These short, night scenarios are interesting to run through. Night seems to eliminate much of the terrain value, since nobody can see to shoot until they are inside any terrain visibility anyway. This scenario allows the Marine's 81mm Mortar to use illumination, which can help if the Marines get the initiative. For my game, the Japanese kept it for the first 5 turns, during which they lost 7 steps of infantry in aborted assaults against the better prepared Marines. Once the illumination came along, the Marines took advantage of their better firepower for a turn before moving in to assault the last remaining Japanese troops. At the end of turn 8, a single demoralized Japanese LT was left all by himself, so the game ended there. In running this in a ftf game, I'd probably try to avoid the US defenders for a few turns, try to get a squad past them and on the east-west road, while the rest then attacked trying to take the two steps of Marines for a win. As it was, I went pretty much right up the middle, hoping to win 2 of 3 assault hexes, inflict damage and have somebody survive to hold a road hex.

Marianas 1944, scenario #6: Small Night Actions

A very small all infantry scenario at night, looked to hit the spot today! On paper this looks like an easy American victory but it played out anything but that. The Japanese have to eliminate two or more American steps and the American must control the east-west road for the victory conditions and all with a night one hex visibility. There is one on board American 81mm mortar unit that can fire illumination rounds but still the terrain around the east-west road on this map is thick jungle and hills.

The American setup three hexes back from edge of the map, so the Japanese basically can come on in with three stacks of units, with one attacking the first American units and the rest defending the road they entered in on. Even with the dug-in advantage the Americans roll poor on their fire-first assault, rolling a one vs the Japanese six, go figure! This cause the Americans unnecessary casualties and time clearing that hex of Japanese and having to reinforce it as well. The Marines now had to use another two groups of units to clear the east-west road, again losing any dig-in advantage they had and assaulting Japanese units, which we all know is not any easy thing, not only that but one small group of Japanese: a SER unit & a Sargent (leader) moved between the three American group and on the road. In the end the Marines lost three steps and did not control all of the east-west road hexes, a big surprise to me, giving the Japanese a victory.

A very fun all infantry action at night, with only 12 turns!