Introduction

August 21, 1942 – Having captured the airfield at Tenaru, the Japanese Ichicki Detachment was sent, during the night, to penetrate the American lines to recapture it.

The 2/1 Battalion of the 1st Marine division, supported with machine guns and 37mm anti-tank guns was defending the line…

Japanese Goal Get 5 Japanese units west of the American line.

American Goal Stop the Japanese!

17 turns = 4 hours, 15 minutes.

For once the US is on the defence.

The Battle – Take Two!

0200 (visibility = 1 hex)

Japanese order a full advance and suffer 4 casualties!

0215 – Initiative is important. Americans win initiative and get off an initial volley (to no effect!) before the Japanese Banzai!

Five assaults ensue with the Americans “winning” 3 of them and losing 2. Casualties are 3 American steps versus 4 Japanese steps.

Japanese hidden units are “spotted” circling to the south.

0230 – Assaults continue and another Japanese step is lost, although four Japanese platoons breakthrough the broken American line!

(early FOW – refer notes in Aftermath)

0245 – The four Japanese platoons push deep behind American lines while sporadic assault fire claims casualties on both sides.

(early FOW)

0300 – Americans sent troops to the west to stop the Japanese from hiding.

(early FOW, again!)

0315 – Japanese suffer 3 step losses “on the line” while they push through the jungle in the south.

0330 – Americans advance against the Japanese intruders and call for artillery support. Assaults begin in the jungle to the south.

0345 – Fighting ensues behind the lines. Americans fire as Japanese counter with a banzai charge. Casualties are on both sides, including an American Major. HMG nest on the line is demoralized.

0400 – Only one attack each – early FOW.

0415 – Americans take heavy losses (3 steps, Lt and Cpt) as the center of the line collapses. Behind the lines the Japanese continue to hit hard.

0430 – early FOW hits after one activation per side.

0445 – Japanese get hit hard by American artillery (2X and Major).

0500 – Fighting continues in sporadic pockets as the Americans try to repel the invaders. Losses are obtained on both sides.

0515 – Japanese in the south push north under heavy fire, losing half a platoon. Early FOW (1 activation aside).

0530 (visibility 2 hexes) – Americans must attack hard to rid the west of Japanese presence before 0615.

0545 (visibility 4 hexes) – FOW (15) rolled after one activation per side! The final nail is driven into the coffin.

0600 (visibility 8 hexes) – The morning is dawning. Americans deliver a last ditch attempt by assaulting the Japanese, losing two steps and a Lt in the process.

FOW is rolled after two activations per side.

JAPANESE VICTORY!!!

Aftermath

Japanese manage to get 10 units (require 5) west of the American line for a decisive victory.

A very important factor was the large number of short turns. FOW rolls were made after 1 activation per side, success on a 14+ (because of night). Many times, this limited the American firepower and robbed them of their OBA strikes.

Casualties were VERY high:

Troops remaining on the battlefield (losses)

American:

5 and a half MAR platoons (4 lost)

3 HMG platoons. (2 lost)

(37mm battery lost)

Japanese:

5 and two half INF platoons (8 lost)

1 and a half HMG platoons (half lost)

3 ENG platoons (1 lost)

70mm battery.

Overall, I loved this scenario. It was extremely enjoyable and entertaining and comes highly recommended for 2-player or solo play. As the Japanese were advancing, it was virtually impossible to stay “hidden”. Also, as the American defence (for the first few turns at least) was static, it was easy to play the hidden units one-sided.