0500 - 0515 – American forces are posed to hit the dug-in Japanese line. The 3rd Battalion waits as reserves in the east. Americans use the final half hour before the sun rises to dig in amongst the elephant grass.

0530 – As dawn breaks Japanese artillery hits the American line. American companies begin to advance in the jungle to spot Japanese dug-in positions. Americans lose half a platoon to Japanese opportunity fire. (1-0)

0545 – Japanese hit by American artillery (1-1) as the advance to the Japanese line continues.

0600 – In the south jungle Americans hit by direct fire (2-1)

note: American forces taking some casualties “setting up” their close range attacks. Will it pay off?

0615 – A brief thunderstorm hits the area. Japanese are hit hard in the north losing a whole platoon and their lieutenant. (2-3)

0630 – Thunderstorm ends. Japanese taking casualties in the centre and south of their line (2-5)

0645 – Japanese line is beginning to collapse. Japanese 75mm is hit by American naval guns. (2-6)

0700 – Japanese in the south are hit as the Americans advance their line into the jungle. Some Japanese infantry routs and is hit in the open by American artillery support. (2-8)

note: The Japanese casualty count is quickly mounting as the front line collapses.

0715 – Americans take the central jungle.

0730 – Japanese lose another half platoon in the centre while a captain and his platoon is lost in the north! (2-11)

0745 – Center Japanese forces lose another half platoon and a lieutenant. Americans take another loss due to Japanese artillery (3-12).

Note: American 3rd Battalion activated by the American scouts advance in the southwest. But jungle communications (fog of war) keep them from moving for another few turns.

0800 – 0830 – Japanese take more losses in the north and south, but manage another lucky artillery hit on the Americans. (4-14)

0845 – Japanese in the center lose another half platoon and their captain. The Japanese front line has been annihilated. (4-15)

0900 - 0930 – Another thunderstorm hits and visibility is minimal. All sightings are lost and both sides take advantage of the storm to rally disrupted platoons.

0945 – Thunderstorm ends as the 3rd Battalion advances to the southwest. No sightings and a tense silence covers the jungle.

1000 – The Japanese wire to their artillery is cut and the Americans advance in force! Japanese mortars fall back to avoid being overwhelmed. A Marine Platoon is reduced by Japanese opportunity fire. (5-15)

1015 – Japanese cut wire is restored but the mortars with their captain are assaulted and eliminated! (5-17)

Japanese reserves in the southwest head north to meet the Americans up close. Half a HMG platoon is lost as they are disrupted by American artillery (5-18)

note: Japanese need to inflict another 4 step losses on the Americans while they still have some fight left in them

1030 – Japanese infantry reduced by American artillery strike. (5-19)

1045 – Japanese in the south are hit hard and with the American Scout Platoons reporting their position are devastated by artillery and mortars! Two lieutenants are also killed. (5-22)

Marines reduced by Japanese artillery. (6-22)

1100 – Americans advance in the south

1115 – Japanese HMG is eliminated in an assault by the Marines. A Japanese Lieutenant is captured but their Major commits seppuku instead of being taken. (6-23)

In the northeast, Marine direct fire eliminates a Japanese lieutenant and his platoon. (6-25)

1130 – Desparate for a result, a Japanese infantry platoon does a banzai attack on the Americans. Half of them are cut down before they reach the American troops (6-26)

Americans are hit by friendly fire! (7-26)

Note: Japanese are only 2 steps away from achieving their victory objective!

1145 – The Assaulting Japanese are demoralized and eliminated (7-27)

noon – A Japanese platoon in the northwest is eliminated (2X) and the American noose closes in on the last Infantry platoon. (7-29)

1215 – The northwest infantry platoon is reduced while in the southwest a Japanese captain and his platoon are lost. (7-32)

1230 – Japanese Major and lieutenant in the south are killed. An American captain deserts as the marines pull back into the jungle out of sight of the Japanese forces.

1245 – Japanese surrender.

AMERICAN VICTORY!!!

Aftermath

This was very nearly a draw. If the Japanese were able to inflict just another two casualties it would have been. This got quite tense in the end wondering if the Japanese could pull it off, but it was nice to see the Americans finally get a victory in Guadalcanal.

The Japanese surrendered as they only had their anti-tank battalion and field construction unit intact with a single half infantry platoon. Not really enough force to inflict any damage.

For interest, I played it out a bit. As the Japanese organised for a counter-attack the Americans fell back in the jungle and dug-in. The initial Japanese advance left 2 and a half platoons of SER dead with the rest disrupted! The next 15 minutes saw the Americans fire first and eliminate another half platoon after which the final two SER platoons retreated demoralized.

A scout advanced and the two demoralized SER platoons were eliminated by American bombardment.

Scenario Rating: Average 3/5. This was a good tense scenario almost deserving a 4/5.