PS Rules 8 Jan20

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1 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

Carrier Battle: Philippine Sea 6.4 Dusk/Night Recovery and Illumination


Carrier Battle: Philippine Sea is a solitaire game about 7.0 JAPANESE FORCES
the Battle of the Philippine Sea, fought June 19-20, 7.1 Japanese Force Arrival
1944, near the Mariana Islands. This was the greatest 7.2 Japanese Force Movement
aircraft carrier battle in history and also the last time 7.3 Intelligence Levels
the Japanese navy sortied seeking a decisive action 7.4 Level 4 Carrier Forces
with the serious hope that it might win. The Americans 7.5 Double Forces (Optional)
accomplished their mission of protecting the invasion 8.0 DETECTION AND SEARCH
fleet and shot down a great many Japanese aircraft, 8.1 Detection
but many US naval officers were disappointed with the 8.2 Air Search Missions
result. Can you do better? 8.3 Air Search Resolution
The game focuses on the central problems of 9.0 JAPANESE CARRIER FORCES
carrier warfare: searching for the enemy, evaluating 9.1 Butai Display
intelligence, launching air strikes, and protecting one’s 9.2 Air Points, Known Air Strength, and Air Value
own fleet from enemy raids. The game rules dictate
10.0 JAPANESE AIR RAIDS
how Japanese forces arrive in play, move, and attack.
10.1 Air Raid Procedure
TABLE OF CONTENTS 10.2 Raid Placement and Movement
10.3 Air Raid Return
1.0 INTRODUCTION 11.0 JAPANESE LAND-BASED AIR
1.1 Game Overview and Basic Concepts 11.1 Land Air Bases and Units
1.2 How to Learn the Game 11.2 Land-Based Air Raids
2.0 GAME EQUIPMENT 12.0 DAMAGE, FIRE, AND CRIPPLED SHIPS
2.1 Game Map 12.1 US Carrier Damage
2.2 US and Japanese Displays 12.2 Japanese Carrier Damage
2.3 Unit Counters 12.3 Fire
2.4 Player Aids 12.4 Crippled Ships
2.5 Dice 12.5 Surface Ship Damage
3.0 SEQUENCE OF PLAY 13.0 COMMITMENT
3.1 Sequence Outline 13.1 Commitment Index
3.2 Activation Chits 13.2 Commitment Limits
4.0 US AIR MISSIONS 14.0 SUBMARINES
4.1 Air Mission Displays 14.1 U. S. Submarines
4.2 Air Strike Missions 14.2 Japanese Submarines
4.3 Intercept Missions 15.0 VICTORY CONDITIONS
4.4 US Air Mission Movement 15.1 Victory Points
4.5 Air-to-air Combat
ADVANCED RULES
5.0 AIR/SEA COMBAT
16.0 LAND AIR REINFORCEMENTS
5.1 US Air Strike Attack Procedure
16.1 Land Air Reinforcements Procedure
5.2 Contact
16.2 Land Air Reinforcement Arrival
5.3 Surprise
17.0 LEEWARD MOVEMENT
5.4 Japanese CAP
18.0 ADVANCED SEARCH OPTIONS
5.5 Anti-aircraft Fire
18.1 Shadowing
5.6 Air-to-Ship Attacks
18.2 Extended Search Range
5.7 Japanese Air Raid Attack Procedure
18.3 Location Uncertainty
6.0 TASK GROUPS AND CARRIER OPERATIONS 19.0 RETIREMENT
6.1 Task Group Display 20.0 JAPANESE REFUELLING
6.2 Air Operations 21.0 SURFACE COMBAT
6.3 US Movement 22.0 NIGHT AIR OPERATIONS
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 2

23.0 SHUTTLE RAIDS TO GUAM much strength to put into an attack.


24.0 ADDITIONAL VARIANTS Each game turn consists of four identical action phases.
24.1 TG 58.1 Not Present In each phase, some portion of the Japanese forces
24.2 Less Effective Interception (chosen by chit draw) can move and attack. In every
24.3 No US Submarines action phrase, air units of both sides fly missions and
24.4 New Japanese Aircraft Types are moved around on the carriers.
1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.2 HOW TO LEARN THE GAME
The rules to Carrier Battle: Philippine Sea are lengthy,
This section gives a broad and general overview of the but they have been structured to assist you in learning
game. For precise rules on all topics mentioned see them. We strongly recommend you begin by reading
the later rules sections. rules section 2 (Game Equipment) and section 3
(Sequence of Play) and then read the Comprehensive
1.1 GAME OVERVIEW AND BASIC CONCEPTS Example of Play, which appears in the Play Book. This
In Carrier Battle: Philippine Sea, you control a US fleet will give you a good idea of how the game works,
consisting of carriers, their air units, and surface units. providing context for understanding the actual rules.
These are organized into task groups. Aircraft are Like its predecessor game Carrier (Victory Games,
controlled mainly on the off-map displays on the right- 1990), Carrier Battle: Philippine Sea includes many
hand side of the mapsheet. Aircraft are either on board mechanics and concepts not found in other wargames.
a carrier or organized as part of an air mission (strike or So that you may learn these in small chunks, the rules
intercept). Aircraft on board a carrier are moved about use the method of programmed instruction, making
the task group displays to indicate their current state use of small scenarios to teach the game.
of readiness: stored in the hangar, arming and fuelling,
ready on the flight deck, etc. Scenarios 1 through 5 each introduce a new portion of
the full rules set as well as a specific part of the actual
The Japanese appear in the game as forces. A force battle. Thus, in addition to teaching the rules, these
counter can represent many ships or none at all. Forces scenarios serve as an introduction to the history. It is
arrive randomly and move initially according to a strongly recommended to learn the game by playing
concept of mission movement, attempting to reach the these scenarios, each of which can be set up and
invasion areas off Saipan. After contacting US forces, played fairly quickly. Each of these scenarios appears in
they maneuver for best tactical advantage. the Play Book, and the rules indicate the specific point
In each turn, you will ready planes, launch them on at which you should stop reading and play each one.
search missions, and then launch air strikes against Scenarios 6 through 9, also in the Play Book, are the
detected forces. At the same time, Japanese forces full game. The Comprehensive Example illustrates the
within range may launch air raids against you. The opening moves of Scenario 6. Scenarios 7 through 9
first you will learn of an incoming attack is when it present different possible battle situations, but are no
is detected on radar. You will not know the exact more difficult then Scenario 6. The main rules indicate
composition of a force which attacked you; you will the point at which you are ready to play these full
just know how many planes appeared. scenarios.
Japanese forces progress through five different For later variation or increased challenge and realism,
intelligence levels, representing increasingly precise most scenarios include some variations to setup,
and reliable information. All forces start at Level 0, scenario rules, etc. When you are ready, you can also
meaning that you know nothing (not even whether the use any of the Advanced Rules you wish (sections
force is real, or a false contact). With repeated search 16.0 and after). These are not necessary to enjoy the
contacts a force progresses ultimately to Level 4, at game (although some are recommended), but they
which point you know the exact force composition. will extend your enjoyment once you have learned the
standard rules.
Some Japanese forces will be discovered to contain
carriers -- either because you search them, or because While programmed instruction is great for learning, it
they attack you. Japanese carrier forces generate does mean that the rules must be organized in order of
air attacks according to a set of rules that model the teaching and not in order of the sequence of play.
likelihood that a force found you, the likelihood that
it had carriers, and its admiral’s decision about how
3 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

The ‘order of teaching’ is dictated in part by the need to 2.2 US AND JAPANESE DISPLAYS
make bite-size scenarios for learning; this, for example,
The game includes several displays for control of
is why the rules on air-to-air combat [Scenario 1] come
carrier forces and their aircraft. Air units mostly
before rules on actually launching aircraft. To enable
operate on these displays, not on the map itself. These
easier reference during play we have provided a Game
include the Task Group displays (US carrier forces),
Turn Flow Chart, which shows the entire sequence of
Butai displays (Japanese carriers), Air Mission displays
play with rules references. It is recommended to keep
(US), and Guam Air Display (Japanese). (For the
this play-aid in front of you for reference.
meaning of the Japanese word “Butai,” see the design
As you read you will notice some asymmetries in the note in section 9.1.)
terms used in the rules: for example, we speak of US
2.21 The Task Group displays (6.1) are used to hold
“air strikes” but Japanese “air raids,” and of US “task
US ships organized into task groups. US surface
groups” but Japanese “forces.” This is intentional: it
ship counters are rarely placed directly on the map;
reflects that your knowledge of what is going on with
normally they occupy these displays.
US units is much different from your knowledge of the
Japanese, so these entities function differently in the 2.211 There are five historical US task groups,
game. numbered 58.1, 58.2, 58.3, 58.4 and 58.7. Task Group
58.7 is also called “Battle Line”: it has no carriers, but
2.0 GAME EQUIPMENT seven battleships. Since it has no carriers, it does not
have its own task group display, just a holding box.
A complete game of Carrier Battle: Philippine Sea Battle Line has some special abilities for antiaircraft
includes the following components: defense against Japanese raids. Extra surface task
groups are also possible as a scenario variation.
One mapsheet with hexgrid game map and displays
Three die-cut counter sheets 2.22 The air mission displays (4.1) show the units in
One Game Turn Flow Chart player aid card each US air strike or intercept mission, and the amount
One Air Raid Flow Chart / Japanese Movement of fuel remaining for that mission.
Priorities player aid card 2.23 The Butai displays (9.1), on separate cards, are
One Butai Displays player aid card used to hold the ships of Japanese carrier forces, as
Four Charts and Tables cards, printed both sides well as information about the air assets of those forces.
Rule book 2.24 The Guam Air Display (11.2) holds raids launched
One 10-sided die from the Japanese land base of Guam.
2.1 GAME MAP 2.25 The “Task Force 58 -- in hex” box is provided as a
The hex grid game map portrays the area of the Pacific convenience to hold units that are in the same hex as
Ocean where the Battle of the Philippine Sea took Task Force 58, since at times a significant number of
place, at a scale of 33 nautical miles per hex. pieces can be piled into this one hex.
2.11 The Japanese arrival hexes, movement 2.26 For convenience, map boxes are provided to hold
compasses, and movement zones printed on the sunken Japanese ships, Japanese ships exited from
map control the arrival and subsequent movement of the map, and also lost/destroyed US air units. Separate
Japanese forces. boxes are provided for air units lost in the same hex
as a US task group versus units lost elsewhere, as the
2.12 The map depicts certain large islands including
latter are weighted more heavily in assessing victory
Saipan and Guam. (Note, these islands are not drawn
(15.1).
to scale on the map, but are shown at larger size.) A
US carrier task group may not enter an island hex. 2.3 UNIT COUNTERS
Japanese forces may enter any hex. 2.31 The playing pieces represent the ships and aircraft
2.13 The map is divided into an eastern section and a of each side. Many pieces are markers to record
western section. The red line that zig-zags down the information known to you at a given moment.
middle of the map divides eastern map zones from
western ones. The two sections have some different
rules for Japanese movement.
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 4

2.32 US ship units may represent: battle, but might have. The US player can choose
Individual aircraft carriers (CV or CVL), battleships (BB), when setting up the game whether to use these
or anti-aircraft cruisers (CLAA) ships.
• Ships backprinted “Scen 9” are “ghost ships.”
These are intended for use only in Scenario 9, the
Great Carrier Battle of the Pacific. Historically,
these ships had already been sunk in earlier
Heavy or light cruiser divisions (CruDiv, 2-3 ships each) campaigns, and did not appear at the Battle of the
Philippine Sea.
2.36 The following abbreviations are used on the
playing pieces and in the rules:
Destroyer squadrons/divisions (Desron or DesDiv, 3-5
ships each).

2.33 Japanese ship units represent individual aircraft


carriers (CV, CVL), individual battleships (BB), and
groupings of cruisers and destroyers.

A “cruiser force” represents two or more heavy


cruisers plus a screen of destroyers. A “destroyer
force” represents anywhere from three to ten
destroyers, possibly with a light cruiser attached.
2.34 US air units represent 12 aircraft each. Japanese
air points represent about eight aircraft each. (The
different scales were chosen to give the most natural (Note: The game does not distinguish specific types for
representation of the air groups on each side’s Japanese aircraft.)
ships.) Note that because of this and certain other Ship and Ship Unit Types
asymmetries, US and Japanese air-to-air combat use CV - Fleet carrier
separate tables. CVL - Light carrier (see Design Note following)
DESIGN NOTE: Players of the Carrier game will note BB -- Battleship
that the scale for US air units is quite different here. CLAA -- Light Cruiser, Anti-aircraft
That is because of the scale of this battle. More US CruDiv -- Cruiser Division
aircraft and flight decks took part in this battle than in DesDiv -- Destroyer Division
all the South Pacific battles put together. Desron -- Destroyer Squadron
Other
2.341 Certain US air units are night capable (see Unit AA -- Anti-aircraft
Counter Summary). These are treated the same as CAP -- Combat Air Patrol
other units unless using optional rule 22.0. DRM -- Die-roll modifier
2.35 Japanese ships are classified as either “historical,”
“additional,” or “ghost.” DESIGN NOTE: The term “CVL” in US Navy parlance
referred to specific classes of carriers built on light
• Ships with no backprinting are “historical ships.” cruiser hulls. The American fleet in this game includes
These ships took part in the actual battle. a number of these. For convenience we also use the
• Ships backprinted “Addl” are “additional ships.” term to refer to all Japanese carriers below fleet carrier
These are ships that did not take part in the actual size.
5 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

2.4 PLAYER AIDS


The player aids include four charts and tables cards
(printed front and back) with the charts and tables
required to play the game, and three other player
aid cards each printed on one side only: the Game
Turn Flow Chart, the Butai Displays, and the Air Raid
Flow Chart (on the reverse of which is the Japanese
Movement Priorities chart). The Game Turn Flow Chart
and Butai Displays will be needed throughout the
game and will hold pieces; they should be laid out in
a convenient place beside the map. The Air Raid Flow
Chart and the Movement Priorities, like the charts and
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 6

tables, are to be referred to only when needed. The 3.0 SEQUENCE OF PLAY
intent is that once a player is familiar with the rules, the
game can be played mainly from these player aids with Carrier Battle: Philippine Sea is played in game turns.
only infrequent reference to the rule book. Each turn consists of several phases, some of which
At the place where a chart or table is first referenced, are further divided into segments. Each complete turn
the rules will include an indication of where to find it: represents 80 minutes of real time.
for example “Card 1, front” meaning the front side of This full sequence of play is placed here for reference
Card 1. and as a further introduction to the full game. Scenarios
2.41 Many tables list die roll modifiers (DRM). In all 1-4 use only selected portions of the sequence, as
cases, if the modified roll exceeds the greatest value described in scenario special rules. Scenarios 5 and
shown, or is less than the smallest value shown, use after use the full sequence.
that greatest or smallest value. For example if your The Game Turn Flow Chart player-aid card is an
modified die roll is -1, but the smallest die roll line important reference during play. Use the Action Phase
shown is 1, use 1. and Segment markers with this flow chart to record the
2.5 DICE current action phase and segment.
All die rolls in the game use a 10-sided die. A “0” is
read in all cases as “10.”0 SEQUENCE OF PLAY

If any parts are damaged or missing please contact:

Compass Games, LLC


PO Box 278
Cromwell, CT 06416
Phone: (860) 301-0477
E-mail: support@compassgames.com
Online game support is available. Visit us on the
web: https://www.compassgames.com
You can also use the URL or QR code to reach
Compass Games online:
https://linktr.ee/compassgames
7 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

3.1 SEQUENCE OUTLINE End of Action Phase


I. Arrival Phase 1. Check for removal of Inoperative Flight Deck
1. Determine how many Japanese forces arrive this (12.13) and Deck Crash (4.452, if used) markers.
turn (7.1). 2. Move Action Phase marker to next box
2. Place new Japanese forces on the map (7.1). II. Second Action Phase
3. Place Activation Chits for the new forces into the Identical to first.
cup and count the total number of activation chits
in the cup. Place the Chits Per Phase marker (3.24). IV. Third Action Phase

II. First Action Phase Identical to first.

Japanese Air Movement Segment V. Fourth Action Phase


Move all Japanese air raids on the map (10.23 or Identical to first.
scenario-specific rules). VI. Game Turn End Phase
Activation Segment 1. Hit Adjustment step: Japanese “Hit Previous Turn”
1. Draw activation chits. The same number of chits is markers become permanent hits, and “Hit Current
drawn in each phase (3.2). Turn” markers become “Hit Previous Turn.”
2. For each Japanese force activated: 2. Fire Step: Assess fire damage for any US carriers
• Apply the carrier air raid procedure (10.1). currently on fire (12.3).
• If the force is a carrier force, move air units on 3. Japanese Submarine Attack step (6.433):
the Air Raid Return or Turnaround sections of Check for possible submarine attack versus any
its Butai display one box to the right (9.12). illuminated hex. Illumination markers may be
• Move the activated force (7.2). removed.
3. If Guam is activated, carry out the land-based air 4. Advance Game Turn marker and return Action
raid procedure (11.2). Phase and Segment markers to initial boxes.
4. If using rule 16.0, Land Air Reinforcements, and if
the chit for Iwo Jima or Yap/Peleliu is drawn, carry 3.2 ACTIVATION CHITS
out the Land Air Reinforcement procedure. 3.21 Activation chits are used to determine when
5. If the US Subs chit is drawn, resolve US submarine Japanese forces are activated and when certain other
actions (14.1). actions take place. Activation chits are placed in a
6. If the US Move chit is drawn, US task groups / task cup (a coffee mug works well) and drawn during each
forces can move (6.3). Action Phase. Chits are resolved in the order drawn.
US Air Movement Segment 3.22 The following activation chits are available:
Move US air missions and expend fuel (4.4). Japanese Force Activation -- One per force in the
US Air Search Segment (once per game-turn) game.
Once per game turn the US player can declare an Air US Subs -- Scenario 6 and after, only.
Search segment in which he moves search aircraft Guam -- Scenario 6 and after, only.
(8.2) and conducts air searches (8.3). Iwo Jima, Yap/Peleliu -- Only if using Japanese Land
US Air Operations Segment Air Reinforcements (16.0).
For each carrier task group, perform US air US Move - Allows TF 58 and US task groups to
operations -- launch, raising, servicing, lowering, move.
landing (6.2). No Op (these look the same as other activation chits,
but say “No Op”). A No Op chit causes no action
US Interception Segment when drawn; it does not activate anything.
Perform air-to-air combat (4.5) between US
intercept missions and Japanese raids. 3.23 During the arrival phase, you restock the cup with
action chits as follows:
Japanese Air Attack Segment 1. One chit for each force now on the map (including
Perform Japanese air/sea attacks against US task forces arriving that turn, 7.1).
groups (5.7).
US Air Attack Segment
Perform US air/sea attacks against Japanese forces
(5.1), including air-to-air combat against Japanese
CAP.
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 8

2. Include the US Move chit, US Subs chit, and the • Thus, the US can have a maximum total of eight
Guam chit as required by scenario. missions, both types included, at one time; this
3. Include the Iwo Jima and Yap/Peleliu chits if using is a design limit reflecting command and control
optional rule 16.0. limitations.
4. Finally, add No Op chits as required so that the 4.14 An air mission is formed by launching aircraft in
total number of chits in the cup is evenly divisible the Air Operations Segment. The player selects an
by four. unused mission display, places the units in the box,
3.24 One-quarter of the total number of chits are drawn places the Fuel marker on the fuel track, and places
in each action phase. You may place the “Chits Per the mission counter itself onto the map. The mission
Phase” marker on the General Records Track to record counter is placed in the hex containing the task group
this. that launched the units.

EXAMPLE: It is Scenario 6, and there are 14 • An air mission can move, within certain special
Japanese forces on the map. You add the US limits, in the same phase it is placed on the map.
Move, US Subs and the Guam chit. Assume rule See 4.42.
16.0 is not in play, so you will not use the Iwo Jima • Units launched from different task groups in
or Yap/Peleliu chits. The total is 17 chits.17 is not the same hex can be combined into a single air
divisible by four; the next number evenly divisible mission. (Exception: CAP, 4.33) Units launching in
by four is 20, so you add all three No Op chits to the different hexes cannot.
cup as well. You will draw five chits in each of the • Units just launched can be added to a previously
four Action Phases. You place the Chits Per Phase existing air mission (of either type) in the same
marker in the ‘5’ box of the General Records Track. hex, if the player wishes. The mission’s Fuel
marker is set to be the minimum of its current
value, and the Fuel value the launched units would
4.0 US AIR MISSIONS have if placed in a separate mission.
US air units are moved about the map primarily as part • The type of an air mission cannot be changed in
of air missions. There are two types of air mission: flight, e.g. you cannot convert an intercept mission
intercept and air strike. to a strike mission.
• Once air units are placed in a mission they remain
4.1 AIR MISSION DISPLAYS in that mission until they are eliminated or land;
4.11 The US player has sixteen individually identified units cannot be transferred between air missions.
air mission counters: “Air Strike 1” through “Air Strike (Exception: 4.37)
8,” and “Intercept 1” through “Intercept 8.” These 4.15 The Fuel marker for a new mission is placed
represent aircraft flying missions. The air mission initially in the box corresponding to the lowest
counter is placed on the map while the individual air endurance value of any aircraft in the mission.
units are placed on the air mission displays. For example, if a strike mission included both F6F
4.12 There is one air mission display for each (endurance 16) and SB2C (endurance 14) units, place
numbered mission. It contains a box to hold the units the marker in the “4” box with the “+10” side up,
on the mission, and a track to record the mission’s representing the value 14. The marker is moved down
remaining fuel. the track as the mission flies (4.4).
4.13 The air mission displays are labelled generically • There is a special type of intercept mission
“Air Mission.” Each can be used for either type of air (Combat Air Patrol) which does not get a Fuel
mission. Use the air mission counter for the desired marker right away. See 4.33
type. For example, to use track 6 for an air raid, use the DESIGN NOTE: Fuel was a critical consideration in all
“Air Strike 6” counter, and to use it for an intercept use the US air operations in this battle. The Japanese were
“Intercept 6.” able to search and attack beyond the ranges at which
• As a practical matter, when glancing at the the US could operate comfortably. The US launched
display you can recognize strike missions its one large strike -- on the afternoon of June 20 --
because they will be the ones that have attack knowing that it would be a struggle for many of the
aircraft types. planes to return. Fuel was also a consideration for the
defending US fighters, as planes low on fuel had to be
landed and replaced.
9 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

