After playing a few PG scenarios online, my able and more experienced opponents have politely suggested that I need practice leading infantry probes, making assaults and in sequencing attacks, so I chose this big scenario as the Japanese side and played face-to face with an a hard-fighting, rookie PG opponent. I figured that I could afford major losses in units and still have at least a chance of achieving a draw. After reading the available AAR, I thought that I would be very lucky to fight to a draw, but for once, I had -- for me -- remarkably good luck with initiative, morale and assault die rolls. Play took place over 3 days and I got to experience moving troops in steep hills and jungle along the dreaded Kokoda Trail. Learned a number of new things from the Australians in the bargain, in what turned out to be a real challenge for a newbie like me. Slow-moving infantry units in constrained (limiting terrain) valley settings and coping with the disorientation rule was good practice, and underlines the need for patience, deliberate moves and flexibility in approach when playing PG. On the other hand, not having to fiddle with transport units, air support and OBA was a relief. I did have to throw for mortar ammo depletion, but somehow managed to avoided throwing the lethal 1-die roll that results in removing the mortar or 70mm artillery unit from play for 13 of the scenario's 24 turns. I certainly got a workout in close assaults! And thanks to superb Japanese morale, a mostly decent set of 25 (!) leaders, and some lucky die rolls, Japanese close assaults proved to be quite effective, though costly. As others have noted, one has to cycle assaulting units into -- and move through without engaging -- but still leave reinforcements in an assault hex to be able to extend the assault to adjacent hexes. This means that one's infantry platoons may exit assault hexes without getting slammed by the often-deadly Parthian shot, were all the defending units get a free parting shot at one's usually reduced and disrupted units. Wish that I could claim credit for this neat tactic, but the author of the previous AAR described this fine tactic in enough detail that I could successfully pull it off after some initial bumbling tries. When the Japanese Commander gradually got used to the required sequence and rhythm of attack, this method became the standard for the balance of the scenario. This method also led to a good deal of infiltration of Japanese units behind the general line of defense which ended up splitting the hard-fighting Australian forces into pockets of amazingly stout resistance These cut off hexes were hard for my opponent to reach and relieve. In the end, the Japanese scored an unexpected, major victory with very heavy casualties on both sides.

I would like to play this one again as part of the full-3-scenario Ioribaiwa battle game, either online or face-to-face to see if this was simply beginner's luck on my part.