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�Asia Engulfed PLAYBOOK

© 2007 GMT Games, LLC

PLAY BOOK

The Second World War in Asia, 1941 – 1945

[11.0] Player Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2[12.0] Designers’ Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2[13.0] Optional Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2[14.0] Extended Example of Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

[15.0] Scenarios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15[16.0] AE & EE Combined Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Extended Sequence of Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Asia Engulfed PLAYBOOK�


��.0 PLAYER NOTES��.� JapanIt is strongly recommended that the first campaign game or two played should be the Jan/Feb 1942 Campaign, since many things could go wrong with the Dec 1941 turn, making the rest of the game hard on the Japanese. Once you have a game or two under your belts you will have a better idea of how to take full advantage of the Japanese early advantages.

As long as you can retain naval supremacy and have the oil available to move your fleet, the American player will be extremely cautious in dealing with you. These are conditions you must strive to maintain as long as possible. You must be careful with your air units, as replacing them is very painful compared to the Allies. The Allies will likely conduct a port attack on any ports they can achieve airpower parity over simply for the chance to shoot down your planes. Keeping them out of range is sometimes the better part of valor.

��.� The AlliesThe threat of your Code Breaking Special Action and the shortage of oil will usually keep the Japanese from getting too out of control while they have the overall advantage in carriers. You should try to get your submarine points built up as soon as possible. A Japanese player with a diminishing transport capacity will not be of offensive mind. Always take any opportunity to dogfight with the Japanese on anything approaching a fair fight. The Japanese player has a hard time making good on air losses.

Early in the game, the Allies should strive to keep Burma contested as long as possible. If Burma is Japanese controlled and uncontested, it allows for a Japanese invasion of Bengal or Nagpur, making India much tougher to defend. Later in the game, as Japanese transport capacity gets stretched thinner and thinner, such worries diminish.

With your industrial might, relative to Japan, you can be happy with any combat result where losses were approximately even. Losses are much easier for you to replace. You should not pick a fight with your fleets unless you think you are close to parity in carriers and surface steps relative to the Japanese within reaction range. Even so you cannot sit idle and wait for naval supremacy. You have to nibble at the fringes of the Japanese Empire and try to force the Japanese to use their oil to respond on their turn or to react with a smaller subset of their fleet. The larger your fleet gets the more desperate the Japanese will become to try and force a decisive battle in an effort to defeat your fleet and reset your time tables. Use the Code Breaking Special Action when you feel the time is right and give the Japanese the battle he is seeking, but on your terms.

��.0 DESIGNERS’ NOTESThis game’s existence is the direct result of the fan-base of Europe Engulfed (EE) asking for it to be created. When we designed EE, we toyed briefly with the idea of using the EE rules as a basis for also creating a Pacific Theatre game, but we decided that the Theatres were simply too different for it to be an easy fit. But the clamoring for Asia Engulfed (AE) became more and more pronounced, so we had an overnight design feasibility session and bounced ideas off each other at Consimworld Expo 2004. By the end of that session we were both more than ready for breakfast and resolved that that we could do it to our standards of fun and historical feel, though the rules for air and naval interaction would have to be more complex. We felt this was OK because the political rules would be signifi-cantly lighter.

It took more than a year of phone calls back and forth (Jesse lives in California and Rick lives in North Carolina) and working on the prototype components before we finally got together for the first face-to-face playtests in mid September 2005. We played three complete games, and with each playing, we streamlined the systems and added elements that increased the fun and added to the realism. We were ready for some outside playtesting at last, and we asked John Foley to join the team as our Developer, and thankfully he said yes and began coordinating the outside playtesting. Meanwhile we continued to play with local gamers in the San Diego and Durham areas, and kept in contact with each other via phone, continuing to refine and improve the design. Another major design session was had at Consimworld Expo 2006, and after that the game was pretty much in its final form. It took us 13 years of refining and improving to get EE where we wanted it, but we learned a lot in those years, and in two short years we were both happy with AE.

Our thanks go out to our friend, Mark A. Kramer, who contributed to the design by suggesting the Banzai and Elite Cruiser rules. Thanks also to Mark Simonitch, who challenged us to think dif-ferently about a few aspects of the design at Consimworld Expo 2006, resulting in optional rule 13.1 and some simplifications in other areas of the game.

�3.0 OPTIONAL RULES13.1 Simplified Japanese Transport & Supply Rules The Japanese trace supply exactly as the Allies do. All areas and zones are supplied provided the supply line to Honshu does not pass into or through a sea-zone where the Allies have dominant influence [8.13]. The amount of transport points the Japanese have available each turn to divide between the Production and Movement Phases is the current Transport Capacity divided by five, dropping fractions.

13.2 Indian MonsoonDuring each Jul/Aug turn, no Indian units may be built nor may Allied or Japanese replacement steps be purchased in India or Burma. No strat-moves are possible into or out of the six Indian areas or Burma, nor may air units be used for any purpose except movement on this turn.

13.3 Japanese Carrier ConversionThe Japanese player may convert naval build markers (not damaged markers) from the BB or CA Production Track to the CV Production Track. Each conversion costs one WERP and the converted build marker moves to the CV Production Track at the same level as it currently stands. The change of tracks counts as the one allowable WERP expenditure for that marker for that Production Phase. The converted build marker need not have a CV on its reverse side. Damaged markers may not be converted.

13.4 Airborne UnitsThere are two optional airborne units included in Asia Engulfed, and they may conduct airborne assaults. These 1-step units may never be transferred to EE. A paradrop involving only these 1-step units does not require a Special Action. A paradrop involving airborne units transferred from EE [16.2] requires a Special Action unless a Special Action was already spent for an amphibious invasion and the airborne assault is going into the same area as the invasion.

3Asia Engulfed PLAYBOOK


�3.4� Airborne assaults may only be conducted in the Initial Op-erational Movement Phase, and the unit must begin the phase in an uncontested, supplied area. The destination area must always be a Port Box, Island Box, or clear terrain area, and must either be within two areas (the intervening area may be enemy occupied) of the origi-nation area(s) or across a Sea-zone as in 5.13, and may cross one or more impassable boundaries. Crossing a strait counts as moving one area of the two allowed. An airborne unit may not Airborne Assault on consecutive turns, even if eliminated and rebuilt.

�3.4� Airborne assaulting units may conduct either a normal or as-sault combat and all defenders receive an additional hit-bonus vs. infantry for the first round of the initial combat. This hit-bonus is not received if there is an amphibious invasion also occurring in the destination area (however any hit-bonuses for the invasion are still received). The Japanese may place their unit during set-up for either campaign game in any area containing at least one other ground unit. The Americans place their unit in the USA. An eliminated 1-step airborne unit costs four WERPs to repurchase.

13.5 DeconsolidationThis will slow the game down, and is only recommended for experi-enced players. Fleets may break down into smaller fleets containing the same number of steps when leaving port, only if these smaller fleets are moving to different destination areas, and only if blocks of the appropriate fleet type are available in the Force Pool. Note that this will cost the Japanese more oil.

13.6 Crude OilOne Japanese fleet from the port within each oil area may make a Naval Reaction Move during the Allied player-turn without expend-ing an oil point.

14.0 EXTENDED EXAMPLE OF PLAYThis section describes in detail how complete Player-turns would proceed, using as examples the Nov/Dec 1941 Japanese Player Turn—during which historically the Japanese launched both a surprise attack at Pearl Harbor and a surprise invasion in Southeast Asia—and the complete July/Aug 1942 Game Turn—during which the struggle for New Guinea and the Solomon Islands began.

As an aid to learning, these examples will show all forces displayed face-up. Opposing blocks are normally hidden until combat and otherwise remain hidden.

14.1 November / December 1941 - Japanese Player TurnThis turn covers the following major features of the surprise attack upon the Allies starting December 7th 1941: the surprise attack and destruction of most of the US fleet at Pearl Harbor (Operation Z), the assault and capture of Wake Island, the capture of Guam, the invasion of the Philippines, the assault and capture of Hong Kong, the initial landings at Sarawak and Brunei (British Borneo), the invasion of Malaya and Burma, and finally the destruction of British Force Z in the Gulf of Thailand. This example is not the best Japanese opening as it wastes several Japanese transport points. Players will come to develop their own (better) opening moves that more fully utilize Japan’s resources as they explore the game.

This example begins with the set up specified for the December 7th campaign scenario for the Japanese and the Allies without modification.

14.11 Naval Movement Phase: Figure #1 shows the Japanese naval moves into the Western North Pacific, North Marshalls and East Carolines. A: The large naval force at Honshu - six steps allocated across two CV fleets (each with two elite CBA units and one CBA unit at full strength), one 2-step BB fleet and one 3-step CA fleet—moves to sea, traveling three sea zones to the Western North Pacific (via the Pacific Basin and West Marianas sea zones). Later in the turn, the Japanese player plans on spending Special Action #1 to enable this force to continue on to the Hawaiian Islands. Historical Note: it will be simpler to refer to this powerful force by its historical name —the Carrier Strike Task Force. For ease of play, the CBA units are placed in their respective CV holding boxes for the CV A fleet and the CV B fleet. Cost of this move: 4 oil points. Note that the oil and transport point costs are not tallied and subtracted until the end of the Naval Movement Phase, but are noted for each movement in this example as an aid to learning.B: The 2-step marine unit and the 2-step CA fleet at Kwajalein move to sea in the North Marshalls sea zone preparing to invade Wake. Cost of this move: 1 transport point (for the marine) and 1 oil point. Note that the Japanese player has the option—for marine units moving one or two sea zones—to spend either an oil point or a transport point. The Japanese have more than adequate transport capacity available in this early phase of the war for the marine units to use transport points instead of the precious oil points. He opts to use a transport point in order to preserve oil. He makes this same choice for the other marine units this turn. Historical Note: the Japanese marine units represent the Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) units.C: The 2-step marine unit and 3-step CA fleet at Truk move to the East Carolines sea zone preparing to invade Guam. Cost of this move: 1 transport point and 1 oil point.

