Second World War at Sea: Java Sea

Immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces began their “Strike South” against the American, British and Dutch colonies in South-East Asia. The combined American-British-Dutch-Australian fleet resisted as best they could, but would be crushed in February 1942 in the Battle of the Java Sea.

Java Sea is a Second World War at Sea series game based on this bold Japanese aggression. There are 180 “long” playing pieces, depicting the major fleet units of both sides: battleships, aircraft carriers, cruisers and fleet destroyers. There are also 340 square playing pieces, half the size of the ship pieces, mostly depicting aircraft but also smaller warships and markers. The game uses the maps and playing pieces from the old Strike South game, but otherwise is completely new with additional playing pieces, a completely new set of 40 scenarios, and Second Edition series rules with full-color play aids.

The two operational maps depict the South China Sea and the East Indies, including all the major ports and airbases. The area covered stretches from Formosa on the north to Australia on the South. The maps overlap with that from Eastern Fleet on the west edge, and stretch to New Guinea on the east where they overlap with those from South Pacific.

All of the battles of the Japanese Strike South are included: the battle of Java Sea and Sunda Strait and Badung Strait, the last cruise of the British battleship Prince of Wales, and many more. There are some what-if variations, like the addition of an aircraft carrier to the British Force Z. The Royal Thai Navy is fully present, along with the French squadron they battled at Koh-Chang in 1940.