This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a Second World War naval game using the Seekrieg 5 rules. The scenario was fictional, but included ships present near Leyte Gulf on 25 October 1944.
US:
Battleships West Virginia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Pennsylvania
Cruisers Louisville, Portland, Minneapolis, Indianapolis
Japanese:
Battleships Yamato, Nagato
Battlecruisers Kongo, Haruna
Cruisers Tone, Chikuma
Transport ships of the Leyte invasion fleet were present nearby and provided a potential target for the Japanese.
The models are 1/2400 scale GHQ and CinC. Seven players participated.
We played seven turns in about 4 hours. Of the US battleships, only Pennsylvania was hit and took one tier of damage. Portland took two tiers of damage. Minneapolis took one tier and lost a primary turret. The two Japanese battleships took little or no damage. Kongo took two tiers of damage and lost a primary turret. Haruna three tiers, an engine room, a boiler room, a primary gun and all primary fire control. Chikuma had significant damage and fires. Tone blew up.
ncc1717.com 
We played this some years ago at a Lancaster convention. One issue that is not considered here is the very narrow channel that the Japanese task had to pass through to get to the American fleet. The very shallow water on both sides of the channel very much constricted the Japanese advance, and American destroyers darted around a bend and launched torpedo attacks.
An interesting scenario. Looks like the two forces are well balanced.