HEADQUARTERS HEADQUARTERS (2) Regimental HQ COMBAT PLATOONS 1943 FORTIFIED COMPANY (TARAWA) You must field the HQ and two Infantry Platoons. You may choose aditional Tanks, Artillery Support and Reserve. INFANTRY (2) Regimental Platoon INFANTRY (2) Regimental Platoon INFANTRY (2) Regimental Platoon INFANTRY (2) Regimental Platoon WEAPON PLATOONS RECONNAISSANCE (3) INFANTRY (3) MACHINE-GUNS (4) ARTILLERY (4) Recon Platoon Engineer Platoon Machine-gun Platoon Mortar Platoon SUPPORT PLATOONS ARTILLERY (5) Anti-Tank Platoon FIELD FORTIFICATION (5) Bunkers, Mines and Barbed wire ARMOUR (6) Tank Platoon ARMOUR (6) Tank Platoon ARTILLERY (7) Field Artillery Battery ARTILLERY (7) Heavy Naval Artillery Battery ANTI-AIR (8) Anti-Air Platoon AIRCRAFT(9) Air Support 6th FEARLESS 7th You may choose between 6th and 7th Special Navy Force. 6th rating is fearless veteran. 7thth rating is confident veteran. 1 frontline - miniatures game - created by red octopus entertainment gmbh 2014
HEADQUARTERS 1943 FORTIFIED COMPANY (TARAWA) HEADQUARTERS Company Command Rifle/MG team 2iC Command Rifle/MG team Company HQ 6th 40 Company HQ 7th 30 AT GUN team AT GUN team Add AT Gun team 35 Add LMG team 25 LMG Type 96 team LMG Type 96 team Add SMG 5 COMBAT PLATOONS Light Mortar team SNLF Regimental Platoon 3 s 6th 260 3 s 7th 220 2 s 6th 180 2 s 7th 110 Add LMG team 25 Add Sniper team 50 Add Lung mines for each squad. LMG Type 96 team Sniper team 6th FEARLESS 7th You may choose between 6th and 7th Special Navy Force. 6th rating is fearless veteran. 7th rating is confident veteran. 2
RECONNAISSANCE 1943 FORTIFIED COMPANY (TARAWA) SNLF Recon Platoon 2 s 6th 230 2 s 7th 210 1 6th 115 1 7th 105 INFANTRY 111th Pioneers/4th Construction Engineer Platoon 3 Engineer s 220 2 Engineer s 150 Pioneer Pioneer Pioneer 1 Engineer 75 Add Pioneer Supply 1.5-ton truck 25 Pioneer Pioneer Pioneer Engineers are Pioneer Platoons with Tank Assault 4 Pioneer Pioneer Pioneer 6th FEARLESS 7th You may choose between 6th and 7th Special Navy Force. 6th rating is fearless veteran. 7th rating is confident veteran. 3
WEAPON PLATOONS MACHINE-GUN PLATOON SNLF MG Platoon Command Rifle/MG team Section Type 3 HMG team Section Type 3 HMG team Type 3 HMG team Type 3 HMG team 2 Sections 6th 155 2 Sections 7th 135 1 Section 6th 80 1 Section 7th 70 ARTILLERY - MEDIUM MORTAR PLATOON SNLF Medium Mortar Platoon Command Rifle/MG team Observer Rifle/MG team Section 2 Mortar Sections 160 Mortar team Mortar team Mortar team 1 Mortar Section 70 Section Add Observer 15 Mortar team Mortar team Mortar team 6th FEARLESS 7th You may choose between 6th and 7th Special Navy Force. 6th rating is fearless veteran. 7th rating is confident veteran. 4
SUPPORT PLATOONS 1943 FORTIFIED COMPANY (TARAWA) ANTI-TANK PLATOON SNLF Anti-tank Platoon Command Rifle/MG team 2 Gun Sections 6th 200 Type 94 37mm gun Type 94 37mm gun Type 94 37mm gun 1 Gun Section 6th 100 2 Gun Sections 7th 160 1 Gun Section 7th 80 Type 94 37mm gun Type 94 37mm gun Type 94 37mm gun Use rapid fire rule. FIELD FORTIFICATIONS Field Fortifications Fortification 2 Fortifications 180 HMG Bunker Barbed Wire Mine Field 1 Fortification 90 Fortification Add 2 Mine Fields 100 HMG Bunker Barbed Wire Mine Field Add 1 Mine Field 50 6th FEARLESS 7th You may choose between 6th and 7th Special Navy Force. 6th rating is fearless veteran. 7th rating is confident veteran. 5
SUPPORT PLATOONS 1943 FORTIFIED COMPANY (TARAWA) NAVY ARMOURED FORCE PLATOON Navy Armoured Force Platoon Command Type 95 HA-Go 4 Armoured Platoons 900 3 Armoured Platoons 700 Command Type 95 HA-Go 2 Armoured Platoons 410 1 Armoured Platoon 200 Command Type 95 HA-Go In Tarawa 14 Ha-Go tanks of the Sasebo 7th were available at time at the battle on Betio Island. 11 of them were destroyed, three were abandoned. Command Type 95 HA-Go AMPHIBIOUS PLATOON Amphibious Platoon Command Type2 Ka-Mi Command Type 2 Ka-Mi Type 2 Ka-Mi Type 2 Ka-Mi Type 2 Ka-Mi Type 2 Ka-Mi 2 Ka-Mi Amphibious Platoons 360 1 Ka-Mi Amphibious Platoons 180 Originally no amphibious platoons were deployed on Betio. It was planned to sent Ka-Mi tanks to all fortified SNLF companies on islands. 6th SUPPORT All Support platoons are rated as confident veteran. 6
