By 1941, tensions between Japan and the United States had reached a critical point. Japan's expansion into China and Southeast Asia had led to increasing American economic sanctions, particularly on oil imports that Japan desperately needed. Faced with the choice of either withdrawing from their conquered territories or securing the resources they needed by force, Japan chose war.
On a quiet Sunday morning, Japanese carriers launched a devastating surprise attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In less than two hours, Japanese aircraft sank or severely damaged eight battleships, destroyed 347 aircraft, and killed 2,403 Americans. Critically, America's aircraft carriers were away from port and escaped damage.
Following Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces achieved a string of remarkable victories. Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, and the Dutch East Indies fell in rapid succession. The Imperial Japanese Navy, already powerful, now controlled vast territories rich in oil, rubber, and other vital resources. They had 10 battleships to America's 0 in the Pacific, 10 fleet carriers to America's 3, and 18 heavy cruisers to America's 4.
However, the Japanese leadership had made a critical error at Pearl Harbor - they had failed to destroy the Pacific Fleet's fuel storage, repair facilities, and submarine bases. More importantly, the absence of America's carriers during the attack would prove decisive in the months to come.
In early May 1942, the Imperial Japanese Navy sought to extend its control southward by invading Port Moresby in New Guinea, which would have given them a base to threaten Allied supply lines to Australia. The US Navy, having broken Japanese codes, was ready. The battle that followed would make history as the first naval engagement fought entirely by carrier-based aircraft, with the surface ships never sighting each other.
The American carriers USS Lexington and USS Yorktown faced the Japanese carriers Shōkaku and Zuikaku, along with the light carrier Shōhō. The battle opened with a critical Japanese error - their scout planes misidentified the fleet oiler USS Neosho and her escort as a carrier and cruiser, leading them to waste a massive strike force on these support vessels. Later on May 7, American aircraft located and sank the Shōhō. The next day saw the battle's climactic carrier duel. Japanese aircraft struck the Lexington and Yorktown, while American planes severely damaged Shōkaku and forced her withdrawal. The Lexington, despite initially surviving multiple bomb and torpedo hits, had to be abandoned later that day due to uncontrollable fires and internal explosions. The Yorktown, though damaged, managed to remain operational - a fact that would prove vital at Midway just a month later.
Though technically a tactical victory for Japan, the battle was a strategic Allied success. The Japanese invasion of Port Moresby was cancelled, and more importantly, the damage to Shōkaku and Zuikaku (the latter depleted of aircraft) prevented these powerful carriers from participating in the crucial Battle of Midway.
In June 1942, the Imperial Japanese Navy was at the height of its power. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto devised an elaborate plan to capture Midway Atoll, aiming to eliminate the remaining U.S. carrier force and extend Japan's defensive perimeter. His fleet included four fleet carriers (Akagi, Kaga, Sōryū, and Hiryū) against three American carriers (Enterprise, Hornet, and the hastily-repaired Yorktown).
American code-breakers had again intercepted and decrypted Japanese communications, allowing Admiral Chester Nimitz to position his carriers northeast of Midway, ready to ambush the approaching Japanese force. After initial Japanese strikes on Midway Island, American dive bombers caught the Japanese carriers while they were rearming their aircraft. In just five minutes, three Japanese carriers were turned into burning wrecks. The fourth carrier, Hiryū, launched a counterattack that seriously damaged Yorktown, but was itself destroyed by late afternoon.
The loss of four carriers and their irreplaceable veteran aircrews was a devastating blow to Japan. The battle marked the turning point in the Pacific War, ending Japanese expansion and giving the initiative to the United States.
During the Guadalcanal campaign, Japanese forces attempted to land reinforcements on the contested island. The U.S. carrier force, including Enterprise and Saratoga, intercepted the Japanese fleet which included the carriers Ryūjō and Shōkaku. In the ensuing battle, American aircraft sank Ryūjō, while Enterprise suffered damage from Japanese bombs. The battle ended in American victory, forcing the Japanese to withdraw and preventing them from landing their reinforcements.
