The Blockade of Japan

Background

The US is at war with Japan and must use their submarine forces to paralyze the Japanese economy, while the surface fleets on both sides are principally engaged in fighting each other.

Units

Japan and the US:

·         All Classic and PiF aircraft (add AiF and PatiF if you wish, too), plus the special aircraft added as part of this proposed module

Japan:

·         Ships in Flames SCS, CV and CVP units (supplemented by CVPiF if you wish), convoy points, plus the new ASW units which are part of this proposed module.

USA:

·         Classic and SiF SUBs (add AiF and PatiF SUBs if you wish, too), SiF SCS, CV and CVPs (supplemented by CVPiF if you wish), plus all SUBs and SCS that are part of this proposed module.

Territory in Play

Maps used are the Americas, Pacific and Asian maps.  Territory in play includes any sea box on the Americas, Pacific and Asian maps.  Japan controls all territory marked Ja on the maps plus China (up to the 1943 start line), Hong Kong, Guam, the Philippines, French Indo-China, Malaya, Burma (up to the 1943 start line), Siam, the Netherlands East Indies, and Rabaul and nearby territories up to the 1943 start line.

The US controls the USA, and all territory on the Pacific map marked US or CW except Guam and Rabaul. On the Asian map, the US also controls Aden, India, Burma (up to the 1943 start line) South Africa, and Australia. The US may draw primary supply from the USA, Honolulu, India, South Africa and Australia, but the US is still its only home country.

Japan gains and loses control of some territory to the US as follows:

·         In MJ 1944 the USA may use those territories marked as US or CW controlled for the1944 start line; at the same time, Japan may use territory in China up to the 1944 start line

·         In SO 1944, the USA may use the Marianas Islands

·         In ND 1944, the USA may use the island of Luzon in the Philippines and the Palau Islands

·         In MA 1945, the USA may use all of the Philippines, and Iwo Jima

·         In MJ 1945, the USA may use Okinawa

Production

Major powers are allowed a number of build points per turn as per the chart below.  If Japan successfully shipped fewer resources to Japan than her allotted build points, then Japan only receives a number of build points equal to the number of resources successfully shipped.

	1943	1944	1945
Japan	5	7	4
USA	4	6	5

All major powers may save build points from one turn to the next.

When building aircraft, after randomly selecting a unit, you may immediately scrap it and draw another if the unit is more than 2 years old. When a LND is built, draw another of the same cost and type for free, and select which one to put on the spiral; the other may be scrapped or returned to your force pool, at your option.

Oil (RAW version):if using this option, it only affects Japan, the USA is assumed to have sufficient oil to reflip all of their units at the end of the turn.  Half of the oil resources received in Japan may be used to reflip Japanese units.

Transfer Pool

When building units, you may instead take a unit from the Transfer Pool.  Pay the full cost (both first and second round combined) of the unit in build points when you do this (including the cost of a pilot and carrier plane (you can choose if the CVP costs 0 or 1 bp) for a CV).

The unit will arrive as a reinforcement next turn.

Example: Japan decides to purchase the CV Chiyoda from the Transfer Pool. The CV costs 3 build points, plus 2 for the pilot, and 1 for a CVP, for a total of 6 build points.

Available Resources

All Japanese-controlled resources located outside of Japan on the maps in play are eligible for transportation to Japan.

Impulse Choices

Impulse Choices are restricted as follows, to represent strategic considerations not represented in this scenario: Japan and the US may call 1 Naval and 2 Combined impulses per turn.  Air mission limits for both Japan and the US are halved. The only air missions allowed are naval air and rebase missions.

WiFCON Gas Rule: if using this option, it only affects Japan, the US is assumed to have sufficient Gas for their needs. Half of the oil resources received in Japan will produce Gas points for use by Japan.

Allies

No minor countries may be aligned.

Victory

Each side accrues Victory Points (VPs) every turn during the Production Phase.  Japan is awarded victory points for successfully transporting resources to Japan, and the US is awarded for reducing this number, as follows:

·         5 VPs for Japan if 13 or more resources are transported

·         4 VPs for Japan if 12 resources are transported

·         3 VPs for Japan if 11 resources are transported

·         2 VPs for Japan if 10 resources are transported

·         1 VP for Japan if 9 resources are transported

·         0 VPs for both if 8 resources are transported

·         1 VP for the US if 7 resources are transported

·         2 VP for the US if 6 resources are transported

·         3 VP for the US if 5 resources are transported

·         4 VP for the US if 4 resources are transported

·         5 VP for the US if 3 or fewer resources are transported

Subtract Axis VPs from Allied VPs.  Japan wins a major victory immediately if they accrue an advantage 50 or more victory points.  The US wins a major victory immediately if they accrue an advantage of -50 or more victory points.  If neither side has achieved their condition at the end of JA 1945, then Japan wins a minor victory if it has an advantage of 25 or more victory points, or the US wins a minor victory if they have an advantage of –25 or more victory points. Otherwise, the result is a Draw.

Starting Info

The first turn is JF '43, and the initiative is in the 0 box.  The last turn is JA '45, but the game may end sooner, see Victory (above).

Set Up: 

United States

Remove from force pools:

·         all units not legal to be built.

·         all CV of any date, and all SCS dated 1942 or earlier, unless the unit is noted below.

Place in Transfer Pool:

·         CV: Cowpens

·         CA: Louisville, San Francisco, Wichita

·         2 TRS

Place in Construction Pool:

·         SUB

Place on production spiral:

·         MA: SUB (face-up), SUB (face-down)

·         MJ: SUB (face-up)

Place on Map in any controlled port:

·         4 SUB

·         FTR (cost 2)

Japan:

Remove from Force Pool:

·         all units not legal to be built.

·         all CV of any date, and all SCS dated 1942 or earlier, unless the unit is noted below.

Aircraft Reserve Pool: FTR (cost 2), NAV (cost 2)

Place in Transfer Pool:

·         CV: Chiyoda, Taiyo

·         CA: Chokai, Suzuya, Takao

·         TRS

Place on production spiral:

·         MA: 1 convoy point

·         MJ: 2 convoy points

·         JA: 2 convoy points

Place on Map in any controlled hex:

·          CA: Atago, Nachi

·         18 convoy points

·         2 FTR (cost 2), 1 NAV (cost 3), 1 NAV (cost 2)