BACKGROUND After securing their beachheads on Leyte in late October, US troops struck out against the Japanese in the Ormoc Corridor. Part of the offensive included sending the 7th Infantry Division's 32nd Regimental Combat Team across Leyte to the island's west coast, then pushing north toward Ormoc. Though the initial steps of this plan went well, heavy Japanese resistance in the Ormoc corridor precluded the reinforcement of the 32nd RCT troops on the west coast. Though understrength and out of supporting distance of the rest of the division, the 32nd RCT was ordered to proceed north along Highway 2, toward Ormoc to provide a blocking force against the Japanese. To counter the US drive, as well as defend the supply trail being built to Burauen Airfield in Leyte Valley, the Japanese 35th Army deployed most of the 26th Infantry Division, recently arrived from Manila south of Ormoc. Most of the 26th Division's troops took up positions on the north bank of the Palanas River, blocking Highway 2. Moving north, the US 2nd/32nd RCT moved up to the steep ridge overlooking the Palanas River Valley to the north. The battalion deployed along the ridge line with its left flank anchored on Ormoc Bay while the right flank extended up into the mountains. The artillery (two batteries of 105s and a battery of Marine 155 guns) deployed near the town of Damulaan. Both sides prepared for the coming battle. On the evening of 23 November 1944, the Japanese launched their assault against the 2/32nd. A 30-minute artillery barrage preceded an assault by two reinforced rifle companies, supported by mortars and machineguns. Though the Japanese enjoyed limited success against the American right flank-forcing the infantry to withdraw to new positions, they failed to break the US lines. In the aftermath of the attack, US forces spent the morning rallying and regrouping. Patrols were sent out to reconnoiter the position of the Japanese troops. In late morning, the 2/32nd launched attacks aimed at retaking the ground lost to the Japanese and forming a new defensive line. In late afternoon, reinforcements (two understrength infantry companies of the 3/32nd RCT and an additional battery of 105 howitzers) arrived from the south. The new US lines now covered the base of the eastern ridges and ran from the Bagan River in the south, to the mouth of the Palanas River at Ormoc Bay in the north (see map). As the sun fell, the Japanese renewed their artillery bombardment while their troops prepared to attack. The Japanese had nearly encircled the 2/32nd and controlled the ridge heights to the east. With the US troops dependent on the Bagan River ford and Highway 2 for supply and withdrawal, this attack represented the best chance the Japanese had of achieving victory, either by smashing the US battalion or isolating the US troops from the rest of their regiment. GAMING THE BATTLE OF SHOESTRING RIDGE Setup: The US forces set up first. Troops are deployed along the dotted perimeter line indicated on the map. The Japanese set up last. Terrain: There are several terrain features that need definition for the scenario-rice paddies, bamboo thickets, towns, and rivers. Rice paddies are fields for growing rice. Treat rice paddies as heavy mud for movement purposes, with scattered patches of palm trees. Bamboo thickets are dense areas of six-foot or taller bamboo trees. Bamboo thickets are found in the ravines on the ridges and the Palanas River Valley. Treat bamboo thickets as forest, though they are only one level in height. There are two towns on the playing area-Damulaan and Balogo. Balogo is three 2" sections of wooden buildings. Damulaan is composed of 112" square building sections of which one is stone and the remaining 10 wooden. The stone building section is considered to be a level three terrain feature. The wooden buildings have a capacity of five stands and the stone building a capacity of six stands. The Palanas River is fordable to infantry along the narrow section within 600 yards of the west map edge. The Bagan River is fordable at the coast road; in addition a ford may exist up-river of the coast road, but must be located. US Setup: US troops are deployed along the dotted perimeter line shown on the map. Exceptions to this are the weapons company and artillery batteries. The stands of the weapons company may be attached to any infantry unit desired, or kept as a separate unit, in reserve. The artillery is set up between the town of Damulaan and the Bagan River, except battery B/49th FA which is deployed on the south bank of the Bagan River, adjacent to the coast road. The 2/32nd's battalion headquarters may set up anywhere within the perimeter boundary.  