S3 #75 - Japan Rising; PTO 1943

Game Settings

  • IJ Players(red) - 69 est
  • US Players(green) - 95 est
  • Icons – d24 friendly, d8 range, d8 enemy plane
  • Winds – none
  • Clouds - random clouds
  • Radar – 20 mile radius, grey dots, inflight arrow. Minimum alt is 150 ft.
  • Flak - all Flak is limited to 28,000ft in height.
  • IJ Airfields(red) - CVs and in north
  • US Airfields(green) - CVs and in south
  • Fuel Multipler - set at 1.0 for all planes.
  • Rebuild Time - 300 mins
  • Game Length – 180 mins
  • Lives – 1 life per frame
  • Game Scale - 1 squad = 1 historical unit and 1 frame = 1 set of operations.

Basic Rules

Initial Format - changes after in bold italics.

1. Start Times - each frame uses the following schedule;

  • T+0 - Pre-Dawn(3:30), semi-dark, flight enabled.
  • T+15 - Dawn(4:00), dawn light.
  • T+160 - Dusk(9:00), last surface attacks completed all a/c must disengage ASAP.
  • T+180 - Dark(12:00), all squads must be in tower or land in the dark.

2. Operational Restrictions - each side may only conduct operations in the area outlined in the game map. Squad roles are squad specific roles or expertise but does not limit operational missions or conduct during the series. For example fighter squads may conduct strike missions and are not limited to pure fighter operations.

3. CM radar & reports - avoid flying over enemy occupied land for long distances above the 150ft AGL, this increases the chance you will be spotted by donkey dar. Do not follow enemy coastlines, flying at least 5 miles offshore at any alt is a good rule to follow to reduce the chance of CM reports. Generally once you begin an attack on a target you will be reported so hit and run, do not linger in the area unless you want to be bounced.

4. Bomber Restrictions - B24Ds are limited to missions attacking airfields, cities and ports. All other targets cannot be attacked by these heavies.

5. Bomber Hardness - due to the difference in IJN and USN strike capabilities the buff hardness has to remain relatively low or the US strike and bombers become very tough. Airfield flak in the PTO is especially heavy. Ship flak on the DDs is deadly and attacks on shipping need to be conducted with care.

6. Carrier Restrictions - only specific a/c on each side can use CVs for operations. These carrier a/c cannot use a landbase during the frame to conduct squad operations. If the initial CV is sunk then and only then may they redeploy to a free landbase or carrier. The USN must use F6Fs, SBDs and TBDs from their CVs. The IJN must use A6M5s, Kates and Vals from their CVs.

7. Squad Aircraft - each squad begins play with a set number of a/c based upon the previous series turnout(FRU). There are 1st, 2nd and 3rd Line a/c types that have these limited numbers. Combination squads may have two types for each class and decide how many of each to fly. Reserve a/c are unlimited in number and can be used by a squad anytime. Aircraft lost during play are subtracted from these at start numbers. A squad is responsible to make sure they fly only the numbers and types they have available for each frame. Losses during the series will be deducted from the A/C Table.

8. Squad Basing - each airfield has a step allowance for basing aircraft. Squads may transfer to any open airfield during play as long as they do not over-step. CV capable a/c may move between CV groups as long as they also dont over-step.

  • Grass Field - 1 step
  • Small Field - 2 steps
  • Medium Field - 3 steps
  • Large Field/CV group - 4 steps

9. Missions - both sides have missions indicated on the map that score 1 VP each if successfully completed. Once completed they are removed from series play. The exception being CV groups which will always start the frame with 3 per side. There are shipping and land missions. Shipping is divided in merchant Shipping, anchored shipping and CV groups. Land targets are divided into airfields, towns, cities/ports and artillery positions. Only a maximum of 10 shipping missions per side may be planned each frame due to limited space on the general for AI. All missions must be clearly outlined in Frame orders and assigned to squads so there is no confusion which ones will be loaded for play. If one side removes all the missions from play except for the CV groups they will be put back into operation and missions can be conducted against them again. Missions that are not ruled complete may be attacked again in succeeding frames. Damage is not exact so if you damage a target in one frame all the objects will be up again next frame and if you do substantial damage to it again it will be ruled destroyed. If you only sink some ships in a location you need to go back in another frame and sink some more to have them ruled sunk.