The fourth major carrier battle of 1942 proved costly for both sides. The Japanese carriers Shōkaku and Zuikaku faced the American carriers Hornet and Enterprise. While the Japanese lost many aircraft and suffered damage to Shōkaku, they managed to sink Hornet and damage Enterprise. However, the irreplaceable losses in experienced pilots would haunt the Japanese in future battles. Though a tactical victory for Japan, it failed to change the strategic situation around Guadalcanal.
Known to American pilots as the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot," this battle demonstrated the transformation of the U.S. Navy. With better-trained pilots, superior aircraft, and improved anti-aircraft defenses, American forces devastated the Japanese carrier air groups. Of the 430 Japanese aircraft involved, about 350 were destroyed, along with three carriers. American losses were minimal: 30 aircraft and no ships.
This battle effectively ended Japan's carrier force as a serious threat. The inexperienced replacement pilots, inferior aircraft, and lack of fuel would plague Japan for the remainder of the war.
The largest naval battle in history unfolded across four separate engagements. The Japanese Navy, desperately low on fuel and aircraft, attempted an elaborate plan to defend the Philippines. Their remaining carriers, nearly devoid of aircraft, served as decoys to draw away the American carriers while their battleships attempted to destroy the American invasion fleet.
The plan almost worked. The Japanese Center Force, after being turned back in the Sibuyan Sea, managed to slip through the San Bernardino Strait at night. However, in the Battle off Samar, a small group of American escort carriers and destroyers fought so fiercely that the much more powerful Japanese force withdrew in confusion.
Meanwhile, in the Battle of Surigao Strait, American battleships (including several raised and repaired after Pearl Harbor) executed the last battleship-versus-battleship action in history, crossing the Japanese "T" and sinking the battleship Yamashiro. The Battle of Cape Engaño saw the destruction of the remaining Japanese carriers.
The battle marked the end of the Imperial Japanese Navy as an effective fighting force. The mighty battleship Musashi was sunk by American carrier aircraft, demonstrating once and for all the supremacy of naval aviation over traditional battleships. Among the American carriers present was the USS Enterprise, which had fought in every major carrier battle since Midway. She would emerge as the only survivor of America's four pre-war carriers, earning 20 battle stars and the distinction of being the most decorated U.S. ship of World War II.
These battles revolutionized naval warfare, proving definitively that aircraft carriers, not battleships, were now the dominant force at sea. The skills and experience gained by the U.S. Navy would influence naval strategy and tactics for decades to come. The battles also highlighted the importance of code-breaking, radar technology, and industrial capacity in modern warfare.
The courage and sacrifice of sailors and airmen on both sides should be remembered and honored. Their actions shaped the outcome of World War II and the post-war world order that followed.
When you play Midway 1981, you are in command of a ship that can move, fire its big guns, and fire its anti-aircraft guns. If you choose an Aircraft Carrier, you will have fighters, torpedo bombers, and dive bombers to launch. If you choose a land base, you can do all of the above except move.
The screen is divided into three main areas. The left, and largest area, is an overview of the ocean. The upper right area is a scrolling text box used to prompt for input and to post messages about the battle. The bottom right area contains status information on your ship or the ship you are scanning.
Commands are issued as single keystrokes, but they often prompt for more information. Each command takes one turn. Time does not advance unless commands are issued. Hitting the space bar, or any other unrecognized key, will be considered a null command and will use one turn.
You can send as many fighters as you like on patrol around the ship. When your ship is attacked, they will take a big bite out of the attackers before they get you.
It is a good idea to send fighter cover first when launching an attack on an enemy carrier, otherwise next to nothing will get through her CAP. When you launch fighters you will be asked, "Target? ", at which point you type the name of the enemy ship you wish to attack. Fighters have a slightly shorter range than other planes. Fighters will strafe land targets and can sink small ships.
