Battlestations: Pacific/1st Battle of Guadalcanal

Similar to Rendezvous at the Java Sea from Battlestations: Midway, enemy positions will constantly change every time you play through this map. However, the size and number of enemies is always constant.

Primary Objectives
 * Locate the Japanese task force.
 * Sink the Nagara.
 * Sink the Hiei.

Secondary Objectives
 * Avoid losing five or more Allied ships.

Hidden Objectives At your disposal for this mission are two groups of three ships – the USS San Francisco and the USS Atlanta leading two destroyers each. If you've done well previously, you'll have access to the Allen M. Sumner-class of destroyer. The upgrade is highly encouraged for this mission. Begin the mission by proceeding along your current heading until you encounter the Yudachi and the Inazuma. Sail in and destroy them with shots to their magazines or fuel; only a few hits from San Francisco is necessary to sink one destroyer. Maintain your fleet formation for now, as a larger group of enemies shows up quickly.
 * Sink the Hiei within eight minutes.

The second enemy battle group consists of five destroyers, the Mogami, and the Nagara, which is the Japanese flagship. This fleet poses a considerable threat, as the Mogami and the Nagara are superior to your two cruisers combined. Your primary advantages are your superior accuracy to the AI, and your own destroyers' torpedoes. Burst-fire your own artillery at the enemy destroyers' fuel tanks or ammo magazines to sink them quickly in order to close with the enemy cruisers and torpedo them. The Allen M. Sumner, with its additional cannons, can tip the odds in your favour against the enemy's Fubuki-class destroyers. Close with the cruisers and torpedo them, then finish them off with cannonade from your own cruisers. Once the second enemy wave is destroyed, a third and final stage begins. A friendly fleet consisting of the USS Portland escorted by a pair of destroyers sails to your position from one of the map borders. Your superiors note, however, that the group is being tailed by the deadly battleship Hiei. To accomplish the mission's secret objective, you must sink this ship within eight minutes. Considering it appears right behind your new fleet, the easiest way to sink the Hiei is to engage it with your reinforcements. Have the Portland draw fire while your destroyers close the distance and torpedo the Hiei repeatedly until it sinks. The rest of your fleet will likely arrive too late to assist, but they should still try.

Sink the Hiei to end the mission.