4.16 Units in an air mission may be landed on any


carrier in a task group in the same hex, during the US DESIGN NOTE: The interception mechanic is one of
Air Operations Segment. They must be brought down the biggest ways in which Carrier Battle: Philippine Sea
to the hangar and go through servicing (6.2) before differs from its predecessor, Carrier. By June 1944 the
being launched again. (Note: In Scenarios 1 and 2 there US Navy had perfected a technique of radar-controlled
is no servicing; air units fly at most one mission each.) interception which allowed incoming raids to be
• Note that it is permissible for an air mission to wait intercepted at distances of 75 to almost 150 miles from
in the task group’s hex (burning one Fuel Point per the fleet. (This required both good radar technology
Air Movement Segment, per rule 4.431) until there and also the effective radio discipline to make use of
is room to land. This can easily happen with rule it.) Intercept missions in the game work essentially like
17.0 (Leeward Movement). little air strikes which fly out to do battle with incoming
raids.
4.2 AIR STRIKE MISSIONS
Intercept missions can also represent Combat Air
Note: Section 4.2 is included here for easier reference Patrol (CAP), which was a force of fighter planes
but is not actually needed until Scenario 2. You may maintained in the air for close protection of the fleet. A
skip it on a first reading and return to it when playing few of these at a time would touch down for refuelling
Scenario 2. so that the patrol was maintained. In the game, CAP is
The purpose of an air strike is to attack detected portrayed as a special type of intercept mission which
Japanese forces or the land base at Guam. is restricted to the task group’s hex. Essentially its
4.21 An air strike mission may contain any type of purpose is to have some planes ready in the air when
aircraft. Attack planes (SBD, SB2C, TBF, TBM) will a raid is detected; the cost is that these planes will
attack enemy ships. Fighter aircraft (F6F) will not attack have a lower initial fuel level (4.35).
enemy ships, but will act as escorts. 4.31 An intercept mission may contain only fighter (F6F
4.22 A strike cannot move more than two hexes away or F6F-3) units. Units launched from different carriers
from its launching carriers unless moving directly and task groups may be combined in a single mission.
towards a detected enemy force or Guam. Any level of 4.32 A normal intercept mission is placed on the map
detection (8.1) suffices. and given a fuel marker, like a strike mission. The Fuel
4.23 It is permitted to start moving a raid towards one marker is initially placed at 16 (the endurance value of
target and then redirect it to a different one if a better the F6F). The mission may then be moved, with limits,
target becomes detected. It is also permitted to fly in the same phase it is placed (4.42). (These missions
around within two hexes of the task group and wait for typically are formed when an incoming raid is detected,
a target to be detected. Rule 4.22 only prohibits flying a and fly out to intercept the raid.)
raid speculatively toward a force not yet detected. 4.33 Intercept missions can also be placed on Combat
DESIGN NOTE: This rule exists to prevent you Air Patrol (CAP), as follows:
from taking advantage in an unrealistic way of extra • All units in each CAP mission must be launched
knowledge you have in the game. Historically, the from the same task group.
US had strike planes ready on the morning of the • A task group can have at most two CAP missions
19th, but these planes were flown off the decks totaling at most three air units between them.
when incoming Japanese raids were detected, and CAP missions are placed in the group’s CAP box.
circled a little to the east during the air battles. • A CAP mission is not given a fuel marker.
4.24 An air strike may not engage in air-to-air combat • The mission remains in the CAP box unless placed
with a Japanese air raid. on the map (4.34, 4.35), at which point it acquires
4.25 4.25 An air strike can never be split while in flight. a fuel marker.
(An intercept mission can be; see 4.37.) • CAP missions can be created only at launch; a
mission on the map cannot be moved to the CAP
4.3 INTERCEPT MISSION box.
The purpose of an intercept mission is to shoot down (Note: the limits on CAP missions reflect the need to
incoming Japanese air raids. cycle planes to refuel.)
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 10

4.34 A CAP mission is placed on the map (and receives Terrain (islands) and Japanese units do not affect air
a Fuel marker, 4.35) in two cases: mission movement.
1. During the US Air Movement Segment, a CAP 4.42 A mission which has just been launched can move
mission may be placed on the map in its task one (and only one) hex, at the cost of one fuel point,
group’s hex. The mission may then move at the same time it is launched. This is a special move
normally in that same segment. The reason for occuring outside the US Air Movement Segment.
placing the mission on the map in this way is to 4.43 Air missions expend fuel for movement, combat,
allow it to fly out and intercept incoming raids. and landing as follows (4.431-4.435). Adjust the fuel
2. A CAP mission must be placed on the map in marker on the mission’s track to show the expenditure
order to fight air-to-air combat in its hex. This of fuel.
can be done during the US Interception Segment.
A mission cannot fight air-to-air combat while it 4.431 The first hex of movement in a US Air Movement
remains in the CAP box. Segment costs one fuel point.
In either case, from that point on the mission functions •The player may choose not to move the mission at
as a normal intercept mission. It cannot return to the all -- keeping it in the same hex -- but he still pays
CAP box. the cost of one fuel point.
4.35 A CAP mission receives a fuel marker when 4.432 An air mission may move one additional hex
placed on the map. The player rolls a die and consults per segment, at a cost of one or two additional fuel
the Interception Fuel Level Table (card 1, front) to points. The US player must roll the die. On a roll of 1-5
determine the initial fuel state. Place the Fuel marker on he must expend one additional point (a total of two for
the track accordingly. From this point on the marker is the entire move). On a roll of 6-10 he must expend two
used to track fuel state as for any other air mission. additional points (a total of three for the entire move).
4.433 An air mission must pay one additional fuel
point to land, over and above the cost to move into the
landing hex. If unable to pay this fuel point it suffers a
DRM of +2 on its Safe Return die roll (4.451).
• It is permitted to land some of the air units in a
EXAMPLE: The player rolls the die and obtains a mission and leave others aloft. In the case where
‘7’. The result is the CAP mission starts with a Fuel the mission is remaining stationary in the landing
Level of 13. hex, it pays one fuel point, not two. (In effect the
units that land pay one point to land, and those
4.36 An intercept mission can be moved anywhere that remain aloft pay one point to remain aloft.)
the US player wishes, except into a hex containing a
Japanese naval (force or ship) unit. In other words, it 4.434 Intercept missions must pay a cost of three
cannot be used like an air strike, but apart from that it additional fuel points to engage in air-to-air combat.
can go anywhere, including Guam. (Indeed, sending This cost does not apply to fighters in strike missions.
an intercept mission over Guam early in the game is a When a CAP mission is placed on the map to engage in
useful tactic, and was done historically.) combat (4.34), the cost of three fuel points is deducted
from the initial fuel level as determined using the
4.37 An intercept mission can be split at any time while Interception Fuel Level Table (4.35).
in flight, provided a free air mission display is available.
Move the desired number of units onto the second 4.435 The fuel costs for movement and combat are
display and place its counter on the map in the same summarized on the US Fuel Expenditure Summary
hex as the original mission. The second mission gets (card 1, front).
the same Fuel value as the original. Two missions can
never be combined.
4.4 US AIR MISSION MOVEMENT
Except as noted, all rules in this section apply equally
to both types of US air missions.
4.41 US air missions move in every US Air Movement
Segment. A mission moves from hex to hex.
11 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

4.44 When an air mission’s fuel marker reaches zero, other aircraft you might have intended to land on
it is replaced with a Fuel Critical marker. This marker is the ship that phase need to either land somewhere
moved one position higher on the track for each fuel else or wait one more phase.)
point expended. The mission is said to be “fuel critical,” 4.453 Clearing Deck Crashes: At the end of each
or “in a fuel critical state.” Action Phase, roll one die for each Deck Crash marker.
EXAMPLE: An air mission has one fuel point The marker is removed on a roll of 1 through 7. This
remaining, and is required to expend 3 points for includes the Action Phase in which the deck crash
combat. It deducts one fuel point, reaching 0, and occurred.
replaces Fuel with Fuel Critical. It then advances DESIGN NOTE: The Deck Crashes option can be added
the Fuel Critical marker to the “2” box to account for to provide a little additional detail and color and a little
the other two points. added challenge after you have some experience with
4.45 An air unit which is in a fuel critical state suffers the game.
the following effects: 4.454 If a mission’s Fuel Critical marker reaches the “7”
• The unit can move at most one hex per segment. box, all its aircraft are eliminated immediately.
Each hex moved costs one more fuel point, Note that it is legal for the US player deliberately to
moving the marker one place higher on the track. push missions beyond the point where they cannot
• The unit suffers adverse modifiers in air-to-air return safely.
combat, both when the unit fires and when it is
fired on. DESIGN NOTE: The safe return result takes into
• The unit may crash on landing (4.451). account both the possibility that the aircraft ran out
of fuel and ditched en route, and the possibility of a
• The unit is eliminated if Fuel Critical reaches “7” landing accident (more likely when the aircraft is low on
(4.454) fuel, and more likely in darkness or low light). Different
4.451 When an air mission that is fuel critical lands, pilots had different levels of skill and training at coaxing
you must check each aircraft for possible ditching or the most miles out of each gallon.
landing accidents. For each individual unit, roll one
die and consult the Safe Return Table (card 1, front). 4.5 AIR-TO-AIR COMBAT
Add to the die-roll the current value of the Fuel Critical Air-to-air combat occurs:
marker -- for example, if it is in the “5” box then you • In the US Interception Segment, when a US
add five to each die roll). The result will either be no interception mission is located in the same hex
effect (safe landing), or the loss of the unit. with a Japanese raid. This is called interception
• If the unit is unable to pay an additional fuel point combat.
for landing (because of an extreme fuel critical • In the Japanese CAP Step of the US Air Attack
state) it suffers a modifier of +2 on this roll. Segment, when a US strike has contacted a
• Note that there are modifiers for night and dusk carrier force. This is called strike combat. Each
conditions. strike will engage in at most one strike combat.
• Rolls for the Safe Return Table should be made Note that air-to-air combat occurs only at these specific
after all air unit movement for that segment is times, and not when units move through each other’s
complete. hexes during movement.
other aircraft you might have intended to land on the 4.51 In interception combat, the following rules apply:
ship that phase need to either land somewhere else or
wait one more phase.) • The US player may intercept (i.e., engage in
air-to-air combat) with some, all, or none of the
4.452 (Optional) Deck Crashes: Each time intercept missions in a hex. He makes all the
an air unit is eliminated by a die roll on decisions before rolling any dice.
the Safe Return Table, roll one additional • Each intercept mission resolves its air-to-air
die. On a roll of “10” there has been a combat separately, in the order the player wishes.
deck crash. Place a Deck Crash marker. Each intercept mission may engage at most one
The carrier cannot conduct any flight operations Japanese raid. It may not split its aircraft against
(launch, landing, or raising or lowering of aircraft) more than one raid.
while this marker is in place. (This implies that
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 12

• There is a fuel cost for interception combat. Each reference the column with the modified die roll to
mission that intercepts must immediately pay a read off the result.
cost of three fuel points (4.434). A mission which • If the number of air units/points in one combat
cannot pay the cost (because it is at a fuel critical should exceed the maximum column of the air-
state of 4 or worse) cannot engage in interception to-air combat table, use that maximum column.
combat. For a CAP mission placed on the map, (This design limit reflects the numbers of aircraft
the three points are deducted after determining that could be coordinated in one battle.)
the mission’s initial fuel state (4.35). 4.55 US air-to-air combat results are a number of
4.52 In interception combat, a proportion of the air Japanese air points destroyed. In interception combat,
points in the raid are fighters, and the rest are attack results against escorts are separate from results against
planes. You determine how many points are fighters attack planes; any excess against either is ignored, and
the first time a raid is contacted by US fighters (10.13). not applied to the other type.
• Combat against the Japanese escorts is resolved 4.56 Japanese air-to-air combat results are as follows:
before combat against the attack planes. The US A -- Abort result (4.57).
player apportions his aircraft between the two. E -- one unit is immediately removed
• At least one fighter unit per two Japanese escort A+E -- both the above results, one A and one E
points must be allocated against escorts, before 2E -- two units are eliminated
allocating any against strike planes. If there is only
a single Japanese fighter point present, at least For results against attack planes, if multiple types of
one fighter unit must still engage it. attack plane are present, choose randomly.
4.53 In strike combat, Japanese CAP is randomly 4.57 The A (Abort) result is applied according to the
generated (5.4). All Japanese CAP points are fighters. combat situation:
• The Japanese fighters will engage any escorting • Versus US attack planes: One randomly chosen
American fighters on a one-for-two basis (i.e., unit is held out of the air attack and returned to the
one air point per two US escort units). If there are Air Mission display.
any excess Japanese CAP points, they fight the • Versus escorting US fighters: one surviving CAP
US attack planes. The two combats are resolved point (if any) which engaged the escort may also
separately. fire at the attack planes.
• It is possible, as a result of the “A” combat result • Versus intercepting US fighters: If this result is
(4.57), that some Japanese points will fight the achieved in the initial battle between US fighters
escorts and then also fight the attack planes. and Japanese escorts, then one surviving escort (if
• If there are no escorts, the number of Japanese any) can attack US fighters which were allocated
CAP points is doubled for purposes of the against the attack planes. This extra attack is
Japanese Air-to-Air Combat Table. For example, resolved before the battle involving the attack
four CAP points would use the “8” column. planes. If this extra attack results in an A, then one
of the target fighters cannot shoot at the attack
4.54 In both types of air-to-air combat, the fighters on planes
each side fire. Only fighter units fire, and all fighter
units participate. All fire is simultaneous.
• US fire is resolved using the US Air-to-Air Combat
Table (card 1, front). Cross-reference the number
of units firing with a die roll -- applying modifiers
listed -- and read the number of Japanese air
points lost. The same table is used for firing
against fighters and strike planes, but there is a
die-roll modifier when the target is fighters.
• Japanese fighters attack US planes using the
Japanese Air-to-Air Combat Table (card 1, front).
Locate the column heading corresponding to
the number of Japanese air points engaged.
Apply modifiers as listed with the table and cross
13 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

• A strike can contact a target only if the target is


5.0 AIR/SEA COMBAT detected (either Spotted, Located, or Approximate
Sighting, 8.1); an undetected force cannot be
When carriers are battling carriers, there is only one contacted or attacked (except as a wrong target,
foolproof method of defense: to bomb the other 5.24). In scenario 2, all Japanese forces are
fellow’s flight decks before he can launch a strike. — considered Located and can be contacted.
Samuel Eliot Morison
5.21 Resolve each contact attempt as follows:
The rules of sections 5.1 through 5.6 apply to US air
strikes, which are the subject of Scenario 2. 1. On the Strike Contact Table (card 1, back), locate
Section 5.7 explains how to adapt these procedures for the column corresponding to the distance from
Japanese air raids, which are needed in Scenario 3 and the target force to the nearest US task group. (In
after. Some other parts of these combat rules also do Scenario 2, this distance is taken to be 10 hexes.)
not apply until later scenarios, but are included here for 2. If the target is Approximate Sighting (instead of
easier reference. These are identified by indicating the Spotted or Located), there is a die-roll modifier,
scenarios to which they are applicable. as listed on the chart. (In Scenario 2, all Japanese
forces are considered Located.)
5.1 US AIR STRIKE ATTACK PROCEDURE 3. Roll the die, apply listed modifiers, and read the
In the US Air Attack Segment, a US air strike may result from the selected column.
attempt to attack detected Japanese forces in the 4. If the contact attempt succeeds:
same hex. Only detected forces can be attacked. The A. Flip the Air Strike counter to its reverse side,
procedure is as follows. The individual steps are indicating that it may not make further contact
identified on the Game Turn Flow Chart. attempts.
1. Contact: Determine if the strike contacts its target B. The target force becomes Spotted, if it was not
(5.2). If it does not, the rest of the procedure is already.
skipped. The strike must return to the task group 5. If the contact attempt fails, see 5.22-5.23
which launched it. If the contact succeeds, continue 5.22 If a strike’s first contact attempt fails, it may
with step 2. immediately make a second attempt. The strike must
2. Intelligence Level (Scenarios 4 and after): In expend one additional fuel point in order to make this
scenario 4 and after, increase the intelligence level attempt. A -1 modifier applies to the second contact
of the contacted force to the maximum (Level 4 for attempt. If there are two or more forces in the hex, the
carrier forces, Level 3 for surface forces). Promote second attempt can be against the same or a different
one level at a time, e.g., Level 1 to Level 2 and then force, but not against a force in a different hex. (Note
Level 2 to Level 3. Note: Intelligence level does not that a false contact is not possible at this point because
apply in Scenario 2 or Scenario 3. strikes can only attempt to contact a detected force,
3. Commitment (Scenario 6 and after): Adjust implying that the force is at least Level 1 and known to
Commitment Index as required, if the target not be a false contact.)
increased in intelligence level (13.1).
4. Surprise: Determine whether the strike catches the 5.23 If both a strike’s contact attempts fail, flip the Air
target by surprise (5.3). Strike counter to its reverse side. It may not make
5. Air-to-air Combat: Determine the strength of further contact attempts, and it must now return to its
Japanese CAP and resolve air-to-air combat (5.4). carrier.
6. Japanese Anti-aircraft Fire: Resolve the effects of 5.24 The result of W/2 is a wrong target. If there is a
anti-aircraft fire (5.5) Note, this step may be skipped different Japanese force -- detected or not -- available
depending on the Surprise result. within two hexes, the strike contacts that force instead.
7. Air-to-Ship combat: Resolve the attacks versus (This is the only case in which a strike can end up
ships (5.6). contacting a previously undetected force.)
5.2 CONTACT • If more than one wrong target is available,
A US air strike must contact a target force in order to give preference to any detected force over an
attack. undetected one. If there is still a choice, prefer the
• A strike may make two contact attempts. Each target closer to the original hex; otherwise, choose
contact attempt is against a specific force (if there randomly.
is more than one in the hex, the US player chooses • If no wrong target is available within two hexes,
one). treat the W/2 result as C.
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 14

5.25 In the event of a ‘W/2’ result, move the strike to the 5.4 JAPANESE CAP
hex containing the other force selected in 5.24. 5.41 In Scenario 6 and after, use the following
• If the force was Level 0 (implying that it was procedure to determine the strength of Japanese
undetected), draw a Level 1 chit for it. If the force defensive fighters (CAP). (In earlier scenarios the
turns out to be a False Contact, remove it. If there strength of Japanese CAP is fixed by scenario; you do
is a second Japanese force in that same hex not need this rule.)
(detected or not) the strike can use its second 1. Determine the target force’s net air value. This is
contact attempt (5.22) to attempt to contact this the printed air value minus the number of points
force. currently unavailable (9.25).
• If the wrong target turns out to be anything other 2. Locate the corresponding column of the Japanese
than False Contact, the strike attacks it, even if it is CAP Strength Table (card 2, front).
not a carrier force. 3. Roll the die, and if the Japanese force was
5.26 A result of W/0 is the same as W/2, but applies surprised (5.3) apply the modifier from the Surprise
only if there is another force in the same hex (not Table.
two hexes); otherwise it is treated as a C against the 4. Cross reference the die roll with the column and
original target. If the wrong target turns out to be a read the result, which is the number of air points
false contact, the strike can use its second contact of Japanese CAP. (Note that CAP can appear even
attempt (5.22) to attempt to contact the original target if the net air value is 0, and 2 points of CAP can
in that hex. appear even if the net air value is 1; air value is
only what you know, not a precise count.)
DESIGN NOTE: Wrong target represents the aviators 5.42 The Japanese CAP immediately attacks the strike
chasing after some waves that look remarkably like ship using the air-to-air combat procedure (4.5). US fighters
wakes, getting their radio communications confused, escorting the strike fire back, subtracting one from their
and perhaps expending all their ordnance against die rolls. Place any Japanese air points eliminated in
harmless ships. All these things happened numerous this combat into the force’s Lost box.
times in the war. 5.43 If more than one strike contacts the force in the
same phase, generate CAP only when the first one
5.3 SURPRISE arrives. The same CAP fights all strikes arriving in that
5.31 To determine effects of Surprise, roll the die and phase. Air points eliminated in combat with one strike
consult the Surprise Table (card 1, back). The result do not fight later strikes.
may modify Japanese CAP and AA die-rolls, or prohibit 5.44 After all strikes arriving in the phase have
CAP and/or AA combat altogether. concluded CAP combat, return any surviving CAP to
5.32 The die roll is modified (as listed on the table) the pile of unused counters; they count neither as
if the force has a US Advantage marker or has not “lost” nor as “unavailable.” CAP is generated again
launched any air raid so far in the game. These each time it is needed.
modifiers are cumulative. 5.5 ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE
5.33 Surprise applies only to strikes against carrier Anti-aircraft fire is resolved during each side’s Air
forces. Attack Segment. The rules of this section apply to both
5.34 If multiple strikes attack the same target in US and Japanese fire, with differences as noted.
the same Air Attack Segment, determine surprise 5.51 To resolve anti-aircraft fire:
separately for each strike. 1. Total the A. A. values (printed on ship counters at
upper left; see page 5) of all ships firing from the
DESIGN NOTE: Surprise applies only to carrier forces target force or task group.
because it represents having aircraft and/or fuel and a. In US attacks, if the Surprise Table result (5.31)
munitions in vulnerable locations on the ship, and was “Complete Surprise,” there is no Japanese
perhaps having no CAP in place. It is possible for two AA fire; the rest of the procedure is skipped.
strikes to arrive just minutes apart (i.e., the same Air b. In US attacks, if the Surprise Table result was
Attack Segment) and the second one achieves surprise “Partial Surprise,” the total value is halved,
while the first does not; this happened at Midway. dropping fractions.
15
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

2. On the Anti-aircraft Fire Table (card 2, front), locate 2. A US air strike must immediately expend one extra
the highest column whose value does not exceed fuel point, or else the US player must shift one
the total number of factors firing. If the adjusted column left. (This represents time to coordinate
total A.A. value is less than 10, the A.A. has no the attack.)
effect. 3. The result indicates how many damage die rolls
3. Roll the die and cross reference with the column to the strike is allowed, and a die roll modifier (which
find a result. may be 0) for each. It can happen that different
4. Japanese AA results are the number of US air units rolls are assigned different modifiers.
aborted/eliminated. 4. Each damage die roll is assigned an individual ship
a. Aborted air units remain in play and may target. All the rolls need to be assigned to targets
return to their carrier or base, but they do not before any die rolls are made.
participate in the air-to-ship attack. a. For US attacks, the player can assign rolls
b. Eliminated units are removed from play however he likes.
immediately. b. For Japanese attacks, assign each damage roll
c. In each case choose affected units randomly to a randomly chosen carrier. CVs and CVLs
from the attack planes (SB2C, SBD, TBF, and are treated equally (assigned equal chances)
TBM). Note that AA fire affects only attack for this purpose. (Exception: In the Great
planes, not escorting fighters. Carrier Battle of the Pacific scenario, Japanese
5. US AA results are the number of Japanese air points naval air points will attack CVs in preference to
aborted/eliminated. Aborted points do not take part CVLs.) If no carriers are present the Japanese
in the ensuing ait-to-ship attack. Eliminated air points will attack battleships (BB) if any are present;
are placed in the Lost box of the raid’s Butai display. otherwise, choose randomly.
5. Roll the die the specified number of times
DESIGN NOTE: The ‘abort’ result does not mean the (applying modifiers listed) and consult the Air
planes turn around and abandon the attack; this did not Attack Damage Table (card 2, front) to determine
happen. It means their aim is spoiled so their attacks the number of hits on each target ship. (See 12.0
have no effect. for damage effects.)

