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Bombarding your own port?

Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2025 3:47 pm
by porpoisehead
Hey folks! I've had this game for years but just started digging into my solo Allied campaign recently and am having a blast.

A question for the veterans... is bombarding an invading force at your own base possible/advisable?

The Japanese surprised me with a February '42 invasion of Port Moresby. It is now mid-April and I still hold the base, and at long last have enough assets in the area to fight back. As part of my combined arms, I was considering bringing up a bombardment taskforce to soften up the Japanese infantry, but, from my reading of the rulebook, it sounds like this might not turn out well.

I'm usually perfectly willing to make mistakes and learn by doing in this game, but smashing up my own port or airfield facilities in a critical battle would be a bit too much of a SNAFU!

Any advice is much appreciated.

Re: Bombarding your own port?

Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2025 3:50 pm
by RangerJoe
I don't think that you would damage your own port or airfield.

Re: Bombarding your own port?

Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2025 4:26 pm
by btd64
porpoisehead wrote: Mon Oct 20, 2025 3:47 pm Hey folks! I've had this game for years but just started digging into my solo Allied campaign recently and am having a blast.

A question for the veterans... is bombarding an invading force at your own base possible/advisable?

The Japanese surprised me with a February '42 invasion of Port Moresby. It is now mid-April and I still hold the base, and at long last have enough assets in the area to fight back. As part of my combined arms, I was considering bringing up a bombardment taskforce to soften up the Japanese infantry, but, from my reading of the rulebook, it sounds like this might not turn out well.

I'm usually perfectly willing to make mistakes and learn by doing in this game, but smashing up my own port or airfield facilities in a critical battle would be a bit too much of a SNAFU!

Any advice is much appreciated.
Don't worry about it. I've done the dirty deed many times before....GP

Re: Bombarding your own port?

Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2025 5:17 pm
by BBfanboy
RangerJoe wrote: Mon Oct 20, 2025 3:50 pm I don't think that you would damage your own port or airfield.
Definitely will not harm your base or troops.

Edit to add: I believe having your own troops in the same hex increases the DL on the enemy troops so you are likely to get better results than usual.
That said, sometimes the bombardment does not happen because the game engine rolled the dice and decided the enemy troops were too far from shore to be hit by you ships.

Re: Bombarding your own port?

Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2025 3:52 pm
by rockmedic109
It helps if the port is big enough to reload your ships. You will want CAP if you are within range of enemy aircraft.