Japanese Setup: The Japanese lst/11th IIR elements are placed anywhere along a line extending from the mouth of the Palanas river at Ormoc Bay, along the south bank of the Palanas River to the east map edge. The 13th IIR stands are placed on a line running from the Palanas River parallel to the US perimeter to the Bagan River. Japanese stands may be placed no closer than 12" to US stands. Turn Structure: Each turn of this scenario is equivalent to one hour of elapsed time. Game Start and End: The scenario begins with the 1830 hours turn lasts for 12 game turns. US ORDER OF BATTLE 6th US Army, XXIV Corp, 7th Infantry Division, 32nd Infantry Regiment (elements): Regular, Morale: 6 2nd Battalion/32nd Infantry Regiment, with: Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 jeep Headquarters Company, with: 1 command stand 1 jeep 1 infantry stand 1 light truck 1 bazooka stand 1 ammunition and pioneer (flamethrower) stand 1 flamethrower stand Elements, B Company, 13th Engineer (combat) Battalion, with: 1 engineer flamethrower stand 1st Platoon, A Company, 767th Tank Battalion, with: 1 M-5A1 Companies E, F, G, 2/32nd Infantry, each with: 1 command stand 1 weapons stand 3 infantry stands H Company (weapon) 2/32nd Infantry, with: 1 command stand 1 jeep 2 jeeps with light ammo trailers 1 81 mm mortar stand (ds) 2 MMG stands 2 light trucks Companies F & G, 94th Philippine Infantry, each with: 4 patrol stands L Company, 3/32nd Infantry, with: 1 command stand 1 weapons stand 2 infantry stands K Company, 3/32nd Infantry, with: 1 command stand 1 weapons stand 1 infantry stand 1 patrol stand 49th Field Artillery Battalion, with: 1 forward observer stand and 1 jeep Batteries A, B, each with: 1 command stand 1 jeep 1 medium truck with AAMG 1 105L23 howitzer 1 gun crew (ds) 1 light truck 1 support stand with bazooka 11th Gun Battalion, Battery B, USMC, with: 1 command stand 1 jeep 1 medium truck with AAMG 1 155L45 gun Battery C, 57th Field Artillery Battalion, with: 1 command stand 1 jeep 1 medium truck with AAMG 1 105L23 howitzer 1 gun crew (ds) 1 light truck 1 support stand with bazooka US NOTES 1. Ammunition Supply: The US force was operating at the end of a tenuous logistics line. To reflect this, the US artillery has the following ammunition available; each 81mm mortar (three tons), each 105mm howitzer (four tons), 155mm gun (four tons). 2. Flamethrowers: By 1944, US troops in the Pacific had learned to appreciate the value of the flamethrower. To this end, the ammunition and pioneer platoon of the battalion headquarters company should be treated as a flamethrower stand. 3. 94th Philippine Infantry: Though these hard-fighting veteran troops had been waging a guerrilla war against the Japanese since the fall of the Philippines, 6th Army headquarters gave orders that they were to be used only as outposts and not part of the main line of resistance. The patrols may not be formed into normal-sized stands for the duration of the game. 4.3rd/32nd Infantry: The units of the 3rd Battalion, 32nd Infantry fought this battle understrength, with K co. at approximately halfstrength. This is reflected in the lower strengths in the TO&Es for these companies. 5. Preplotted Defensive Indirect Fire: For the purposes of this scenario, each pure command stand may select one geographic point for a defensive fire mission (after 24 hours of combat, the spotters and batteries are better coordinated). The forward observer stand may preplot up to five geographic points for defensive fire as well as a Time on Target (ToT) fire mission. The sheaf used for each point must also be selected before the scenario begins. All artillery batteries (not mortars) are considered subordinate to the FO.  