FOUR AGAINST JAPAN

In December of 1941, the Japanese embarked on a six month whirlwind of conquest in Southeast Asia. Their

goal -- and indeed the goal of the entire Japanese Pacific War -- was to secure to Japan the vital natural

resources of this region. Malayan rubber and tin, oil and rice from the East Indies, all of these drew Japan

south against four opponents – the British in Malaya, the Dutch in the Indies, the Americans in the Philippines

astride Japan’s supply lines, and the Australians.

The Japanese naval plans were simple in concept but intricate in execution. They revolved around three main

tasks. First, stun the enemy naval forces into inactivity. Second, grab the resources and extend a defensive

perimeter. Third, fight a revived enemy to exhaustion as he attempts to breach the perimeter.

Of all of the resources to be found in Southeast Asia, the oil of the Dutch East Indies was most crucial to the

Japanese war machine. Indeed, Japan’s decision to go to war was prompted by an American oil embargo, while

her decision to attack the United States derived in large part from the threat that American forces in the

Philippines could pose to Japan’s ability to capture and exploit oil resources. Each element of Japan’s war plan

seemed, to the Japanese planners, to demand the next. If Japan were to wage war, she must have oil -- thus

the invasion of Java. If she were to have the Indies oil, she must be able to transport it home without

interference -- thus the invasion of the Philippines, an American base athwart Japan’s oil supply lines. If Japan

were to take the Philippines, she must keep the American fleet at bay -- thus the attack on Pearl Harbour. So

did Japan reason her way into the Great Pacific War.

Blocking Japan’s invasion of the Dutch East Indies were the meagre forces of the American-British-Dutch-

Australian command, or ABDA. These forces fought without hope of reinforcement and under constant strain

of both Japanese air superiority and ceaseless operating requirements. They were made up of units from the

American Asiatic fleet and British fleet units -- refugees from disasters in the Philippines and Malaya -- joined

by Australian ships coming home from two years of war in foreign seas and by Dutch naval forces defending

their colonial possessions after their homeland had been overrun. These forces put up an epic -- and tragic --

fight against great odds while the sleeping giant of the United States struggled to arouse itself.

Battle off Malaya -- Hypothetical: A group of British capital ships from Singapore falls in with Japanese forces

covering the invasion of Malaya.

Action off Endau -- Allied destroyers try to shoot up a Japanese invasion on the Malayan peninsula.

Balikpapan -- US destroyers surprise a Japanese invasion fleet.

Badung Strait -- The ABDA forces try a raid against a Japanese invasion force.

Java Sea –- The Afternoon Action – First clash off the Javanese Coast.

Java Sea -- The Night Action -- Japanese cruisers clash with Australians, Dutch and Americans off the

Javanese coast.

Bali Strait -- After the shambles in the Java Sea, American destroyers try to slip away through Bali Strait.

Behar's Vengeance -- In 1944, the Japanese go raiding into the Indian Ocean. A hypothetical scenario.

Revenge -- A late war scenario in which the Royal Navy has a chance to get some of its own back against an

Imperial Japanese Navy evacuation mission.

Battle off Malaya

HMS Prince of Wales SETTING: Date: 9 December 1941, 1935 Location: South China Sea, off Malaya. History: 1941 saw growing tensions between Japan and Britain. The Japanese were committed to a land campaign in China, and looked on British support of the Chinese as part of a Western conspiracy designed to deprive Japan of her rightful destiny. The British were struggling single-handedly against the Germans and Italians, and viewed Japan as a de facto member of the Axis. Relations deteriorated rapidly after the summer of 1941, when the British, Dutch and Americans stopped the export of critical war materials to Japan to protest the Japanese occupation of French Indochina. Faced with increasing diplomatic pressure and a diminishing stock of supplies (and particularly of oil), Japan either had to abandon her war against China or strike before she strangled. Internal politics, over-estimation of her capabilities and under-estimation of her opponents’ will to fight all combined to push Japan to war. She planned a sweeping and multi-pronged campaign, striking at Pearl Harbour, the Philippines and British Malaya, and aimed at capturing the rich natural resources of southern Asia. The British position in the Far East was anchored by the British naval base at Singapore, located at the tip of the Malayan peninsula. Despite Singapore’s supposed fortress status, few British strategic thinkers expected Singapore to hold out for long without major naval reinforcements. Britain’s wartime commitments in the Atlantic and Mediterranean meant that these reinforcements were just not available. Singapore’s hope of salvation lay with the United States Navy, not the Royal Navy, and this hope was dashed by the results of the Pearl Harbour attack. While the British did not feel that they could handle the Japanese together with the Germans and the Italians, they did hope that a show of force would keep the Japanese from war. This, and not any hope of military success, caused the Admiralty to order Admiral Tom Phillips to Singapore with the battleship Prince of Wales and the battle cruiser Repulse. They arrived too late to arrest the Japanese march to war, but once there the momentum of events and the need for the Royal Navy to do something meant that the ships could not be withdrawn. When the Japanese landed troops on the east coast of the Malayan peninsula, Phillips simply had to act to assist the hard-pressed army and RAF.

