Marianas 44

[Hugmenot]

Maybe I should have written Field Hexes no longer blocking LoS will have a major impact how some scenarios are played.

The blind spots for units at different elevation will create some blind spots and thus affect many scenarios.

It's too early to tell whether I like or dislike these changes.

[JayTownsend]

Hopefully Marianas 1944 gets entered into the PG data-bank soon.

[campsawyer]

Maybe I should have written Field Hexes no longer blocking LoS will have a major impact how some scenarios are played.

The blind spots for units at different elevation will create some blind spots and thus affect many scenarios.

It's too early to tell whether I like or dislike these changes.

Daniel, You have me thinking on the fields point. With European fields not blocking LOS could make sense, but with Saipan you have cane fields which can grow upwards of 8-10 feet which would block LOS in my book.

Jay, when you designed Saipan you were thinking that cane fields would be blocking as that was the way fields were in PG. With the change of fields should cane fields stay blocking due to there unique height?

[Hugmenot]

Alan, good catch!

You pointed out these are cane fields, not regular. Cane fields are not specifically referred to in 8.2 "For example, Fields, Brush, and Tall Grass are limiting terrain that does not block LOS, and towns and woods do block it — see the Terrain Effects Chart. Scenarios may specify additional limiting terrain types" and thus it's possible they still block LoS and we won't know until we see the new TEC or scenario book (if it was modified for 4th edition).

[Matt W]

I've got to say that an 8-10 foot barrier shouldn't be the problem that keeps you from seeing through to the open space behind. The gradations of height are at 20 meters or which is something like 65 feet. Finding something at 15 feet above the level of the field is all that is necessary to see "over" the field. I'd stick with the fields being limiting but not blocking LOS.

I would LIKE it if they would block LOS as that will make covered approaches easier and limit some of the defensive and offensive capabilities of my opponent but I can't really argue with the results of the 4th ed. treatment of fields.

[JayTownsend]

Maybe I should have written Field Hexes no longer blocking LoS will have a major impact how some scenarios are played.

The blind spots for units at different elevation will create some blind spots and thus affect many scenarios.

It's too early to tell whether I like or dislike these changes.

Daniel, You have me thinking on the fields point. With European fields not blocking LOS could make sense, but with Saipan you have cane fields which can grow upwards of 8-10 feet which would block LOS in my book.

Jay, when you designed Saipan you were thinking that cane fields would be blocking as that was the way fields were in PG. With the change of fields should cane fields stay blocking due to there unique height?

Alan, somehow when I was thinking of canefields back in 2011-12 I was thinking about cornfields. With both, sometimes they are fully grown and other times chopped down and harvested and everything in between as far as growing rates. So originally I didn't want to add a bunch a new rules for that terrain type, and kept it the same as all the other fields, even knowing cane-fields can grow pretty tall.

[Hugmenot]

Fields are still limiting terrain but they no longer block LoS in 4th edition. It's a major change in my opinion. It will certainly have an impact on scenarios played on board 100 (or maybe 101, the one with fields everywhere).

I suspect moving into a field hex will only cost 1.5 for foot unit in 4th edition but that's just a suspicion, not a fact.

Suspicion confirmed; field hexes cost 1.5 MP for foot units.

Am I good or what?

[Matt W]

What?

[JayTownsend]

AAR:

Marianas 1944, Scenario Fourteen: Into the Night

The other day I wanted to setup and play a quick/small scenario and picked this one, as it can be played in about an hour, with 14 turns and with not too many counters. It also has some interesting units with the Japanese attacking trying to gain control of the east-west road and eliminate American steps as well, with a small number of Marines defending at night.

In my game I took a gamble after the American Sherman tanks already fired on their activation and moved a stack of Japanese Portees and Type 95 Tanks adjacent to the Marine tanks and Infantry units hoping that they would active first but with the nature of the dice the Americans activated first the next turn with the Sherman tanks destroying the Type 95 tanks and one Portee unit and the Infantry taking care of the other Japanese portee. The Japanese basically wasted their whole mechanized force on one turn and left it up to their Infantry units to try and achieve victory unsupported the rest of the game which proved too difficult, giving the Americans a major victory. The early gamble wasn’t worth so next game I’ll use more tactics with this scenario.

[JayTownsend]

AAR:

Marianas 1944, Scenario Eighteen: Along the Agat-Sumay Road and the Drive to Orote

After playing a small scenario I needed a meatier scenario and picked this one, playing it off and on over three days. This scenario is loaded with many types of units and the victory points are very interesting. Both sides get one point for every enemy unit eliminated but with American tanks counting triple, Japanese tanks double and the Japanese getting two points for eliminated American Leaders. Also the Americans get two points for every cave or entrenchment controlled and either side get five points for whoever controls the airfield counter and added up to different levels for victory, so a lot of interesting things to keep track of.

In my game I setup the first Japanese line of defense with a row or casemates and dug-in Japanese Infantry. The Second line of Japanese defense more Infantry and heavy weapons, SNLF units, caves and entrenchments. The third and last line of Japanese defense was the airfield some heavy Japanese Guns/Anti-tank and reserved armor light tanks. This puzzle of a scenario is not for the faint of heart, as both sides have to figure it out in some interesting terrain with some very heavy off board artillery on both sides of the match.

The Marines moved on to the Peninsula from the east with ocean to the north and south! Hitting the first line of Japanese defense proved very difficult, even for the high powered Marine Infantry with support of tanks, Mk-7 Rocket trucks, LCI Gunboats, air & artillery as well. Casualties mounted at the first defense lines with the Americans finally breaking through but with no clear advantage in points. After battling for many turns the breakthrough finally hit the Japanese second line of defense. The Japanese held out their weak Type 95’s tanks not wanting to give the Americans easy points but the Caves & Entrenchments were again causing American and Japanese casualties to climb. But the Americans decided not the go after the last cave and entrenchment complex but instead followed a breakthrough in the second Japanese line of defense over to the third line and the airfield. After 30 turns the Marines controlled the airfield but at a heavy price. The Japanese committed their light armor in the end and lost it very fast giving the Americans enough points to give them a major victory instead of a minor victory 52 points to 39 points. A very tense battle that could have gone either way, depending on the strategies used and step up of units. I highly recommend this one!