Note
To appreciate this Session Report the most you might want to read the following report:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/127940 before this one.

Throughout this Session Report this image is used to explain things:



Introduction
So… there I was, still buzzing on my last victory when I received an unexpected call from Mac with a threatening message: “YOU, me Axis & Allies: Pacific, this Saturday 09:30 hours; DON’T be late!” And that was that. He took up the gloves and I had to accept. Fortunately for me, I had a plan. We met yesterday; this is how it went down, enjoy!

Strategy: 1-2-3 strikes OUT!
I had a plan, that much is true. But it was not an original plan. I decided to go for the 22VP condition in advance of the game, and adjusted my game play accordingly. To take charge of the situation and to force Mac into submission, I knew I had to manipulate his moves to compliment mine; the way I did before. In order to do this I decided on a three strike attack that would give me 4VP’s each turn until the 4th turn at least; convincing him I had other goals.
Strike 1
This was the normal attack, nothing unusual there, apart from a small side manoeuvre with a sub to the US convoy centre up North. What was interesting however, was my decision to attack and take New Britain as part of a bigger plan to concentrate the Allied war effort as far away from Japan and my Economic Area (Malaya, Sumatra, Borneo, Java & the Philippines) as possible. That part of the strategy seemed to work fine since the Australians retreated back to New South Wales and the Americans Gathered their 1st fleet at Solomon Is. I figured my manipulation was working out well and anxiously awaited my next turn… But there was something cooking; Mac bought himself an Australian Carrier! Yes, a full life size Carrier to compliment his fleet. I tried to set up a Goose front to establish an Omni-sub strategy to keep distance between me and the Brits & US, but the Goose works different when applied by the Japs, and I hadn’t figured this out yet, much to my dismay.
Strike 2
I knew I had to manipulate Mac into thinking I wanted to take India or New South Wales instead of the VP’s, so I staged a show-of-force In the area surrounding Sumatra as a diversion, to cover-up my real goal. He fell for it, hook, line and sinker and used much of his resources to re-enforce India. Furthermore he pulled back all his advancing forces, and dared not use the armour he bought in the previous turn to venture out on French Indo China. This diversion was so successful; that I decided to block Indian troops by taking Burma as an extra push in the third round.
Strike 3
In the first turn the US gathered his 1st fleet in the area of the Solomon Islands, exactly what I wanted… I thought. But they were not alone. A unusual powerful Australian fleet (1 carrier, 2 destroyers, 3 transports and a sub) accompanied in dominating the area I wanted to attack as part of my 3 strike plan. I gathered the immense 6th fleet just above Darwin and proceeded with my amphibious landings on mainland Australia. It was a horrifying site, Japan had secretly mustered up 10 land pieces for a combined assault, brought together from no less then 4 directions. The Aussies never stood a chance. The extra infantry brought in from Hong Kong in the non-attack moves, added to the diversion and really gave the allied a scare they would loose Australia (I even went so far as to leave a few infantry aboard some of the transports, to confuse Mac more.) So, that’s that, on turn 4 I would pick everyone up again, place them across the board in defence and sit it out. Easy does it: I started to celebrate my all out, sure victory… little did I know my world would fall apart in on Mac’s third turn.

Clear the seas
In my last game, being the allied, I noticed I was heavily dependant on the British Fleet outside the coast of India to maintain some sort of threat in that part of the Ocean. I took notice and decided – being Japan – to take action accordingly. I committed myself to destroy every piece of the Royal Navy in India (firsty) and if possible the Australians as well. In my second turn I got my chance and went head on against the Brits mid-sea, as a bonus I would also get the convoy route. It worked out very well. The British Fleet collapsed and from that point on there would never be a threat from the West anymore.
The Australians were a different challenge though… Their strengthened fleet forced a hole in my defence so the US 1st fleet could push through and Annihilate my 6th fleet completely. I was appalled… a good 50% of my available land forces were now trapped in Australia! Furthermore I lost men trapped on the transports as part of the deception. What was I to do, to save the day?