SCENARIO RULES: Special Rules: 1. The Prince of Wales has Type 271 radar, Type 286 radar, two Type 284 radars and four Type 285 radars. Repulse, Express and Electra each have Type 286 radar. 2. The Japanese are alert. 3. Roll 1D6 at the start of each Visibility Phase. On a roll of 1, Japanese aircraft will illuminate 1 division of ships (either Japanese or British) with star-shell at the start of the visibility phase. Determine the formation by a random die roll. 4. The Japanese destroyers are equipped with the early model of 24 inch torpedo. 5. Optional: Phillips lacked wartime experience afloat. To simulate this, require the British to plot movement 1 turn in advance.

Judging that the threat from Japanese air and naval forces was not too great, he took his ships north into the South China Sea to strike at Japanese landing forces. He pressed northward for a dawn strike, even though he knew that his ships had been spotted and that Japanese covering forces might be steaming to intercept him. Conditions: The visibility conditions are a dark night with rain, base range 2,244 yards(8.98 inches) Victory Conditions: a) 1 point for each destroyer sunk, b) 2 points for each cruiser sunk, c) 4 points for each battleship or battle cruiser sunk or left dead in the water. Game Length: 24 Turns

ROYAL NAVY RN Division 1: begins on a course of 300 degrees in line ahead with Prince of Wales leading. Admiral Tom Phillips Prince of Wales (King George V --flag) Repulse (Repulse) RN Division 2: begins on a course of 300 degrees in line abreast with 1,000 yards separating each ship and the centre ship 1,000 yards directly ahead of Prince of Wales. Express (“E” Class -- flag) Electra (“E” Class) Vampire (“W/V” Class)

NIHON KAIGUN: NK Division 1: on a course of 150 degrees with Chokai leading. Vice-Admiral Ozawa Jisaburo Chokai (Takao -- flag) Asagiri (Fubuki) NK Division 2: begins 5,000 yards north and 6,000 yards east of Division 1, with the cruisers leading the destroyers in line head, on a course of 150 degrees. Kumano (Suzuya -- flag) Mikuma (Mogami) Mogami (Mogami) Suzuya (Suzuya) NK Division 3: directly behind Division 2 Fubuki (Fubuki -- flag) Hatsuyuki (Fubuki) Shirayuki (Fubuki)

AFTERMATH: Historically, Ozawa closed to within 20 miles of the British force but broke off to the north after Phillips turned away to the south. The Japanese had planned a night cruiser action capitalizing on their superior torpedoes, to be followed with daylight air strikes and intervention by a stronger Japanese covering force lying further north, but Phillips’s unwitting turn away convinced Ozawa that only aircraft could catch the British force before it returned to Singapore. Events proved Ozawa correct. Although the Japanese lost contact with the British force during the night, a Japanese search aircraft found it again while Phillips was investigating a false report of a Japanese landing in southern Malaya. Unaware of the danger posed by the long-ranged Japanese torpedo bombers based in Indochina, Phillips loitered in the area investigating passing shipping. He paid for his ignorance of Japanese capabilities with his life, when Japanese aircraft overwhelmed and sank both Prince of Wales and Repulse. This was a new thing in naval warfare: the first time that unaided aircraft had sunk capital ships that were alert and underway.

