Saipan - Pictures

The game was played at Chris's house 28/9/08. I was playing the Japanese attackers ably aided by Steve playing the 1st SNLF. Chris and Ian were playing the marines. Most of the kit was mine but Chris provided half the marines.

The 136th Infantry and 9th Tank Regiment in their starting positions. the Japanese commander's plan was to thrust straight at the radio station in a banzai charge, hoping that darkness would cut down on USMC opportunity fire.

Japanese right flank. Airfix (closest) and Fujimi Chi Ha. SHQ Ha Go

USMC defences spread around the radio station (the ruin in the middle of the picture)

USMC reserves on the coast road. MMS M4A2 and Milicast M3 75mm GMC

10th Marines Fire in support of the defence. As the Japanese artillery was pre-plotted on their positions the Japanese soon forced a couple of crews away from their guns. However their fire had no lasting effect, failing to kill an single gun crew.

The radio station, looking a little worse for wear. Ian would reinforce the defenders once the Japanese attack was underway

First Clash, the Japanese forge forward in the first turn. In some ways the darkness worked against the attackers, they can only bring one or two stands to fire on each of the defenders, and most of the defenders can't see the Japanese armour so don't get the morale penalty.

USMC Sherman arrives and kills the Ha Go, which was illuminated by a 5" star shell.

1st SNLF pushes forward on the USMC left

The recce Ha Go from the 9th tank Regiment skirts the USMC positions to help the SNLF. It then spent most of the game hiding from the M3 GMC

M3 GMC moves to the left to support the 2/6th Marines

It looks like the sole USMC Sherman has a daunting job, but its so much better than the Japanese tanks.

Defenders of the radio station reinforced.

Although held up in the middle the Japanese flow round the obstruction to surround the radio station with armour.

Meanwhile the USMC hold off the 1st SNLF

1st SNLF assault the first Marine outposts. These were fairly quickly overrun, but the SNLF took a fair few casualties doing so and the attack soon bogged down. However they achieved their objective and stopped the 2/6th reinforcing the radio station.

Things start to go wrong for the Japanese. Casualties mount, especially amongst the infantry, and tanks start to fall back.

Despite being engaged by 6 Chi Ha the M4A2 would not die. Best the Japanese managed all game was to force it back for a turn.

In this picture the Japanese look to be in a good position. Look more closely and you will see an almost complete lack of Japanese infantry. What's more the puny 57mm on the Chi ha just isn't up to the job of winkling the defenders out of the radio station. By this point in the game its getting obvious that the Japanese can not take their objective

To add insult to injury the US players successfully roll for air support. Not that it hits much. We called it a day before the Japanese had to make their morale checks

In the end it was a crushing USMC victory. The Japanese got up to the Radio station but were never close to taking it. In hindsight I made a major tactical error by concentrating on the radio station. What I should have done was completely ignore it and push the tanks straight for the beach. The lack of USMC AT firepower would have made such a move a game winning strategy. Its just a shame I didn't think of it until after the game

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