The rest of Forts Prep broke 1.5 squads and the sniper broke 1 more throwing back a good fraction of what was arrayed against 526. Forts HS on the flanks collapsed centrally while garrisons on 507 and 502 stayed put. 1 reduced strength squad whose LMG had broken advanced forward into CC with me CR'ng a squad but dying and generating a leader for me (Who was wounded on creation and died on a SAN shortly thereafter)

Turn 2 saw me committing troops back to Hill 490 anticipating Fort might bring his reinforcement 1.5 Squads there, unfortunately I only allocated 1.5 squads & 8-0 leader to the job I should really have gone with 2.5, and Fort's brave 1.5 squads ended up taking hill 490.

I moved 2.5 squads and leader up out of U2 gully cunningly noting the LOS from W3 was blocked by inherent Bamboo and completely ignoring the LOS from T5, bonehead move but Forts 10 DR on the 6-2 is a portent of things to come. By this stage the dice were getting horrendous for Gary I had generated one leader on a snakes in CC and then up north another on a snakes MMC self-rally then a hero and a fanatic came along. I believe Gary is seeking state to have me put on a no fly list for having weapons grade influences on the probability field of games I am near.

Turn 3 saw me commit 2.5 squads of reinforcements to 507 and a HS and dummy to 502 while 1.5-2 squads each of the main force infiltarted on north and soutch fanaks to support each of these efforts

Gary bought his 1.5 Squds on vs 490 very effectively and some smooth play saw him take 490 with and me being unable to recover it even with fresh troops committed there for Turns 5 and 6. In the center the grind continued with Gary having awful dice until Turn 5 or so when the probability field startted to invert. 502 and 507 fell without great resistance occuring on the Japanese part but the back half of 5 saw 2 Japanese squads and a 9-1 advance into U6 to claim the hill. With 490 looking unlikely to fall these were then key to an allied victory

I had a few shots arrayed against them and one lucky final 6+0 prep Boxed out the leader and all of a sudden just a 237 was left. I rolled the remainder of my force up Gary firsted and subsequented but couldn’t FPF for fear of an instant loss. My advancing fire broke the HS and the game was done.

Fort had horrendyouse (horrendyouse having 100 millyouse added to a normal level of horrendous) dice in the middle of the game which certainly cost him the game though the dice at the end made it close again. I commited a strategic blunder with Hill 490 and one screwball Doh move into U3 (Which I got away with). The static defense in foxholes certainly maximizes the grinding ability of the Japanese to hold on in attirition mode, however it did mean Fort wasn’t able to recommit any forces back to bulk up 502 and 509.

I’m not enamoured of static defense but OTOH recommiting back may have meant that all 3 hills fell more easily. I look forward to the mandatory revenge match Fort has already claimed. A great game versus a great opponent, next time we ditch the dicebot! (Either FTF @ ASLOK or using Webdice)