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This is the short version of a session report originally written in French and published on Strategikon (http://www.strategikon.info/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=7431). You may want to display the map of the game in order to locate the geographical zones more easily (http://www.legionwargames.com/images/ST_tinian_map.jpg)
24th July 1944. It has been two weeks since the neighboring island (Saipan) has been conquered by US troops. Two marines divisions attack Tinian.
The American will land in two landing zones : one in the north of the island near the main airfields (beaches White 1 and White 2), and another in the south near the town of Tinian (Orange 1 and Orange 2). A fake landing is planed on one of the eastern beaches (Yellow 1) Most landing will be unopposed as the Japanese have chosen not to defend the beaches preferring to take cover in the sugar cane fields and the rough terrain. Only one landing zone will be occupied by Japanese troops, but the intelligence reported it to be a small garrison. Only the coastal defenses closest to the landing beaches were destroyed by naval and air strikes. The weather is clear and the sea is calm...
And a terrible artillery fire disrupts most the Japanese units on the island.
July 24th, morning
Artillery on Saipan bombards the Maga mountain near the northern landing sector. The already shaken units suffer casualties. Four marines regiment carried by Amtrac land on the planed beaches.
In the northern sector, the small Japanese garrison is eliminated. All landing proceeds perfectly, and the troops are able to advance beyond the beaches – except near Tinian where they are stuck on the beach – leaving room for the second wave to land. In the northern sector, marines infantry tries to take the airfield n°1 supported by air and ships but faces heavily entrenched Imperial Navy Infantry and suffer losses. In the south, fires are exchanged within the sugar cane fields.
Meanwhile, the Japanese troops recover and some are moved near the beachheads. At the end of the first day, the American beachheads are secured, but the Marines were not able to expand significantly.
July 24th, afternoon
Bombardment of the airfield and Maga mountain is continuous. In the north, engineers have cleared the beach and the first tanks land in confusion. A combined force of Marines, engineers and flamethrower tanks attack the airfield – but the garrison has been reinforced – and the attack is a new failure with heavy losses. The Maga mount is assaulted with air support, and despite losses, the Japanese still hold the position. In the south, two marines regiments attack the Japanese position, only to find out it has been deserted.
July 25th
It starts to rain, and the air reconnaissance is ineffective. The Saipan artillery concentrates fire on the Maga mount and the fortified position near the airfield 1 but no frontal assault is launched on these targets. Instead, marines start to surround the position with mass infantry, flamethrower tanks and engineers... An assault is launched near Faibius San Milo point in the northwest sector in an attempt to expand the northern American force toward the center of the island. In the south, the marines postpone the assault on the city of Tinian and get deeper in the center of the island. A combined force of tanks and marines attack Japanese position in the sugar cane fields. More troops, tanks and artillery land on both beachheads but the bad weather conditions slows the operation. In each and every combat, American take as much casualties as the Japanese.
July 26th
The weather is still rainy and the air reconnaissance ineffective... More American troops and artillery land on Tinian. Marines assault the airfield 1 strong point which has been abandoned during the night. An assault is launched on the Maga mount and after fierce combats the Japanese have to retreat what is left of their forces. In the center things start to accelerate. Marines have more room to maneuver and can isolate and destroy enemy units. Both beachhead make their junction. There are hard combats at the east of Tinian supported by planes launching napalm for the first time.
In the afternoon, the Marines launch two large assaults on Japanese strong points. The first on Mount Lasso (near Mount Maga) results in casualties on both sides – the Japanese hardly holding their positions. The second one on Hill 340 was perfectly planed and is a total success and the surviving Japanese have to leave the fortified position. The Japanese launch a counterattack : during the night, a small force sneaks through a tiny hole in the American front line and damage an artillery unit.
July 27th
Marines and Army engineers secure Ushi Point. All Japanese supporting Mount Lasso are either annihilated or retreat to the east of the island. Mount Lasso is now surrounded and the assault is scheduled the next day. The Japanese troops that infiltrated are totally destroyed but they immobilized several infantry battalions and one tank company. Progression toward the south is very difficult and American have one more time the bitter surprise to find out they have underestimated some enemy forces and thus failed to advance, while some other of their troops were used to attack objectives that have been evacuated by the Japanese. This will be the bloodiest day of the battle.
July 28th to August 1st
The American are running out of time as there are still many pockets resisting. This prevents them to allocate all their units to the south of the island. The whole city of Tinian is under American control the 28th. On the 29th, an American assault on Musalog point fails with heavy American casualties. On the 30th Mount Lasso is finally taken. Eight assaults will have been necessary ! But too little, too late. This won't release enough American troops to take Musalog point and the south of the island. On the 1st August, it is clear that the American will not be able to capture the whole without receiving reinforcements... This is a major Japanese victory.
A few game notes about this session:
- Asymmetry : This is a completely different game for each side. The Japanese will hide, lure, search for weaknesses and try to inflict as many damages as possible. The American will conquer, limit casualties and go fast.
- Balanced : This was our first game and while the American player made some mistakes, the Japanese player maneuvered in a clever way. The final result is fair, and the game was close till July 30th (though retrospectively, the first signs of Japanese victory appeared a few turns before)
- Theme : The theme is ubiquitous and adequately rendered by the game system. And yes, it is fun to play the Japanese.
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