ROC,
There of coarse was quite a bit of fighting in the PTO in 1943. The tide of battle was shifted several times until attrition and short supplies wore out the Japanese in the south pacific.
What say you give them an opportunity to historically redeem some of it.
Four Day Scenario: Savage action in the Solomons!
Under the Umbrella operation name of the "Raid on Rabaul". The battle would include the a naval engagement "The Battle of Vella Lavella", for a single day engagement (Third day) in the middle of the scenario.
Historically, The raid on Rabaul took place in November of 1943 and was a successful american raid on the habor. But, there was a lot of build up to the battle. There were aerial skirmishes and other smaller raids on Japanese positions and shipping. The USAAF were flying A-24s (SBDs), A-20s and B-25s. They also had squadrons of P-38s flying cover for them during the period. The Japanese had their main supply harbor protected by more than 300 AA guns and fighters from FIVE airfields (D3A1s, A6M2s, A6M5bs, Ki-61s, and Ki-67s). Most of the fighting takes place at sea level as was in the PTO, or the COs descression.
"Plot thickens"!
The battle of Vella Lavella was a tactial draw fought north of the Solomon Islands in October 1943. The question is can you equip the destroyers with fore and aft single five inch turrets and port and starboard side torpedoes? You were already going to harden the ships. This will be an epic sea battle. Sorry no carriers in the battle, but that is your choice.
Objective: Destroy the opposing fleets (Period)...
This would be a NIGHT fight by sea.
Each ship individually controlled with one player per gun mount and the skipper; who controls the torpedoes.
114 positions available for Americans.
155 positions avaiable for Japanese.
Americans:
6 destroyer/ more like 18 destroyers and 4 crusiers in the scenario
Japanese:
9 destroyer/ more like 25 destroyers and 5 crusiers in the scenario
You could give the americans a couple of PTs, but there were none in the actual battle.
So, what do you think? A long running air battle with an even bigger sea battle and unlike the DGS there is no hour flight assembling at 25 thousand feet and missing the bombers as they pass quietly behind you.
Just a thought...