A

Figure #1

B

C

Asia Engulfed PLAYBOOK4


Figure #2 shows the Japanese naval moves into the North and South Philippine Seas and the Gulf of Thailand.A: The 2-step marine unit covered by the 1-step CV and the 3-step CA fleets moves to sea in the South Philippine Sea zone preparing to invade Mindanao. This force is looking to capture Morotai as well and anticipates a possible naval reaction by the 3-step DEI CA fleet in the Celebes. Cost of this move: 1 transport point and 2 oil points. Because the Japanese escorted the marine unit with two fleets, the Dutch CA fleet opts not to react.B: The invasion of the Philippines continues with the movement of the 4-step infantry unit on Formosa to sea in the North Philip-pine Sea. Later in the turn, the Japanese player plans on spending Special Action #2 to enable the invasion of Luzon by this infantry unit. For now, it is covered by the 2-step BB and 4-step CA fleets on Formosa, which also move into the North Philippine Sea. Cost of this move: 1 transport point (for the infantry) and 2 oil points. Note that the Japanese player starts with 5 BB steps at Formosa and has the choice of how to allocate those steps across two fleet blocks—either 4 / 1 or 3 / 2. The Japanese player decided at set up time to split 3 / 2.

C: The 2-step infantry and the 4-step Elite CA fleet in French Indo-China move to sea in the Gulf of Thailand. They are joined in this sea zone by the 3-step BB fleet on Formosa, which can traverse past the US CA fleet adjoining the South China Sea because no Allied LBA or fleets project influence until after the Air and Naval Combat Phase of this turn has been completed [9.11d]. Later in the turn, the Japanese player plans on spending Special Action #3 to enable the invasion of British Borneo by this infantry unit. Cost of this move: 1 transport point (for the infantry) and 2 oil points.D: The previous naval moves have not provoked a Naval Reac-tion move from the Allied player. Special rules for the November / December 1941 turn (9.11e) require that Commonwealth fleets in Singapore must automatically react to Japanese fleets ending their move in either the Gulf of Thailand or the Java Sea (whichever one is first eligible). The Allied player now moves the 2-step BB fleet in Singapore into the Gulf of Thailand. Note that the Allied player neither pays nor tracks oil and transport points.The Japanese player may himself react to the Allied naval reaction by using his available 2-step submarine unit (in the submarine holding box), however, he chooses not to do so.

The Japanese player elects to stop naval movement. After regular naval movement and possible reaction movement is completed, the Japanese player may expend a Special Action to conduct Extended Naval Operations—a special form of naval movement—see Figure #3 which shows this move.

Figure 3The Japanese player designates the Carrier Strike Task Force in the Western North Pacific sea zone as the naval force that will conduct another naval movement (having already moved) via Extended Na-val Operations. The Japanese player has Dominant Influence over this zone, which is an important precondition to allow the play of Extended Naval Operations. Note that each fleet may only perform this Special Action once per turn.

The Japanese player spends Special Action #1 to conduct Extended Naval Operations with the force in the Western North Pacific. This force—two CV fleets, a BB fleet and a CA fleet—moves two sea zones into the Hawaiian Islands sea zone via the Eastern North Pacific sea zone. Cost of this move: One Special Action (no ad-ditional oil).

Figure #2

Figure #3

A

B

C

D



The Japanese player now has 23 transport points available and chooses the following Supply Network:• Four sea zones costing 1 transport point each: East China Sea,

Pacific Basin, West Carolines, and North Philippine Sea• Six sea zones costing 2 transport points each: East Carolines,

South Marshalls, North Marshalls, South Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Gulf of Thailand

This Supply Network consumes 16 of the 23 remaining transport points. The Transports Available marker is adjusted downward. There are some interesting cases to note.• Fleets at sea do not require supply unless they are in a sea-zone

where they are going to be conducting an amphibious assault. Fleets are only adversely affected by supply in the Final Supply Determination Phase, and only then if they are in an out-of-sup-ply port. As such, the Carrier Strike Task Force does not need to be placed within the supply network.

• The Japanese force heading from Palau to Mindanao in the South Philippine Sea does need to be in the supply network, because an amphibious invasion is planned. The Japanese player has placed the South Philippine Sea into the Supply Network and supply can be traced out of that zone to the West Carolines and thence back to Japan.

As one of the surprise attack exceptions to the normal rules (9.11a), the Allied player may not react to this move on this game turn. The surprise attack at Pearl Harbor is now ready.

Figure 4Finally, the Japanese player counts the number of fleets at sea, including marine units using oil points instead of transport points, and deducts that total from his oil reserve. He received 31 oil points at the start and has used 12 oil points so far, leaving 19 for later use. The Oil Reserve marker is adjusted downward. The Japanese player starts with 28 transport points available and has used 5 (for the transport of the ground units) so far, leaving 23. The Transports Available marker is adjusted downward.

14.12: Initial Supply Determination Phase: Most of the critical supply paths for the Japanese player are across sea zones. It is crucial for the Japanese player to understand how fleet and LBA placement for both sides affects the influence over and control of the sea zones needed to maintain the full supply for his forces. In short, the critical supply paths must be placed into the Japanese Supply Network and must avoid tracing into or through any sea zone that is under Allied Dominant Influence. Note that Allied fleets and LBA do not project influence on this first turn until after the Air & Naval Combat Phase, so on the first turn, the Japanese are not restricted in their network placement by enemy influence.

Figure #4



• The Japanese force in the Gulf of Thailand faces the same situ-ation. The Japanese player has placed the Gulf of Thailand into the Supply Network and supply can be traced out of that zone through the South China Sea and thence back to Japan. If the supply path to Japan were blocked by Allied Dominant Influence in the South China Sea, French Indo-China would act as a partial supply source for all units able to trace an overland route to it. Units tracing supply to a partial supply source may act normally but cannot receive hit bonuses (the main restriction) until full supply is restored. Partial supply sources are marked as a half red, half white circle.

• The infantry units in Thailand trace a supply path that goes over-land from Thailand to French Indo-China (which has a friendly-controlled port), then into the South China Sea and up to the East China Sea finally terminating in Japan. Such a combination supply path uses legs—the path from Thailand to French Indo-China is the first (land) leg, then it follows through the South China Sea and the East China Sea for the second (sea) leg and finally to land again (Japan). Only one sea leg may be used in such a combination supply path.

All Japanese forces are currently in supply.

14.13: Production Phase: The Japanese player now calculates his available resources.

PRODUCTION: The base production for the home area (Japan) is 5 WERPs. Per the scenario setup information, Japan receives up to 5 additional WERPs from conquered areas if supplied and occupied by a friendly ground unit or garrison: 1 for Peking, 1 for Shanghai, 1 for Manchukuo, 1 for Korea, and 1 for French Indo-China (oc-cupied only by a friendly LBA at this point, so this WERP is lost). The WERPs Available marker for this turn is set at nine.

OIL: Oil production is another matter, with only 1 oil point available from Honshu. The current oil reserve is at 19 and the additional oil point makes 20 available for use. The Oil Reserve marker is adjusted. Note that the oil situation causes the Japanese Kamikaze marker to be moved down from 16 to 15 [9.13] (perhaps they could have moved one less fleet to avoid this).

The Japanese player is looking ahead to conquering British Borneo this turn to gain 2 more oil points per production phase starting with the January / February 1942 turn. Looking further ahead, the Japanese player anticipates an additional 2 oil points per turn by conquering the Dutch East Indies. Given the oil cost of a major of-fensive and the best oil point replenishment rate of 5 oil points per turn, the Japanese player understandably needs to plan offensives carefully.

Now that the Japanese player has gathered his resources (WERPs and oil), strategic warfare is normally conducted. By rule (9.11h) this segment of the Production Phase is not conducted during this turn.

The Japanese player considers his military and industrial situation and spends his available nine WERPs as follows (note that WERPs may not be carried over to following turns):• Special Action at 5 WERPs: The opening offensive will use all

three Special Actions. Since Special Actions provide critical op-tions to the players, it is risky to have none. At this point in the campaign, he most likely will use Special Actions for amphibi-ous invasion and breakthrough combat.

• Two LBA Steps at 2 WERPs: He starts the campaign with three LBA Markers on the Japanese Air Build Track at position 1. The additional cost to complete the LBA builds is 1 WERP per step. He places the new full strength LBA units at Honshu. The LBA Build markers are now returned to the Force Pool and will be available for the next Production Phase. Note that spending more than one WERP on air units causes the Kamikaze marker to move down again, from 15 to 14 [9.13].