Players of the original Carrier game should note that in DESIGN NOTE: You might expect that Japanese planes
this game all ships are allowed to fire. The antiaircraft would attack big carriers (CVs) in preference to smaller
values and table take into account that not all ships are ones (CVLs), but this does not seem to have been the
likely to have a good shot. case either at Philippine Sea or at Leyte Gulf; in both
5.6 AIR-TO-SHIP ATTACKS battles attacks were made on CVLs even when CVs
Air-to-ship attacks are resolved during each side’s Air were nearby. This may have been another effect of the
Attack Segment. The rules of this section apply to both poor Japanese pilot training at this stage of the war.
US and Japanese attacks, with differences as noted. In the hypothetical Great Carrier Battle of the Pacific
scenario, the Japanese pilots will ‘get the big ones first.’
5.61 Air-to-ship attacks use a two-part procedure in
which you first determine a number of die rolls you 5.7 JAPANESE AIR RAID ATTACK PROCEDURE
get to make for damage, and then make those rolls to
determine the actual damage inflicted. DESIGN NOTE: The Japanese fliers at the
The procedure is as follows: Philippine Sea were less well trained than the more
1. Total the attack values for all air units in the strike. experienced pilots of earlier battles. They did not
US air units have their attack values printed at organize their attacks the best way possible, and
upper right (see rules page 5, top). Look up the they allowed themselves to be diverted from hitting
corresponding result on the Air Attack Die Rolls the carriers to attack the US battle line instead.
chart (Card 2, front). The rules of this section reflect these realities.
a. If there was no air-to-air combat between the
attacking unit and either CAP or intercept This section of rules describes the procedure when
missions, the force’s total attack strength is Japanese air raids attack US task groups. Note that
doubled. Note that this will always apply to these rules are put here for continuity, but are not
US attacks on a Japanese surface force; this is needed until scenario 3.
intended.
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 16

Japanese air-to-sea attacks occur during the Japanese 5.721 If multiple raids overfly Battle Line in the same
Air Attack Segment. Attacks are resolved one raid at a Action Phase, each BB can fire against only one
time. overflying raid. The US player decides when each ship
Note that air-to-air combat against US interception will fire. Flip a ship over after it fires. All the ships are
missions (including CAP) will have been resolved in the unflipped after all raids have been resolved. A flipped-
immediately preceding US Interception Segment. over ship can still fire against any planes that attack
Battle Line itself.
5.71 For each Japanese air raid that has reached its
target, carry out the following procedure. If more than 5.73 Anti-aircraft fire by attacked task group:
one raid has reached the same target, resolve them in • The procedure of section 5.5 is used.
random order. Separate raids attack separately. • Only units in the attacked task group fire, not the
1. If the hex contains Task Group 58.7 (“Battle Line”), other task groups.
roll the die and consult the Japanese Action vs. • For convenience, the scenario instructions list the
Battle Line Table (card 2, front) to determine the starting AA total for each US task group. This total
Japanese action. The possible results are Divert, will change only if the Japanese score hits on
Overfly, and Avoid (5.72). some of the ships.
2. If a Divert result was obtained in Step 4, the • Results are interpreted as a number of air points
Japanese will attack TG 58.7. Otherwise, aborted/eliminated.
randomly select a carrier task group to be the • Aborted points remain in the air raid box and
target of the attack. may return to their carrier or base, but do not
3. US ships in the randomly chosen target task group contribute to the final attack die rolls.
(only) use the Anti-aircraft Fire Table as described • Eliminated points are placed in the Lost box of the
in 5.5. Butai display immediately.
4. Resolve air vs. ship attacks (5.75) 5.74 The rules for Contact and Surprise do not apply to
Japanese strikes.
5.72 The results on the Japanese Action vs. Battle Line
Table are as follows: 5.75 Japanese air-to-ship attacks are resolved
using the same basic procedure as US attacks (5.6).
• Divert: Japanese planes attack the Battle Line Japanese naval air points have an attack strength
instead of the carriers. Ships in Battle Line fire AA of 4. Exception: If you are playing the Great Carrier
according to 5.73. Battle of the Pacific scenario, this is raised to 5 for
• Overfly: Japanese planes overfly the Battle Line Japanese naval air points (only). Japanese land air
on their way to attack the carriers. They suffer points have an attack strength of 3 in all scenarios.
AA fire from the battleships (BB) in Battle Line in
addition to normal AA fire from whatever carrier DESIGN NOTE: The Japanese attack values take into
task group they attack. The Battle Line BBs fire account the likely mix of torpedo planes and dive
with half the normal AA value (total all, then halve, bombers. On the American side, the values presume
dropping any fraction). Each hit is applied against that torpedoes and divers are used in combination as
a randomly chosen point of the strike, fighters this is nearly always the case in play. US attack values
included (i.e., fighters are affected on an equal also take into account the various munitions carried
basis with attack planes, as all are flying over). The by US torpedo bombers (some carried bombs). The
Battle Line AA is in addition to normal AA and is SBD has a better attack value than the SB2C it was
resolved separately. slated to replace, reflecting the common opinion of
• Avoid: Japanese planes avoid Battle Line American airmen who preferred the former type to its
altogether. They attack a carrier task group. Ships successor, which had many developmental troubles.
in TG 58.7 do not participate.
DESIGN NOTE: AA values are halved in the
‘overfly’ case because the overflying units would
be at greater range than if they were attacking the
firing ships, and also moving laterally, a harder
shot.
17
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

6.0 TASK GROUPS AND CARRIER 6.2 AIR OPERATIONS


OPERATIONS
DESIGN NOTE: Managing your flight decks is one
6.1 TASK GROUP DISPLAY of the central challenges in the game. How many
planes of what type should be readied, when? If too
The Task Group display holds US ship and air units.
few fighters are readied, there may not be enough
These units are never placed on the map but are held
to deal with incoming raids. If too few attack planes
on the task Group display (and in the case of air units,
are readied, there may not be enough to strike at
on the Air Mission display or in air searches).
targets when they appear. If attack planes are readied
6.11 Each Task Group display is identified by number but no targets are found, you risk being caught
(e.g., 58.1) which is printed on the corresponding Task with those planes on the deck, a potential disaster.
Group counter.
6.12 As per scenario instructions, ship counters are 6.21 The planes on each carrier are held in that carrier’s
placed on the display and the Task Group counter column of the display. Each display has the following
is placed on the map. Any number of Task Group parts:
counters can occupy the same hex.
• You can use the Task Force 58 counter as a
replacement for multiple TG counters in the same
hex, and move TF 58 like a single task group. (In
the actual battle, all the task groups remained
together as a single task force.)
• The TF 58 hex sometimes gets crowded with air
units. You can use the “Task Force 58 In Hex” box
on the mapsheet as a holding box.
6.13 Each carrier unit is placed in one of the individual
carrier boxes used to track its air operations. Note
that in most scenarios Task Group 58.4 has only three
carriers. Its fourth slot is used in the Great Carrier Battle
6.22 Occupancy Limits: The Carrier Operations Limit
of the Pacific scenario.
Chart states limits on how many air units can occupy
6.14 All surface ship units in a carrier task group are certain boxes at any one time or at the end of the Air
placed in the TG’s Screen box. Operations Phase. These limits are per carrier and
6.15 Units may not transfer from one task group to are different for CVs versus CVLs. All air units count
another once play has started. Exception: Battleships one against these limits regardless of type. (Note that,
and other surface units may be detached from Battle unlike the Carrier game, air units are unitary wholes;
Line (TG 58.7) and put into a separate surface task there are no ‘steps.’)
group at any time. There are three extra “Surf TG” • The ‘Flight Deck” limit refers to the sum of Ready
markers for this purpose. The special functions of plus Landing aircraft; all of these are on the flight
Battle Line pertain only to TG 58.7, not to any detached deck. The words “flight deck” appear in both
forces. Such detachment is a one-way operation; task boxes as a reminder.
groups may not be recombined. • The number of unts in the Servicing box at any
time cannot exceed the “Servicing” limit.
• The ‘Hangar/Total’ limit refers to all air units in any
box on the carrier. This is the maximum number
of units the carrier may have aboard. They can all
be in the Hangar if desired.
There are other limits on how many units can perform
certain operations per phase; see 6.23.
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 18

6.23 During the Carrier Operations Phase, the US player • The number of units launched per phase cannot
may perform the following operations, in order. exceed the Launch limit.
1. Launch any Ready aircraft, subject to Launch • If a Search segment (8.2) immediately preceded
Occupancy limits this Air Operations Segment, any units launched
2. Raise aircraft from Servicing to Ready, subject to on Search count against the Launch limit for the
Flight Deck limits current segment.
3. Move aircraft from Hangar into Servicing, or from 6.25 Raising: Planes moved from Servicing to Ready
Servicing back to Hangar, subject to Servicing are said to be “raised.” Any units in Servicing can be
limits. raised subject to Flight Deck limits, which are in force at
4. Lower any aircraft on the flight deck, subject to all times.
Lowering limits. 6.26 Servicing: Planes can be moved from Hangar into
5. Land any aircraft from air missions in the same Servicing or in the opposite direction, from Servicing to
hex, subject to Flight Deck limits, on any carrier Hangar. Each unit so moved (in either direction) counts
that did not launch aircraft in this same Air one against the Servicing Limit.
Operations Segment.
There are limits to the number of air units which can
be involved in each plane handling operation on each
carrier per US Air Operations Phase. These limits are
explained in the following paragraphs and summarized
on the Carrier Operations Limits Chart. A carrier cannot
conduct any air operations while on fire (12.3).

• At the end of the Air Operations Segment, the


number of units in the Servicing box also cannot
exceed the Servicing limit. In other words, you
cannot accumulate planes in Servicing. Servicing is
both an occupancy and an operations limit.
6.27 Lowering: Planes may be moved from Landed to
Hangar, or from Ready to Servicing. In each case they
are said to be “lowered.” The total number of units
lowered cannot exceed the Lowering limit.
• A unit lowered from the Landed box always goes
to the Hangar, not directly to Servicing.
• A unit lowered from the Ready box always
goes to Servicing, not directly to the Hangar.

6.24 Launch: Units launched are moved from the DESIGN NOTE: Before a ready plane could be
Ready box and placed either in an air mission or a returned to the hangar space, it had to be de-armed
search mission. and de-fueled, which was about as time-consuming
an operation as arming and fueling. In the actual
• Units can be launched only if the total number battle, American strike planes on the carrier decks
of units, then occupying the flight deck at that were simply flown off when the first Japanese
moment does not exceed the Launch Occupancy strike was detected. After orbiting to the east for
Limit (see chart). Some, all, or none of the Ready a time, they ‘unloaded’ their ordnance over Guam.
units can be launched. (Exception: Leeward
movement, rule 17.0.)
19 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

6.28 Landing: Units being landed are moved from the needed until Scenario 5. You can skip it until then.
Air Mission display or search mission to the Landing 6.31 US ships are organized into five task groups (four
box of a carrier in the same hex. Units can land on carriers and one surface), which together make up Task
any carrier -- it does not matter from which one they Force 58. In all scenario setups, the US begins with the
launched. Task Force 58 counter, which represents all the task
• Aircraft pay one extra fuel point to land (4.433). groups in its hex.
• Units that are fuel critical must check for loss when 6.32 Movement of all US task forces / task groups
landing (4.451) occurs when the US Move chit is drawn. This is the
• The Flight Deck Limit is in effect at all times. A unit
only point in the turn at which they can be moved.
cannot be landed if the total number of units in the
Landed box plus the total in the Ready box would 6.33 The US player may detach individual task groups
exceed the Flight Deck Limit. from Task Force 58 at the same time as movement. He
• The number of units landed per phase cannot places a detached task group counter on the map. A
exceed the Landing limit (same as the Launch task group may rejoin Task Force 58 any time the two
limit). end their moves in the same hex.
• Units cannot be landed if any units were launched 6.34 A task force or task group may move one hex each
from that carrier in that Air Operations Segment, time it moves. A task force or task group containing
regardless of flight deck limits. You may wish carriers cannot enter island hexes (light blue).
to invert any carrier that launches planes in the
launch step, as a reminder that it cannot land any 6.35 A US task force or task group can enter a hex
in that same Air Operations Segment. One carrier occupied by a Japanese force only when using rule
in a task group can launch planes while another 21.0.
lands them. 6.36 When a task force or task group moves, any air
• An air mission need not land immediately on raids, air strikes, or intercept missions on the map
reaching the carrier’s hex. It can remain in the air remain behind in the hex; they do not accompany it.
waiting for room on the flight deck, burning one fuel CAP missions do, as they are on the task force display
point per Air Movement Segment per rule 4.431. and not the map.
6.4 DUSK/NIGHT RECOVERY AND
DESIGN NOTE: When a wave of aircraft was ILLUMINATION
launched, planes would wait on the after section
of the deck, blocking the space used for landing. “Bald Eagle, this is Blue Jacket himself. Turn on the
Modern carriers use the angled flight deck (introduced lights.” — Admiral Marc Mitscher, 2030 pm, June 20,
in 1953) and catapults to avoid this problem. 1944
Note: This rules section is placed here for continuity
6.29 The total number of air units on a carrier cannot and for easier reference during play, but it is not
exceed the carrier’s Hangar/Total limit. This is also the needed until Scenario 5.
limit on the number in the Hangar. 6.41 The second and third Action Phases of the 1850
6.291 Players may voluntarily eliminate Landed units game turn each day are Dusk. The fourth Action Phase
(not Ready units) on the Flight Deck at any time. of that turn is Night, as are all turns from 2010 through
For victory point purposes these units count the 0410 inclusive. The first Action Phase of the 1850 turn,
same as units ditched in the hex of the Task Group. and all turns from 0520 through 1730, are day.
6.42 Whenever non-night-rated units land on a dusk or
DESIGN NOTE: Units voluntarily eliminated have been night turn, and the hex is not illuminated (6.43), then
pushed over the side. The pilots, however, are not (regardless of fuel state) the US player must roll one
pushed over the side, hence the reduced victory point die for each such unit, applying modifiers for night or
effect. To do this with armed and fuelled aircraft (Ready dusk as usual, and consult the Safe Return Table (card
aircraft) would pose too much danger to the ship. 1, back), applying results immediately. If the mission
is also fuel critical then those modifiers are applied as
6.3 US MOVEMENT well.
Note: This rules section is placed here for continuity
and for easier reference during play, but it is not
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 20

6.43 Illumination: The US player may


DESIGN NOTE: Your initial knowledge of Level 0
declare during any US Air Operations
forces represents information gained through radio
Segment that he is ‘turning on the lights’ for
direction finding (HF/DF), code breaking, submarines,
any task group or task force. Place an and long-range aircraft (PBM Mariner flying boats and
Illumination marker in the hex. B-24 Liberators). You obtain more detailed information
6.431 If lights are turned on for any task group in a primarily through air search with your carrier aircraft.
hex, they are considered turned on for all. You can’t
illuminate one task group in a hex and leave another 7.1 JAPANESE FORCE ARRIVAL
dark. In the Arrival Phase of each game-turn, one-third of the
6.432 Units landing in an illuminated hex must check Japanese forces not currently in play (rounded down)
the Safe Return Table only if they are fuel critical. will arrive on the map. (Count all lettered Force markers
6.433 In the Japanese Submarine Attack step of the not in use, but not Butai markers.) Exception: If only
End Phase: one or two Japanese force markers are not in use, one
of them arrives.
1. The US player must make a submarine attack
7.11 Begin by selecting the required number of force
die roll (14.2) against any task group currently
counters. (It does not matter which letters.) Select
illuminated.
the corresponding activation chits to be placed in the
2. The US player may turn off lights (removing
activation chit cup (3.23).
the illumination marker) if desired. (Note that this
follows the potential submarine attack -- thus, any 7.12 Each force arrives randomly in one of the four
time the US player turns on lights the Japanese Arrival Zones printed on the map. For each arriving
submarines get at least one chance to attack.) force, carry out the following procedure:
1. Using the Japanese Arrival Table (printed on the
DESIGN NOTE: Admiral Mitscher’s order to “turn on map), roll the die and read the result to determine
the lights” to help his tired fliers get home is the most the Arrival Zone (7.13) in which the force arrives.
famous incident of this battle. The ‘lights’ included 2. Roll the die again to determine the specific arrival
searchlights, beacons, and star shell, and thus lit up hex in that zone (7.14).
the surrounding ocean to a considerable distance. 3. If some force already arrived in that hex this turn,
choose randomly from among the unoccupied
hexes in that Arrival Zone.
4. If there is a US carrier task group within six hexes,
see 7.15.
5. Place the new force on the map and place its
activation chit in the Sequence Cup.
7.13 There are four Arrival Zones on the map.
7.0 JAPANESE FORCES Counterclockwise from top of map to bottom, these are
Zone I, Zone II, Zone III, and Zone IV. Each Arrival Zone
Japanese units arrive in the game as Force counters.
consists of a group of hexes numbered 1 through 10.
Each force is at a specific Intelligence Level, from 0 to
4, at all times. The intelligence level reflects how much 7.14 Each result on the Japanese Arrival Table specifies
information you have about the force and how reliable a zone. Each zone has ten arrival hexes. Determine
that information is. All forces arrive initially at level 0, the exact hex by rolling the die again and locating the
meaning that you know nothing: it could be a carrier corresponding number hex within the specified zone.
task force, or it could be a false report. As you contact 7.15 If there is a US carrier task group within six hexes
the enemy forces -- or as they contact you -- the of a selected arrival hex, roll one die and proceed
forces increase in level, meaning that your knowledge accordingly:
improves. If you lose contact, your knowledge may 1-3 — Re-roll on the Arrival Table until you select a
decline. The heart of the game is figuring out how different zone, then repeat 7.14.
best to use your aircraft in this situation of limited and 4-8 — Roll again to select a different hex in the same
imperfect knowledge. zone and place the force there (even if within 6
hexes of a US carrier).
9-10 — Place the force in the original arrival hex (the
carrier task group has no effect)
21 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

These outcomes are printed with the Japanese Arrival d. If located 10-14 hexes distant from the nearest
Table. US carrier, and in a eastern map zone, use
7.2 JAPANESE FORCE MOVEMENT Mission Movement (7.22). The red line that
zig-zags down the middle of the map divides
DESIGN NOTE: Japanese forces in general are trying eastern map zones from western ones.
to move toward Saipan and attack the invasion fleet. e. If located 10-14 hexes distant from all US
Carrier forces, when they engage US carriers, will draw carriers, and in a western map zone, move
off to what they consider an optimum range -- except directly toward the nearest US task group with
in some cases they will move instead toward Saipan carriers.
and try to do an “end run” around the US fleet, a Note that Japanese carrier forces consider only US
possibility that worried Admiral Spruance. carrier task groups in their movement decisions. They
ignore surface-only task groups.
Each Japanese force moves when its Activation Chit is 7.22 Mission Movement: The map is divided up into
drawn. Mission Movement Zones, each with its own Mission
7.21 A Japanese force moves by the following rules, in Movement Compass, showing different directions
order of priority. (These rules are listed for reference labelled with die-roll values 1 through 10.
in a chart on the reverse side of the Japanese Air Raid 7.221 At the start of each Activation Segment you make
Flow Chart.) a single Mission Movement die roll. This value is used
1. If retiring (rule 19), the force uses Retirement for all mission movement in that segment. When a
Movement (19.2). force uses Mission Movement, locate the compass arm
2. If located in the Invasion Zone (between Saipan/ corresponding to the current Mission Movement die
Tinian and the east map edge), use Mission roll for the zone in which the force is located, and move
Movement (7.22). the force one hex in that direction.
3. If adjacent to or stacked with a US task group, and 7.222 Except as described in 7.23, forces do not exit
not located in the Invasion Zone, see 7.24. the map using Mission Movement. A force at the map
4. If it is a surface force: edge which is directed to move off map will move
a. if there is a crippled US ship within six hexes, along the map edge instead, in whatever direction is
move toward it (see 12.45) closest to the intended move.
b. Otherwise, use Mission Movement (7.22). 7.23 A Japanese force in the Invasion Zone (between
5. If it is a force of unknown type (this includes all Saipan/Tinian and the east map edge) always uses
Level 0 forces, as well as Level 1 Large, Medium Mission Movement. The Mission Movement in this
and Small), then use Mission Movement (7.22). zone will attempt to move the force due east toward
6. If it is a carrier force (Level 1 Carrier, or Level 2 the map edge. If it starts adjacent to the map edge
or higher known to have carriers), and has not it exits the map, which awards victory points to the
launched any air raids up to that point in the game Japanese (15.0). Once a Japanese force has exited, it
(i.e., has no air points on its Butai display), then does not return.
use Mission Movement (7.22).
7. If it is a carrier force that has launched an air raid at 7.231 If a Japanese force is in the Invasion Zone and a
some point in the game (i.e., has air points on its US task group occupies the next hex located due east,
Butai display), then proceed as follows: then move either northeast or southeast (into one of
a. If located 15 or more hexes distant from all US the two possible hexes adjacent to the preferred one),
carrier task groups, use Mission Movement choosing randomly.
(7.22).
b. If located 8 or fewer hexes distant from a US
carrier task group, move one hex further away
from that task group. When choosing the hex,
give preference to hexes further east; otherwise
choose randomly.
c. If located 9 hexes distant from a US carrier task
group, do not move.
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 22

7.24 If a Japanese force is activated while adjacent 7.33 At Level 2 and higher, you know definitely whether
to US units, and not in the Invasion Zone, proceed as a force has carriers (“carrier force”) or is composed
follows. (Note: this is extremely rare; you can wait to only of surface ships (“surface force”).
read this rule until you need it.)
1. If you are using rule 21.0 (Surface Combat), then
the Japanese force moves into the US force’s hex
(possibly bringing about surface combat) if any of
the following is true:
a. This is a surface force (of any size) and the US
units include a crippled ship;
b. This is a Large Level 2 surface force, or a Level 7.331 Carrier forces:
3 surface force containing a battleship; • At Level 2 and Level 3, a carrier force receives an
c. It is Night, and the force is either a Medium intelligence chit denoting approximate numbers of
Level 2 surface force or a Level 3 force carriers. These may turn out to be incorrect, and
containing a cruiser unit. you do not yet know the actual ships.
2. If you are not using rule 21.0, or none of the • At Level 4, a carrier force receives its actual carriers
cases described in 1(a), 1(b), and 1(c) holds, then and their screen. (See 7.4 for progression of carrier
the Japanese force uses Mission Movement, forces to level 4.)
but never into the US-occupied hex. If Mission 7.332 Surface forces:
Movement dictates a move into the US-occupied • A Level 2 surface force receives a Level 2
hex, the Japanese force does not move. Note that intelligence chit identifying it as “large[-sized]
when not using rule 21.0, neither side can enter a surface,” “medium surface,” or “small surface.”
hex occupied by an enemy force or task group. • When a surface force progresses to Level 3, it
receives its actual ships. These will consist of
DESIGN NOTE: Part (1) says that the Japanese will either a ‘cruiser force’ or a ‘destroyer force’ plus
always try to mop up crippled ships, that a large possibly one or more battleships. These are placed
Japanese force with battleships will try to engage either underneath the force counter.
day or night, and that a cruiser/destroyer force will try • Surface forces do not have a Level 4.
to engage at night. 7.34 Forces progress from one level to the next at the
7.25 Japanese forces can enter island hexes as well as following times:
open sea. • A force at Level 0 will progress to Level 1 and
7.3 INTELLIGENCE LEVELS receive a Level 1 chit (7.32) when any successful
Each Japanese force is assigned an Intelligence Level, search result (L, S, or ?) is obtained against it
0 through 4, at all times. The intelligence chits are used (8.341). Note that an “S, chit+1” result against a
to record intelligence level. Level 0 force is treated simply as “S.”.
• A force at Level 1 or higher, but less than the
• Rules 7.31-7.33 explain the meanings of the maximum (Level 4 for carrier, Level 3 for surface)
different levels. will progress to the next higher level and receive
• Rules 7.34-7.39 explain how forces progress to a new chit whenever a “S, chit+1” search result is
higher levels. obtained against it (8.342).
7.31 A force is at Level 0 when initially placed • A force immediately progresses to the maximum
on the map. This state is represented by the possible level (Level 4 for carriers, Level 3 for
force having no chit. At this point you do not surface), no matter what level it is currently at,
know what ships the force might have or even when contacted by a US air strike (5.2), or when
whether it is real. it engages in surface combat (21.0). (A force can
7.32 A Level 1 force is denoted by a Level 1 intelligence also reach the maximum level as a result of normal
chit identifying it as one of the following: “Carrier,” progression from one level to the next, per the
“Surface,” “Small,” “Medium,” or “Large.” A “Carrier” other bullet points of this rule.)
force is known to include at least one carrier. A • A force at Level 0 or 1 may progress to Level 2 and
“Surface” force is most likely surface ships, although receive a new chit as part of the air raid procedure
there is a chance it may turn out to have a carrier. The (10.1C). In this case, a force may progress two
other three types may or may not have carriers. levels, from Level 0 to Level 2, at the same time.
23 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

• A force contacted by a US air strike, or which


engages in surface combat, immediately increases
to the maximum level (level 4 for carriers, level
3 for surface). This is done one level at a time,
progressing through successive levels as described
in 7.37, 7.38, and 7.41.
Note: In Scenario 6 and after, the discovery of a new
carrier force or the progression of an existing one to a
higher level affects the Japanese Commitment Index
(13.1).
7.35 When a Level 0 force progresses to Level 1, the
Level 1 chit is drawn randomly from a cup. When
setting up the game, all the Level 1 force chits are
placed in a cup for drawing. (Include the “Double
Force” chits only if using rule 7.5.) EXAMPLE: A level 1 carrier force previously
• If the chit reads “False Contact,” remove the launched an air raid totaling nine air points; its
force from the map and place it back in the pile of known air strength is nine (9.24). You search it and
available force counters. Set the Level 1 chit aside; receive a “L, chit+1” result which causes it to be
it is not replaced in the cup. As the name implies, promoted to Level 2. You will use the “Level 1 Carri-
this turned out not to be a real force. er” column of the Level 1 to Level 2 Intelligence Ta-
• If the chit is anything other than “False Contact”, ble. The list of Known Air Strength Modifiers shows
place it beneath the force counter. (It may be that a -1 modifier applies for the known air strength
examined at any time.) This is most likely a real of nine. The die roll is 6, modified to 5. This produc-
force, albeit you do not yet know much about it. es a “2-3 Carrier” result. You replace the Level 1 chit
7.36 Whenever a Level 1 force progresses to Level 2, with a “Level 2 2-3 CV.” The Level 1 chit is set aside.
the Level 2 chit is determined using the Level 1 to Level Note that at level 2, the term “CV” is used for all
2 Intelligence Table (card 3, front). On this table there carriers; CVs are not distinguished from CVLs. This
is one column for each possible Level 1 chit. Cross- is not the case at Level 3.
reference the existing chit with a die roll to obtain the
new chit. Place the new Level 2 chit and set the old
Level 1 chit aside (it is not replaced in the cup).
• There are die-roll modifiers for Known Air Strength
(9.24). These apply only in Scenario 5 (where rule
9.24 is introduced) and after. They apply only if
the strength is known; if the force’s air strength is
unknown, there is no modifier.
• The outcome can be either a carrier force with
an approximate number of carriers, or a large,
medium, or small surface force.

