KAKAZU RIDGE CAMPAIGN GAME
(apply to all KR scenarios)
KR 1: MISCELLANEOUS: Kindling and the B23.41 Cellar rules are NA. Grain is in season. The terrain rises from Level -3 (C1) through all intervening levels (e.g., Level -2 (C8), Level -1 (D9), Level 0 (E9), Level 1 (G10), to Level 4 (S12) and back down to level -2 (A22).) The lowest elevation on the map is IN the Gorge in a Level -3 hex (e.g., a unit IN the Gorge in hex C2 is at Level -4).
KR 2: THE GORGE: All gully hexes (EX: A2) are considered part of the Gorge and treated as a Dry Stream (B33.) for all purposes [EXC: Vehicles exiting any Gorge hex via a non-depression hexside must make a Bog DR with an additional +4 DRM; vehicles failing this Bog DR are considered Bogged IN the depression hex being exited].1
KR 3: DEBRIS:2 Debris (EX: H9) is Inherent Terrain (B.6) and Concealment Terrain (A12.12); in daytime scenarios, E1.16 applies for Fortifications in Debris. Debris has a +1 TEM and is a Half-level LOS Hindrance. A Blaze will not spread to Debris. Infantry must expend one MF +COT to enter a Debris Location. Only a fully-tracked AFV may enter Debris and does so by expending ¼ (FRU) of its MP allotment and taking a Bog Check with an additional +3 DRM. A Fortification may exist in a Debris Location unless other terrain/
KR 4: CAVES: Contrary to G11.1, the maximum number of caves per hexside is 3 (i.e., 18 caves per hex).3 Any non-hidden cave in the same hex as, at the same level as, and with the same CA as, a cave that is the designated target of a non-DC attack may also be affected by that attack. All non-ordnance, non-DC IFT attacks are also resolved vs eligible non-target caves with half FP. All Infantry Target Type or LATW attacks treat such eligible non-target caves in the same manner as if they and the target cave were overstacked vehicles receiving an attack on the Vehicle Target Type. That is, if the Final TH DR exceeds the Modified TH Number by < the number of eligible caves, make a subsequent dr. If that dr is < than the number of eligible caves, one of the non-target caves (selected randomly if more than one) has been hit If a Thrown DC dr (G11.833) is unsuccessful and the DC attacks the target cave using the +4 TEM, it also attacks eligible non-target caves at half FP using the +4 TEM.
KR 5. JAPANESE SPIGOT MORTAR CAVES:4
KR 5.1: Japanese 320mm spigot mortars are represented by Mortar Cave counters and use a modified firing procedure as outlined in KR SSR 5.2 below. Mortar Caves are differentiated from standard caves by use of special cave counters (i.e., a cave counter with a small railway depiction exiting the cave) and are treated as normal caves except as indicated. A Mortar Cave has a normal stacking limit (A5.1) of one HS-equivalent. The spigot mortar is considered an integral part of the Mortar Cave and may never be moved, nor does it ever take counter form. A Mortar Cave must be part of a Cave Complex. If a Mortar Cave becomes permanently malfunctioned due to an Original 12 effects DR (KR 5.2), flip the cave over to its disabled side. Eliminated Mortar Caves are worth 2 CVP.
KR 5.2: A Mortar Cave may attack only in a Friendly AFPh in which all its occupants are Good Order, unpinned, and are using Opportunity Fire to operate the spigot mortar. Mortar Cave attacks are handled like OBA, with no penalty for being overstacked. The Japanese player places an SR in any target hex ≥ 3 hexes away (LOS is not required) and makes an accuracy dr. An Original accuracy dr of 1 results in a direct hit, which is immediately resolved in the target hex as a 20 FP Indirect Fire attack. Any Original effects DR of 12 results in permanent malfunction of the Mortar Cave. An Original accuracy dr ≤ 2 results in a near miss. Roll normally for direction and Extent of Error (C1.31). All Extent of Error dr are halved (FRU), and no final target hex may be within 3 hexes of the mortar cave. Reroll any direction/
KR 6: KAKAZURIDGE (KR) CAVE COMPLEXES:5 There are seven pre-set KR Cave Complexes that may be utilized in the various Kakazu Ridge scenarios. These are available by SSR only. All cave Complex rules (G11.2) apply except as noted below. There is no Primary Cave for any KR Cave Complex. The seven KR Cave Complexes are referred to in the SSR by the following names.
