Location

Iron Bottom Sound, 2330 hrs 11 December 1942

Operational Situation

Heavy losses to the Japanese destroyers making supply runs prompted the Imperial Navy to suspend them. This placed the Japanese Army forces on Guadalcanal in a desperate supply situation and the Army protested to Tokyo about the Navy's decision. Because of this, the Navy decided to make one more supply run to Guadalcanal.

While the mission was being organized, its importance was under-scored by personal messages from Admiral Yamamoto and by the fact that Rear Admiral Tanaka chose to lead the mission himself. All of these preparations gave American signal intelligence accurate information on the composition, timing, destination and objective of the mission. Armed with this knowledge, the Americans quickly scraped together a reception for the Reinforcement Unit.

Tactical Situation

The Japanese force is unaware of the deployed PT boats and is not expecting any opposition, but is still wary. The Japanese ships are approaching Cape Esperance and preparing to make their supply drops. The PT boats have been warned of the Japanese approach.

Environment

Sea state 1, wind 135 degrees at 8 klots, night, visibility 10%. Dawn is at 0430, with visibility increasing to 25% at 0400 and 45% at 0430.

Japanese Forces

Reinforcement Unit, Destroyer Squadron 2, Rear Admiral Razio Tanaka Screen: Teruzuki (Akizuki class), Tanikaze, Urakaze, Arashi (Kagero class), Naganami (Yugumo class)

1st Transportation Unit: (Desdiv 15) Oyashio, Kuroshio, Kagero (Kagero class)

2nd Transportation Unit: (Desdiv24) Kawakaze, Suzukase (both Shiratsuyu class), Yugure (Hatsuharu class). Teruzuki, Tanikaze, Urakaze, Arashi, and Naganami are not carrying supplies.

Japanese Orders:

The Reinforcement Unit is to land supplies at the designated point on the coast of Guadalcanal. After unloading supplies, get outside the range of land-based aircraft by dawn.

Japanese Victory Conditions

Decisive 200 or more points. Tactical 150 to 199 points. See Special Rules for scoring.

Allied Forces:

Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 2
Patrol Group:
PT-44 (77' Elco doss) PT-114 (80' Elco class)
Striking Force:
PT-37, PT-40, PT-48 (all 77' Elco class)
Allied Orders

Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 2 is to block the Japanese re-supply efforts.

Allied Victory Conditions

Decisive: Prevent the Japanese from achieving their tactical victory conditions. Tactical: Allow the Japanese to land less than 150 points.

Setup

Use the scenario map. The Japanese ships are all at 15 knots, in any order the Japanese player wants. The US Patrol Group starts at either Patrol Group location and is moving at 5 knots. The US Striking Force is drifting at 0 knots. Heading for the US groups is at the American player's discretion.

Special Rules:

1. The Japanese player receives points for each drum string which reaches shore. Each transport unit destroyer has five drum strings. For each string dropped between 1,800 and 2,000 yards of a re-supply point the Japanese player receives 5 points. For each string dropped between 1,500 and 1,800 yards of a re-supply point the Japanese player receives 10 points (don't forget to check for running aground). It takes 1 Tactical Turn to unload a drum string. During unloading, maximum speed is 5 knots.

2. The transport unit destroyers are not carrying their reload torpedoes.

3. The Japanese player also receives points equal to the damage points inflicted on U.S. ships.

4. The PT boats may attempt to spot any drum strings the are dropped. To spot a drum string the PT boat pass within 200 yards of the string. If spotted, the PT Boat may sink the string by attacking it with its guns. The PT Boat must spend D10 game turns within 200 yards of a string to sink it.

5. The scenario is over when the Japanese destroyers exit the map.

Historical Outcome

The intelligence the Americans had allowed them to launch a twilight aerial attack on the Reinforcement Unit. Fourteen SBDs aerated the Japanese force, but even with the lack of defending fighter the Reinforcement Unit was able to escape unharmed, while shooting down one SBD.

At Guadalcanal, the Americans had a PT boat Striking Force, composed of PT-37, PT-40, and PT-48, waiting in the blind spot on the southeast coner of Savo Island. Meanwhile another PT boat group, composed of PT-41 and PT-114 patrolled off Kamimbo. The six transport destroyers of the Reinforcement Unit moved into position off Cape Esperance and began releasing their cargo bums. By 0115 the destroyers had completed the supply runs and were withdrawing when the PT boat Striking Force came charging out of the shadows of Savo Island and launched their torpedoes. One of the torpedoes plowed straight into Teruzuki. The explosion broke one propeller shaft, blew off the rudder and ignited an oil fire that raced through the ship and set off en an after magazine. As the them PT boats moves away Naganami and Arashi moved in to pick up survivors, including Admiral Tanaka who was knocked unconscious by the torpedo explosion.

