Matanikau with the Exception of the Whaling Scouts “Wg”, All U.S
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The Gamers, Inc. 2.0 American Special Rules Tactical Combat Series: 2.1 Night Immobility Matanikau With the exception of the Whaling Scouts “Wg”, all U.S. units instantly have temporary orders restricting ©1993. The Gamers, Inc. All Rights Reserved. them to a Prepared Defense during all night turns. These temporary orders in no way negate their original Op Sheet. New orders may be implemented during the night, but they may not begin any operations until Matanikau #2-04 the Matanikau River as the western defensive morning. Night begins with the 1800 turn line of the Henderson Field Perimeter. and lasts until the conclusion of the 0500 A Tactical Combat Series Game Furthermore, General Vandegrift intended turn. These instant Prepared Defense orders to prevent the Japanese from using the areas cause the Marine units to be dug in where Game Design: Sam Simons west of the river as a base of operations. ever they might be at 1800 and they lose that Game Development: Dean N. Essig and Joe 1.1c Japanese Higher Commander’s advantage only when the player issues them Sylvester Intent. The Japanese intent was to establish new orders the following morning. In other Series Design: Dean N. Essig a presence on the east side of the Matanikau words, upon receipt of this instant Dig In Playtesting: Dean Essig, Owen Fuller, Mike river in order to control the sandspit, the order, they stay that way until they get new Haggett, Lee Kail, Dave Powell, Rod only means of moving tanks and artillery to instructions. Mark these units with the Dug Schmisseur, Joe Sylvester the east of the river in order to attack the in markers. Graphics: Dean N. Essig Henderson Field perimeter directly. Note that if a Marine unit is forced out Production Management: Mike Haggett 1.1d Tanks and Mortar Spotting. None of its hex after the auto-dig turn occurs, it Copyright ©1993 The Gamers, Inc. All of the handful of tank units in the game (on remains “hole-less” until it obtains new Rights Reserved. either side) can spot for any Mortar unit’s Prepared Defense orders. Such units must fires. Only infantry and weapons units of the remain as close as possible to their original Introduction correct command may spot for mortar fires. hex until they do receive new orders. This game covers the fighting along the Matanikau River in the fall of 1942 1.2 Set Up & Map 2.2 Restricted between the US Marines and the forces of Artillery Ranges Imperial Japan. The Japanese are attempting Notes Since the U.S. artillery was deployed to establish a position from which they can 1.2a Order of Set Up. The American within the Henderson Field perimeter off launch further attempts to capture Henderson player always sets up first the east map edge, ranges are restricted Field. The Marines are trying to expand the 1.2b Bottlenecks. The entry points to according to caliber. These range boundaries perimeter around Henderson Field far the Sandspit and Log Bridge are the only are only the maximum position of a plotted enough so as to deny the Japanese any decent Bottleneck features in the game. fire target hex for each type of gun and have staging area for attacks against that airbase. no effect on concentration scatter or 1.3 Artillery Ammo placement of adjustment points. The range 1.0 General Resupply limits are marked on the game map and a Special Rules On the 2400 turn of each game day, battery may fire at target hexes EAST of and both sides have their artillery ammo including the range line. allotments replenished by the levels given at start. On that turn, add the at-start values to 2.3 Marines and 1.1 Command and the stocks remaining from the day’s combat. SYRs Control There is no limit to the ammo which may accumulate in this manner. This rule does Marine units treat all ‘Save Yourself 1.1a Command Prep Ratings. not apply to scenarios 5.4 and 5.5. Retreat’ results as ‘Suppressed’ instead. •The U.S. Command Prep Rating is 4. Furthermore, no Marine unit may ever •The Japanese Rating is 6. voluntarily conduct an SYR, nor may they 1.1b US Higher Commander’s Intent. ever “flee” in the Fight or Flee decision of an The intent of the U.S. commander throughout Assault Combat. A player’s choice the campaign depicted by these scenarios “Suppressed, +1 to Co Morale or SYR” was to maintain control of the east bank of result would become a mandatory Suppressed, +1 to Co Morale instead. Page 1 Matanikau TCS #4 2.4 Whaling Scouts track. Fires against