Toaw Scenario: The Invasion of Attu Island

Aleutians,
May 11, 1943,

USA army of 60 units opposed to Japan army of 32 units
for a battle of complexity 0.61 at Company(I) level
on a 2.5 Km/Hex map
for 20 turns of Full Day each.

by Eric Wilson submited on 22-11-2002

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Briefing
THE INVASION OF ATTU ISLAND A bloody invasion by the U.S. 7th Motorized Infantry Division. by P. Eric Wilson Date: May 1943 Location: Attu Island, Aleutians Map Scale: 2.5km per hex Time Scale: Full-day turns Unit Scale: Company/Battalion Length: Up to 20 turns UNIT COLORS UNITED STATES: U.S. Army: White on Green USAAF: Dark Blue on Green Navy: Light Blue on Dark Blue JAPAN: White on Yellow IMPORTANT NOTE FOR PLAYER Modified for TOAW 1.04.08. This scenario is designed to be played from the American side. Plays well from either side though. OK for PBEM. NOTES FOR U.S. PLAYER 1. The scenario will end when Attu Base is captured (hex 14, 11). In other words, if you capture this hex in 13 turns, your game will only last 13 turns. 2. If you fail to capture Attu Base, your scenario will automatically end in 20 turns. 3. You must move quickly. Starting on turn 7, you will lose 12 points per turn every turn until your game ends (when you capture Attu Base). This is meant to simulate growing dissatisfaction among the high command due to bad performance. NOTE: Do not go after Attu Base exclusively while ignoring the other victory point hexes. You will regret it. The only way to win the game is to capture everything on the way to Attu Base. 4. If you manage to capture Attu Base on turn 19, you will most likely achieve the historical result which is represented in this scenario as a draw. To gain a victory, you must capture Attu Base before the 19th. You will probably end up with a draw or worse if you fail to take the base by the end of turn 20. 5. Most of your naval support will exit the game on turn 6. NOTES FOR JAPANESE PLAYER Hold on! If you can hold Attu Base and a few other base VP hexes through turn 20, you will be able to pull off a victory. Take into account the terrain and locations of fortifications. HINT FOR AMERICAN PLAYER Intel indicates that Beach Scarlet and Beach Rainbow are undefended. Don't place too many of your troops in those areas. HISTORY Attu Island is part of Alaska's Aleutian Chain. It is a desolate island with no trees and lots of mud and tundra (represented as marsh in this scenario). Very high snow covered mountains cover most of the island. Being virtually inside of the Arctic Circle, it is freezing cold. The Japanese captured the island in 1942 primarily as a diversion to the Midway operation. The United States saw the occupation of the island as a threat to national security due to its proximity to U.S. soil. It was also figured, incorrectly, that the island might make a good staging area for attacks against Japan itself. For these reasons, the United States decided to recapture the island from the Japanese. On May 11, 1943, the U.S. Army 7th division landed on the island. A provisional scout battalion landed at Beach Scarlet and a small scout platoon landed at Beach Rainbow. Later in the day, one 7th division battalion landed at Beach Red in the north and two battalions landed at beaches Yellow and Blue in the south. All of the landings were initially unopposed. This lack of opposition did not last long though. In the north, the Japanese halted the Americans at Hill X. American forces were stopped in the south at Jarmin Pass. Even after several days and reinforced landings, U.S. forces could not capture these areas. It didn't help that the bad weather and rough mountainous terrain slowed movement to a crawl. After five days, southern forces were still pinned at Jarmin Pass. On the 15th, Hill X was finally captured and northern troops were able to move toward Jarmin Pass from the rear. The pass was finally captured on the 18th. At around this same time, Major General Albert Brown, in charge of the operation, was relieved of command due to the length of time it was taking to capture the island and Brigadier General Eugene Landrum was put in his place. The operation was only supposed to take three days; it had now dragged on for 8. The battle for the island would last another 11 days before the island was completely taken. During the eleven days between the 18th and the 29th, the Japanese holed out at Fish Hook Ridge and Chichagof Harbor. Repeated attacks could not dislodge them from their positions. Naval support had left by this time and could no longer help (not that it mattered; because of the bad weather, naval strikes had to be guided by radar and U.S. troops were shelled as often as enemy troops). On the 29th, Japanese Colonel Yasuyo Yamazaki, in charge of the defence of Attu, staged a wild counterattack that took him to Engineer Hill. The last Japanese attackers were killed on the hill by a 37mm gun brought up by 7th division engineers. The island was now completely under United States control. The island was supposed to have been captured in three days; it took 19. There were only supposed to be 500 Japanese on the island; there were 2600. By the time the battle was over, all of the enemy defenders had been killed except for 28. They fought virtually to the last man. American casualties incurred during the fighting were horrific. American forces suffered 3829 casualties. This works out to roughly 25% of the invading force. This makes the casualty ratio second only to Iwo Jima in sheer destructiveness. With Attu captured, the U.S. military prepared for heavier resistance against Kiska Island, also part of the Aleutian Chain. Fortunately, when troops landed there later in 1943, they found the island deserted. The enemy had snuck away three weeks earlier!

