Questions on newest Rulebook (2015)

[John D.]

Pacific Rules Questions


1. Are you only able to do convoy damage up to the value the japanese get from the territories? Lets say the japanese only own Celebes in supply and got income from it this turn.
    So the U.S can only do 1 PP damage to the convoy zone?

2. How is Leader elimination in "Sea battles" working : When the last ship is destroyed in a fleet battle, is the Leader eliminated?

3.  Since all ships return to Harbors on the NCM Phase (Normal & Fortified Harbors)
   Example to this:
 
   On the next turn movement Phase the US moves a mixed fleet (carriers + battleships)  to engage a japanese fleet next to an normal harbor.
   Since normal Harbors don't protect the japanese fleets the US wants to attack that fleet.
   Do their planes get the Harbor attack Bonus? (-2DRM) Or do the planes only get the Bonus if their Surface fleets decides not to attack the japanese fleet?

1) Yes
2) we never addressed losing naval leaders - naval units and leaders can always retreat (unlike certain land scenarios)
3) Any ships in ANY harbor are subject to the air attack bonus regardless of an ensuing surface fleet engagement.
 

[Darkman]

Hey John ,

thanks for reply.

to 2. Why not eliminating Leaders on Sea like Uboat Aces?  Much more likely.. if the fleet goes completely down the leader goes down. Like with Günther Lütjens (Bismarck) & Yamaguchi

to 3.
I think i have to decribe the question with a huge example to point it out


New Example :

Summer 1942: NCM Phase   -> All ships return to Harbors.  The Turn Ends
Autumn 1942: Movement Phase -> The japanese got the Initative and is moving a fleet next to Port Moresby.

A US Fleet is harbored in Port Moresby. The japanese are moving a Group of fighters and naval Bombers to the sea Zone in which the U.S fleet is to point out that they want to attack their Harbor.

Now on the U.S movement Phase The US then Splits  the harbored fleet and some moving out of the Harbor into the open Sea of Port Moresby. (Same Sea Zone) they are not leaving the sea zone

Question1: "Can the japanese now attack these ships (that are moving out) with his planes an -2 DRM Attack as an "Snap Fire attack"?   

Question2: "Can planes on US Carriers help for Defense when moving out of the harbor ?


To Pearl Harbor and other Harbor attacks
I really would limit the harbor attacks to 1 Round attacks.. like airbase , startegic attacks
They are devastating alone. Even when looking on Peal Harbor with at -3 DRM Suprise attack it is very easy to completely wipe out the U.S fleet in 1 Round.
You regulary do much more damage then in history. In this case either the bonus is too strong or the fleet in Pearl Harbor is too small  (Maybe one more Cruiser & Destroyer or more defense fighters?)

I regulary can attack with 7 japanese Planes from Marshal Islands (3 fleet carriers + 1 light carrier + Replenishment ship + local supply)
While the U.S have only 1 fighter to defend

US Fleet
8 battleships
 8 cruisers
 30 destroyers
 4 submarines
 1 USCG Cutter
 49 other ships
 ≈390 aircraft

Japanese Fleet
6 aircraft carriers
 2 battleships
 2 heavy cruisers
 1 light cruiser
 9 destroyers
 8 tankers
 23 fleet submarines
 5 midget submarines
 414 aircraft

[Darkman]

Do Planes that start from carriers also have a reduced range in the landing phase ?

[John D.]

I will leave the leader question to Mark.

The answer to both of your questions is yes.

Carrier planes have reduced range in landing phase (range of 1).

[Darkman]

Hey John !

Thanks for answering!

One more question To the example above. Unlike Fighters do the naval Bombers have to stay on the Carrier in snap Fire attacks so they sink with an possible hit on the Carrier?

I like the pacific scenario very much.

It just seems the U.S does not have the power to engage the japanese naval forces until 1943.

Is the U.S a bit underpowered?

Since the Japanese carriers have now 2 hit Points it's even harder to engage.

@John: Any news about the Europe map changes ? :-)


Have a nice day!

[John D.]

Planes that are on a carrier that is sunk on the snap fire phase are lost.

Map changes will be addressed after next week - big project right now...

[Darkman]

So Even the defending fighter Is lost after the snap Fire . And has no Option To fly elsewhere?  Because otherwise why i should not just let all Planes go into the sky , Fighters & naval Bombers

[Mark]

All planes on a carrier get sunk with it if the carrier is moving while it is snap fired against (i.e. - if a British carrier with a swordfish onboard is moving strategically through a sea zone with an enemy sub & the sub snap fires and scores a hit when the carrier moves out of the sea zone - the swordfish would go down with the carrier.

In your harbor attack scenario, the US carrier in Port Moresby could launch its planes before it attempts to move out of the harbor, so the planes would not be on deck when the carrier moves.

Attacking Japanese planes would get the -2 drm on the first round of combat prior to the surface combat phase in the Japanese surprise Port Moresby attack you describe above. . .best not to leave your carriers in tactical range of the enemy.

Mark

[Darkman]

Example:

There are two naval battles next to each other in the pacific. The initative winners(Japanese) battle is first.. the us ships are forced to retreat)  Now the iniative loser battle is taking place.. (naval Bombers are attacking the japanese carriers) 

Can the US Leader Naval (Air to Surface) attack rerolls be used for the second battle or cannot? (Because he and the whole fleet had to retreat in the first battle)


I would say it can be used ? But the rules don't adress this

[Darkman]

Next one.

Let's say you move your carrier + 2 planes to the next fortified port in the NCM Phase to repair the ship in the next build Phase.

Q: Do the planes have to go into the shipyard aswell or can the be placed to a territory next to the shipyard.. so you can actually use them in the turn

[Darkman]

Rule difference

7.0.11 says that you pick Target after AA shoots while 13.1  has first picking Target and then shoot AA.. why must that be different ? I would prefer (13.1)

[Mark]

For the first question, the U.S. naval leader can use his air re-roll for any battle planes launched off of his carrier are in - either the Japanese attack against his fleet or the battle his planes are in in the adjacent space.  If he chooses not to use his leader in the Japanese attack against his fleet, he can use his re-rolls in the battle his planes are in attacking the Japanese - per rule 1.5.6

For the second question, you must assign your planes first and then AA is rolled per rule 13.1.  Rule 7.0.11 refers to snap fire - but I will change it to reflect the process in 13.1.  Air units are always assigned before AA is rolled.

[georgemak1]

Quick question guys, the piece list on the Dropbox page says you will need 10 Fw-190s but when you print the air unit page there are only 8 counters, do I have to print the whole page for only these 2 counters?😳

[Mark]

I'll change the purchase sheet to 8.  You should only have to print all the counter sheets once to have enough pieces for the game.

For my game, I only have 6 FW units and it is usually enough (though we did run out at ConSimWorld last year).  I would say 8 is enough.  There are always chips and other creative ways to cover if you end up in 1944, max build your Focke-Wulfs and none of them have been shot down.

Mark

[Darkman]

Can Fighters like the p51 or p-38 also Land on carriers ? And if yes, is their movement reduced to 1 or -1 ?