FDR's Lost Battleships:
Scenarios, Part One
By Mike Bennighof, Ph.D.
September 2014

Note: FDR's Lost Battleships appeared in the MidSummer 2014 Golden Journal, a tiny special and very irregular publication exclusively for Gold Club members. These scenarios make use of those ship pieces. We hope you enjoy them.

Battleships in the Coral Sea
At least some of the additional heavy warships that would have been built under Roosevelt’s stimulus program would have been assigned to the Atlantic Fleet, so not all of the increased naval strength would have faced the Japanese. American fast battleships in the Coral Sea would have radically altered both American and Japanese operational thinking, and would have made the battle play out in a very different manner.

To try this out, modify Coral Sea Operational Scenario Two in the following manner. Add the following to the Japanese reinforcements that arrive on Turn Ten:
BB05 Fuso
BB06 Yamashiro
BB07 Ise
BB08 Hyuga
CL05 Oi
CL06 Kitakami
DD38 Shirakumo
DD47 Asagiri
DD49 Yugiri
DD50 Amagiri
DD71 Kawakaze
DD72 Umakaze
DD73 Yamakaze
DD74 Suzukaze

Add the following to the American forces starting at Espiritu Santo (T 34):
BB157 Virginia
CL151 Montgomery
DD1402 Catalano
DD1403 Kattus
DD1404 Ballinger
DD1405 Levy
DD1406 Spann

Add the following to the American forces starting in Sea Zone T 25:
BB158 Nebraska
CL152 Chattanooga
CL153 Annapolis
DD1407 Berst
DD1408 Ridgeley
DD1409 Read

All other special rules and victory conditions remain the same.

And two brand-new scenarios, too:

Battle Scenario Three
Ironbottom Sea
May 1942
The new American fast battleships laid down in the late 1930’s were enormously powerful fighting ships, much more so than the old veterans of the Great War era (most of which had never been tested in action). Both American and Japanese planners believed the war would be decided in surface actions including battleships.

Note: This scenario uses pieces from Midway and Coral Sea.

Time Frame: Night
Weather Condition: 3 (Rain)

Allied (American) Forces
BB157 Virginia
BB158 Nebraska
CL151 Montgomery
CL152 Chattanooga
CL153 Annapolis
DD1402 Catalano
DD1403 Kattus
DD1404 Ballinger
DD1405 Levy
DD1406 Spann
DD1407 Berst
DD1408 Ridgeley
DD1409 Read

Axis (Japanese) Forces
Convoy
CL17 Yubari
DD11 Oite
DD15 Asanagi
DD19 Mutsuki
DD23 Yayoi
DD33 Mochitzuki
ML10 Tsugaru
16 x Large Transport

Heavy Escort
BB05 Fuso
BB06 Yamashiro
BB07 Ise
BB08 Hyuga
CL05 Oi
CL06 Kitakami
DD38 Shirakumo
DD47 Asagiri
DD49 Yugiri
DD50 Amagiri
DD71 Kawakaze
DD72 Umakaze
DD73 Yamakaze
DD74 Suzukaze

Special Rules
Setup: The Axis player sets up first, placing the ships of the Convoy in hex A1 and/or in any hexes adjacent to it, and placing the ships of the Heavy Escort in any hexes two hexes away from A! (no more, no less). The Allied player has the initiative on the first round (roll for initiative on subsequent rounds normally) and enters anywhere on the southeast edge of the map.

Exiting the Map: Japanese ships may exit the map from the south or east edge (only).

A Tradition of Victory: American ships may never exit the map.

Game Length: The game ends when four rounds (88 impulses) have been played or all ships of one side have been sunk and/or left the map (6.46), whichever comes first.

Victory Conditions
The Allied player scores five VPs for each transport sunk. The Allied player wins by scoring at least 40 VPs AND scoring more VPs than the Axis player. Any other result is an Axis victory.

Battle Scenario Four
Ironbottom Sea
May 1942
American naval leaders eventually rejected the concept of a small, fast cruiser to work together with destroyers. Had she actually been constructed, the small cruiser represented by our Montgomery in FDR’s Lost Battleships would have been a counter to the Japanese 5,500-ton type light cruisers that led and supported their big Special Type destroyers. And they would have been used in action in a very similar manner.

Time Frame: Night
Weather Condition: 1 (Clear)

Allied (American) Forces
CL151 Montgomery
CL152 Chattanooga
CL153 Annapolis
DD1402 Catalano
DD1403 Kattus
DD1404 Ballinger
DD1405 Levy
DD1406 Spann
DD1407 Berst
DD1408 Ridgeley
DD1409 Read

Axis (Japanese) Forces
CA05 Myoko
CA06 Haguro
DD52 Akebono
DD53 Sazanami
DD54 Ushio
DD62 Ariake
DD64 Yugure
DD65 Shiratsuyu
DD66 Shigure

Special Rules
Setup: The Allied player sets up first, placing his ships in or adjacent to hex A1. The Axis player has initiative on the first round (roll for initiative on subsequent rounds normally) and enters from any two edges of the map in any combination desired (he or she is not required to enter from more than one edge).

Game Length: The game ends when four rounds (88 impulses) have been played or all ships of one side have been sunk and/or left the map (6.46), whichever comes first.

Victory Conditions
A player wins by sinking at least one enemy heavy cruiser or two light cruisers AND scoring more VPs than the enemy player. Any other result is a draw.

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Mike Bennighof is president of Avalanche Press and holds a doctorate in history from Emory University. A Fulbright Scholar and award-winning journalist, he has published over 100 books, games and articles on historical subjects. He lives in Birmingham, Alabama with his wife, three children and his dog, Leopold.