Colonel Merritt Edson's command, a composite battalion made up of U.S.M.C. Raiders and Paramarines, had just been ordered to occupy a "quiet area", an unnamed ridge overlooking the all-important Henderson Airfield. Much depleted from past operations, they were moved to give them a rest. The Japanese, however, had organized a series of complicated maneuvers designed to surprise the American defenders and to reach a point adjacent to the ridge through which they planned to assault the American lines and break through to Henderson Field -- the key to maintaining control of Guadalcanal. General Kawaguchi's gamble gained him an element of surprise, allowing him to bring 3,000 soldiers against the 800 Marines occupying the ridge. But these Marines were some of the best and toughest on the island and were determined not to retreat.
Attacker: Japanese (1st Battalion, 124th Regiment and 2nd Battalion, 4th Regiment)
Defender: American (USMC) (Raider Battalion and Paramarine Battalion)
5.5 turns
Players: 2 OBA: None Night: No
Unit Counts:
Squads: A:13.0 D:8.0
AFVs: A:0 D:0
Guns: A:0 D:1
M1A2 37mm AA Gun
Misc Rules:
PTO.
Map Board(s):
o
Overlays:
NONE
Errata (source)
Players wanting to play this game/Request a match:
The Japanese attack concentrated on the American left flank and center. On Turn 2, the Japanese on the left took heavy losses to overwhelm most of the American left while, in the center, they failed to take advantage of a greatly weakened defense after a lucky Prep Fire result. The attack was pressed through Turns 3 and 4 making steady gains, but with continued losses. In Turn 5, 2 Japanese MMCs with the 10-0 Leader were forced to take no action leaving a small weakened force with few choices. A desperate Banzai attack against the American Gun ended with the inevitable KIAs and broken MMCs.
2021-10-31
(D) Tony Fermendzin
vs
Craig Renier
American (USMC) win
This was my second time playing this scenario. The Americans have won both times, by slowly falling back to the northwest corner of the hill. If the marines can hold the Japanese off long enough, and then fall back to the NW corner of the hill with the 10-2 leader and enough FP, they can make it very difficult for the Japanese to come and root them out. See Craig's comments below for more details.
2021-07-11
(A) Pascal Boileau
vs
Jean-Philippe Rigaud
American (USMC) win
The issue of the game was decided on the two last DR in a H-t-H... The Japanese needed 8 or less to kill the last American MMC and I rolled a 10 and the American player needed 7 or less and he rolled a 6. The last American MMC survived to the CC and it was not in melee anymore ! Three devastating Banzai charges for the Americans were performed in the last three turns to invest all level 1 hexes. A fun and thrilling scenario !
2021-06-25
(A) Pascal Boileau
vs
Serge Doba
American (USMC) win
As an introduction to PTO, I played the Japanese. I was never in position to worry the Americans even with a Banzai charge. They pulled back methodically in the NW part of the map and I was to late at the endgame. A nice scenario for learning how to handle Japanese troops and to discover the jungle !
2021-06-25
(D) Doba Serge
vs
Pascal Boileau
American (USMC) win
2021-01-30
(A) Russell Dewhurst
vs
[Solo]
Draw
2021-01-09
(D) O Ramaille
vs
Loïc Gourdon
American (USMC) win
The Japanese skillfully attacked the wings of the USMC defense that retreated slowly in the jungle. The Japanese MMGs in the center supported the assault but Captain Bailey eliminated the manning crews. While the Japanese were surrounding the Marines, a failed banzai charge weakened the Japanese center. Some Marines rushed forward in the quite empty center forcing Japanese troops to come back and pursued them. Meanwhile, the Japanese having eliminated Emerson and the first nest of MG were now assaulting Bailey's position. Surrounded, he killed a leader and most of the attackers but eventually routed and was eliminated for failure to rout. The last USMC troops were dealt with in hand-to-hand combat, not without having eliminated a lot of Japanese soldiers. A wounded Japanese leader and a squad were the unique survivors of this butchery... But, they failed to discover the still hidden US gun in the jungle. The marines by the sacrifice of their squads mislead the Japanese and prevent them to explore the last jungle hexes on the hill. A final american victory.
