Toaw Scenario: Tinian 44

Marianas,
July 24, 1944,

USA army of 42 units opposed to Japan army of 35 units
for a battle of complexity 0.46 at Battalion(II) level
on a 2.5 Km/Hex map
for 10 turns of Full Day each.

by Eric Wilson submited on 05-12-2002

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Briefing
THE U.S. INVASION OF TINIAN An invasion by the U.S. Marine 2nd and 4th Divisions by P. Eric Wilson Date: July 1944 Location: Tinian, Marianas Map Scale: 2.5km per hex Time Scale: Full-day turns Unit Scale: Regiment\Battalion Length: 9 turns UNIT COLORS UNITED STATES: Marines: Red on Blue Army: White on Green USAAF: Dark Blue on Green U.S. Navy: Light Blue on Blue JAPAN: Army: White on Yellow Marines, SNLF: Red on White NOTE 1. Created under TOAW version 1.04.08. 2. Meant to be played from the American side. This scenario is unbalanced if played from the Japanese side. It's far too easy to win if you play as the Japanese. NOTES FOR U.S. PLAYER 1. The rules are simple: Capture as many victory point hexes as you can in nine turns. 2. You will be supported not only by naval ships and aircraft, but also by artillery firing from Saipan. You will be unable to move this artillery. 2. Use your naval forces! They are very valuable. Always try to space your ships so that they can attack as many targets as possible. You will want the big guns to help out in as many of your attacks as can be accomplished. HISTORY After the successful capture of Saipan, U.S. planners looked forward to the invasions of Guam and Tinian, also part of the Marianas chain. Tinian is a smaller island than Saipan and only a few miles to the south. The island was important because of the airfields that were on it. These airfields would provide allied forces with bases of operation for the bombing campaign against Japan. Ninety percent of the island was devoted to the planting of sugar cane, Tinian's chief crop. From the air, Tinian looked like a huge checkerboard due to its square field patterns. The U.S. Marine 2nd and 4th Divisions landed on two beaches on the north-west corner of the island on July 24, 1944. Both beaches together only equalled 200 yards making them the smallest invasion beaches the Marines would ever use. The beaches were lightly defended and American troops were able to move to the edge of Ushi Point Airfield. A Japanese counterattack during the night failed and U.S. troops were able, on day two, to capture the airfield. With the 4th Division to the west and the 2nd to the east, troops were able to make their way down the island at a comparatively leisurely pace. Fighting was not as difficult on Tinian as it had been on Saipan. It was fairly easy despite persistent rain. Naval bombardment and napalm attacks by P-47's based on Saipan helped the troops. Problems only really started to occur after they went through Tinian Town to the south and reached a series of escarped cliffs. After removing the opposition in this area, they continued down the remaining mile of the island facing heavier and heavier resistance due to a high rate of Japanese withdraws to this area over the previous days. The island was declared secure on August 1, nine days after the invasion started. American casualties were low and Tinian's various airfields were immediately put to use. From one of the large runways at Ushi Point, the B-29 known as Enola Gay took off on its historic flight to drop the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. That August 1945 flight led to the end of the war.

Briefing

THE U.S. INVASION OF TINIAN
An invasion by the U.S. Marine 2nd and 4th Divisions
by P. Eric Wilson

Date: July 1944
Location: Tinian, Marianas
Map Scale: 2.5km per hex
Time Scale: Full-day turns
Unit Scale: Regiment\Battalion
Length: 9 turns

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

NOTE
1. Created under TOAW version 1.04.08.

2. Meant to be played from the American side. This scenario is unbalanced if played from the Japanese side. It's far too easy to win if you play as the Japanese.

NOTES FOR U.S. PLAYER
1. The rules are simple: Capture as many victory point hexes as you can in nine turns.

2. You will be supported not only by naval ships and aircraft, but also by artillery firing from Saipan. You will be unable to move this artillery.

2. Use your naval forces! They are very valuable. Always try to space your ships so that they can attack as many targets as possible. You will want the big guns to help out in as many of your attacks as can be accomplished.

HISTORY
After the successful capture of Saipan, U.S. planners looked forward to the invasions of Guam and Tinian, also part of the Marianas chain.

Tinian is a smaller island than Saipan and only a few miles to the south. The island was important because of the airfields that were on it. These airfields would provide allied forces with bases of operation for the bombing campaign against Japan. Ninety percent of the island was devoted to the planting of sugar cane, Tinian's chief crop. From the air, Tinian looked like a huge checkerboard due to its square field patterns.

The U.S. Marine 2nd and 4th Divisions landed on two beaches on the north-west corner of the island on July 24, 1944. Both beaches together only equalled 200 yards making them the smallest invasion beaches the Marines would ever use. The beaches were lightly defended and American troops were able to move to the edge of Ushi Point Airfield. A Japanese counterattack during the night failed and U.S. troops were able, on day two, to capture the airfield.

With the 4th Division to the west and the 2nd to the east, troops were able to make their way down the island at a comparatively leisurely pace. Fighting was not as difficult on Tinian as it had been on Saipan. It was fairly easy despite persistent rain. Naval bombardment and napalm attacks by P-47's based on Saipan helped the troops.

Problems only really started to occur after they went through Tinian Town to the south and reached a series of escarped cliffs. After removing the opposition in this area, they continued down the remaining mile of the island facing heavier and heavier resistance due to a high rate of Japanese withdraws to this area over the previous days. The island was declared secure on August 1, nine days after the invasion started. American casualties were low and Tinian's various airfields were immediately put to use.

From one of the large runways at Ushi Point, the B-29 known as Enola Gay took off on its historic flight to drop the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. That August 1945 flight led to the end of the war.