Figure 1 started as the Strategic Map at the Deployment Phase.
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| Figure 1 - Activations |
Blue dots mark the locations of the airfields. Green dots mark the locations of the towns. They can be difficult to spot due to the inscribed turn counter. The name plates for the fighters (blue shadow) and the AA batteries (green shadow) are next to them. I got in the habit of naming the units with the turn number when and the location where they activated.
There's a number of blue counters representing the AI-controlled allied units, they are just targets for the JP aircraft and I'll expand on them shortly.
We start with just two units: a core DD Gleaves (the green counter inside the harbor) and an auxiliary Medical Jeep.
The Jeep takes the path marked in yellow and its position at the end of each turn is marked with a numbered counter. There are two positions marked "1", the one closest to the name plate is the starting point. It will activate two of the fighters (Kalaeloa and Kanehoe) and four of the AA guns: Ewa, Hickam (core), Waikane and Punaluu (core, motorised). Note that Ewa, Waikane and Punaluu are activated "en passant" i.e. without stopping at the town.
The auxiliary "X/2nd (Ewa) Bty" takes the path marked in green. It will go North to activate both the Wheeler AA gun and fighter before doubling back towards Pearl. There are no turn markers beyond turn 9 because it will stay in the Pearl Harbor area and further recording would be irrelevant for the purpose of this map.
The auxiliary "X/4th (Wheeler) Bty" takes the path marked in blue heading North towards Haleiwa. There are no markers beyond turn 8, when it activates Admiral Clark who grants AA bonuses and is assigned to DD430 Eberle. I usually leave it parked at Haleiwa but in this run I had it double back just to quadruple-check that it never has any targets.
The core "AA/5th (Hickam) Bty" takes the path marked in black to activate the (also) core "5th (Hickam) Fighting Sqdn" P40 Warhawk. Its further movements would only clutter the map. It will embark on turn 8 and land on Ford Island airfield on turn 9 to activate "X/9th (Ford Is.) Sqdn". These actions are tricky because it will be vulnerable while embarked and there are reports of a bug that prevents the fighter from spawning if there's a unit above the airfield.
Of further note on this map:
a) the P40 Warhawk fighters have red squares at the ends of their name plates;
b) the two name plates with white shadows towards the bottom right of the map (and the two white squares) represent the two auxiliary units deployed via event;
c) although difficult to see, the turn number markers are color-coded.
Very important disclaimer: I did not devise this course of action nor do I affirm that it is the most optimal. I probably read it in any of the forums (Slitherine, Steam or GOG) or some (possibly defunct) walkthrough online. It does provide a way to fulfil the two secondary objectives that aren't RNG dependent.
There are other ways to complete these objectives.
It is quite possible to activate Hickam Bty on the first turn but that will force the Jeep to go immediately East (if you go West you will be two turns late and won't activate Punaluu Bty). The eastern units will be activated four turns earlier but other than the Kanehoe fighter they won't contribute more than an occasional parting shot at a retreating JP aircraft through the eastern Radar Station area.
This leaves only Hickam Bty available to activate the western units. In the first turn it activates Hickam Sqdn. In the second it moves towards Battleship Row. Third turn embarks. Fourth turn activates Ford Is. Sqdn. Fifth turn embarks again. It won't reach Ewa until turn 9 and must activate Kalaeloa Sqdn in turn 10 so that Ewa Bty can go North in turn 9 to activate the Wheeler units in turn 11 and Admiral Clark in turn 14.
In this scenario you'll have new fighters over Battleship Row in turns 1, 4, 9 (6+3), 11 (10+1) and 12 (11+1) and no active AA guns other than in turn 1, 2 and 4.
My course of action has fighters in turns 3 (2+1), 5 (4+1), 5 again, 9 (could be as early as 8) and 13 (10+3). Plus one active AA gun from turn 5 and another in Pearl by turn 8 and at Battleship Row by turn 10.
Any variation has to be measured on how many fighter-turns and AA gun-turns it accomplishes over Battleship Row and when. There may well be one (or more) better than the one I used.
Ok, let's start looking at the pretty units on the map, shall we? It's about time. Unless otherwise noted these images report to the Deployment Phase.
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| Figure 2 - Haleiwa |
Figure 2 is the allied Radar Station adjacent to Haleiwa. I don't remember it having any impact on the mission. Haleiwa however is where Admiral Clark's quarters are located. It is also in this general area that the Opana Point Radar Site was located on that fateful December 7th.
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| Figure 3 - Wheeler AF |
Figure 3 is the allied Hangar adjacent to Wheeler airfield and town. It also is irrelevant for the mission.
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| Figure 4 - (Not) Opana Point |
Figure 4 is the allied AA gun and Radar Station towards the northeastern (top right) corner of the map. As the town is nameless I took to calling it Opana Point. Now that I've learnt the actual location of the site I'll have to dream up another name.
Note at the top edge of the map the four exit points for the enemy units.
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| Figure 5 - Kanehoe Bay |
Figure 5 is the allied position at Kanehoe Bay and airfield. One Coastal Gun, one Fuel Depot and one Cargo Truck.
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| Figure 6 - Kanehoe Bay and (Not) Opana Pt. aftermath |
Figure 6 skips ahead all the way to the end of the mission and is a combined report on "(Not) Opana Pt." and Kanehoe Bay. The Depot and Truck were destroyed and damage was inflicted on both the Coastal Gun and Radar Station. These are irrelevant towards the mission goals other than possibly keeping the two JP bombers attacking Kanehoe Bay from targeting Pearl Harbor and Battleship Row. This image is interesting in how it demonstrates how vision/sight works. Each unit has a "budget" of "vision points" and each terrain tile expends a variable amount of points. Once you run out of points you can't see any further.
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| Figure 7 - Pearl Harbor |
Figure 7 depicts Pearl Harbor during the Deployment Phase. All allied units are identified as is our core DD430 Eberle. I don't know why I neglected to tag the Medical Jeep or the JP aircraft to its North.
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| Figure 8 - Pearl Harbor aftermath |
Figure 8 also skips ahead to the end of the mission. One battleship survives by the skin of its teeth. The undermanned New Orleans-class heavy cruiser on the other side of Ford Island is also badly damaged. The allied Gleaves-class destroyer is still intact as is our own DD430 Eberle. The other allied destroyer and cruiser left the map sometime in the latter part of the mission. The two AA Guns that could reach Battleship Row are on station. Four of the six fighters are also on station over the surviving Colorado-class battleship, every one of them badly damaged. The other two fighters are close by and also badly damaged.
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