• One Cadre Step of Infantry at 2 WERPs: He selects the last 4-step infantry unit in the force pool and places it in Honshu.

In summary, the Japanese player purchased one Special Action, completed two new LBA units and built the cadre step of a 4-step infantry unit in Honshu—using all nine available WERPs.

14.14: Air & Naval Combat Phase: The Allied fleet at sea in the Hawaiian Islands sea zone may not make an interception check until after the surprise port attack on Hawaii (per 9.11b). The surprise port attack proceeds as follows - see Figure #5.

PORT ATTACK: First, one round of day combat is resolved for the port attack, but the defending US LBA unit at Hawaii may not fly CAP and therefore may not return fire (per 9.11j). The Japanese player allocates four elite CBA units and two regular CBA units to the Attack section only (no Escort is needed).The Japanese elite CBA have three hit bonuses (one for attacking ships in port, one for being elite, and one for surprise attack)—they hit on a 3-6 (and will damage an enemy fleet step on a 2). The Japanese regular CBA have two hit bonuses (same as above, less the elite bonus)—they hit on a 4-6 (and damage on a 3).AA FIRE: Next, AA is resolved against the attacking CBA units. Hawaii is a home port and therefore rolls four dice for AA. The BB fleets contribute eight steps for four dice of AA. By rule (9.11f) AA dice are halved during this first round in Hawaii. There are no hit bonuses so the AA fire will hit on a 6. The Allied player rolls four (8/2) dice needing 6’s and scores no hits.ROUND 1: The CBA units now target the two BB fleets and the LBA unit. The Japanese player decides to target one BB fleet with two elite CBA units and the other BB fleet with two elite CBA units. Finally he targets the LBA unit with the two regular CBA units. The Japanese player attacks the first BB fleet (four elite CBA steps with three hit bonuses for port attack, surprise attack and elite) rolling four dice needing 3’s (2’s to damage) and scores three hits and a damage result. He attacks the second BB fleet (four elite CBA steps with three hit bonuses) rolling four dice needing 3’s (2’s to damage)

Figure #5



and scores two hits and a damage result. Lastly he attacks the LBA unit (four CBA steps with one hit-bonus (surprise) rolling four dice needing 4-6’s and scores two hits, eliminating the defending 2-step LBA unit.ROLL FOR DAMAGE: Although the Japanese player has options to pursue additional rounds of combat in the Hawaiian Islands sea zone, he elects (per 9.11k) to rebase his force immediately back in Japan (at Honshu). This ends the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. The American player now rolls for the two damaged steps (one on each fleet), and rolls a 1 and a 4, placing two damage markers on the BB Build track, one in box ‘1’ (for the roll of 1) and one in box ‘3’ (for the roll of 4) per the Damage result table shown on the Build Track.

Gulf of Thailand—Figure #6The Japanese player now resolves the naval combat in the Gulf of Thailand. Historical Note: this covers the ill-fated mission of Force Z, which resulted in the sinking of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse. This combat proceeds as follows:

DAY OR NIGHT: Both players secretly decide whether to attempt Day or Night Interception. The choices are revealed simultaneously and then the players dice to see which choice will be selected. Both players have LBA units in uncontested land areas bordering the sea-zone, so both may choose night or day. The Allied player has too small a force to withstand one round of Night combat against the strong Japanese fleets, so he elects to attempt Day combat and hopes to survive the air attack. The Japanese player decides that he would rather attempt a round of Night combat because the BB and CA screen is strong enough to protect the troop transport (the 2-step infantry unit). The Allied player adds +1 to the die roll (for attempting Day Interception) and the Japanese player adds +1 to the die roll (for attempting Night Interception with the elite CA fleet present)—these bonuses cancel each other. The Allied roll is higher, but not high enough to achieve surprise (surprise would not have helped in this case, as no CBA units are present [8.42b]). The result is two rounds of Day combat.REVEAL FLEETS: Both sides reveal their fleets. The Japanese CA, BB, and troop transport fleets, and also the Commonwealth BB fleet only participate as targets (and AA platforms) in Day combat. The two Japanese elite LBA units in French Indo-China and the Com-monwealth LBA unit in Malaya enter the Gulf of Thailand to conduct an air attack. LBA units can only participate in the second round of a successful Day Interception, however, and there are no CBA units to stage a first round of combat. Play immediately proceeds to the second round.ASSIGN PLANES: Both players secretly assign their planes to the attack section of their respective air-commitment cards, meaning that no combat will occur between an escort section and a CAP section. AA FIRE: The Commonwealth BB fleet fires AA—two steps halved for AA fire—and rolls one die needing a 6 (no bonuses) and misses.JAPANESE AIR ATTACK: The two elite LBA units now target the BB fleet—four steps with two hit bonuses (elite air and surprise)—and roll four dice needing 4’s (3’s to damage) and score one hit and two damage results. After the hit is scored, the two damage results are combined together and cause one more hit. The Commonwealth BB fleet is sunk. Historical Note: this was the first loss of capital ships to daylight air attack.

AA FIRE: The Japanese fleets (3 BB steps and 4 CA steps) combine for three dice of AA fire needing 6’s, and score one hit.CW AIR ATTACK: The remaining Commonwealth LBA step fires at the troop transport, needing a 5 or 6 to sink one step of the invading Japanese unit and misses.After this round of combat, the LBA units return to French Indo-China (Japanese) and Malaya (Commonwealth).

14.15: Operational Movement Phase: The Japanese ground units now conduct operational movement, which includes amphibious invasions. Note that marines do not need a Special Action to conduct amphibious invasions, but infantry do.A. The marine unit in the North Marshalls sea zone invades Wake. The LBA unit in Kwajalein flies across the sea zone to support the invasion on Wake.B. The marine unit in the East Carolines sea zone invades Guam.C. The Japanese player first reduces the marine unit in the South Philippine Sea by one step and creates a garrison, which is placed on Morotai Island. Then he moves the 1-step marine unit onto Min-danao. A player may create garrisons in this way to capture other unoccupied island or port boxes adjoining the sea zone in which he is conducting the main invasion.D. The Japanese player now expends Special Action #2 on the 4-step infantry unit in the North Philippine Sea to allow it to use amphibious invasion into Luzon. The two elite LBA units in Formosa fly across the sea zone to support the invasion of Luzon.E. One 3-step infantry unit in Kwantung enters Hong Kong.F. The Japanese player now expends Special Action #3 on the 2-step infantry unit in the Gulf of Thailand to allow it to use amphibious invasion into British Borneo.G. The 4-step infantry unit in Thailand advances into Malaya. The two elite LBA unit in French Indo-China fly across the sea zone to support the ground assault of Malaya.H. The 3-step infantry unit in Thailand advances into Burma.

14.16: Strategic Movement Phase: The Japanese player strat-moves the 2 LBA units in Honshu to Thailand (which does not require transport points) and the infantry cadre from Honshu to Hanoi (which uses one transport point) so that it can move into and garrison French Indochina next turn. Note that he ended up not using several transport points this turn, something he may later come to regret.

Figure #6



14.17: Ground Combat Phase: The culmination of the campaign opening now occurs with a number of captures and ground combats. Where ground combat occurs, the Japanese player decides whether to conduct a Normal attack or an Assault.A. At Wake Island, the Japanese player declares the combat type to be Normal. The US garrison unit receives one hit bonus (first round versus amphibious invasion). The Japanese marine unit also receives one hit bonus—from the two LBA steps in ground support to the 2-step marine unit, which provides a hit bonus for each marine unit step. LBA steps may only be allocated one-for-one with ground unit steps. The Defender rolls one die needing 5’s and scores one hit. The attacking marine unit is reduced to 1 step. Historical Note: the defenders at Wake caused disproportionate loss to the Japanese. The Attacker rolls one die needing 5’s and also scores one hit. The US garrison is eliminated. The Japanese player captures Wake. The LBA unit remains on Wake as it is not overstacked.B. No force opposes the Japanese marine unit that landed at Guam, therefore Guam is captured.C. At Hong Kong, the Japanese player declares the combat type to be Normal. The Commonwealth garrison receives one hit bonus (field fortification). The Japanese infantry unit receives no hit bonuses. The Commonwealth garrison rolls one die needing 5’s and misses. The Japanese infantry unit rolls three dice needing 6’s and scores one hit. The garrison is eliminated and Hong Kong is captured, yielding a critical resource area to the Japanese.D. At Luzon, the Japanese player faces a 2-step Philippine militia covered by an LBA unit. Since Luzon is jungle, the Japanese play must declare the combat type to be Normal—and no Breakthrough Combat Phases are allowed. Since both sides have air units in the combat, the players must secretly decide how to allocate their air units between dogfighting and ground support. The Allied player realizes that the Philippine militia cannot receive hit bonuses there-fore he allocates his US LBA unit to dogfight. The Japanese player has sufficient ground force and shore bombardment hit bonuses that he decides to allocate the two elite LBA units to dogfight as well (with an elite hit bonus). The dogfight is simultaneous. The Allied player rolls two dice needing 5’s and scores no hits. The Japanese player rolls four dice needing 4’s and scores three hits. The US LBA unit is eliminated. Historical Note: the air attack from Formosa destroyed most of the US Army Air Corps on the ground. Next the ground invasion is resolved as a Normal combat. The Philippine

Militia receives no hit bonuses. The 4-step Japanese infantry unit receives a hit bonus for each step due to surprise jungle attack and two of the infantry steps receive an additional hit bonus due to shore bombardment (four CA steps gives one bonus to one infantry step and two BB steps gives one bonus to another infantry step). Two of the steps hit on 4-6 and two of the steps hit on 5-6. The Defender rolls two dice needing 6’s and scores no hits. The Attacker rolls two dice needing 4’s and two dice needing 5’s and scores two hits. The Philippine Militia unit is eliminated. Luzon is captured, yielding not only a resource point but also a victory point. The LBA units remain in Luzon.E. No force opposes the Japanese marine unit that landed at Mind-anao, therefore Mindanao is captured.F. Morotai is also captured by the garrison that was created by the invading Marine during the Operational Movement Phase. The actual capture of these undefended areas did not occur until the Combat Phase (no strat-move into them was possible this turn).G. No force opposes the Japanese infantry unit that landed at British Borneo, therefore British Borneo is captured.