Action off Endau

HMS Thanet SETTING: Date: 27 January 1942, 0300 Location: South China Sea, off Malaya. History: In late January of 1942, the Japanese landed additional troops on the east coast of the Malay Peninsula to help their ground forces close in on Singapore. The British sent two destroyers to make a night time attack on a reported transport force after air strikes against it failed with heavy losses. Conditions: The visibility conditions are a dark night/ no moon, base range 5780 yards(23.12 inches) Victory Conditions: a) The Japanese receive1 point for each enemy ship sunk, b) The British receive 2 points for each enemy warship sunk and 1 point for each enemy warship left dead in the water. They win automatically if they sink either transport. Game Length: 24 Turns

SCENARIO RULES: Special Rules: 1. No Ship has radar

ROYAL NAVY RN Division 1: is steaming in line on a course of 270 degrees (due west) Thanet (Admiralty “S” Class – flag) Vampire (RAN) (Admiralty “V/W” Class) The coast of Malaya runs along the west and south edges of the playing surface. The east edge is the RN friendly edge. The north edge is the NK friendly edge.

IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY: IJN Division 1: begins on a course of 90 degrees (due east). Sendai (Sendai – flag) Hatsuyuki (Fubuki) Shirayuki (Fubuki) IJN Division 2: begins on a course of 180 degrees (due south). Asagiri (Fubuki – flag) Fubuki (Fubuki) Yugiri (Fubuki) IJN Division 3: is anchored 5000 yards east of the west edge and 5000 yards north of the south edge. Kambera Maru Medium Merchant Kansai Maru Medium Merchant The coast of Malaya runs along the west and south edges of the playing surface. The east edge is the RN friendly edge. The north edge is the NK friendly edge.

AFTERMATH: The Vampire managed to launch torpedoes at Shirayuki, but missed. In the ensuing gun battle, the Japanese annilhated Thanet and Vampire escaped.

Balikpapan

USS John D Ford SETTING: Date: 24 January 1942, 0230 Location: off Balikpapan, Borneo. History: As the Japanese swept south, the ABDA (American-British-Dutch-Australia) forces tried to stop or delay them. When the Japanese launched a landing at the Borneo oil station of Balikpapan, ABDA sent four old American destroyers to strike the Japanese transports. Conditions: The visibility conditions are a dark night/no moon further obscured by smoke from the burning oil refineries at Balikpapan, base range 4,488 yards(17.95 inches) Victory Conditions: a) 2 points for each transport or destroyer sunk, b) 1 point for each destroyer sunk. Game Length: 24 Turns

SCENARIO RULES: 1. The Japanese escort forces may put in an appearance. Whenever the Japanese player rolls a 1 on 1D6 at the start of the Movement Plotting phase, he may place an inverted ship counter on the playing surface anywhere at least 25,000 yards from the west edge and at least 10,000 yards from any American ship. The counter moves as a regular ship counter. When it either approaches close enough to the American formation to be spotted or the Japanese player desires to use its weapons, the Japanese player rolls 1D6 to determine the ships actually in the formation, using the following table: Die Roll: Result: 1,2 No ships 3,4 Two destroyers 5 Three destroyers 6 Two destroyers and one light cruiser 2. If Japanese destroyers appear, they will appear in this order: Yudachi, Harusame, Samidare (all Shiratsuyus), Asagumo, Natsugumo, Minegumo (all Asashios). The cruiser will be the Naka (Sendai class), and will be the flagship of any formation in which it appears. All ships will appear in line ahead formation. 3. The American ships may not use star-shell. 4. No ships have radar.

UNITED STATES NAVY USN Division 1: Commander Paul H. Talbot John Paul Jones (Clemson -- flag) John D. Ford (Clemson)

USN Division 2:

Parrott (Clemson -- flag) Pope (Clemson) The USN destroyers are steaming in line on a course of 270 degrees. They begin 25,000 yards from the west edge and 20,000 yards from the north edge. The coast of Borneo runs down the west edge of the playing surface. The south edge is the USN friendly edge.

NIHON KAIGUN: Rear Admiral Nishimura Shoji Independent Ships: PC-36 (ex-Momi) PC-38 (ex-Momi) Plus 12 medium merchantman transports PC-38 begins on a course of 180 degrees (due south), 4,000 yards east of the southernmost transport of the east column. PC-36 begins on a course of 90 (due east) 7,000 yards south of the transports and 12 inches east of the western edge. There are 12 Japanese transports anchored in two rows parallel to the west edge. The innermost line of 6 transports runs south from a line 10,000 yards from the west edge and 15,000 yards from the north edge. The ships are oriented east-west, with 2,000 yards separating each ship. The second line is directly east of the first, with 4,000 yards separating the lines. These ships will remain stationary for the duration of the scenario. The coast of Borneo runs down the west edge of the playing surface. The north edge is the IJN friendly edge.