Bombers are very accurate weapons but usually suffer considerable anti-aircraft losses. When they reach their target, they drop bombs which have a chance of doing damage. Dive bombers have a rear gunner who can shoot down an attacking fighter now and then.
Torpedo Bombers are relatively imprecise weapons but suffer less from anti-aircraft fire because they drop their torpedoes from a distance. Torpedo Planes also have a rear gunner. Torpedo Planes can be armed with bombs to attack land targets. They aren't as effective as Dive Bombers on such missions.
In the Battle of Leyte Gulf the Japanese can launch Kamikaze attacks. Kamikazes are fighters loaded with fuel and bombs. They attack singly, are harder to shoot down, and do more damage than normal planes when they score a hit.
Scout planes are the eyes of the fleet. They spot the bad guys before they spot you. It is necessary to spot a target before you can attack it! Scout planes subtract from your Dive Bomber and Torpedo Planes. When launching scout planes, you will be asked for a course. You should respond by typing a number from 0 to 360, where 0 is north and 90 is east, etc. Only increments of 45 degrees are significant.
You can send as many scouts as you like on random scouting missions. They fly a random walk, usually remaining close to their ship. Random scouts are useful to keep enemies from sneaking up on you.
If you decide that it would be better to break radio silence than to let your planes fly on their way, you can signal them to return home with this command.
Surviving planes come back automatically after attacking their target. If their mother ship has been sunk, they will try to land at a nearby carrier or base. If they run out of fuel they will splash into the ocean. Be mindful of staying within range after launching an attack so your planes don't run out of fuel before they can make it back to your carrier.
If you think the bad guys are getting a little too close, you can fire your anti-aircraft guns with the direction keys.
yu k io
\ | /
h - + - l
/ | \
nm j ,.
Anti-aircraft bursts are shown as '*'s. Bursts that destroy planes are shown as '@'s.
Example:
+
+@ A hit!
^ +
| +
| + * A miss!
|||
|
Some ships have more anti-aircraft guns than others.
Japanese pilots were significantly more skilled than their American counterparts early in the war due to superior training and combat experience. This is reflected in better bomb damage and dogfighting results. While Japanese aircraft, such as the A6M Zero, had advantages in maneuverability, American planes like the F4F Wildcat were more durable. Additionally, American torpedoes had a high failure rate.
As the war progressed, Japan suffered heavy pilot losses and struggled to train replacements, while the U.S. ramped up aircraft production and deployed superior fighters like the F6F Hellcat. Advances in technology, such as radar-guided fire control, the VT fuze, and Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft guns, further tipped the balance. You'll notice that battles are more evenly matched in the early years but become increasingly one-sided later.
At the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Japan began using Kamikaze attacks on an organized scale, marking a desperate shift in strategy.
Ships move at the rate of one square per turn. One square is approximately equal to one nautical mile. Scout planes move a fast 15 squares per turn, and heavy attack planes lumber along at 10 squares per turn. Scout planes discover enemy ships if they fly within 50 squares of one. Attacking planes will do the same if within 30 squares. Ships don't spot each other until they are 25 squares apart. It's a big ocean out there!
To steer your ship, use the direction keys:
YU K IO
\ | /
H - + - L
/ | \
NM J <>
The first ship in each task force is the flagship. All the other ships follow it around. A nice reason to play one is that if you get sunk, you can transfer your flag to the next ship in the task force. A not-so-nice reason is that enemies shoot at flagships first.
Land Bases, Battleships, Cruisers and some Carriers have big guns that can be used against other surface vessels. To fire your guns, hit the Return or Enter key. If there is an enemy ship within range (25 squares), he will feel your teeth.
If you want to look at another ship and watch it sink or gauge its strength, type 'S'. It will ask you for the ship's name. The data at the bottom of the screen as well as the display will show the scanned ship's current status.
