I am currently reading a book about the Battle of Spotsylvania in the ACW. This was the first real use of extensive field fortifications in combination with rifled weaponry and the resulting slaughter was mind numbing to attacker and defender alike. The results of this scenario were no different. The Japanese are forced into relatively direct assaults and are savaged by the opportunity fire and then counterattacked.

The results of the western trail attack which hit directly at Isurava were particulary bloody. By turn 9 the Japanese had not only been thrown out of Isurava but were thrown out of the clearing around Isurava and the Australians had a substantial numerical advantage in the area, ensuring that both Isurava and The Rest House would remain under their control throughout the game.

On the eastern trail the Japanese were having some better results. Although they had not pierced to Abuari they had at least given the Aussies a scare and were causing some losses.

Total casualties ran about 3-1 in favor of the Australians and with the clear ability to hold at least two villages the Japanese could not win the scenario.

I had played the previous Isurava scenario (Day Two, surprisingly enough...) and had similar results. There simply are too many Australians and too short a board to permit the Japanese the ability to maneuver and put the defenders on their heels. Still this was a very fun scenario and I find it difficult to manage the Japanese in these types of battles as their losses are horendous but as long as they have infantry on the board they have a chance to win. I give it a "4".

In this scenario the Japanese are making a final push to take the villages in the Isurava area. They start with ownership of Asigara, with mortars set up, and Missima, around which the remainder of their on-map starting forces begin, with a huge force starting off map. The Australians start with four villages, including the well-defended Isurava. On the eastern trail branch they own only Abuari, and it is not defended very heavily. The Japanese goal is to take all villages, or at least five and inflict more casualties. The Australians must stop them and inflict substantial casualties on the Japanese.

The Japanese decide they will be very aggressive, ignoring possible hidden Australians and simply accepting the casualties. Only the fire lanes keep them cautious around Isurava. On the eastern trail the Japanese are only slowed by their own numbers. Japanese mortars rain hell down on Australian troops across the board. Isurava seems the only point of resistance, as the Japanese are cautious to approach it. All attempts to set up an assault are rebuffed, and the Japanese are losing steps and being forced to withdrawal. On turn ten they finally pin down the adjacent defenders in an assault, open a firestorm on the village and demoralize two of three defending units (who soon flee), and move into contact on multiple sides. Meanwhile, the assault on Abuari continues, with the Japanese finally tripping the balance point and gaining a secure upper hand. But at the end of the midway point, turn ten, the Australians still control three villages and one is contested, all hidden Australian units are still waiting in ambush, and many Japanese are in a disrupted state along with a few demoralizations. But, the Australians have lost a whopping 23 steps and four leaders, Abuari is on the verge of falling, and Isurava faces imminent assault.

Turn eleven brings disaster to the Australians. Isurava's lone defender takes a step from heavy fire, then dies in the assault, and the Lt Col leading the solitary defender dies in a hail of gunfire. Most of the defenders around the Rest House are now frozen in place, and the Japanese spot half the hidden Australian forces. Abuari falls on turn 12. The only thing saving Alola from the Japanese on the eastern trail is the horrible disorganization of those troops following their domination of the Abuari defenders. And with Japanese morale levels, they will recover in a couple turns and place their attention on the paper thin defense of Alola. Alola's only real hope is the stream of demoralized Australian troops running in that direction.

But in the end it is that stream of refugees that saves Alola. While the western Japanese force is taking a beating during their attempts to take the Rest House, the eastern force recovers themselves and cycles around the south trail bend, racing against the demoralized troops attempting to rally at Alola. The Japanese jump all over the defenders east of the village, but the Australians from the north recover just as the Japanese assault Alola proper. The combat is bloody, especially for the Australians, but the recovered HMG provides just enough defense to hold back the Japanese troops cycling through the assault. Meanwhile, the Australians in the Rest House are taking a beating, but giving back as good as they are taking. In the end, two steps of Australians (one disrupted) and a leader are still contesting the Rest House, and one disrupted step and leader are still contesting Alola as the clock runs out. The Japanese only hold four villages despite inflicting 42 steps on the Australians, and killing most of their leaders. But the Australians don't actually control any towns, and only inflicted 13 of the fifteen steps required to achieve victory. The Japanese are thwarted, but at too high a cost for the Australian defenders to claim victory. A draw.

Rated this a 4. I'm actually surprised the Australians held together as well as they did. The losses in the first ten turns seemed overwhelming, even if their position was good. By the end of turn 12 it looked grim for the Aussies. But recovering from the disarray of combat, along with a couple well timed fog of war rolls, took just enough time to prevent the Japanese from overwhelming Alola. One more turn would almost certainly provided the Japanese what they needed for victory. Yet attempts to gain a major victory by taking the Rest House might have caused just enough steps to drop that major back to a minor due to Japanese losses. A pretty darn good firefight.

Had my play of the Insurava scenarios been linked, days 2 and 3 would never have happened, but I had a bit better luck on the Day 3 scenario. I did pretty much the same things, but had more Australian troops of the better quality, and there were several single platoons that held on much longer than they might have. The Japanese wave walked down the east half of the board, taking the southern-most village hex there, and when they turned to try to take the central-western village, one enterprising Australian LT and his Infantry platoon dared to walk over and take it back, at least for a few turns. It had the result of tying up 2 stacks of Japanese troops assaulting and taking back the village again that otherwise would have been working their way towards the southwestern village hex. As it was, Insurava fell again, but survivors fell back slowly enough and fought hard enough in assaults and direct fire that the Japanese were never seriously close to taking the central and southern village hexes of the western half of the board. Instead, the Japanese lost 21 steps, more than enough to give the Australians the minor victory. I will certainly be working on these scenarios again to try to sort out why my Australians didn't hold on better.