DESIGN NOTE: As you will learn in rule 9.24, Known


Air Strength is a measure of how many air points the
force had at the start of the battle. The purpose of the
modifier is to make the next Intelligence Chit more
consistent with what you know about the air strength. If
a force has launched a large number of aircraft at you,
it is more likely to be a strong force.
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 24

7.37 Level 2 carrier forces progress to Level 3 using the 7.39 A Level 2 surface force is promoted to Level 3 using
Level 2 to Level 3 Carrier Forces Table (card 3, front). the Level 2 to Level 3 Surface Forces Table (card 3, front).
This table is divided into four major sections according You cross-reference a die roll (there are no modifiers) with
to which Level 2 chit the force currently possesses (e.g. the force’s current Level 2 chit. Results are as follows:
“L2 1-2 Carriers.”) Each of these sections is further DD — the force becomes a destroyer force. Draw one
divided into several rows according to the force’s Destroyer Force chit from the pool of available chits,
current Known Air Strength (9.24). Select the correct and replace the Level 2 chit with this one.
row, roll the die (a modifier applies in scenario 9, only), CA — Cruiser force. Same as for DD, but use the Cruiser
find the die roll in that row, and read the result from the Force chits.
top of the table. The results are listed in a row at the CA2+ — Choose two cruiser chits, and use the one with
top: Number of CVs/Number of CVLs. the larger numeric values.
• One row on each table is printed in bold and CA2- — Choose two cruiser chits, and use the one with
includes the label “Unknown.” It is used for forces the smaller numeric values.
that have not yet revealed any air points, as well BB + CA — The force consists of one battleship plus a
as for certain values of known air strength. In cruiser force. Draw one BB counter randomly from
Scenario 4, use this row in all cases. those available, and one Cruiser Force. If all available
• There are no die-roll modifiers on this table. Japanese battleships are already in play, then further
7.38 The Level 2 to Level 3 Carrier Forces Table result ‘BB’ results are ignored; just apply the ‘CA’ portion.
specifies which Level 3 chit to apply: for example, “4/2” 2BB, 3 BB, 4 BB — same as BB + CA, but draw 2, 3, or 4
equates to “4 CV + 2 CVL.” battleships respectively.

• If the required chit for a table outcome is not The ship/surface units drawn for a Level 3 force are
available, you may replace it with one that differs placed directly underneath the force counter, on the map.
as little as possible from the required chit, using a The force then retains the assigned unit(s) for the rest of
die roll to resolve any ties. the game, unless they are sunk. The maximum level for a
surface force is Level 3.
EXAMPLE: A level 2 large surface force is searched
and a “S, chit+1” result obtained. The force is
promoted to Level 3. The die roll is 5, for a result
of “BB + CA.” Draw one battleship and one Cruiser
Force unit from those not in play. Note that as
with carriers, some battleships are classified as
Additional Ships and others as Ghost ships, and
may not be available depending on what option you
have chosen. (See 2.35.)

EXAMPLE: A force is currently “L2 1-2 CV.” It has


unknown air strength. You will use the topmost section
of the L2 to L3 Carrier Forces Table. Since the force’s
air strength is unknown you will use the row labelled
“Unknown or 6-7” which you would also use if it had a
known air strength of 6 or 7. The die roll is 5. Reading
from the selected row, a roll of 4-9 yields the result
“0/2”, 0 CVs and 2 CVLs. As shown in this example, CVs
are distinguished from CVLs at Level 3, reflecting more
precise knowledge of the Japanese forces.
25 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

7.4 LEVEL 4 CARRIER FORCES • If there are not enough ships of one type available
When a carrier force progresses to Level 4, you you may substitute with the other type (CVL for CV
determine its actual aircraft carriers and their screen. and vice versa).
• If the force had suffered hits (which would have
• In Scenario 5 and after, you put the ships in the been from submarine attack), you assign these
Ships box of the force’s Butai display (9.1). randomly to a carrier at this point. See 14.162.
• In Scenario 4, you score victory points for the ships,
but need not actually put them in the game.
7.41 Level 3 carrier forces progress to level 4 using the
Level 3 to Level 4 Carrier Forces Table (card 3, front).
Cross-reference the current Level 3 chit with a die roll
(there is a modifier only when playing Scenario 9). The
result specifies the number of carriers of each type (CV
and CVL).
7.42 There are no ‘level 4 chits’; instead, you draw
ships. Draw the required ships randomly from the
Japanese ship counters. Note, it will be convenient to EXAMPLE: A Level 3 CV+CVL (“1 CV 1 CVL”) force is
separate the counters into piles by type, so as to be promoted to Level 4. Using the “1CV 1CVL” column
able to draw the correct numbers of each type. The of the Level 3 to Level 4 Carrier Forces Table, you
Japanese ships will be placed on a Butai display (9.1) roll a 9 and determine that in fact the force consists
for the new force. of one CV plus two CVLs. Drawing one ship from a
• If there are not enough ships of one type available pile that includes all the available Japanese CVs, you
you may substitute with the other type (CVL for CV draw Shinano. Drawing two ships from a pile that
and vice versa). includes all the available Japanese CVLs, you draw
• If the force had suffered hits (which would have Junyo and Ise. These ships are placed on a Butai
been from submarine attack), you assign these display.
randomly to a carrier at this point. See 14.162.
7.43 When using historical ships (2.35), it can happen
that you exhaust all the historical carriers but the game
calls for more to be brought into play. In this case,
draw from the additional ships. If you bring into play all
historical and additional ships, no more carriers can be
brought into play; do not use the ghost ships (Akagi,
Kaga, Hiryu, Soryu) except in Scenario 9.
7.44 In addition to determining the carriers, you also
determine the surface forces in the screen, as follows:
1. Determine the number of carriers first.
2. Locate the corresponding row in the Screen
Generation Chart (card 3, front). This row specifies
a type of Level 2 surface force (small, medium, or
large) and a die-roll modifier.
3. Use the Level 2 to Level 3 Surface Forces Table
(card 3, front) to generate the screen. Use the
column corresponding to the type of Level 2 force
listed in step (2), and apply the die-roll modifier.
4. The result will be either a Cruiser or Destroyer force
and possibly some battleships. Place these ships
together with the carriers on the Butai display.
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 26

Continuing with the previous EXAMPLE: There are a total of three carriers, so the Screen Generation
Chart specifies that the screen is to be generated as a Medium Surface force with +1 die roll modifier.
You roll a 9, which becomes 10 with the modifier. On the Level 2 to Level 3 Surface Forces Table, a die
roll of 10 in the Medium Surface column gives a result “BB + CA.” You draw the battleship Yamato and
a cruiser force.
27 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

7.5 DOUBLE FORCES (OPTIONAL) 7.56 It is possible for a second Double Force to enter
play. In this case, use the remaining chit from the three
DESIGN NOTE: The standard Japanese arrival withheld at start (7.52), and also take one additional
mechanism will tend to produce several Japanese Level 1 Carrier chit from the cup. The limit is two;
forces at different points of the compass, each with additional double force results are ignored.
several carriers. This was an approach the Japanese
had used in several previous battles, and it was of 8.0 DETECTION AND SEARCH
particular concern to Admiral Spruance. However,
the actual Japanese deployment concentrated all the DESIGN NOTE: Force counters represent vague,
Japanese carriers within the space of a single hex. This imprecise information about a possible force. Detection
optional but recommended rule allows the game to represents more precise information — enough to
recreate this deployment. We recommend its use once launch an attack. This information degrades over
you are comfortable with the basic rules for forces and time; the ocean is a big place. Since in all eras the first
intelligence. principle of naval combat has been to attack effectively
7.51 When using this rule, make the following changes first (see the Hughes book in the bibliography),
to the Level 1 Detection cup: detection and search are central to the game.
• Add the Level 1 force chits labelled “Double Force” 8.1 DETECTION
to the cup.
8.11 Each Japanese force is in one of the following
• Remove from the Level 1 chit cup the following:
detection statuses at all times: Undetected [no marker],
Two L1 Carrier chits, one L1 Large chit, one L1
Approximate Sighting [‘?’], “Located” [‘L’], or Spotted
Surface chit, and two False Contact chits.
[‘S’]’. All states other than Undetected are collectively
Set the Carrier force chits and the Large force chit aside called “detected.” Japanese forces enter the game
for use during play (7.52). Undetected.
7.52 When the first Double Force chit is selected, 8.111 “Located” and “Spotted” are equivalent for
proceed as follows: most purposes; the only difference is how recent
1. Take one additional Japanese force from among the information is. Spotted is most recent. Your
those not in play and place it in the same hex as information about a force will gradually degrade from
the original force. Spotted all the way to Undetected unless you maintain
2. From the two Carrier and one Large force chits contact.
held out in 7.51, draw two. Place one of these with 8.12 Any force becomes detected in these ways:
each component force.
3. Leave the Double Force chit on top of the stack as • An ‘S’, ‘L’, or ‘?’ result in air search (8.3) or
a reminder. submarine contact (14.1)
• At the instant a US air strike contacts a Japanese
7.53 The two halves of the double force move together force (5.2), that force becomes Spotted (S).
for the rest of the game. You put both activation chits
• A force that engages in surface combat (21.0)
into the cup, moving the force when the first of the two
becomes Spotted (S).
is drawn, and ignoring the second.
8.13 At the moment a force becomes detected (in any
7.54 The two component forces function in every other
of the three ways listed in 8.12), the following occur.
way as separate forces: they are searched and detected
separately, they launch air raids separately (do not • If the force is Spotted or Located, it receives a “S” or
combine), and they must be attacked separately. “L”marker respectively.
• If a “?” (Approximate Sighting) is obtained, place an
• Whenever either component of a double force
“?” marker on the force unless it already has an L or
is attacked, a “W0” result will result in the strike
making a wrong-target contact against the other. S marker.
• For any detection result (L, S, or ?), if the force is
7.55 When the Commitment rules (13.0) are in use, a Level 0, draw a Level 1 chit (7.36). If the result is
Double Force can enter play only if the Commitment False Contact then the force is removed, otherwise it
Index does not already exceed the Commitment Limit
is now a detected Level 1 force.
(13.2). If it does, treat the Double Force result as False
Contact.
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 28

8.211 Any type of aircraft may conduct search, but


DESIGN NOTE: The ‘L’ and ‘?’ results in search fighters (F6F) suffer an adverse die roll modifier for
represent a sighting where precise information was not search attempts.
provided. This could occur for many reasons, including 8.22 In any one Action Phase per turn, the US player
calculation error, coding problems, and garbled or may declare a Search Segment. If declared, the Search
delayed radio transmission. Segment occurs following the US Air Movement
8.14 Reducing Detection Status: Whenever a detected Segment, as shown on the Game Turn Flow Chart. At
Japanese force is activated, its detection status is this time the player can launch new searches (8.27),
immediately reduced to a lower level, as follows: move search missions (8.271) and resolve search
• A Spotted (“S”) marker is replaced by Located (“L”) attempts (8.3). The Search Segment marker can be
• A Located marker is replaced by Approximate placed on the Action Phase track as a reminder that the
Sighting(“?”) search segment option has been used for the current
• An Approximate Sighting marker is removed, and turn.
the force is now undetected. 8.23 Each search mission is either Standard search or
Narrow search. The player decides which type when
initiating the mission. A Standard search goes out to
ten hexes and a Narrow search to 14. In both cases the
searching units fly directly out to the marker and back.
however, a Standard search will include everything
8.15 Detection has the following effects:
within 30 degrees on either side (8.25-8.251), while a
• An undetected force cannot be contacted by (and Narrow search includes only the hexes actually flown
hence not attacked by) an air strike. In fact, a strike through (8.26).
cannot even fly out in the direction of that force;
8.24 For each search mission, a numbered Max
see 4.22-4.23.
Radius marker is placed in the furthest hex that will be
• A higher detection status improves the chance of
searched. It has two sides, one for standard search
US air strike contact (5.2).
and one for Narrow search. The search mission flies
8.2 AIR SEARCH MISSIONS to the Max Radius marker and back, resolving search
DESIGN NOTE: This game shows more detail attempts on both the outbound and return legs. After
about search than its predecessor did, because the the search has started its return trip the Max Radius
disappointing results of American air search in this marker can be removed.
battle were a key factor in the outcome. The US 8.25 For a Standard search, the Max Radius marker
admirals allocated a very small number of planes -- no is placed in one of the twelve possible hexes marked
more than a few dozen out of about 950 available in with solid squares on the Standard Search Display
the fleet -- to search duties. The result was that the (charts card 1, back). Thus, planes flying a standard
US got its first chance to launch a strike only late in search always fly in one of twelve possible directions
the afternoon of the second day of the battle, and was (0 degrees, 30 degrees, 60 degrees, 90 degrees, and so
able to launch only a single deckload, not enough to on) from the task group.
achieve the hoped-for results. You have a choice in the
8.251 Planes flying a standard search can search in
game between a narrow search -- essentially a pencil-
the two narrow wedge-shaped sectors on either side
thin beam in a specific direction, to a long range -- and
of their flight path. Each of these sectors is 30 degrees
the standard search, which covers a 60-degree arc of
wide (one-twelfth of a circle, or one-third of a right
ocean. (The planes would split up this arc and each
angle), so the total search sector is 60 degrees wide
cover a small arc of about 5 degrees.) Both types were
(one-sixth of a circle).
used in the actual battle. For more options relating to
search, see advanced rule 18.0.
8.21 The US player may send units on air search. Units
performing air search are placed directly on the map.
They fly out to a designated distance from the fleet
and attempt to detect Japanese forces as they go. Air
search is not an “air mission” in the sense of 4.0; the
units do not use the Air Mission Tracks or track fuel.
29 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

8.26 For a Narrow search, the Max Radius marker can 8.271 Search aircraft move two hexes in the Search
be placed in any hex exactly 14 hexes distant from the Segment in which they are launched, and four hexes
point of origin, in any direction. The marker is placed in each other Search Segment. Thus, searching aircraft
with its “Narrow” side up. will end their moves at a distance of two, six, ten, and
• The search aircraft must fly directly to this marker (if Narrow searching) 14 hexes away, in successive
and back. Only forces in the hexes actually flown Search Segments. Searching aircraft move on a
through are searched. straight path to their Max Radius marker and back; in
• A +1 die-roll modifier applies to all Narrow Search case of doubt or ambiguity, the player may choose.
attempts. 8.28 Search units return directly to the task group or
8.261 If the 10-hex or 14-hex distance runs off the edge task force that launched them, even if it has moved in
of the map, the Max Radius marker can be placed in the meantime. This implies that search units possibly
the last available hex or half-hex. The search will turn will not return on the same path they used outbound.
around at this point. When search aircraft return to their task group’s hex,
they must immediately land. Landing search aircraft
8.27 To initiate a search, proceed as follows: count against the carrier’s Landing limit for that action
1. Launch the unit(s) during a Search Segment. phase, and must observe flight deck occupancy limits.
A search will consist of either one or two units • Search aircraft can land on any carrier in the hex, in
(stacked together). There is no benefit to having any task group.
more than two. • Any units which cannot land are removed from
2. Select a numbered Max Radius marker and place play. For victory point purposes they are
it as described in 8.25-8.26, on the correct side to considered to have ditched in the task group’s
indicate the type of search. hex.
3. Move the search mission two hexes directly • The same carrier cannot both launch and land
toward the Max Radius. search aircraft in the same segment.
4. The units may now attempt to search any 8.281 If the task group moves, the original hex where
Japanese forces located in their Search Zone for the search was launched is still taken to be the point
that move (8.3). of origin for purposes of calculating search zones and
distances. A Search Origin marker may be placed to
mark the hex. Note that the Search Origin marker has
nothing to do with return of searching aircraft (8.28); it
is used only to compute search zones and distances.
8.282 Aircraft launched or landed in the Search
Segment count against the limit that each carrier
can launch or land in the immediately following US
Air Operations Segment. A carrier which launches a
search mission is considered to have launched
aircraft and therefore cannot land any aircraft
in that same Action Phase; likewise, landing a
search mission prevents the carrier from doing any
launches.
8.3 AIR SEARCH RESOLUTION
8.31 After its movement in each Search Segment, a
search mission can attempt search against certain
enemy forces (8.32-8.33). Note that aircraft can search
EXAMPLE: If the Max Radius marker is placed on both the outbound and return legs of their mission.
at “Max Radius 4” in the illustration, the search
zone will cover both of sectors A and B. If the
marker is placed at “Max Radius 3”, the search
zone will consist of sectors B and C.
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 30

8.32 For a Narrow search, a force is searched only if


the searched aircraft flew into or through the same hex
in that move. The player can choose the exact path as
long as it proceeds straight and direct from the origin
point to the max radius hex (and on the return leg,
from the max radius hex to the current position of the
launching task group / task force). Note that when the
search path runs along a hexside, the player chooses
which of the two adjacent hexes the air unit will move
through.
8.33 For a Standard search, the Standard Search
display defines three zones according to range. The
close zone is 0-2 hexes from the task group, the
middle zone is 3-6 hexes, and the far zone is 7-10
hexes. Aircraft search forces in the zone they just flew
through. The example below shows the zones. Note
that the search zone is always computed with respect
to the point of origin (8.281), but on the return leg, the EXAMPLE: In the following image, the searching
searchers’ path back to their launching task group / task SB2C has just moved four hexes from hex X to its
force will determine what zones they fly through. current position, on its way towards its destination
at “Max Radius 4.” The search zone for this turn is
8.331 Search is resolved against every enemy force in
the orange area. Force F will be searched. Force G
the zone at that moment, in any order. Each air search
and Force I will not be.
resolves its search attempts separately -- thus, an
Force J started the game turn in hex Y and moved
enemy force could be searched more than once per
one hex eastwards to its present location; the
turn.
search will miss it, since it is no longer in the zone
• Enemy forces which might have started the being searched.
game turn in the zone, but have been activated
and moved out before the search segment was 8.34 A search attempt is resolved using the Air Search
declared, are not searched. Table (card 1, back). Roll one die, apply all modifiers,
and read the result from the table. Results are listed
8.332 If the maximum Search Zone extends off the
beside the table.
map edge, then the air unit turns around in the last
zone it can search. It will spend two turns in that zone • There is a die-roll benefit if two units are searching.
(one outbound, one inbound) before returning to the Note that this means two units in the same search
previous zone. Note, if only part of the maximum mission; each search mission resolves its attempts
range Search Zone is off map, then the search separately. There is no additional benefit for more than
proceeds normally, and the air unit searches whatever two units in a mission.
part of the zone is on the map. • A narrow search receives a +1 benefit,
• If a US submarine unit is currently shadowing
the force (14.15), there is a die roll benefit.
There is no additional benefit for more than one
submarine.
• There are also modifiers for time of day, range, or
fighters searching.
a. The fighters modifier applies if any of the units
being rolled for are fighters.
b. Range is the distance from the search launch
point.
c. Only night-capable aircraft (optional rule 22.0)
can make search attempts on night turns.
31 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

DESIGN NOTE: Search was chancy at the best of DESIGN NOTE: The US Advantage rule represents
times: pilots might fail to spot enemy ships, fail to the chance that you may have surprised the Japanese.
recognize them, or suffer a radio malfunction and be If the force had already found you, it probably would
unable to communicate their findings. Modifiers for have generated an air raid and become a carrier force
range occur because as the search fans out to longer at that point.
ranges, each plane is covering a larger area of ocean.
The time of day modifier reflects that it became much
harder to see targets as dusk gathered. Fighters get
an adverse modifier because the pilot of a single-seat,
single-engine plane could not give his full attention to
observing the ocean -- in fact all his training told him to
ignore the surface and scan the sky for enemy planes.
9.0 JAPANESE CARRIER FORCES
8.341 If you obtain a ‘S’, ‘L’, or ‘?’ result:
A Japanese carrier force is one with any type of
1. If the force is Level 0, draw a Level 1 chit from the “carrier” or “carriers” Intelligence Chit, or a Level 4
cup. If the result is False Contact, remove the force force containing carrier units. As soon as a carrier force
from the map and discard the False Contact chit is known to have air units, you keep track of what you
-- it is not replaced in the cup. (The Force marker know about the force using a special play aid, the Butai
becomes Available again for arrival on later turns.) Display.
Otherwise, place the chit underneath the (now
9.1 BUTAI DISPLAY
Level 1) force. If the force is Level 1 Carrier, then
in scenario 6 and after you will need to adjust the DESIGN NOTE: The Japanese word “butai,” which
Commitment Index (13.0). means in this context “force,’’ “echelon,” or “element,”
2. Place the marker for the new detection level (8.13). was often used to refer to combat groupings of
Japanese ships, much like the US terms “task force”
8.342 If you obtain a ‘chit+1’ result against a Level 1 or
and “task group.” The Butai display replaces the paper
higher force:
record-keeping and some of the on-map markers of the
1. Use the Intelligence Tables (7.3) to promote the original Carrier game.
force to the next higher intelligence level. 9.11 When a Japanese force either reaches Level 2 with
2. If this causes a non-carrier force to become a carriers, or is Level 1 but has air points, you need to set
carrier force, US Advantage results (8.35). Also in up a Butai display for it. Proceed as follows:
this event, in scenario 6 and after you will need to
adjust the Commitment Index (13.0). 1. Select one Butai display to represent information
about that force. The Butai displays are printed on
Note that these effects apply only if the force was separate cards. This card can be placed anywhere
already Level 1 when searched. Against a Level 0 convenient near the map. When you are playing
force, the “chit+1” part of a result is ignored. action from June 19 the Butai displays can be
8.35 US Advantage: You place a “US Advantage” placed over top of the westernmost portion of the
marker whenever a non-carrier force (either Surface, or hex field, as that space is not needed until June 20.
type not specified) becomes a carrier force as a result 2. For each Butai display there is a Butai counter,
of a “chit+1” result in search. The marker remains identified for convenience by number. Replace
in place until the Japanese force completes its next the force counter on the map with the Butai
activation. counter.
3. Remove the original force’s activation chit from the
8.351 The effects of a US Advantage marker are:
cup, and replace it with the activation chit for the
• a DRM on the Japanese Air Raid Table, making it Butai.
less likely that the force will attack you, and 4. The Intelligence Chit may be placed in the
• A die-roll modifier in Surprise, making surprise corresponding space on the display.
more likely. 5. The Butai counter functions the same as other
forces, but it allows the carrier force to be linked
to the Butai display. From that point on, the Butai
display is used to keep track of known information
about the force’s air assets and ships.
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 32

display is used to keep track of known information


about the force’s air assets and ships.
NOTE: You do not yet set up a Butai display for a
Level 1 “carrier” force that does not yet have air points
because there is still a chance that this “carrier” force
might turn out to have no carriers after all.
9.12 The Butai display has the following sections:
• The Intel Level space holds the force’s intelligence
chit.
• The Air Raid boxes hold air points for air aids
currently in progress (10.0, step G).
• The Air Raid Return Track is used to keep track of
air raids returning to the force (10.3). An air raid
counter is placed initially in a box of the track
corresponding to their return distance (i.e., the
distance from force to target) and then moved
one one box to the right each time the force is
activated.
• The Turnaround Track is used to measure the
time it takes to service aircraft and make them
available again. When a Japanese raid counter EXAMPLE: A Japanese raid completes its attacks.
reaches the last box of the Air Raid Return Track, it The target is eight hexes from the launching force, so
is considered to have landed. The air raid counter the air raid counter is placed in the “8-11” box of the
(and its corresponding marker on the Butai display) return track. In the next Air Movement Step, it will be
is removed, and the air points in the raid are moved to the “4-7,” box and in the phase after that
placed in the first (leftmost) box of the Turnaround to the “0-3” box. In the phase after that, the air raid
Track, indicating that they are being made ready counter and its corresponding marker are removed,
to attack again. They are then moved one box and the air units are placed in the first “Servicing”
at a time along this track each time the force is box of the Turnaround Track. In the next phase, they
activated. The first two boxes of the Turnaround are moved to the second “Servicing” box, and then in
track are labelled ‘Servicing.’ Air points in these the next phase, to “Available 0-3.” During that same
boxes are being refueled and rearmed and are Action Phase, their force is activated and launches a
not available for any strikes. The remaining boxes strike against a target five hexes away. These points
are labelled “Available 0-3,” “Available 0-7,” and are counted Unavailable for that strike, since they are
“Available 0-11.” Units in these boxes are available available only at 0-3 hexes at this time.
for raids at the stated ranges, only.
9.13 If a Level 4 carrier force loses all its aircraft
• The “Available All Ranges” box is also the last
carriers, the remaining units are treated as a Level 3
box of the Turnaround track. Units in this box are
surface force. If a regular Force unit is available, place
available for strikes at all ranges (at least, all ranges
this unit on the map in place of the Butai and place
within those allowed by the air raid procedure).
the surface ships under it. The Butai counter is then
• The Lost box contains units that have been
returned to the pile of unused units.
eliminated in combat (or diverted to Guam,
advanced rule 23.0).
• The Ships section is used only for Level 4 forces, to
hold the ships of the force.
33 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

9.2 AIR POINTS, KNOWN AIR STRENGTH, AND 9.241 If the force has permanent hits (12.23), you
AIR VALUE subtract one per hit from the force’s Known Air
Strength when computing the strength for air raid
DESIGN NOTE: Air points in Carrier represent not purposes (only). You do not apply this modifier when
what the Japanese have, but what you know about computing the strength for purposes of the Intelligence
what they have. For Level 1 and Level 2 forces your Tables.
information is less complete, and we speak of Known
Air Strength (in the predecessor game, this same basic
concept was called Revealed Air Strength). This is not
necessarily all the aircraft the force has, just the ones
you know about. At Level 3 and Level 4 you have more
definite and specific information, which is called the Air
Value.

