Nimitz - The Battle of the Java Sea 1942

 

On the 83rd anniversary of the Battle of the Java Sea, the Wollongong Wargamers used Nimitz rules to reprise this action, using 1:1200 scale models and a 12 x 6 foot table.

I should immediately confess that the some model ships were substituted for the actual combatants - a full order of battle is given below. 

All the Allied cruisers were represented, and deployed in their correct order of sailing in Formation 1 (Line Astern of the Guide).

However I don't yet have models for the actual Japanese heavy cruisers Haguro and Nachi, so they were represented by Mogami and Mikuma, of equal fighting power.

Liberties were also taken with the various destroyers - most of the Japanese and Dutch models were accurate, but the RN and USN destroyers used later, more powerful models - which was just as well for game balance as it turned out!

Below, Darren (left) and Gary were the IJN team, and Darren gave Gary a brief introduction to Nimitz rules. Their mission was: protect the invasion fleet.

John (left) and Daniel were the ABDA commanders:

The respective formations were set up at their relative positions at 16:15 on the day of battle when they sighted each other. Obviously the distance to the invasion fleet is out of scale, but it was positioned to be within reach of Allied torpedoes and light guns within 7 turns.

It was challenging to come up with a meaningful scenario for this battle. Ostensibly the Allied Fleet is more powerful than the IJN, even given numerous defects (Houston's after 8inch turret, Exeter's spotting top, Kortenaer's boilers etc) but, with hindsight, was their mission was doomed to failure?

No common language or tactical doctrine, the men exhausted from days of air raids, and elderly ships designed to please parsimonious treasuries. Exeter was something of a 'economy' model - only six 8 inch guns instead of the County Class standard eight. Overall ABDA had twelve 8 inch rifles, versus the IJN's twenty. And don't get me started on US torpedoes with their 'wooden warheads'!

To reflect their superior C2 and cohesion, the IJN team got to roll two initiative dice each turn instead of the usual one, and sure enough held the initiative right through the game. They also got to play a 'Confusion' card, when they would take over the movement and speed of up to D6 ABDA ships...

The ABDA team opened strongly, their gunfire quickly sinking a Jap destroyer. An initial mass volley of Japanese torpedoes found no targets, but as the fleets closed to secondary gun range both fleets started taking serious damage...

The IJN, disconcerted by their historically awkward location far from the transports they were charged with protecting, moved quickly to get between the invasion force and the ABDA fleet. The two Jap heavy cruisers slowed to normal speed, accepting the vulnerability that presented to allied torps...

The Dutch and US tincans moved daringly to close torpedo range, taking great damage. It paid off - they sunk the Mikuma! But by this stage the Exeter and Houston had also gone to the bottom!

A second volley of Allied torpedoes focused on the Mogami, which succumbed to a torpedo hit and previous gunfire damage! This was clearly the point at which the Japanese had to play the confusion card - rolling like a boss, up to 5 Allied ships were promptly sent to where they could do no harm!

Despite the attrition inflicted on the Japanese escorts, by turn 5 ABDA had only one light cruiser left which was well out of position. With the prospect of a long series of destroyer stern chases, most of whom had fired off all their fish, the game was called. It was unlikely any serious damage could be done to the invasion fleet. A victory for the Japanese team, but the Allied team could pride themselves on having sunk both Jap heavies!