Saipan 2nd Edition, scenario #12: Japanese Landing

In this 2nd Edition of Saipan the Japanese Landing scenario is in the daylight compared to the 1st Edition which falls in the night hours. I didn’t think the Japanese would have much of a chance in this one but I played this new developed version anyway, with the thought that much better Japanese invasion scenarios will come out one day with the release of the Philippines 1941. To my surprise a lot happen in this scenario gameplay.

First the American setup all their forces in the north with their artillery hoping for a turkey shoot as the Japanese come in loaded on their Daihatsu landing craft. The Americans also have a Gunboat entering from the south and half hexes are in play. The Japanese do have some air-support and it in the daytime this time, so it could be helpful.

By the time the Japanese made it to their objectives, the 10 most southern beach hexes, 60% were lost at sea to the American artillery and a Gunboat. I thought about throwing in the towel but played on as 4 landing craft beached and unloaded. So the Japanese dug-in and the American Marines loaded most of their artillery in trucks and march their Infantry south. The Japanese did put one blocking Infantry unit and leader in the town hexes north of the Japanese dug-in beach units, which held up the Marines for a long time.

Over the course of this battle the Japanese air-strike eliminated two American artillery units, fulfilling one of the Japanese objectives of eliminating at least two American artillery units. The Marines assaulted one of the Japanese beach hexes of three, so one was contested but on the last turn the Japanese pulled out of the town hex and onto the adjacent beach hex giving them control of three beach hexes with a forth one contested. Maybe a gamey thing to do, but it gave them a minor victory on a scenario I almost gave up on. True it would have been short lived in another turn or two. But it turned into a funner scenario than I thought and the Japanese really needed good air attacks to win this scenario and the Marines gamble of putting everything north to blast the Japanese upon arrive almost played off but failed. They should have kept a few unit in the south.