Figure #8

H. In Malaya, the Japanese player opposes a regular 2-step Com-monwealth infantry unit with 1-step of LBA support. Since Malaya is jungle, the combat type must be Normal once again. The players secretly decide whether to engage in dogfighting or ground support. The Allied player decides to dogfight. The Japanese player hedges his bet and splits the allocation, one elite LBA to dogfighting, one

to ground support. When the choices are revealed on the Air Commitment Display, the Japanese player rolls two dice needing 4-6’s and the Com-monwealth rolls one die needing a 5-6. The Com-monwealth gets lucky (for now) and gets a hit, flipping the Japanese LBA over to its 1-step side and the Japanese player missed with his two dice. Next, the ground combat is resolved as a Normal combat. The 2-step Commonwealth infantry unit rolls 2 dice first needing 6’s and misses. Two steps of the 4-step Japanese infantry unit receive a hit bonus for ground support (two LBA steps only). Finally the infantry unit receives one additional hit bonus for surprise attack in the jungle. Two steps receive two hit bonuses and the other two receive one. The Attacker rolls and scores two hits. The Commonwealth infantry unit is eliminated, and the Commonwealth LBA unit now runs out of luck as it loses its ground unit protection, and is eliminated

Figure #7



by the enemy ground unit. Malaya is captured. The Japanese LBA units remain in Malaya.

I. In Burma, the final ground combat of the player turn takes place. The combat type is Normal (jungle). The Commonwealth garrison receives no hit bonuses. The 3-step Japanese infantry unit receive one hit bonus due to the surprise attack in the jungle. They will hit on 5-6. The Defender rolls one die needing 6’s and scores no hits. The Attacker rolls three dice needing 5’s and scores a hit. The Commonwealth garrison is eliminated. Burma is captured yielding another victory point.

14.18: Rebasing Phase: The Japanese player performs the follow-ing fleet rebasing moves:• The 2-step CA fleet in the North Marshalls rebases to Kwaja-

lein.• The 1-step CV fleet and 3-step CA fleet in the South Philippine

Sea rebase to Palau.• The 2-step BB fleet and 4-step CA fleet in the North Philippine

Sea rebase to Formosa.• The 3-step BB fleet (originally from Formosa) and the 4-step

elite CA fleet in the Gulf of Thailand rebase to French Indo-China.

14.19: Final Supply Determination Phase: Outlying units such as those at Wake and Kwajalein safely trace a supply path back along the Supply Network to Japan. The infantry unit in Burma is able to trace a supply path by land through Thailand to the Gulf of Thailand and thence back to Japan. All Japanese units are in supply and so none can be eliminated.

Thus ends the Japanese player turn in the November / December 1941 game turn. During this opening, he gained two VP areas (Luzon and Burma), two resource areas (Luzon and Hong Kong) and one 2-point oil area (British Borneo).

14.2 July / August 1942 - Japanese Player TurnThis player turn covers the awakening Japanese resolution towards capturing New Guinea and the Solomon Islands and eventually New Caledonia. As the turn starts, the desperate fight on the Kokoda Trail over the Owen Stanley mountain range has reached a standstill. The Japanese position at Buna, Gona and Lae (Lae in the game) is strong but the Australian position at Port Moresby has not been directly threatened. In this context, the Japanese have sent construction forces throughout the various Solomon Islands to construct airfields and strong points, such as at Bougainville, Guadalcanal and the nearby islands of Tulagi, Gavutu and Tanambogo. The primary focus of the example is on the preparation at Guadalcanal, but there is also the action at Milne Bay (Gili-Gili in the game) and the offensive redeployment of the naval force at Palau eastwards. The example in 14.3 carries the action forward to the Allied player turn of the same game turn.

This example begins with the set up specified for the July / August 1942 Scenario—Tipping the Balance—for the Japanese and the Allies without modification.

14.21 Naval Movement Phase: There are two naval movements by the Japanese player in this opening. Historical Note: The Japa-nese had no intelligence of an impending offensive by the Allies and were looking to consolidate control of New Guinea but in an economical manner.A. The 2-step marine unit and the 2-step CA fleet at Palau move to sea in the Bismarck Sea and move into the Solomon Sea. Cost

of this move: 2 oil points. The Japanese player expects to use most of the available transport capacity so he spends oil for the marine unit instead.B. The 3-step infantry unit at Lae moves into the Solomon Sea. Cost of this move: 1 transport point. C. The Allied player prefers to conserve his forces for now and chooses not to make a submarine or naval reaction move. No Japa-nese submarine reaction moves are triggered.D. Subtract the two Japanese oil Points and the one transport point used from the respective totals.

14.22 Initial Supply Determination Phase: During this phase in a July/August Japanese player turn, all ground units of both sides in a contested jungle area take a step-loss due to jungle rot and disease. This affects three units in Burma. The Japanese 4-step and 3-step infantry unit each take a step-loss. The 2-step Indian infantry unit takes a step loss.

The Japanese player has 25 transport points available and chooses the following Supply Network—see Figure #9:• Two sea zones costing 1 transport point each—East China Sea

and North Philippine Sea• Eight sea zones costing 2 transport points each - South Mar-

shalls, West Central Pacific, Bismarck Sea, South Philippine Sea, Celebes Sea, Java Sea, Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea

• Two sea zones costing 3 transport points each - Solomon Sea and South Central Pacific.

• The full-strength submarine unit is placed on the North Mar-shalls instead of placing a 2-transport point marker. When used this way, the submarine unit becomes part of the Supply Net-work for the Japanese (it may not react or participate in combat). More importantly, this move saves two precious transport point for use later in the turn.

This Supply Network consumes 24 of the 25 transport points avail-able. This leaves 1 transport point for later use. The Transports Available marker is adjusted downward. All Japanese forces are currently in supply with two exceptions—the garrisons at Timor and Tarawa are not in the Supply Network and are flipped to their partial supply side.

14.23 Production Phase: The Japanese player now calculates his available resources.WERPs: Per the scenario setup information, Japan controls fourteen resource areas total, including the base production for Japan (5 WERPs) and 1 each for Korea, Manchukuo, Peking, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Luzon, French Indo-China, Singapore and West Sumatra (9 WERPs). The WERPs Available marker is set at 14.OIL: Per the scenario setup information, Japan controls six oil pro-duction areas, including 2 each for British Borneo and East Sumatra and 1 each for Honshu and Dutch Borneo. The current oil reserve is at 14 and the additional 6 oil points makes 20 available for use. The oil reserve marker is adjusted.Now the players conduct strategic warfare. First the Japanese player conducts ASW (anti-submarine warfare). His current ASW level is 0 and rolls on the 0 column of the ASW Table and receives no result. If he had rolled a 5 or 6, he would have reduced the Allied submarines by 1 point. Note that the ASW Build marker is set at 5. To reach level 1 on the ASW Table, he will have to spend 1 WERP over 5 friendly Production Phases—that’s five turns (ten months of time).

Asia Engulfed PLAYBOOK�0


Next the Allied player conducts the submarine campaign. He cur-rently has 5 points of submarines and rolls on the 1-8 column of the Submarine Attack Table and scores one hit. This affects Japanese resources as follows:• The WERPs Available marker is reduced from 14 to 13.• The Oil Reserve marker is reduced from 20 to 19.• The Transport Capacity marker is reduced from 26 to 25. This

will affect the extent of the Japanese player’s reach starting next turn. The transports available this turn remains at 1.

• Because only one point of oil was sunk, and the Japanese re-ceived five, the kamikaze marker is not adjusted.

Note that if the roll on the Submarine Attack Table was a 1-3, the Dud Torpedoes marker would be reduced from 4 to 3. Once that marker reaches 0, the Allied player receives a +1 bonus to the roll on the Submarine Attack Table—which will intensify the economic pressure on Japan. Since the Allied player does not control any of the areas containing strategic airbases—Marcus, Saipan, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Formosa—the strategic bombing campaign does not occur.

The Japanese player considers his military and industrial situation and spends his available 13 WERPs as follows:• Special Action at 5 WERPs: This provides critical flexibility to

the Japanese position.• BB/TR Step for 1 WERP: The marker is on the Battleship Build

Track and moves from 2 to 3.• CV Damage Marker for 1 WERP: The marker is on the CV Build

Track and moves from 3 to 4. This completes a replacement CV fleet step. He adds this step to the CV fleet at Honshu (increasing it from 1 to 2 steps).