9.21 The air assets of Japanese carrier forces are


represented by air points. Air point units are generic --
unlike US aircraft, they do not represent specific types
-- and may be exchanged in any denominations, like
making change.
9.22 Air points are held on the Butai displays (9.1). They
are never placed directly on the map. Air points are
added to a force’s Butai display as it performs air raids
(9.23). Once added to the Butai display, the air points
never leave it; if eliminated in combat they are moved
to the Lost box of the display.
9.23 A Level 1 or 2 force adds air points as it generates
raids (10.1E). This is an important and perhaps difficult
concept: the air raid procedure tells you how many EXAMPLE: A Level 2 force (Butai) has four air
points are in the raid. This may exceed the number points in its “Available All Ranges” box, two
so far revealed. (For the first raid launched by a force, air points in its “0-3 Available” box, and two air
nothing will yet have been revealed.) You draw as points in its Lost Box; total Known Air Strength,
many points as possible from those already revealed 8. You determine that it launches an air raid of
and known to be available. If more points are needed, six air points at a range of 10 hexes. You would
you add them by taking counters from those not in use, take the first four points from those available
thus adding to the force’s total of known air points. at all ranges. The points in the 0-3 box cannot
9.24 Known Air Strength: To compute this total, add all be used for this raid, and neither can the lost
air points anywhere on the Butai display -- including the points, so you would take 2 more air point
Lost box and all boxes of the Turnaround Track. The counters from those not in use and add them to
Known Air Strength is an input to both the air raid and the raid. These represent planes that were there
intelligence processes (10.1E, 7.37). Note that a Known all along but which you didn’t yet know about.
Air Strength of zero is different from an unknown air Thus, the force would now have a Known Air
strength. Strength of 10. If the raid had been launched at
a range of two hexes you could have used the
DESIGN NOTE: The Known Air Strength can be points in the 0-3 box and you would not have
thought of as the minimum number of air points you needed to add any. In that case the Known Air
know the force must have had at the start of the battle, Strength would have remained at 8.
including points that have since been shot down. The
force might yet have other air points you don’t know
about. A force that has shown you more aircraft is
more likely to launch large raids, unless lots of those
aircraft were shot down or are still doing turnaround --
and also more likely to have more ships.
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 34

9.25 Air Value (Level 3 forces): When a force attains 10.1 AIR RAID PROCEDURE
Level 3, it receives a Level 3 intelligence chit, which has The air raid procedure -- including modifiers applied
a printed Air Value. for known information about Japanese air strength -- is
• For raids (10.1), the printed air value is used to one of the most important parts of the game, and also
compute an initial raid strength (10.1E), which is the most complex. (Scenario 5 lets you practice it in a
then modified for lost/unavailable points (10.1F). simplified situation.)
The number of points lost or unavailable are shown The air raid procedure is carried out at the instant any
on the Butai display. Japanese force is activated, before that force moves.
• For CAP (5.4), you use a net air value, which is the The Air Raid Flow Chart can be used as a reference for
base air value minus the number lost or unavailable. the steps. It is recommended to follow along on this
DESIGN NOTE: The difference between Air Value play aid when reading the instructions that follow. In
and Known Air Strength is that the former defines Scenario 5, omit the steps noted as “Scenario 6 and
the maximum the force could have, while the latter after.”
represents only what you know about so far. In other You can think of the air raid procedure as a sequence
words, Air Value provides an upper bound while of four questions:
Known Air Strength is only a lower bound. This 1. “If this were a carrier force, would it attack me
represents the more complete and definite information now?” (Steps A and B)
you have about Level 3 and Level 4 forces. 2. “If so, is this actually a carrier force?” (Step C)
3. “If so, and if it had full air strength, how big would
9.26 Air Value (Level 4 forces): Level 4 forces work like the raid be?” (Steps D and E)
level 3, with the difference that when a force attains 4. “If the force is not at full strength, by how much
Level 4, you draw its actual carrier counters and should the raid be reduced?” (Step F)
place them in the Ships box of the Butai display (7.4).
From that point on, the force’s air value is the sum of A. Is this force potentially eligible to launch a raid?
the printed air values of its carriers, adjusted for any 1. A force which already has two raids in progress
permanent hits (12.23). cannot launch a raid. For purposes of this rule,
all units on return tracks (not yet reached their
10.0 JAPANESE AIR RAIDS Servicing boxes) are counted as a single “raid.”
The Japanese air raid procedure determines whether 2. Otherwise, a force is potentially eligible to launch a
you detect an incoming air raid from an activated raid if either:
Japanese force. This includes a determination of • It is a carrier force; or
whether this is actually a carrier force (if you do not • It is a Level 0 force or Level 1 small/med/large
already know), whether it launches an attack against force, and the Japanese carrier commitment limit
you, and in what strength. has not yet been exceeded. (Scenario 5 does not
use commitment limits.) A Surface force is never
DESIGN NOTE: In Carrier Battle: Philippine Sea, every eligible to launch a raid.
Japanese force is potentially a carrier force until you
DESIGN NOTE: The idea is that as long as the carrier
are sure that it is not. And any force that may contain
commitment limit has not been exceeded, there can
carriers may launch air raids. It’s critical to understand
still be more undiscovered carriers out there, so any
that you find out about an air raid when you detect it
one of the force types listed could be a carrier force.
-- not when it was launched, which would have been
In a later step of the procedure, you will determine
some time before. The strength of the raid may be
whether it really is.
affected by things that have happened in the past,
such as hits on the launching force. The information B. Does the force discover a target within range?
the game gives you over time is consistent, albeit This step uses the Japanese Air Raid Generation Table
often vague and uncertain. For example, a force (card 2, back) to determine if the Japanese carriers (if
that launches a large air raid is more likely to end up there are any) find and wish to attack a target in range.
containing a large number of carriers.
1. First check the maximum range allowed on the
current game turn, as listed on the table. If there is
no US task group within that range, there is no raid.
35 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

2. Next, select the target task group. This will be the 3. (Scenario 6 and after) If the force is a Level 1
closest US task group with carriers. If there is more carrier force with a known air strength (i.e., it has
than one equally close, select the one with the most previously launched raids), promote it to Level 2
carriers. using the Level 1 to Level 2 Intelligence Table. The
3. Then roll the die and apply modifiers listed on the force then uses the procedure for Level 2 forces.
table (some of which depend on the game turn and (That procedure will correctly take into account the
one of which is specific to scenario 9, only) and read force’s known air strength.)
a result. The result will either be that the Japanese
launch an attack, or not. DESIGN NOTE: The idea is that you get information
at this time only if the force decides to launch a raid
DESIGN NOTE: The table reflects the chance of the against you. The information you get is what you can
Japanese finding you, and takes into account the infer from the raid. You aren’t seeing the actual ships.
time of day and the time required to reach targets. So, if the above procedure winds up with a non-carrier
It presumes that strikes might be launched in the force, and hence no raid, you ‘call back the play’ (as in
predawn darkness (astronomical twilight) as was done American football) and discard the changes, since you
at Pearl Harbor, provided targets have been found, didn’t see anything. The force might turn out later to
but not earlier. Individual search planes with highly be a carrier force after all. Note that Level 1 chits that
experienced pilots could be launched in full night, but result in non-carrier forces during the air raid procedure
strikes could not (at least, not in 1944). are replaced in the cup and the force remains in play.
This is in contrast to what happens during search,
C. Is this in fact a carrier force? when the chits are removed from the cup and the force
If the Japanese force is already known to be a carrier is removed from play.
force, skip to step D. Otherwise, it must be either a
Level 0 force, or a Level 1 Large, Medium, or Small D. (Scenario 6 and after) Compute Known Air
force. Strength or Air Value. (In Scenario 5 the air strength
1. If it is a Level 0 force, first draw a Level 1 is specified by scenario rules.)
Intelligence chit. • Level 1-2 forces have a Known Air Strength, which
a. If this is a Carrier force chit, continue to step D is the sum of all air points on the Butai Display,
(you now have a Level 1 carrier force). including Lost or Unavailable points (9.24). If there
b. If it is a Small, Medium, or Large force, continue are no air points on the display, the strength is
to step C(2). (This will occur only in Scenario 6 ‘unknown.’
and after.) • Level 3 forces have an Air Value which is printed
c. If it is any type of Surface chit, or a False on the Intelligence Chit. Air points on the Butai
Contact, replace the Level 1 chit in the cup; the Display do not affect this value.
force reverts to Level 0 and does not launch a • Level 4 forces have an Air Value which is the sum
strike. Note that you do not remove the force of all the individual aircraft carrier values in the
in the event of False Contact; the air raid is force, adjusted for damage (12.23). Damage to the
cancelled, but the force remains in play and carrier affects this value, but air points on the Butai
could turn out to have carriers later. Display do not.
2. (Scenario 6 and after) If the force is Level 1 Large, Note: In all cases, the known air strength or air value
Medium, or Small, use the Level 1 to Level 2 represents what the Japanese force would have been
Intelligence Table (card 3, front) to determine a capable of if it could muster all its aircraft. Adjustments
Level 2 force chit. for lost or otherwise unavailable aircraft are made in
a. If this turns out to be a Carrier force, proceed to Step F.
step D (you now have a Level 2 carrier force).
b. If this turns out to be any type of Surface force, E. Determine strength of raid.
remove the Level 2 chit and revert the force There are three Air Raid Strength tables:
to whatever level it was at the start of this • Level 1-2 Forces, Known Air Strength (card
procedure. If you just promoted it from Level 0 2, back). (This is the only table you will use in
to Level 1 in step C(1), it reverts back to Level Scenario 5.) On this table, you select the column
0 now, and the Level 1 chit used is replaced in corresponding to the known air strength (9.24),
the cup. The force does not launch a raid at this apply column shifts (listed with the table) for the
time. force type (e.g., “1-2 Carrier”), then
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 36

cross-reference with a die roll. (Note: you cannot a. The number unavailable at this range is the total
have a Level 1 force with a known air strength in Available boxes that are lower numbered
launching a raid; it would have been promoted to than the range. For example, if the target is
Level 2 in step C(3).) at a range of 9 hexes, then any points in the
• Level 1-2 Forces, Unknown Air Strength (card 2, “Available 0-3” and “Available 0-6” hexes are
back). On this table, you cross-reference the force counted as unavailable.
type (“Level 1 Carrier,” etc.) with a die-roll. (This b. For raids from Guam the same procedure is
table is used only in the full-battle scenarios -- used, but you are applying to the Guam Display
Scenario 6 and after.) instead of a Butai Display.
• Level 3-4 Forces, and Guam (card 3, back): On 2. Using the Air Raid Strength Reduction Chart, cross-
this table you select the column corresponding reference the initial strength for the raid obtained
to air value (9.25-9.26), then cross-reference with in (E) with the number of points lost/unavailable.
a die roll. (This table is used only in the full-battle (No die-roll is involved.) The result is the reduced,
scenarios -- Scenario 6 and after.) final strength of the attack.
Note that in the air value or known air strength may 3. For raids with two waves, add the value of both to
be modified for hits the force has suffered (9.24-9.26). get the initial strength. Apply any reduction to the
(You do not need to worry about this in Scenario 5.) second wave. If the strength of that wave falls to
The result is the number of air points in the attack. three or less, the two waves are combined into one
(i.e., what remains of the second wave is added
• A result with the ‘/’ symbol indicates an attack in back into the first).
two waves. For example, “5/4” indicates a first G. Place air point counters in Air Raid box.
wave of five point and a second wave of four
points. The second wave becomes a second, Select an available Air Raid box on the Butai display
separate air raid, placed separately on the map for this force, and place air points in the box. For raids
(10.24). However, in the full battle scenarios with two waves, you use both boxes. (Remember that
(Scenario 6 and after) this strength must be if there was already a raid in play for this force, the two
adjusted for lost or unavailable air points (Step F) waves are combined into one.)
and this may result in a reduction from two waves 10.11 There are no separate Japanese fighter and
to one. Also, if a force already has one raid in attack plane counters; there are just generic “naval
play, an additional raid always is delivered as one air” and “land air” counters in point denominations,
wave, with the combined strength of both values like change. Each Air Raid box has a ‘fighters’ section
(9 in the example above). and a ‘attack planes’ section. These will hold air points
• Air raids from Guam (land-based aircraft) always known to be of those types.
arrive in a single wave. Add the two wave values 10.12 When a raid is first launched, you do not know
together and use the combined value, after how many of its points are fighters and how many are
applying Step F. (Guam air raids occur only in attack planes. Simply put counters representing the
Scenario 6 and after.) total strength of the raid on the boundary line between
DESIGN NOTE: You will see that the Level 1-2 and the Fighter and Attack Plane boxes.
Level 3-4 tables are similar, but the Level 1-2 allows a 10.13 You determine the exact number of attack planes
greater range of values, and hence more uncertainty. and fighters when the raid is first contacted by US
This is in keeping with the basic concept that you have fighters, or if never contacted by fighters, then when it
less definite information about Level 1 and 2 forces. reaches its target, as follows:
The table for Level 1 and 2 forces with no known air
strength allows the greatest uncertainty of all. 1. On the Japanese Escort Fighter Table (card 2,
front), locate the highest column not exceeding
F. (Scenario 6 and after) Reduce raid strength for the size of the raid (e.g., if the raid has seven
points lost or unavailable. points, then use the “6” column.
2. Roll one die and cross reference with the strike
1. Total the number of air points in the Lost box of size to determine the number of fighter points.
the force’s Butai Display, plus the total in Servicing 3. From the total points in the raid, put the required
boxes, plus the number in the Butai’s air raid number in the Fighters box. These now represent
boxes, plus the number unavailable at this range. fighters for the duration of the raid.
37 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

4. Put the remainder in the Attack Planes box -- i.e., you use the Air Raid Strength Table for Level 1-2
all points which are not fighters are attack planes. Forces With Unknown Air Strength. A die roll of “7”
These represent attack planes for the duration of on the “L1 Carrier” column yields a result of “8/5”
the raid. -- a first wave of 8 points and a second wave of 5
10.14 The grouping into fighters and attack planes -- more.
and the identification of individual air points as each of EXAMPLE: In the previous example, suppose
those types -- endures only for the duration of the raid. instead that Force “A” was already known to be
The aircraft revert to being generic ‘air points’ upon Level 1 Carrier, but had not previously launched
return to their carrier. a raid, and that it had just been detected by a US
search attempt in which a “US Advantage” marker
DESIGN NOTE: You will note that the same force might was placed. In this case an additional die-roll
launch one strike having one proportion of fighters, modifier of -3 would have applied, and the force
and then later launch a strike with a different mix. would not have launched an attack. This is one
Remember that the air points only reflect what you effect of US Advantage.
know so far. You don’t know what else the Japanese
might have on their decks. 10.2 RAID PLACEMENT AND MOVEMENT
“The particular strength of your [carrier] task force is
the use of radar, interception of radio messages, and
intercepting by radar of Japanese air attacks which they
can catch and destroy (‘eat up’) whenever they want
to.” — Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa, postwar interrogation,
October 1945
10.21 After a raid has been generated and its strength,
composition, and target determined, the raid is placed
on the map using this procedure:
1. Roll one die and consult the Intercept Range Table
(card 1, front), applying die-roll modifiers listed.
The result shows the range of intercept.
2. The raid will be placed at the specified distance
from the target.
a. Count along a direct line from source to target.
Note: The “source” is the force which launched
the strike; the “target” is the target US force as
determined in 10.1(B).
b. In case of ambiguity, prefer a hex containing no
US aircraft.
EXAMPLE: Japanese Force ‘H,’ currently at Level c. If there is still ambiguity, resolve randomly.
0, is located eight hexes away from TF 58 when 10.22 The Air Raid counter represents the planes in the
activated. It is the 0810 turn. According to the raid. Only the raid counter is placed on the map, not
Japanese Air Raid Generation Table the maximum the planes. Once placed, the raid moves as a unitary
range for a strike on the 0810 turn is 11 hexes, so whole. Japanese air units never transfer from one raid
a strike is possible. The table lists a modifier of -1 to another, nor do raids split up or combine.
for raids on this turn. It also lists a 0 modifier for
10.23 A raid moves two hexes per Japanese Air
range 7-9. The net modifier is -1. Your die roll is a
Movement segment. US units do not affect this
“6”, modified to 5, and thus the force would launch
movement. The raid moves directly to its target task
an attack if possible. You draw a Level 1 chit and
group along a straight line from source to target. If
it turns out to be “Level 1 Carrier.” This is the first
there is a choice of two hexes equally along the straight
carrier force that has appeared, so you use Butai
line, pick randomly.
display 1 for it, placing the Intelligence chit in the
upper corner and replacing the Force “A” counter
with “Butai 1.” The force has no air points yet, so
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 38

10.231 Note that the Japanese Air Movement Segment 11.0 JAPANESE LAND-BASED AIR
precedes the Activation Segment, and therefore new
raids -- which are placed during the Activation Segment Japanese land-based aircraft operating from Guam
-- do not move in the same Action Phase they are were a concern for the Americans. Admiral Ozawa was
placed. led to believe that he would get powerful support from
these forces. They were weaker than he expected and
10.24 When a force launches a pair of raids as a first
they accomplished nothing. Rule 16.1 may be added to
and second wave, the first wave is placed according to
let the land-based air turn out to be stronger than it was
10.21. The second one is placed two hexes behind the
historically.
first wave, counting back towards the originating forces
by the most direct path. Both waves are placed on the 11.1 LAND AIR BASES AND UNITS
map immediately. 11.11 Japanese land-based air units are represented
DESIGN NOTE: You see the Japanese aircraft only by unit counters. Like naval air, these are represented
in the final hexes before they reach their targets; we in the form of generic unit counters, which can be
presume they move at a speed of 2 hexes per segment exchanged for one another in any denominations.
during that time. For the rest of their mission, out of 11.12 The Japanese have an air base at Guam. It can
your sight, they would be using more economical launch air raids against American forces (it is, in effect,
cruising speeds. It may seem odd that the Japanese a large stationary aircraft carrier).
can fly right through US interceptors, but planes don’t 11.13 Japanese air bases at Yap/Peleliu and Iwo Jima
come to a stop in midair. What is really happening is do not launch raids, but can be a source of land air
a running fight as the Japanese fly toward their target. reinforcements if Rule 16.1 is in play.
The US interceptors generally will move to the hex
where the Japanese ended up and air combat will be 11.2 LAND-BASED AIR RAIDS
resolved there. The battle actually would be occurring DESIGN NOTE: Procedures for Japanese land bases
over the course of one to two hexes of movement. and their aircraft are much simpler than those for
carrier aircraft because there is less uncertainty: you
10.3 AIR RAID RETURN know exactly where each base is and how large it
10.31 After a carrier air raid’s air-to-surface combat is. However, the exact number of aircraft remains a
is complete, the raid marker is placed on the Air Raid mystery to you: the Japanese were good at hiding their
Return track for the Butai that launched it (as recorded aircraft from view, using revetments and the like.
by marker). Place it in the box corresponding to the 11.21 Guam has an Air Value, assigned by scenario.
current distance from the launching force to the target Place the Guam Air Value marker on the Records Track
task group. The raid does not remain on the map to fly at the start of the game to record the value. The Air
back to its carriers; the Air Raid Return track represents Value of Guam can change only if Rule 16.0 is in play.
the return flight. (Raids launched from Guam are (Note, the use of Rule 16.0 is recommended as soon as
different in this respect; see 11.28.) you don’t mind adding on a little more complexity; it
10.32 Returning units are moved one box per action adds many possibilities.)
phase along the track to lower numbered boxes, then 11.22 Guam has its own activation chit. (Note: There
to the Turnaround boxes, and then to the Available are also activation chits for “Iwo Jima” and “Yap/
boxes, as described in 9.12 and its example. This Peleliu” but they are used only with Rule 16.0.) When
occurs at the time the force is activated. the Guam activation chit is drawn, and if no Guam air
10.33 If the Japanese force has no operating flight raid is currently in play, carry out the air raid procedure
decks when the returning aircraft are due to be placed in the same manner as for a Level 4 Japanese force.
in the Turnaround box, the air points are eliminated. • Note that the activation chit, as for forces,
determines when you launch raids, not when you
move aircraft. Guam’s aircraft are moved at the
same time as naval aircraft.
11.23 Guam cannot launch a new air raid if a Guam air
raid is currently in play. In this event treat the Guam
activation chit as a No Op.
39 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

