S3#58 Cats and Zekes - The Battle for Guadalcanal, Fall 1942.

Game Settings

  • USAAF Players(green) - 94 est
  • IJ Players(red) - 85 est
  • Icons – d24 friendly, d12 range, d6 enemy plane
  • Clouds - scattered overcast
  • Radar – 20 mile radius, grey dots, inflight arrow. Minimum alt is 300 ft.
  • Flak - all Flak is limited to 30,000ft
  • USAAF Airfields(green) - T57,M60,M61 and L2 + CVs
  • IJ Airfields(red) - L1, S12(recce only) + CVs
  • Fuel Multiplier - set at 1.00 for all planes.
  • Rebuild Time - 300 mins
  • Game Length – 180 mins
  • Lives – 1 life per frame

Basic Rules

Initial Format - subject to change before the first frame.

Start Times - each frame uses the following schedule;

  • T+0 - Pre-Dawn - Flight enabled for recce a/c, sun behind horizon.
  • T+10 - Dawn - Flight enabled for cap a/c, sun just rising
  • T+20 - Morning light, sun up and continues to rise through frame
  • T+160 - last surface attacks completed.
  • T+170 - Dusk - all a/c must disengage ASAP, sun almost down.
  • T+180 - Near dark, all squads must be in tower or on final.

Clouds - expect a thin overcast typical of MA settings, no puffy clouds, possible heavy weather fronts may move in for a frame.

No-Fly Zone - no a/c or ships may enter the no-fly zone during play. Players will be warned if they enter these areas and ejected if they continue to fly in them.

Bomber/Strike AI - no AI allowed

Ord Restrictions - only bombers, strike and P400s may carry ord. The A6Ms and F4Fs cannot.

Bombers - with IJN a/c in this series we are trying a softer buff-tuff but deadlier otto. So bombers need to fly tight formations and interceptors do not attack from dead 6, slashing high angle attacks only and longer range fire. Fighters if you get in close and hold steady you will be dead.

Airfield Basing Restrictions - each airfield has a set number of steps of a/c allocated to it on the gameboard. From those steps Scouts and CAPs can be assigned up to the maximum as indicated on the map. EXCEPTION are Dinahs and PBYs, there are 2 of each and they are above steps allocated to Rabual and Moresby. CVs can base the following a/c steps;

  • US CVs = 2 steps of F4F4s, 2 steps of SBDs and 2 steps of TBDs.
  • IJ CVs = 2 steps of A6M, 2 steps of Kates, 2 steps of Vals.
  • IJ CVEs = 1 step of A6M, 1 step of Kates, 1 step of Vals.
  • IJ Floatplane Tenders = 2 steps of Vals

Homebase/CV - All squads must be assigned a homebase/CV and must replane there during the frame. If that homebase is closed they must land and wait in the tower until reopened. Individual a/c that land at inactive airfields are done for the night. Carrier a/c may land at land bases but must replane and head back to a carrier, if no carrier remains within range they are done for the night.

Target Hardness - some buildings are very difficult to damage heavily. Bombers must salvo large bombs onto the major buildings to destroy them. Industry targets at towns or ports are even more difficult. All targets are tougher and all bombs have smaller blast radius so large bombs do more damage than small bombs.

Flak - ship and ground flak is very deadly this series. Do not play in the flak as it will hole you. Do not fly straight and level or the flak will get you. Conduct realistic bomb drops and do not linger in the area or otto will be gunning for you.

Ship Targets - there are two types of ship targets indicated on the map. The first is general shipping(ship icons with masts) which consists of several cargo class ships(freighters, boats and transports) with escort or warships on patrol. These are present on either end of Guadalcanal representing both sides reinforcement and interception attempts. The second are CV groups(ship icons with flat tops) which consist of 1 or more CVs and escorting DDs that must start in a set area.

Land Targets - the IJN player may attack three land targets during the series, Port Moresby(M61 & D78), Henderson Field(M60) and the Fighter 1/Marine Division encampment(T57). The US player may attack Rabual(L1, D73, T11 and P88) and the five locations the IJ have on Guadalcanal (S12, D58, V29, P86 and V95). Damage to Henderson, Fighter 1 and Rabual scores much higher than Port Moresby and the other IJ positions on Guadalcanal .

CV Groups - Each Frame CO decides how many CVs to use each frame and where to position them. Each CV is given a heading and will travel in that direction at 30mph along with 2 DD escorts. They will not go offboard and they will not enter into each sides land-base zone(see map). There will be no Nav control by players of shipping. CV locations are very general and may change without notice, recon is the only way to locate CV groups, asking for Donkey reports wont help.

Scouts - at T+0 each side may launch scouts to recce enemy locations. Scouts are indicated on the map in circles and represent single a/c. The IJN may use S12 to represent floatplanes in the area, only these scouts may use this field during the frame to replane. Scouts may be armed and attack shipping they locate EXCEPTION: the IJAAF Dinah(Mossie VI sub) must dump bombs before conducting its mission. Scouts that locate shipping and report it allow the Frame CO to launch a strike against said shipping. Scouts that return to their homebase/CV may continue to scout or join in strikes.

Land Strikes - at T+10 all strikes against land targets may launch. These strikes can only attack land targets and not shipping. Their GP bombs are ineffective against ships.

CAP - at T+10 each side may launch designated CAPs for CVs and important airfields. CAPs must stay within 60 miles of their designated homebase/CV.

Ship Strikes - once enemy shipping is located a strike from land or carriers may be launched. The target of the strike must be attacked, there can be no diversion. It is important to hold a force in reserve. Send everything after one target and another may appear which you cannot attack. Its important that proper scouting finds all available carriers before a massive strike is launched.

Scoring - scoring is based as follows;

  • 0.05 pt - any direct hit(DH) by a bomb on a land target.
  • 0.1 pt - land structure destroyed at secondary target area(M61, D78, S12, D58, V29, P86,V95).
  • 0.25 pt - land stucture destroyed at primary target area(M60,T57, L1, D73, T11, P88).
  • 0.25 pt - bomb hit on shipping(collect by squads based on ACMCAM).
  • 0.25 pt - per fighter a/c shotdown(claimed as kill by player or otto).
  • 0.50 pt - per strike/bomber a/c shotdown(claimed as kill by player or otto).
  • 1.00 pt - per strike/bomber a/c shotdown RULED unescorted.
  • 1.00 pt - torp hit on shipping(collected by squads based on ACMCAM).
  • 5.00 pt - supply ship(transport, freighter or boat) sunk by player a/c.
  • 8.00 pt - DD ship sunk by player a/c.
  • 10.00 pt - Floatplane tender sunk by player a/c.
  • 11.00 pt - closing Rabual airfield(L1).
  • 12.00 pt - CVE sunk by player a/c.
  • 14.00 pt - CV sunk by player a/c.
  • 15.00 pt - closing Henderson airfield(M60)

Victory Conditions - Victory conditions are cumulative and a winner is declared only after all the frames have been run. The total points for both sides are compared after 5 frames;

  • 0-5 point difference is a draw
  • 5-10 point difference is a minor victory for the side with the greatest number.
  • 11-20 point difference is a victory for the side with the greatest number.
  • 21+ point difference is a major victory for the side with the greatest number.

S3 Clarifications - the S3 staff reserves the right to make a ruling on questions or game situations not answered completely or missed by the rules. For further clarification please post on the S3 forum or email Jabo.

[ Aircraft - Series Map - Series Board - Player Rules ]