2020-11-25
(D) Igor Luckyanov
vs
Alexey Tikhomirov
American (USMC) win
2020-11-15
(A) Tony Fermendzin
vs
Bill Burt
American (USMC) win
The Japanese attack started well when the MMG rolled snake eyes on its first shot. The Japanese attacked from the SW and the SE with their main push coming from the SE. The Americans skillfully pulled back to the NW corner of the map making their final stand there. The Americans stacked two squads along with both MMG together and this proved to be too much firepower for the Japanese to overcome, killing everything that the Japanese could throw at them in their final Banzai.
2020-08-09
(D) Eric Topp
vs
Mark Dennehy
American (USMC) win
Poor shooting from the Marines allowed the Japanese to move up. The Japanese commander was hesitant to CC fearing the Marines' FP advantage. Instead, he moved the Japanese adjacent to the US positions then eliminating units for failure to rout. However, the Marines had defence in depth and a last turn Banzai Charge could not eliminate the final redoubt in hexes K2 and L1.
2020-05-21
(A) Dmitry Klyuykov
vs
Anton Sulin
Japanese win
2020-05-19
(A) Vilis Pavulans
vs
Matias Dahlbäck
American (USMC) win
First PTO game for both of us. I did my best Banzaing in all directions. Come down to the last close combat but the dice failed me again… because only the dice are to blame. My tactics were flawless… Hrrm…
2020-05-19
(A) Matias Dahlbäck
vs
Vilis Pavulans
Japanese win
2020-04-21
(A) Kevin Sanders
vs
Rob Brown
American (USMC) win
Total learning mess by both players. Banzai at a auto cannon = bad idea. But had to learn the rules some how. Would like to try this one again
2020-03-26
(D) John Smith
vs
Scott
American (USMC) win
Small blood and guts scenario with Japanese and Marines duking it out in the dense jungle. The Japanese were able to track down the AA gun, which wasn't much of a factor, but couldn't deny the Marine 10-2 leader and 2 raider squads a final hill hex after a last ditch Banzai charge. Very tense scenario that literally came down to the last die roll in H to H combat.
I think the key to this one for the USMC is to not engage the Japanese directly. After the American turn try not to have any units in LOS of Japanese, this completely removes their ability to Banzai, forcing them to use standard move/fire tactics.
2020-03-12
(A) M T
vs
Japanese win
Good scenario to learn the PTO basics. Japanese carried the day with their excellent HtH capabilities, after incurring heavy casualties in a Banzai Charge.
2020-02-15
(A) Dmitry Klyuykov
vs
Fedor Grachev
Japanese win
2020-01-31
(A) Martí Cabré
vs
Solo
Japanese win
Solo game. A prompt banzai charge destroyed the American left but at a high cost, five Japanese squads dead. But then the American MMG broke and the Japanese assaulted the center pushing the defenders back and killing the gun crew. There were many HtH close combats with many deaths on both sides, until only one defender HS survived.
2020-01-24
(A) Dmitry Klyuykov
vs
Igor Luckyanov
Japanese win
2020-01-10
(D) Kermit Mullins
vs
Scott Waites
Japanese win
Wow...bloody fun scenario! My Americans were overwhelmed at the end as the Banzai charges just kept coming. My D-Fire rolls were too high and at the end all my boys were dead on the field with 2-1/2 squads left to claim the victory.
2019-12-14
(A) David Wiesenhahn
vs
Japanese win
2019-07-28
(A) O Ramaille
vs
American (USMC) win
With the US marine raiders concealed and scattered throughout the hill, the Japanese advanced into the jungle and launched two banzai charges that obliterated the first line of defense. Captain Kirk and his men defended their lives with their MMG tearing apart a few Japanese squads. Several raiders squads died in hand-to-hand close combat. But the Japanese were still looking for that damned hidden AA gun. Finally, they found it and killed its crew. Yet several surviving raiders and paramarines were still lurking in the jungles after the Japanese assault. A victory for the USMC despite the heavy losses.
