Japanese forces of the 4th and 124th Infantry Regiments begin to move north at night. But, they got a bit disorganised, and their formation is in tatters.

Defending the American line are members of the 1st Raider and 1st Parachute Battalions.

American Goal Do not allow the Japanese to pass (3 or less Japanese may exit the north edge) 21 turns = 5 hours, 15 minutes

Japanese Goal Inflict casualties on the American (at least 6 steps) OR Penetrate American lines (at least 8 units exit north edge)

American Casualties will be presented by (x).

Errata: Artillery refers to Special Rule #6. There is no Special Rule #6. As the rules for this scenario are almost identical to the special rules for Scenario #14 (The Second Night), I used Scenario #14 Special Rule #6 which refers to American requirement to pre-plot artillery.

The Battle

(visibility = 1 hex)

2300 – Japanese begin to push forward and are scattered throughout the jungle. Americans of A and E companies (northwest) begin to dig-in at their current position.

Hindsight gameplay note: This was a mistake. Americans should have advanced these troops to “fill/block up” the American line to the east. They also should have pulled back the American troops at the southern tip of Edson’s ridge as they are VERY exposed and VERY alone!

2315 – Americans fire at Japanese as they begin to reach the southern tip of the ridge. This surprise attack eliminates on Japanese platoon (2X!)

2330 - 2345 – Japanese advance at the tip of the Ridge and initiate assault against the defending Raider Company.

midnight – Japanese hit the Americans hard at the southern tip and both sides suffer major casualties (2)

0015 – Americans fail to rally and their HMG platoon is eliminated by a Japanese Banzai attack. (4).

0030 – American Raiders at the southern tip are isolated! Japanese troops continue to advance haphazardly.

0045-0100 – Japanese reach and assault the American line in the east. The Americans attempt to consolidate the Parachute defenders to defend against the Japanese.

0115 – Raiders and Parachutes take casualties at both the tip and in the east (7)

0130 – Parachute platoon is eliminated in the east from Japanese assault (8)

Comment: Having already taken severe casualties, enough for Japanese victory, the American must stop the Japanese from exiting 4 units to obtain a draw

0145 – Parachute Company tries to rally, but is further hit by the Japanese assaulters (9)

0200 – Japanese continue to push the assault (10). Americans flee the assault to open the Japanese up to direct fire.

Japanese make a break for the gap in American lines and come under direct fire.

Comment: Running out of time! The Japanese only have 2 hours to exit four units to the north.

0215 – Americans win initiative and fire at the Japanese before they can advance. Slowed, the Japanese still break through into the jungle.

Strategy Comment: Americans face a dilemma. If they move adjacent to the Japanese to harass with direct fire, the Japanese will not be disorientated (ie. Just get to move away from them). Americans decide to hold back.

0230 – Japanese win initiative and run under fire through the night! (taking moderate casualties).

Americans manoeuvre to block them from advancing through the northwest.

Japanese focus their attention on the northern troops (unlikely anything else will matter at this late stage)

0245 – Americans fire first and demoralize two Japanese platoons! (They are unlikely to recover and advance in time!)

0300 – The first Japanese platoon exits to the north. Another half platoon of Japanese infantry is eliminated.

0315 – The Second Japanese platoon exits the map. (Need two more!)

0330 – The Third Japanese platoon exits the map. Some of the Japanese troops, disorientated, move back into the Americans! Another half platoon is lost.

0345-0400 – Leaderless, a number of Japanese troops are left near the exist zone with no idea how close they are to the rendezvous point!!! Unable to gain leadership, the Japanese sit still.

DRAW.

Aftermath

Japanese inflicted severe casualties on the Americans, but were unable to move enough troops to the airfield (off the map north edge) to claim victory.

I think that a single turn more is all that the Japanese needed to win this one by exiting that fourth unit.

This scenario was another Japanese night attack in which with or without jungle would equal assault time. In a bit of a twist from the previous scenarios, the Japanese could not allow themselves to get too bogged down in assault, but rather continue to push forward.

Note: If the Japanese were not hindered by the disorientation rule, I believe this scenario would have been a complete slaughter. The disorientation is required to maintain balance and give a (roughly) historical result as the Japanese really did spend most of the night lost.

Scenario Rating 4/5: An entertaining scenario which was down to the wire. Very hard for the Americans to win (again). I believe the Americans should have adopted a slightly less static defence. (refer above)