Now on to the second battle of the Kokoda campaign. As I rate scenarios, the ratings will be based on the scenario as a stand alone scenario, not part of the campaign. I’m not sure if early scenarios benefit one side with the intent to gain a point lead, with later scenarios designed to close that gap, so I need to consider each as a stand alone.

The Australians set up with three platoons in the two village hexes nearest the Japanese entry side, and one platoon in each of the two airfield hexes. I consider rushing the village or using two turns to try and position the Japanese to attack across a wider front. I choose the rush, putting three units immediately next to the three Australian platoons. Opfire demoralizes one of my platoons, but no steps lost. The remaining Japanese fill in behind, with a couple infantry units attempting to get south of the village. The next turn I throw the two platoons that survived the rush directly into assault against the single platoon. The Australian platoons in the southern part of the village immediately run before my flankers can get into position, and end up escaping the map for four Australian points. The remaining platoon in the assault hex ends up dying for two Japanese points, and the village falls for nine more.

The Japanese then begin moving towards the airfield from the northeast, east, and south. The Australians wait one turn too long before bugging out, and end up being chased down and wiped out. Four more Japanese points for casualties, and four more for the airstrip. No more for the Australians. Final score for the scenario, 19 to 4 Japanese over Australians.

While not inherently broken like the first scenario, this scenario seems very unbalanced towards the Japanese. Too much force structure at a high morale in darkness against a weak foe. If the Australians hold, they die. If they run, the Japanese capture all the objectives. The only enemy of the Japanese is time. The initial rush seemed the best plan since the final Australians died on turn 8. Better than scenario one, but still only a 2 due to balance issues.

Campaign score: Japanese 29, Australians 6