11.24 The decision to launch a raid from Guam is made each segment, just as incoming Japanese air raids do.
using the Japanese Air Raid Generation Table (card A Guam raid may be intercepted en route either to or
2, back), same as for naval air raids. The strength of a from the target. Conduct air-to-air combat as usual and
Guam raid is determined using the “Level 3-4 Forces place any air points lost in the Losses box for Guam.
and Guam” chart (card 3, back). Use the column for 11.29 When the raid returns to Guam, place the air
Guam’s current net air value (its original value minus points in the Landed section of the Guam display. From
any points lost or unavailable). The Air Strength there they move to the Servicing section and then to
Reduction Chart is not used for Guam. If Guam’s air the Available (at various ranges) box in the same way
value is less than 3, it does not launch a raid. as for the Butai displays.
11.25 Die-roll modifiers for game turn and range apply
to Guam as for any other Japanese raid. US Advantage 12.0 DAMAGE, FIRE, AND CRIPPLED
never applies to Guam. There is a special die-roll SHIPS
modifier if a US intercept mission is present in the
Guam hex (11.27). 12.1 US CARRIER DAMAGE
11.26 The Guam raid counter is placed on All damage to US carriers is recorded using Hit
the map as follows: markers. These numbered markers can be used like
1. If the US player has an intercept mission change.
in the Guam hex, the raid is always placed in 12.11 The US Damage Effects Summary Chart (card 4,
that same hex (11.27). front) lists the effects of damage for each type of carrier
2. Otherwise, the raid is placed using the procedure (CV and CVL).
of 10.2, determining a distance of intercept. If the • A carrier’s damage state is referred to as “light
distance from Guam to the US task force is less damage”, “heavy damage”, or “crippled,” as listed
than the distance of intercept, place the raid in the on the chart. These terms are used in certain
Guam hex. other rules and victory conditions.
3. A Guam raid always arrives as a single wave. If you • Effects include a reduction of the carrier’s AA
get a two-wave result from the table, you combine value, restrictions on flight operations, and a loss
with the values: e.g., a 5/4 result becomes a single of ability to move. (For damage to surface ships,
raid of nine points. see 12.5.)
11.27 If the US player has an intercept mission in the 12.12 Inoperative Flight Decks: A US carrier
Guam hex, there are the following effects: that suffers any hits (even light damage)
1. A die-roll modifier is applied to the air raid immediately receives an Inoperative Flight
generation die roll when the Guam activation chit Deck marker. While it has this marker, it
is drawn. This modifier is listed on the Air Raid cannot conduct any air operations. This
Generation Table (card 2, back). includes launching or landing units and raising or
2. If a raid is launched from Guam, the raid is placed lowering aircraft.
in the Guam hex and does not move in that Action 12.13 Repair of Inoperative Flight Decks: At the end
Phase. Other segments in the Action Phase are of each Action Phase (not game turn), roll one die for
carried out normally. The US player adds two to each Inoperative Flight Deck marker. On a net roll of 7
his air-to-air combat die roll against the Guam units or higher, the marker is removed. Do not make the roll
in that phase. This applies only when units are in the same phase in which the damage is suffered.
taking off from Guam, not when they are landing. • Note that a carrier can potentially have an
The above effects are only for an intercept mission. Inoperative Flight Deck and Deck Crash marker
An air strike mission does not have these effects. Note at the same time, and it needs to remove both
that a US intercept mission can loiter in the Guam hex before flight operations can resume.
(as was done during the actual battle), paying one fuel DESIGN NOTE: “Inoperative Flight Deck” encompasses
point per action phase. any damage that would shut down air operations.
11.28 The Guam display has no raid return sections. This might be holes in the deck, debris on the deck,
Instead, following a raid the the raid is flown back to or damage to the ship’s power plant or steering that
Guam on the map by the most direct path. It moves in prevented the ship from steaming into the wind
as required for launch and landing. US sailors had
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 40

become very efficient at repairing these problems, but b. Flip each “Hit -- Current Turn” marker to its “Hit
the time required could vary. The differences in this -- Previous Turn” side.
area between this game and its predecessor reflect the 12.22 “Previous Turn” and “Current Turn” hits have no
much improved state of damage control procedures in effect on Japanese air raids. They are ignored.
the US Navy by mid-1944.
12.23 Permanent hits can reduce the known air strength
12.14 In addition to effects listed on the chart, a US or the air value of Japanese forces as follows. Only
carrier immediately loses one air unit for each hit permanent hits have these effects. Note that permanent
suffered. Units must be lost first from the flight deck hits on a force less than level 4 would necessarily have
(landed or ready), next from servicing, and last from been inflicted by submarine attack (14.0) since any air
the hangar; select one unit randomly for each hit, strike would have raised the force to Level 4.
within these categories. • If a Level 1 or 2 force has permanent hits, subtract
• Each unit lost from the hangar counts as two units the total number of hits from its Known Air
for this purpose. Strength (9.241).
• If a Level 3 force has permanent hits, subtract the
total number of hits from the Level 3 force’s Air
Value (9.25).
• A carrier with light damage (less than half of its
EXAMPLE: A US carrier suffers three
total hit capacity) in permanent hits loses one point
hits. It has one Landing unit and four
of air value per permanent hit.
others in the hangar. The Landing
• A carrier with heavy damage (half or more its total
unit is eliminated. One of the units in
hit capacity) loses its entire air value. If its force has
the hangar is eliminated. The unit in
air point losses, apply the procedure of 12.24 when
the hangar counts double, so this
computing air raid strength.
counts as three total units
eliminated, as required.

12.15 Repair of inoperative flight decks (12.13) and


clearing of deck crashes are the only forms of “repair” EXAMPLE: A Japanese force has the carriers
in the game. Shokaku and Zuikaku (each worth 10 air value) and
12.16 A US CV with 6 or 7 hits or a CVL with 4 hits is Chitose (worth 4 air value). In the first Action Phase,
Crippled. See 12.4. an American attack inflicts five hits on Zuikaku.
These are registered as “Current Turn” hits. In
12.2 JAPANESE CARRIER DAMAGE the second Action Phase, the Japanese force is
DESIGN NOTE: The basic idea is that damage to activated and you determine that it has launched a
a Japanese carrier will affect the force’s ability to raid. The force’s air value for this raid remains 24,
launch planes, but will not affect raids already in the as the raid would have been launched prior to the
air. Since raids were launched some time before hits on Zuikaku.
you detect them, it is necessary to take into account 12.24 When a Japanese carrier has become heavily
whether damage happened before a particular raid was damaged (or more) by permanent hits, its entire air
launched, or after. value is lost to its force.
12.21 For Japanese carriers there are three types of • In this event, only Lost air points in excess of
hits: current turn, previous turn, and permanent. Only the carrier’s Air Value are treated as lost when
permanent hits affect air raid strength. computing air raid strength. However, a portion
1. When hits are initially suffered, place a “Hit -- of the force’s Lost air points are considered to
Current Turn” marker in the correct number of belong to that carrier. These losses, like the
hits. carrier’s air value, are ignored when computing
2. In the Update Hit Markers step of the End Phase, air raid strength.
do the following: • Lost points are assigned in proportion to the
a. Replace each “Hit -- Previous Turn” marker with number of carriers in the force, counting CVs as 2
a permanent Hits marker. and CVLs as 1, and rounding any fraction down.
41 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

EXAMPLE: Continuing the previous example, but eventually be destroyed by fire. A fire might also
suppose the Japanese force had lost ten air points, reach and detonate stored munitions -- a disaster which
and that it launches a raid two turns later, by which caused the loss of the USS Princeton at Leyte Gulf
time the hits on Zuikaku have become Permanent. just a few months after this battle. US ships had the
Zuikaku’s five hits are more than half of its hit advantage of better firefighting equipment and damage
capacity of 8, so this is heavy damage. Zuikaku’s control. Obviously, fire also affected Japanese carriers,
10-point air value is no longer counted, leaving only but the details of its progress and the firefighting
10 for Shokaku plus 4 for Chitose. Of the ten lost air attempts would not be known to you; effects of fire on
points, two-fifths, or 40% (4 points) are considered the Japanese ships are built into the game.
to have come from Zuikaku. This is because points
are assigned in the proportion of two for Zuikaku, 12.31 A fire may result any time a US carrier suffers
two for Shokaku, and one for Chitose. The four hits. Check for fire using the Fire Outbreak Table (card
points belonging to Zuikaku are not counted in 4, front). Roll one die, apply the modifiers listed with
the losses, leaving only 6 losses remaining of the the table, and read the table result. If a fire breaks out,
original 10. In sum, when computing raid strength place a “1 Fire” marker on the ship. Note that you roll
use an air value of 14 and air losses of 6. once per segment, using the total number of hits from
all attacks made against the ship in that segment.
DESIGN NOTE: The idea of this rule is to avoid “double • There are three possible levels of fire: 1, 2, and 3.
counting” air losses: you don’t penalize the Japanese Fire can increase or decrease in level as a result of
both for air points shot down and for the ship put out of the Fire Spread Table (12.33).
action. This rule in fact grants the Japanese a few more
air points than a precise accounting would give, but it
spares you some arithmetic and some complexity.

12.25 A Japanese carrier’s AA value suffers the same


effects as for US carriers, at each level of damage: 12.311 Fire can also start as a result of a Japanese
halved for light and heavy damage, zero if crippled. submarine attack on a US carrier (14.2 and Japanese
Submarine Attack Table). No additional die roll is
12.26 A Japanese carrier becomes Crippled (12.4) if
involved; if the table result specifies fire, a fire breaks
all its hits (permanent and otherwise) total one or two
out.
less than the Hit Capacity for a CV, or one less than
the Hit Capacity for a CVL. All hits are counted for this 12.32 In the Fire Step during the End Phase of each
purpose, not just permanent hits. game turn (not each Action Phase) you check for
possible spread of each fire that is raging. This includes
12.27 A Japanese carrier is sunk if it suffers permanent
fires started that turn. For each ship that is on fire,
hits equal to or exceeding its Hit Capacity.
roll the die and consult the Fire Spread Table (card 4,
12.28 The Japanese ships Ise and Hyuga were part front), applying listed modifiers.
CVL and part battleship. Like battleships (see 12.52),
12.33 Results on the Fire Spread Table are as follows:
they are crippled if they take hits totalling at least 75%
of their hit capacity (12 points). They suffer the same Fire Extinguished - remove Fire marker
effects on air value at each level of damage as a CVL. In -1 fire level -- reduce fire one level. A 1 Fire marker is
all other respects their damage effects are the same as removed (same as extinguished).
for a battleship.
+1 fire level -- increase to next fire level. A 3 Fire
12.29 If following the US Air Attack Segment there remains a 3 Fire.
are enough hits of all types to put all flight decks in a
+damage -- ship suffers additional damage equal to
Japanese force out of action, then any CAP generated
current fire level. For example, if the current level is 2
for that force in this segment is eliminated and placed
Fire, the ship suffers two additional damage points.
in the Lost box.
+ 2x damage -- ship suffers additional damage equal to
12.3 FIRE
twice current fire level (e.g., four points for 2 Fire).
DESIGN NOTE: Fire was a terrible threat to carriers, as 12.34 A carrier cannot conduct any air operations
they were packed full of aviation fuel and explosives. A (landing, launching, raising, lowering, or servicing)
carrier might survive the immediate effect of bomb hits while on fire.
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 42

12.35 Fire applies only to carriers, not surface ships or 12.46 When not using Rule 21.0, it is permitted for
surface units. It applies only to US ships. (The progress units of either side to enter a hex occupied only by
of fire on Japanese ships would not be known to the one or more crippled enemy ships. If a US task group
US admirals. Fire damage for the Japanese is taken enters a hex containing a crippled Japanese ship,
into account in the surprise modifier.) the ship is considered sunk (actually, scuttled by an
12.36 It is possible for a ship to have more than one fire accompanying destroyer), and immediately removed
if it is attacked again before the first fire is put out. Roll from play. The same applies if a Japanese surface force
separately for each fire and track each fire’s progress enters a hex containing a crippled US carrier, unless
individually. the surface combat and evasion rules are in force (see
21.16).
12.4 CRIPPLED SHIPS
12.47 Crippled US ships can be attacked by Japanese
A carrier or battleship of either side can submarines (14.25).
become crippled as a result of damage
(12.16, 12.26, 12.51-12.52). You can place a 12.5 SURFACE SHIP DAMAGE
Crippled marker as a reminder. 12.51 US battleships can suffer damage from air raids
12.41 A crippled ship can remain with its force or task and in surface combat. There is a column for BBs on
group only as long as that force or task group remains the US Damage Effects Summary Chart (card 4, front).
in the same hex. If the force or task group moves, the • The chart shows the number of hits needed to
crippled ship is placed on the map. This applies to both attain each damage level. Where the Damage
sides. Effects Summary shows a pair of values (for
12.411 If using Rule 21.0 (Surface Combat) then the example, “10/12”) the first value applies to
US player, when moving, can leave one or more battleships having Hit Capacity 20 or lower, and
surface units behind in the hex with a crippled ship the higher value applies to battleships with a Hit
if he wishes; in this case, these units remain with the Capacity greater than 20.
crippled ship for the rest of the game. The crippled • The battleship may lose AA value, go dead in the
ship and its accompanying unit(s) move when the “US water, or be sunk, for the values shown.
Move” chit is drawn. This option exists only when • A BB with 15+ hits is Crippled (12.4).
using Rule 21.0; otherwise the crippled ship is left by • A US BB unit is sunk when it suffers damage equal
itself. Japanese crippled ships are detached from their to its hit capacity (20 for some BBs, 22 for others).
forces and placed on the map as required by 12.41, 12.52 Japanese battleships suffer the same effects
but the Japanese never leave surface units behind with for each level of damage as US battleships do. The
them. thresholds for each level of damage are as defined on
12.42 A crippled ship can move only in turns ending in the Japanese Damage Effects Summary: 50% of total
“30,” e.g., 0530 -- in other words, every third turn. (The hit capacity for heavy damage, 75% for crippled.
ship is actually being towed. The towing ship is not 12.53 Cruiser and destroyer units of both sides (which
represented in the game.) represent multiple ships) suffer no effects from hits
12.43 Crippled Japanese ships use Retirement until the number of hits equals the hit capacity, at
movement (19.0). A crippled Japanese ship moves at which point the unit is removed from play.
the same time as its original force.
13.0 COMMITMENT
12.44 A crippled US carrier can be the target of a
Japanese air raid. However, a Japanese raid will attack DESIGN NOTE: The purpose of the commitment rule
a task group first. It will attack a crippled ship only if no is to prevent the Japanese carrier forces in the game
task group target is within 12 hexes, and only if there from growing beyond reasonable levels. Note however
is no Japanese surface force within six hexes of the that if you play (as recommended) with the Japanese
crippled ship. additional ships (2.35), you may end up with different
12.45 Japanese surface forces within six hexes of a ships from those that participated in the actual battle.
crippled US ship will move directly toward that ship in This is intended; the US admirals did not know the
place of Mission movement, unless they are located exact makeup of the Japanese fleet.
in a zone adjoining the east map edge, in which case
Mission movement takes priority.
43 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

13.1 COMMITMENT INDEX


13.11 The Japanese Commitment Index records the
approximate size of the Japanese carrier forces so
far revealed in play. It starts at zero and increases as
new forces are introduced into the game. Use the
Commitment Index marker on the General Records
Track to record the index. EXAMPLE: Three Japanese carrier forces are in
play: a Level 1 force with known air strength of 7,
13.12 The Commitment Index must be checked and a Level 3 “2 CV” force, and a Level 4 force that has
possibly adjusted each time any of the following the CVL Zuiho, and which formerly had the CVL
happen: Chitose that is now sunk. The Level 1 force, per
1. A new Japanese carrier force is revealed in play, the L1 Commitment Value Chart, has Commitment
either in search or air raid; Value 2 (we read from the “6” row, not “8”). The
2. The Known Air Strength of an existing Level 1 force Level 3 chit shows value 4. The Level 4 force counts
increases. one point for each CVL, total 2. The Commitment
3. A Japanese carrier force increases to a higher Index is 8.
level, either in search or air raid. 13.2 COMMITMENT LIMITS
13.13 To compute the Commitment Index, you 13.21 Each scenario (Scenario 6 and after) specifies
compute a Commitment Value for each carrier force in a Japanese Commitment Threshold and a Japanese
play, and sum these values together. The force values Commitment Limit.
are computed as follows (see Commitment Values
Chart, card 3, back):
• For each Level 4 force, points accrue for each
carrier either in play or sunk: 2 points per CV, 1
point per CVL. (In other words, points accrue for
These values do not change during play. You record
each carrier that joined the battle in that force, even
them by placing markers on the General Records
if it is now sunk.)
Track. The Threshold determines when you start to
• For each Level 2 or Level 3 force, the value is
see commitment effects; the Limit acts like an upper
printed on the intelligence chit (white number on
bound on the index. Also as part of the scenario setup,
black circle background).
you will decide whether you are using the historical
• The commitment value of a Level 1 force is
Japanese force posture, or using additional ships. This
a function of its Known Air Strength. The L1
choice affects the operation of the commitment rules.
Commitment Value Chart (card 3, back) shows
the values. If no air strength is yet known, the 13.22 If the commitment index currently equals or
commitment value for the force is taken to be 4. exceeds the commitment threshold at the time a new
carrier force is revealed, the force may turn out to be
It is possible for the Commitment Value computed for
a False Contact instead. Perform a commitment test
the same force to decrease and then increase again as
using the Commitment Test Table (card 3, back), as
the force goes through successive intelligence levels.
follows:
1. Locate the line at the top of the table
corresponding to the current scenario and force
posture. If playing with historical ships only, use
the Historical line; if using Additional Ships (2.35)
use the Additional Ships line; use the Scenario 9
line only in that scenario.
2. In the line selected, locate the column
corresponding to the current commitment index.
13.221 Double forces (7.5) may not enter the game
once the commitment threshold has been exceeded. A
double force result is treated as Level 1 Carrier instead.
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 44

13.23 At the moment the Commitment Index reaches 14.0 SUBMARINES


or exceeds the Commitment Limit, immediately carry
The Philippine Sea was an unusual case in which US
out the following procedure for each Japanese Level
submarines made a large direct contribution through
0 or Level 1 Large/Medium/Small force, starting with
attacks on enemy warships, as opposed to their usual
those closest to the Invasion zone.
role of destroying the Japanese merchant marine. The
1. If the force is Level 0, draw a Level 1 chit from the
game regards the historical result -- two Japanese
cup.
carriers sunk -- as a longshot; it can occur, but it is
a. If the result is any type of carrier chit, remove
unlikely.
the force from play, as no more carrier forces
are allowed. DESIGN NOTE: Concerning US submarines, the game
b. If the result is a Surface chit, place it takes some liberties with player role. Historically the
underneath the force and the force remains in US submarines were under the command of Admiral
play, up to a maximum of four surface forces in C.A. Lockwood (Commander Submarines Pacific
play (Step 3). Fleet), who was based at Pearl Harbor and not under
c. If the result is a Large, Medium, or Small Force, the direct control of either Admiral Spruance or
immediately proceed as in Step (2). Admiral Mitscher. However, as submarines sank two
d. If the result is False Contact, the force is of the three Japanese carriers lost in this battle -- and
removed from play. did so with no assistance from aircraft -- it seemed
2. If the force is Level 1 Large, Medium, or Small, unsatisfying to have such an important force not be
promote it to a Level 2 force using the Level 1 to under the player’s control. It does appear that there
Level 2 Intelligence Table. If the result is a surface was close-coordination among the admirals involved,
force, place the chit underneath the force. If the and the submarines were given orders firmly in support
result is a carrier force, remove it from play. of TF 58’s mission, so perhaps the game is not too far
3. As soon as the Japanese have a total of at least from reality.
four surface forces on the map, the procedure
is halted, and any remaining Level 0 and Level 1 14.1 US SUBMARINES
Large/Medium/Small forces are removed from US submarines are used in scenarios 6 through 9.
play.
14.11 There are five US submarines, identified by
13.231 If the Japanese already had four or more surface name. In Scenario 6 and later, they are set up as part of
forces in play when the Commitment Limit was reached the US forces on map at the start. Each may be placed
or exceeded, then all existing surface forces remain in anywhere on the map, including island hexes.
play but the procedure of 13.23 is skipped. Remove any
remaining Large/Medium/Small forces. 14.12 There is one “US Subs” activation chit. When the
US player draws this chit, he may do the following with
13.232 It can also happen that the Japanese have each of his submarines:
only a few non-carrier forces in play when the limit is
reached. In that case you still carry out 13.23(2) for 1. If the submarine is not pinned and not shadowing,
each Large, Medium, or Small force, removing it if it move the submarine one hex, if desired. Following
turns out to be a carrier force and keeping it in play if it any movement, the submarine may attempt to
turns out to be a surface force, and stopping when you contact a Japanese force in its hex (14.13). If
have four surface forces in play. the contact succeeds, the submarine can either
shadow or attack the force.
13.24 After the Commitment Level has been exceeded, 2. If the submarine is pinned, remove any Pin 1
the following effects apply for the remainder of the marker and replace any Pin 2 marker with a
game: Pin 1 marker (14.171). In either case, the pinned
1. Level 1 carrier forces already in the game remain submarine takes no other action in that phase; its
in play and function normally. activation consists solely of having its pin marker
2. For the rest of the game, the air raid procedure is reduced or removed.
carried out only for forces already known to be 3. If the submarine is shadowing, see 14.151.
carrier forces. 14.13 To resolve a contact attempt, roll one die and
3. No new Japanese forces arrive. consult the Submarine Contact Table (card 4, front).
The result is either success or failure.
45 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

14.131 The following die roll modifiers apply to contact cruising speeds. The best attack position resulted if the
attempts: submarine could wait in ambush and let the Japanese
+1 if the Japanese force did not move when most approach.
recently activated. (This can occur as a result of 14.14 If the contact succeeds, proceed as follows:
movement priority 7.21 (7)(c)).
+1 if the force moved into the submarine’s hex 1. If the Japanese force was Level 0, it is promoted
-2 for “oblique approach”: the submarine moved into to Level 1. Draw a Level 1 chit. This may reveal
the force’s hex in this activation from the quarter, that the force is a False Contact; if so, skip the rest
i.e., from an oblique direction with respect to the of the procedure.
force’s movement (see Example). 2. A submarine which makes a successful contact
-3 for a “stern chase”: the submarine moved into the has the option to either shadow the force (14.15),
force’s hex in this activation from directly astern or else attack.
(i.e., moving the same direction the force did, from 3. If you wish to shadow, flip the submarine to its
directly behind -- see Example). reverse (“Shadow”) side. The sub remains on this
-1 if the current Action Phase is Dusk or Night side until it stops shadowing.
+3 versus a Crippled ship 4. If you wish to attack, proceed to the attack
procedure (14.16). In this case the sub remains
Note: When a Japanese force is moved in a position face up.
where US submarines might attack, you can orient the
force counter to show direction of movement. Note that a submarine contact does not result in any
form of Detection.
14.141 If there are multiple Japanese forces in the
hex, and a contact attempt against one reveals a False
Contact, then the US player may attempt to contact a
different force. This can continue until either a contact
attempt fails or a real force is revealed, at which point
no further contact attempts can be made.
14.15 Shadowing: A submarine can choose to shadow
a force it has contacted. Flip the sub to its reverse,
Shadowing side. Shadowing continues until either the
player voluntarily stops shadowing (14.151) or attacks,
or the sub suffers an adverse ASW result (14.152). The
benefit of shadowing is a favorable modifier on air
search die rolls.
14.151 Any time the US Subs chit is drawn, a
shadowing submarine has the following options:
• It can continue shadowing, in which case it does
nothing at this time.
• It can stop shadowing. Flip the submarine face up.
The submarine may not be moved at that time.
EXAMPLE: Japanese force I moved from 1013 to • It can attack the force it is shadowing (only). Flip
1012 in its most recent activation. The USS Stingray the submarine face up, and proceed as in 14.16.
enters hex 1012 from 0912. It is approaching from 14.152 When the shadowed Japanese force is
the quarter and gets the oblique approach modifier activated, resolve an ASW attempt (14.17) against the
(-2). The Finback was left behind in 1013. If it sub. If the sub becomes pinned, it loses contact and
attempts to give chase into 1012 it will suffer the ceases to shadow the force. Otherwise, it accompanies
stern chase modifier (-3). the moving force to that force’s new hex. (Note that
DESIGN NOTE: The top speed of US submarines on there is no ASW attempt when the sub first contacts,
the surface was about 16 knots. It was difficult to give only when the shadowed force moves.)
chase to a Japanese force from astern, but possible DESIGN NOTE: The Shadowing option simulates
when the Japanese were operating at economical keeping the force in sight while evading detection and
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 46

