Last stand on Nokandu ridge

After a fortnight of hard slog retreating along the Korona track, Captain Bruce set A Company up in a highly defensible position on a ridge in Zone 3. Point 504, also known as the Nokandu Ridge was steep and the best place he had seen to make a stand. His orders had been that he should not give one more inch of ground - apparently it was making MacArthur look bad or something. But Bruce wasn't worried about Dug-out Doug's reputation. he knew that if Port Murray fell, invasion of Australia would be next. The stakes were high, and he was prepared to hold out as long as he could.

Week Two - the Australian retreat continues

Week Three - the Aussies are ordered to make a stand. C Coy is sent forward to help B Coy, only to run into the Japanese coming from the east (bottom of map).

From their perspective, the 1st Company of the Japanese battalion were confident of victory. They had been pursuing these Australians across the island, and although the terrain was tough, enough rice and ammunition was getting through to keep them in fighting fitness. As Captain Kubota eyed the bottom of Ikandu ridge he knew that the Australians were not far away. fresh footprints from their scouts were still visible in the mud. He knew that the typical encirclement tactics of the Japanese army were difficult for the Australians to counter, and so despite steep rough terrain on one side and thick mud on the other, he moved his forces so that they could carry out a pincer.

From behind the Australian lines.

Looking up the ridge from the Japanese perspective

The Japanese 1st platoon heads for the Australian left flank, making use of the cover as they struggle up the steep ridge.

2nd platoon head straight up the track - preparing to be the pinning force.

The battle is well underway now, and the Australian left flank is in trouble. The Japanese second company moves off the track to lend weight to the attack.

Captain Bruce s onto these tactics. He moves his centre to the left to support his flank, getting his MG to cover the track.

Too late though. Ferocious hand to hand fighting sees the left hand Australian platoon destroyed before it can be reinforced.

Bruce orders a counterattack

But the victorious Japanese are in a fighting frenzy!

On the right flank the Japanese 3rd platoon finally engages. The ineffective Australian defensive fire is the death knell for this platoon

The Japanese charge and wipe the section out.

Captain Bruce rallies his men on the left. Bayonet charges!

And another!

Personally getting involved, Bruce sees off one section, while the brave battlers of 2nd platoon take out the Captain Kubota!

The last section of the Aussie 3 platoon is destroyed in hand to hand.

Another victory for Colonel Bruce, but he has run out of time.

About to be cut off by the Japanese 3rd platoon, Bruce and his survivors withdraw. 

The casualties from the game. The Aussies have taken another hiding, but a the end were able to inflict a bit of damage themselves.

The game was played to a 2/3s casualty end, marking the orders to fight to the last man. To be fair, the Aussies had some pretty abysmal dice rolls. The HMG managed to pin one stand all game.

I also realised that I've been playing my own rules wrong. A kill is only inflicted if a single stand rolls 3 hits, or the same stand is suppressed twice. I've been adding up the hits of all stands firing in a turn - no wonder the dice have been having such an impact! I should really pay more attention to rules as I'm writing them... the firing system was borrowed from Crossfire, and I was reading the original rules as I rewrote them. Next game I'll play them as intended.

Two more games are due to be played in Week 3 of the campaign - Poor old B Company led by Lt Duggan, and C Coy who has been deployed to Erida and is about to face the Japanese 3 Coy.

Nate