The Marines are closing in on Japan.  Next up? Guam! ~

Avery Abernethy, 22 January 2017

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Taking the rest of Guam was slow work. East Guam is covered with jungle. It is easy to hide snipers, bunkers and entire infantry platoons in the jungle. Only infantry can dig the Japanese out of the jungle. On the East Coast and in Central Guam the Japanese concentrated their armor, anti-aircraft and better infantry units. More and better defenders slowed the advance there. But overall it is easier for the Marines to crush larger forces in the open than it is to root out smaller forces in dense jungle terrain.

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The Marines are closing in on Japan.  Next up? Guam! ~

Avery Abernethy, 21 January 2017

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Guam is much larger than Saipan. There are two landing areas that are separated by considerable distance. My initial goals are to link up the two beach areas and then clear South Guam and the landing strip. After doing this I can move north.

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Now that the holidays are in the rearview mirror, Airboy’s battles through the Pacific continue  ~

Avery Abernethy, 8 January 2017

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Scenario 8 – Saipan, continued

It took several turns to concentrate my artillery and take the heights in Central Saipan. But after that the Marines were a steam roller over the rest of Saipan. Fortunately the Japanese launched a late Banzai charge. It is easier to kill the Japanese out in the open while attacking than it is to dig them out of holes or root them out of hidden positions in the jungle. Southern and Central Saipan has much better defensive terrain than North Saipan which also helped the Marines.

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Now that the holidays are in the rearview mirror, Airboy’s battles through the Pacific continue  ~

Avery Abernethy, 7 January 2017

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Scenario 8 – Saipan

Saipan is huge compared to the Marshall and Gilbert Island targets. I used two landing zones because the city in the middle was too tough to take on D-Day. My initial objectives are: 1] link up the two landing zones; 2] seize the southern airfield; and 3] secure all Southern Saipan so I could fight on only one front. But achieving these three objectives was not easy. I continue my strategy of concentrating my forces and landing my artillery in a second wave.    The Japanese make multiple counter-attacks including several led by armor. It takes many turns to seize the southern airfield and land air support. It takes even longer to eliminate the Japanese snipers and infantry in Southern Saipan. The infantry allocated to eliminating resistance in the South never catch up to the main battle until the issue is decided. Much of my heavy artillery was allocated to the South and had to be shipped north. Central Saipan is mountainous which is excellent defensive terrain. The heights must be secured by infantry and the going was slow until I got all of my heavy artillery up from South Saipan.

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