Briefing

THE INVASION OF ATTU ISLAND
A bloody invasion by the U.S. 7th Motorized Infantry Division.
by P. Eric Wilson

Date: May 1943
Location: Attu Island, Aleutians
Map Scale: 2.5km per hex
Time Scale: Full-day turns
Unit Scale: Company/Battalion
Length: Up to 20 turns

UNIT COLORS
UNITED STATES:
U.S. Army: White on Green
USAAF: Dark Blue on Green
Navy: Light Blue on Dark Blue
JAPAN:
White on Yellow

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR PLAYER
Modified for TOAW 1.04.08.
This scenario is designed to be played from the American side. Plays well from either side though. OK for PBEM.

NOTES FOR U.S. PLAYER
1. The scenario will end when Attu Base is captured (hex 14, 11). In other words, if you capture this hex in 13 turns, your game will only last 13 turns.

2. If you fail to capture Attu Base, your scenario will automatically end in 20 turns.

3. You must move quickly. Starting on turn 7, you will lose 12 points per turn every turn until your game ends (when you capture Attu Base). This is meant to simulate growing dissatisfaction among the high command due to bad performance. NOTE: Do not go after Attu Base exclusively while ignoring the other victory point hexes. You will regret it. The only way to win the game is to capture everything on the way to Attu Base.

4. If you manage to capture Attu Base on turn 19, you will most likely achieve the historical result which is represented in this scenario as a draw. To gain a victory, you must capture Attu Base before the 19th. You will probably end up with a draw or worse if you fail to take the base by the end of turn 20.

5. Most of your naval support will exit the game on turn 6.

NOTES FOR JAPANESE PLAYER
Hold on! If you can hold Attu Base and a few other base VP hexes through turn 20, you will be able to pull off a victory. Take into account the terrain and locations of fortifications.

HINT FOR AMERICAN PLAYER
Intel indicates that Beach Scarlet and Beach Rainbow are undefended. Don't place too many of your troops in those areas.

HISTORY
Attu Island is part of Alaska's Aleutian Chain. It is a desolate island with no trees and lots of mud and tundra (represented as marsh in this scenario). Very high snow covered mountains cover most of the island. Being virtually inside of the Arctic Circle, it is freezing cold.

The Japanese captured the island in 1942 primarily as a diversion to the Midway operation. The United States saw the occupation of the island as a threat to national security due to its proximity to U.S. soil. It was also figured, incorrectly, that the island might make a good staging area for attacks against Japan itself. For these reasons, the United States decided to recapture the island from the Japanese.

On May 11, 1943, the U.S. Army 7th division landed on the island. A provisional scout battalion landed at Beach Scarlet and a small scout platoon landed at Beach Rainbow. Later in the day, one 7th division battalion landed at Beach Red in the north and two battalions landed at beaches Yellow and Blue in the south.

All of the landings were initially unopposed. This lack of opposition did not last long though. In the north, the Japanese halted the Americans at Hill X. American forces were stopped in the south at Jarmin Pass. Even after several days and reinforced landings, U.S. forces could not capture these areas. It didn't help that the bad weather and rough mountainous terrain slowed movement to a crawl.

After five days, southern forces were still pinned at Jarmin Pass. On the 15th, Hill X was finally captured and northern troops were able to move toward Jarmin Pass from the rear. The pass was finally captured on the 18th. At around this same time, Major General Albert Brown, in charge of the operation, was relieved of command due to the length of time it was taking to capture the island and Brigadier General Eugene Landrum was put in his place.

The operation was only supposed to take three days; it had now dragged on for 8. The battle for the island would last another 11 days before the island was completely taken.

During the eleven days between the 18th and the 29th, the Japanese holed out at Fish Hook Ridge and Chichagof Harbor. Repeated attacks could not dislodge them from their positions. Naval support had left by this time and could no longer help (not that it mattered; because of the bad weather, naval strikes had to be guided by radar and U.S. troops were shelled as often as enemy troops).

On the 29th, Japanese Colonel Yasuyo Yamazaki, in charge of the defence of Attu, staged a wild counterattack that took him to Engineer Hill. The last Japanese attackers were killed on the hill by a 37mm gun brought up by 7th division engineers. The island was now completely under United States control.

The island was supposed to have been captured in three days; it took 19. There were only supposed to be 500 Japanese on the island; there were 2600. By the time the battle was over, all of the enemy defenders had been killed except for 28. They fought virtually to the last man.

American casualties incurred during the fighting were horrific. American forces suffered 3829 casualties. This works out to roughly 25% of the invading force. This makes the casualty ratio second only to Iwo Jima in sheer destructiveness.

With Attu captured, the U.S. military prepared for heavier resistance against Kiska Island, also part of the Aleutian Chain. Fortunately, when troops landed there later in 1943, they found the island deserted. The enemy had snuck away three weeks earlier!