In July and August of 1942, the Japanese Navy was under a strain even to provide warships to protect their shipping in the Greater East Asia Sphere, or to protect troop convoys to area such as Burma, the Philippines, Lae, Salamaua, and Buna. The Japanese military leaders expected MacArthur would eventually counterattack up through New Guinea toward the Philippines, as part of an operation to reach Tokyo. They also saw the threat of counterattack through the central Pacific as part of Nimitz’ offensive. They did not, however, foresee that the occupation of Tulagi on May 2nd 1942 would lead to the opening of a third road to Japan: up through the Soloman chain to Rabaul. The extension of their defensive perimeter to Tulagi, to be developed as a sea plane base, and the later occupation of Guadalcanal in order to build an airfield was a routine operation, one more piece to be fitted into a larger strategy. The American reaction at first also was a routine measure to protect the life line to Australia. Neither side had any idea of the immensity of the struggle that was to take place there. Just as Midway was the turning point in the war at sea, Guadalcanal would be the turning point in the war on land.
- Paul S. Dull
COUNTRY PERCENTAGES
====================
49% Allied (rough estimate)
51% Axis (rough estimate)
PLANE SET
U.S. Forces
=========
F4F-4 (any gun package, any ordinance)
P-400 (P39D with 20mm gun package, any ordinance)
SBD (any ordinance)
TBM (any ordinance, limited numbers)
Japanese Forces
============
A6M2B (any ordinance)
B5N2 (any ordinance, 2nd live, limited numbers)
D3A1 (any ordinance)
Restrictions
- P39Ds can only use the 20mm gun package in frame 3
- B5N2s get a second life
** Further restrictions will be delineated in the objective orders for each frame.
VICTORY CONDITIONS
AIR TO AIR
========
5 pts - Single or dual Engine AC with 1 crew
10 pts - Single or double engine AC with 2 crew
15 pts - Double Engine AC with 3+ crew
GROUND TARGETS
=============
0.062 = Gun
0.062 = Mannable Gun
3.125 = Ammo Bunker
3.125 = Fuel Bunker
3.125 = Barracks
3.125 = Radar
27.812 = Vehicle Hangar
27.812 = Fighter Hangar
27.812 = Bomber Hangar
3.125 = Town Building
3.125 = Factory at strategic target
0.781 = Truck in convoy
1.562 = Train
40 = Destroyer
40 = Cruiser
160 = Carrier
For Example: Total point value of each objective will be supplied in frame objectives. For example a fleet with 1 CV, 1 CA, and 4 DD is worth 360 points; a standard small airbase should be worth 192 points (points rounded).
SPECIAL RULES
=============
1. B5N2 pilots get a second life in an aircraft assigned to them by their CiC (it can be any of the available Japanese plane types).
2. No bomber formations
3. A minimum and maximum number will be assigned to each aircraft type. The CiC of each side must deploy the designated minimum per aircraft type and can not more than the maximum per aircraft type. Outside of that the CiCs can deploy the aircraft types anyway the want (i.e. can have squads fly 2 aircraft types and in split they wish as long as squads are assigned same objective).
4. If both CiCs agree they may have the setup CM end the frame early. This is usually done if one side wipes out the other side (i.e. 60 versus 5).
5. Dead pilots may gun bombers. They may not man the guns of airfields or ships. Only exception is the special Naval battle part of the event (see below).
6. Ships will be and each side can maneuver the ships as long as they stay in their containment area. Ships must stay in containment area defined in the objective orders. If they go outside of the containment area a penalty will be assessed.
7. All targets must be attacked within the first hour of the event. To make sure this is done the CiC of each side must send the Admin CM their battle plans before the event so that he can verified they actually planned to attack their objectives in force (no sending just one plane to attack an objective before the 60 minute mark).
8. Partial damage to CVs will be scored. In regards to CVs you will get points if you do 1/3rd damage to it (2667 lbs of bombs), 2/3rds damage to it (5334 lbs of bombs), and full damage to it (8000 lbs of bombs). Each level gains you 27 pts .. so that would be 27 pts, 54 pts, and 80 pts.
NAVAL SURFACE BATTLE
====================
Guadalcanal and the Solomans campaign saw significant naval surface action (1st Battle of the Soloman Sea, 2nd Battle of the Soloman Sea, etc.). To represent this portion of the campaign at T+75 2 Japanese fleets and 2 U.S. Fleets consisting of 2 CA and 8 DDs each will be moved within visual sight of each other (8 inch gun range). The CiC for each side will designate 2 fleet commanders who will be in charge of steer the ships and dead pilots may man any of the guns on the ships (8 inch guns, 5 inch guns, 40 mm, 20mm).
At T+90 the fleets will be allowed to spawn PT boats. Dead pilots may spawn a PT boat. They only get one life in a PT boat .. so the spawning will be at T+90 to say T+92.
The naval surface portion of the event is only meant to give flavor. Results will be announced for the surface action but the air action will be scored seperately.
NOTE: These ships and their battle area will be marked on the map. Any air attacks on these CAs, DDs, or PTs will not count for the air scoring or naval scoring. In sort planes don't attack these ships!
ARENA SETTINGS
==============
- Slot2 terrain
- Fuel 1.00
- Icons short
- .3 Ack
- Fighter and Bomber warning range 52,000 (about 10 miles)
- Tower range set to 52,000 (for display only to match the above setting)
- Clouds / visibility, will be defined per frame (expect one frame of storms)
- Radar off
- Friendly collisions off
- Enemy collisions on
- Kill shooter off
- Wind conditions will vary per frame, will be defined in frame objectives
- Time: 6 PM
- Bomber Formations Disabled
- MA bombing mode
- Ship and object hardness, MA standard