SUPPORT PLATOONS FIELD ARTILLERY BATTERY Command Rifle/MG team Observer Rifle/MG team Gun section Gun section SNLF Field Artillery Battery 2 Gun Sections 7th 260 1 Gun Section 7th 130 2 Gun Sections 6th 240 1 Gun Section 6th 120 Add Observer 15 Use Fireburst rule, cannot deployed in ambush or surprise. HEAVY NAVAL ARTILLERY BATTERY Command Rifle/MG team Observer Rifle/MG team Heavy Naval Artillery Battery Gun section Type 89 127 mm gun Type 89 127 mm gun Gun section Type 89 127 mm gun Type 89 127 mm gun 2 Gun Sections 380 1 Gun Section 200 Add Observer 15 These guns were totally knocked out by battleship and destroyer gun fire in the pre-bombardment of the battle. SUPPORT All Support platoons are rated as confident veteran. 7
SUPPORT PLATOONS ANTI-AIR PLATOON SNLF Anti-air platoon Command Rifle/MG team Gun section 2 Gun Sections 260 1 Gun Section 140 Gun section These guns caused heavy casualties on the LVTs and could not be silenced by naval gun pre-bombardment. AIRCRAFT Mitsubishi A6M Zero Air support Sporadic 1 Flight A6M Zero 90 Mitsubishi G4M Betty Bomber 1 Flight Betty Bomber 100 There was no air support at Betio Island, as all available planes where destroyed by the naval gun fire in the pre-bombardment. SUPPORT All Support platoons are rated as confident veteran. 8
THE JAPANESE 3rd SPECIAL BASE FORCE ON TARAWA The Special Naval Landing Force was the marine component of the IJN. Compared with the Imperial Japanese Army they were highly trained with better discipline and had a small unit leadership. The 3rd Special Base Defense Force was assigned to Tarawa in 1943 and had a strength of 1,112 men. They were reinforced by the 7th Sasebo Special Naval Landing Force ( 1,497 men) in March 1943. It was commanded by Commander Takeo Sugai. This unit came with 14 Type 95 light tanks under the command of Ensign Ohtani. The Battle of Tarawa (Betio) November 20-23, 1943 The Japanese command was made aware of the vulnerability and strategic significance of the Gilbert Islands and in February 1943 the 6th Yokosuka Special Naval Landing Force arrived to reinforce the island. Rear Admiral Tomanari Saichiro was an experienced engineer who directed the construction of the sophisticated defensive structures on Betio island. After arrival the 6th Yokosuka became a typical island garrison force and the unit's name was changed to the 3rd Special Base Defense Force. The goal in the Japanese defensive scheme was to stop the attackers in the water or pin them on the beaches. A series of fourteen coastal defense guns, including four large Vickers 8-inch guns, were deployed together with a number of pill boxes and firing pits with an excellent fields of fire over the water and sandy shore. At the interior on the island were the command post and a number of large shelters designed to protect defenders from air attack and bombardment. The island's defenses were not set up for a battle in depth across the island's interior. The Japanese worked intensely for nearly a year to fortify the island. About 1,247 men of the 111th Pioneers and 970 men of the Fourth Fleet's construction battalion were brought in to build the defence constructions. Nealy 1,200 of the men were Korean forced laborers. After a pre-bombardment of Battleships, the Marines started their attack from the lagoon at 09:00 a.m. on November, 20, but only the tracked LVT "Alligators" were able to get across. Half of the LVTs were knocked out of action by the end of the first day. Without rest and under constant withering enemy fire, the Marines attacked against the strongly defended Japanese positions. By the end of the first day, out of the 5,000 Marines put ashore 1,500 were dead or wounded. Operations along Red 2 and Red 3 on November, 21 were