Summary: This scenario was a lot more fun than I thought it would be and it was very well balanced and brutal. Victory hung on possession of key terrain (the town) and until the Japanese wrestled it from the the Americans after nearly two hours of house to house assault.

US Mission: Defend to defeat Japanese. Japanese Mission: Attack to defeat US.

US Plan: establish dug-in defensive line anchored on the town in 1905. In Hex 1905, HMG, CPT, and PLT positioned to use HMG superior range to rake enemy approaches from the western track or across the Muskeg. 2006 (SGT,2 PLTs) and 2007 (LT,2 PLTs ea) to deny enemy a rapid advance down the track with reserves in 2105 (PLT) and 1904 (Scouts, LT). Have successive adjacent positions to laydown fire as Japanese will eventually overtake initial positions, and have options to force Japanese into Muskeg and combine adjacent hexes for +3 shifts. Scouts were to be the BN reserve/counterattack force into the town so that their short range weapons, but higher morale could negate the morale of reduced SNLF forces.

Japanese Plan: From a bridgehead at Hx 0808, use the fog to cover the rapid advance of the SNLF down the tracks. Avoid the Muskeg accept to get adjacent to US forces for assault. The SNLF would advance as a column down the track to the town and synchronize assaults with Cruiser fire and HMG direct fire.

Execution: 0800-0930. PREPARATION The Japanese had some difficulty getting off the beach as two PLTs became mired attempting to get on the track from Hex 0708. It took three turns until morale was successfully rolled to get them back to good order. The rest of the column advanced and stopped short of spotting distance in order to take a tactical pause for stragglers to catch up and synchronize the advance with Naval fire support. Meanwhile the US used the opportunity to get all forces dug-in. Beyond some disruption and recovery, Japanese Naval Gun Fires was inconsequential at this time.

0945-1100: ATTACK. Cruiser gunfire shelled spotted position in Hex 2007 while the SNLF column advanced rapidly to get adjacent to the US position. 2007 was disrupted, and the whitering hail of HMG fire from the town was not sufficient to stop the SNLF charge down the track. The SNLF column performed a BANZAI against 2007 and sustained 1 step loss and became locked in combat. The HMGs suppressed the town while the remaining SNLF began flanking from the South side of the track through the Muskeg to deny US HMG direct fire. Some leaders and a PLT got mired, but it did not sufficiently stop the tempo. At 1000hrs, the Japanese successfully took Hex 2007 when the Commander himself brought a PLT up into the fight. The US lost 3 steps, but the SGT escaped to 2006. CRITICAL EVENT: US fire power had an opportunity to get 3X result on the Japanese, but rolled poorly and the Japanese survived morale check to maintain their BANZAI into Hex 2006. By 1100 hrs, the US had lost Hexes 2006, and 2007, 6 steps and 2 leaders. The Japanese lost 4 steps.

1100-1215: 1st ASSAULT. The SNLF took a turn to combined reduced PLTs to maintain the "9" morale advantage while also suppressing fire into the town with Cruiser Guns. The SNLF Command committed a 3rd BANZAI into Hex 2105 and eliminated the US Platoon after two turns. The SNLF committed its first assault into the town (2 x PLTs, and 2 x LDRs). The American committed his reserve scouts and a recovered PLT from 1904 into the town to match reduced SNLF "8" morale and remove that assault advantage. By 1215, the US lost 4 steps (total 10) and the Japanese lost34 steps in the town (total 7).

1230-1345: 2nd ASSAULT. When the Americans assaulted again, the SNLF was able to sacrifice 1 reduced Infantry PLT and successfully withdrawal and re consolidation of the Japanese for another major push (remember your BANZAI rule for withdrawals). The SNLF had a turn where they were able to combine squads again. They bombarded the town again, and combined direct fire to demoralize the Americans in the town. One US PLT fled with the BN CDR. With two turns remaining they did a final assault and captured the town killed the reduced HMG and forced the Scouts LT to flee. As a final insult to US injury, the US CPT rolled a "12" on his recovery and sank into the depth of the Muskeg. US would have won if they held the town.

Victor: Major Japanese Victory - 17 VPs (5 VPs for town + 12 US casualties) vs. US 8 step VPs Casualties: US: 12 of 16 steps (75% casualty rate), 3of 4 leaders (75%) Japane: 8 of 18 steps (45%), no leaders lost

Japanese Observations and Techniques;

1. Fortune favors the bold - the high morale and superior assault abilities of the SNLF make them ideal for getting in up close with fire and maneuver. The US HMG will outrange the Japanese so move as quickly as possible to mass forces in an assault. I believe it is worth stacking 3 counters per hex on a track to avoid Muskeg, and risking friendly fire from cruisers to soften up adjacent hexes before assaults.

2. Avoid the Muskeg and use the tracks - except to get adjacent for an assault, do not take a direct advance across the Muskeg. You just risk desynchronizing your attack. With no US bombardment value, the Muskeg does not protect you. In my opinion it is better to mass 3 units on a track for a +1 column shift instead of dispersing them to Muskeg for a +1 column shift anyway and the potential of being mired.

3. Tactical Pauses maintain Tempo. The SNLF force had the initiative in 23 of 24 turns. The SNLF works best in synchronized combination with the Cruiser fire and their HMGs and should constantly seek to combined direct fire while launching an assault. Pause when necessary to get forces massed in position and to combined reduced squads to maintain superior morale in close combat and mass direct fire.

US Observations and Techniques:

1. Dig-in. Muskeg does not prevent you from digging in. There is nothing in the rules and historically, while the swamp as mucky with a high water table, forces were able to dig trenches and carve out some foxholes. The track hexes are better as those are to be treated a "clear hexes. Digging-in at least gives the US a fighting chance to disrupt Japanese assault with first fire.

2. Alaskan Scouts. I might have used my Scouts a bit differently to screen the Japanese forces and deny them the use of strategic movement. By starting them out as far out as possible either along the track in 1909 or in the Muskeg in 1507 they could rapidly advance to within 5-6 hexes of the Japanese without threat of direct fire and could move constantly without threat of OBA. The benefit is that by turn two the Japanese would have been slowed because they were kept in LOS of the the enemy. This might have dealyed events by a critical 1-3 turns to retain the town. The Scouts would still never get decisively engaged with the SNLF and must retrograde back to be a reserve. because of their short range and lower firepower, their 8 morale force is a good counterattack force against hexes with reduced SNLF forces with morale "8" - this will negate the column shift the Japanese get for attacker with superior morale.

Recommendations: I DO Recommend this scenario with a "3" 1. Play with all optional rules, especially strategic movement. 2. Balance suggestion - Japanese Naval Guns halved until target hexes are actually spotted.