Meat Grinder is the sixth and final scenario of the Pacific Campaign in Empire Earth: The Art of Conquest. It serves as a reenactment of the Battle of Iwo Jima.
Briefing[]
FROM THE WAR DEPARTMENT
CINCPAC
19 FEBUARY 1945
"It has become clear we need a base for escort fighters to protect bombing raids on Japan. Iwo Jima lies only 650 miles from Tokyo and two airfields are under construction. The capture of these airfields is the preliminary objective, with the elimination of the enemy forces on the island being the final objective.
The island has been subjected to days of intense naval and air bombardment to soften up the defenses, but the Japanese have had time to entrench their positions, so results are uncertain.
The Japanese have long regarded Iwo Jima as part of the Japanese Islands, so expect stiff resistance."
Objectives[]
- Capture the airfields on the island. Do not allow them to be destroyed.
- Destroy all Japanese forces on the island.
- Destroy Japanese defenses near the beaches on the East side of the Island.
- Beach defenses have been destroyed. Transport ships loaded with marines are ready to storm the beaches. Task the transports to the landing zones you just cleared to unload your forces. The landing zones have been marked with flags.
- Move North and destroy the pillboxes and defenders. Taking out a group of pillboxes will eliminate Japanese reinforcements.
- A field hospital has been created to help you heal your troops.
- Clear the pillboxes from the North end of the island. (Hill 165)
- Capture Mt. Suribachi by moving 5 marines to the summit.
History[]
Iwo Jima is a volcanic island located less then 650 miles from Tokyo. In early 1945 this tiny outcrop, only 8 miles across at it's widest point, became one of the most densely populated places on the Earth, as Japan and the United States battled for control.
The Americans needed the island as a forward base to deploy fighter escorts for bombing raids on Japan, and as an emergency landing strip for damaged bombers. The Japanese considered Iwo home territory, and considered this battle a watershed for the Pacific campaign. If they could make the invasion of Iwo expensive enough, perhaps they could dissuade America from invading the Japanese homeland.
When it became clear that the United States was preparing to invade the island, the Japanese assigned nearly 20,000 troops to its defense. General Kuribayashi, commander of the Japanese forces, realized that heroic "banzai" charges in previous island campaigns were ineffective. Instead he ordered his forces to defend from carefully constructed fortifications to the last man. None of them expected to survive.
This late in the war there was virtually no Japanese navy or air power available to defend the island, so the defense plans called for digging into the volcanic soil of the island. The Japanese created over 20 miles of tunnels connecting pillboxes and defensive positions. When the expected air and naval bombardment from US forces came, it had little effect on the rank and file Japanese troops, protected in their bunkers.
More than 110,000 American troops were sent to Iwo, more then any other Pacific battle. The Americans were subjected to withering fire. Virtually every inch of the island was in range of Japanese guns. The Americans rarely saw Japanese troops above ground, and the loose volcanic soil meant digging foxholes was nearly impossible. Japanese snipers were everywhere and the Americans had nowhere to hide. Casualties on both sides were horrendous as the Americans, bolstered by flame throwing tanks, slowly and painfully cleared areas of the island dubbed "The Amphitheater", "Turkey Knob", and "The Meat Grinder."
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The following combat scenario is a fictionalized re-telling of the battle for Iwo Jima. Many of the Details of the details of the actual campaign have been condensed in order to present a more liner series of events. This should not be taken as a slight to the heroics and sacrifices of the men who served, but rather as an homage of sorts.
Hints[]
- The Japanese will reinforce their positions with underground tunnels until you take out clusters of enemy Pillboxes.
- Always use mixed forces to attack the enemy. Don't leave your artillery or Flame Throwers unguarded...they are your best means of destroying the Pillboxes.
- Defend your special forces. You will have a limited number of Tanks, artillery, and Flame Throwers.
- Guard your flank...the enemy has access to the whole island through their tunnels.
Walkthrough[]
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