The Great Pacific War Scenario up on Spooky's

[Mike Carroll]

This scenario is up on Spooky's site now. I want to remind everyone that this is a PBEM only scenario the AI has not been programed.

Scenario Notes list the features and changes. There are also some mandatory and optional honor rules.

The Great Pacific War
31 May 1926 to 31 Dec 1930

Unlike most countries, Japan comes out of the Great War with very little loss and gaining significantly in territory and treasure. Between the Great War and the Russo-Japanese War, the military has gained firm control of the government and there is a significant push to expand Japan’s status as a Great Power.

Japan aggressively expands its interests in Manchuria and forms a close alliance with Chinese warlord Tsung-jen Li. By 1920 Manchuria is a virtual client state of the Japanese Empire. Japan has troops stationed at major strategic spots and they are providing weapons and training to their client Chinese troops. Raw materials and food are flowing to Japan.

Alarmed at Japan’s open aggression in China and rapid expansion of military power; the US attempts to find a warlord in China to support. They also want to limit world-wide naval expansion and work to get the Washington Naval Talks underway. Through deft political maneuvering they get the British, French, Italian, and Japanese to agree to meet in Washington to discuss imposing limits on warship production. Things seem to be going well when disaster strikes. The Japanese Intelligence Service learns that the US has broken their diplomatic codes and is using the information from the intercepts to gain an advantage at the talks. Outraged Japan leaves the talks and the Washington Naval Conference ends in a shambles with the US disgraced and a significant rift between the US and Japan.

In China the presence and actions of Japan in Manchuria, starts a limited unification movement under General Wang Tsu. General Wang Tsu captures Peking in 1923 and begins the process of unifying the outlying provinces. The US is covertly providing support and help.

In 1924 the Anglo-Japanese Neutrality Pact is reached. This allows the British to deactivate a portion of their fleet as a cost saving measure and focus on the growing unrest in their own colonies. The French and Dutch are also having problems with their colonial populations and conclude Non-Aggression Pacts with the Japanese that same year.

In 1925 Japan begins to plan for a war with the US. Their economic, political, and military status as a Great Power is tied to their control of Manchuria. The rising unification movement in China is a direct threat to their future. They know the US is supporting General Wang Tsu and would oppose any open movements in China proper. The Japanese believe that if they can capture Guam and the Philippines they will have deprived the US of any bases from which to strike into their territory. This will allow the Japanese to deal with the situation in China at their leisure. Through diplomacy they have neutralized the British, French and Dutch so it comes down to a naval war with the US. A war they believe they can win.

Since the Washington Naval Conference ended in a shambles, the presidency of Warren Harding was beset by scandal. Warren Harding died of a heart attack in 1923, and his successor Calvin Coolidge was easily defeated in 1924 by Democratic Governor James Cox. The Coolidge administration had been trying to strengthen the US military and expand the bases at Guam and the Philippines. But Congress was in no mood to support the disgraced administration and the people of the US flush in an economic boom began to look inward. President Cox’s primary diplomatic agenda was to try to join the League of Nations and repair the breach with Japan. Not wanting to further enrage the Japanese he drastically cut back on base expansion in the Philippines and Guam as well as the support being given to General Wang Tsu. Unfortunately the Japanese had already decided on war.

In May 1926 the Japanese formally declared war on the United States. China seeking to take advantage of the war between the US and Japan, decides to declare war on Japan. The British Empire, French and


List of scenario features:

Changes to Bases:

1) Added Commerce Bases in the Indian Ocean and in the lower right part of the map (down by the credits). These bases have a small amount of daily supply and fuel and only Japanese transports can move within 3 hexes of the base.

2) Okha-Sakalin is moved back to Japanese control. The Japs had occuppied Okha in 1920 and gave it back to the Soviet Union in 1925. I am postulating that in the growing crisis with the US the Japs would have kept this vital oil resource area. I added a Jap Brigade and Base force to Okha and increased the port size to 3.

3) I reinforced the Base forces at Guam, Pago-Pago, Canton and Midway. Some got 8" or 12" CD guns and some increased Marine Squads.

4) I added "garrison" Marine Rgts to Guam, Pago-Pago. They will be fixed in place.

5) Added Reinforced Base Forces to Guam, Pago-Pago, Canton Island, Midway, Jaluit, Wotje, Yap and Iwo Jima.

6) Added 5 Patrol air groups, 2 torpedo bomber air groups, and 2 fighter air groups to the Jap OOB in the Caroline, Marshal and Bonin Islands.

7) Redistributed 50% of daily fuel and 35% of Japanese daily supply to Manchuria, Korea and Okha-Sakalin.

8) Because of issues with the Manchurian Garrison Requirement the Soviets will begin the game as active. They will start the game with 3 transports. There will be an honor rule to govern their activation as a belligerent.

9) Added 1500 daily supply to Peking.

