Papua-New Guinea 1942

Japanese start: The Japanese forces are attempting to cross the Owen Stanley Mountains in an attempt to capture Port Moresby and its Air Field, while at the same time, a small force is attempting to capture the recently constructed Air Field at Gili Gili near the east tip of Papua on Milne Bay.

Australian start: Both Japanese thrust towards Port Moresby and Gili Gili needed to be stopped. Once (or if) this is accomplished the Japanese need to be dislodged from the Buna/Gona area that lies on the north coast of Papua across from Port Moresby.

The Japanese could not have picked a more dismal place in conducting a campaign; a place of nightmarish terrain, torrential rainfall, saw-tooth mountains, rain forest, malaria, swamps and matted jungles. Players will note a major lack of roads and will need to use judgment as to routes through the jumbled terrain.

Australian forces start game at 10% Theater Recon level while Japanese forces start game at 5% Theater Recon level .Either force can change both of these levels by holding onto or capturing any of 3 locations: Tufi 53:59, Goodenough Island 68:62 and Samarai Island 90:89. EACH of the 3 locations RAISES US Theater Recon levels by 5, while at the same time LOWERING Japanese Theater Recon levels by -5. These levels can be taken or retaken ANY number of times throughout the game affecting both force's Recon Levels as locations are controlled or lost. These locations abstractly represent Coast Watchers.

Outside of turn 1 and 2 for Japan (*see below), reinforcements arrive with enough SEA LIFT Capacity for the turn ONLY of their arrival. ALL Reinforcements should EMBARK and land on the turn they appear. There is enough SEA LIFT Capacity for 1 battalion (either side) during turns in between Reinforcements that arrive.

Japan has EXTRA sea lift capacity on turn 1 and 2 only (giving the player a chance to alter or change beginning locations of initial units). Starting on turn 3, Japan has normal sea lift capacity (as stated above) which is: enough sea lift capacity for arriving reinforcements OR sea lift capacity for 1 battalion during turns in between reinforcement arrivals.

The Japanese can establish a Sea Plane base (a land-locked carrier unit) that will appear at 88:91 within the Samarai Islands only if the Japanese can occupy the 3 port locations on Samarai Islands (Samarai Island 90:89, Samarai SW 88:92 and Samarai SE 93:92). All three locations do not need to be occupied all at once, but as long as all 3 locations are held at some point in the game, a Sea Plane base (a land-locked carrier unit) will show as an EVENT.

There is only one PORT supply point on the Mainland of Papua-New Guinea for the Japanese (that being the port of Gona-Basabu 30:46 ) and there is only one PORT supply point on the Mainland of Papua-New Guinea for the Australian Forces (that being the port of Port Moresby 7:63). Ports at Goodenough Island 68:62 and Samarai Island 90:89 are supplied for BOTH forces. New Britain (top edge of map) as well as all OFF-MAP ports such as Rabaul (NE of map) and Townsville (SW of map) are supplied for the owning forces only. Both forces will be able to draw minimal supply at most of the other ports as long as the force has a path unblocked by enemy units or unblocked by terrain that cannot be entered by units.

The key to supply on Papua-New Guinea is control of the air fields and use of mobile supply units. ALL Air Fields on the Mainland of Papua-New Guinea are supply points for either force. Australia (at game start) owns Air Fields at Port Moresby 8:62 and Gili Gili 75:84. Japan (at game start) owns the Air Fields at Buna 33:49, Kokoda 16:50, Salamaua 13:22 and Lea
11:15. The capture of any Air Field will give the capturing player a supply point at captured air field. NOTE: Fasari-Abel's Airfield 41:67 and 42:67: The air field next to Fasari becomes operational (exclusion zone removed) starting turn 10. This airfield was undiscovered (not known to have existed) for much of the campaign. A Supply Point (both forces) will appear at Abel's Air Field on turn 10 as exclusion zone is removed. NOTE: Fasari is owned by Japan at games start while the airfield next to it is owned by Australia at games start.

Both forces have LAND supply units and SHIP supply units.These units can be used to enhance supply in already supplied locations. SHIP supply units can be moved around port to port (or even along any coastline adjacent to land forces) to enhance force supply in already supplied locations. It WILL NOT enhance supply in an unsupplied locations. Supply throw is set at 1 hex.

Australian Japanese forces have a small number of *Guerilla* noted units. Guerillas are the only units that can launch commando type raids BEHIND enemy lines while drawing supply in unsupplied locations. (Guerilla units always draw normal supply regardless of location) Those units are all Special Naval Landing Forces (Japanese) PLUS the Japanese Tank unit starting the game attacking the Air Field at Gili Gili near the east tip of Papua on Milne Bay. For the Australian Forces the US 128th Infantry Reg., (3 battalions) are *Guerilla* noted units (arriving on turn 9). Other units landing BEHIND enemy lines will find themselves unsupplied!
NOTE: These units represent small independently supplied forces though historically not called *guerilla* forces.

Victory Points: Outside of the normal victory points laid-out on the map, loss intolerance is 2 to 1 in Australian to Japanese losses.

Ships can be used as needed and protected anyway a players wants, taking advantage of the shallow reefs as well as ANY port anywhere on the map. The most protected ports will be in the ports marked with *Distance* around them as they will be out of range of all BUT the long range Bombers. NOTE: Ships located at any port can still be hit/sunk. NO ships will reconstitute in the game.

There are NO honor rules in the scenario. The bombing of "Off-Map" Airbases and Ports including Rabaul, Horn Island and Townsville is allowed, and is encouraged. You will note that in most cases, only the longest ranged bombers are capable of such attacks.

The game was designed to give the Japanese side the best possible chance against the Australians by ending on turn of 20 (Jan.6th) instead of the possible end turn of 22 (that being the historic Japanese evacuation of Buna-Gona area date of Jan.,21st). The scenario is SET to end on turn 20.

Game was made for Play by Email. Due to units need of Sea Transport, It will not work well against the Programmed Opponent (PO).