South Pacific: Breaking the Bismarck Barrier 1942-1943 is an Empire of the Sun C3i Scenario Variant that uses the full scope of its parent design by Mark Herman. While South Pacific is a complete stand alone game, all of the tactics that work in EotS work in SPac. What is unique about SPac is the smaller map region focuses and significantly simplifies the strategic options available to the two sides.
During our first play of SPac, I was playing as the Empire of Japan while Alexander was controlling the Allies. As his opening move, he stole the initiative and launched an aggressive amphibious invasion of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, trying desperately to take a significant port and airfield from which he could strike out against the Japanese holdings and force their hand to defend the many ports in the area. Ports are the most important element in SPac as the player who holds 3 more than their enemy will win at the end of the 4th round.
As you can see from the above picture, I was able to play a counteroffensive reaction card that allowed me to move naval units into the fray from the west. I activated the Comb Fleet Yam HQ with its 3 Efficiency Rating, which when coupled with my 2 value card allowed me to move in 5 naval units from nearby New Britain.
We rolled our air-naval combat dice and I rolled well with a 6 as compared to the Allies poor roll of a 2. This meant that I would do full damage as compared to the Allies only attacking at 1/4 strength, inflicting only 14 damage leading to only one Japanese reduction. My great roll allowed me to reduce both of his naval units and sink the Northampton. This victory in air-naval combat foiled the attempted amphibious assault and forced the Allies to retreat.
This opening victory would set the tone of the game and allow my Japanese to build momentum leading to ruling the width and breadth of the South Pacific.
-Grant
The Players' Aid 
Ok, you’ve made a number of boos-boos here:
1) You’re supposed to use the logistics value of the Savo Island Counterattack card which is 3. This allows you to activate up to 6 units. When using reaction to change the intelligence conditions of the card you still use the Offensive player’s OC value unless the reaction player’s card has a logistics value.
2) I’m positive you’ve confused the Savo Island restrictions. You can activate air OR naval units but not both. There’s no way you can amass 83 attack factors in that scenario with just air OR naval (especially taking into consideration point #3). And that’s before we consider the fact that Japan is under ISR, so you can’t combina army air with naval air…
3) I’m fairly sure you activated units in Truk, those units are not there yet. Check the special rules: The allies can’t attack Truk nor can Japan activate units at Truk during the rest of the turn 3.
4) Apologize to your opponent for playing with an unfair advantage 🙂
5) That said, how did the Allies get to 56? They are also under ISR, you can activate BB North Carolina (16), CA Northampthon (9), The three reduced CVs (8+8+8) and that’s it (49 attack factors). Sure you can activate the 1st MAW (6) but its range is only 2, it can’t reach Gudalcanal (though it’s still wise to activate it and PBM to Guadalcanal using extended range assuming the invasion goes well).
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I’m starting to think you wrote a typo here (the 83!). Your damage allocation is consistent with a 1x result with 34 attack factors involving the 2 Japanese CAs (12, 10), their CL (4) and the APD (8) = 34.
This would allow a reduction of the BB (16 hits) and sinking the CA (8). This would leave the allies with 32 strengh points however (3 reduced CVs and the reduced battleships). Even at x.25 the Allies can inflict 12 hits allowing them to reduce one of the cruisers and reduce their strength from 34 to 29-30 and win the naval battle.
I do not believe there are any other naval units on the map Japan can activate at the beginning of the scenario.
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Didn’t activate units in Truk until round 4. I probably just got my notes confused. I’ve edited the entry to reflect the outcome the actual particulars are a little fuzzy. I need to take better notes. Thanks for pointing out the inconsistencies. We are not perfect, don’t pretend to be and enjoy playing EotS and now SPac.
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That’s totally fine. As long as fun was had by all! That’s the important. I tend to wax technical. I was just trying to figure out how you repel the allies with just the Naval Units and I don’t see it. You only have four and they can’t stop the allies.
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