AFTERMATH: Although a powerful Japanese escort force was present, it was away hunting Dutch submarines when the American destroyers struck. The old destroyers swept up and down the transport lines, peppering the Japanese ships with torpedoes and gunfire. When the DDs withdrew, three transports were sunk or sinking.

Badung Strait

De Ruyter SETTING: Date: 19 February 1942, 2225 Location: off Bali. History: ABDA moved to attack the Japanese forces invading the island of Bali, aiming for a reprise of the Balikpapan strike at the Japanese transports. Because the ABDA forces had come from two different ports, they swept into the invasion area in two separate waves. Conditions: The visibility conditions are night, base range 8,976 yards(35.90 inches) Victory Conditions: a) 2 points per transport or cruiser sunk, b) 1 point per cruiser left DIW, c) 1 point per destroyer sunk. Game Length: The battle is fought in two separate engagements, each lasting 20 turns. The Japanese ships (or their survivors) begin at the same positions in each engagement.

SCENARIO RULES: 1. The ABDA forces must plot a course from their point of starting to the east edge north of Nusa Besar. They must stay on or between courses of 300 and 090 degrees. 2. The Japanese forces are represented by blank ship bases until they are spotted. In addition the Japanese receive six dummy blank ship bases. They move like ships (but their movements are not plotted) and begin stacked two per real ship. When they come within visual range of an ABDA ship, they are removed. Once removed, they can be placed (at the Japanese player’s option) on any other blank Japanese ship base not within an ABDA ship’s visual range. 3. The Japanese may receive reinforcements on any turn of either engagement. If the Japanese player rolls a 3 or less on 2D6 reinforcements arrive in the form of the Second Escort Division. (Historically, the reinforcements arrived only during the attack of the Second Wave. To simulate this, roll 1 on 1D6 for the reinforcements to arrive -- but only in the second engagement.) 4. The American ships may not use star-shell. 5. Optional: Kortenaer (Van Galen class) ran aground before the battle. Add her to Division 2 of the First Wave.

ABDA FORCES ABDA Division 1: FIRST WAVE Rear Admiral Karel Doorman, K.K.M. De Ruyter (De Ruyter -- flag) Java (Java) ABDA Division 2: Piet Hein (Van Galen -- flag) ABDA Division 3: John D. Ford (Clemson -- flag) Pope (Clemson)

ABDA FORCES ABDA Division 1: SECOND WAVE Arrives 0210 Commander T. H. Binford, U.S.N. Stewart (Clemson -- flag) Parrott (Clemson) J. D. Edwards (Clemson) Pillsbury (Clemson) Tromp (Tromp)

NIHON KAIGUN: NK Division 1: Asashio (Asashio -- flag) Oshio (Asashio) NK Division 2: Michishio (Asashio -- flag) Arashio (Asashio) Convoy: Sasago Maru (Large Merchant) Japanese Division 1 and the Sasago Maru begin 24,000 yards north of the south edge and 4,000 yards east of the coast of Bali. They can be in any formation or formation and on any heading or headings that the Japanese player elects. For the Japanese, only the east edge in friendly.

The ABDA First Wave begins on a course of 030 degrees. It consists of three divisions, steaming in order, with 5,000 yards separating each division. The lead ship of Division 1 (the De Ruyter) is 9,000 yards from the south edge and 7,000 yards east of the Bali coast. The third division (the U.S. destroyers) has not yet entered. The ABDA Second Wave begins in the same location, in a line ahead formation.

For ABDA, both the south and east edges are friendly.

AFTERMATH: The Japanese invasion fleet had mostly withdrawn before the strike went in -- the ABDA ships found only one transport and two escorting destroyers in the anchorage. The Japanese fought off both waves, sinking Piet Hein with a Long Lance and damaging Tromp and Stewart with gunfire. The ABDA ships managed only to damage destroyer Michishio when she tried to reinforce her beleaguered comrades.

