Saipan-Coconut Grove (8)

This Thursday,  myself and Pierre-Yves got together to play the next turn in the Saipan campaign, we were back to Virtual and Eero in Finland joined us. This will be the first go at table 5, with one table left to go. If the Japanese win this time they confirm a Minor Japanese Victory in the Campaign. This was the "Attack and Defend" scenario from the main rulebook. I believe that P-Y only had one free move and I ended up being the attacker. The Patrol Phase went OK for me but I did a real poor job of placing my JOP's as you will see.

USMC (FM 11)

6th Marine Regiment

Type F USMC Platoon #2

2SL

3 Infantry Squads with Sup JL and 12 men

Supports (9)

M3A1 Satan (8)

?

Japanese (FM 11)

136th Infantry Regiment

Type B Infantry Platoon #1 (13 men missing)

2 SL

3 Infantry Sections with Jl and 12 men

Grenadier Section with JL and 12 men and 3 50mm Mortars

Supports (6)

Tank Hunter Team

2 Entrenchments

2 Minefields

So on to the game:

Once I saw that P-Y was going to bring on a fresh platoon for this game, I decided to play the game with Platoon #1 which was down 13 men and reserve Platoon #2 for the next and what would be the final game in the campaign. There was still another table and the USMC would have to win both to forestall a Major Japanese Victory. I think this was a good plan as playing a kamikaze game with Platoon #1 might result in several USMC casualties in the USMC Platoon #2 with little cost to myself. I would then be set up on table 6. Unfortunately, I messed things up by placing my JOP's too close to the USMC positions and was overrun rather quickly. well on to the action.......

....with some terrific photos from the camera of P-Y. 

The USMC moves

Table view from the souther edge, as usual P-Y's terrain was terrific 

The marines deploy and advance quickly with 2 of their squads, one in the centre of  position and one to their right flank......

.....and as usual they have a tank, and this time a Satan Flame Tank which they rapidly advance up the centre. It is now looking tough and the IJA have yet to deploy. I decided to get at least 1 CoC dice so I could ambush that tank before I put any men down.

I realised now that this JOP was a waste of time as I deployed it too far forward thus allowing the marines to deny it to be quite early in the game, still holding off deploying any troops. the satan has a reach of 36" which covers most of the table with 16d6 strike dice!

JOP captured as expected, a bog would of been nice, P-Y rolled a 2 and  1 on his movement dice!

He rapidly brings up a 2nd squad.

and before I know it they are over the hedge.....

....and advancing across the road.

P-Y now drops his 3rd squad in the field.

But where are the Japanese?

Well I finally have some targets, so I plop my Knee Mortar squad in an entrenchment in front of the minefield while placing my 1st squad in another entrenchment in the jungle on the northeast edge of the table, that sound foolish you say but I have a double phase and the Satan is not on Overwatch so........

......I order the Knee Mortars to fire a smoke blocking off the LOS of the Satan first.

P-Y ends the turn removing all the smoke, but does not have the dice to shoot at flames, so in my next phase, which luckily is a double phase, I launch an ambush with my Tank Hunters, place a SL within in range and throw my next CD. I am able to activate the Tank Hunters but they fail to make it to the flank of the Satan and the Satchel has to be placed on the front of the tank. Six d6 to 4d6, I have 2 hits but P-Y has 2 saves. I am able to place a shock only and that is it for the Satchel charges. 

One of the Tank Hunters throws a smoke grenade and the satchel man is able to escape.

In the interim, I am able to fire at the marine 3rd squad causing some damage with the Knee Mortars and the LMG squad in the jungle.

I place another squad in the open near the tank, getting real kamikaze now. I was able to drive the marine squad 2 off the hedge but the tank hunters take a shot from the Satan and break interpenetrating the LMG squad.........

......I make a feeble attempt to fire another smoke round but fall short . The Satan starts to advance as does the marine squad #2.

It was obvious now that I was not going to cause the casualties I had hoped for, so I withdrew. A USMC Victory on to Table 6 for our ninth and final game.

Butcher's Bill

Well only 4 men were lost on each side but with the FM deduction the USMC were 1 dead and 1 missing with IJA  2 dead and 1 missing.

USMC

Final FM 11

2 down for next game (platoon 2)

4 down for next game (platoon 1)

CO +3 (+1 support)

MO +9 (+3 on FM roll, Platoon Leader 12" CR with 4 CI)

Platoon Leaders Outlook Thoughtful

IJA

Final FM 9

0 dead for next game (platoon 2)

14 dead for next game (platoon 1)

CO 0

MO +4 (+1 FM)

Platoon Leaders Outlook Merry