Memoir 44 campain Guam

Battle of Guam campaign Guam in the Mariana Islands was fought over several times in World War Two. First it was captured by the Japanese from the Americans in two days in December 1941. The Americans, numbering around five hundred, had only about one hundred and sixty weapons. They were captured by the three hundred man second special naval landing force. Guam was chosen as a target because of its proximity to the Philippines as a base for launching B29 superfortress bombers. Guam was bombarded by bombers taking off from the Marshall Islands in July 1944. Landings would be made on both sides of the Orote Pennisula, Agana to the North, and Agat to the South, to cut off the airfield on the pennisula. By nightfall on the 21 st of July the beachhead were 2000 meters deep. Japanese counter attacks, mostly at night, plagued the first several days of the attack. The counterattacks had exhausted the Japanese defenders of men and equipment, although sometimes the Marines were pushed back by losses of men and equipment. By August after an engagement at Mount Barrigada, the Japanese line collapsed. The Japanese refused to surrender, and were pushed to the North until almost all were dead.

After the battle, large airfields were built on Guam by the Seabees, and Guam was turned into a base for B-29 Superfortress.

12/14/10

1

Battle of Guam campaign

Map of Guam showing northern and southern landing beaches operation forager areas of operation 21 july – 10 august 1944

12/14/10

2

Battle of Guam campaign allied briefing:

If you can take the Northern beachhead, you will advance to the Orote pennisula. If you cannot, you will have to make the Southern beachhead at Agat. Then, if you take the Orote pennisula, take the final Northern tip of the island. If you took the Southern Agat beachhead, then take the city of Agana. Special reserve rolls Star + Unit Symbol- one unit upgraded as follows: Infantry- Engineers Armor- Flame Tanks Grenade- Either Mobile Artillery or any of the above (at one reserve token cost) Star + Star Upgrade one of your units already on the board as above (Reroll) Flag + Star Place one sandbag, one wire, or one hedgehog on the board at no reserve token cost. Axis briefing:

If you can keep the Northern beachhead from being successful, you then need to hold off the Southern beach landings. If you are successful at that, then you may counterattack. Remember that you are trying to hold Imperial Japanese Territory! Special reserve rolls Star + Unit Symbol- one unit upgraded as follows: Infantry- Engineers Armor- Elite Armor (3 figures) Grenade- Either Big Gun Artillery or any of the above (at one reserve token cost) Star + Star Upgrade one of your units already on the board as above (Reroll) Flag + Star Place one sandbag, one wire, or one hedgehog on the board at no reserve token cost. Note: Unless upgraded as above, all Japanese armor consists of two figures. (because their armor is only as good as Allied light armor) 12/14/10

3

Battle of Guam campaign order of battles guam campaign

12/14/10

4

Battle of Guam campaign

the battle scenarios list second battle of guam 21 july – 10 august 1944 operation forager

battle of guam 1- asan beachhead

battle of guam 2- agat beachhead

battle of guam 3- orote pennisula

battle of guam 4- northern chase

battle of guam 5- banzi attack

battle of guam 6- final battle

12/14/10

5

Battle of Guam - Asan Beachhead

Setup order

AsanRiver

1

x10

2

x1

3

x1

4

x3

5

x5

6

x9

7

x11

8

x2

9

x2

NorthFork

cliff hex

Bundschu Ridge

Red OneBeach

Asan

Red TwoBeach

GreenBeach

Historical Background The island of Guam had been taken from the Americans by the Japanese in 1941. This is the one of the two landing areas of the marines as they fight to take the island back. The invaders had to fight the islands defenders who were atop steep hills. As the marines climbed up, the Japanese dropped grenades down the slopes toward the marines. Finally the marines cleared the top of the hills and there were many dead and wounded on both sides.

Briefing This is the northern landing point of the Guam marine invasion. Allies: The ridge known as Bundschu Ridge has an artillery unit on it that is shelling the invasion beaches. Your objective is to destroy the artillery unit, and move one unit onto the ridge. Then move across the hills to the exit medal while destroying as many Japanese units as you can along the way. Axis: Keep the marines on the beaches as long as possible.

cliffs & sea bluffs. All hills are considered to be steep hills- see Terrain card #13 steep hills. Asan River is a fordable river, See Terrain card #61 fordable streams Engineer units rules found on Troop card #4 combat engineers Flame tanks rules found on Troop card #13 flame thrower tanks Mobile artillery rules found on Troop card #14 mobile artillery

Conditions of Victory Allies: Take Bundschu Ridge as a permanent medal hex, and move at least one unit to the exit medal hex on the Japanese side of the board. Also take at least three more medals Axis: Keep the marines from reaching the exit hex, and take six medals

Special Rules All Marine Command rules are in effect, see Nations card #4 U.S. Marines. All Imperial Japanese Command rules are in effect, see Nations card #3 Imperial Japanese. The hill hex labeled as cliff is a cliff. See Terrain card #11 Symbols & Graphics Copyright (c) 2004 - 2007 Days of Wonder, Inc. Produced with permission, for non-commercial use only.

