplied unit is the Japanese 3-3 INF at Davao which fails its Bushido roll and is reduced. The Americans spend a BRP to repair the reduced INF unit that was forced out of Manila. All units in Sea Zone Boxes return to base, and the turn ends.

So the Americans have suffered stinging defeats at sea, lost Manila and are down to just one supply line to the Philippines through Legaspi. If Legaspi falls, the Americans on the Philippines will wither and die, and the permanent loss of all those American units would be a blow from which the USA might never recover. Emergency landings on Luzon, a continued retreat, or even evacuation may be required in the short term. But the British are gathering strength in Rangoon and Singapore, and Japan’s planned conquest of Burma may turn into a holding action due to the need to divert forces to stop the advance of the Kuomintang.

Can Japan finish the conquest of the Philippines and keep the US Navy on its heels long enough to conquer Borneo and Java? Or will the resurgent Chinese armies throw all of Japan’s war plans into disarray? Tune in next time and find out!

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