The playing area is a fixed area 40,000 yards from north to south and 54,000 yards from east to west. It includes the coast of Bali and the island of Nusa Besar. The Bali coast runs from a point 3,000 yards east on the south edge to a point 16,000 yards from the west edge and 12,000 yards from the north edge, and from there to a point on the north edge 3,000 yards from the east edge. Nusa Besar is an irregularly shaped pentagon beginning 2,000 yards from the south edge and 6,000 yards from the west edge. From its southernmost point, its shoreline runs 26,000 yards on a course of 300 degrees, then 10,000 yards on a course of 30 degrees, then 16,000 yards on a course of 90 degrees, then 16,000 yards on a course of 150 degrees, then back to the southernmost point.

Java Sea – The Afternoon Action

Exeter under attack in the battle SETTING: Date: 27 February 1942, 1612 Location: Java Sea, off north coast of Java. History: The Japanese invasion of Java brought on the climactic engagement of the ABDA (Australian-British-Dutch-American) forces. The remaining serviceable ABDA ships left Surabaya harbour on 26 February to seek out the Japanese invasion fleet. They collided with the Japanese covering forces off the north coast of Java. Conditions: The visibility conditions are hazy daylight, base range 22,440 yards (89.76 inches) Victory Conditions: a) 3 points for each heavy cruiser sunk b) 2 points for each light cruiser sunk c) 1 point for each destroyer sunk. d) 1 point for each ABDA cruiser exited off the north map edge. Game Length: 24 Turns

SCENARIO RULES: 1. Kortenaer’s has problems with her boilers. Limit her to 27 knots. 2. Nachi has a problem with her compressed air firing system and cannot launch her torpedoes. 3. Due to the command and control difficulties of ABDA’s multi-lingual forces, all movement for ABDA Division 1 must be plotted one turn in advance.

ABDA FORCES; ABDA Division 1: is steaming in line ahead, on a course of 310 degrees, with the flagship leading. Rear Admiral Karel Doorman. K.K.M. De Ruyter (De Ruyter -- flag) Exeter(Exeter) Houston (Northampton) Perth (Sydney) Java (Java) ABDA Division 2: is steaming in line abreast (Jupiter, Electra, Encounter), on a course of 310 degrees, with the flagship in the centre directly ahead of Division 1. Electra (E class -- flag) Encounter(E class) Jupiter (J class) ABDA Division 3: is steaming in line ahead, with the flagship leading, on a course of 310 degrees, off Java’s stern port quarter. Witte de With (Piet Hein-- flag) Kortenaer(Piet Hein)

NIHON KAIGUN: NK Division 1: are steaming in line ahead with the flagship leading. Their course is 195 degrees. Rear Admiral Shoji Nishimura Naka(Jintsu-- flag) Asagumo(Asashio) Minegumo(Asashio) Natsugumo(Asashio) Murasame(Shiratsuyu) Yudachi(Shiratsuyu) Samidare(Shiratsuyu) Harusame(Shiratsuyu) NK Division 2: are steaming in line ahead with the flagship leading. Their course is 230 degrees. Jintsu(Jintsu--flag) Yukikaze(Kagero) Amatsukaze(Kagero) Tokitsukaze(Kagero) Hatsukaze(Kagero) Yamakaze(Shiratsuyu) Kawakaze(Shiratsuyu) Umikaze(Shiratsuyu)

ABDA Division 4: is steaming in line ahead, with the flagship leading, on a course of 310 degrees, behind Division 1. Edwards (Clemson – flag) Alden (Clemson) Ford (Clemson) Paul Jones (Clemson) The ABDA friendly edge is south.

NK Division 3: are steaming in line ahead with the flagship leading. Their course is 220 degrees. Rear Admiral T. Takagi Nachi (Myoko -- flag) Haguro (Myoko) Ushio(Fubuki) Sazanami(Fubuki) The Japanese friendly edge is the north.

AFTERMATH: In a daylight action, the opposing cruisers traded long-range gunfire for almost an hour before British cruiser Exeter took a serious hit in her boiler rooms. Shortly after this, Dutch destroyer Kortenaer was felled by a Japanese torpedo and Japanese destroyers sank British destroyer Electra. Admiral Doorman then broke off the action and looped back to the east, hoping to get past the Japanese covering forces and into the transports. After withdrawing from the daylight action, the ABDA forces split. The escorting destroyers headed back to port while Admiral Doorman and the remaining intact cruisers steamed further east and then north, seeking the Japanese transports.