• Transport Capacity for 1 WERP: The effect of strategic warfare is being felt. The Japanese would like to build a transport point to replace the one lost, but must wait for the build marker to become available, as it is currently in use building a BB step. He instead spends the 1 WERP on ASW, moving the partial ASW build marker from the 5 to the 6 box on the General Information Track.

• CBA Step for 1 WERP: This completes a new CBA unit. He places the CBA unit with the 2-step CV fleet in Honshu. Be-cause he did not spend more than one WERP on air, the kami-

Figure #9

��Asia Engulfed PLAYBOOK


kaze marker is not adjusted.• New Infantry Unit for 4 WERPs: He chooses to build a full 3-

step infantry unit at Honshu using 2 WERPs for the cadre step and 2 more WERPs for the other 2 steps.

In summary, the Japanese player purchased one Special Action, one completed CV step plus one completed CBA unit (both allocated to the CV at Honshu), one 3-step infantry unit at Honshu, a 1-step improvement to the BB/TR marker on the Battleship Build Track and one point towards an ASW upgrade—using all 13 available WERPs.

14.24 Air & Naval Combat Phase: There is no combat to resolve in this phase.

14.25 Operational Movement Phase: The Japanese ground units now conduct operational movement, which includes amphibious invasions.A. The marine unit in the Solomon Sea zone invades Gili-Gili.B. The Japanese player first reduces the 3-step infantry unit in the Solomon Sea zone by one step and creates a garrison, which is placed on Bougainville (capturing an unoccupied port box adjoining the sea zone in which he is conducting the main invasion). He now expends Special Action #1 on the 2-step infantry unit to allow it to use amphibious invasion into Guadalcanal.

14.26 Strategic Movement Phase: The Japanese player moves the freshly built 3-step infantry unit at Honshu to Lae via strategic movement. This movement expends the last remaining transport point! The Transports Available marker is adjusted.

14.27 Ground Combat Phase: The Japanese player resolves ground combats in the order he wishes.A. At Gili-Gili, the Japanese player declares the combat type to be Normal. The Australian 2-step infantry unit and the Commonwealth garrison receive one hit bonus (first round versus amphibious inva-sion). The Japanese marine unit receives no hit bonuses. It does not receive a hit bonus for shore bombardment since the CA fleet only provides two steps. The Defender rolls three dice needing 5’s and scores one hit. The attacking marine unit is reduced to 1 step. The Attacker rolls one die needing a 6 and scores a hit. The Com-monwealth garrison is eliminated but the Australian infantry unit is unscathed—see Figure #10. Historical Note: this is the opening of the attack on Milne Bay, which quickly fell apart for the Japanese. This ends the initial round of combat. B. The invasion of Bougainville and Guadalcanal are unopposed, so they are both captured.C. In Burma, the Japanese player takes advantage of the step losses due to jungle conditions and launches an attack against the 1-step Indian infantry unit. Because it is a jungle area, the attack must be normal (not an assault). The Indian infantry unit receives no hit bonuses. One step of one of the Japanese infantry units receives one hit bonus (ground support due to the presence of one LBA unit). The Defender rolls one die needing 6’s and scores one hit! The Japanese player reduces the 3-step infantry unit by one step. He then rolls three dice needing 6’s and one die needing 5’s and scores one hit. The Indian infantry unit is eliminated. The area is no longer contested and the Japanese player retains control of Burma.

14.28 Rebasing Phase: In preparation for his continuing offensive in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, the Japanese player decides to rebase the fleets in Palau as follows—see Figure #10:

• The 2-step CV, the 3-step BB and the 4-step elite CA fleets rebase from Palau to Truk. Rebasing these fleets that were not moved earlier in the turn costs oil, and 3 points are deducted from the Japanese reserves.

• The 2-step CA fleet in Solomon Sea rebases to Truk. This fleet already used an oil point this turn, rebasing does not require an-other oil point.

Figure #10

14.29 Final Supply Determination Phase: All Japanese units are in supply except for the garrison units at Timor and Tarawa, which remain in partial supply.Although the Japanese player’s amphibious invasion of Gili-Gili did not fail, the step-loss to the marine unit puts it in a tenuous position. However, the Japanese player has developed his posi-tion in the Solomons by using troops in New Guinea to extend his reach, and has just barely received the necessary reinforcement from Japan to shore up New Guinea. He has also repositioned his naval force to prepare for a more effective assault on the Solomon Islands and beyond.

14.3 July / August 1942 - Allied Player TurnThis example immediately picks up where the previous one left off, with the situation poised for the execution of Operation Watchtower and the second and third major naval battles in the Solomons—the Battle of Savo Island and the Battle of the Eastern Solomons. The primary focus is on the Solomons and New Guinea but there is some action in China and Burma as well. Note that the conclusion of the action at Milne Bay sets up the possibility of a renewed offensive by the Australians during the September/October turn looking ahead to the assault on Lae (representing the recapture of the Kokoda Trail and the advance upon Buna and Gona).

14.31 Naval Movement Phase: There are three naval movements by the Allied player during this phase. Figure #11 shows the movements and the Japanese reactions which set up important combats.A: The 3-step US marine unit at Espiritu Santo moves to sea into the Vanuatu sea zone. Historical Note: this unit represents the 1st Marine Division preparing to invade Guadalcanal as part of Opera-tion Watchtower. The Japanese player cannot make a naval reaction move to Vanuatu. He could have done so with his submarine unit, but he elected to have the submarine unit be a part of his supply network for this turn, which precludes its use in any other way.

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B: The 2-step US CA fleet in New South Wales enters the Solomon Sea as part of the screening force supporting the attack of Guadal-canal.C: The Japanese player realizes a major operation of some kind is happening and decides to engage the Allied fleet. He dispatches the elite 4-step CA fleet from Truk to Solomon Sea!D: The 2-step CV fleet and the 4-step CA fleet in Espiritu Santo move to sea and enter into the South Central Pacific sea zone. The 2-step CA fleet in Samoa sails to the South Central Pacific sea zone.E: The Japanese player chooses to react with his entire force at Truk —the 2-step CV fleet, the 3-step BB fleet and the 2-step CA fleet —into the South Central Pacific.F: The Allied player places the US submarine into the South Central Pacific. He may do this since the Japanese player reacted with fleets into that sea zone.

The Allied player chooses not expend a Special Action for Extended Naval Operations and there are no further movements.

14.32 Initial Supply Determination Phase: The Allied player must trace supply paths back to home areas or to partial supply areas the way the Japanese player does with the primary exception that he does not have to allocate (and live with) a Supply Network.• The US fleets in the Solomon Sea and South Central Pacific sea

zones are in supply by tracing out of those sea zones into Vanu-atu and Ellice Islands respectively and thence to the USA via Hawaii. The US units in Hawaii are in supply and the units in the USA are in the home area. All are in supply.

• The Australian units in New Guinea trace a supply path to Aus-tralia, including the CA fleet that traces supply out of the Solo-mon Sea, into the Coral Sea and then to Australia. Australian units are in supply.

• The British units in South Africa are in the British home area and are in supply.

• The Indian units receive supply directly from areas in India, so the units in Assam are in supply.

• The Chinese Nationalist units trace supply to any resource area in China except Hong Kong and are currently in supply. The Chinese Communist units are always in supply.

14.33 Production Phase: The Allied player now calculates his available resources. Unlike the Japanese player he only accounts for WERPs (not oil points and transport points).• The Chinese Nationalists receive 2 WERPs for control of Chun-

gking and Yunnan. • The Chinese Communists will receive 1 free step.• The Commonwealth can receive a maximum of 8 WERPs for

controlling key Commonwealth areas. While the Allied player controls South Africa, Bombay, New Delhi, Bengal, Darwin and New South Wales, he no longer controls Singapore and Hong Kong. This reduces the available Commonwealth WERPs from 8 to 6. In addition, if no area in India or Australia is contested or enemy-occupied, then 3 of the available WERPs are sent to aid Europe (per 9.31). This reduces the available WERPs down to only 3.

• The US receives 20 WERPs per Production Phase in 1942.

Strategic warfare is not conducted during the Allied player turn. The Allied player considers his military situation and spends his available WERPs for each nation as follows:

• Chinese Nationalists: Cadre Step of Infantry at 2 WERPs—There is one available infantry unit in the Nationalist force pool. He places the new 1-step infantry unit in Hupei.

• Chinese Communists: Replacement Step of Infantry at 1 WERP—He increases the 1-step infantry unit in Kansu to 2 steps.

• Commonwealth: One New 2-Step Indian Infantry at 3 WERPs —There is a 2-step Indian infantry unit in the force pool. He pays 2 WERPs for the cadre step and 1 WERP to complete the unit and places it in Assam to bolster the Burma border.

• US: ◊ Partial CV Step for 1 WERP: He moves the marker at step 3

on the CV Build Track to 4. This will complete a CV fleet step. He will place a new 1-step CV fleet in the USA after produc-tion is complete.

◊ Partial CV Step for 1 WERP: He moves the marker at step 1 on the CV Build Track to step 2.

◊ Two Partial CA Steps for 2 WERPs on the Cruiser Build Track: Moving the markers from the 2 box to the 3 box. This completes two CA steps. He will place a new 2-step CA fleet in the USA after production is complete.

