KoCa011 
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Isurava and the Trail South Scenario 7: Missionary Ridge, Day One Kokoda Campaign #12 |
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| (Defender) Australia | vs | Japan (Attacker) |
| Formations Involved | ||
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| Australia |  |
21st Infantry Brigade |
| Japan |  |
41st Infantry Regiment |
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| Overall Rating, 3 votes |
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3.67
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| Scenario Rank: --- of 940 |
| Parent Game | Kokoda Campaign |
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| Historicity | Historical |
| Date | 1942-09-07 |
| Start Time | 08:00 |
| Turn Count | 20 |
| Visibility | Day |
| Counters | 84 |
| Net Morale | 1 |
| Net Initiative | 2 |
| Maps | 1: 35 |
| Layout Dimensions | 43 x 28 cm 17 x 11 in |
| Play Bounty | 161 |
| AAR Bounty | 171 |
| Total Plays | 3 |
| Total AARs | 1 |
| Battle Types |
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| Hill Control |
| Inflict Enemy Casualties |
| Road Control |
| Conditions |
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| Terrain Mods |
| Scenario Requirements & Playability | |
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| Kokoda Campaign | Base Game |
| Introduction |
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By the afternoon of September 6th, Brigadier Potts finally had the entire 21st Brigade together on Missionary Ridge above Efogi village. Two of his battalions (2/14th and 2/16th) had been greatly weakened by the battles at Isurava and the fighting retreat that followed. Reinforcements were far too slow in coming. But time was running out for Maj. Gen. Horii as well; he had already received orders calling off the attack on Port Moresby in favor of establishing a firm "strategic line." Only the loose nature of the orders allowed him to continue his advance as far as Efogi. On the 7th, his 41st Regiment made an initial probe of the Australian position. |
| Conclusion |
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Australian patrols spotted a column of lights heading down the Track in the early morning hours of the 7th, alerting them that the Japanese had arrived in some numbers (or at least wished them to think so). They soon discovered that Horii's men had indeed arrived as the 41st Regiment moved into position and began a probing assault. The Australian defenses held as patrols fought a number of sharp actions in the zone in front of the main line. It would be the next day before the Japanese could make a concentrated attack. |
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| Army |
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| Imperial Japanese Army |
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| Welcome to the Jungle |
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For this scenario the Japanese are outnumbered but have better morale, higher initiative, they can concentrate their forces on a narrow front and there is No Jungle Disorientation for this scenario, hurray! The Japanese made contact with the Aussie defensive line as they headed down the trail, their follow up forces heading into the jungle to try and take the 60m hill. They found a weak spot in the Aussie line which the Japanese exploited while eliminating or routing several Aussie stacks of infantry until they had overrun most of the objective hill hexes. Their forces along the trail did not fare as well with their assaults on the forces blocking the trail and were repulsed with heavy casualties, this point of contact become a stalemate for the rest of the scenario as the main focus of the battle shifted west to the ridge. No jungle movement works both ways, while the Japanese were overrunning the Aussie forces on the western hill the Aussies were able to send their uncommitted eastern forces to reinforce their brethren and hopefully redress the situation. At the midpoint of the scenario it looked like the Japanese would prevail but as previous scenarios have shown do not count either side out just yet. The fighting for the hill took a heavy toll on the Japanese forces in terms of step losses and demoralized troops, what forces they had left were isolated and not prepared for the avalanche of Aussie forces that descended on them to reclaim the hill. In the end the Japanese did not accomplish any of their objectives thus the Australians earned a major victory. Day one is over now for Day two. |
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