Order of Battle Pacific: US Marines – AAR, Scenario 6 Part 1

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Airboy’s Pacific campaign continues in the latest AAR episode ~

Avery Abernethy, 12 November 2016

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Scenario 6 – Gilbert Islands

Tarawa is surrounded by landing zones. It was tempting to use four or more landing zones to chop up the Japanese defenders. I (mostly) resisted temptation. Thus far the Japanese have limited armor and no mechanized units. This limits their mobility. The one time I did not concentrate my forces got my Marines chopped up.

Tawara Landing Zones

Tawara Landing Zones

My strategy is landing on one end of Tarawa and sweeping to the other end of the island. This provides two advantages. My forces are concentrated and heavy artillery can be landed on a secured beach. Long range fire from my 155s has been devastating. There are three landing zones, but they are clustered together. Landing zone one is a risk because it is slightly isolated from landing zone two and three. But if landing zone one is successful it should destroy the Japanese HQ and diminish the effectiveness of Tarawa’s defenders.

 

Tarawa Landing Zones

Tarawa Landing Zones

 

I must knock out five bunkers on the larger island of Makin. But the bunker locations are unknown. Because Tarawa has air strips I committed a larger force there.

Tarawa Landing Zones

Tarawa Landing Zones

 

Used only one Tarawa staging area

Used only one Tarawa staging area

 

Makin island beachhead

Makin island beachhead

 

Makin Island North bunker busting by air force and navy

Makin Island North bunker busting by air force and navy

 

Turn 3 got on the beach at Tarawa and took out Jap command bunker

Turn 3 got on the beach at Tarawa and took out Jap command bunker

 

Tarawa - command bunker gone & got 2nd wave

Tarawa – command bunker gone & got 2nd wave

 

Makin island D-Day turn 2

Makin island D-Day turn 2

 

Turn 3 and 1st Makin bunker destroyed

Turn 3 and 1st Makin bunker destroyed

 

End turn of D-Day on Tarawa

End turn of D-Day on Tarawa

 

Turn 4 and the navy left Makin

Turn 4 and the navy left Makin

 

Escort sank Jap sub

Escort sank Jap sub

 

Then I got greedy and immediately landed the 2nd wave on Tarawa D-Day +1. This was not wise as you will see.

 

 

D-Day + 1 and 2nd wave lands

D-Day + 1 and 2nd wave lands

 

D-Day +2 on Tarawa

D-Day +2 on Tarawa

 

Makin reinforcements turn 5

Makin reinforcements turn 5

 

Turn 5 Makin main landing force

Turn 5 Makin main landing force

 

Tarawa D-Day +3 and rolling forward

Tarawa D-Day +3 and rolling forward

 

Tarawa 2nd wave trapped on the beach

Tarawa 2nd wave trapped on the beach

 

D-day +3 close-up

D-day +3 close-up

 

 

 

 

More tomorrow!


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