Today’s date is December 10, 1941. Smoke is still rising from the mangled ships in Pearl Harbor. Japan and the US are now at war. It’s now a clash of steel over unknown desolate island atolls in the Pacific. Can the US Navy hold the line with its remaining warships and the help of its naval codebreakers to stem the Imperial Japanese Navy initial numbers advantage as they run rampantly eastward across the Pacific? Timing is everything. Japan must move quickly and efficiently to knock the US Navy out before her industrial might takes over the crushes Japan back to her Home Islands. Re-live history and find out for yourself.
B) Object of Campaign
To capture all the bases in all island groups to force the surrender of the other side. The CAW game engine is the heart of CAW - Island Battles Campaign. The strategic level is turn based and is used to create scenarios for the CAW game engine. If two opposing sides both have operations in the same hex than combat (Air Combat, Surface Combat, and/or Invasions using CAW) occurs to decide which side owns the base in that hex.
C) Strategic Map (see attachement)
The map is made up of 24 total hexes (2 Home Ports/11 island hexes).
Home Port (unlimited ships / unlimited air) – Japan, Pearl Harbor
Small Base (5 max ships / 10 max air units)
Okinawa, Iwo Jima, Saipan, Guam, Wake, Palau, Truk, Attu, Kwajalein, Tarawa, Midway
D) Order of Appearance
1) Japanese Forces
IJN surface ships – all available at start (40 Total - 8CV, 12 BB, 20CA)
IJN land based air units – 10 units at start (30 Total – random draw per turn)
IJN marines – 12 units at start (30 Total – random draw per turn)
2) American Forces
USN surface ships – random ships 10-15 at start (56 Total - 11CV, 25 BB, 20CA)
USN land based air units – 10 units at start (40 Total – random draw per turn)
USN marines – 12 units at start (40 Total – random draw per turn)
E) Sequence of Play (25 total turns / one strategic turn equals approx two months)
1) Create Operation / Movement (No units can enter its opponent’s Home Port Hex)
a) Japanese Operation Phase
All IJN units can move (warships to any hex, air & marines units no more 2 hexes)
b) US Operation Phase
All USN units can move (warships to any hex, air & marines units no more 2 hexes)
c) Japanese Reaction Phase
Only IJN warships at port/base can move (up to 2 hexes)
d) US Reaction Phase
Only US warships at port/base can move (up to 2 hexes)
2) Ship Repair - Ships remaining at Home Port on that turn can be repaired (IJN 20pts, USN 40pts)
3) Sea Combat (use CAW custom scenarios for battles and results)
4) Island Combat (info to follow)
5) End of Turn
All ships at sea are returned to Home Port or any adjacent port.
Island occupation. Victorious attacking marines avert to defending marines.
