Author	treadasaurusrex (Japan)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Japan
Participants	PANISTA
Play Date	2024-01-25
Language	English
Scenario	JuFi034

This was a 6-session bludgeoning in the jungle on Guadalcanal with PANISTA ably, leading the attacking American side, and me playing the Japanese defenders of 2, crucial hexes. We used the FOW, excess initiative, Smoke/illum,and consolidation optional rules in this infantry-heavy brawl. The US side has a much harder row to hoe in this, rather stilted scenario, as the Japanese basically just dig in around the 2 victory hexes, and then simply thwart every American push in the vicinity. We drew middling leaders, with the Japanese having slightly better combat modifiers. Others have described this battle in detail, so I will only highlight the general flow and a few instances of interest in what turned into a hard-fought and very costly victory for the Emperor's boys.

Initially, a pair of GI companies were assigned to directly attack each of the victory hexes (2022 & 1501). This led to a very lengthy exchange of adjacent-hex fighting and then repeated close assaults, until Japanese reinforcements arrived after their hard slog down the trail. Before they arrived in the combat zone, a single victory hex was liberated by the GIs. Fierce Japanese counter attacks followed from the surrounding area, and eventually the same critical hex changed hands 3 times in our play-through! This was a very costly business for both sides with many morale failures and several leaders falling while leading their slowly-flagging, troops. A number of unit consolidations occurred in the mid-game and a disasterous American senior leader decapitation occurred during game turn 14. The Sons of Nippon had difficulty sequencing their attacks, as well as keeping sufficient reserves on hand to replace demoralized and reduced platoons. The GIs had similar problems and threw an inordinate number of combat 7-die rolls at key moments in this struggle, particularly in US OBA bombardments and ferocious close assaults. The Japanese assault bonus proved it worth again & again in the struggle for Hex 2022, and errant American shelling struck the attacking stacks several times, with deleterious morale results. Step losses steadily mounted throughout our game, with the eventual Japanese loss of 23 steps & 4 leaders, and a US loss of 13 steps & 3 leaders. There were 8 FOW-shortened game turns in our battle, out of the 21 played. This materially benefited the defending Japanese far more than the US side.

To win this, nonplaytested scenario, the Americans must destroy darn near the entire Japanese force, with hardly any losses to themselves. Not really a realistic prospect with the flawed victory conditions, and the strength of the opposing force. The published victory conditions require control of only a single victory hexes for the Japanese to win, with no regard to the extent of their casualties, which makes it virtually impossible for the US side to prevail in this one.

I give this frustrating episode, a generous, 3, and recommend it for SOLO play only.