I played this one again last night and finished this morning. Funny thing is the Type 95 was the first unit lost to a M5 Stuart, followed by one of the Stuarts being lost a 37mm AT gun. I forgot to put the wreck counters on at first but latter remembered. The American strategy should be to blow by the Japanese Rear Guard Screening Force as fast as possibly, without getting tangle up too much, take care of them latter, as you must block the Elements of the Japanese Occupation Force from escaping in mass. The Japanese need to do the opposite and hold the American up with the Rear Guard and terrain and don’t get your Occupation Force stuck in too many assaults, even take the loses to escape.

I used a few home made assault counters I copied from one of the gamers on this folder. Helpful! In this situation, it pays off to have three combat units in a stack for assaults when ever you can, as there is not much artillery, other than one mortar unit. In the end I had to count both sides losses and the exited Japanese units and minus the totals. The Japanese lost 18 steps to combat but exited 13 steps, the Americans lost 7 steps. The end result was draw. Japanese 13 exit + 7 US step loses = 20, compared to Americans with 18 points of Japanese eliminated steps that didn’t exit. The difference is only two points, so it’s a DRAW, as a side must win by three points just to get a minor victory. Very close for the Japanese.

One more thing to remember, the American M5's have a movement of 11, the Scout INF unit has a movement of 4 and the LVT with an INF Passenger & Leader has a movement of 6, so get those units through fast but don't create too many wrecks in one hex, or it won't be fun.

The Terrain is a really killer, Muskeg hexes and visibility is only three hexes. The American have a stronger force but the Japanese have better morale.

Imagine Lt. O'Bannon's chagrin when HQ informed him that he had to go back to the muskeg for one more scenario to intercept the Axis occupation force before they evacuated. This was bad karma to have to go back when you thought you were done. So reluctently he unpacked his duffle bag and fished out his dice and looked over the map. It figured to be a race to the road junction at 2010. Once deployed the Allies blew through the delaying force with amazing speed eliminating all but one HMG step and a Lt. Despite this the Axis occupation force managed to make good time toward the exit hexes and were just a little ahead of the advancing Allies when the two bodies made contact around the road junction. A wild melee ensued with assault and counter assault. The Allies lost a M5 step to assault and the lvt to the Axis ATG at the exit hex on the road. The Allies just could never get ahead of the Axis in strengh, and those that did got eaten alive in assault due to the axis morale level and the Assault bonus. Meanwhile though other axis units were taking a beating trying to withdraw under the Allied guns suffering step losses and disruptions and demoralizations in the process. Both sides had taken losses and the scenario was in the balance. At this poing the Axis decided for one turn to turn and meet their pursurers. This cost the Axis two steps and a demorlization but it disjointed the Allied pursuit by causing a step loss and several disruptions. This move, although expensive, allowed the bulk of the remaining Axis units to escape. The scenario ended at 1215 with the Axis scoring 22 points and the Allies 16 for a 6 point difference. Axis minor victory. Lt. O'Bannon survived with an additional 6 points and 2 steps destroyed. Kudos to "Super Fan" Jay Townsend for creating this scenario. It was a good one. Rating 4.

By August 15, 1943, American Kiska Invasion Forces controlled the bulk of the island. Knowing that their time in the Aleutians was nearing an end, the Japanese attempted to evacuate the remaining Occupation Force early that morning. The evacuation route was protected by a small Rear Guard and Evacuation Point Guard Force. An American contingent of foot units and armor advanced east along the main track on the island, while the Japanese evacuees moved quickly north along the main north-south track. At 0830 hours, a US scout platoon took fire from the Japanese Rear Guard screening force. The American infantry finally took out the Type 95 unit at 0945, which cleared the way for the US advance eastward, and one Stuart platoon made it through the muskeg to cut off the northeast track junction. Japanese AT fire eliminated that Stuart unit at 1030, while remnants of the Occupation Force unable to get to the evac point assaulted the US troops in that area. The Japanese Rear Guard held strong until noon, but was unable to prevent traffic east along the track since they had been under assault for approximately 2 ½ hours. Shortly before 1300 hours, both sides claimed success, since a number of Japanese units had exited the island, but many lost their lives protecting the evacuation.

This scenario is a well-conceived likeness of a potential Japanese evacuation contested by the Americans (in reality, the Japanese had evacuated in late July, well before the US troops arrived there on August 15th). VP’s are awarded for step loss and Japanese unit exit. The initial Japanese positions are essentially prescribed by the scenario guidelines, as is the American entry point. Then it becomes a race to get American units in position to limit the Japanese exit; since the Japanese have a decided initiative advantage and a good screen from the rear guard, it is difficult to imagine that some units will not exit for VP’s. So the main strategy for the US player is to break through the rear guard defense with both alacrity and minimal casualties, getting to the track junction in the northeast sector. For the Japanese, it is to move units from the Occupation Force as quickly as possible to the evac point, while using some precious turns for key shots at the advancing US units, primarily for self-protection. The two Japanese groups not on the track dug in, while the Type 95 was used to block the track for as long as possible. Fog of war rolls on two of the first five turns limited both sides in their haste to strategic positions. By the end of Turn 20, it was clear that the remaining Japanese step on the board could not exit, so the game ended with the Japanese with 19 VPs (14 steps exited and 5 US steps eliminated), and the Americans with 18 VP’s (17 Japanese steps eliminated and one remaining on the board) resulting in a Draw. This was a fun and well-balanced scenario. Having now completed the scenarios associated with this monograph, an assessment would be that they seemed to get better as the timetable moved along, with the last three being unique and the most fun of the group.