Gavutu-Tanambogo Assault 2 Turn 8

It took a whole lot of time for the Marines to land on the North shore of Tanambogo. The presence of huts and the narrowness of the landable area took the best of 6 turns to get everyone on shore. Artillery fire from Gavutu and a few well placed MGs kept on breaking the marines in their attempt to encircle the hill.

The island is mostly in US hands now.

The East end of the island is still a kill zone for Japan, but the SLNF have been beaten back into a pile of HS on the reverse slope. There is no way for the americans to know whether the CG will result in a victory yet. Here is the deal:

The Gap in CVP favours Japan by about 20 CVPs. There may be up to 30 CVPs worth of IJA units left on the two islands. If the marines lose more than 10 CVPs, they will take the islands but lose the CG. 

So, once more, ASL pulls the edge-of-seat feeling as the US must now play 0 casualties while clearing another island with a double cave complex stuffed with HMGs, MMGs, a bunch of captured 60mm MTR and a 70mm INF. This calls for night action, landing the tanks, and keeping all toes and fingers crossed.

Gavutu-Tanambogo Assault 1 Conclusion - Snuffed hopes

The CG is running its course. During the USMC turn 8, the americans tried to push back the japanese from Hill 148. Their firepower is thinning because of the numerical inferiority. Also, a 4MC still only step reduces and degrades the charging japaneses, but doesn't stop them from coming. 

US turn 8

The good news is that almost all US units have rallied. You got to give it to the Yanks: they know how to snap off a DM counter when it is really needed.

View from the West: the line has not changed. A lot of japanese infantry has died, but the surge isn't stomped. Luckily, most of the stacks are now step-reduced and ELR'd. Will this be good enough to withstand the next two minutes.

View from Bloody beach: Everyone has climbed up on Hill 148. A few fresh brokies are low-crawling downslopes. Murderous MTR fire is raining from a pier to the North.

On the far left, japan is on top of the hill and encircling a small patch of jungle. On the centre, a large number of high-quality SMCs and fresh squads are in position for a Banzai charge. On the right, a number of degraded troops are swerving around the beach. A lone crew is keeping an eye on Bloody beach to keep a lid on the caves and the pillbox.

Japan's turn 8

Just before the Banzai charges resolutions

Banzai charges have crept on marines from the North-West and the Eastern beach.  The marines guarding the eastern edge weren't as lucky and got swept by large Banzai charge. The flank of the marine's defense got wiped by a snakeye from the lousy 8+1 kill stack. 

Near the top of Hill 148, a huge pile of japanese took huge punishments on during their charge, but made it into the patch of jungle. The marines, however, crushed them on the spot during CC as their combined force had been decreased a lot via step-reduction. 

Shortly after the storm while bracing for another one.

Turn 9

The marines consolidate their position as the noose is getting tighter. A hero rises among the troops hiding in the communication building on the crest of Hill 148.

The view is great, but the neighborhood is going downhill.

Japan swept the marines in the communication building, but the banzai charge on the foxholes gives a chance for the marines (mostly broken), to withdraw without fighting.

There is not a lot of ground to give anymore.

Final turn of Assault phase 1

The marines are running the gauntlet around a squad of conscripts to avoid the bulk of a giant banzai charge in the making. DFF from the hill is terrible and both remaining leaders are killed in action. The faithful crew that is positionned in the palm trees holds the line on the edge of the beach.

Hey sarge, why are we still lugging this dm mortar again?

Japan threw its best Banzai charge at the remaining marines. The result was pyrrhic: the marine took the best Japanese leader down with them on their way to Valhalla. At this point, the Japanese part of my brain started to wonder whether this was a worthwhile charge. The valiant crew finally succumbed to a banzai charge, but not without shoving something hot and sharp up Col. Honda's landing gear. 

When the fire died down, there was much to collect on the battlefield that was made in the US of A.

Col Honda has outdone himself.

The US invasions of Gavutu-Tanambogo has been averted, at a great cost.

Japan's OOB going forward. Only one cave entrance collapsed. Enough to hold?

Japan's loot by the end of the assault phase. 

The question is now, would have the Marines aborted the invasion at this point? All future waves are half as big, with lightly armored LCVs...

Gavutu-Tanambogo Assault 1 turn 6.5 - Trial and mostly error

Turn 5.5 to 6.5 was a hard one for both sides. Japan's counterattack was scattered by 200mm NOBA and sent the infantry running for trenches as close as possible to Marines positions. The cruiser offshore ceased fire since the island started to look like a mess of friends and foes.

The poor squad that escaped death and swam to shore got intercepted by a HS and reduced to a HS itself. Fortunately, heavy fire from the hill pinned the IJA before they could engage the disarmed marines in CC.

The swimmers gets to shore only to be met with the sniper's
crosshair, and a squad of demented Japanese conscripts with
TWO DCs.

On bloody beach, marksmen from a cave made short order of two crews attempting to place DCs in their midst.

Around the corner, Marines from up above dropped a smoke grenade in the other cave. The Japanese MMC down there was berserk and as it was about to get out of the cave, realized that a Marine crew had shoved a DC at the mouth of the cave. Many Japanese soldiers died, but not enough of them as far as the Marines are concenred.

The unarmed marines kept on wading away from the japanese conscripts, fearing CC or even a DC attack. As they reached the shore, punishing mortar fire from the far end of Gavutu wiped 3 broken HS stuck on the beach.

Overhead, the USN bombers were swerving back home. The sound of NOBA on Tanambogo can be heard. The marines are now trapped on Hill 148, alone, with dwindling stocks of DC and little collapsed caves to show for.

Last glimpse from the USN planes on the way back to the flat-top

Bloody beach in the sunlight. Capturing the pillbox on the left is, hopefully, next.

Gavutu-Tanambogo Assault 1 turn 5.5 - Friendly fire

This had to happen, a fighter-bomber CAS on a big stack of entrenched Japanese in light jungle went astray and smote my 9-2 SMC and a squad on the edge of the hill. The pilot during debrief reported that they looked japaneser. The SMC lost both thumbs during the point attack, but still instruct the remaining broken HS to give the finger to "blue falcon" flying over. A mystery cave was discovered, but there is no telling what's inside. The good news is that my 10-2 SMC was closer to the target, but in a blind hex and so was spared (Although not blind from a different hex grain, so I may have played this wrong).

Blue Falcon just after his bombs smashed the Marine
overwatch covering the beach.

Lesson learned: +3 sighting TC because of woods is a bit of a bitch. Blue Falcon shall never strike

Finally, the 200mm NOBA finally bothered with a FFE on the assembly point of the Japanese counter attack.

This assault phase is way too close to be called right now: the way good ASL scenario are going usually. In the next turn, the DC assaults on two key caves will be carried over: this will decide how hard the next landing wave will be for the Marines. The Japanese will also decide whether to launch a counterattack or consolidate the line.

Turn 5.5 is over... look at the cool guys wading in the shallow-OCEAN!

Happy hours is still on on the beaches of Tanambogo, despite the airstrikes on
the MTR.

Gavutu-Tanambogo Assault 1 turn 4.5

Turn 3.5 to 4.5 delivered a pile of awesome. The Marines have the high ground, but little safe path to the beaches still. A brave HS collapsed a cave thus allowing safe climb in a single location. With a counter attack mounting, lots of lost DC when the LCV sank, an unknown number of japanese crawling under their feet and MTR and HMG streaming from Tanambogo, it is hard to claim that things are looking up (but they do).

A destroyer even bother firing WP across the causeway! In less than a turn, Close air support will kick in!

The Marines have the high ground, but no safe way to get back down.

The beach is kind-of clear, but not secure at all.