Battle of Guam 2 - Southern Agat beaches

Setup order

Agat

1

x9

2

x1

3

x3

4

x1

5

x3

6

x2

7

x3

8

x9

9

x1

10

x9

11

x4

12

x4

13

x6

14

x2

GaanRiver

Yellow One Zone

Yellow Two Zone

GaanPoint

Historical Background On the 21st of July 1944, the marines landed on two places on Guam. This is the southern invasion. This invasion almost failed do to artillery and mortar units that survived the bombardment of the island. The landing craft were put through intense shelling by the Japanese who, knew beforehand where the Americans would be landing because of pre-invasion bombing by naval aircraft. Some of the landing craft were blown apart before they reached the beaches. Then the armor had problems in the marsh and rice patties.

Briefing Japanese player take six command cards. Marine player take six command cards and move first. When the marines take Agat, a permanent medal hex, draw two cards for a new total of eight cards.

Conditions of Victory Japanese player: Take six medals before the allies reach their objectives. Marine player: Take Agat and the other medal hex, which is a temporary victory medal, and take four more.

Special Rules All Marine Command rules are in effect, see Nations card #4 U.S. Marines. All Imperial Japanese Command rules are in effect, see Nations card #3 Imperial Japanese. The special forces Japanese infantry units are equipped with mortars. They fire as infantry but ignore line of sight and terrain dice reduction, they move or fire. The rules for flame tanks are found on Troop card #13 Flame Thrower Tanks. The rules for engineers are found on Troop card #4 Combat Engineers Symbols & Graphics Copyright (c) 2004 - 2007 Days of Wonder, Inc. Produced with permission, for non-commercial use only.

Battle of Guam 3 - Orote Peninsula

Setup order 1

x2

2

x1

3

x1

4

x3

5

x3

6

x1

7

x2

8

x1

9

x8

10

x7

After landing on both sides of the Orote Peninsula, the Marines regrouped and moved down the peninsula to capture the airfield and take the hospital and the marine barracks, but the barracks had been burned to the ground. The Japanese artillery and bunkers made the operation harder than expected. This was not the end of the Guam campaign, but just the beginning.

11

x13

12

x1

Briefing

13

x3

14

x2

15

x1

Conditions of Victory

16

x1

Allies: Take the airfield for a permanent medal hex, take the hospital, and take three more medals. Axis: Take six medals before the allies can reach the airfield.

17

x1

18

x5

19

x2

20

x1

21

x4

22

x2

Sumay

Ayuja

DadiBeach

OrotePoint

Historical Background

Night Attacks are in effect: place the star on the first position. Imperial Japanese and marine command rules are in effect. Allies: Take 6 command cards and move first. Axis: take 5 command cards.

Special Rules For rules on caves and airfields, see Pacific Theater page 4. For rules on Hospital, Jungle, and mountains see PT page 5. For rules on rice patties and docks see PT page 6. For rules on Imperial Japanese command rules, and Marine command rules see TP page 7. For rules on Night Attacks and Minefields, see TP page 8.

Symbols & Graphics Copyright (c) 2004 - 2007 Days of Wonder, Inc. Produced with permission, for non-commercial use only.

Battle of Guam 4 - Northern Chase

Setup order 1

x1

2

x3

3

x1

4

x1

5

x1

6

x3

7

x2

8

x1

9

x1

10

x5

Historical Background

11

x15

As the marines continued to take the island, they moved north to the Agana-Pago road. On July 28th General Takashina was killed as he left his command post. General Obata took over the defense of Guam. On the morning of the 31st, the 3rd Marines moved into position near the Agano-Pago road. Their targets were a line of small villages leading up to the city of Agana, and Mt Magajna to the west. The 77th Army had the job of taking Chochogo village and Tiyan airfield to the northwest. The 307th Army would be protecting their southern flank. Units moved out toward their targets at 06:00. The 3rd Marines ran into mines on the road early in the day. They suffered more causalities when they reached the crossroads near the undefended city of Agana due to mines. The 21st Marines captured Japanese supplies near Mount Magajna. By 15:00 Marines had reached the swamp near Agana. A Japanese armor unit had been discovered near the airfield, at the first sight of a Japanese tank, the army commander thought it had already been captured. But then the tank opened fire on them. All objectives had been reached by 18:00.

