Colonel Edson deployed his Raiders to defend the ridgeline at the edge of the Henderson Field line of defense. A and E companies stayed atop the ridge in reserve. B company manned the southern tip of the ridge in the center, while C company held the right flank in the jungles. Under strength D company held a position on the back of the ridge line maintaining lines of communication and serving as a reserve for the right flank. A and C companies of the Para Battalion held the left flank significantly north of the rest of the Marine line. Para Company B deployed behind the ridge maintaining comm with and serving as reserve for the left flank.

Three Japanese battalions moved forward through the jungles. Or at least so they thought. It became quickly apparent that moving in the jungle at night was a poor proposition. All Japanese efforts at maintaining command and control of their forces fell apart as officers led their troops in circles in the dark jungle. The battle plan fell apart, and the Japanese found themselves searching for Marine positions in vain.

Marine Raider Company C detected movement in the jungle well forward of their position. Risking exposure, they left their positions and moved forward to contact the Japanese. Luck favored the bold, and within no time the men from C company were cutting apart the lead elements of Japanese troops. The bulk of the battalion could not find their way forward in the dark until too late in the battle, and an entire company of Japanese, including their mortars which had somehow gotten forward of the lead elements, was wiped out. The Japanese would not mount another serious threat to the American right flank for the remainder of the battle.

Soon after the firing started on the Japanese left, the center battalion made contact with B company of the Raiders. While much of the battalion was lost in the jungle, a significant force managed to reach the American positions. Wave after wave of Banzai charges into the Marine positions finally began to tell. A third of the company, including the third ranking officer, went down in the assault. The Marines were forced to abandon their position and retreat northward up the ridge as A and E companies moved forward in support. Continued assaults cut down more of B company, and only half the force made it back to the newly established line 400 yards behind the original position. Japanese Lieutenant Osaka, who had led the charges, received a wound to his leg, inhibiting his ability to mount another charge, yet still he moved his forces up the ridge. Another junior lieutenant, Kamaguchi, found a fresh batch of courage and led another company up the ridge in parallel with Osaka. Both moved their companies back into contact with American forces. Osaka's unit, having suffered heavily in the assault that overran the Marine position, acted as a diversion to allow Kamaguchi's men to lead an assault against the reinforced remnants of B company. Just as the Japanese were about to execute, the entire Marine regimental artillery battery rained hell down on Osaka's company, and B company opened up on Kamaguchi. Osaka's company was mangled, and would soon have to withdrawal to avoid obliteration. Kamaguchi suffered significant losses to one of his heavy machine gun platoons, but valor overcoming wisdom, prepared his men for the charge into American lines.

At this point Col Edson felt pretty confident in holding the line. C company was holding on the right, A, B, and E companies had firmed up the center, and D company had moved to link the two groups together. B company of the Paras was in position to head off any move between the center and the left. While the Marines had suffered too many casualties to truly call it a victory, at least the bravery and aggressiveness of his men had held of the Japanese from making gains towards Henderson.

Until this point the Paras had seen little action. Japanese lieutenant Tadjeki with one platoon had managed to make contact with the eastern-most position of the Marines, company A of the Paras. The Marines had kept him pinned with fire, and a total lack of support from the rest of the final Japanese battalion prevented any aggressive moves northward. He had thought to have finally gained the flank, and had sent back a runner to his Major that if the battalion moved around his right they could slip through the American lines. Unfortunately, by this time the entire command structure of the battalion had fallen into chaos, and with the exception of two platoons that had eventually been absorbed by the central battalion and one other lone platoon, the remainder of the battalion was lost in the jungle.

The one other platoon, led by experienced Lieutenant Nagumo, moved onto Lieutenant Tadjeki's left. While Para company A kept up fire on Tadjeki and Para company C fired upon Nagumo, the two Japanese platoons maintained a line of communication and sent out scouts against the American position. What soon became apparent to Nagumo was of the four Marine platoons, the one on the American right was not dug into positions but waiting to catch any Japanese assault in the flank. Additionally, there was an appalling lack of heavy weapon support for the entire American position. These were light troops. Nagumo ascertained he would get no additional support from the battalion, so he sent a runner to Tadjeki to follow his lead. He would gamble the entire Japanese right against the Americans to his front. If he could flank the Marine flankers, he could possibly roll up the American line.

Just as the Marine regimental artillery was ravaging Osaka, Nagumo ordered a banzai charge into the flank of C company of the Paras. Catching the Marine flankers by surprise, the Japanese platoon crashed into the American lines, shaking up the American officers and causing widespread casualties. Lieutenant Tadjeki, seeing the flashes and hearing the yells of Nagumo's charge, ordered his men to join the assault. C company, already wavering from Nagumo's charge, completely disintegrated when Tadjeki hit what had been their front. The entire leadership of the company went down in the hail of bullets and slashing of bayonets. By the time the assault had petered out, no more than a squad of Marines were left to surrender. A company, seeing their line of communication collapse under the Japanese assault, broke from their positions and routed to safety. The men of B company joined the rout, and the entire American left collapsed into chaos.

Col Edson, seeing a Japanese breakthrough on his left, quickly realized his position was untenable. While the Japanese in front of him were temporarily disrupted, more Japanese troops were moving to the ridge. Fearful of a successful flanking of his position from the left, he withdrew his Raiders in good order off the ridge and closer to Henderson field. The only saving grace for the Marines was that the Japanese command was still lost in the jungle with most of their troops. The Japanese were unable to press their gains, and moved no closer to Henderson Field than what was to be forever named Edson's Ridge. The Marines reestablished a perimeter between the Field and the Ridge by morning and prepared for another Japanese assault.

Observations: The confusion rules in any scenario involving the Edson’s Ridge map is painful. We tried moving a lone Japanese unit across the board and it took 21 turns. This scenario is only 21 turns. So, given no Americans to interfere, it would take the Japanese the entire game to cross the map if they didn’t find the ridge. Besides, the frustration on the Japanese player’s part is incredible when you can’t do anything but watch units that are stacked together wander in multiple directions when you try to move them. Can’t they follow each other? Can’t they hear the shooting and move in that direction? Does a great job of mimicking getting lost in the jungle, but that doesn’t make it fun. Would be okay on the Matanikau map, but horrible on this one.

The Marines did a horrible job of pre-plotting arty support. Cost them dearly in the end.

Assault can be deadly when done by Japanese infantry!

We considered afterwards if the Americans should only defend the front of the ridge with a small force and plotted arty to force the Japanese to stop and get blasted, then move all other units to the rear and watch the Japanese move in circles. The step losses are the only real way to win as Japanese (unless you can move lots of guys onto the ridge), so protect your guys and win by default. Would not play this one again. (Or Edson’s Ridge, Second Night.)