Playing the Japanese in the 1st year scenario

[derhexer]

I decided to see if I could sucker the Americans into implementing Plan Orange. Instead of sending my TF 1 to attack Pearl Harbor, I split off the slower CV Kaga, the two battleships and a few destroyers into a seperate TF to attack Midway. I sent the rest of TF in a high speed run between Midway and Wake Island to a point NW of Johnston Island. I also reset the air missions. All the Zeroes on escort, and the Vals and Kates on Naval attack with a search of 30.

This worked better than I thought. I nailed the Enterprise on the afternoon on December 7th. Another high speed run to the southeast on December 8th, and I sank the Lexington between Johnston Island and Hawaii. I also managed to sink 4 American CAs and 6 American DDs. My carriers are undamaged.

It is now 1/1/42 and the Saratoga and the American battelships haven't come out of Pearl. I'm sending the Zuikaku and Shokaku to raid Rabaul and Brisbane, while my other 4 CVs lurk around Kwajalein to intercept the Saratoga. I may also send a force from Kwajalein to take Baker Island.

On 12/25 I set the NW Region to Computer Control and the commander of the Kwangtung Area Army attacked Russia. Now I've got Russian troops marching into Machuria.