GDW's Series 120 game, 1942, offers a sharp contest for both the novice and veteran gamers. The game covers the Japanese march of conquest in southeastern Asia: Malaya, the Philippines, and the Dutch East Indies. The problems of offense and defense in the immense archipelago presented on the map provide an able strategist with an embarassment of riches; both sides have to take care not to dissipate their available forces by attempting to achieve too many goals simultaneously. The objective of this article, however, is neither to simplify or illuminate the strategic possibilities but rather to further complicate them!

There is a wide spectrum of plausible events which would have had a noticeable effect upon the campaign. Some of the more easily gameable ones are presented below, forming a set of optional rules for 1942. Each is self-contained and may be used individually or in conjunction with others, with one exception: options one and three should not be used together. As with all optional rules, the consent of both players is necessary in order to utilize them.

Option 1: No Pearl Harbor Raid

The possibility of the Japanese "battleship" admirals overdominating the IJN is one not to be ignored. Had they their way, the Pearl Harbor raid would have been canceled - because they believed air power was incapable of achieving significant results! Ironically, for 1942, this decision benefits the Japanese player.

Without the raid, more carriers would have been assigned to this campaign (although some would have been assigned to assist the submarines and land-based aircraft attacks against the expected American fleet sailing to relieve the Philippines). For game purposes, each naval air unit delivers a +2 modification to Japanese attacks under its air umbrella. All other standard rules for naval air apply.

Since more of the IJN surface fleet would be withheld in expectation of a decisive battle against the American fleet east of the Philippines, the Allies can risk more in the area of naval transport. Increase the naval transport ability to 3 for each of the Allied nations.

Option 2: Filipino Discontent

One of the reasons why the Filipinos fought with distinction against the Japanese is that the United States had given them a reason to fight - by promising them independence within a few years. This action, however, was not without some powerful political opponents in the US; such a move could have conceivably been delayed a decade. If so, then it is probable that the Filipinos would have been more receptive to the idea of driving the European and American imperialists out of Asia.

In game terms, this means: A) each US division-sized unit attacks and defends with a strength one less than what is printed on the counter; B) US division-sized units suffer from attrition due to fortress isolation on a roll of 5 or 6; and C) once the Japanese player has captured Manila, he may return to play at the start of each Japanese player turn one previously eliminated (or surrendered) US division- sized unit. The unit appears in Manila and is controlled by the Japanese player. However, the unit may not attack when in the Philippines, due to a reluctance to fight fellow Filipinos. It may attack freely outside the Philippines. When under Japanese control, provision A above does not apply to the unit.

Option 3: Allied Tactical Offensive

In many ways, the Allies fought the campaign with a defeatist attitude. The Allied governments saw this campaign as a delaying action against the Japanese, as the British and Dutch had little left to reinforce their positions and the Americans had seen their plans sunk at Pearl Harbor. This defeatist attitude was reflected in the actions of the Allied commanders in the campaign, who showed their fondness to set fire to their supply dumps and fall back when the Japanese approached, and eventually to surrender. The speed of Allied collapse surprised even the Japanese, who had counted upon the strategic isolation of this theater in their plannings.

In 1942, this can be partially overcome with the attitude the Allied player takes to play the game. To further allow for the Allies to assume a strategic defensive/ tactical offensive plan, allow the Allies to use the amphibious assault rule with the following modifications:

A) the Allies may not make an amphibious landing in any territory they did not control at the start of the game,
B) the amphibious landing may not enter any hex of an enemy air umbrella, and
C) an Allied unit may not attack on a turn that it participated in an amphibious landing. Note that the national restrictions on Allied naval transport are still in effect.

Option 4: Hong Kong

The Japanese player may send additional regiments to attack Hong Kong along with the 38th Division. These are taken from the regiments available for entry off-map, and a naval transport point must be allocated to each of these additional regiments per turn until Hong Kong capitulates. For each regiment attacking above the initial three, 1 is added to the die roll (a regiment is still lost if a natural 1 is rolled).

Option 5: Singapore

The British expected and prepared their defenses at Singapore to repel an assault from the seaward side, while discounting the possibility of an attack from the land side. To simulate this: A) the Japanese subtracts 2, not 1, from the die roll when making an amphibious assault upon Singapore; B) the first time (only) the Japanese conducts a regular land attack upon Singapore 1 is added to the die roll; and C) both A and B are cumulative for those who worry about such things.

Option 6: Modified Victory Conditions

The Japanese could have altered their plans for this theater by counting upon the fact that Britain was already over-extended at this time. If so, then lesser emphasis could be assigned to the operations against the British and a higher priority assigned to the quick capture of the Dutch East Indies (due to their oil producing capabilities). The Burma rule is modified so that the Japanese only have to keep three regiments instead of five in the Burma-Siam area. The victory point awards are changed to the following:

Singapore 10 VP
Corregidor 10 VP
Java 15 VP
Borneo 15 VP

However, the Japanese player does not receive victory points for Borneo if the Allies have an air unit based on Luzon at the end of the game.