Armored Banzai (By Dan Owsen)

PELELIU, 15 September, 1944: D-Day on Peleliu had just begun to reveal the new Japanese defensive plans that would be put into effect for the remainder of the war in the Pacific. Rather than throwing away men in suicidal banzai attacks, the Japanese defenders of Peleliu has constructed an intricate defense-in-depth, with mutually supporting positions covering every inch of the rocky, coral island. The USMC was in for one of its toughest fights of the war. One of the main objectives of the early attack on Peleliu was the large air strip, which would give US air power the range to strike at the Phillipines. The USMC 5th Marines, 3rd Battalion, Company I were tasked with taking the airstrip. Pushing through the dense scrub that covered the island at this point, the 3rd battalion 5th Marines became separated from the 7th Marines and formed a deep salient reaching into enemy territory. The isolated units were in danger of being cut off and surrounded by the Japanese. At the airfield, the Japanese counterattacked, using their tanks and infantry in an uncharacteristic combined arms attack, an armored banzai.

Board Configuration: Board 38, Hex A1 in the NW corner

Victory Conditions: The Marines win at game end if they control all of the buildings (or rubble created from buildings) on / between hexrows D and N.

Scenario Balance

Japanese: Add 2 448s to initial order of battle.

Marines: Delete SSR 4

Turns: 8 (Japanese sets up first, Marines move first)

MARINES {SAN: 3}

Company I , 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines [ELR:5] enter on turn 1 along south edge of board 38 on /between hexrows A through P:

9 USMC Elite 768 squads

9-1 leader

8-1 leader

8-0 leader

2 HMG (all SW can be either dm or assembled)

2 MMG

1 BAZ 44

1 M2 Lt. Mtr

6 DC

3 FT

Elements of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines [ELR:5] enter on Turn 5 along south edge of board 38 on / between hexrows Q through GG:

5 USMC Elite 768 squads

9-2 leader

8-0 leader

1 MMG (all SW can be either dm or assembled)

1 M2 Lt. Mtr

2 DC

Elements of 710th Tank Battalion enter on Turn 6 along south edge of board 38:

3 Sherman M4A1

JAPANESE {SAN: 6}

Elements of 14th Infantry Division [ELR:4] set up anywhere on board 38, all may use HIP:

7 Elite 448 squads

2 228 crews

1 Type 1 Machine-Moved Gun

1 2+5+7 pillbox

1 8-0 infantry leader

1 10-1 infantry leader

2 LMG

1 MMG

2 Lt MTR

2 DC

Armored elements enter on or after turn 3 along north or east edge of board (some, none, or all may enter each turn):

6 Type 95 HA-GO Light Tanks

1 8-1 armor leader

Additional elements of 14th Infantry Division enter on or after turn 3 along north or east edge of board. All infantry units can enter as riders if entering with AFVs. (Some, none or all may enter each turn):

6 448 squads

1 LMG

SCENARIO RULES:

1. EC are normal with no wind at start. PTO Terrain (G.1) is in effect [EXC: all roads exist and are paved, all jungle is considered brush]. Buildings between hexrows D and N exist and are wooden.

2. Prior to all setup, the Americans must make one DR for every building and open ground hex on.between hexrows D and N. A DR <= 6 reduces a building to rubble (wooden) or creates shellholes in open ground. A rubbled building is still considered a building for victory condition purposes.

3. Coral Soil (G13.82) is in effect.

4. If there are any friendly (US) units (concealed or otherwise) between (in LOS within the current CA and at shorter range) any US tank and an announced enemy target, the tank must pass a task check to fire at the intended enemy target. If the task check is not passed, the attack is instead made at the closest friendly unit within the tank’s CA and LOS. The need for this task check can be eliminated if a good order American leader passes an NTC in a location with a non-moving friendly tank. Attempting this NTC will make the SMC TI, but need only be done for one tank, this will lift restriction on all tanks..

5. No Japanese unit can declare a banzai attack unless accompanied by an armored unit (D14.2).

6. Japanese receive one module of 70+ OBA (with HE and WP) directed by an off-board observer at level 3 on the north edge of the board. The exact hex of the observer must be pre-recorded before the game. Americans cannot exchange mortars for OBA.

7. All air strip hexes are considered controlled by the Japanese at the beginning of the game.

Aftermath: The Marine firepower was too much for the Japanese tanks, which were totally destroyed. The timely arrival of several Marine Shermans and elements of Company K saved Company I from being encircled by the Japanese counterattack, and the surviving Japanese soldiers were driven from the airfield and into the hills to the north. The fight for Peleliu was only beginning, however, and it would take many days to root the Japanese defenders from their elaborate cave defenses on Bloody Nose Ridge.

DESIGNER'S NOTES:

The idea for this scenario came from the book "With The Old Breed" by E.B Sledge. I have the Bantam War Book version (1986, 3rd edition), but it is also available in a newer edition that includes pictures. The action picks up on page 70. When I read this account, I thought it would be a great ASL scenario. After my first draft at the scenario, I was surprised to see several people ask on the ASLML ask if anyone has done a scenario based on this engagement. No one replied affirmatively, in fact the only person who replied said something to the effect of effect of, "What fun could that be? The Japanese get wiped out." Well, show me a scenario where the Japanese don't get wiped out and I'll show you a scenario that they have either lost for being chicken, or been very, very lucky in CC rolls. The most appealing aspect of this scenario for me is the possibility of a Japanese combined human wave / tank attack. SSR 4 takes away a little of the American tank effectiveness and friendly fire accounts were mentioned in the book.

I've been looking for other accounts of the battle and have only found a brief one in the Time Life "Island Fighting" book. I did find a few cool maps of Peleilu on the Internet.

This scenario has not yet been playtested yet, so I have no idea about its balance. I'd say it's probably pro-USMC, but the victory conditions are tough. The random bombardment rule (which I stole shamelessly from Faugh A'Ballagh) is time consuming so I'm thinking of replacing this with a few pre-placed shellholes and rubble. However, it would add to the replay to have a different battlefield layout everytime (I've played Faugh A'Ballagh three times!).

One final note; I thought of the name for this scenario, "Armored Banzai" before I ever heard of "Iron Banzai," a scenario we're currently testing for Avalon Hill. In any event, the two scenarios are on completely different engagements... Anyone with comments on this, my first scenario design effort, please E-mail me at: danowsen@aol.com.

--Dan Owsen