Java Sea – The Evening Action

Java SETTING: Date: 27 February 1942, 2300 Location: Java Sea, off north coast of Java. History: The Japanese invasion of Java brought on the climactic engagement of the ABDA (Australian-British-Dutch-American) forces. The remaining serviceable ABDA ships left Surabaya harbour on 26 February to seek out the Japanese invasion fleet. They collided with the Japanese covering forces off the north coast of Java. In a daylight action, the opposing cruisers traded long-range gunfire for almost an hour before British cruiser Exeter took a serious hit in her boiler rooms. Shortly after this, Dutch destroyer Kortenaer was felled by a Japanese torpedo and Japanese destroyers sank British destroyer Electra. Admiral Doorman then broke off the action and looped back to the east, hoping to get past the Japanese covering forces and into the transports. After withdrawing from the daylight action, the ABDA forces split. The escorting destroyers headed back to port while Admiral Doorman and the remaining intact cruisers steamed further east and then north, seeking the Japanese transports. After turning north, the ABDA ships met the Nachi and Haguro coming south. Conditions: The visibility conditions are a clear night with a full moon, base range 13,600 yards(54.40 inches) Victory Conditions: a) 3 points for each heavy cruiser sunk b) 2 points for each light cruiser sunk c) 1 point for each destroyer sunk. d) 1 point for each ABDA cruiser exited off the north map edge. Game Length: 24 Turns

SCENARIO RULES: 1. Houston’s Turret Y is destroyed. 2. Due to the command and control difficulties of ABDA’s multi-lingual forces, all movement for ABDA Division 1 must be plotted one turn in advance. 3. The Japanese cruisers have no torpedo reloads. 4. The gun teams on both sides are exhausted and low on ammunition. 5. The Japanese have a spotter plane present. It can illuminate one ship per turn with flares. These are treated like star-shell.

ABDA FORCES; ABDA Division 1: is steaming in line on a course of 360 degrees (due north), with the flagship leading. Rear Admiral Karel Doorman. K.K.M. De Ruyter (De Ruyter -- flag) Perth (Sydney) Houston (Northampton) Java (Java) The ABDA friendly edge is south.

NIHON KAIGUN: NK Division 1: are steaming in line with the flagship leading. Their course is 180 degrees (due south). Rear Admiral Takagi Takeo Nachi (Myoko -- flag) Haguro (Myoko) The Japanese friendly edge is the north.

AFTERMATH: After a running gun battle in which the ranges closed down to 8000 yards, the Japanese cruisers managed to torpedo and sink both De Ruyter and Java. Admiral Doorman perished with his flagship. The Houston and Perth escaped, only to meet their doom on the following night.

Engagement in Bali Strait

Hatsushimo SETTING: Date: 1 March 1942, 0200 Location: Bali Strait. History: After the Battle of Java Sea, the remaining ABDA ships scattered to escape the Japanese cordon then forming around Java. Most were unsuccessful, and were hounded to their fates by vastly superior Japanese forces. The four American destroyers decided to try escape by way of the Bali Strait. Conditions: The visibility conditions are a clear night with a full moon, base range 13,600 yards(54.40 inches) Victory Conditions: a) 1 victory point for every destroyer sunk b) 1 victory point to the Japanese for each American destroyer not exited from the south edge c) 1 victory point to the Americans for each American destroyer exited from the south edge. For these rules, the south edge is fixed 50,000 yards from the north edge. Game Length: 24 Turns

SCENARIO RULES: 1. The American destroyers have no torpedoes or star-shells. 2. The Japanese may not receive all of their destroyers. The Japanese player rolls 1D6. On a 1 or 2, all four destroyers are received. On a 3 or 4, three destroyers are received. On a 5 or 6, two destroyers are received. If the Japanese do not receive all four destroyers, they receive dummies to make up the shortfall. 3. The Japanese are alert (no surprise).

UNITED STATES NAVY: US Division 1: in line with the lead ship steering 180 degrees (due south). Commander T. H. Binford Edwards (Clemson -- flag) Alden (Clemson) Ford (Clemson) Paul Jones (Clemson) The USN friendly edge is the south edge. The west edge of the playing area is land.

NIHON KAIGUN: NK Division 1: in line steaming on a course of 360 degrees -- due north. Hatsuharu (Hatsuharu -- flag) Nenohi (Hatsuharu) Wakaba (Hatsuharu) Hatsushimo (Hatsuharu) The IJN friendly edge is the north edge. The west edge of the playing area is land.

