Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: Saipan 2 #13

Panzer Grenadier Battles on October 24th:
Afrika 1944 #22 - PAKfront	Leyte '44 #12 - Flying Wedge
Fronte Russo #9 - Potemkin Village	Leyte '44 #13 - Failure at Buri Airfield
Red & White #28 - Bastion

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Orphan Battalion Saipan 2 #13
(Attacker) Japan	vs	United States (Defender)

Formations Involved
United States		8th Marine Regiment

	Total
Side 1	0
Draw	0
Side 2	1

Overall Rating, 0 votes
5 4 3 2 1 0
Scenario Rank: --- of 1094

Parent Game	Saipan 2
Historicity	Historical
Date	1944-06-17
Start Time	15:00
Turn Count	16
Visibility	Day
Counters	35
Net Morale	1
Net Initiative	0
Maps	1: 83
Layout Dimensions	43 x 28 cm 17 x 11 in
Play Bounty	161
AAR Bounty	168
Total Plays	1
Total AARs	1
Duplicates	Saip011

Battle Types
Hill Control
Inflict Enemy Casualties

Conditions
Caves

Scenario Requirements & Playability
Saipan 2	Base Game

Introduction
In February 1944, Lt. Col. Guy Tannyhill formed the Second Separate Marine Infantry Battalion in Hawaii from 2nd Marine Division troops who had recovered from wounds suffered on Tarawa or other detached duties. The “orphan battalion,” intended to form part of the new 6th Marine Division as the 1/29th Marines, went to Saipan to participate in the invasion. On the invasion’s third day, it went forward to secure parts of the O-1 ridge line on the 2nd Marine Division’s right flank.

Introduction

In February 1944, Lt. Col. Guy Tannyhill formed the Second Separate Marine Infantry Battalion in Hawaii from 2nd Marine Division troops who had recovered from wounds suffered on Tarawa or other detached duties. The “orphan battalion,” intended to form part of the new 6th Marine Division as the 1/29th Marines, went to Saipan to participate in the invasion. On the invasion’s third day, it went forward to secure parts of the O-1 ridge line on the 2nd Marine Division’s right flank.

Conclusion
With Tannyhill wounded almost immediately, Lt. Col. Rathvon M. Tompkins - who as a major general would lead the 3rd Marine Division’s bitter defense of Khe Sanh in 1968 - took charge. Rounding up four Sherman tanks that he found wandering in search of a target, Tompkins pointed them at the Japanese. Their covering fire allowed the Marine riflemen to eject the Japanese from their positions, including a troublesome fortified cave.

Conclusion

With Tannyhill wounded almost immediately, Lt. Col. Rathvon M. Tompkins - who as a major general would lead the 3rd Marine Division’s bitter defense of Khe Sanh in 1968 - took charge. Rounding up four Sherman tanks that he found wandering in search of a target, Tompkins pointed them at the Japanese. Their covering fire allowed the Marine riflemen to eject the Japanese from their positions, including a troublesome fortified cave.

Display Relevant AFV Rules

AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle
Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0). AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement. AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1). Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2). Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3) Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0). Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3). Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3). AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42). AFV's may Dig In (16.2). Open-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables, but DO take step losses from X and #X results (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). If a "2X" or "3X" result is rolled, at least one of the step losses must be taken by an open-top AFV if present. Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC) Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable Anti-Tank Gun Carrier: half-track with anti-tank gun, NOT a Tank Destroyer

AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle

Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0).
AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement.
AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1).
Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2).
Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3)
Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0).
Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3).
Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3).
AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42).
AFV's may Dig In (16.2).
Open-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables, but DO take step losses from X and #X results (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). If a "2X" or "3X" result is rolled, at least one of the step losses must be taken by an open-top AFV if present.
Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT).
Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC)
Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
Anti-Tank Gun Carrier: half-track with anti-tank gun, NOT a Tank Destroyer

Display Order of Battle

Japan Order of Battle

Imperial Japanese Army
Foot Leader Towed

Imperial Japanese Army

Foot

Leader

Towed

United States Order of Battle

Marine Corps
Foot Leader Mechanized

Marine Corps

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Display Errata (1)

1 Errata Item
	The 8-3 Marine Infantry counter appears in most of the Saipan 1944 and Marianas 1944 scenarios, replacing the 10-3 DF valued Marine counters for those scenarios and is currently published in the most recent Saipan printing. (JayTownsend on 2015 Dec 26)

Display AARs (1)

Saipan 2nd Edition, scenario #13: Orphan Battalion

Author	JayTownsend
Method	Solo
Victor	United States
Play Date	2026-08-16
Language	English
Scenario	Sap2013

Saipan 2nd Edition, scenario #13: Orphan Battalion

This scenario is pretty straight forward; the Americans must clear the Japanese units from the hill mass with hex 0505 being the center point. The Japanese do have a cave and a 20mm gun to help them out, but the Marines have a M3/75 Gun Halftrack and a M4 tank platoon as well a FLM Engineer unit.

The American approaches to this hill mass caused most of their early casualties and I began to worry about this level of casualties. The 20mm Japanese gun even rolled a 12 knocking out my weak armored American M3/75 Gun Halftrack but later the casualties would reset themselves as the Marines started rolling better on the dice. With all Panzer Grenadier Games, protect your ENG & FLM units, as you will need them in assault combat to get the modifier and especially the FLM unit, to cancel out the fire-first for dug-in enemy units. My FLM unit after much use was down to one step.

After 15 turns the Marines conquered the hill mass but losing 11 steps to the Japanese 17 steps, for a Major Win and a hard-fought victory at that. I think the Japanese need to stretch out the combat as much as possibly to last 16 turns, maybe I should have had a better defensive setup for them, but I thought it was pretty good when I set them up.

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