After playing several different scenarios of the Fires of Midway, it is time to attempt the science fictional

battle in which the 1980s nuclear aircraft carrier Nimitz (CVN-68) travels through a time portal to confront
the Japanese Battle Fleet (Kido Butai) in June 1942.

PROLOGUE: A careful reading of the victory conditions is mandatory -- each turn that a Japanese carrier
survives yields three victory points. The number of victory points for the total destruction of the Japanese
Fleet would therefore be 13 (two per carrier plus five for the air wings). Thus, one can readily
acknowledge that a two turn survival of the Japanese Fleet would be a victory for the Emperor.

And that presents the problem. Carrier warfare is generally predicated on the Nathan Forrest aphorism --
get there furstest with the mostest. But this presents the US with a strategic dilemma. The Nimitz has the
potential to act twice in each turn, but if the Nimitz does hit first and second, then the Japanese Fleet can
use the Save the Ship action to move the bulkhead damage to the second level, thereby assuring that the
ship will NOT sink during that turn.

Thus, for the Americans to ensure that the Japanese carrier(s) do indeed sink, they must go last. The
optimal deployment would be to go first and last, but that is not always possible. However, given the fact
that the American force is confident and may steal one of the action cards, he can guarantee that he will
go last.

In my first run-through, I had the Nimitz go first and second, without realizing that the Japanese would
then survive the turn by using save the ship commands. This time, I went fifth and sixth, which was also
less than optimal since it allowed the Nimitz to become vulnerable. Overall, turn order is an essential part
of the equation for victory.

THE BATTLE BEGINS:

TURN ONE: Strike of the Akagi

The Akagi sends forth a standard strike package (Zero fighter escort, Val dive bomber, Kate torpedo
bomber). The American carrier does not close the range and the Japanese Fleet moves forward into low
cloud cover. The distance is sufficiently far that the bombers arrive in a fuel-depleted status.

However, their arrival is not undetected, and a Tomcat is sent up as CAP. The CAP engages the Zero,
and blasts it out of the sky. The two bombers follow onto the target. Both are destroyed by the Nimitz’s
anti-aircraft defenses.

The CAP remains, although in a fuel-depleted status.

The Admiral’s Phase: the Japanese reload their card hand, while the Americans send up an additional
CAP Tomcat.

TURN ONE: Strike of the Kaga

The Kaga sends an identical strike package, but the range is reduced now that the Nimitz’s position has
been determined. The entire strike arrives over the target without any fuel problems.

The CAP deflects the Zero, which safely returns to its carrier. But the Kate avoids the fuel-depleted
Tomcat and begins a torpedo run on the larger American carrier. The Nimitz’s defenses fail, and the ship
rocks as it suffers a torpedo hit. The bulkhead is moved to the second position and a flood damage
marker is incurred.

The Val cannot penetrate the Nimitz’s air defenses, and returns in a fuel-depleted status to the Kaga,
where it crashes while attempting to land (and causes a fire on deck).
The fuel-depleted Tomcat lands, while the remaining CAP continues to circle, but now in a fuel-depleted
state.

The Admiral’s Phase: the Japanese reload their card hand, while the Americans utilize damage control to
reduce the flood to a leak.

TURN ONE: Strike of the Soryu

The Soryu sends the standard strike package which arrives over the Nimitz without any fuel problems.
The Americans spot the incoming strike and spot an additional Tomcat as CAP.

The Tomcat engages the escorting Zero and wins the dogfight. However, the Zero is able to return safely
to its carrier. The remaining CAP engages the Kate and forces it to abort its attack. However, the
Japanese bomber does return safely.

The Val is damaged by the Nimitz’s anti-air defenses, and crashes into the sea when attempting to return
home.

The Admiral’s Phase: the Japanese launch CAP while the Americans repair the leak.

TURN ONE: Strike of the Hiryu

The Hiryu sends the largest strike -- a Zero escort, two Kate torpedo bombers and a Val dive bomber.
However, the bombers arrive over the target in a fuel-depleted status.

The Zero escort is easily splashed by the first CAP; the first Kate is also destroyed by the remaining CAP.
However, the remaining bombers have penetrated the CAP and now engage the American carrier.

The Nimitz blows both of the incoming bombers out of the sky.

The Admiral’s Phase: Both sides reload their card hands in preparation for the American strike.

