Happily, the Pacific Campaign of World War II now has been nicely bracketed for computer gamers. For players who want accurate yet simple games, Shrapnel’s War Plan Pacific fits the bill well. Grognards who want detail and complexity can rejoice in Matrix’s forthcoming iteration of War in the Pacific with the Admiral’s Edition.  The original has been acclaimed by devotees of the conflict but, as can be expected, many additions and refinements have been requested. The development team at Henderson Field Games is answering the call.

Something Old

Admiral’s Edition, although requiring the original game to  play, is not just an addition but rather an extension of the first game. The new product doesn’t overwrite the old, but is much more detailed and realistic, representing three years of work by an expert team. The result is a system that requires a good deal of foreknowledge of the topic and the game system. New players are advised to play the original to get used to the system, especially by playing the short scenarios.

Almost half the globe is laid out.

“This is not a drill!”

A destroyer about to be sunk.

The same detail and basic concepts seen in the older game remains. Both games have scenarios covering the entire war up to 1946 and also have smaller campaigns such as Guadalcanal. Operations are carried out on a daily basis although players can opt for multiple-day turns split into cycles, twelve-hour pulses and phases. Individual ships, from battleships to PT boats, and their captains have numerous qualities shown as do individual air squadrons, planes, and pilots. Ground units are battalion, regimental, brigade, or division scale, equally detailed as their naval and air counterparts in terms of equipment, strength, and other qualities. Leaders can be sacked or re-assigned at the cost of political points. Bases can be established and expanded while industry sites can either manufacture different material or research specific goals.  Different resources are required for specific production; hence, resource locations must be captured or defended.  The Japanese have greater ability to manage the industry while the Allies churn out material historically.

Air assets are shown at a group level.

Air combat. Note the description between the planes.

Deatails of an  air group.

Summary of an air raid.

Game play is turn-based with simultaneous action.  Players plot their moves, organize task forces, order air missions and conduct ground operations using many menus and sub-menus.  Functions such as submarine operations, supply, replacements and equipment upgrades can be handled automatically if desired.  Task force movement is plotted via mouse clicks on destination hexes with orders on how to react to enemy contact.  Air and ground missions are handled similarly with appropriate action and reaction options.  Once both sides’ orders are given, they are executed with often surprising results.  Weather can cancel missions, sighting reports of dubious reliability flash across the screen, the small icons representing forces creep toward their goals.  If animation is turned on, a static panel shows the forces involved with weapon fire and damage shown with a blow-by-blow running commentary but no movement.  Turning animation off speeds the game and combat summaries reveal outcomes. After the combat phases, the computer handles several housekeeping tasks, noted with quick on-screen messages.

Grunts.

Something New

The most immediately apparent change in Admiral’s Edition is the map. Br reducing hex scale from sixty miles to forty, the campaign map covers more of Asia and North America, allowing more bases, potential bases, and resources to be shown. Terrain can be illustrated in more detail with different kinds of roads and villages.  This terrain seems sharper and more vibrant than in the original. The campaign map now has eleven off-map transit areas allow movement of forces and resources from other theaters of war. This movement can be circuitous; for instance, a shipment beginning in the United Kingdom must pass through bases in Aden, Cape Town, the U.S., or the Panama Canal before reaching the Pacific Theater.

Ground combat has been completely revamped. Units can by in sixteen different modes and can use more types of terrain and roads. Modes allow for more effective stances; new roads offer better opportunity to maneuver. Land combat becomes less of a step-child to naval operations. Plotting land movement has been freed from supply lines and a new hex side system allows for different actions.

Naval movement has been made much more flexible by the introduction of way points. Once a destination has been established, way points can be used to make detours from the straight lines. Actions such as patrol can be chosen at the points. Action is calculated hex-by-hex so that opposing forces finding themselves unexpectedly together can commence combat.

The USS Lexington's assets.

A waypoint causes a TF to detour.

The air war has received its share of attention. Pilots no longer gain combat experience tooling around in the rear areas. CAP is now divided into craft already aloft and those at ready stance on the ground. The number of pilot skills has increased. Given that the base skills for each pilot have been derived from historical sources, the research attending this accumulation must have been tremendous. Plane damage and the ability to repair are now tracked on a turn basis. Fog of war clouds the amount of resistance expected.

A close-up of the Solomons.

Of course, a new game calls for new units and Admiral’s Edition has them in spades.  Over five hundred new units are included from the most developed weapons to blimps. A more detailed breakdown goes:

• Naval – Mini-subs, oilers, mine tenders, and a comprehensive selection of merchant ships including the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary. Ships can be upgraded partially or completely.
• Ground – Units from different nationalities such as Thailand, China, and Manchuko can be broken down to battalions or built into divisions.  Specialized shipping engineers expedite cargo handling.
• Air – New aircraft include light bombers, attack bombers, and float transport.  Recon ability has been expanded, especially for the Allies.

The graphics for all units have improved.

All units are trained, upgraded, and re-equipped. A new system for these activities produces a more realistic, historical, yet player-friendly way of occurring. This system takes into account resources, time and national doctrine.

The industrial component is now made more realistic by the addition of light industry. The products manufactured here are figured into the overall development scheme, adding a new dimension. Japanese industry receives a penalty when switching from development to production.

A production area

Weather maps allow using a front as cover

An off-map transfer area on the US East Coast

An editor has been created to allow either modification of the three shorter scenarios – Guadalcanal, Coral Sea, and the re-conquest of the Aleutians, the large historical campaign or the large campaign that gives Japan extra resources. Players can also use the editor to create their own scenarios. A crowd of veterans of the system must be waiting for this opportunity.

Gamers who have played and enjoyed War in the Pacific know what an engrossing game and system the original is. The new product makes the experience even richer.  Pacific theater students will taste Nirvana.