  • CV Groups - each side will have 3 CV groups comprising 1-2 CVs and 3-5 DDs as targets. Their location circle on the map indicates the area in which they will start play. Only the DDs will evade and fire on attacking a/c, the CVs will stay on course and have no flak protection. All CVs in a CV group must be sunk to count as a successful mission. CV groups are the only mission that will not be removed from the series once sunk. They will begin play again each series in their radius ring. Each frame CV groups will have a CM heading and speed assigned to them that will be published to the friendly side allowing carrier operations to be planned.
  • Merchant Shipping - each side will have merchant shipping comprising 0-2 DDs and 1-6 FRs/BTs/TRs as targets, these targets may change from frame to frame. Their location circle on the map indicates the area in which they will start play. Only the DDs will evade and fire on attacking a/c, the Freighters will stay on course and not evade. All Freighters in a merchant shipping target must be sunk to count as a successful mission. Once ruled successful the target is removed from play for the series.
  • Anchored Shipping - each side will have anchored shipping comprising 0-1 DD and 1-6 FRs/BTs/TRs as targets, these targets may change from frame to frame. All Boats or Transports in a anchored shipping target must be sunk to count as a successful mission. Once ruled successful the target is removed from play for the series. Until then it can be attacked again and again.
  • Airfields - Only the Japanese large and medium airfields are targets for the US. B24Ds may attack these targets. All structures must be destroyed to be considered a success, this DOES NOT include the tower. Once destroyed these airfields remain so for the rest of the series and cannot be used to base squads.
  • Cities/Ports - Both sides have all cities and ports as targets. B24Ds may attack these targets. All structures must be destroyed to be considered a success, this DOES NOT include the tower and linked locations are not considered part of the mission.
  • Towns - Both sides have the all small town locations as targets. All structures must be destroyed to be considered a success, this DOES NOT include the tower.
  • Artillery Positions - Both sides have specific arty positions as targets. An additional 1-4 AFVs will be located around these positions and must be destroyed along with all structures and arty positions this DOES NOT include the tower structure. AFVs may change from frame to frame.

10. Ship Settings - the settings for the ships have been tested and these are the approximate goals for damage using the specific S3 settings for ships, bombs and torps. For bombs you have to hit the exact sweet spot for full damage otherwise you will have to hit with many more bombs than necessary. Carriers have a very limited hit box in the middle of the ship near their exhaust stacks, the rest of the ships are dead centre. Strafing down ships only works against transports and boats and has little effect against the larger ships but it will destroy their gun positions causing secondary explosions. Be aware different effect files have different damage cues.

Torpedo 5" HVAR 3" HE RP WGr 21 75mm B25H 60lb Para 100 lb 250 lb 500 lb 1000 lb 1600 lb 2000 lb 50 kg 100 kg 250 kg 500 kg 800 kg 1000 kg
Ship Destroy Armor 3000 250 250 250 250 250 235 586 1173 1875 3000 3750 258 516 1289 2063 3300 4175
Kaga 6000 No strafe 2.0 24.0 24.0 24.0 24.0 24.0 25.5 10.2 5.1 3.2 2.0 1.6 23.3 11.6 4.7 2.9 1.8 1.4
CV6 6000 No strafe 2.0 24.0 24.0 24.0 24.0 24.0 25.5 10.2 5.1 3.2 2.0 1.6 23.3 11.6 4.7 2.9 1.8 1.4
DD1 4000 No strafe 1.3 16.0 16.0 16.0 16.0 16.0 17.0 6.8 3.4 2.1 1.3 1.1 15.5 7.8 3.1 1.9 1.2 1.0
DD2 4000 No strafe 1.3 16.0 16.0 16.0 16.0 16.0 17.0 6.8 3.4 2.1 1.3 1.1 15.5 7.8 3.1 1.9 1.2 1.0
Freighter 3000 No strafe 1.0 12.0 12.0 12.0 12.0 12.0 12.8 5.1 2.6 1.6 1.0 0.8 11.6 5.8 2.3 1.5 0.9 0.7
Transport 1500 stafe 0.5 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.4 2.6 1.3 0.8 0.5 0.4 5.8 2.9 1.2 0.7 0.5 0.4
Boat(VIC56) 500 stafe 0.2 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.1 0.9 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 1.9 1.0 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.1

*Torpedos must hit within 20 degrees of perpendicular of ship for full effect anywhere on the hull. Some torpedos launched too close will show running underneath the ship. Try and launch as far as way possible. Only a perfect strike from dead 6 on a transport or boat will score damage so for game purposes these ships are shallow draught vessels for which torpedoes are useless.