12

x1

13

x4

14

x3

15

x13

16

x2

Allies: Take 6 command cards and move first. Axis: Take 5 command cards. If the HQ and supply tents hex is taken, the allied player takes a card at random from your hand and you play with one less card until you recapture the HQ and Supply tents.

17

x4

18

x10

Conditions of Victory

19

x1

Allies: Capture Agana, the bridge, take the airfield and two more medals. The city of Agana is a permanent medal objective, the bridge and the airfield are temporary medal objectives. Axis: Hold the Tiyan airfield, the bridge and take five more medals.

20

x5

21

x3

22

x5

23

x1

24

x1

Agana

Sinajana

AganaRiver

MtChochogo

Famja

MtMagajna

Agana-Pago Rd

Chochogo

Ordot

21stMarines21st

77th Army

3rd Marines307

Briefing

307th

Terrain Card #29.

Special Rules For rules on HQ and Supply tents see PT page 5. Marine command rules are in effect. All Japanese command rules are in effect. Minefields rules found on page 8 of PT rulebook or Symbols & Graphics Copyright (c) 2004 - 2007 Days of Wonder, Inc. Produced with permission, for non-commercial use only.

77th

77th

77th

Battle of Guam 5 - Banzai Attack

Setup order

RadioTowers

MassoRiver

1

x1

2

x1

3

x1

4

x3

5

x8

6

x1

7

x1

8

x18

9

x9

10

x1

11

x13

12

x3

13

x1

14

x1

Historical Background During the night of July 23rd, the marines could hear the Japanese troops getting drunk on sake in a small village. The troops got themselves loaded up on sake and then attacked the American positions in the early dawn hours. The marines took some causalities, but managed to fend off the drunk attackers. By the morning, the chargers were dead and the marines had captured the town and the hospital.

Briefing

If air pack is used, place Japanese zero on airfield hex (either).

Allies: Take seven command cards Axis: Take six command cards and play two for the first turn. After the first turn, draw only one for a maximum of five for the rest of the scenario

Conditions of Victory Allies: Take the village and the hospital to the north and take three more medals. The village is a permanent medal objective, the hospital is a temporary medal objective. Axis: Hold the radio towers, the town, the hospital and take three more medals. The radio towers is a temporary medal objective.

Special Rules Night rules are in effect- see action card #19. This battle takes place at visibility three. (place the star marker on three and proceed from there) For hospital see Terrain card #55 and see action card #18 hospital recovery rules are in effect. For jungle see Terrain card # 57 For caves on hills see Terrain card # 52 For caves on mountains see Terrain card # 53 For hills see Terrain card # 6 For mountains see Terrain card # 30 Symbols & Graphics Copyright (c) 2004 - 2007 Days of Wonder, Inc. Produced with permission, for non-commercial use only.

Battle of Guam 6 - Final Battle

Setup order

TiyanAirfield

Finnegayan

1

x1

2

x3

3

x1

4

x20

5

x2

6

x1

7

x2

8

x15

9

x1

10

x4

11

x1

12

x9

13

x6

14

x2

15

x1

MtBarrigada

3rdDivision

MtMataguac

San Antonio

77thMarine

Mt SantaRosa

Historical Background With heavy foliage hiding the last of Lt General Takashina's forces, the 77th division began the final sweep to find and destroy the islands estimated 6000 defenders. The defenders were fighting a war of attrition and delaying action. They believed that help would be arriving soon. Several small skirmishes broke out, one on Mount Barrigada, and another on Mount Santa Rosa, where most of the islands officers were located. The 3rd Marine division swung around to secure the Tiyan airfield. After General Takashina had been killed leaving his command post, General Hideyoshi Obata had taken over command, he had split his forces up to delay their being found. The Third took control of the airfield and swung onto the coastal road while the 77th took out the opposition on Mount Barrigada and Finnegayan. Then the rapidly moving advance halted as the third encountered Japanese armor. The stage is set, what do You do?

Briefing Allies: Take seven cards and go first. Axis: Take four cards.

Conditions of Victory Allies: Take Tiyan airfield, Mt Santa Rosa, and four more medals. The airfield is a temporary medal objective. The mountain is a permanent medal objective. Axis: Hold Tiyan airfield and take five medals. The airfield is a temporary medal objective.

Special Rules For Japanese command rules see Nations card #3. For Marine command rules see Nations card #4. For rules on HQ Supply Tents see Actions card #17 and Terrain Card #56

Symbols & Graphics Copyright (c) 2004 - 2007 Days of Wonder, Inc. Produced with permission, for non-commercial use only.