and reporting its position. This was done by US you apply the hits to one battleship.
submarines in the lead-up to the battle, but on the day 14.164 A roll of 10 on the Submarine Attack Hits Table
of battle they opted for attack. requires a second roll, as stated beneath the table.
14.16 To carry out a submarine attack, proceed as This will result either in the award of additional hits, or
follows: (on a second roll of 10) the immediate destruction of
1. Roll one die and consult the US Submarine Attack the target ship. (This represents some form of ‘critical
Table (card 4, front). This may specify no effect, or damage,’ as happened to the Japanese aircraft carrier
that you obtain damage rolls. Note that there is a Taiho.) If this result is obtained against a Level 3 or
die-roll modifier for firing at a crippled ship. lower force, you can just place a large number of hit
2. For each damage roll, you roll the die again and markers.
consult the Submarine Attack Hits Table (card 4, 14.17 Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) attacks occur
front) to determine the number of hit points. when a shadowed Japanese force moves or when a
a. For a Level 4 force, all the hits are applied to one submarine attacks. Roll one die and consult the ASW
carrier of your choice. Place “Hit - Current Turn” Table (card 4, front). There is a modifier of +1 if the
markers on the affected carrier. All the hits must ASW attack immediately follows an attack in which the
be applied to one carrier; they cannot be divided submarine scored hits.
among multiple targets.
b. For any lower level carrier force, or a force of 14.171 The possible ASW results (other than no effect)
unknown type, the hits are simply applied to the are:
force. Place “Hit - Current Turn” markers on the Pin 1, Pin 2 — Place a Pin marker. A Pinned sub
force’s Butai Display (or for a force of unknown cannot be activated, attempt contact, attack,
type, underneath the Force counter). The hits will shadow, or move. Pin effects can last either one or
be applied to individual ships later (14.162). two full turns. When the Sub chit is drawn, Pin 2
c. For a surface force, promote the force to level 3 markers are replaced by Pin 1, and Pin 1 markers
and apply the hits to a single ship or unit of the are removed (but the sub cannot be activated until
largest class present in the force (14.163). the next turn).
3. Resolve an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) attack Destroyed — Remove the submarine from play.
against the sub. When any of these results occurs against a shadowing
14.161 Hits inflicted by submarines start out as “current sub, flip the submarine to its non-shadowing (face-up)
turn” hits and progress to permanent hits, the same side.
as hits inflicted by air strikes, and they have the same DESIGN NOTE: The “Pin” result represents the
effects on air value. submarine going deep and quiet to wait out the attack.
14.162 When a Japanese Level 3 carrier force that has An attack would inevitably be followed by depth-
accumulated submarine hits becomes Level 4 choose charging, which would require the sub to dive and
one carrier randomly. If any CVs are present, choose hide, probably staying down for a time and losing
only from among the CVs. Assign all the hits to that contact with the force. USS Cavalla, for example, was
carrier. If there are at that point enough permanent hits ‘pinned’ for nearly three hours following its successful
to sink the carrier, remove it from play. Any excess attack on Shokaku.
hits are forfeited. (Note that all hits incurred by a force
at Level 3 or below must be sub hits, since a force 14.172 When attacking a lone crippled ship (not part of
becomes Level 4 when it undergoes air attack.) any force), all odd die rolls are treated as No Effect for
ASW. For example, a die roll of 10 followed by 9, which
DESIGN NOTE: A submarine would line up one target, would normally sink the attacking sub, is treated as No
torpedo it, and then dive to escape the depth-charging
Effect.
by the escorts. Thus, all the hits are assigned to one
target. 14.18 Submarines cannot contact, attack, or shadow
Japanese air raids. An air raid moves through
14.163 Submarines can attack Japanese surface forces. submarines with no effect on either the air raid or the
If a submarine obtains hits against a surface force, submarine.
immediately promote the force to Level 3. Hits are
applied to one ship of the largest class present in the
force. For example, if the force contains battleships,
47 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

roll once per hex, even if multiple task groups occupy


SUBMARINE EXAMPLE: The submarine Cavalla the hex.
moves into a hex containing a Level 0 Japanese 14.23 The result of the submarine attack may be ‘no
Carrier force. The US player rolls for the Submarine effect,’ or may require a second die roll to determine
Contact Table and obtains an 8, resulting in contact. the final result, which may include hits, fire, or
He draws a chit and obtains a Level 1 Carrier force. immediate sinking.
He decides to attack. Using the US Submarine At-
tack Table, his attack die-roll is 10, yielding two rolls 14.24 The results of the submarine attack are applied
on the Submarine Attack Hits Table. For the two hit to a single carrier chosen at random from those in the
die rolls he obtains a 9 and a 10. The 9 gives a re- hex.
sult of five hits. For the 10, the table states he must 14.25 Submarine attacks against crippled ships occur
roll the die a second time. The second roll is 7, for at the end of each daylight game turn (not including
six more hits; the total is 11 hits. The US player Dusk). Roll once per crippled ship, applying the listed
places 11 points of “Hit - Current turn” markers on modifier for any surface units in the same hex. Apply
the force’s display. any result to the crippled ship immediately.
Since the sub made an attack, the player must roll 14.26 There is no ASW attack against the Japanese
for ASW. He rolls a 7, to which 1 is added because submarine. (Actually, there is, but the destroyers take
the sub attacked and obtained hits. The adjusted care of it and you don’t know the results.)
roll of 8 gives the result “Pinned 7, for six more hits;
the total is 11 hits. The US player places 11 points
of “Hit - Current turn” markers on the force’s dis- 15.0 VICTORY CONDITIONS
play. DESIGN NOTE: The mission of the American fleet
Since the sub made an attack, the player must roll at the Battle of the Philippine Sea was to cover the
for ASW. He rolls a 7, to which 1 is added because invasion of Saipan. It was not within the capabilities
the sub attacked and obtained hits. The adjusted of the Japanese fleet to prevent this invasion, nor to
roll of 8 gives the result “Pinned for 2 turns.” The change the outcome of the war, which by mid-1944
sub receives a Pin-2 marker. The next time US Subs Japan had clearly lost. Historically, Admiral Spruance
is drawn this will be reduced to Pin-1; the sub takes pursued a conservative strategy which accomplished
no action. The time after that, the Pin-1 marker will the mission, but was disappointing for some of Task
be removed, and the time after that, the sub can be Force 58’s officers and men, who wanted to seek out
activated again. and annihilate the Japanese fleet. And anyway, we
Later in the game the Japanese force is promoted are wargamers. Accordingly, the victory conditions in
to a Level 4 force with carriers. One of the carriers Carrier Battle: Philippine Sea are based on what the US
drawn at that time is Shokaku. The 11 hits, which sailors wanted to achieve and on what is challenging
by that time have become permanent hits, are as- for the player. To win a game victory you are required
signed to Shokaku by random choice (rule 14.162). to ‘clean the table,’ not just cover the invasion. But
Shokaku is immediately removed from play. failing to cover the invasion hurts you badly, as that is
your primary mission.
(Note: This is the historical attack made by the USS
Cavalla, Lt. Cmdr. Hermann J. Kossler commanding, 15.1 VICTORY POINTS
on June 19.) Victory is determined by Victory Points.
14.2 JAPANESE SUBMARINES The US player receives points:
14.21 There are no Japanese submarine units in the • For damaging and sinking Japanese carriers
game. But if the US player chooses to illuminate a hex • For destroying Japanese naval air points.
(6.43) he may suffer a submarine attack (14.22). He The US player loses points:
may also suffer submarine attack if he has any crippled • For damaged and sunk carriers and submarines,
ships on the map (14.25). and US air units eliminated.
14.22 For each US-occupied hex that is illuminated at • For Japanese forces that exit the map from the
the end of an Action Phase, roll one die and consult the Invasion Zone (the darker-shaded sea zone along
Japanese Submarine Attack Table (card 4, front). You the east map edge and containing the islands of
Saipan and Tinian)
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 48

15.11 In order to determine victory points, whenever a


Japanese force exits the map from the Invasion Zone,
immediately promote it to the highest possible level
(Level 4 for carrier, Level 3 for surface) and place in the
Japanese Ships Exited box.
Net US VP Level of Victory
101+Overwhelming US Victory
History records the Philippine Sea as a success
to go alongside Midway in its effects on the war.
The Japanese navy ceases to be a factor for the
Victory Point Deductions remainder of hostilities.
-5 per US carrier (any type) lightly damaged 76-100 Substantial US Victory
-10 per US carrier heavily damaged (4-5 hits for CV, 3 The battle is judged a clear victory. The Japanese
hits for CVL) fleet is unable to sortie again. The Japanese turn to
-15 per US carrier crippled (6-7 hits for CV, 4 hits for kamikaze tactics.
CVL) 51-75 Incomplete US Victory
-25 per US CVL sunk The Japanese fleet loses this battle but is still able
-35 per US CV sunk to contest the invasion of the Philippines. There is a
-4 per US submarine sunk general feeling that ‘we could have done better.’ (This
-1 per two US air units eliminated in combat when not was the historical outcome.)
in task group hex
31-50 Mixed Results
-1 per four US air units eliminated when in task group
The Japanese withdraw and the invasion goes
hex (this includes units lost in combat in that hex,
forward, but there is much grumbling and
units lost on landing, and units eliminated through
dissatisfaction in the fleet, and some historians are
damage to carriers)
harsh in their judgements. (This would have been
-20 Each Japanese carrier to exit the map from the
the historical outcome but for the contribution of US
Invasion Zone (7.23)
submarines.)
-15 Each battleship to exit from the Invasion Zone
(7.23) 16-30 US Defeat
-8 Each cruiser or destroyer unit to exit from the The battle is judged a Japanese victory and the
Invasion Zone (7.23) invasion is delayed. You are relieved of command
of the carrier forces and sent home to testify at a
Note that there is a VP award for Japanese air points
Congressional inquiry.
actually destroyed in combat, but no separate award
for remaining air points that might have been on board 15 or less Humiliating US Defeat
a sunken carrier (they are included in the points for the The invasion is seriously compromised and the
carrier itself). battle is judged a humiliation for American arms. You
are court-martialed and then sent to command the
DESIGN NOTE: The deduction for US air units lost naval depot at Stuber Forks, Iowa. The local paper
reflects the loss of pilots and aircrew; the high volume publishes a stiffly worded article which omits all
of US production meant that the planes themselves mention of the battle. (Those familiar with the novel
were worth little. The different awards for points The Caine Mutiny may recognize this outcome.)
eliminated in the task group’s hex versus eliminated
in combat elsewhere reflect the differing chances
of recovering the pilot and crew. One of the striking
differences between the US and Japanese services was
that TF 58 managed to rescue most of its downed fliers,
while on the Japanese side, “a man who did not return
from a mission was dead” (Sakai, Samurai;
see Bibliography).
49 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

16.2 LAND AIR REINFORCEMENT ARRIVAL


ADVANCED RULES 16.21 If there is a US task group within two hexes of
Guam in any direction, or if there is a US intercept
The following rules sections provide additional
mission in or adjacent to the Guam hex, then the
simulation detail, additional tactical and strategic
reinforcements are placed on the map as though they
considerations, game variation, or more challenge.
were an air raid coming to attack Guam.
They can be used with any scenario from Scenario
6 onward. (Some can also be used with earlier 1. Treat Guam as the target hex and use the Intercept
scenarios, as noted.) The Advanced Rules can be used Range Table to determine the distance.
singly or in any combination, as the player wishes. 2. Count hexes in that distance toward the point of
origin by the most direct straight-line route.
16.0 LAND AIR REINFORCEMENTS a. For reinforcements from Yap/Peleliu, the point of
origin is the island of Yap (hex 2219)
DESIGN NOTE: The Japanese had about 500 aircraft b. For reinforcements from Iwo Jima, the point of
in the general area of the Philippine Sea, and tried to origin is hex 0109.
shuttle some of them to Guam during the battle. Many 3. The air points are then placed on the map and
of these were intercepted by US fighters. Admiral move towards Guam in the same way a raid moves
Ozawa’s plan presumed that essentially all these 500 towards its target. They can be intercepted the
aircraft would be deployed in support of his operation; same as a raid.
in this he was badly disappointed. This rule allows for a 4. When the reinforcement arrives at the Guam hex, it
level of land air more in line with what Admiral Ozawa must fight air-to-air combat against any US fighters
expected. in the hex. Following the air-to-air combat, the
reinforcing units land.
16.1 LAND AIR REINFORCEMENT PROCEDURE • The air value of Guam is immediately increased
With this rule, the Japanese may receive land air by the number of points that landed. Adjust the
reinforcements from Iwo Jima and from Yap (the latter Guam Air Value marker on the Records Track.
represents aircraft from Yap, Peleliu, and neighboring • The air points are placed in the Landed box on the
islands). Guam display. They progress from there the same
16.11 The Activation chits for Yap/Peleliu and Iwo Jima as points landed from a raid.
are added to the activation chit cup beginning with the 16.22 If there is no US task group within two hexes
0810 turn of each day. They are not used on the first of Guam in any direction, and also no US intercept
two game turns of each day. mission in or adjacent to the Guam hex, then the units
16.12 When the Activation Chit for either Yap or Iwo immediately arrive at Guam.
Jima is drawn, carry out the following procedure:
17.0 LEEWARD MOVEMENT
1. Roll the die. If the roll is “9” or “10”, there is an air
reinforcement; proceed to the next step. DESIGN NOTE: The wind blew steadily from the east
2. Roll the die again and consult the Land Air on June 19-20, 1944, as it most commonly does in the
Reinforcement Strength Table (card 4, front) to vicinity of the Marianas at that time of year. As carriers
determine the number of points received. Note that needed to steam into the wind to launch or recover
the outcome on June 19 can include a modifier to planes, this wind gave the Japanese an advantage: the
be applied to rolls for this table for the same base US could close the range on the Japanese fleet only
on June 20. by steaming to leeward (away from the wind) and thus
3. The new air points can be taken in any reducing their air operations.
denomination of counters. They are put in play per
rule 16.2.
4. Remove this Activation Chit from play for the
remainder of the day. In other words, there can be
only one air reinforcement per source land base per
day. In two-day scenarios there can be one on June
19 and one on June 20. A chit drawn on June 19 is
restored to the cup on the 0810 turn of June 20.
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 50

The Leeward Movement rule increases both realism 17.2 A task group marked with a Leeward Move marker
and player challenge. It is recommended for use suffers the following effects:
primarily in two-day scenarios (Scenarios 8 and 9). It • It can launch or land (not both) at most one air unit
can be used in single-day scenarios, but may make the (for the entire task group) in that phase.
game extremely challenging. • Any existing CAP mission must immediately be
At the end of each US Move segment, check Task placed on the map and assigned a fuel marker
Force 58 and each detached carrier task group for (4.34).
leeward movement, as follows:
DESIGN NOTE: Planes on CAP had to be constantly
• A TF or TG which moves away from the cycled for refueling, which required launches and
current wind direction -- either directly away, landings.
or diagonally away (see Example) receives a
Leeward Move marker. Note that there are three 17.3 A task group marked with a Station Keeping
leeward and three windward directions from any marker suffers the following effects:
hex. • Each CV in the task group can either launch one
• A TF or TG that remains in its hex and does not air unit or land one air unit (not both) per action
move receives a Station Keeping marker. phase.
• A TF or TG that moves toward the wind (opposite • One CVL in the task group can either launch one
from leeward) receives no marker, and any air unit or land one air unit per action phase. The
existing Leeward Move or Station Keeping marker other CVL or CVLs cannot launch or land any air
is removed. units in that phase. A different CVL may be chosen
Leeward Movement applies only to Task Force 58 and to launch or land an air unit each action phase.
carrier task groups.
17.4 A task group moving to windward (no
17.1 Once placed, a Leeward Movement or Station Leeward Movement or Station Keeping marker)
Keeping marker remains in place until the end of the has full air operations capacity as described in
next activation of that TF or TG. The condition of
earlier rules.
moving leeward or station keeping is thus in effect from
activation to activation. It affects flight operations in 17.5 A Leeward Movement marker may already
that interval, as described in 17.2 and 17.3. be in place at the start of a scenario, as per scenario
instructions. In this case the marker affects air
operations through the end of the task group’s initial
activation.
17.6 (Optional) Variable Wind Direction: The wind
direction historically was from east to west. Players
who wish to explore other possibilities can make a die
roll using the following table before the start of the
scenario:

EXAMPLE: Wind is blowing due west (toward


the left-hand side of the image). Task Force 58 is
located in hex 1013. It would receive a Leeward
Move marker if it moves to 0913, 1014, or 1113.

You can place the Wind Direction marker in the corner


of the map to record the direction.
The wind does not change during the game.
51 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

18.2 EXTENDED SEARCH RANGE


18.0 ADVANCED SEARCH OPTIONS DESIGN NOTE: This option simulates the use of
fighters equipped with drop tanks (extra fuel) for longer
DESIGN NOTE: These rules add more options, choices, range search.
and detail to the search system. Rules 18.1 and 18.3
together enable the exact sequence of events which 18.21 A search mission composed only of fighters
happened in the US searching of the Japanese fleet may search out to 12 hexes. The Max Radius marker is
on June 20, 1944. I am grateful to John D. Burtt for placed 12 hexes away from the hex of origin.
suggesting options 18.1 and 18.4. 18.22 The mission searches the zones for 0-2 hexes,
3-6 hexes, and 7-10 hexes normally. In the next Search
18.1 SHADOWING Phase after it has searched the 7-10 hex zone, it moves
The shadowing option allows a searching unit on its two additional hexes (to 12 hexes total distance) and
outbound leg to forego further searches in return for a searches all forces at a distance of 11 or 12 hexes. On
second search against the same target. the following turn it returns to the 10-hex distance,
searching the 11-12 hex zone again. It then returns
18.11 A search mission on the outbound leg which
normally to the carrier.
obtains an ‘S’ or ‘L’ result has the option to shadow the
detected force. 18.23 If a fighter air search mission contacts an enemy
force that turns out to be any type of carrier force
1. Place the shadowing mission on top of the force it is
(Level 1 Carrier, or any Level 2 through 4 force with
shadowing.
carriers), the air search mission must immediately turn
2. In the next Search Phase, it will make a second
around and return to the carrier. It searches zones on
search attempt against the shadowed force (only).
its return leg normally.
A +1 die-roll modifier is applied. If the force should
move in the meantime, the shadowing force moves DESIGN NOTE: It is presumed that if the fighters
with it. contact an enemy carrier force they will be engaged
3. In the Search Phase after that, it will return direct by CAP, or at least threatened, and have to drop their
to its carrier from the hex where it shadowed. It does tanks.
not conduct any searches in the sector where the
shadowed force was, but it can conduct searches in the 18.24 The printed modifiers for fighters in search apply
closer sectors. to Extended Search as well.
18.12 The option to shadow must be exercised 18.3 LOCATION UNCERTAINTY
immediately when the search result is obtained. The
unit then does not search any other forces in that DESIGN NOTE: The “?” result implies less precise
sector. Search results already obtained against other information about the enemy force, which may
forces in that sector stand. extend to its location. When the Japanese fleet was
detected on June 20, a second contact report (the
18.13 When resolving normal searches in the long shadowing option, in game terms) corrected the
range sector (7-10 hexes), a player may exercise a position to be 60 miles further out, which made a
shadowing option only against a force at range 7-8 big difference as strikes had already been launched.
hexes. He foregoes any further searches against any
other forces in that range sector. 18.31 When you obtain an “S” or “L” detection result
18.14 A shadowing search mission gains a +1 modifier against a force that already has a “?” marker, the force
in its second search (only) against the shadowed may change location. You roll the die twice, once to
force. Please note this should not be confused with determine the direction of the possible change, and a
the modifier for a shadowing submarine (14.15). It is second time to determine the distance.
possible that both could apply. 18.32 Roll the die once for direction, on Table 1.
18.15 The shadowing decision is per mission not per 18.33 Having selected a direction, roll the die a second
unit. If two units are on the search mission, either both time to determine how far to displace the force in that
must shadow or neither. direction on Table 2.
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 52

as nearly as possible in the required retirement


direction.
2. If you are using the Japanese Refueling rule, then a
retiring force moves toward an oiler unit (20.5) until
it is refueled or abandons refueling. Subsequent to
that, it moves as described above.
19.3 A retiring carrier force does not launch air raids. It
can still have CAP.
19.4 When either component of a double force (7.5)
retires, the double force ceases to act as a double
force, and moves as two independent forces thereafter.
18.34 Immediately place the force in the hex indicated
(direction and distance). Air raids the force has in the
air are not affected. 20.0 JAPANESE REFUELLING
18.4 MORNING SEARCHES DESIGN NOTE: By mid-1944 oil was a serious problem
18.41 With this option, on the 0530 turn of June 19 the for the Japanese navy. Japanese movements on
US Search Segment is conducted prior to the Japanese the morning of the 20th were dictated by the need to
Arrival Phase (different from the usual play sequence). refuel. Had the Japanese not been compelled to delay
Thus, the US player must decide on his searches several hours attempting to refuel, they probably would
before having any information about where Japanese have escaped the battle area without the sunset air
forces arrive. strike that evening. This rule can be used to re-create
this aspect of the battle.
19.0 RETIREMENT
20.1 The Refueling rule applies only to scenario 8. The
DESIGN NOTE: The Retirement rule covers several rule governs Japanese movement on the night of June
situations in which Japanese forces abandon the 19-20 and the morning of June 20.
normal scheme of advancing toward the enemy, and 20.2 Japanese oiler units A, B, and C are used with this
instead withdraw toward the west side of the map. rule. (Each one represents a supply fleet consisting of
several ships.) They arrive as reinforcements on the
19.1 A Japanese force will switch to retirement Dusk turn (1850) of June 19.
movement in any of the following situations:
20.3 Place one oiler by random choice in one of the
• A Level 4 carrier force in which all the carriers hexes labelled “Oil-1”; place the second by random
have been sunk or crippled. choice in an “Oil-2” hex; and place the third in an “Oil-
• A surface force that has fought a surface action 3” hex.
and lost a battleship, or if it had no battleships, a
cruiser unit sunk or crippled. 20.4 Oiler units cannot be attacked. They never move.
• A crippled ship (12.4). 20.5 When using this rule, all Japanese forces in the
• In scenario 8, if rule 20.0 (Japanese Refueling) is western map section (2.13), both carrier and surface,
in play then all Japanese forces in the western start using Retirement movement as of the Dusk turn
map section (2.13) retire. on June 19. The standard retirement movement is
When a force meets any of these conditions, flip it to its modified, however. Each force moves directly to the
reverse (Retiring) side. nearest oiler unit (if equidistant, choose one randomly
and then move to that one). After entering the oiler’s
19.2 A force using retirement movement moves using hex, it must remain in that hex until it succeeds in
the Mission Movement compasses, but moves in refueling (20.61). After refueling, the force continues to
the opposite of the die roll direction. There are two use normal retirement movement until it exits the map.
exceptions:
1. If currently located less than nine hexes away from
the closest US task group, it must move away from
the US task group. Subject to this, it will move
53 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

20.6 One force may attempt to refuel from each oiler evade.
unit each Action Phase. The attempt is made when the a. If both forces are evading, apply rule 21.13, and
force is activated. If more than one force is present in skip the remaining steps of the procedure.
the hex, refuel them in the order they entered the hex b. If only one side wishes to evade, resolve the
(you can stack them to record the order). A double evasion attempt (21.14).
force refuels as one force. 4. If both forces either accepted battle or failed to
20.61 Refueling succeeds on a die roll of 1 through 4. evade, resolve surface combat (21.2).
If the aircraft carrier Taiho has entered the game and 5. Following surface combat, one side withdraws
been sunk or crippled, refueling succeeds only on 1 (21.26).
through 3. 21.1 EVASION
DESIGN NOTE: The Taiho was the Japanese fleet 21.11 A Japanese surface force will accept battle under
flagship, and after its sinking the Japanese experienced either of the following conditions
a great deal of confusion attempting to organize the 1. It is a night turn, and the force is any type of
fleet for refueling. surface force;
2. It is a day turn, and the Japanese force contains
20.7 Any force that is Spotted or Located by an at least one battleship and at least half as many
American air search abandons its efforts to refuel and battleships as the US force. (Round fractions up:
uses normal retirement movement for the rest of the for example, “at least half” of three would require
game. two battleships, not one.)
20.8 All Japanese oiler units are removed at the start of If either of these conditions applies, the Japanese force
the 1330 turn of June 20, and all Japanese forces use accepts battle. If neither condition applies, it attempts
normal Retirement movement from then on. to evade. A carrier force, or any force not known to be
a surface force, will always evade.
21.0 SURFACE COMBAT
21.12 The US player may accept or attempt to evade
DESIGN NOTE: Surface action at this battle was any surface combat, at his option.
unlikely, but was nonetheless an option considered 21.13 If both the Japanese and the US wish to evade,
by both sides. The rules here are a highly simplified there is no combat and the evasion is automatic. Each
representation of the types of combat likely to occur side retreats (21.15).
in this game -- the most probable case being if surface
21.14 If only one side wishes to evade, the evasion is
units were sent to mop up crippled enemy ships.
resolved as follows:
Players who want to save the time can use Special Rule
1 from Scenario 6 instead of this rules section. But for 1. Roll the die once for each side. If the evading
those who don’t mind adding these rules, it should be force contains carriers, add four to its die roll. This
noted that the forces at this battle included the most modifier applies only to the evading force.
powerful battleships ever to serve in their respective 2. If the evading force’s modified die roll is greater
navies, or any others. than or equal to the other force’s, the evasion
succeeds.
Each time US and Japanese forces find themselves
21.15 A force that successfully evades retreats from the
in the same hex following a move by one side or the
hex. If it was the moving force, it retreats to its original
other, carry out the following procedure. Note that the
hex. Otherwise, it retreats one hex due west (for the
procedure is symmetric; it does not matter which side
Japanese) or due east (for the US).
was moving.
21.16 Crippled ships do not take part in surface combat.
1. If the Japanese force is at intelligence level lower
If enemy surface ships/units enter a hex occupied only
than 3, promote it to Level 3 immediately, using
by a crippled ship, the crippled ship is sunk.
the usual tables, drawing specific ship/surface
units in the case of a surface force. 21.161 Crippled ships cannot evade. A force that
2. Determine whether the Japanese force accepts evades leaves any crippled ships behind. If the enemy
battle (21.11), or attempts to evade. force remains in the hex (i.e., does not also evade), the
crippled ships are considered sunk.
3. The US player chooses whether to accept battle or
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 54