a Higgins Boat are always treated as if the boat were in Combat Mode 2.8 “Chesty” Puller and the Raiders in Open Terrain. Passengers may never fire This game includes one of the legends a) The Whaling Scouts (Wg) were a while on a Higgins Boat. Higgins Boats (and of the US Marine Corps—LTC Lewis B. hand-picked unit trained to operate the units on them) cannot spot for Mortar or “Chesty” Puller—commander of the 1st independently in the jungle using the native Artillery fires. Battalion, 7th Marines. “Chesty” Puller has trail system. Units stacked with a Whaling the following effects: the 1-7 Mar need not Scout unit pay 2 MPs for a Jungle hex 2.6 Naval Gunfire be included on any Op Sheet—it functions instead of the normal 3 MPs. Whaling Scouts completely free from Op Sheet concerns, units may move freely during the night. Support and all Company Morales of 1-7 Mar are b) Raider units may call for fire from The USS Ballard, a converted seaplane reduced EVERY turn, not just on hour turns. battalion mortars of any Marine battalion in tender, can provide naval gunfire support “Chesty” is not on the map as a counter. play. from off map. The Ballard has one 5" gun “Chesty” never dies. which functions as a direct fire Area weapon which is exempt from range effects. The 001 2.5 Higgins Higgins Ballard must have an LOS to its target hex 3.0 Japanese 1 6 0 Boats and the Ballard’s gun is at a 10 meters In some scenarios, the elevation. The Ballard has a firepower of 20. Special Rules American player may land troops from the It gets the morale modifier for being artillery, sea. Five “Higgins” Boats are provided for but may never fire overwatch and never uses this function. Each boat can carry seven the Artillery and Mortar Point Target Table. 3.1 Japanese steps (never a tank or halftrack, though!). It can fire once per friendly Action Phase as 2.5a The Lunga Boxes. On the northeast part of an SFA. Artillery edge of the map is a pair of holding boxes. The Japanese are equipped with 10cm Higgins Boats may only enter the Lunga ✪ The Ballard is available only on (100mm) and 15cm (150mm) heavy artillery. Boxes from the “In” arrow hexsides and turns when the Higgins are also available. 3.1a Japanese Artillery Control. must cross both boxes and exit via the “Out” Japanese control of their artillery was almost arrow. The actions of entering and exiting 2.7 Air Power nonexistent. In addition, the main mission these boxes does not cost extra movement of the Japanese artillery was to bombard ✪ Do NOT apply these rules during points, but it takes a boat a full turn’s Henderson Field, for which mission they any night turn. movement to move from the first box to the hoarded their meager supply of shells. 2.7a Air Spotting Of Artillery Fire. While second. Loading or unloading boats does Consequently, the Japanese artillery is ground units must function as observer to not cost movement points and may be done restricted by the following rules: call for observed fires, air units can in either Lunga Box. Units in the Lunga contribute. Because of air spotting, the US Boxes may never be fired upon by any A. Unobserved Missions player (after placing the mission’s weapons, likewise no units in the boxes may The Japanese must wait 5 hours instead of Adjustment Point) is always considered to fire out to hit the map. the normal 3 hours to fire an unobserved have a good LOS to both the Adjustment 2.5b Movement of Higgins Boats. Units mission. Point and the exact target hex—hence, the may disembark or embark at no MP cost. B. Called Fire Delay top line of the Adjustment Table is always Embarked units must be in Move Mode. All Japanese artillery units have a called fire used. Unobserved missions are unaffected Higgins Boats are always in both Move and delay of one turn. by this and still use their bottom, Fire Modes—in other words, they are always C. Adjustment Of Fire “Unobserved” line of the table. in both. Higgins Boats can fire Overwatch Observed Japanese fire missions always 2.7b US Air Superiority and Movement fires. Boats may never be captured (the use the second (no LOS) line of the in the Open. Japanese units in open or Japanese player cannot attempt to sail out to Adjustment Table. Unobserved Japanese fire Sandspit terrain hexes or to which a Marine board the Ballard—regardless of how many missions remain the same as normal unit has an unblocked LOS (always when Errol Flynn movies he’s seen!). The boats unobserved ones. adjacent) are subject to possible attack by may stay on the map, sail about, and provide D.