Dash for the Stairs PTO (id:#65877)
Manila, Luzon, Philippines 1945-02-26 ()
Designer: David Roth
Starter kit scenario?:    Deluxe scenario?:
 
Balance:
AmericanJapanese
44.444444444444%

Overview:

Private First Class Cleto Rodriguez's actions fighting at the Paco Railroad Station just fifteen days earlier would earn him a nomination for the Medal of Honor. Now, once again, he would be called upon to display valor far beyond what was expected. During one of the several attempts to penetrate the Legislative Building, Rodriguez and fifteen other soldiers of his platoon fought their way into the large open foyer of the building. Very soon, the magnitude of firing outside was nothing compared to the intensity inside. It seemed as if every Japanese in the place was shooting at them. With little in the way of available cover, the Americans faced certain death. Rodriguez loaded a full magazine into his BAR, fired off several rounds then stood and yelled "Follow me!" as he led the charge towards the spiral staircase on the other side of the debris-covered tile floor.
Attacker: American (Company A, 2nd Battalion, 148th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division)
Defender: Japanese (5th Naval Battalion and attached units.)  
6.5 turns
    Players: 2     OBA: None     Night: No
Unit Counts:
Squads: A:11.0 D:11.0
AFVs: A:0
AFVs: D:0
Guns: A:0 D:0

Victory Conditions:

Exit VP: Building Control VC: Area Control VC:
Unit Based VC: LOS Style VC: CVP Cap:
Misc Rules: D: Fortified Building (B23.9), A: Units in 2Y42 are Fanatic (A10.8)
Overlays: NONE
Errata (source)
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Scenario info

Last Played:
DateReporterOpponentBal.ResultTimeComments
2026-02-02(D) Jeff B vs Scott Sherer Japanese win9.25 hrsAs the name indicates, this one is all about controlling the stairwells. It will be interesting to see where the Amis setup, though with their ground-level restrictions the Japs can more or less dictate the situation. There's probably only one hex outside the building the Japs can set up in to avoid some potentially withering fire. The east side of the building was guarded with mines and wire and, though the Amis probably fully expected some further surprises, this is the area they chose to bull rush. Once the Amis get inside the building they will be extremely tough to stop, their only limitation being their poor morale. The Amis were slowed by some HIPs, but didn't suffer so much as a break. With the trap sprung, the Japs broke and routed to the arms of their waiting leader, and the Amis would have free reign to walk in the doors Turn 2. Vut not before the Japs poured into the cellars in the west. The eastern defenses were rapidly attrited by the Ami kill stack, and the Japs quickly lost a HS and striped a squad. Meanwhile the 2-4-9 hero was a bitch to take out, even in CC, and he got the best of a Jap HS. Thankfully he fell at the bottom of the turn, as well as another Jap HS, and the Japs burned one of their few precious DCs. There were still some Amis outside the building in the east, slowed by a brave and hearty defender. But Turn 3 saw the Amis fully inside the building (except for the kill stack which moved unopposed into one of the trenches outside in the south), and fully in control of the eastern stairs. The Amis burned two DCs while continuing to whittle away at the Japs, who lost another squad. Turn 4 saw probably a game-saving event. With Ami momentum rapidly growing, the Japs banzaied through the cellars from west to east, forcing an Ami squad to break in FPF, and clearing a path. Their attrition still continued however, losing 1.5 more squads, but the re-routing of Amis to deal with this new menace would buy them much-needed time. And so it became a battle of two halves: the Japs confined to the cellars in the east, as the Amis controlled 3/4 of the stairwells, while the Japs staunchly defended their last remaining access to the upper levels in the west. The body count on Turn 5 was mostly even: 1.5 squads for the Japs vs. one squad for the Amis. Concluding their half of the turn, the Japs made what would either be a game-winning move or game-losing move, depending on the dice, when they evacuated both heavy MGs from the cellars to the trenches. As luck would have it, they got the best of the 9-2 HMG stack when he flubbed his attack, sending him running deep into the bowels of the building. This allowed them to repopulate the area, forming a ring of Level 1 hexes around the 8-0 and three 137s. Virtually impregnable, they would just have to see one more HS hold out to preserve victory. When the FT fizzled out, and the 8-1 and HS leaving the building to dive into the back trenches was gunned down, the Japs had at least 5 VP left of GO units in the building. This one is probably more interesting on paper than it plays, because once you get into it it's a bit of a headache for both sides managing all the different levels. It would probably be helpful to have a copy of the building at hand so that each side could use their own when manipulating all the different counters that will be cluttered amongst only a few pertinent hexes.
2022-11-24(D) Lawrence Spangler vs Diane Spangler Japanese win
2022-11-24(A) Diane Spangler vs Lawrence SpanglerA Japanese win
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ActionDate
buser333 Added a playing2026-02-02 23:04:39
aokigaryou Modified the unit counts2025-11-10 06:05:07
aokigaryou Uploaded the Board image2025-09-23 09:32:02
Hutch Removed a map2025-02-13 12:38:57
Hutch Modified the maps2025-02-13 12:38:19
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Statistics:
Avg Rating: 7.20Votes: 5
Views: 0
To-Play list count: 2
Estimated Play time: 3.3 hours
Recorded Games: 2
Archive recorded plays:
American0
Japanese2
Drawn:0

ROAR Data: (as of today)
Dash for the Stairs
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[A] American 4
[D] Japanese 3
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