The Pacific

[KG Erwin]

[ Game note: in this campaign I am using "Low Carnage" settings.]

In early 1942, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines was removed from the ranks of the regiment to form a new 1st Separate Battalion, which was later renamed the 1st Raider Battalion. A new 1/5 was formed from the remaining battalions, and it was fleshed out by newly recruited Marines. Its commander is newly minted Lt Col G.E. Higginbotham, a recent graduate of the OCS in 1941.

Before I had much time to train up these raw recruits, we were shipped to New Zealand in June 1942. There we learned we would be part of the first offensive launched by US forces. We were tasked with taking an island called Guadalcanal, in the Solomon Islands, on which the Japanese were completing an airfield. My 1/5 Bn was to be in the first wave of the assault.

[KG Erwin]

August 1942. The 1/5 (reinf) occupies a 4000-yard front on the western side on the perimeter. The terrain is jungle with interspersed ridges. There is a small lake in the middle of our line, just a couple of hundred yards to our front. We have six M2A4s of Co A, 1st Tank Bn as well as 2 M3 75mm GMCs supporting us. As additional direct arty support we have four 75mm pack howitzers and distant support from two battalions of 105s from 11th Regt. The Japanese are expected to attack us to recapture the airfield. They have landed reinforcements from Rabaul and are of unknown strength. Our orders are to delay the Japanese assault, and to my company commanders I relay the message, "Hold on. Do NOT retreat unless under my direct orders. Apply maximum firepower on the enemy."

My company COs are Captains Kaempfer (Able), Hawkins (Baker) and Lange (Charlie). The entire battalion is deployed in line, with no reserves at all except the 8 AFVs. I can request reinforcements, but division has informed that I should do this only under "conditions of extreme duress." This essentially means "don't ask for help, as we have none available." My 850 men are on their own.

My line is shown below:

[KG Erwin]

September 1942. Restart.

[KG Erwin]

Restart

[Alby]

wow you are doing another campaign?

[KG Erwin]

Yeah, Alby, I'm gonna try to actually finish one using low carnage settings. I'm finding out that these settings are much more difficult in the Pacific Long Campaign.

[Alby]

[:)]

[Ironfist738]

Hello old friends, good to see you both still kicking [:D] Just found my old account here.