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Mission Duration: 30 minutes
The Owen Stanley Ranges campaign was the third
prong of a Japanese attack to gain possession of Port Moresby. His
first, a naval movement, had been frustrated in the Battle of the
Coral Sea in May, 1942. His attack on Milne Bay in August, 1942,
resulted in defeat when he suffered his first reverse of the war on
land. The third prong, his drive over the Owen Stanleys from Buna-Oona,
came close to success, reaching within twenty-five air miles of Port
Moresby.
A small force of Australians known as "Maroubra Force"
arrived at Buna on July 21st, 1942, as the first Japanese force of
1500 men landed at Gona, eight miles to the west. The first
engagement between the opposing troops was on the 23rd and from that
engagement, as our force was progressively outnumbered, began the
long fighting withdrawal over the Owen Stanley Range.
Kokoda is a small plateau on the north-east slopes of the Owen
Stanley Range and possessed a small air-strip the retention of
which, for at least as long as it would take us to fly in supplies
and reinforcements, was of great importance. However, the remnants
of "Maroubra Force", exhausted by a month's constant
fighting, were unable to achieve this. Valiant though their effort
was, they even recaptured the plateau after being driven out, the
Japanese need was of equal importance as they required a forward
base at Kokoda for their drive over the ranges along the "Kokoda
Trail" to Port Moresby and they struck before we were able to
muster sufficient strength.
The initiative now remained with the enemy and our withdrawal began
again - through Isurava, Alola, Templeton's Crossing, Myola, Efogi,
Menari and Nauro until at Ioribaiwa Ridge, beyond which the Japanese
could not be permitted to penetrate, a final stand was made.
The Japanese had now inherited all the difficulties of an extended
supply line. For the last fortnight there was a comparative lull in
the fighting during which both sides have consolidated their
positions.
We, however, had a surprise in store for the enemy. 25-pounder guns
were brought from Moresby to the road head at Ower's Corner and then
laborious Dragged into position at Imita Ridge, opened up on the
enemy's barricades and it was now the turn of the Japanese to suffer
what we had suffered in the preceding two months. Our shelling
smashed his defenses And now its time for aggressive patrols to
inflict severe losses on him. On the morning of September 28th we
were closing in and it became evident then the enemy was
withdrawing. The chase, with us the pursuers, was now on.
The Japanese, however. despite sickness and hunger, are still
formidable and tenaciously defending all the places in their
withdrawal as we had in our retreat some weeks earlier.
You are member of a 14 man patrol pushing up the Kokoda Trail with
the aim of capturing Japanese strong points and destroying as many
enemy as possible.
The Australian Imperial force is under orders to push the Japanese forces back through the jungle with heavy casualties.
(Special note: Until
strong
point 1 is
taken,
Australians
cannot
go
more
than 10 metres
of
the
main
track.)
The Kokoda Trail, a long, thin track cut through the dense
vegetation of Papua New Guinea.
Japanese Force:
Numbers: 7 + 7x 2 (total of 14) replacements from each successive
strong point, Japanese cannot advance past the strong point from
which a replacement was taken. This is a fighting retreat up the
Kokoda trail after all.
The LMG and SMG have special rules on ammunition to represent the
over extended Japanese supply line. Basically you only get one clip
of ammunition per starting soldier or replacement
Hit points: 2 hit points each
Weapons
|
Rank
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Weapon
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Lasertag Weapon
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Special Rules
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Captain
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8 mm Nambu 14th
Pistol
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Long-range pistols
|
|
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Lieutenant
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8 mm Nambu 14th
Pistol
|
Long-range pistols
|
|
|
Private
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6.5mm Taisho 11th Year Gun
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LMG (5)
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Only 1 clip allowed per replacement.
Must be full auto mode
|
|
Private
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8mm Type 100
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SMG
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Only one clip per replacement.
Must be full auto mode
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Private
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7.7mm Type 99 Rifle (1939)
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50mm Pro
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Single Shot Only
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Private
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7.7mm Type 99 Rifle (1939)
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50mm Pro
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Single Shot Only
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Private
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7.7mm Type 99 Rifle (1939)
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50mm Pro
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Single Shot Only
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Victory Points
The Japanese receives 300 points if they hold for 30 minutes the first strong points, 200 points if they hold the 2nd strong point and 150 points if they hold the 3rd strong point.
Each unused replacement and surviving soldier is worth 5 victory points.
Australian Imperial Force:
Numbers: 14 + 21 replacements (Received from the Base at the bottom of the trail)
Hit points: 2 hit points each
Weapons:
|
Rank
|
Weapon
|
Lasertag
Weapon
|
Special
Rules
|
|
Lieutenant
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Enfield Pistol No.2, Mark 1
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Long-range pistols
|
|
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Sergeant
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Enfield Pistol No.2, Mark 1
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Long-range pistols
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|
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Corporal
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Enfield Pistol No.2, Mark 1
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Long-range pistols
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|
|
Private
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Enfield Pistol No.2, Mark 1
|
Long-range pistols
|
|
|
Private
|
Bren Light Machine Gun .303 Mark 1
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LMG (5)
|
|
|
Private
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Bren Light Machine Gun .303 Mark 1
|
LMG (5)
|
|
|
Private
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Austen Mk1
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SMG
|
|
|
Private
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Austen Mk1
|
SMG
|
|
|
Private
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Austen Mk1
|
SMG
|
|
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Private
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.303in Rifle Number 4 Mark 2 (Lee Enfield)
|
Pro
|
Single
Shot only
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|
Private
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.303in Rifle Number 4 Mark 2 (Lee Enfield)
|
Pro
|
Single
Shot only
|
|
Private
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.303in Rifle Number 4 Mark 2 (Lee Enfield)
|
Pro
|
Single
Shot only
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|
Private
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.303in Rifle Number 4 Mark 2 (Lee Enfield)
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Pro (25mm)
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Single
Shot only
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Private
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.303in Rifle Number 4 (t) Sniper Model
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Morita Sniper Rifle
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One
Reload per replacement
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If required 1 Enfield Pistol can be replaced by an automatic pistol.
If required the SMG or LMG’s can be replaced by the mini-pulse rifle.
Victory Points
The Australians receive 50 victory points if they capture only strong point 1, 150 points for strong point 1 and 2 and 300 points for all three bases. Note there are no points for capturing a strong point if a lower numbered strong point is not held. So if the Australians capture strong points 2 & 3 but not 1, they get 0 points.
Each unused replacement and surviving soldier is worth 5 victory points.
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