Attack on Madagascar

Greyh Seer · **Greyh Seer**

Updated! Included Text version so you don't have to download the PDF!!

This is a little something I was working on that I thought I'd share with all of you. I have done a few playtests with it and have discovered it to be a very fun, always down to the end battle.

Let me know what you think!

Click here to download the PDF (old version): Attack on Madagascar

(you will need Adobe Reader to see.) Get it here if you don't have it. Smile

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New version:

Another “what if” scenario by Greyh Seer!

Battle of Madagascar

History:

Japanese battle plans for the battle of Midway and the war in general have often been accused of being too complex. Here we will explore another instance were Japanese admirals could have easily taken the plan surrounding Midway and expanded it even farther.

In May of 1942, Japan launched a massive operation aimed at setting up a base from which to contest the East Pacific while simultaneously destroying American Carrier power in the entire Theater. In order to make this happen, they used a two-pronged, 4 fleet attack at Midway and the Aleutian Islands.

What if Japan had also decided to send a third force into the Indian Ocean? The Vichy French base at Madagascar was a perfect location to intercept allied convoys supplying India, Australia and the Pacific. The fleet carriers Zuikaku and Shokaku were not present at Midway. The Zuikaku was awaiting air wing replacements while the Shokaku underwent repairs from an earlier battle. It is feasible that Japan could have combined air wings and had the Zuikaku available for operations. This would have freed up a fleet carrier to supplement the attack on Midway or, as we will explore here, an attack in the Indian Ocean on Madagascar.

The Japanese already and only months before caused massive damage to the British in a fleet action raid in the Indian Ocean. The British fleet was already moving west to safer ports in Africa and embarking upon an operation to ensure that Vichy French Madagascar did not fall into Japanese hands. The British Indian fleet was already mobilized towards that purpose and was supplemented by units from the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. This gives us a great possibility for a battle. Had this battle occurred and ended in an Axis victory, it very well could have cut off Allied forces from India and had a large strategic impact in the South West Pacific.

BRITISH FORCES
Year: 1942 or earlier
Countries: United Kingdom, Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand
Historical Restrictions are in effect.
Build: 200 points
Must take at least:
• 1 Battleship
• 1 Fleet Carrier

Cannot take:
• HMS Hood
• HMS Ark Royal
• Hr. Ms. DeRuyter
• Land based aircraft

JAPANESE FORCES
Year: 1942 or earlier
Countries: Japan, Vichy France
Historical Restrictions are in effect
Build: 200 points
Must take at least:
• 1 Battleship
• 1 Fleet Carrier (your fleet may only include one fleet carrier)
• 2 Submarines (one must be French)

Cannot take:
• Any non-submarine French unit
• Shokaku
• Yamato
• Land based aircraft

The Scenario: The British fleet has begun operations against Madagascar when they are quickly called away to intercept an inbound Japanese carrier fleet. The Scenario has the following special rules:

• One French Submarine gains the “Infiltrator” special rule (chosen by the Axis player at the start of the game before deployment)
• French Submarine commanders are convinced that Madagascar was about to be invaded, but they are not sure who their real enemy is. The axis player controls the French submarines, but they start the game with a rearming counter on them (meaning they cannot attack). This counter is removed when an allied unit attacks that unit or by the Axis player rolling a 4, 5 or 6 during the Submarine phase. The axis player may roll once for French submarine per turn.

Victory: Neither side is prepared to take massive casualties and will withdraw if badly damaged. At the end of the turn check to see if any player has completed BOTH of the following objectives:

• Crippled or sunk 1 Fleet Carrier
• Crippled or sunk 1 Battleship

If both players have accomplished both objectives at the same time, the player who has sunk more battleships and fleet carriers is the winner. If there is still a tie, then the game ends in a draw. Enjoy!
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-Greyh

Trade List: Greyh's WAS Trade List
+13 On AH Trade Boards
+10 On aaminis Trade Boards

Greyh Seer · **Greyh Seer**

Updated!
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-Greyh

Trade List: Greyh's WAS Trade List
+13 On AH Trade Boards
+10 On aaminis Trade Boards

jfkziegler · **jfkziegler**

I always thought Madagascar was interesting because it was really the only places where German and Japanese spheres on influence intersected. That makes for all types of interesting scenarios.
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OberstOz · **OberstOz**

Um, maybe I missed it or it's on the pdf but what map layout do you use for this scenario?

Otto von Starkburg · **Otto von Starkburg**

I like the idea of the scenario.

At the moment, it looks like a fleet battle-scenario. Do you have thought about making it to a landing-style scenario? So, that the japanese have to land some troops of madagascar?
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Map
Midway

Strategic Map
North Atlantic and Mediteran Sea, Pacific and Eastern Indic