Great Pacific War - Bywater's

To add variation to our games we have begun a loosely connected series of games based on the 1925 book "The Great Pacific War" by Hector Bywater which predicted a war between Japan and the United States in the early 30s.  So our first engagement takes place off the Philippines with a better chance than Bywater gave them.  Rules are Naval Thunder with 1:2400 scale miniatures, played on a 12x6' table.  Players from the Brown Deer/Chicago and Fox Valley area assembled to share our common interests and build comaraderie. 

Our engagement had two phases; the first being a scouting force from both sides seeking to find and report on the opposing battle line.  Each side had four heavy cruisers and a few destroyers. 

Disclaimer: I didn't take any ship pictures at the game but have recreated some scenes from my own collection.

USS Astoria and Chicago with the Salt Lake City and Houston
not pictured.

IJN Atago, one of a quartet of fine Japanese cruisers.

Japanese players look relaxed and confident.

The Japanese had extremely hot dice to start and the USN quickly found itself in a hole we just couldn't dig out of.  All four cruisers were lost to Japanese sharpshooters and all but one of the destroyers.  In return the IJN only lost two destroyers, though the cruisers all sported damage.

A break for a generous lunch and we resumed with the capital ships coming on table.  Now things would be different!  Right?  Right?

Far battleships are USS Arizona and Oklahoma and escorts with
USS Texas and New York closest.

IJN Battleships Nagato and Mutsu.

Supported by IJN Fuso and Yamashiro (stand-in Hyuga).

Things went downhill extremely fast.  The New York and Texas had comparatively short range for their main guns, only 40".  The Arizona and Oklahoma could shoot out to 60" but the Nagato and Mutsu ranged in at 76".  So when we were at extreme range, they were at long with a shooting plus.  So while we initially had our best against their best, it devolved quickly. 

House rules and scenario elements.

I believe the analogy of "the sea exploded" is appropo.

The other battleship column suffers while still out of their range.

The first of three main gun batteries lost on the Arizona.

While we did manage to put down two of the Japanese heavy cruisers on turn two the Arizona lost a main gun turret and on turn three lost two more.  At 70% damage taken she broke out of the line.

A very concerned US staff looks on.

 Being part of a campaign I wanted to break off the US force before we lost any speed but that didn't happen.  The New York and Texas gamely tried to get into range but got hammered by both the battleships and heavy cruisers which against all odds kept penetrating their armor.

The New York is severely damaged as destroyers make smoke
and the Atago stalks her foes.

The game ended/was ended with the loss of the New York, giving the Japanese a decisive victory in the opening engagement.  The invasion of the Philippines is on and will be resolved in a series of local land-based games.

The staggering point total of lost ships at the end.

Our Band of Brothers: seated l-r is Dan, Adam, Jay and Todd.
Standing 2nd row is Todd, Michael (me) and host Bill.  3rd row
is John, Bob and Jim.

Birthday cake is a house tradition in Brown Deer and shows
a fore-boding of things to come for the Japanese Navy.

The next major naval game will be hosted in the Fox Valley area sometime after the first of the year.  Players have the option of picking up the "planned but never finished" ships that appear in Bywater's work like the battlecruisers Akagi and Lexington.  In any case, I'm sure it will be exciting.