Solomons Campaign Scenario (mini- game)

Rod Bauer March, 2007
   
This is just a short scenario that I use as a tutorial for new players
to the game. It allows them to get into the action quickly without
worrying about too many pieces and wide range of strategies. The victory
conditions force the game to be focused on a limited area and both sides
have to make desparate attacks and reactions in order to try to win the
scenario. I wanted to use something like this so that all of the major
rules governing movement and combat would be used repeatedly so that a
new player would learn the system quickly and easily. So far it has been
successful, but not real well balanced. It seems very tough for Japan to
win the scenario, but does simulate the Solomons Campaign situation
rather well, as each side tries to reinforce the island with land units
while fighting closely contested sea battles, both surface and carrier
battles. I use several of the optional rules (Japanese long-lance
torpedoes, Tokyo Express) to keep the Japanese competitive and help to
recreate some of the historical surface battles around Guadalcanal. The
Order of Battle is somewhat historical, although the starting time (game
turn 4 July-Sept. 1942)should be the turn the US landed the Marines on
Guadalcanal, but I start the scenario with the Marines already there.

Fire in the Sky
Solomons Campaign Mini-game

Game Length

Game lasts FOUR complete turns Game starts Turn 4 with Japan ready for
its Transport Phase. It goes through Turn 7. 

Use reinforcement chart as usual, but disregard British Reinforcements.

Victory Conditions

In order to keep the game focused on a narrow and limited area, so that
it stays as a short mini-game with fewer pieces and shorter time to
play, the following locations are the only places to receive victory
points:

Guadalcanal 15 points
Port Moresby 10 points
Lae 5 points


At Start Units

United States 
At Noumea: CV (Enterprise and Saratoga), 2 x CA, 1 x CLAA, 2 x DD, and 

At Espirtu Santo: 1 x Air Step (blue naval/marine)

At Port Moresby: 30th Australian Brigade and 2 Air Steps

At Elice: 1 x two strength Regiment, and 2 Air Steps 

At Brisbane: 1 x CL (Perth)

At Pearl Harbor: 2nd Marine Division, CV (Hornet and Wasp), 1 x CA, 3 x
DD, 2 Air Steps

At Guadalcanal: 1st Marine Division


Japanese
At Rabaul: 2 x Air Steps, Ichiki Detachment, 1 x CA, 1 x DD

At Lae: Nankai Regiment, 2 x Air Steps

At Truk: CV (Shokaku and Zuikaku), CVL (Ryujo), 1 x CA, 3 x DD, 2 x Air
Steps

At Palau: Kawaguchi Detachment

At Gilberts: SNLF unit, 2 x Air Steps

At Japan: 2 x Four strength Divisions, BB (Hei), BB (Kongo) 3 x CA, 5 x
DD

Marker Set Up

Japanese 

Oil 5 
Transport 6 
Merchant 26
Subs 2

United States

Transports 16
Subs 2

 
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