Leyte 1944, Scenario Three: The Ballad of Francis Wai

This is one of the two or three scenarios Mike added into the mix. The Americans start already surrounded on the beach by Japanese forces the scenario starts right in the thick of action. The special rules for this scenario, rule #3 encourages you to kill off the American leader counter representing Captain Francis Wai who was committed to die in combat after finding out about his cheating wife.

In 8 turns the American have to do a lot: exit 10 steps off the west edge of the map, eliminate both casemates and four other Japanese steps and get Captain Wai killed off. It was a heated fast battle. The Americans were able to exit 10 steps off the western edge of the map but only knocked out one casemate and 5 other Japanese steps and two leaders but missed out on the second casemate and that objective. I tried to get Captain Wai but to no avail, so on the last turns he went through a minefield and survived, then into an assault by himself on the last turn and survived again. I think I could have used some of those Americans steps that exited off the west edge of the map but then they might have missed out on this victory objective. The American lost three steps of units and two leaders but not the right leader!

So the Americans only achieved one of the three victory objectives and the Japanese get a minor victory. Interesting, Leyte is a bit harder on the scenarios for the Americans but fun to play, either way. Of course the American Marines have better fire power then the American Army Infantry units.