JAPANESE ORDER OF BATTLE Elements, Imperial Japanese Army 26th Infantry Division Regular, Morale: 8 13th Independent Infantry Regiment (HR), with: Regimental Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 staff radio truck 1 flag stand Weapons Company, with: 1 command stand 1 20mm ATR stand 2 MMG stands 1 81mm mortar (ds) 1 engineer flamethrower stand 2 Infantry Battalions, each with: Battalion Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 3 Infantry Companies, each with: 1 command infantry stand 1 weapons stand 2 infantry stands Artillery Battalion, with: 1 command stand 1 support stand 1 spotter stand 3 75L36 field guns 3 gun crews (ds) 3 limbers 1 ammo cart 1/11th Independent Infantry Regiment, with: Battalion Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 recon patrol infantry stand 18 1 mm mortar stand (ds) 3 Infantry Companies, each with: 1 command infantry stand 1 weapons stand 1 infantry stand JAPANESE NOTES 1. Supply: When the 26th Division landed at Ormoc, most of the division's heavy equipment and supplies were destroyed before they could be unloaded. As a result, the Japanese have three tons of ammunition for each gun and mortar present. Additional ammunition is not available for the duration of the game. 2. Understrength Formations: As noted above, the 26th Division did not survive the move to Leyte intact. This, coupled with the previous day's combat, has weakened the 1st/11th 11R. to its current level. 3. Preplotted Artillery: All Japanese artillery may conduct one hour of offensive fire as indicated in rule 8.65. Units which conduct this fire may not be used for the duration of the game. REFEREE'S NOTES 1. Night Combat: This phase of the battle took place during night. To simulate the effects of night, use the following; a. Visibility: The 24 November attack took place during the full moon. Visibility for the scenario is 4" There is an additional - 6 spotting modifier for spotting at night. Units which fire are automatically spotted by any enemy unit that can trace a line of sight to the firing stand. The firing stand remains visible until the end of the next fire phase (i.e., if a stand close fires, it remains visible to all enemy stands in LOS until the end of the next turn's Opportunity Fire Phase). b. Time Scale: The time scale is altered to one hour per turn. c. Morale and Troop Quality: Without special training, most troops do not fight well at night. To simulate these effects, the troop qualities of all troops have been reduced one level and morale levels reduced by two. These changes are already factored into the quality and morale levels listed in the order of battle. Do not further reduce the morale or quality level of any stand for the effects of night. d. Command and Orders: The radius of effect of order chits is reduced to 3 ". Also, units may not be given rally or regroup orders for the duration of the scenario. e. Illumination: Neither side has illumination shells available for the duration of the game. (The original loads were fired off the previous night and the gunners wanted what little HE they could get.) f. Sound Spotting: Both sides may attempt to spot using sound. 2. Bagan River Ford: An additional ford may exist on the Bagan River, upstream of Highway 2. Stands may search for a ford by starting the Movement Phase adjacent to the river and operation under a cautious advance (the stand need not actually move). For each 2" segment of river, roll 1D10; on a result of 1, a ford has been located. Roll only once per segment of river. Victory Conditions To achieve a major victory, the Japanese must meet two conditions: First, the Japanese player must isolate the US units from their supply line running along the road, off the south edge of the board. Second, the Japanese must eliminate 18 stands of US troops. If only one of these conditions is met, the Japanese win a minor victory. The US player wins by not letting the Japanese player fulfill his victory conditions. Scenario Options: Historically, the Japanese had the possibility of using destroyers for naval gunfire support. To even the odds for the Japanese, add one to two destroyers to the Japanese order of battle. They should not appear until two to four turns have elapsed. These ships may conduct map fire against suspected US concentrations or may direct fire on visible enemy units. Also, the Japanese had a detachment of amphibious tanks at Ormoc to the north of the playing area. If desired, add one light tank company of Type 2 Ka-Mi amphibian tanks to the Japanese order of battle. The tanks start the scenario in Balogo. 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