The explosion also attracted the attention of the PT patrol group which moved in to investigate. As PT-44 maneuvered in it went to close to the burning Teruzuki and exposed itself to gunfire from Kawakzae and Suzukaze. The first hit on the little boat crippled its engines, causing the boat's commander, Lt Frank Freeland, to order the crew to abandon ship. However, a second hit demolished thc boat and only two of the seven-man crew were able to escape.

The appearance of the second PT boat group caused the Japanese to abandon their attempts to save Teruzuki and the order to scuttle the vessel was given. As the Japanese destroyers moved off, the PT boats returned to the drop area and began sinking the supply drums with machine gun fire. Of the 1,200 drum released, only 200 would reach their intended recipients

Overall, the re-supply effort of the Imperial Navy was a failure. The Tokyo Express would not put in another major appearance until early February 1943, when it was dispatched to evacuate Japanese forces from Guadalcanal.

Variant

American intelligence on the Reinforcement Unit's mission allowed an air attack to the launched as the Unit approached Guadalcanal. While no Japanese ships were damaged in the attack, what if the Americans had been able to damage or sink some of the Japanese destroyers? To simulate this, make an air attack on Reinforcement Unit using the following forces:

14 SBD-3 Dive Bombers (armed with 500 lb bombs)
6 F4F4 Fighters (no bombs carried)

After the air attack is completed, each destroyer with more than 30% damage or that has taken a Engineering, Flooding, Rudder or Fire critical hit must abort the mission. At least one undamaged (less then 30% damage) destroyer must be sent back as an escort for the aborting destroyers. All remaining destroyers are used in the scenario in place of the historic Japanese Order of Battle.

Tokyo Express Mini-Campaign

This mini-campaign covers the Japanese re-supply attempts to Guadalcanal between November 30th and December 12th 1942. Historically the inability of the Japanese Navy to provide supplies to its troops resulted in the rapid deterioration of their fighting ability. This led to the decision by Imperial General Headquarters to order an evacuation of the island, ending the fight for Guadalcanal. However, had the Imperial Navy been able to complete its mission the battle for Guadalcanal could have dragged on for many more months, holding up the Allied advance up the Solomons.

The mini-campaign consists of 5 scenario nights in which the Japanese player may to choose to attempt a re-supply mission. If the Japanese player chooses not to launch a mission on a scenario night, play moves to next scenario night when the Japanese player must again make the same choice. If the Japanese player choose to conduct a mission, the following sequence of play is used to complete the action for a scenario night

1) Mission Assignment Segment

The Japanese player announces that he will be making a supply run that night. Both sides assign available naval forces for combat.

The Japanese player may assign any destroyers that have less than 40% damage and have a maximum speed more than 20 knots to the mission. The Japanese player decides which of his destroyers will carry drum strings (at least 50% of the Japanese force must carry supplies) and the number of drum strings that each destroyer will carry (1 - 5). The Japanese player also assigns Area R aircraft as escorts.

The U.S. player may assign Task Force 67.2 or Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 2 as the defending force, but not both. Any vessels that have more 35% damage or a maximum speed less than 20 knots may not be used in the defending force. If 3 or more of the cruisers from Task Force 67.2 have more than 35% damage or have a maximum speed less than 20 knots, then Task Force 67.2 may not be assigned as the defending force. If MTB Sqdn 2 is assigned as the defending force, The U.S. player may only use a maximum of 10 PT boats on the mission.

2) Detection Segment: The American player assigns aircraft from the Cactus Air Force to attack from the Reinforcement Unit. The US then rolls D10 to see if his attack force found the Japanese.

Die Roll Result
1- 5 Japanese sighted, make normal air attack.
6 - 8 Japanese sighted, but attack is limited to 15 minutes.
9 - 10 Japanese not found, no air attack.

3)Air Attack Segment: The Japanese player sets up his force, including any escort aircraft, for the air attack. The U S. player then sets up his aircrew 15 nm out from the center of the Japanese formation. If it is a normal air attack, U.S player may bring his aircraft in from any direction and in any number of groups. If the attack is limited to 15 minutes, the U.S. planes enter as one group from a direction chosen by the Japanese player.

4) Supply Delivery Segment: Use the "Derailing the Express" scenario map.

The Japanese player sets up his force for entry onto the map (this setup may be different than the set up used in the Air Attack Segment). Aircraft from Area R are no longer available. Speed and heading are at the Japanese player's discretion.

The US Player sets up his force on the map. If the US force is PT boats, they may be split into 3 groups and may set up at any of the Patrol 1, Patrol 2, or Strike Group locations. If the U.S. force is Task Force 67.2, it must set up within 10 nm of Lunga Point and must be in a line ahead formation. The U S. Player then rolls D10. If the result is 1 - 6 he may have one SOC Seagull floatplane in the air over Tulagi. Speed and heading for the formation(s) are at the US player's discretion.

