Author	CavDo (Netherlands)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Japan
Participants	treadasaurusrex
Play Date	2024-02-22
Language	English
Scenario	NiSi001

Tried this scenario out over 3-sessions as the defending Dutch. Bad choice of sides, and an even worse selection of combat leaders! The Treadasaurus led the attacking SNLF paratroopers, and as he was without his precious tanks, I thought that this would be an easy scenario for the Dutch - wrong again. Both sides drew bad leaders, particularly on my side. We played without the awful FOW rule, but did use the excess initiative optional rule.

Others have reported this battle in detail, so here are a few highlights in what ended as a triumph for the Japanese invaders. The Emperor's airborne dropped in a few places and consolidated quickly (5 turns) using the terrain effectively to approach the airfield. Their assault stacks proved to be unbeatable in close assaults and only 3 steps of Japanese paratroopers were eliminated by game end. There were many adjacent-hex firefights, prior to the close assaults that the Dutch lost every time in this unbalanced scenario that I doubt was even slightly play-tested. The Japanese did suffer from disorientations in the jungle as they closed in, but their lengthy, tidal wave-like assault was, a little slow developing, but unstoppable.

The final VP score was : Japanese: 18, Dutch 3. A Major Japanese victory, just like in real life 83 years ago. I give this unbalanced (but probably accurate historically) scenario a generous rating of 3, and suggest that it is best suited for solitaire play only. Shared play is almost guaranteed to result in a Japanese walkover.