21.2 SURFACE COMBAT RESOLUTION 21.23 In each round, match up Japanese ships firing
Surface combat is resolved as follows: against targets by the following procedures. Note that
a Japanese ship can fire against a US target even if that
1. If this is a Night game turn, roll one die to target is ineligible to fire.
determine surprise (21.21) • In combat on a day turn (including dusk), all
2. Resolve a first round of combat with ships eligible Japanese units firing are matched up with
to fire in the first round (21.22). US targets in order of weight. Match all the
3. Resolve a second, identical round with ships battleships first, then all the cruisers. Each is
eligible to fire in the second round. matched against the heaviest target not yet being
21.21 If the combat is taking place on a Night game attacked (choosing randomly to break ties). If all
turn, roll one die to determine surprise. On a roll of 10 targets are being attacked, then start again with
the Japanese are surprised, on a roll of 1-2 the US is the heaviest US target and match up two against
surprised. each, and so on. For purposes of this rule all
battleships are considered equally heavy, then all
21.22 Surface combat is resolved in two rounds.
cruiser units, and finally all destroyer units.
• In day combat, only the heaviest class of ships • In a night turn, carry out the above procedure for
present (both sides included) fires in the first all Japanese battleships and cruisers. Then start
round. In the second round, the heaviest class again with the destroyers, beginning with the
present on each side fires, and all units of the heaviest target.
same or heavier class on the other side also fire.
(If one side has lighter ships, this means that those
ships will not fire until the second round, at which
point all ships of the same weight on the other side
will also engage.)
• In night combat, if one side was surprised
then none of its units can fire in the first round.
Otherwise, at night all ships may fire in both
EXAMPLE: A Japanese force consisting of
rounds.
BB Yamato, BB Musashi, a Cruiser force, and
a Destroyer force battles the USS Iowa, USS
Alabama, CruDiv 6, and DesDiv 106 in a daytime
action. Since this is a daytime action, only the
heaviest ships present (battleships) will fire in the
EXAMPLE: If BB Musashi and a Cruiser force were first round. Yamato chooses randomly between
to fight USS Iowa and CruDiv 6 in the daytime, Iowa and Alabama, and selects Iowa. Then
only Musashi and Iowa would fire (in both rounds). Musashi fires against Alabama since that is the
If instead of Iowa the US had DesDiv 106 (and no heaviest target not yet being attacked.
battleships), then in the first round only Musashi
would fire; in the second round CruDiv 6 (the
heaviest unit on the US side) could fire, and the
Japanese Cruiser force (same weight as CruDiv 6)
could also fire. DesDiv 106 would not fire in either
round. The only way destroyers can ever fire in a
day action is if all ships on one side are destroyers,
in which case all ships on both sides will fire in the
EXAMPLE: The same ships are engaged in a
second round.
nighttime action. In this case all ships on both
sides fire. The battleships would select targets as
DESIGN NOTE: The rules presume that a day action in the previous example. The Cruiser force would
would be long-range gunfire, whereas a night action then attack CruDiv 6 since that is the heaviest
would be at much closer range and more confused. target not yet engaged. Finally, the Destroyer
force picks a target, starting over with the heaviest
targets. The Destroyer force would attack either
Iowa or Alabama, choosing randomly.
55 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

21.27 Following a surface combat, the side that lost


DESIGN NOTE: By this point in the war, the destroyer more ships sunk retreats one hex following the same
forces on both sides tended to operate independently rule as for evasion (21.15). If losses were equal, both
and attack the biggest targets, while the battleships and sides withdraw. Note that ships at a crippled damage
heavy cruisers fought in line of battle together. state are considered sunk (21.25(5)).
21.28 A Japanese force that has fought a surface
21.24 The US player may match up his ships against combat and lost a battleship sunk (or if it had no
Japanese targets in whatever manner he prefers, battleships, a cruiser unit) must use Retirement
subject to the following: movement (19.0) for the rest of the game. Flip it to its
• No enemy ship/unit may be attacked by two firing Retiring side.
units until all enemy ships/units of the same weight
class (battleship, cruiser, destroyer) have been 22.0 NIGHT AIR OPERATIONS
attacked by one. Only the F6F-3 US air units can conduct
• All firer/target matchups must be declared in night air operations.
advance of any die rolls. If you forget to assign a
unit, it does not shoot.
22.1 Night-capable units may launch and
21.25 Each unit’s fire is resolved using the Surface
land at night, the same as in the day. They
Combat Fire Table (card 4, back), as follows:
can be launched only for search or intercept missions.
1. Destroyers firing in night actions use the Torpedo
22.2 Night-capable units may search at night, but there
column of the table (21.26). Otherwise, the
is an adverse die-roll modifier for searches on night
column is determined by an attack-minus-defense
turns.
differential. Note that Japanese cruisers also get
a torpedo attack in the first round of night combat 22.3 Night-capable units can, if the player chooses,
(21.261). operate during day turns the same as any other units.
2. Defense values for each type of target are listed 22.4 A night-capable unit that launches or searches
with the table (not printed on the counters). during a night turn is removed from play after it lands.
Subtract the defense value from the attack value. It is not destroyed and does not entail a victory point
3. Locate the highest table column that does not penalty; it just is not available to be used again. (The
exceed the net attack value. Roll one die, apply crew needs to rest.)
modifiers listed with the table, and cross reference
22.5 Night-capable units that operate during any day
to obtain a number of hits.
turn of June 19 cannot launch or search during any
4. Damage markers are placed for all hits. Use
turn that night. (It may be helpful to keep the night units
permanent hit markers. All damage takes effect
inverted on the task group display as long as they are
at the end of the round. (Note, there is no use
not used.)
of “current turn” / “previous turn” hits in surface
combat.) 22.6 If any night-capable units launch from a carrier at
5. Any ship in surface combat that reaches a night, the takeoff and landing capacity of the carrier is
Crippled damage level is considered to be sunk reduced by 1 throughout the first day turn following.
(remove from play). 22.7 Night-capable units require a die roll on the Safe
21.26 Destroyers firing at night use the Torpedo Return Table (card 1, back) if they are fuel critical, but
column of the table. The target type does not matter. modifiers for dusk or night do not apply.
There are modifiers for Japanese units firing and for DESIGN NOTE: You can use the night units either in
surprise. the night role or as regular day fighters but not both.
21.261 Japanese cruiser units in the first round of night This reflects the need for crew rest. The limitation of
combat may make an attack on the Torpedo column 22.6 simulates the same issue, but for the deck crews,
in addition to their regular firing. The two attacks are who also need to rest sometime. It may have been this
made against the same target. This special attack latter consideration that caused Admiral Mitscher not to
is made only at night and only in the first round of undertake any night missions. Some sources suggest
combat. that he may also have distrusted the planes’ night
capabilities.
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 56

24.2 LESS EFFECTIVE INTERCEPTION


23.0 SHUTTLE RAIDS TO GUAM American air interception was highly effective during
the battle. This was a combination of remarkable
DESIGN NOTE: Historically, most of the planes work by US fighter direction, and a lucky break in
from the fourth (and last) Japanese raid on June 19 the weather: conditions were almost perfect to spot
attempted to shuttle to Guam instead of returning to incoming raids. To simulate a less favorable outcome
their carriers. Many of them were intercepted and shot with either or both of these factors, subtract two from
down on the way. all die rolls on the Intercept Range Table. This is in
addition to the modifier for Dusk, should that apply.
23.1 If the target of a Japanese air raid is within four (For even more challenge, you can subtract a greater
hexes of Guam, there is a chance the raid may divert to value such as three or even four.)
land on Guam instead of returning to its carrier.
24.3 NO US SUBMARINES
23.2 After the raid has completed its air-to-surface
combat, roll one die and subtract four from the value. This variant assumes that the US submarine fleet had
If the net result exceeds the distance to Guam, the raid been fully deployed on a more distant patrol line and/or
diverts. against Japanese commerce, rather than in the battle
area. Remove all US submarines from the starting
23.3 If the raid diverts, proceed as follows:
forces.
1. The air mission flies to Guam by the most direct
straight-edge route. It may be intercepted by US
24.4 NEW JAPANESE AIRCRAFT TYPES
fighters on the way. The Japanese were working on some newer types of
2. When it reaches Guam, after air-to-air combat with aircraft, but never managed to deploy these widely
any US fighters in the Guam hex, the remaining with the fleet; they fought this battle with many of the
air points land. Immediately increase the Guam same planes they had been using in 1942. This was in
air value by the number of surviving points in the contrast to the US fleet which had new -- and in the
raid, adjusting the Guam Air Value marker on the case of fighters and torpedo bombers, much improved
Records Track. -- types across the board. Assume a wider deployment
3. Replace the Naval Air Points by an equal number of new Japanese types, and modify die rolls as follows:
of Land Air Points and place these in the Landed Add 1 to add Japanese air-to-air and air-to-surface
box on the Guam display. rolls, and subtract 1 from all US air-to-air combat rolls
4. Place the original Naval Air Points in the Lost box against Japanese fighters.
of the Butai Display. However, the US player does
not receive victory points for these. (You can either
keep them in a separate pile or make a note.) Note CREDITS
that you place the air points in the Lost box since
those points are effectively lost to the force which Game Design: Jon Southard
launched them. This way they will be correctly Artistic Design and Graphics: Bruce Yearian
Rules Editor: Przemek Bozek and Michael Neubauer
accounted for when launching future strikes.
Lead Playtesters: John D. Burtt, John Vasilakos,
and Jack Polonka.
Playtesters: Chris Schall, Kirk Allton, Przemek
24.0 ADDITIONAL VARIANTS
Bozek, Rob Doane, Greg Geissler, Nathan Porter,
You can use any or all of the following additional Andrew Southard, Darrell Kienzle, and
variants to re-balance any of scenarios 6 through 9 as Tim Zagurskie.
you gain skill and experience with the game. Editorial Review and Consulting: Jack Greene
24.1 TG 58.1 NOT PRESENT Gratitude also to the hundreds of players of Carrier
Remove TG 58.1 (all its ships and aircraft) from the who have shared their observations on many
starting US forces. Historically, this task group was on a forums over the years.
raid to Iwo Jima during the days before the battle; this
variant assumes that American intelligence had been
less effective and the battle had opened before TG 58.1
returned.
57 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

DESIGN NOTES know. Air search reports concentrated on capital ships;


they would not identify enemy forces down to the last
The Battle of the Philippine Sea is an exciting game
destroyer. In any case, with surface combat a much
situation in several respects. It was the last carrier-to-
less important possibility here than in the Solomons,
carrier battle in history, and by far the largest in terms
it was not necessary to show the surface forces in full
of numbers of carriers and planes involved. (Leyte Gulf
detail.
does not really count in this respect, as the Japanese
carriers had hardly any aircraft and were used as Other changes represent specific factors of great
sacrificial bait.) It was also the last time the Imperial importance in this battle, some of them reflecting
Japanese Navy sailed into battle believing it had a changes in the practice of carrier warfare between 1942
chance of decisive victory. Ever since the start of the and 1944. The interception mechanic, reflecting the
war the Japanese had sought “decisive battle” with the success of American radar-guided fighter direction,
US Navy; the Philippine Sea was their last try. is the most obvious. This change also gives a greater
tactical feel to strikes. The search system has also
The Marianas campaign was indeed decisive, but not
been modified to provide more options for the player,
the way the Japanese hoped: it shattered their inner
since the use of these options was among the most
defense line and led to the fall of the Tojo government.
important command decisions of the battle. There is
I am grateful now to have the chance to apply the ideas
more detail over the issue of aircraft fuel expenditure,
behind the game Carrier (Victory Games, 1990), the
as this was so critical on the second day of the battle.
continued success of which has been deeply gratifying
And of course, there is the combat role of submarines,
to me, to this new situation.
which was omitted from the original Carrier game but
Carrier Battle: Philippine Sea attempts to improve could not be omitted here.
the two aspects of the original Carrier design that
Among the changes from 1942 to 1944, one of the
I wished could have been done better: I wished it
most obvious was that the fleets of 1944 were better
could have been less complex, and I wished there
able to defend themselves. Anti-aircraft fire -- especially
had been less written record-keeping. The Philippine
on the American side -- had improved significantly,
Sea situation does not involve Japanese transports
both in number of weapons and in fire direction, over
or amphibious landings, which allows a savings in
that of 1942. There was also better firefighting and
complexity. I am also hopeful that we have simplified
damage control. It remained true that there was a great
some of the concepts -- such as revealed air strength
deal of luck involved. A large number of planes might
-- which were most challenging in the original game.
attack and get no hits, but just a few hits could destroy
Some new play-aids have replaced the written record-
a carrier, especially if they caught it with planes on
keeping. Carrier Battle: Philippine Sea remains a
deck.
complex game to learn, but we’ve tried to compensate
for that by including numerous scenarios and variants The balance of air-to-air fighting had shifted by 1944
so that your time is well rewarded. in favor of the Americans. The F6F Hellcat fighter was
much more effective than its predecessor the F4F
One significant change which players of the former
Wildcat, while the Japanese were still flying essentially
game will notice right away concerns the unit scale.
the same Zero fighters with which they had attacked
US air units now represent 12 aircraft each; ship units,
Pearl Harbor. And Japanese aircrews no longer had
apart from capital ships, represent more than one
the advantages of training and experience they had
ship. This change was necessary given the scale of
enjoyed in the earlier days: most of the Japanese pilots
this battle. There were 15 US aircraft carriers and more
at this battle were hastily trained wartime replacements
than 900 aircraft embarked, more than in all the South
for the men lost in the battles of 1942-43. The Japanese
Pacific battles put together, and it is estimated that the
training program was much less successful than the US
Japanese lost about as many planes in this one battle
one. You will see all this reflected in the game in large
as they did in the entire Guadalcanal campaign. All the
numbers of Japanese air unit losses, which mirrors the
tables have been recalibrated to reflect both this scale
actual outcome.
change and the plane and pilot qualities of 1944.
As in the original Carrier game, a core design
The decision to aggregate the Japanese surface
principle is that at the start of the game you do not
ships (apart from capital ships) into amorphous ‘cruiser
know the forces deployed against you. To allow for
force’ and ‘destroyer force’ counters not only makes
more variation we have included a number of ships
the game more manageable, it also fits better with
which didn’t take part in the actual battle, but which
the idea that you know only what the admirals would
CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA 58

might have done so had they been outfitted in time which surpasses anything that occurred in the real war.
and had air groups been made available. These include Production of a top-flight game requires a top-flight
the supercarrier Shinano (built on the hull of a Yamato- team, and it has been my good fortune to work with a
class battleship) and the converted “battleship-carrier” playtest crew whose skill and dedication rivalled that of
vessels Ise and Hyuga. I hope you enjoy trying out the US fighter pilots. John Burtt, a longtime friend, was
these unique warships. kind enough to join a test session on the spur of the
Concerning Shinano, a point of detail. Historically moment at ConsimWorld Expo, and ended up giving
the ship was sunk on its fitting-out voyage by the US months of his time (and long experience as designer
submarine Archerfish. At that time Shinano had not yet and game reviewer) in field test. John Vasilakos, a
been outfitted with its watertight partition doors and new colleague, is by profession a naval architect
other essential equipment. For this game we assume and generously contributed his great knowledge and
that these items would have been fitted before the ship experience of everything navy blue. Jack Polonka
went into battle. Thus, Archerfish’s attack can’t happen joined the project late and did a super job tying up all
in this game. In game terms, the ship Archerfish the loose ends. At the final round of production testing
attacked would have had a defense value of about ‘10’ we were blessed by some outstanding new colleagues:
or at most ‘12,’ so the sinking would be possible using Chris Schall, Przemek Bozek, Kirk Allton, and Rob
our submarine attack tables. Doane did a great job checking all the scenarios with
One thing you will not find in the game is US flying actual production art and putting the final polish on
boats. While these played a very valuable role in the project. Bill Thomas and the rest of the Compass
the South Pacific, they operated under significant team were, as always, a great pleasure to work with. A
handicaps in this battle and their contribution was special salute to Bruce Yearian for his amazing artwork
negligible. Their effect is factored into the Japanese and tireless efforts throughout. Much gratitude also
arrival. to Michael Neubauer for his rules edit, to John Kranz
for hustling up playtesters, and to Joe Balkoski, Mark
The US fleet’s many advantages in numbers, Herman, and Jack Greene for helpful and thought-
equipment, and experience would work against an provoking conversations. And finally, my deep thanks
enjoyable two-player game, as it would not be much to all the players who have shared their thoughts about
fun to play the Japanese, but make for a good solitaire Carrier on various internet forums over the years. I
one. Historically Admiral Spruance fought the battle have read it all and learned from it all and I am grateful.
conservatively and defensively, sinking just one
Japanese carrier through air action (the others were It is my hope that we have here maintained -- and
lost to submarines). Yet he clearly accomplished his enhanced -- the qualities that have earned Carrier a
primary mission of covering the amphibious invasion. loyal following over 30 years, and that we also have
In order to make a challenging game, we demand cleaned up some of the points that made the original
that the US player do more, and ‘clean the slate’ by game difficult. And it’s my hope that this new game will
also destroying most of the Japanese carrier force. give wargamers, for the first time, a full appreciation of
To do this, the US player will need to search more this great and important battle. I wish you good gaming
aggressively and take more risks than his historical and I look forward to your comments and questions
counterparts did. This in turn can lead to disaster if online.
the US player isn’t careful or is unlucky. We’ve also BIBLIOGRAPHY
included a what-if scenario (scenario 7) so you can
explore what might have happened had Spruance USSBS - Interrogations of Japanese Officials.
made a different decision. Interrogation Nav #3 (USSBS No. 32), Admiral Jisaburo
Ozawa, Battle of the Philippine Sea, 16 October 1945.
Those who want an even more demanding challenge https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/USSBS/IJO/IJO-
and don’t mind an exercise in historical speculation are 3.html.
encouraged to try the Great Carrier Battle of the Pacific
scenario. This assumes that instead of expending their “F6F Performance” [records from various
forces on the far perimeter of an over-stretched empire, wartime performance tests]. http://www.
the Japanese saved their fleet -- with its experienced wwiiaircraftperformance.org/f6f/f6f.html
aviators -- for a decisive battle closer to home. The “SB2C Helldiver” Avialogs archive [wartime
result is a great brawl -- essentially, the best of Japan’s performance tests and manuals]. http://www.avialogs.
ships and aviators against the best of America’s -- com/index.php/aircraft/usa/curtiss/sb2c-helldiver.html
59 CARRIER BATTLE: PHILIPPINE SEA

“USS Cavalla - Pacific Missions in World War II -- First Y’Blood, William T. Red Sun Setting: The Battle of the
Patrol.” http://www.cavalla.org/firstpat.html Philippine Sea. Annapolis: US Naval Institute, 1981.
The submarine USS Cavalla, which sank Shokaku, is The basic source and most valuable reference is
preserved as a museum ship in Galveston, Texas. The the magisterial history by Morison, still the starting
article has interesting details about its operations which point for anyone who wants to understand any of
led to the sinking. the US Navy’s campaigns in World War II. Morison’s
“Sunrise, Sunset, and Day Length for Guam.” research was prodigious, his first-person viewpoint
timeanddate.com. I am indebted also to this web site irreplaceable, and his prose often magnificent; his
for its discussion of the different phases of twilight. books should be forgiven the limitations which others
“Wind Data: Guam.” http://web.utk.edu/~archinfo/ have pointed out. Like its predecessor, Carrier Battle:
EcoDesign/escurriculum/CLIMATEDATA/CITYDATA/ Philippine Sea is above all a game of narrative, and
Guam/GuamWind%7F.html#June there is no better narrative than Morison’s. Those
not wishing to tackle all his volumes should get the
Belote, James H. and William M. Belote. Titans of the excellent one-volume abridgement, The Two-Ocean
Seas. New York: Harper and Row, 1975. War; I bought this in paperback for less than a dollar at
Dull, Paul S. A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese a supermarket book rack more than 45 years ago, thus
Navy. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1978. taking the first step on the path to the design of these
Greene, Cdr Phil, “Admiral Spruance and The Battle of games.
the Philippine Sea.” National Defense University, 1994. All that said, the more recent works of Y’Blood and
http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a440992.pdf Hornfischer -- both published since the appearance
Hornfischer, James D. The Fleet at Flood Tide. New of the original Carrier game -- are very valuable as
York: Random House, 2016. well. Y’Blood’s book includes an appendix with a
compendium of all the air-to-air actions.
Hughes, Capt. Wayne P. Fleet Tactics. Annapolis:
Naval Institute Press, 1986. It’s worth noting that each of these authors takes
a somewhat different stance on the crucial debate
Jentschura, Hansgeorg, Warships of the Imperial around this battle, concerning the defensive posture of
Japanese Navy, 1869-1945. Annapolis: Naval Institute Admiral Spruance. Morison depicts it as a second-best
Press, 1977. accident which worked out, Y’Blood suggests it was a
Kobayashi Hideo, “Sinking of the aircraft carrier Taiho mistake, and Hornfischer defends it as the best strategy
caused by one hit of a torpedo.” Institute for the Study available. The disagreement is not over whether
of Failure, Failure Knowledge Database. http://www. Admiral Spruance accomplished his mission, which
shippai.org/fkd/en/cfen/CB1011023.html he clearly did, but over whether he could have done
Morison, Samuel E., History of United States Naval better. For the viewpoint of a modern professional
Operations in World War II. naval officer -- who concurs with Hornfischer and backs
up Spruance -- see the Greene monograph.
Vol 8: New Guinea and the Marianas. Boston: Little,
Brown & Co., 1953. We can thank the Internet for access to some valuable
sources which would have been harder to obtain 30
Vol 9: Leyte. Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1954. years ago. The Ozawa interrogation is a unique primary
Sakai, Saburo et al. Samurai! New York: Dutton, 1957. source. The wartime aircraft performance test results
Sakai, a Japanese fighter ace, was based at Iwo Jima were the basis for the rules on fuel consumption.
during this campaign and engaged US carrier planes. The Kobayashi study is a remarkable source which
His book is useful for its account of flying the Zero challenges the version of events given elsewhere.
against Hellcats, and for his observations on Japanese Certain aspects of the submarine rules are directly
pilot training. based on facts gleaned from the sources related to
Tully, Anthony, et al. “The Sinking of Shokaku -- An Cavalla and Shokaku.
Analysis.” http://www.combinedfleet.com/shoksink.
htm and http://www.combinedfleet.com/shoksinknotes. Copyright ©2022, Compass Games, LLC
htm
A detailed analysis and reconstruction of the sinking
of Shokaku. The footnotes page is especially valuable
for its citations of primary sources, including Japanese
sources in translation.

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