• I’m pretty clear on the rules regarding Kamikazes, but one thing has befuddled me…

    …can Kamikazes be utilized defensively??

    For example, if a single US transport attempts to invade the Marianas, and I have no ships there, can I still designate one or all of my Kamikazes as defenders?

    What if I do have a ship defending there? Can I still designate Kamikazes as defenders?

    Or…are Kamikazes only able to be utilized on Japans own turn as an attacking unit?


  • I believe so.

    Japan is allowed to make six Kamikaze attacks during the game. These attacks may only be made in sea zones that contain the Kamikaze symbol (sea zones 23, 24, 25, 35, 36 and 37). They may be used during any combat phase. If an allied player moves ships into one of the above sea zones, the Japanese player may announce, after all combat movement has been completed, that he intends to launch Kamikaze.

    If Japan uses Kamikaze during an allied combat phase this counts as a naval battle and will prevent any battleships or destroyers present from conducting shore bombardment. Kamikaze attacks may also be made in conjunction with a regular naval battle, in which case they are used during the first round of combat. Any ships sunk as a result still get to return fire. Kamikaze cannot be taken as casualties, as they are “destroyed” when they make their attack.

    From page 21 of the rulebook pdf file. If you are going to have a battle in a Kamikaze marked sea zone your divine wind can blow on the enemy.


  • The answer to your questions is Yes.  In fact, the primary strategic use of Kamikazes is to kill US/UK transports and prevent the Allies from setting up an SBR base for use against Japan.  Kamikazes can be used either during the Allies Combat Movement phase or during the Japanese Combat phase whether or not there are other Japanese units participating in the attack or defence.

    SS


  • Thanks for the quick answers guys!

    That’s what I thought, but it hadn’t come up before in a game for me until yesterday, and I wanted to be sure.

    Me and my friends have been playing AAP for a couple months now, but despite a number of games, we’ve yet to set up a bombing campaign against Japan…it has never once been bombed in all our games, in spite of the fact that there are always a bunch of American bombers floating around. I’ve even tried to stage out of Manchuria, but Japan never lets me sit there.

    Any advice??


  • In the games that we have been playing in my summer gaming class, we have yet to launch any strategic bombing raids against Japan as well.  We have determined that a better target for the bombers is going after the Japanese transport fleet, and eliminating it.  Once the transports start getting short, the Japanese player has to start loosing combat ships if he wants to be able to move units from Japan.  If he does not do that, then the Japanese basically build single use transports in Japan to deliver units prior to being sunk.  Once that start happening, it turns into a vicious circle, and the Allies start pushing the Japanese back at about 2 territories a turn.


  • @timerover51:

    In the games that we have been playing in my summer gaming class, we have yet to launch any strategic bombing raids against Japan as well.  We have determined that a better target for the bombers is going after the Japanese transport fleet, and eliminating it.  Once the transports start getting short, the Japanese player has to start loosing combat ships if he wants to be able to move units from Japan.  If he does not do that, then the Japanese basically build single use transports in Japan to deliver units prior to being sunk.  Once that start happening, it turns into a vicious circle, and the Allies start pushing the Japanese back at about 2 territories a turn.

    I agree that killing Japanese transports ought to be job number one for the Allies, but we have had several close games in terms of victory points, and it would be very helpful for the Allies to actually WIN one of those close games by bombing away a few victory points.

    I’m thinking Manchuria is the best option, but I don’t know if it can be held by the Chinese alone…perhaps some Indian infantry can make the long march north to assist…


  • @Aretaku:

    @timerover51:

    In the games that we have been playing in my summer gaming class, we have yet to launch any strategic bombing raids against Japan as well.  We have determined that a better target for the bombers is going after the Japanese transport fleet, and eliminating it.  Once the transports start getting short, the Japanese player has to start loosing combat ships if he wants to be able to move units from Japan.  If he does not do that, then the Japanese basically build single use transports in Japan to deliver units prior to being sunk.  Once that start happening, it turns into a vicious circle, and the Allies start pushing the Japanese back at about 2 territories a turn.

    I agree that killing Japanese transports ought to be job number one for the Allies, but we have had several close games in terms of victory points, and it would be very helpful for the Allies to actually WIN one of those close games by bombing away a few victory points.

    I’m thinking Manchuria is the best option, but I don’t know if it can be held by the Chinese alone…perhaps some Indian infantry can make the long march north to assist…

    You might want to take a look at my house rules posted in the house rules section for some ideas.  If you don not want to go with 5 players, which does help the Allies if you only have one or two Allied players because you hit the Japanese so many more times between their moves, you might want to at least try the Lend-Lease rules.  That allows you to give the Chinese a boost as well. I am working on a Random Event card deck for Pacific that I am in the process of playtesting.  Still working some of the bugs out, but hopefully, I should be able to offer it in the near future.

    The consensus on the boards is that the game is imbalanced in favor of Japan.  Rakeman posted this in the Game Balance Thread under Anniversary:  “Pacific:  Allied bid, at least 12 IPC, alternative starting placement, require more Japanese victory points (I believe 2 more, plus all these other changes, is considered perfect balance for this game).”

    One problem in A&A Pacific is that there are no techs, so the US cannot get either Long-Range Aircraft or Heavy Bombers to hit Japan with.  Giving the Allies a couple of techs would also help balance the game.


  • Am I reading the rule book right.  In regards to the kamikaze its the book mentions something about needing to roll a 2.

    If that’s the case why wouldn’t I just keep the FTR and try to roll the normal 3 or 4?

    LT

  • Official Q&A

    Because there isn’t any fighter to keep.  Unlike in the Kamikaze National Advantage in Revised, you don’t convert an existing fighter into a Kamikaze.  In this game, Kamikaze are “virtual units”.  They don’t exist on the game board.  They are, in effect, free one-shot attacks.


  • ah, ok that makes a lot more sence now.

    Thanks, Krieghund + 1.

    LT

  • '12

    Does this mean a kamikaze unit defending against an amphibious assault is going to be sinking allied transports with the units they are carrying still aboard?  Common sense would say yes, but I couldn’t find a clear as a bell answer in the rules or errata.

  • Official Q&A

    Yes, it does.

  • '12

    Thank you sir!

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