considerably more difficult. By the early afternoon the Marines had crossed the airstrip and had occupied abandoned defensive works on the Southern side. The third day of the battle consisted primarily of holding existing lines and moving additional heavy equipment and tanks ashore. On November, 22 the Japanese forces formed up for a major night counterattack and lost most of their soldiers, but on day 3, on November 23, they even launched a final banzai charge with 300 Japanese remaing troops into the lines of the Marines. With help from Artillery and the destroyers USS Schroeder and USS Sigsbee, the Marines were able to beat back the last attack and the battle was over. About 6,400 Japanese, Koreans, and Americans died in the fighting on and around the small island of Betio. 9
SPECIAL RULES FOR 3rd SPECIAL BASE FORCE ON TARAWA The Special Naval Landing Force was the marine component of the IJN. Compared with the Imperial Japanese Army they were highly trained with better discipline and had a small unit leadership. The 3rd Special Base Defense Force was assigned to Tarawa in 1943 and had a strength of 1,112 men. They were reinforced by the 7th Sasebo Special Naval Landing Force (1,497 men) in March 1943. It was commanded by Commander Takeo Sugai. This unit came with 14 Type 95 light tanks under the command of Ensign Ohtani. BANZAI CHARGE In Assault or Hand to Hand combat, japanese SNLF combat platoons hit on a 2+. If forced to fall back from defensive fire, it may roll for a Banzai motivation check, if passed the Assault goes on, otherwise it falls back as normal or Assault does not happen. SNLF-COMMAND Combat platoons may change their commanders if they are lost due to combat like in the mission tactics rule or may change a normal combat team to a command team. HIDDEN MINEFIELDS You may place minefields anywhere on the table during the game in the turn of your opponent, even in sea or surf zones. These minefields can be placed in the movement phase of your opponent. If any teams, tanks, guns, LVTs or boats end their movement on such a hidden minefield, it has to take a test on a hit of mines immediately. DEFENDING THE ISLAND (Use this rule if you fight an ISLAND ATTACK MISSION ) All your platoons might be dugged in or in prepared positions in their gun emplacements. You even can dug in your tanks, but these tanks cannot move for the game anymore. Before the first turn you have to place your fortifications, except minefields. TO THE LAST MAN Combat platoons of the SNLF may fight to the last man and the Last man standing rules does not apply. OTHER RULES You may use known rules for the japanese like Envelope for infantry, Duty to the End and Hip Shot for tanks. Artillery may use the Fire Burst rule. 10
JAPANESE ARSENAL ON TARAWA TANKS Standard, Front: 1 Side: 1 Top: 1 - Turret MG, Hull MG, one-man turret Type 94 37mm gun Range: 24 / 60cm ROF: 2 AT: 5 FP: 4+ Type 2 Ka-Mi Slow,20cm Front: 1 Side: 1 Top: 1 - Turret MG, Hull MG, one-man turret, amphibious tank Type 94 37mm Range: 24 / 60cm ROF: 2 AT: 5 FP: 4+ TANK MGs: Range 40cm ROF: 3 AT: 2: FP: 6 - ROF 1 if other weapons fire GUNS AT gun - man-packed, Range: 8 /20cm ROF:2 AT:7 FP: 5 - cannot shoot when pinned or moved Type 3 HMG - man-packed, Range: 24 /60cm ROF:6 AT:2 FP: 6 - ROF 3 when pinned or moved Type 94 37mm AT gun - light, Range: 24 /60cm ROF:3 AT:6 FP: 4+ - Gun Shield Type 38 75mm gun - light, Range: 24 /60cm ROF:2 AT:6 FP: 3+ - Gun Shield, Smoke fireing bombardment: 40 /100cm AT:3 FP: 6 Type 97 81 mm infantry mortar - man-packed, 16 /40cm ROF:2 AT:2 FP: 6 - AA Mine Discharger fireing bombardment: 40 /100cm AT:3 FP: 6 Type 38 75mm - immobile, Range: 24 /100cm ROF:3 AT:11 FP: 3+ - Anti-Aircraft Type 89 122mm - immobile, Range: 30 /80cm ROF:3 AT:14 FP: 2+ - Breakthrough gun fireing bombardment: 80 /200cm AT:6 FP: 3+ INFANTRY Sword team 4 /10cm ROF:1 AT:1 FP:6 - Hits on a 2+ in Assaults and has Tank Assault of 1 Rifle team 16 /40cm ROF:1 AT:2 FP:6 Rifle/MG team 16 /40cm ROF:2 AT:2 FP:6 - ROF 2 when pinned LMG team 16 /40cm ROF:5 AT:2 FP:6 - ROF 2 when pinned Light Mortar 16 /40cm ROF:1 AT:1 FP:4+ Lung mines (Nikuhaku) - human bullet, improvised Tank Assault 4 Staff team 16 /40cm ROF:1 AT:2 FP:6 Pioneer teams are rated as Tank Assault 3 FORTIFICATIONS HMG Bunker immobile 24 /60cm ROF: 6 AT: 2 FP: 6 - ROF 3 when pinned AIRCRAFT A6M Zero : MG tohit: 2+ AT: 6 FP: 5+ Bombs: to Hit: 4+ AT: 5 FP: 2+ Betty Bomber: MG tohit: 2+ AT: 6 FP: 5+ Bombs: to Hit: 3+ AT: 7 FP: 2+ 11
