NIMITZ Java Sea 42 What if (1)
I just had a NIMITZ game with a friend, nothing extraordinary, simply a perep game to familiarize with my next JAVA42 campaign for HALSEY.
Opposing forces were fairly similar, 2 Cas & 2 CLs a side, with a bunch of DDs :
Starting positions as per Nimitz rules
Closer look on the IJN
And on the ABDA
On the 1st turn –sorry no pics – ABDA moved first all ships at high speed, IJN at high speed too. This resulted in a crossing of the T by the IJN, but still out of range. ABDA won initiative and let IJN play first on 2nd turn, which saw fleets come into range at high speed again, parallel and on opposite coourses to each other. First blood to ABDA, with a secondary hit of Houston against Shigure that damaged the DD and destroyed a torpedo mount. No hit in the primary phase for ABDA, but Shiratsuyu & Samidare responded with concentrated fire on USS Ford, crippling the old 4 piper. Shigure fired its remaining torpedo mount at Exeter, missing (long range, long lances hitting on a 6).
3rd turn was the decision turn, illustrating how fast a decision can be reached in NIMITZ. IJN opted to move first at high speed, and ABDA did the same. No hits in the secondary phase, as Houston was the only ship able to perform it that turn. In the main battery phase, Shiratsuyu was crippled by De Ruyter, and in its turn, de Ruyter was hit by return fire by IJN DDs, losing 3 structure boxes. Samidare was – barely, we rolled a dice to settle the case – at effective torpedo range, fired both mounts and hit Houston. Damage roll was a 3, yielding a +6 differential against Houston’s armor, sinking the Galloping Ghost of the Java Sea.
Lots was learned in the game, we’ll have a refight switching sides, before we go on in earnest with the campaign…