TURN ONE: First Action of the Nimitz

The Nimitz utilizes a Save the Ship to return the bulkhead to a normal state. The American commander
acknowledges that the Japanese torpedo hit has placed a real damper on his projected strike packages.

The Admiral’s Phase: Both sides launch CAP.

Turn One: Second Action of the Nimitz

The Nimitz is ready to engage the enemy. It launches a strike package composed of two Corsair fighter-
bombers and two Intruder bombers. Although the Americans had not positively identified the Japanese
position, the strike arrives in a fully fueled status.

The Japanese spotters are successful, and launch an additional CAP -- there are now three Zeros to
engage the in-coming American strike.

The first Zero engages a Corsair and incurs some damage. The Corsair targets the Akagi, and completes
a successful bombing run. The Japanese carrier rocks to three critical hits and a total of five infernos
raging on deck. This moves the bulkhead counter to the critical third position (ruptured).

The second Zero is destroyed by a Corsair. The Corsair targets the Kaga and causes the same damage
as the prior strike to the Akagi.

The third Zero engages an Intruder and forces it into a smoking bomb run. Because of its fuel depleted
status, the plane’s target is selected by the Japanese commander and he selects the damaged Akagi.
The Intruder evades the Akagi’s defenses and drops its payload upon the hapless carrier. The total result
is eleven infernos raging on the Akagi.

The final Intruder targets the Soryu: five critical hits and nine infernos.

The Admiral’s Phase: Both sides reload their card hands in preparation for the next turn,

The End Phase: Because the three damaged Japanese carriers have a ruptured structure, they are
immediately crippled and this is before any resulting explosions. With two explosion tests per inferno, the
Japanese carriers are in a perilous position.

The Akagi suffers twenty-two potential explosions and actually incurs twelve critical hits. The pride of the
Japanese fleet sinks together with its air wings.

The Kaga only suffers seven critical hits -- which are more than enough to sink the ship.

The Soryu suffers ten critical hits -- which sink the ship.

RESULTS OF TURN ONE: The Nimitz is fully repaired and ready to return to full-time operational tempo.
The Kido Butai now consists of the undamaged Hiryu, although its air wing has been damaged. The
Americans receive a total of six victory points for destroying the three carriers and four victory points for
the aerial carnage. Their total is now at 12 (previously, it had been at two). The Japanese receive three
victory points for having a single carrier still engaged.

TURN TWO: The American now determines that he will go first and third. His plan is to cripple the Hiryu,
and ensure that it cannot be repaired before it will have to undergo the explosion test.

TURN TWO: Nimitz First Strike

Although the Japanese carrier has moved, the American strike package (two Intruders and a corsair)
easily find it without problems. This time, the Japanese spotters are negligent, and only a single fuel-
depleted CAP is in position to engage.

The Corsair splashes the Zero CAP, and rolls onto the Hiryu, causing five critical hits and six infernos.

The first Intruder drops its payload and engenders four critical hits and six infernos. The second Intruder
causes four critical hits, five infernos and a fire.

The total butcher’s bill: thirteen critical hits, seventeen infernos and a fire.

The Admiral’s Phase: The Japanese remove an inferno while the Americans reload their card hand.

TURN TWO: The Hiryu Answers

The Hiryu responds with a weak counter-strike (using a battle stations command). Both the Zero escort
and the Val bomber are splashed by the American CAP and the Nimitz.

The Admiral’s Phase: The American passes, while the Japanese remove an inferno.

TURN TWO: Nimitz Second Strike

The American commander decides to simply do nothing. The Hiryu is dead in the water, and unlikely to
survive the turn,

The Admiral’s Phase: The Japanese remove another inferno while the American passes.
The End Phase: The Hiryu is now crippled and has fifteen infernos and a fire raging. The explosion test
will result in thirty-one dice, and with the carrier’s structural integrity weakened, the conclusion is
foreordained -- the carrier slips beneath the waves.

END STATE: The Americans receive an additional three victory points (two for the carrier and one for the
air wings), thereby resulting in a final score of fifteen to three.

As noted earlier, the American should have elected to go earlier during the first turn. It was a close-run
event, but the fact that ties were always resolved in the Nimitz’s favor and the second chance of securing
a hit by modern ordnance resulted in the American victory.