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

Avery Abernethy, 12 November 2016

click images to enlarge

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

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

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

Used only one Tarawa staging area

Makin island beachhead

Makin Island North bunker busting by air force and navy

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

Tarawa – command bunker gone & got 2nd wave

Makin island D-Day turn 2

Turn 3 and 1st Makin bunker destroyed

End turn of D-Day on Tarawa

Turn 4 and the navy left Makin

Escort sank Jap sub

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

D-Day + 1 and 2nd wave lands

D-Day +2 on Tarawa

Makin reinforcements turn 5

Turn 5 Makin main landing force

Tarawa D-Day +3 and rolling forward

Tarawa 2nd wave trapped on the beach

D-day +3 close-up

More tomorrow!

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