◊ Two CBA unit at 3 WERPS each: He pays 2 WERPs for the CBA cadre step and 1 WERP for the regular step for each unit. The full-strength CBA units are placed in the orphan holding box awaiting deployment to CV fleet steps in the USA.

◊ Three Submarine Points at 6 WERPS: Each submarine point costs 2 WERPS. Three additional submarine points will move his total to 8 submarine points.

◊ One 3-Step Infantry Unit at 4 WERPs: He pays 2 WERPs for the cadre step and 2 WERPs for the additional two steps and places this unit in the USA.

Production is now complete, and the build markers for the three completed naval steps are removed from the track and returned to the US Force Pool. They may be used to initiate 3 new partial steps next turn. One of the CBA units is removed from the orphan holding box and placed in the holding box corresponding to the new CV fleet placed in the US. New CV fleets are immediately stocked with CBA units if any are available in the orphan holding box.

Figure #11

A

B

C

D

E

F

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14.34 Air & Naval Combat Phase: There are two naval combats to resolve. The Allied player chooses to resolve the one in the Solo-mon Sea first followed by the one in the South Central Pacific (see Figure #12). Historical Note: the first combat represents the Battle of Savo Island and the second combat represents the Battle of the Eastern Solomons.

In the Solomon Sea, the battle proceeds as follows:DAY OR NIGHT: Both players decide whether to attempt Day or Night Interception and reveal their choices simultaneously. Neither player sent CV fleets into this battle, but the Japanese has LBA units on Lae which could participate. The Americans must choose night, as they have no air units. The Japanese also choose night, though they could have chosen day. The Japanese player has sent the powerful elite CA fleet which receives a +1 on Night Interception attempts. The Japanese player achieves surprise by rolling three higher (modi-fied to be four higher) than the Allied player’s die roll. The result is that Japanese player fires first and any losses are taken immediately by the Allied player before he can return fire. NAVAL COMBAT ROUND 1: There is one round of Night combat. Both sides reveal their fleets. The 4-step elite CA unit has one hit bonus (elite) and rolls four dice needing 5’s to hit and 4’s to damage. He scores one hit, which is a devastating loss due to the surprise attack. The Allied player reduces the CA fleet to 1 step. The Allied player receives no hit bonuses and rolls one die needing 6’s to hit and 5’s to damage and he misses. Neither player placed a submarine into this battle. NAVAL COMBAT ROUND 2: The Interception process is repeated again, with the Japanese player choosing Night (with the +1 bonus to his die roll), but the Allied player understandably chooses Avoid. When this is revealed, the battle is over. The Allied player rebases the 1-step CA fleet to New South Wales. The Japanese 4-step elite CA fleet remains in the Solomon Sea.

In the South Central Pacific, the battle proceeds as follows:DAY OR NIGHT: Both players secretly decide whether to attempt Day or Night Interception and reveal their choices simultaneously. Both players sent CV fleets into this battle so both declare for a Day Interception, which automatically causes two rounds of combat. Neither player achieves surprise, so the results of the combat rounds will be applied simultaneously. The Japanese BB fleet and CA fleets and the Allied CA fleets do not participate in the combat except as targets and AA platforms. Both sides now reveal their fleets and CBA units and start the first round of combat.AIR DETERMINATION: Both players secretly commit their CBA units to Attack, Escort or CAP sections. Both players take an ag-gressive stance and commit both CBA units to the Attack sections. Air-to-air combat is resolved first, however, neither player com-mitted CBA units to the Escort and CAP sections. No air-to-air combat occurs.AA FIRE: The fleets fire AA. The Japanese fleets total seven steps which are halved (dropping fractions) for three AA shots. The Japanese player rolls three dice needing 6’s and gets no hits. The US fleets total eight steps which are halved for four AA shots. The Allied player rolls four dice needing 6’s and gets no hits.

The CBA units in the Attack sections can now target fleets.A: The Japanese player targets the US CV fleet with a 2-step CBA unit, which has one hit bonus (CBA targeting CV). He rolls two dice needing 5’s to hit and 4’s to damage and scores 1 damage result. He targets the 4-step CA fleet with the other 2-step CBA unit, which has

one hit bonus (CBA targeting CA). He rolls two dice needing 5’s to hit and 4’s to damage and scores 1 damage result.

B: Now the Allied player targets the Japanese CV fleet with a 2-step CBA unit, which has one hit bonus (CBA targeting CV). He rolls two dice needing 5’s to hit and 4’s to damage and scores 1 damage result. He targets the CA fleet with the other 2-step CBA unit, which has one hit bonus (CBA targeting CA). He rolls two dice needing 5’s to hit and 4’s to damage and scores 1 hit.

The CBA return to their respective CV fleets. A damaged CV step may only hold a CBA cadre step, so one of the CBA units for both players must flip over to its cadre side. At the end of the first round of combat, the Japanese player has suffered one CV damage result (causing a 1-step CBA loss) and one CA step loss, and the Allied player has suffered one CV damage result (causing a 1-step CBA loss) and one CA damage result.

Now a second round of combat begins. Both players once again secretly commit their CBA units to their choice of duties. Both continue to place their CBA units into the Attack sections. No air-to-air (Escort-to-CAP) combat occurs.AA FIRE: The fleets fire AA. The Japanese fleets total six steps which are halved for three AA shots. The Japanese player rolls three dice needing 6’s and gets one hit. The US fleets total eight steps which are halved for four AA shots. The Allied player rolls four dice needing 6’s and gets one hit. Both players flip the other CBA units over to the reduced side. JAPANESE AIR STRIKE: The CBA units in the Attack sections can now target fleets. The Japanese player targets the US CV fleet with both of his 1-step CBA units, which have one hit bonus (CBA

Figure #12

A

B



targeting CV). He rolls two die needing 5’s to hit and 4’s to damage but misses with both dice. US AIR STRIKE: Likewise the Allied player targets the Japanese CV fleet with both 1-step CBA units needing 5’s to hit and 4’s to damage and also misses.END OF ROUND: The CBA return to their respective CV fleets. At the end of the second round of combat, the Japanese player has suffered one CV damage result (causing a 1-step CBA loss), another 1-step CBA loss due to AA and one CA step loss, while the Allied player has suffered a 1-step CBA loss due to AA, one CV damage result (causing a 1-step CBA loss), another CV damage result and a CA damage result.SUBMARINE COMBAT: The full-strength US submarine unit is present in this combat. The Allied decides to engage the enemy dam-aged steps (meaning the CV fleet). First the Japanese player rolls two dice (for the damaged 2-step Japanese CV fleet) needing 6’s to hit the submarine but he misses. The US submarine now targets the CV fleet, and the Allied player rolls two dice needing 5’s and he hits, sinking the damaged CV step. Now the US submarine is placed back in the submarine holding box.DAMAGE RESOLUTION: Both players perform damage resolu-tion. Since the damaged Japanese CV step was sunk, he has nothing to determine. The US player rolls for the damaged CV step and rolls a 3, meaning a damaged marker is placed in the 2 box of the CV build track, and the CV fleet is rotated to its 1-step side. The remaining CV step of both sides can hold two steps of CBA, so both sides will arrive in port holding the two CBA cadres on a single CV step. The Allied player also rolls for the one CA damage result and rolls a 5, so he places the Damage marker onto step 2 of the Cruiser Build Track and reduces the CA fleet by one step.DAY OR NIGHT: The Interception process is repeated again, with the US again choosing Day, but the Japanese player chooses Avoid, ending the battle without a roll. He rebases his battered fleet to Truk. The battered US fleet remains in the South Central Pacific. Histori-cal Note: while the losses in the action were roughly comparable, they were very difficult to replace for the Japanese, while the US managed the have the severely damaged CV Enterprise back on line in a few months.

14.35 Operational Movement Phase: The Allied ground units now conduct operational movement, which includes amphibious invasions. The Allied player chooses to avoid moving the British, the Indian and Australian infantry units.A. The US marine unit in the Vanuatu sea zone invades Guadalca-nal. The US LBA unit at Espiritu Santo flies across the sea zone to support the amphibious invasion at Guadalcanal.B. Two 2-step Nationalist Chinese infantry units move from Hunan to Chekiang, threatening Shanghai, while the newly placed 1-step Nationalist Chinese infantry unit in Hupei moves to Hunan, causing some consternation for the Japanese player.

14.36 Strategic Movement Phase: The Allied player embarks the 3-step infantry unit at Hawaii, and performs strategic movement to the New Hebrides and disembarks at New Caledonia. He embarks and moves the newly-built 3-step infantry unit at USA and moves and disembarks at Hawaii. He sees no other strategic moves he wishes to perform, having used two of the four available.

14.37 Ground Combat Phase: The Allied player resolves ground combats in the order he wishes.A. At Guadalcanal, the Allied player declares the combat type to be Normal for the initial round of combat. The Japanese do not have air units over Guadalcanal, so there is no dogfighting. The Allied LBA will automatically provide ground support. The Japanese infantry unit receives one hit bonus (first round versus amphibious invasion) and rolls two dice needing 5’s and scores one hit. The US marine unit takes one step loss. Next, the marine unit receives two hit bonuses—the two marine steps receive ground support from the 2-step LBA unit supporting the invasion. Had the third step survived, it would have fired with only a single hit-bonus. The Allied player rolls two dice needing 4’s and only scores one hit! The Japanese infantry unit takes a step loss. The Allied player does not purchase a Breakthrough Combat Phase with his available Special Action, preferring to avoid risking the loss of another step. The combat is over and Guadalcanal is now contested. Historical Note: the losses in this example cover the ferocious Japanese defense of the various islands at Guadalcanal as well as the immediately tenuous support situation for the US marine unit.