JAPANESE ARSENAL ON TARAWA AMPHIBIOUS TANK Tanks like the Japanese Ka-Mi may use this rule and may move into water. The speed of these tanks is 4 /10cm as in difficult terrain. They may even fire with their main gun or MGs. AA MINE DISCHARGER You may use this as Anti-Aircraft gun with RANGE: 16 /40cm ROF:2 AT: 4 FP:5 + The AA Mine Discharger was a Japanese anti-aircraft weapon fired by 81mm mortars. The device was a simple tube like an infantry mortar of 70 mm or 81 mm caliber. Instead of a standard mortar bomb, the projectile was a tube containing seven individual mines, each mine was equipped with a parachute. When fired, the mortar threw the shell to a range of 3,000 to 4,000 feet (900 to 1,200 m) and a maximum altitude of approximately 600 m. The shell ejected the mines at the top of its arc. They would then float down on their parachutes. They were fused to detonate on contact or after a fixed time period, damaging nearby aircraft. The weapon could also be used like a simple cluster bomb, by firing over enemy troops. LUNG MINES (improvised Anti-tank weapons) In the years of World War Two, the Japanese developed a crude hand-thrown HEAT antitank grenade, and a suicide-weapon HEAT-warhead anti-tank grenade, the lunge mine, that was not launched or thrown, but rammed into the target like a bayonet. As well as the HEAT grenade, the Type 3. The Japanese also used large improvised bombs made with teapots and other salvaged material. TYPE 100 SUBMACHINE GUN The Type 100 submachine gun had a rate of fire of 800 rounds/min. Between 10,000 to 30,000 were built between 1942-1945. TYPE 96 LIGHT MACHINE GUN The Type 96 was a light machine gun used by the Japanese from 1936-1945. TYPE 97 BOLT-ACRTION RIFLE (SNIPER RIFLE) The Type 97 was a Japanese bolt-action rifle, based on the Type 38 rifle. It used the Japanese designed 6.5 50mm Arisaka caliber cartridge which produced little recoil when fired. Its stopping power was reduced by the rifle's 31 1/2 inch long barrel which slowed the bullet, and because the charge was light compared to the bullet's weight. It was built between 1937-1945. 12
PACIFIC ISLAND ATTACK MISSION Attacker Half your force (Wave 1, Wave 2) Sort your troops to the landing crafts Defender Place one Objective Attacker Place your Objective Defender Place your fortifications Deploy all your troops (prepared positions) GREEN BEACH N RED BEACH 1 RED BEACH 2 RED BEACH 3 HQ 0 500 yds 0 500 m SEA ZONE 4 /10cm 1000 yds 1000 m Attacker Preliminary Bombardment SURF REEF ZONE 4 /10cm BEACH ZONE 12 /30cm 8 /20cm Start first turn with the Attacker Set first Attacker wave 1 into Seazone Normal shooting etc. ISLAND 12 /30cm Defenders turn as usual Attackers turn Set wave 2 into Sea Zone Set wave 1 into Surf Reef Zone Normal shooting etc. Defenders turn as usual Attackers turn Set wave 2 into Surf Reef Zone Set wave 1 into Beach Zone Normal movement for wave 1 etc. (till the end of the game) 8 /20cm Preliminary Bobardment (Battleships) The Attacker rolls a to hit of 4+ on every enemy team on the table. The Defender has a normal save. 4 /10cm HOW TO END THE BATTLE The battle ends either: - at the end of the starting step of the allied turn 12 - when the allied player starts any of their turns holding both objectives The Japanese win: - if the allied player is still stuck in the beach zone at the end of his turn 6 - if the Japanese hold both objectives at turn 12 The Allies win: - If they hold the Japanese objective 8 /20cm 13