Gavutu-Tanambogo Assault 1 turn 8 - Little Bighorn

As I thought that Assault Period 1 was winding down, things got weird. The Japanese figured out that they held strong defensive position and the Marines could hold Hill 148 easily while clearing the beach to the south for the next wave of landing. However... two unlikely events coincided.

1. A japanese HMG finished off a USMC hero keeping an eye on cave 3112.
2. USN NOBA placed a SR in the middle of the Japanese assembly area. 

The Japanese leader decided NOT to sit a 200mm FFE, although NOBA has been unreliable so far. With the Eastern Cave unobserved, a squad of 2nd-liners and a MTR slipped out and into the USMC's rear. All squads in caves at the base of Hill 148 ran out while the counter attack followed the trenches towards US positions.

The Fanatic USMC squads spend the turn pinned by HMG fire while the japanese assaulted in CC two other positions. Their advancing fire broke one stack, and the two other stack miraculously both won ambush withdrawals. What's left that is unbroken in a wounded 9-2, a squad wading in WP, one covering the brokies in the jungle hex and a MTR crew in the summit of Hill 148. 

On the Eastern shore beach, japanese ran out of caves, trenches and foxholes to rush south towards USMC positions. The US squads overhead fired without much effect while the troops on bloody beach (south) are mainly broken or under fire from the pillbox at the far end of the beach.

On bloody beach, a USMC squad got really pissed at the MMG fire on them as they recovered a DC (I know, there should be no HoB on a beach: my mistake). There are only two squads in good order, one Fanatic and the other manning a DM MTR left there by an eliminated squad. The Japanese are steamrolling southward while their MTR fire are finishing off broken squads stranded on the beach. No one will come to their help anymore: MMG fire are spewing from a cave and a pillbox which resisted the last DC assault. 

The Western position are surrounded, the North face is having an unsuccessful turkey shoot through the palm trees, these stranded on bloody beach as being shredded by MG fire. 

Things take funny turns in desperate situations. I hope that the CG isn't going to die before the first assault period is over.