11. AI ship flak - all AI shipping will have the lowest possible accuracy and avoidance settings, DDs will engage at 18,000ft to try and keep them moving realistically and still allow some low-level flak protection. Make no mistake though the flak is deadly so drop your torps and bombs from a distance. The remaining ship types will engage at 2ft to make it so they dont do unrealistic evasions.

12. Ship Nav - there is no ship navigation allowed.

13. Ship Gunning - do not do this! You will get a penalty plane. AI flak is much more accurate than a player will ever be so you are only hurting your side by grabbing a gun.

14. Penalty Planes - players that commit errors in basic rules and do not attempt to correct the error during play will have a penalty plane assigned to their squad. Examples include flying different a/c during a frame, teleporting fields when not allowed by special rules, gunning from ships or flak positions. Squad Penalty Plane Tallies are kept in the PPlist. It is up to each squad to fly their penalty a/c and let the CM know how many have been flown after a frame so they can be removed them from the list.

  • IJN Penalty Planes - Val
  • USN Penalty Plane - TBD

15. Victory Points - 1 point is awarded to each mission ruled successful. A mission is any attack on an allowed target on the map. For it to be ruled successful all major structures, merchant ships and CVs must be destroyed or sunk.

16. Victory Conditions - The IJ starts with a 20 mission lead on the US side; 20-0 IJN. The side with the most missions accomplished at the end of the series wins. The US must reduce this lead by scoring missions while the smaller IJ force attempts to hold onto their lead by defending against US attacks and conducting hit and run raids of their own.

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.

NOTES ON STRATEGY

This event is trying to simulate the diverse action that occurred in the New Guinea to Solomons area of the South Pacific in 1943. There are many targets to be hit over a wide space so operational planning should spread out attacks and switch areas to be hit from frame to frame. But as missions are removed from the list it will become more obvious where each side will attack. So it does not pay to attack the easiest targets first, otherwise you will be backing yourself in a corner with the harder ones left for the final frames. Ship locations are uncertain so scouting is important to make sure the missions specified can be found. Sending a strike group to hope for the best wastes time and exposes them to a greater chance of interception. It is important to keep losses low so more effective a/c can be maintained throughout the series and multiple attacks conducted during a frame. Its better to abort a mission early on than fight your way through and take unexceptable losses. Late in the frame with losses mounting it is the side that has kept enough strike reserve that will often scored additional missions.

The US side must be very aggressive and use their numbers advantage to the fullest to attrite the enemy of its best a/c and hit many targets each frame with multiple sorties from a wide range of strike and bomber a/c. Some fighters have useful loadouts and should be used to supplement the busy strike/bomber squads, taking down the deadly flak with higher alt drops and finishing off targets with strafing if no ord is available. Above all the bomber/strike a/c must be protected so they can do as many missions in a frame as possible, early losses here will limit the number of successful missions. Bombers are not going to be as tough as in past series so CAP and sweep intended targets and provide escort where needed. To remove the 20 point lead of the Japanese the US will have to score at least 4 missions a frame. When you consider the IJ will be scoring missions as well you are looking at more like 8 missions a frame to secure a tie or win depending on how successful the enemy is at their missions.

The IJ side must use stealth and their long range to accomplish missions far from expected enemy airbases. They need to keep picking away at missions over the course of a frame and not get wiped out with bold high risk attacks. They are to slow the US juggernaut by keeping just ahead of their success in missions and hold onto their initial lead. The few Japanese strikers need to carefully plan how and when they hit their targets so they can maximize the destruction each frame. At least 4 missions a frame must be successful if there is any hope of maintaining a lead over the Americans. The majority of the IJ force will be defending against the US attacks and as such must be able to last for the entire frame so that missions are not piled on by the enemy in the last hour. When vulnerable US bomber and strike forces are encountered they must be attacked heavily so their losses will impact their ability to conduct missions. Bombers, even heavies can be shotdown by IJ a/c but attacks must be smart, conducted as a squad when possible and prey on scattered or small units of bombers.

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