Battle of Wau

In 1942, in New Guinea, the village of Wau and its small airfield was the base of the Kanga Force, an Australian unit that harassed the Japanese troops in Lae and Salamaua. In January 1943, Japanese command decided to capture …

1943-01-28

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In 1942, in New Guinea, the village of Wau and its small airfield was the base of the Kanga Force, an Australian unit that harassed the Japanese troops in Lae and Salamaua. In January 1943, Japanese command decided to capture Wau and about 4,000 men under the command of General Okabe landed in Salamaua and began to cross the jungle. The Okabe Detachment arrived in the vicinity of Wau by the end of January but the troops were starved and exhausted by the advance through the jungle. However, General Okabe decided to attack immediately and on January 28th, the battle began. Australian reinforcements arrived under fire from the superior Japanese forces the next day by plane and immediately entered the fighting. On January 30th, the attack of Okabe Detachment had definitively failed and the Japanese withdrew to Salamaua. The stage is set, the battle lines are drawn and you are in command.

Wau, New Guinea

The Battle of Wau, 29 January – 4 February 1943, was a battle in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. Forces of the Empire of Japan sailed from Rabaul and crossed the Solomon Sea and, despite Allied air attacks, successfully reached Lae, where they disembarked. Japanese troops then advanced overland on Wau, an Australian base that potentially threatened the Japanese positions at Salamaua and Lae. A race developed between the Japanese moving overland, hampered by the terrain, and the Australians, moving by air, hampered by the weather. By the time the Japanese reached the Wau area after a trek over the mountains, the Australian defenders had been greatly reinforced by air. In the battle that followed, despite achieving tactical surprise by approaching from an unexpected direction, the Japanese attackers were unable to capture Wau.

Wikipedia: Battle of Wau

Japanese

Australian

Game Type: Standard

Board Type: Countryside

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