Grumble Jones May Scenario - GJ070 The Duropa Plantation

Well, once again it's scenario time at Grumble Jones. Some of you may cringe at the thought of another basement press edition, but hopefully enough folks enjoy seeing what lunacy comes from my desktop publisher! This month's scenario is the 70th of the GJ series. 

The inspiration for this month's scenario comes from the current issue of World at War magazine. I really love this magazine. It might be the best WW II magazine currently in print.

The article on page 51 entitled ANZAC War in the Pacific covers the fighting in New Guinea in late 1942 through early 1943. Really fantastic article with great narrative, pictures and maps to cover the action.

While reading it, a map of the fighting for Buna-Gona showed an Allied force called "Warren Force". A little research later and it was revealed that Warren Force was primarily made up of the 128th Infantry Regiment of the 32nd Infantry Division. Warren Force also contained Australian units. And given the title of the article, you would think this scenario would be focused on the Australian effort. 

But, since the Australian efforts at Buna-Gona are rightfully well-known, I opted to create a scenario based on the men of the 32n Division. At the time off Buna-Gona, the 32nd was entering its first real combat test. And initially it stumbled against heavy Japanese resistance. This was not looked upon kindly by MacArthur, who added Australian units to support the 32nd later in the campaign. MacArthur's perception was that the 32nd was not moving forward with sufficient vigor. Of course, this was a perception made in the rear and not in the thick of jungle fighting with a determined Japanese foe. 

After looking at some of the maps available from a Google search, I saw an opportunity to use Board 73 and convert it to a Coconut Plantation. I really like Board 73 and like to use it in Normandy based scenarios as well. You know one giant Apple Orchard to supply the Allies with Calvados. 

So from this map, I pieced together a scenario to highlight the efforts of a concentrated American attack through the Duropa Plantation and moving into the New Airstrip depicted on the map. This is a big scenario with a lot squads. It's a bit of "mash-up" that should allow both sides to deal one another some real body blows and still maintain a front to the enemy.

I experimented with the victory conditions. Essentially, there are 5 possible victory condition actions. Of these 5, the American Player secretly records 2 of them. At any point during the game, if both of the selected victory conditions are met, the American Player wins immediately. 

If by game end the American Player has not completed the selected victory conditions, then the Japanese Player wins.

The victory conditions are a mixed bag that ensures that the American Player utilizes the available American squads to best effect to cover the ground necessary to achieve the VC.

Likewise, the Japanese Player has to spread his defense to cover five different potential victory conditions and then to quickly discern which ones his opponent has focused on in order to focus his defensive effort. 

So as always, here's hoping that this scenario gives a decent insight into the fighting at Duropa Plantation.

As always these monthly "Basement Quality" Scenarios are offered for fun only and as a thank you to the readers of this blog.

Remember to open pictures in a new window in order to maximize the size. 

And as always, these scenarios can be downloaded from The ASL Scenario Archive 

(just search on Grumble Jones).