The Japanese have 3 caves and an entrenchment, 3 full platoons and 3 half platoons of infantry, 2 HMGs, some AA guns and a mortar. The US Army needs to take those caves and the entrenchment in 26 turns. The scenario history said the caves and defenses were in a valley, and the valley on board 100 was perfect for that. I placed one cave on the southwestern hill near the minor river, defended it with a stack of 3 steps of infantry with an LT, the other caves to the north of the river, again defending each with the same 3 steps of infantry with an LT. The caves were spread out pretty well, forcing an attacker to face fire from other defenses anytime he tried to attack a cave. I have seen what can happen to a cave defender trapped in the cave when a flamethrower comes along, so I kept the defending infantry in heavy jungle in an adjacent hex to the cave, hoping to make it a bit harder for an attacker to take and keep a cave. The HMGs with the captain and an AA gun I placed in the entrenchment on the southern hill at the point formed by the bend in the river where he was on the 20m level but had a good view all around and could have one open ground hex and one light jungle hex to fire at before anything got close enough to assault. After setting up the Japanese, I stepped away for a few minutes and then looked at it with fresh eyes to sort out where the US would come in from, as they have to enter from the south end of board 83. The Japanese setup was based on an assumption that it would be most logical for the Army to come up the road and turn left and head towards the entrenchment first, fan out and start with the caves from east to west. Looking at it again, I decided that the US would split up, the Major taking half and the mortar to the west immediately as he enters the board, and the Captain would lead the rest up the road as expected. Both US forces moved at about the same pace so that they could start shooting on the same turn. The Japanese troops were surprised when the Major and his force came down over the hill and took the southwestern cave as elements fired on and disrupted the defending infantry there. The Japanese infantry there died inside of 2 turns of direct fire and assaults, the Major not forgetting to take one of the 2 flame units with him of course. As the fire started to the Japanese rear, the US captain sprang his attack on the entrenchment, but his attack bogged down and lasted most of the game, bot sides disrupting and demoralizing the other and then regrouping to attack again. The Japanese lost the AA gun and a step of one of the HMGs but the US lost a step of the flame unit and had 2 demoralized infantry that had to keep being switched out with fresh troops near at hand. Setting up the Japanese, I had set up the 3 bunkers where they could overwatch the important defenses, but when I flipped the one overwatching the entrenchment, I found it was the 6-4 and watched it start disrupting the LT in the adjacent hex to the entrenchment that was busy regrouping and replacing troops with the assault. Then the Japanese luck ran out. The bunkers kept up fire, but couldn't roll anything but 7s, allowing the assault on the entrenchment to finally finish off the defenders, while the Major succeeded in taking the other 2 caves and eliminating the Japanese infantry. There was a close call when one Japanese force abandoned their own cave for a bit and crossed the river to take back the first one, but they were quickly dispatched by point blank fire from the US Army Sergeant and an infantry platoon. At the end of 22 turns, the 3 caves and the entrenchment were in US hands, the only survivors being one bunker and 3 leaders, with no ability to do more than perhaps add a step loss or two while awaiting their own turn in assault. Game ends, US win, Japanese lose 18 steps to 3 US losses. Great game.

Marianas 1944, scenario #30: Hidden Fortress

Ok, my last scenario played in the Marianas and it seemed simple enough for the US Army, eliminate enemy units from three caves and one entrenchment, however, the 306th Infantry doesn’t really send enough units to do the job and the Japanese put two southern caves on map 100 in two location, which the American coming on map 83 decide to attack as collective group instead of splitting their forces. The first two objective took forever to take and caused a number of step loses as the Japanese continue to roll nice on the dice.

Round two, the American regather their scattered forces and head for the more open hill top on the northern map of map 100, where the Japanese have put together a nicer supporting defensive line, including one cave, one entrenchment supported by the big 120mm gum, 37mm AA gun, a higher direct fire Casemate of 6-5, 1 x HMG, 3 x full strength Infantry and good leadership with a great view of the approaching Americans from the south. The American’s attack stalled with heavy casualties and their time ran out. Like in real life they will have to wait until the next day with better armor and artillery support. A Japanese Victory.

My major problems for the Army was; little off-board artillery, a bad start, Japanese great dice rolls but also the approach. I think instead of attacking from the south and moving north, they should have attacked from the east where the terrain gave them more cover. Still this is an interesting scenario if the Japanese get a few good dice rolls early, the Americans will be hard pressed to conquer all four victory objectives. In my game I lost 9 American steps and 1 leader trying and only conquered 2 victory objectives, while the Japanese only lost 4 steps and two leaders, which is kind of unusual compared to my previous game plays. The Americans were desperate in the latter turns and took more unsupported chances to try and win but lost badly.