10) Adjusted the VP totals for bases in Manchuria, Korea and the Philippines.

Changes to Ships OOB and Reinforcements:

1) Added 4 transports and 1 small tanker to each of the above commerce bases. I also brought back roughly 20 transports and tankers that were not being used as reinforcements.

2) Brought back all US destroyers (except those sunk in 1923) as reinforcements. This gives the US some 290 Destroyers over the course of the game. Roughly half in the starting OOB and the other half coming as reinforcements. I believe this number is low, but a better situation than the standard game so I am going to leave it as it is. I upgraded a handful (10 or so to better classes).

3) Added 20 new construction Clemson 5”/51 Gun Destroyers to the US Reinforcements.

4) I added 60 Destroyers to the Japanese reinforcements. 20 No. 35 class, 30 No. 19 class and 10 No. 1 class. I am sorry but I just gave them numbers, I do not have the time to name them all:-).

5) Added 8 Jap Pre-WWI destroyers at TB boats (Asakaze Class TB) – these will mobilize July 26.

6) I created a Japanese patrol/sub-chaser based on the W5 Minesweeper. I added 20 to the starting OOB and added another 40 as reinforcements. These are named WSC 1 etc.

7) I brought 10 sub-chasers to the US starting OOB and added 20 to the Reinforcement schedule.

8) I brought 15 Eagle Patrol craft to the US starting OOB and added 40 to the Reinforcement schedule.

9) I added 15 minesweepers to the OOB as reinforcements for both the Japanese and the US.

10) Added 5 AO to the Japanese Reinforcement schedule, added 7 AO to the US reinforcement schedule.

11) Added 3 AV to the Japanese Reinforcement schedule, added 4 AV to the US reinforcement schedule.

12) I added 2 Hosho class carriers plus air groups to the Japanese Reinforcements.

13) I added 2 Langley class carriers plus one “fast” Langley to the US Reinforcements.

14) All US cargo vessels moved from neutral ports. They have been moved to US ports and will show as reinforcements in the first 3 months of the war.

15) I modified cargo/transport/tanker Maneuver ratings. Based on the Cautionaries scenario.

16) Increased the durability on the Japanese commerce raider. (To represent pre-War Japanese preparation).

17) I added some obsolete US cruisers to the OOB and 4 Omaha CL to the Reinforcements.

18) Added 2 US fast cruiser to the reinforcements. Based on a Pensacola class.

19) Added 4 Jap Battlecruisers to the reinforcement schedule.

Changes to Air/Land Forces:

1) Changed USMC units to Nine Corps Hawaii. Changed some reinforcement dates.

2) Added Manchurian Warlord Army - this is a Japanese Ally. He gets 5 divisions and 2 cavalry divisions, 1 base force and 1 FA Arty Rgt. These are all based on Japanese OOB without the combat engineers. Instead of Japanese squads, they use Manchurian Squads which have similar numbers to the Chinese squads. The Manchurian Army receives the following reinforcements:

2 divisions
1 cavalry division

3) There should be a total of 6 Corps, 4 Divisions, and 1 Cav Corps in the the Republic of China Army (units are designated ROC). These units do not have warlords so are mobile.
In addition the ROC receive the following reinforcements.

1927 - 3 Corps
1928 - 3 Corps and 4 Divisions
1929 - 7 Corps, 1 Division, 1 Cav Corps

If the game lasts until 1929 then the Republic of China should be able to at least tie down a significant number of Jap forces, threatening the supply and fuel in Manchuria and Korea.

4) Reinforced certain base forces (see base area above)

5) Added 2 Blimp squadrons to the Japanese Reinforcements.

6) Added some patrol aircraft squadrons, float plane squadrons to reinforcements for both sides.

7) Created a longer range Felixstowe for the Japanese that will show up in 1927.

8) Added some CD regiments to the Japanese Reinforcement schedule so that they can properly garrison the Philippines.

Mandatory Honor Rules:

1) Japanese Commerce Bases: Japan has two bases on the map that represent their commerce with the rest of the world. The following rules apply to these bases. These bases are located in hexes (4,4) and (126,135) [To load tankers just click load supplies and they will load fuel fine]

a. Only Japanese cargo vessels may enter the base or move within 3 hexes of the base.
b. The Allied player may not move any vessels within 3 hexes of the base.
c. No Japanese ground forces may be landed in these bases.

2) Manchurian Army: This force represents the forces of an allied Chinese Warlord. These formations may only operate in Manchuria, China, Korea and the Soviet Union.

