The 1st Battalion, 4th Marines may place its stands anywhere on the island, covering the beaches as the American commander sees fit. All Marine stands start the game in bunkers, and must be with 2" of the coast to fire to seaward. The Stokes mortar stand is allowed a weapons pit to fire from once the game starts, in addition to its bunker being a shelter during the bombardment. The 1st Battalion, 4th Marines has the following:
1st Battalion, 4th Marines Experienced; Morale: 7
Headquarters Company, with 1 command stand and 1 fixed 37mm gun stand
3 Infantry Companies A, B, C, each with:
- 1 command infantry stand
2 infantry stands
2 MMG stand
Weapons Company D, with:
- 2 AAMG stands (ds)
2 MMG stands
1 Stokes mortar stand (ds)
In addition, there are several other units and posts in the area whose setup areas are predetermined, but whose forces will come under the control of the Marines once the game starts. These units will start the game where indicated on the map in either bunkers, weapons pits or pillboxes:
Battery Kysor, with:
Battery E, 92nd Coastal Artillery (Philippine Scouts) Regular; Morale: 7
- 1 command/support stand
1 AA machinegun stand (ds)
2 pillboxes
Battery Maxwell Keyes, with:
Battery F, 92nd Coastal Artillery (Philippine Scouts) Experienced; Morale: 7
- 1 command support stand
1 gun crew stand (ds)
1 18#/75 field gun (fixed)
2 pillboxes
1 weapons pit
Lawrence's Battery, with: 92nd Coastal Artillery (Philippine Scouts) Experienced; Morale: 8
- 1 command/support stand
1 gun crew stand (ds)
1 18#/75 field gun (fixed)
1 searchlight
1 AAMG stand (ds)
1 MMG stand
4 bunkers
2 weapons pits
Hackett's Platoon, Battery M: Adjacent to Kindley Field 60th Coastal Artillery (AAA), with: Regular; Morale: 7
- 1 AAMG stand
1 MMG stand
2 bunkers
Battery Denver, with: 60th Coastal Artillery (AAA) Regular, Morale: 5
- 1 command support stand
1 gun crew stand (ds)
1 AAMG stand
1 3" AA gun (fixed)
1 pillbox
2 bunkers
1 weapons pit
Monkey Point, with: 1 twin pillbox (Can hold two stands, but only one may fire.)
AMERICAN NOTES
1. All weaponspits must be sited and their front indicated. Any dir fire weapons in a weapons pit may only fire in its front. The weapons pits at Maxwell Keyes and Lawrence's Battery must point seaward.
2. After all American units are placed, roll 3D6 for all American stands with the exception of Lawrence's Battery, Monkey Point, and Battery Maxwell Keyes. The number rolled is the number damage points taken by the bunker or pillbox during the pre-invasion bombardment. If 6 damage points are taken by a bunker, the bunker is converted to an entrenchment and stand within takes one hit. If 12 damage points are taken on a pillbox, the pillbox is also converted to an entrenchment and stand within takes one hit. For weapons pits, the procedure is different. Roll 3D6, and if any 6 is rolled on any one die, the gun crew takes one hit. Stands are not forced back due to losses, nor are any morale checks are made for these losses. These stands may not be regrouped prior to the start of the game.
3. Lawrence's Battery, Monkey Point and Battery Maxwell Keyes only need to roll 2D6 for possible damage.
4. The remaining coastal artillery is set to fire at the Japanese boats in the North Channel. No arrangements have been made for supporting artillery fire on land, however, so there is no indirect artillery support present other than the Stokes mortar until 0700.
At 0700, Battery Way with the last working 12" mortar on the island will attempt to fire on the board. The target point is considered to have been plotted by an off-board experienced spotter, not an FO. Battery Way is not able to put down a barrage, rather, each round is fired during the general fire phase, and only then. Each round covers a 2" by 2" area, and has an HE value of 9.
5. Hits on landing craft by AAMGs do not roll for small arms damage, rather, each hit automatically does one point damage on its target. On a 1-5 it is the landing craft, on a 6-10 it is the passengers. If the AAMG stand is forced out of its position, it is considered to have abandoned its .50, and a support stand is put in its place. (These were the old water-cooled .50 AAMGs, and very difficult to move.)
6. The 37mm fixed gun stand uses the fuing characteristics of the French 37L20 infantry gun. These weapons started as 37L20 infantry guns in WWI. In the 1920s they were modified and mounted on the heavy coastal artillery for sub caliber target practice. Then in 1941, they were removed and modified again as into beach defense weapons. If the stand is forced out of its position, it abandons its 37mm, and is replaced by a support stand.
7. For firing data for the 18#/75 field guns, use the firing data for the M3 GMC (75), i.e., the 75L33. The batteries have only HE ammunition.
8. The Stokes mortar range is 15", not 150"! To better reflect the fact that most of the Stokes ammunition was defective, reduce the HE value to 2.
9. The searchlight at Lawrence's Battery is operated by the command support stand from a weapons pit. It illuminates an area 2" wide, and 40" out in a straight line. If the support stand is hit by small arms fire in any fire phase after the light is turned on, the searchlight is considered to be destroyed.
10. Once the Japanese have landed, the Americans can request reinforcements. The Regimental Reserve (Company's 0 and P) will arrive on the west board edge 1D6+3 turns after it is requested. The 4th Battalion will arrive 1D6+1 turns after the Regimental Reserve arrives.
Experienced, 4th Battalion (Trained; Morale: 7) Regimental Reserve
Companies 0 and P, each with:
- 1 command stand
3 infantry stands
4th Battalion, with:
- Headquarters Company, with:
- 1 command stand
4 infantry Companies Q, R, S, T, each with 2 infantry stands
More The Fall of the Rock
Back to Table of Contents -- Command Post Quarterly #1
To Command Post Quarterly List of Issues
To MagWeb Master Magazine List
© Copyright 1993 by Greg Novak.
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com