The final mission of the Japanese campaign tests your ship and aircraft capability. Unlike the Invasion of Okinawa, the player will never even see landfall - instead the mission focuses on running the American blockade set up around Hawaii.
Primary Objectives
- Proceed to Mamala Bay.
- Sink the American blockade fleet.
- Sink the USS Iowa.
Secondary Objectives
- Sink the American blockade fleet before the USS Iowa appears.
Hidden Objectives
- Launch a recon plane to spot enemy submarines.
Scenario briefing[edit]
The first matter of business is to sink the American fleet to the west of your current fleet's position. You may have the Yamato at your disposal, but by no means will the USS Massachusetts be a pushover. Escorted by a large fleet of Allen M. Sumner-class destroyers and an Atlanta-class cruiser, this battle will be decided by how you use your fleet. You can try to send kamikaze attacks from the Kaga (the Akagi sports Raidens, Judies, and Jills) but they will be shot down by the destroyers and the Atlanta. Instead, make use of Yamato and her resistance to destroyer gunfire and try to sink the enemy fleet from afar. Send your cruisers in to do battle with the destroyers and the Atlanta, and if necessary, as a torpedo shield for Yamato - the mission becomes a ton harder if Yamato is sunk.
Your force is divided into two formations: one led by the Yamato, which includes the cruisers and most of the destroyers, and one led by the Amagiri, which includes Akagi and Kaga. When the mission starts, immediately send the Amagiri formation east, but make sure it remains somewhat close to the Yamato formation. While it makes the carriers easy targets for the coming aerial attacks, it keeps them out of range of the American vessels. In addition, if you have earned a gold medal in both Battles 12 and 13, you will have a pair of Akizuki-class destroyers and the destroyer Shimakaze as part of your fleet. Keep the Shimakaze with the Yamato formation, as her excellent torpedo armament will aid in the battles with the fleet and the blockade if she survives long enough. At the same time, have both of the Akizukis join the Amagiri formation, as their formidable anti-aircraft weaponry will help protect the carriers from the large air attacks. If executed properly, your fleet should be reasonably intact by the ending battle.
Start of the mission[edit]
As soon as the mission starts, launch a few seaplanes, but avoid sending them north for now. The Japanese victory tune should sound, indicating you have accomplished the hidden objective.
Once your fleet is engaged, you may attempt kamikaze strikes on the enemy fleet. Since the enemy destroyers and cruiser use dual-purpose guns, they can only either target your ships or target your planes, and not both at once. Quickly use your kamikaze attacks to whittle down enemy resistance.
Around this time, you'll also encounter the enemy blockade fleet, which consists of three destroyers and two cruisers. Considering this often happens when you're still fighting the western fleet, try to fight the west fleet and then the enemy blockade, and not both simultaneously.
As the western fleet's power dwindles, the Americans send a huge bomber force against your carriers, consisting of B-29s, B-25s equipped with torpedoes, and most dangerously, TBM Avengers equipped with the deadly Tiny Tim rocket. Fortunately, your carriers have the Raiden - its four rapid firing cannons can make short work of the bombers, but keep in mind they fly at extremely high altitudes - launch them as early as possible to prevent unnecessary damage to your carriers. It doesn't matter if they sink your carriers, but the mission becomes much harder if you lose one - particularly the Kaga.
As soon as you spot the blockade fleet, the mission's sole secondary objective comes into play - sink the blockade before the USS Iowa shows up. Therefore it's best to avoid heading north until you're ready to take on the enemy blockade fleet and the Iowa. The blockade fleet shouldn't be too big of a problem, especially if you supplement Yamato with kamikaze strikes. A single squad of kamikazes should eliminate an enemy destroyer.
As the timer ticks down, or if you manage to sink the enemy blockade beforehand, the Americans establish one final barrier - the USS Iowa, escorted by three destroyers. Iowa shouldn't be too big of a threat, especially if most of your fleet is intact - all you really need is Yamato and Kaga - Kaga supplementing Yamato's cannonade with kamikaze strikes. Have the rest of your fleet close the distance and torpedo Iowa.
Sink the USS Iowa to win the Pacific War.