Marianas 1944, scenario #10: The “Not-So-Finished” Enemy

Really interesting small scenario as the Marines Command Post sets up unprepared (not dug-in) as the island was declared secure the day before and it’s at night! The Japanese gather enough force for one last Banzai attack which included some SMG units/weapons and they have to eliminate 5 or more American steps but leader count as 3 steps as this is a Command Post after all.

The Japanese start the attack by moving all their units into staging areas to attack at the same time and most of the stacks with three combat units in them, as they may only have one chance and better to assault with the numbers, as many of the American units are reduced type units as well. The American setup in a tight formation but again not dug-in. The Japanese move in close to assault the next turn and take a beating but one large stack of Japanese including high direct fire valued SMG units survive unscratched to assault first the next turn taking out one American step and a Leader counter getting 4 points before dying off and out of one of the other assaults the Japanese managed another step loss of an American reduced unit giving them a 5 point victory before the American reinforcements entered the combat zone.

Funny I kept playing and the Japanese didn’t have much left as far as units when the American reinforcements got there but the damaged was done and the Japanese won a morale victory with five American steps eliminated as leaders count as three.

This one has a high replay value, as I could see this scenario going either way and at first I was going to throw in the towel as the Japanese player, as I lost so many units on the approach to the assaults but once I got a few going and rolled well, then I wanted my American reinforcements to hurry up and get there. I could see a lot of different results happening in this one.

Marines kicking butt again in this night engagement as the last remnants of organized resistance on Tinian attacks unexpectedly from the beach towards the Marines hunkered down along the edge of heavy jungle. The full moon kept the Japanese from being able to run right up and wait to assault with impunity, not to mention that the Marines set up right on the edge of the jungle so that the Japanese had to stop in the open or light jungle for a turn and get shot at. Abysmal die rolls for the Marines was the saving grace of the Japanese as shot after shot missed in the surprise of having this banzai charge out of the blue after the island had been declared cleared of the enemy. The thing that made a big difference for the Marines was the high morale officers and men compared to a very poor pick of Japanese, with only one Japanese leader having any effect on morale, and most having little better morale than the troops they lead. After the Marine reinforcements came in, the game was pretty much over in two more turns, very effective mopping up action indeed. The death toll at the end: Japanese lost 14 steps (all of the troops) and 3 leaders (leaving only the Major commanding and his Captain adjutant, probably heading off after the action to commit seppuku. Big win for the Marines, and the one or two units that became disrupted were back to normal even before the last shots were being fired.