The Goose Tactics: blunders of the Admiralty
Seeing my men defeated and trapped in Australia, I thought things could never get worse. Wrong again. The Omni-sub strategy really works for the Allies, there is no real force to counter all subs; if spread out sufficiently. And Mac did so. The problem with adapting the Omni-sub strategy to Japan, are the facts that 1) the British can clear a path for the US to get through and 2) when the US spread out to establish presence they are already in a POSITION to be able to TAKE the initiative to deploy subs rather then me having to bring my subs into position FIRST, before I would be able to use them to good effect (I know this sounds goofy the way I write this, but I can’t really explain this any other way, I guess it’s my lack of the English language that undermines any good explanation. But I do surely encourage anyone to try this tactic for themselves to see what I mean.) and 3) Being the defending party it’s difficult to encircle or separate the Brits & US AND close down ALL routes to the Economic Area at the same time. The Goose strategy (or Omni-subs) applied by the Jap’s (the way I did now) was not a good idea and cost me a lot of money, without really keeping the allied back –stalling their advance a few turns – as I hoped they would do. Finally Mac exploited the gap left by the destruction of the 6th fleet and the distance between the Australian fleet and the combined Yamato-Mushasi fleet to attack the Philippines on turn 4 or 5 (can’t remember).

Early advantage
At this point I was starting to panic. Although I got my 4VP a turn and on the 4th turn I still had a couple of ships that could get to Japan in time, there was still the problem of the 1st fleet of the Darwin coast to advance deep in the hart of my Economic Area. This problem had to be addressed. My solution greatly influenced my chances of turning the war, and win.
Although it cost him, Mac still had 2 Carriers and 4 fighters left at Darwin at the end of turn 3 but I could mould a fine force of 5 fighters and 1 bomber from Formosa and my remaining Carrier to try and stop the US fleet. I attacked, and unfortunately lost all my pieces, but Mac lost just enough forces to seriously dampen his chances. By now I was also beginning to enjoy my early advantages of my fast build up. I was able to secure 4VP’s in the first 3 turns, and although trapped on the (Australian) island my men did their Banzai-thing and kept on pushing for VP’s. Mac’s adaptation of the Omni-sub strategy combined with a formidable bomber force, enabled an early counter strike, but ultimately couldn’t keep me from gaining 4 VP’s a turn, since there was no British fleet in the west – nor any time for the US to get there – to stop me, and the Australians were pre-occupied with chasing the Jap’s in their homeland. He did not expect to arrive in time to stop me. So… as a final desperate move; he launched a bomber assault on the Chinese Factory, which I had conquered two turns earlier, to buy some time. Ironically the dice role was 9 IPC’s; one short of me loosing 1 VP. But in the end that would not have done him any good. After my counter strike on his 1st Fleet, momentum passed back to me and I was still strong enough to get 3 VP’s on the 6th turn which would have been enough for 22VP’s anyway.

Conclusion
Mac is getting more aggressive and impressive. He surprised me with his viable Australian fleet excellently combined with the US 1st fleet. I think I won’t be able to win next time unless I’m going to do something spectacular, but on the other hand; he still claims he has to adapt to: “the way this game is supposed to be played.” If he still doesn’t get it by now… will he ever?

Seth

Final p.s.
Thank you for reading this Session Report.
I’m trying to write reports that appeal to you: the Geek that knows this game (mechanics, strategies (a bit) & rules) and doesn’t really care about a precise move-by-move play but prefers a helicopter (strategic) view. Feel free to comment/rate my article so they will improve.

Thanks in advance!

Statistics:
2 players
Japan: Seth (me)
Allied: Mac
Victory: Japan (Japan 23VP’s on turn 6.)
VC’s per turn: 4,4,4,4,4,3
Net playing time: 6 hours
Japan to Allied Victory Ratio: 1 to 1