B. At Gili-Gili, the Allied player declares the combat type to be Normal. The Japanese marine unit has no hit bonuses and the Japa-nese player rolls one die needing 6’s and misses. The Australian infantry unit has no hit bonuses and the Allied player rolls two dice needing 6’s and hits! The Japanese marine unit is eliminated. Historical Note: the Japanese loss in this example covers both the little disaster at Milne Bay as well as the desperate actions along the Kokoda Trail.

14.38 Rebasing Phase: Both players rebase fleets as follows:• The 4-step elite Japanese CA fleet in Solomon Sea rebases to

Truk.• The 1-step US CV fleet and the supporting 3-step CA fleet and

2-step CA fleet rebase to Espiritu Santo.

14.39 Final Supply Determination Phase and Turn Advancement Phase: All Allied units and fleets remain in full supply, tracing safely back to their respective home areas.

An entire game turn is complete. There has been no shift in victory points or resources (production and oil) but the struggle to dominate New Guinea and the Solomon Islands has greatly intensified. The stage is set for the September / October 1942 game turn.



��.0 SCENARIOS15.1 Surprise!This scenario covers the period of Japanese expansion, and is a good training scenario to learn how best to play the Japanese early. Use the setup for the Nov/Dec 1941 campaign game, but only play up through the Jul/Aug 1942 game turn (if needed) using the following sudden death victory conditions:

Victory Conditions:The number of Japanese controlled victory points/areas determines both when the game end and who wins. A victory determination check is made at the completion of each Allied Player-turn.

Allied Continue to Victory Turn Victory next turn Victory Nov/Dec 1941 1 - 3 4 - 6 7+ Jan/Feb 1942 1 - 5 6 - 7 8+ Mar/Apr 1942 1 - 6 7 - 8 9+ May/Jun 1942 1 - 7 8 9+ Jul/Aug 1942 1 - 8 - 9+Historically the Japanese got to 8 VPs. They then tried for Port Moresby and Midway, but failed in both attempts.

15.2 Tipping the Balance (Guadalcanal)This scenario covers the period when the USA attempts to seize the initiative from the Japanese, while the Japanese struggle to keep it. This is a good tournament scenario as it only covers five turns and both sides get to attack and defend. The duration should be less than three hours.

15.3 Nov/Dec 1941 Campaign GameThis scenario covers the entire war, including the opening surprise attacks by the Japanese Empire. Once you are familiar with the game systems, this scenario should take 8-10 hours to play.

15.4 Jan/Feb 1942 Campaign GameThis scenario covers the entire war except for the initial surprise attacks. The Nov/Dec 1941 game turn takes the longest to play, be-cause it is so critical to Japan to maximize every early advantage. By skipping this one turn, and accepting the historical results achieved by Japan (which were very good), player can trim about an hour off the play time and finish the game in 7-9 hours, once they are comfortable with the game’s systems.



16.0 AE & EE COMBINED GAME16.1 General RulesThese rules allow you to play Asia Engulfed (AE) alongside Europe Engulfed (EE) in one large campaign game portraying the whole war. Set up Asia Engulfed, using either the Nov/Dec 1941 or the Jan/Feb 1942 campaign setup. Then play Europe Engulfed until the selected turn for the Asia theatre set-up arrives. At that time, play both games side-by-side following the same turn advancement. The below rules affect inter-theatre decisions for the Allies (only), which is a new level of decision making provided by combining the games.

16.2 Inter-theatre Transfers for the Western AlliesGround units, air units, and naval forces may be transferred between theatres by the Western Allies. For each transfer specified in rules 16.21-16.23, the transferring Power (USA or Great Britain/ Com-monwealth) must expend a Special Action during the Operational Movement Phase within the receiving theatre. For each transfer specified below, the units transferred must come from/arrive in an uncontested supplied port and this is the only move allowed by those units for that phase. Transfers occur in the Operational Movement Phase (only).

16.21 GROUND UNITS: One ground unit may be transferred between theatres as in 16.2, except that the Marine units and the optional 1-step airborne unit [13.4] can never be transferred from AE to EE. The ground unit retains all its properties and steps in the new theatre. Note that this method will allow armor, cavalry, and airborne to appear in AE. Armor, cavalry, and airborne function in AE as they do in EE except that armor cannot operate in jungle terrain and rule 5.13 differs between the two theatres for airborne units [13.4].

16.22 AIR UNITS: A GSU from EE becomes 5 LBA steps in AE, and vice-versa. Countermix limits still apply in both theatres.

16.23 NAVAL FORCES: A Fleet Point in EE becomes a BB step and a CA step in AE and vice-versa. The extra 2 WERPs spent in EE for a Fleet Point represents both a transport step (not tracked for the Allies in AE) and the initial turn of Naval Maintenance expense. The Fleet Point does not come from or go to a friendly port in EE, but rather to/from a sea-zone with a friendly supplied and uncontested port adjoining it.

16.3 Inter-theatre ProductionThe Western Allies (Only) have some flexibility in how they assign WERPs between theatres as follows:

16.31 GREAT BRITAIN/COMMONWEALTH: The three WERPs per turn that are subtracted from the Commonwealth’s production in AE may be declined by EE so that they remain in the AE theatre. This will reduce Great Britain’s base WERPs of 24 in EE by three and increase AE’s Commonwealth WERPs three. The AE WERPs may only be declined if Britain has 5 or more WERPs available for Europe after strategic warfare has been resolved, and naval maintenance has been paid in EE. No other WERP transfers between theatres are allowed for Great Britain.

16.32 THE USA: The USA may use AE WERPs to purchase items in EE and vice-versa. Each two WERPs transferred allows one WERP of production in the other theatre.

16.33 THE SOVIETS: The Soviets may not produce new units on the AE map. They may replace damaged units already there per the normal EE Rules. The one WERP for Vladivostok is part of the 17 WERPs shown in the Urals on the EE map. If Vladivostok falls to the Japanese, reduce the value of the Urals to 16 WERPs.

16.4 Soviet Inter-theatre Transfers and MovementThe Soviets must expend a Special Action in EE to either:• Move up to four blocks between Europe and Vladivostok (in

either direction).• Activate up to six blocks to move and fight on the AE map.

��.4� Each Special Action spent in Europe allows one of the two above options for the current player-turn only.

��.4� The Soviets and the Japanese both have markers for the General Information Track indicating defending infantry steps for Vladivostok and for North Manchukuo, respectively. Both of these markers represent one large immovable unit of infantry which begins at 10 steps for each scenario, and may be increased one step per turn at a cost of one WERP. These units are considered full-strength at 20 steps. These units may only be used to defend or attack within their respective areas.

��.43 The Soviets place the four elite infantry units from EE in Vladivostok until they are transferred per the EE rules to Europe (this one-time transfer of the four elite infantry units from AE to EE does not require a Special Action). The Soviets are not forced to make this transfer, but they may not make this transfer before the turn indicated by the EE rules (they can make it later).

��.44 The Soviets may not declare war on the Japanese until any turn after Germany has been conquered. The Japanese may declare war on the Soviets if they currently have a transport capacity of 25 or higher. Otherwise they may not declare war on the Soviets. The elite infantry units do not require a Special Action to move and fight in the Asian theatre unless they had previously been transferred to Europe.

16.5 Combined Game Victory ConditionsWhen playing the combined game, the following victory conditions are applied:• Determine the level of victory per the standard victory condi-

tions in each theatre.• The overall winner is the side with the more valuable victory. In

case of a tie, the winner of the European theatre wins the com-bined game by the narrowest of margins.

