4th player >>>>>> Dutch East Indies Defenders

Pacific 1940 - 2nd Edition Page 15

Scrambling is a special movement that the defender can make at the end of this phase. It must be done after all of the attacker’s combat movements have been completed and all attacks have been declared. The attacker may not change any combat movements or attacks after the defender has scrambled.

A quick reaction team of no more than 3 defending fighters and/or tactical bombers (strategic bombers can’t scramble) located on each island or coastal territory that has an operative air base can be scrambled to defend against attacks in the sea zones adjacent to those territories. These air units can be scrambled to help friendly units in adjacent sea zones that have
come under attack. They can also be scrambled to resist amphibious assaults from adjacent sea zones, whether or not the territory being assaulted is the territory containing the air base. They may defend against the enemy ships conducting the amphibious assault even if friendly ships are not present.

In situations where a sea zone is adjacent to more than one territory containing an air base, sea zone 6 and Japan and Korea (assuming one has been built there) for example, each of the territories can scramble up to 3 fighters and/or tactical bombers. In situations where a territory containing an air base is adjacent to more than one sea zone Alaska (assuming one has been
built there) and sea zones 1 and 2 for example, the territory may still only scramble up to 3 fighters and/or tactical bombers, but they may be split between the sea zones in any combination.

@the_good_captain

Indeed. Actually you need the errata in case you own an older/outdated print of the second edition rulebook. But in that case you are fine with updating the rulebook itself.

I too am new to the site, but have been playing this game for nearly 15 years. welcome to the family.

In regards to a pacific strategy I believe that China is a place for mis-placed agression. I dont think you need to advance more then 4 provinces in to China, taking Yunan, Hunan, Anhui, and Charhar. This reduces China economy by 1/3 and denies them their NO, it also keeps your units close enough to the coast to pull them back if they become needed else where.
The key to winning comes from taking and holding the southern resource area which include Maylay, Kwangtung, Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Celebes, French Indo-China, and the Philipines. By taking this area you will double Japans economy and reach a parity with the US. Also, this area will put 2 more VC under your control, which are the objectives you need to win, and gain you some of your NOs.
From here its key to make swift work of India, throwing everything you can aginst them. The quicker this is done the beter (turn 4 or 5 ideally). Then you will be free to finnish of China at your leisure.

After that its really up to you. I like to go after the Anzac’s as taking their VC is harder for the US to take back. Best of luck, hope this helps

We had a different understanding of how Air units defend against subs (without destroyers also defending).

The Allies had Japan on the brink and this particular buy (by the Japanese player) was to take back the DEI. However, the ANZAC wolf-pack would have just eaten it up with only the cruiser and carrier defending (thus, the Japanese player would have lost the transports and the ability to use the fighter in any offensive island maneuvers).

At any rate, we let the Japanese player change his buy (as the USA player had yet to play his turn) and drop a destroyer in with the fleet. So the game continues…

So my group has completed a game where Japan went for America.  We figure that whether or not Japan wins is dependent on a few things.

I don’t remember whether the final assualt on WUS happened on J3 or J4.  I think it was J4, and they waited until J3 to attack Alaska?  Either way, the statistics were about a 45% chance for Japan to take WUS.  They needed some AA misses to throw it in their favor.

There really is little that the UK and ANZAC player can contribute to the defense of WUS.  The best thing for them to do is go crazy in the absence of the Japanese forces.  By the time America fell, the UK had liberated most of China, and had several rounds to build up a navy with the help of the DEI income.  Australia also had a bonus going on, adding 2 loaded carriers to supplement defense of the UK fleet.

Japan thought about going straight for Australia, but the UK fleet with transports(deploying from  Kwangtung and Kiangsu factories) was already threatening Japan.

While America had fallen, they only gained +10 income from America, +Mexico +Alaska, while giving up on their territories in the Chinese mainland.  They were being out produced by the Allies, and out of position to restablish a hold on the mainland.

I agree that China/ANZAC seems to work best as the 4th player.

I will point out the obvious: players should be planning their next moves during the other players’ turns. (and refining them as the situation changes. i.e. the Jap player moves a DD during non-combat to block your planned attack.)

When it comes to purchases everyone should be ready to IMMEDIATELY plop down the new units as soon as their turn begins. Very rarely should someone have to think what to buy in a 4 player game.

The disadvantage of more than 2 players is lack of coordination between the allies. The knock on the original game is that it was a 2 player game masquerading as a 5 player game.

@Stoney229:

So I guess when you say the the rules are the same as for Japan, you’re saying they can move into French territs in noncombat?  That seems strange, since they are allied territories (territs belonging to an enemy power without control of it’s capital can’t be invaded in noncombat, can they?)

No, I’m saying that Japan treats the French territories in the same way that it treats the Dutch ones.  It may only move in as an attack.  The only difference is that it can attack French ones without provoking the other Allies.

personally, i’m fan of returning them back to dutch
in real US just put soms subs over there, but didn’t liberated them, cause they were worthless to them.