Three cave counters, both sides get some assets, the Marines more with better off board artillery, air-support and the Satan flame-throwing tank unit. The Marines tried to push forward to the Japanese caves on the far hill and once getting close enough organize into two battle-groups going up either side of the mountain on both trails leading to the top. The Satan Flame-throwing Stuart tank lost a step to the Japanese 70mm gun on the higher ground but after that and with air-support they only lost one more Infantry step and controlled two caves and could have gone for the third but I didn’t see the point in risking more life’s when the American had won a good victory for a change in the heavy mountain jungle.

The perfect small scenario for one of those days you have little time or want to get in more games. I broke in the new 8-3 Marines with this one and they didnt let me down. I think the reuction of 2 points in DF had no effect on this game. I set up 3 caves around the hill to the north, and defended each with a nearby stack of infantry with leader, thinking they could either assault an oncoming Marine stack or shelter in the cave and make the Marines assault them out. The Marine LTC got a bit brave and moved forward a bit too far, taking the Satan, an LT and 2 infantry platoons with him. He took the first fire as he broke cover on the western trail, but his luck held and he took no damage. Feeling his luck, he moved forward and was engaged by an Engineer and HMG holding the town, and again his luck held and he took no losses. While he was galivanting around, the rest of the force had split into 2 elements, with the Cpt and LT moving along behind the LTC and up the trail, and the Major leading the rest up the middle, slogging through the jungle. The LTC's luck couldnt hold all day, and the Satan was engaged at close range by the 70mm gun, which after exchanging fire for a few turns, finally took a step of the Satan, while a Japanese infantry stack moved up to assault, leaving one cave unguarded but risking it to try to get the Marine commander. The Marines started taking morale losses but never lost more troops from the LTC's force and the rest of the western Marine force caught up to their boss and helped take out the Japanese troops and the gun while the LTC regrouped his troops. By this time, the Major had brought his force around the east side of the hill and was taking out a Japanes machinegun nest and catching an infantry stack in a bad position. The Japanese HMG fell back and occupied the cave while the Infantry tried and failed to hold the Marines in assault. On the western slope, the Marines moved onto the unoccupied cave just below the Japanese mortar on the hill top. The Japanese Engineer and HMG platoon from town had moved up on the west flank while the troops assigned to guard the northern cave moved to assault and try to take back the western cave, but the Marines got in the first fire and eliminated most of the Japanese infantry. By turn 13, the Marines held 2 caves, the Japanese had lost 15 steps and 3 leaders, and had no ability to prevent the Marines from taking the 3rd cave, and the Marines had only taken 3 step losses, including 2 for the tanks. The pin-pricks from the Japanese left couldn't do any more damage, while Marines could pretty well wipe out the defenders at will. With no point in continuing the massacre, I called it a game, with a US victory. Great game.