Iron Man Finals, Game 1
This is a turn by turn summary of Game 1 (best of 3) BPA Iron Man EOTS tournament. Click on each turn below for a card-by-card summary as well as a CB file and picture of the end of turn positions.
Turn 2: Japan only draws 1 offensive even after drawing 3 extra cards. The Allied forces in the DEI, Philippines and Malaya are isolated but only Soerabaja and Batavia are invaded. Japan instead opts to take Midway, Attu and Biak. Summary
Turn 3: Japan takes Manila, Kuatan, Singapore and Tjilatjap. Allies still hold Tarakan and Medan and eliminate the Japanese garrison on Midway to cancel the Midway occupation. Japan raids the Royal Navy base at Darwin but the Allies roll better and Japan loses 4 carrier steps. Summary
Turn 4: The Doolittle Raid and news of the Bataan Death March boosts US morale (PW to 8). Japan takes Medan and Bangka, leaving only Tarakan in Allied hands in the DEI. The US invades Marcus and Midway islands for progress of war and begins to fight back in Europe (WiE to -4). Attu is occupied to reduce PW to 7. Summary
Turn 5: After a failed surprise invasion of Leyte, the Allies spend the turn raiding the Japanese perimeter (Soerabaja, Rabaul, Kwajalein) and scoring a major WiE victory (WiE to -2). Japan reinforces Indochina and Borneo. The Panama Canal raid gives Japan two card plays at the end of the turn and Tarakan falls. Progress of War is not made so PW drops to 5. Summary
Turn 6: Start of turn picture Truk begins the turn ungarrisoned, but a US invasion is turned back by bad weather. The US makes progress of war around the edges--Koepang in the DEI (outside of Japanese HQ range), Vogelkomp (overland move) and in the Marshalls (not enough Japanese naval units in range to oppose the landings). Near the end of the turn, Japan tries to retake Marcus island but the US gets a lucky critical hit which elimiantes the CA escort (and thus eliminates the SN invasion unit). So Marcus holds for the Allies. Japan tries to retake Jaluit to deny PoW but both sides are wiped out. Tokyo Rose does reduce PW to 4 though.
Turn 7: Start of turn picture The US meatgrinder begins with raids on Truk and Eniwetok. Palau, Morotai and three more islands in the Marshalls are taken to make Progress of War. The turn ends with Watchtower resulting in the elimination of CVs Shokaku and Akagi.
Turn 8: The US continues to hunt down the Japanese navy. MacArthur brings the US out of ISR and recalls Flintlock from the discard. Flintlock is played for 3 battles totaling 134 US attack points vs. 62 for Japan. Japan blunts the offensive with a Kamikaze but still loses 7 steps. The US forgoes making Progress of War and instead focuses on raiding with Moral Obligation and Galvanic. PW drops to 3.
Turn 9: Start of turn picture The US opens the turn by continuing the raiding policy. Yap and Ponape are taken in sideline operations. After 4 offensives, Japan has one CA step and one air step left when the US launches Olympic against Nagoya. These last remaining Japanese air/naval units are eliminated during the offensive. The US takes the rural (city-less) Honshu hex and Tokyo to end the turn.
Turn 10: Start of turn picture With no aircover, Japan is unable to reinforce Honshu. The US completes the conquest of Honshu in 3 card plays. Final CB file