After the set up is complete, the scenario is played to its completion.

5) Repair/Victory Point Segment: Both sides attempt ship repairs per Section 8.3 of the Command At Sea standard rules. Die rolls for repairs should be made all the way out to the 48-hour after-battle check. When checking for patch popping for flooding, assume that the maximum speed for the day is 20 knots or the current maximum speed for the ship (whichever is lower) and a sea state of 3. Then each player rolls D6 and multiplies the result by 5. This is the number of damage points that may be removed from all damaged vessels.

Find out the number of victory points earned by the Japanese player during the Supply Delivery Segment and add that number to the total victory points from previous supply deliveries.

After the completion of a scenario night, the Japanese player again chooses if he will conduct a mission until the completion of all 5 scenario nights. When all 5 scenario nights are complete the victory conditions are checked to determine the mini-campaign winner.

Victory Conditions

Decisive Japanese > 1200 points
Tactical Japanese 700 - 1200 points
Draw 500 - 699 points
Tactical US 250 - 499 poino
Decisive US Victory < 250 points

Environment

For all Air Attack Segments, Sea State 3, Wind 90 degrees at 15 knots, day, visibility 45%.

For all Supply Delivery Segments, Sea State 2, Wind 135 degrees at 10 knots, night, visibility 10%.

Japanese Orders

The supply situation on Guadalcanal is growing desperate. The Reinforcement Unit is to land supplies at the designated points on the coast of Guadalcanal. The Americans will try to block our re-supply efforts. Be prepared to face enemy surface forces during the supply delivery.

Japanese Forces
Starting Forces

Reinforcement Unit (Destroyer Squadron 2), Rear Admiral Razio Tanaka Makinami, Naganami, Takanami (Yugumo class), Kagero, Kuroshio, Oyashio (Kagero class) Kawakaze, Suzukase (Shiratsuyu class).

Area R available aircraft.
10 F1M2 Pete Floatplanes

Reinforcements after 1st supply delivery attempt: Tanikaze, Urakaze, Nowaki, Arashi (Kagero class) Ariake, Yugure (Hatsuharu class)

Reinforcement after 3rd supply delivery attempt Teruzuki (Akizuki class)

Allied Orders

The Japanese will be attempting to re-supply their forces on Guadalcanal. Your forces must block all re-supply efforts by the enemy. They are expected to make supply drops in the area around Tassafaronga.

Allied Forces

Task Force 67.2, Rear Admiral Carleton Wright

Honolulu (Brooklyn first group class) Minneapolis, New Orleans (New Orleans class), Pensacola (Pensacola class), Northampton (Northampton class)

Fletcher (Fletcher class), Drayton, Lanson*, Perkins (Mahan class), Lardner*, (Benson-Livermore class). Maury (Gridley class)

*If Task Force 67.2 is not used on the first scenario night, then remove Lamson and Larder from the US forces.

Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 2 PT-36, PT-37, PT-40, PT-43, PT-44, PT-48, PT-59 (77' Elco class)
PT-109, PT-110, PT-111, PT-112, PT-113, PT-114 (80' Elco class)

Cactus Air Force 18 SBD-3 Dauntless
6 F4F-4 Wildcat

Tulagi Air Units

3 SOC Seagull Floatplanes

Special Rules

1. The Japanese player receives points for each drum string which reaches shore. Each destroyer my carry up to five drum strings. For each string dropped between 1,800 and 2,000 yards of a re-supply point the Japanese player receives 5 points. For each string dropped between 1,500 and 1,800 yards of a re-supply point the Japanese player receives 10 points (don't forget to check for running aground). It takes 1 Tatical Turn to unload a drum string. During unloading, maximum speed is 5 knots.

2. Japanese destroyers that are carrying drum strings are not carrying their reload torpedoes.

3. The Japanese player also receives points equal to the damage points inflicted on U.S. ships and subtracts points equal to the damage points inflicted on Japanese ships.

4. After the air attack segment is completed each Japanese destroyer with less than 30% damage or that has taken an Engineering, Flooding, or Rudder critical hit must abort the mission. At least one undamaged (<30% damage) destroyer must be sent back as an escort for the aborting destroyers. All remaining destroyers are used in the scenario.

5. Each supply delivery scenario starts at 2330 and is over when the Japanese destroyers exit the map or 0330 (whichever comes first). All Japanese forces must exit the map by 0330. Any Japanese forces left on the map after this time are considered sunk (they will not be able to get out of range of US. aircraft). Crippled Japanese ships may be towed off the map by other ships.

6. US PT boats may attempt to spot any drum strings that are dropped. To spot a drum string the PT boat must pass within 200 yds of the string. If spotted the PT boat may sink the string by attacking it with its guns. The PT boat must spend D10 game turns 200 yes of a string to sink it.

Large Map (slow - 47K)
Jumbo Map (slow - 87K)

BT