AFTERMATH: Although the Japanese sighted and engaged the Americans, the old four pipers managed to squeak past the Japanese forces. Notes: I could find no detailed accounts of this action. Morison says that the Americans engaged three destroyers, beginning at 0222. He does not name the Japanese ships.1 Grove also says that three Japanese destroyers were involved in the action, but does not name them.2 Dull says that the American destroyers fought their way through the Bali Strike Force, which he says was composed of the four Japanese destroyers listed above.3 1 Morison, Samuel E. History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Volume III: The Rising Sun in the Pacific. Boston: Little, Brown, 1948. p.375. 2 Grove, Eric. Sea Battles in Close-up, World War 2, Volume Two. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1993. p.96 3 Dull, Paul S. A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1978. p.87

Behar’s Vengeance

The Hain Steam Ship Co. cargo ship BEHAR SETTING: Date: 10 March 1944, 0200 Location: Indian Ocean. History: In March of 1944, the Japanese dispatched a task force of three cruisers to raid into the Indian Ocean, with orders to disrupt the Aden-to-Australia convoy route. The raiders sank their first victim, the steamship Behar, on March 9

th. This a

hypothetical scenario positing that a Commonwealth naval force was in the vicinity of the Behar when she was sunk, and that that force managed a night interception of the Japanese raiders. Conditions: The visibility conditions are a clear night with a full moon, base range 13,600 yards(54.40 inches) Victory Conditions: Victory is determined by points. • Score 4 points for each cruiser sunk and each Japanese cruiser left dead in the water. • Score 2 points for each Commonwealth cruiser left dead in the water and each destroyer sunk. • Score 1 point for each destroyer torpedoed but not sunk. Game Length: 24 Turns

SCENARIO RULES: 1. The Commonwealth destroyers have 271 and 285 radars and CICs. The Commonwealth cruisers have 273Q and 284 radars and CICs. 2. The Commonwealth player chooses 16 points worth of ships for his forces. These are organized into 1, 2, or 3 divisions, at the Commonwealth player's option. 8 inch gun cruisers cost 6 points, 6 inch gun cruisers with 4 turrets cost 5 points, 6 inch gun cruisers with 3 turrets cost 4 points, and destroyers cost 2 points. The following ships are available to the Commonwealth player: 8 inch gun cruisers: London (London) Sussex (London) Cumberland (Kent) Suffolk (Kent) 6 inch gun cruisers: Kenya (Fiji) 4 turrets Nigeria (Fiji) 4 turrets Gambia (Fiji) 4 turrets Ceylon (Fiji) 3 turrets Destroyers: Quilliam ("Q" class) Quadrant ("Q" class) Quality ("Q" class) Queenborough ("Q" class) Quiberon ("Q" class) Quickmatch ("Q" class) 3. Aoba had been repaired after suffering extensive battle damage. Some sources say that she was no longer capable of her original top speed. In this scenario, her speed is limited to 26 knots. 4. The Japanese are not alert.

ROYAL NAVY: Commonwealth Forces: (See Scenario Rules) on a course of 270 (due west). Other divisions (if present) follow Division 1 in line. The Commonwealth friendly edge is the east edge.

NIHON KAIGUN: NK Division 1: on a course of 090 (due east) in line. Rear Adm. Naomasa Sakonju Aoba (Aoba - flag) Tone (Tone) Chikuma (Tone) The Japanese friendly edge is the east edge.

AFTERMATH: It was the 'Behar's' misfortune to be spotted on March 9th 1944 while en route for India, by the 12,000 ton Japanese cruiser 'Tone' which mercilessly shelled her until she sank and most of the survivors wantonly slaughtered. Lifeboats were deliberately rammed, men machine-gunned in the water, and those picked up more often than not, either beheaded or bayoneted. Four lifeboats crowded with 104 survivors including Petty Officer Griffiths managed to get away from the sinking ship. All were later rescued and taken on board the 'Tone'. The prisoners, including two women, were relieved of most of their clothing; their arms were tied behind their backs with ropes around their necks. They were then made to sit on the deck in the hot sun for several hours, bound up, before being taken down below. Here they were beaten and kept in badly ventilated and poorly lit compartments for six days. Meanwhile, Captain Mayazumi had informed his superior officer, Vice Admiral Sakonju, of the flagship 'Aoba' of his success in sinking the 'Behar' and that he had 108 prisoners. Sakonju was annoyed that the 'Behar' was not captured as stated in his orders and was furious that so many survivors had been taken on board. He reminded Mayazumi to follow orders of keeping only a few survivors. Captain Mayazumi asked what he was to do with the 'other prisoners'. The reply was "dispose of them". On the sixth day the cruiser arrived at the Javanese port of Tandjong Priok, where despite the efforts of her Commander, Captain Mayazumi to land the prisoners, he was told by Vice-Admiral Sakonju that only 35 selected personnel would be taken POW, the remaining 69 crew and passengers were to be taken out to sea and executed. Sakonju's orders were carried out on the following day and the unfortunate 69 were first beaten and then beheaded.