3) Soviet Activation: Because the Soviet Activation limit is hard-coded at 500, the Soviets start the game activated. They are not happy with Japan over North Sahkalin Island and the railroad in Manchuria. The following rules govern the Soviet Union. It is highly unlikely that the Soviets will come into the war early in the game but possible

a. The Soviet Union starts the game as a neutral country.
b. The Soviets will become active if at any time there are fewer than 7 Manchurian and/or Japanese divisions or equivalent (3 regiments = 1 division) in Manchuria and Korea. At least 2 of these divisions must be Japanese. The Japanese player should confirm this at the beginning of every month.
c. The Soviets will become active if the Japanese attack the Soviet Union.
d. If the Chinese capture one of the following cities Mukden, Fushan, Harbin, or Port Arthur the Soviets will become active unless Okha has been returned to them.
e. The Soviets will become active as a power in June 1929, unless the Japanese have given Okha back to the Soviet Union. (This is accomplished by allowing Soviet troops to occupy Okha prior to June 1929. There are 3 Soviet APs in Vladivostoc that may only be used to move Soviet troops to Okha.)
f. The US player may freely move Soviet troops between their bases and expand their bases.

4) The British Empire (British, Commonwealth, Australia, New Zealand and Canada) and the Dutch are neutral unless attacked. See Shang Hai rule below.
5) Sub Minelayers: The Nagasaki ML variant Hiroshima has the potential to unbalance the game. Sub Minelayers are not allowed to lay minefields in port hexes that are size 3 or larger. They are able to do it in hexes with ports 0,1,2 and any shallow water or deep water hex.


Optional Honor Rules:

1) Atoll Stacking Limits: These would apply to all Atolls except for Truk and Palau.

a. Defensive stacking limits.

1 regiment of infantry
2 artillery or coastal defense units
1 AA Unit
1 tank unit
2 engineer units
1 HQ unit
10 aircraft per level of airfield. - Excluding float planes supported by a tender
MAX Fortifications = airfield SBS + port SBS. For example Wotje is port 1 (1) and airfield 0 (1). The max fortifications would be 1+1 = 2. Note some Atolls will start with larger fortifications – these should not be expanded.

b. Offensive (Attack) stacking limits

5 Regiments (Division = 3 Regiments, Brigade = 2 Regiments.)
4 artillery units
3 tank units
1 AA unit
4 Engineer units
2 HQ units

If an atoll is attacked and taken then the new owner should attempt to get to the defensive stacking limit within 1 month.

2) Major Fleet Ports: The game allows you to refuel and resupply major fleet units at very small ports using AD Tenders. AD tenders should not be used to refuel or resupply Battleships and Dreadnaughts at ports that are smaller than size 3. A simple way to enact this is not to send AD tenders to ports smaller than size 3, unless you intend to use them solely for cruisers and destroyers.


3) Neutral port and airfield expansion. Neutral bases (DEI, French and British Empire) should not be set to expand. If the game option is all bases expand, then the Allied player should go to the Southeast Command, Australia Command, New Zealand Command, Canada Command, French to turn off expansion at all bases under this HQ. This just generates cheat VPs for the Allied player.

4) Shang Hai: Shang Hai is garrisoned by both British and French troops. This requires a special rule. This is not necessarily fair, but life is not fair.

• British and French forces in Shang Hai may not leave the city.
• Allied naval and land forces may freely use the city.
• Japanese Naval forces may freely bombard or launch air strikes against Shang Hai.
• If Japanese land forces land in or attack Shang Hai that will activate the British Empire and the French.

5) Japanese Auto Victory: Japan earns an autovictory if any of the below conditions are met.

1 June 1927 - Japs are 3.5 to 1 VP's, Unless the US has 1000 Assault Points on Guam or in the PI and a stockpile of 20,000 supply.

1 June 1928 - Japs are 3.0 to 1 VPs, unless the US has 1000 Assualt Points on Guam or in the PI and a stockpile of 20,000 supply.

1 June 1929 – Japs are 2.0 to 1 VPs, unless the US has 1000 Assualt Points on Guam or in the PI and a stockpile of 20,000 supply.

US looses 20 Battleships/Battlecruisers and the Japs are at least 2.0 to 1 VPs.

These may need to be modified. This is a rough guideline.

[Helpless]

Looks good, Mike!

Is it safe now to start making first turn? [;)]

[DuckofTindalos]

Seems to be...

[Mike Carroll]

Yes go ahead.[:D]

[Rysyonok]

AAR!!! =)

[Mike Carroll]

No problems we will have an AAR going it is kind of fun to catalog the successes or more frequently for me - disasters[:D]

Forgot to mention all the help I received on this from Terminus, Helpless and Rysyonok. Alot of good ideas and real help on debugging some of my misteps with the scenario editor. Thanks alot guys. I hope people enjoy it.

[Mike Carroll]

This version has the Soviet reinforcements, some Soviet subs and torpedo boats.

It also has a corrected version of the Nagasaki which will allow it to attack (I hope).

This version also includes the scenario database in excel. This was contributed by Helpless and should be a good tool for obsessive gamers:-)

I just sent it to Spooky so not sure how long before it is up on the site.