�3Asia Engulfed PLAYBOOK


Japanese Player Turn (as Phasing Player)• JapanesePlayer:ResetTransportsAvailableMarker[1.1]

Naval Movement Phase• Naval Move [Phasing Player]:Declareonedestinationsea-zone,move all fleets and troop transports [5.31] desired into this sea-zone[8.21]usingtherulesofNavalMovement[8.22].Fleetsmayconsolidatebeforeleavingport

◊ Infantryandmarineunits involved inanAmphibious Invasion[7.2]mustmovetosea[5.31]

• Naval Reaction Move [Non-Phasing Player]:React(ifdesired)tothissea-zonewithfleetsinportand/orsubmarineunitsinholdingbox—andconsolidatefleetsbeforeleavingport[8.11]ifdesired

• Submarine Reaction [Phasing Player]: May place submarineunit(s) ifNon-Phasingplayer reactswithfleets into this sea-zone[8.25]

• Repeatthesequenceaboveforothersea-zonesasdesired• Extended Naval Operations [Phasing Player]:MayuseaSpecialActiontoallowfleetswhichhavemoved[8.22]tomoveagain(onlyonceperfleet)[8.23]

• Extended Naval Reaction [Non-Phasing Player]:Asubmarineunitintheoriginationzonemaymakeasubmarineattack[8.5]againstthewholedepartingfleet[8.23]andthenmayreact(withotherfleets)tothenewsea-zonedesignatedbytheextendedoperations[8.23]

• Japanese Player: Total the number of fleets moved/reacted andnumberoftransportsmoved-subtractoil&transportpointsused

Initial Supply Determination Phase• Jungle Attrition [Jul/Aug Turn]:Reduceunitsincontestedjungleareas(JapanesePlayerturnonly,affectsbothplayers)[6.72]

• Japanese Supply Network [Japanese Player Turn only]:Selectsea-zones desired for the Supply Network [3.5] and place/adjustTransportmarkersandthenadjusttheTransportsAvailablemarker[3.51]; May use submarine to cover a sea-zone in the SupplyNetwork[3.52]

• Supply Status [Phasing Player]:Checksupplystatusofallunitsbytracingasupplypath[3.1]perareatype[3.2]tosupplysources[3.3]acrosssea-zones[3.4]asnecessary;markout-of-supplyunitsandnoteeffects[3.6-3.7]

Production Phase• Resources [Phasing Player]:CalculateavailableWERPsandoilpoints[4.1]

• Strategic Warfare [Japanese Player Turn Only] ◊ ConductASW[2.11] ◊ Conductthesubmarinecampaign[2.12-2.14] ◊ Conductstrategicbombing[2.4]

• Production [Phasing Player]:SpendremainingWERPsasdesired ◊ Purchasereplacementstorebuildreducedunitsonmap[4.3] ◊ Producenewunits[4.4]accordingtotheproductionprotocols&

limits[4.6],buildingovertimeasnecessary[4.7] ◊ Constructfieldfortifications[6.8]andrepairports[8.71-8.73] ◊ Garrison units and replacement steps added outside of Japan

affectavailabletransports[4.5] ◊ JapanandChineseNationalistsmaysufferPartisaneffects[4.8]

Air & Naval Combat Phase• Air & Naval Combat [Phasing Player]: Perform the followingprocedureonesea-zoneatatimeineachsea-zone[8.3]wherefleetsfrombothsidesresideand/orwheresubmarinesfromeithersidecansubjectanenemyfleettoattack

◊ Naval Interception -Bothsideschooseapproach[8.31]resultinginNightorDaycombat[8.4]ornocombat[8.32](Avoid)

◊ Consolidation:Performconsolidation[8.11]priortoeachround ◊ PerformfleetrebasingifAvoidwaschosen[8.32] ◊ Either:performNightCombat—oneround[8.41](noair)

◊ Or:performDayCombat—tworounds[8.42](onlyairunitsmayattack)

◊ Then: resolve Submarine Unit Combat [8.5] either againstdamagedenemysteps[8.51]orundamagedenemyfleets[8.52]

◊ Finally:performDamageResolution[8.6]• Repeat the sequence startingwithNaval Interception—until onlyonesideremainsinthesea-zone

• Port/Airbase Attacks [Phasing Player]:CVfleetsinanuncontestedsea-zoneandLBA inanadjacentuncontested areamayconductPort/AirbaseAttacks[8.7]

Operational Movement Phase• Move Ground & LBA Units [Phasing Player]:Maymoveunitspermovementrules[5.1],notingrestrictionsforleavingcontestedareas[5.14]andobservingstackinglimitsindestinationareas[5.4]

◊ Infantry andmarine units involved in anAmphibious Invasionconductamphibiousinvasions[7.2]

Strategic Movement Phase• Strat-MoveGround&AirUnits[PhasingPlayer]:MaymovegroundandLBA[5.21]andorphanedCBA[5.22]tracingacontrolledpath[5.22&5.23]accordingtonationallimits[5.24]

Ground Combat Phases• Ground Combat [Phasing Player]:Initiatecombatinanyorderasrequiredordesired[6.1]

◊ Initial Combat Phase: Phasing Player conducts one round ofcombat in each area—it is required in a newly contested area[6.1],optionalotherwise.

◊ RepeatedroundsofcombatarerequiredinIslandBoxes[6.75]• Round of Combat [6.2] ◊ Declarethetypeofcombat—NormalorAssault[6.3]accounting

forterrainrestrictionsoncombattype[6.7] ◊ DeclareandresolveAirCombat[6.21&6.22] ◊ ResolveGroundCombat[6.23,6.24&6.25]usinghit-bonuses

[6.4],notingground-supportrestrictions[6.5],terraineffects[6.7]andfortificationeffects[6.84]

• Breakthrough Combat [Phasing Player]:ConductoneroundofcombatperSpecialActionexpendedperroundperarea[6.6]withadditionalconditionsforalignedMajorPowers[6.62]

Rebasing Phase• Fleet Rebasing [Both]:Allfleetsinasea-zonemustreturntoport—nonemayremainatsea[8.8]—eithertoaportofchoicebyalegalmove[8.22]ortohomeport

• Non-PhasingPlayer-first(allreactingfleetsatsea)• Phasing Player - second ◊ Fleets&trooptransportsremainingatsea ◊ Anymarineunitsover-stackedafterAmphibiousInvasion ◊ Non-moved Phasing Player fleets in port that wish to change

ports ◊ Consolidation[8.11]ispermittedinthedestinationport

Final Supply Determination Phase• Final Supply Status [Phasing Player]:Checkall friendlyareas,unitsandfleetsforsupplystatus[3.0]

• Eliminate all units and fleets that cannot receive at least PartialSupply[3.8]

Allied Player Turn• Repeat the Japanese Player Turn Phases above, with the AlliedPlayerasthePhasingPlayer(ignoreJapanesePlayerTurnactions)

Turn Advancement Phase• CheckforAutomaticVictory[10.3]• CheckforScenarioVictoryifapplicable• Ifnoneachieved,advanceturnmarkertostartanewgameturn

Extended Sequence of Play



COST TO BUILD CHARTUnit/Resource WERP Cost Garrison Unit 1 Infantry/Militia Step 1 Japanese Marine Step 2 USA Marine Step 3 LBA Step 1 CBA Step 1 Bomber Point 5 Submarine Point/Step 2 ASW Improvement 10 (1 per turn [4.62]) Aircraft Carrier Step 4 (1 per step per turn [4.7]) Battleship Step 5 (1 per step per turn [4.7]) Cruiser Step 3 (1 per step per turn [4.7]) Add Transport Point to Capacity 1 (1 per turn [4.7]) Field Fortification 1/2/5* Repair Damaged Port 1 (1 per port per turn [4.61]) Each Special Action 5*1 for an island box / 2 for a port box / 5 for a large areaNote: Except for militia units and garrison units, the cadre step, or initial step, of each new ground unit and CBA unit costs twice the normal amount (e.g. a new Japanese marine unit would cost 4 WERPs for the initial step while an American marine would cost 6 WERPs, while a new militia unit would only cost 1 WERP for each step). Fleets, submarine units, and LBA units do not pay double for the first step.

Submarine Attack Table Die Submarine Points Roll 1-8 9-16 17-24 25-32 33+ � 0 0 1 1 1 � 0 1 1 1 2 3 0 1 1 2 2 4 1 1 2 2 3 � 1 2 2 3 3 � 1 2 3 3 4 � 2 3 3 4 4The number shown represents the number of WERPs, oil points, and transport capacity (each) lost by the Japanese player. • Move US Dud Torpedoes marker down one for each roll of 1-3.• Add one to die roll if US Dud Torpedoes marker has reached zero.

ASW Table Die Current ASW Level Roll 0 � � � - - 1 � - - 1 3 - 1 1 4 - 1 2 � 1 1 2 � 1 2 3The number shown is the number of submarine points that are eliminated.

Port Capacities Port Size Fleets Allowed AA Dice Small 2 0 Medium 4 1 Large 8 2 Home Unlimited 4

SEQUENCE OF PLAYJAPANESE PLAYER-TURN (Japanese as Phasing Player)

1. Naval Movement Phase—One sea-zone at a time: a. Phasing Player declares destination sea-zone b. Phasing Player moves all fleets desired to this zone c. Non-phasing Player reacts, if desired into same zone d. Phasing Player places submarine unit, if desired Repeat above four steps as necessary e. Japanese Player subtracts oil & transport points used

2. Initial Supply Determination Phase a. Jul/Aug turns—Reduce units in contested jungle areas (Japa-

nese Player-turn only, affects both players) b. Supply Network adjustment (Japanese only) c. Subtract transport points used (Japanese only) d. Check All Units for Supply and Mark out of supply Units

3. Production Phase a. Calculate available WERPs and oil points b. Resolve strategic warfare (Japanese Player-turn only) c. Spend remaining WERPs as desired

4. Air & Naval Combat PhaseOne sea-zone at a time (Phasing Player chooses order): a. Interception check made if both sides have fleets b. Day or night combat round(s) resolved c. Submarine unit combat resolved Repeat from interception check above (Until only one side remains

in sea-zone)5. Operational Movement Phase Ground and Air Units Move6. Strategic Movement Phase7. Ground Combat Phases8. Initial Combat Phase9. Breakthrough Combat Phase(s)10. Rebasing Phase11. Final Supply Determination Phase

ALLIED PLAYER-TURN - The phases above are repeated, with the Allied player as the Phasing Player.

TURN ADVANCEMENT PHASE

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