If you think the battle is going slowly, type a 'w' to put the game into automatic mode. Your ship will continue on its present course and the game will progress rather quickly until until something happens. That something is usually a message appearing in the text box, but if things are really slow the wait will terminate after 24 hours (of game time). Waiting returns immediately if your ship has run aground. If no enemies are left, waiting also returns immediately and you'll get a message saying "No enemies left!"
The games ends when you get sunk, choose not to transfer your flag, or quit. If you transfer your flag, you forfeit whatever points you had on the sinking ship. You may gain points, however, if the ship you transfer to has been successful. The game does not end when all enemies have been sunk. This allows you to take a victory sail or two around the various islands before quitting. Midway has two islands and a reef to explore. The Coral Sea and the Philippine Sea have hundred of islands, which requires intricate navigation at times.
The ocean view has 10 different levels of magnification, 0-9. Each higher scale shows more ocean but with less resolution. Scale 0 shows things as they really are, one space on the screen is one square wide. At scale 9, one space on the screen is 110 squares wide. All ship's names are visible at scales 1, 2, and 3. Only flagships are shown at scales over 3. Individual airplanes are shown at scale 0. At higher scales only airplane squadrons are shown. At scales above 3, only airplane squadrons from sighted ships are shown. At lower scales all airplane squadrons are shown. This lets you see planes sneaking up on you.
The current scale is shown as a number from 0 to 9 to the left of your ship's name in the Status Display.
The status display gives your ship's name, the current game time, how many guns and armor your ship has, and its class. Below that are some statistics for your ship or the ship you are currently scanning. These are how many bomb or shell hits the ship has left under the label 'hits,' the number of torpedo hits it has left under the label 'torps,' the ship's points (for sinking enemy ships), and her row, col coordinates.
To the left of these statistics is an image of your ship showing its current course. It is normally boxed by '|' characters. If any enemy aircraft visible in the ocean view are heading for your ship, your ship's image will be boxed by '#' characters.
h l j k Anti-Aircraft Guns i o . , n m y u H L J K Movement I O < > N M Y U return Main Guns s c t f Launch Aircraft b z @ r Recover Aircraft 0-9 Scale Ocean View w Wait S Scan q Quit ? Help
+ American planes (blue) or Japanese planes (red) ? friendly scout planes * anti-aircraft explosions (miss) @ anti-aircraft explosions (hit) ^ shell splash (miss) # bomb, shell or torpedo explosions (hit) o dud torpedo not exploding on contact (miss) . unexploded torpedo
^ -/ Fleet Carriers: 15000 to 38000 tons
/+\ /++| /--\
|+I /++// |+++> Aircraft: 60 to 100
|+I |+// \--/ Guns: 0 to 3
\_/ - AA: 1 to 6
^ -/ Light Carriers: 8000 to 20000 tons
/-\ /--| /--\
|-I /--// |---> Aircraft: 10 to 30
|-I |-// \--/ Guns: 0 to 3
\_/ - AA: 1 to 6
^ / Battleships: 32000 to 70000 tons
| // /--
||| //// ----> Aircraft: 1 to 3
||||| /// \-- Guns: 7 to 10
\|||/ \// AA: 4 to 8
^ Heavy Cruisers: 7000 to 15000 tons
| / -
| / ----> Aircraft: 0 to 2
||| // - Guns: 3 to 4
| // AA: 1 to 3
^ ' Light Cruisers: 3000 to 10000 tons
| / -->
| / Guns: 1 to 2
AA: 1
^ -/ Transports: 15000 to 20000 tons
/=\ /-=| /--\
|=| /-=-/ |===>
|=| |=-/ \--/
\_/ - AA: 1 to 2
xxxxx Land Bases: 100000 to 250000 tons
x\-/x
x|o|x Aircraft: 10 to 90
x/-\x Guns: 3 to 5
xxxxx AA: 3 to 5