Revenge

Haguro SETTING: Date: 16 May 1945, 0039 Location: Bali Strait. History: As the Japanese defence perimeter shrunk under relentless Allied pressure, the Japanese tried to evacuate their troops from their far-flung and isolated outposts. In May of 1945, cruiser Haguro and destroyer-transport Kamikaze were ordered to re-supply troops in the Adaman and Nicobar islands. British forces in the Indian Ocean hastened to intercept the Japanese ships in the Straits of Malacca, before they could return to their base at Singapore. Conditions: The visibility conditions are a hazy night, base range 8,976 yards(35.90 inches) Victory Conditions: a) 4 points per cruiser sunk, b) 2 points per cruiser left DIW, c) 1 point per destroyer sunk. Game Length: 24 Turns

SCENARIO RULES: 1. The British destroyer all have Type 271 search radars, Type 284 fire control radars and CICs. Due to freak radar conditions, add 15,000 yards to the ranges of 271 radars. 2. The Haguro has 22 Gô centimetric radar, but she did not use it effectively. Before the start of the scenario, the Japanese player secretly elects whether to use this radar. If it is used, treat it as SG radar with no CIC and double all victory points scored by the British player. 3. The Japanese thought that the British destroyers might be Japanese. The Japanese player may not fire on a British ship unless: (a) a British ship fired guns in a previous turn, (b) a Japanese ship was torpedoed in a previous turn, or (c) the Japanese have sighted a British ship visually at a range of 9,000 yards or less. These restrictions apply only to firing weapons; the Japanese player may manoeuvre his ships freely upon sighting any British ship at any range. 4. In the actual battle, the Japanese ships were carrying no torpedoes due to their supply mission. Before the start of the scenario, the Japanese player secretly elects whether his ships are carrying torpedoes. If they are, halve all victory points scored by the Japanese player. The Japanese player can place torpedo markers regardless of whether his ships are carrying torpedoes. 5. Powers’ ships had practiced a tactic of manoeuvring to make torpedo attacks from multiple directions around their targets. Use the following table for British ships manoeuvring outside of formation. Independent Movement Table (2D10)

2 Turn left 180 deg. 5-17

Move as plotted

18 Move straight

3 Turn left 90 deg. 19 Turn right 90 deg.

4 Move straight 20 Turn right 180 deg.

Roll 2D10 for each ship not moving in a formation with a flagship and not a flagship itself. Apply the results to the table.

ROYAL NAVY: RN Division 1: Captain Manley Power Saumarez (“S” Class -- flag) Verulam (“V” Class -- flag)

NIHON KAIGUN: NK Division 1: on a course of 090 degrees (due east) in line ahead, Flagship leading. Vice-Admiral Hashimoto Goto Haguro (Myoko -- flag) Kamikaze (Kamikaze)

RN Division 2: Vigilant (“V” Class) Venus (“V” Class) Virago (“V” Class) The Royal Navy ships are steaming in parallel on a course of 360 degrees (due north), with the flagship 40,000 yards from the north edge and 40,000 yards from the east edge and the other ships eastward at 2,000 yards intervals in the order listed above. The west edge is the friendly edge for the Royal Navy forces.

The east edge is the friendly edge for the ships of Nihon Kaigun.

AFTERMATH: American forces had borne the brunt of the naval war against Japan, but now the Royal Navy took a hand. In a night action in the Straits of Malacca, the British destroyers sank Haguro in a torpedo pincers attack – a measure of revenge for her role in the Java Sea battles. Haguro damaged Saumarez, and Kamikaze escaped.