| NAME | STACKING CAPACITY | HEXES |
|---|---|---|
| Kakazu West | 15 | E1O, F10-12, G10-14, H10-14, I11-12 |
| Kakazu Saddle | 12 | J11-12, K11-14, L10-14, M9-13, N8-12 |
| Kakazu Center | 20 | N13, O9-13, P8-12, Q8-13, R7-9 |
| Kakazu Front | 20 | R10-11, S8-12, T8-12, U9-12, V8-12, W9-12, X9-11 |
| Kakazu Reverse | 15 | R12-13, S13-15, T13-15, U13-15, V13 |
| Kakazu East | 15 | W13, X12-13, Y11-14, Z11-14, AA11-14, BB13 |
| Kakazu Village | 12 | L15-17, M14-18, N14-18, 015-19, P15-19, Q16-20, R16-19, S17-19 |
KR Cave Complex Stacking capacities are not affected by the number of caves assigned to the Cave Complex. Additional Cave Complexes may be given by SSR, as well as created by the Japanese player; these may not intrude upon any KR Cave Complex but otherwise all rules of G11 apply to them.
KR 7: KR RUBBLE: The KR map depicts several printed rubble Locations (EX: hex M20 contains wooden rubble; hex N17 contains stone rubble) which are treated as if a rubble counter of the appropriate type were in that Location. Ignore small portions of the artwork extending across a hexside into an adjacent non-rubble Location; the presence of these fragments serves only to reinforce the fact that, as Inherent Terrain, rubble blocks all same-level LOS traced along the rubble hexside. Printed rubble may not be cleared All rubble (printed or in counter form) is treated as a building for Ambush (A11.1) and Street Fighting (A11.8) purposes.
KR 8: OFF-MAP TERRAIN: For the purposes of A2.51, the road that extends off map at II6 is considered to extend beyond that map edge in hexes of coordinate 5. All terrain in an off-map Setup Area is considered Open Ground [EXC: half-hexes; A2.51]. On the other hand, all on-map terrain that is not in play in a given scenario remains in effect for "offboard" movement and entry purposes during that scenario.
KR 9: OBA: When given a Pre-Registered hex, the American player may utilize Barrages (E12.) with an alternate hex grain parallel to the north board edge; Creeping Barrages (E12.7) are NA.
KR 10: ASSAULT ENGINEERS: American 7-4-7s/3-3-7s are Assault Engineers (H1.22).
FOOTNOTES
1 KR 2. THE GORGE: The Japanese believed the Gorge to be impassable to vehicular traffic. However, the American armor was indeed able to utilize it while covering the advancing infantry elements. The sheer sides, however, especially where they ran alongside Kakazu Ridge, proved particularly treacherous to vehicles attempting to exit onto higher ground.
2 KR 3. DEBRIS: The Debris on the Kakazu Ridge map represents the blasted vegetation that littered the top and slopes of Kakazu Ridge. The American shelling in the preceding days had stripped the trees on the bill of most of their branches and covered the ground to a depth of several feet with broken branches and blasted trees and rock. It was virtually impassable to armor and offered the Japanese perfect concealment for their underground defenses.
3 KR 4. CAVES: The density of the Japanese fortifications on and around Kakazu Ridge was extremely high, even when compared to prepared defenses previously encountered by the Allies. These rules allow the Japanese player to concentrate his defenses more than is the norm in ASL terms, albeit at the risk of placing too many eggs in one basket, while still remaining true to the spirit of the cave rules.
4 KR 5. SPIGOT MORTAR CAVES: The Japanese had several large caliber spigot mortals available for the defense of the ridge. These were mainly of the 320mm type and had been adapted for mounting on low ore carts for mobility. In order to fire these mortars, the crew had to actually wheel the piece out of the mouth of the cave to gain enough clearance. Consequently, the crew was extremely vulnerable to fire while doing so. The crews had arranged for crude grid coordinates allowing a semblance of directed fire. Though seldom accurate, these guns did provide a rude surprise to American troops concentrating for an assault The Americans quickly learned to recognize caves housing these weapons (the tracks were usually visible) and went to great lengths to silence them once discovered.
5 KR 6. CAVE COMPLEXES: The Japanese position in and around Kakazu Ridge had been prepared with a massive engineering effort The entire ridge was honeycombed with tunnels and caves offering sanctuary from American air and artillery bombardment and prepared positions from which to interdict the attack. The Americans had some familiarity with this type of defense from their battles on other Pacific islands. They were not, however, initially prepared to find such an extensive network of fortifications in such an unassuming little hill as Kakazu. The use of predesignated complexes allows the Japanese to place caves and pillboxes anywhere on Kakazu Ridge and operates as a built-in mechanic to regulate underground movement within the ridge itself. The use of "extra" complexes allows the Japanese to place interconnected caves off of the ridge itself and lends the Japanese player some hidden cave placement in front of and behind the ridge.
