1. SITUATION: Attacks yesterday by 3rd Battalion 165th Infantry had no success in breaching the Japanese defenses in and around the gulch. Today, instead of trying to attack up the gulch, your battalion will attack perpendicular to the gulch. Hopefully, this will limit the Japanese fields of fire and allow you to come down on them from the top. The clear terrain is firm but rough. The woods are mostly small trees with an occasional large tree. A series of small mounds cross the ground. Any prone soldier is considered in cover for small arms fire, but not for morale.
2.OBJECTIVE: Your objective is to clear the Japanese from both sides of the gulch. You command Company A of the lst Battalion 165th Infantry. In support you have a mortar battery and a heavy machine-gun section from Company D.
3.TROOPS:
- A Company, 1st Battalion, 165th Infantry Regiment, 27th
Division
Company HQ
- 1 CPT, carbine
2 Radiomen, M1 rifles
2 runners, M1 rifles
2 medics
First Platoon HQ:
- 1 2LT, carbine
1 Radioman, M1
1 Runner, M1
1.30 cal LMG team
1 Medic
First Squad:
- 8 men, 1 with BAR, 2 with
SMG, and 5 with M1s. One man
has a grenade launcher for his
M1.
Second and Third Squads:
- 9 men each. Each squad has 1 BAR, 2
SMGs, and 6 M1s. One man has a grenade
launcher for his M1.
Second and Third Platoons: same as first platoon.
Heavy Weapons Platoon: 1 battery of 4 60 mm mortars.
Company D Heavy Weapons:
- 4 81 mm. mortars, 2 50 cal.
HMG.
4. SETUP: Enter from the south edge of the map. Platoons enter in the areas indicated on the map. Mortars and heavy machine guns set up off the board to the southeast. Heavy machine guns are set up in the area behind Second Platoon. They can fire at any targets they can spot to the north and west not blocked by woods. Measure sighting distances and firing ranges for the HMGs from the southeast comer of the board.
5. ARTILLERY SUPPORT: The only artillery available is your mortars. Both mortar batteries may fire ten salvos before the start of the game. This means each battery can fire 10 patterns of 4 shots. To measure distance for 60 mm mortars, measure from the edge of the table. Americans can pick any ten spots on the table to fire at for each battery. Simply roll to-hit--you need a 3 or less--and determine the location of the fall, if the salvo misses. Starting with turn 1, the regular artillery rules apply. The Americans have an unlimited supply of ammunition.
6. SPECIAL: Your men do not like to leave wounded comrades behind. Any wounded left on the field will have a negative effect on your morale. One man can carry a wounded man at walking speed. Two men can carry a wounded man at dodging speed.
7. MORALE: Regular 3, Current 3, Regular 4, Battle weary 2, and Duty bound 2, for a total of 14.
More Saipan, 6 July 1944 Harakiri Gulch: A Battalions In Crisis! Scenario
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© Copyright 1994 by Mike Vogell and Phoenix Military Simulations.
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