The Japanese invade Luzon as a first move in the war.  Combat has already been resolved for Batan Island, and it is theirs.

Japan invades Malaya, and land-based torpedo bombers commence their deadly work on HMS Prince of Wales and her consorts.

American fast carrier task forces close in on the Marianas in June 1944, with bombardment, escort carrier, and invasion groups about 120 miles behind.  The Japanese vessels opposing them are submarines, seldom a match for the massive airpower and escort forces surrounding American capital ships and convoys by this time.

American destroyers depth charge one of those submarines.

A scene from a Turkey Shoot: Poorly-flown Japanese aircraft attack the American carriers, opposed by massive numbers of Hellcat fights flying combat air patrol.

Another uneven fight, this time a nighttime surface battle late in the war.  Note that both old and new battleships are in the American battle line.  The US Navy won this battle in the game, but in real life, a surface battle in the dark in 1942 or 1943 would see the advantages lie with the Japanese.  The game reflects this, and the combination of night and the Long Lance torpedo makes the Imperial Japanese Navy a very difficult opponent early in the war.

Game database entry for an early model Zero, the dominant plane at the start of the war.  It was one more reason why the Japanese are to be feared early in the game.

The database entry for the original "Lady Lex."  Small guns such as the M2 machinegun really do count in combat, and even in a surface fight 20mm cannons can score hits and do real damage to small ships at point blank range.  It can be argued that at sea or in the air, no weapon is too big or too little for consideration in War in the Pacific.