The pacific front: Opening moves

[Latro]

It's been a while, but I promised to post the result from my campaign battles ... so here they come:

The Battle for Java

The Japanese attackers (from memory):

1x Imperial Sergeant
6x Arisaka Riflemen
4x SNLF Paratroopers
2x SNLF Fanatics
2x AT Rifles
1x Type 92 MG
3x Type 89 Mortar
1x Type 95 Ha-Go
1x Type 89A Chi-Ro
1x A6M Zero

The heroic UK defenders (me!):

1x Inspiring Lt.
2x Bren Machine Gunner
4x Veteran SMLE
2x Vickers MG
1x 40mm Bofors
2x M3 Stuart
1x Pillbox
2x Barbed Wire

The map we rolled for was "High Ground" with me choosing sdes and setting up first because I was the fixed defender. I (of course) chose the sie with the objctive on it, moved the objective to the larger hill-section and used my special deploy-rules to create a strong defensive line:

I wanted to "herd" the Japanese attackers along a single flank, so I tried to encourage that with my deployment. The Bofors in the pillbox went on the left hill-section, barbed wire hindered the enemy from entering the hills on the extreme left and a small infantry section was standing by to take and defend those hills should it be needed. The rest of the defenders deployed on and behind the hills, making sure the enemy fire-support couldn't target them.

That part of the plan worked fine: all the Japanese infantry deployed on the right flank. The Mortars and Tanks hid in cover more to the rear.

The Japanese started very agressive. Mortars hit and destroyed the Bofors AA emplacement and the Zero tried to strafe the Inspiring Lt. ... tried to, because it dove straight into the defensive fire of the nearby Bofors (house-rule: AA defensive fire up to medium range), got disrupted, missed the Lt and crashed by the follow-up shots from the Bofors duringth assault phase.

... and all his infantry surged forward along the right flank, heading for the cover of the hills.

Wasting the Bofors like that was a bad start, but at least it got the plane. The infantry covering the left flank started re-deploying towards the centre while staying in cover ... just like the rest of the infantry. Both Stuarts moved forward into the centre, opening fire on the Japanese fire-support in cover (who made all cover saves).

... the Japanese advanced some more.

The infantry stayed in cover due to the threat of enemy Mortars, but the Stuarts remained agressive. A few advaning Japanese soldiers were gunned down, but the Mortar again made all of their cover saves. To make matters worse, the disrupted Ha-Go managed to damage on of the Stuarts (who killed it in return, but still) :eek:

... yes, that's 5 times a 5+ from 7 dice.

... and the Japanese advanced even closer.

The damaged Stuart got killed by enemy AT Rifles (the humiliation!) and the remaining Stuart failed to do anything useful. At that point my defenders moved out of the bunkers in the rear and into the front-line to defend the objective. Pounded by enemy Mortars, MG's and advancing infantry ... they still managed to kill most of the advancing enemy during several roundso fierce fighting. Too bad the failed every single cover save they had to make.

... the enemy Mortars kept on shooting because my Stuart also failed to kill them while they moved ino the open to get closer. And yes, that Stuart also managed to get itself killed by AT Rifles. :mad:

In the and the Japanese had one Arisaka Riflemen left, the Chi-Ro and all three Mortars ... and the UK nothing.


A well deserved win for the Japanese army!



The house-rules we used:

- AA gets defensive-fire against aircraft up to medium range
- max. 2 5/5 soldiers


Points of interest (for me at least):

- I'll need to use the Bofors more carefully. A Pillbox isn't enough to let it survive in the front-line.
- Having great speed doesn't mean I have to move fast forward. Next battle I'll try to use the Stuarts in a more defensive fire-support role.


:cool:

[Latro]

The Battle for the Philippines

The Japanese attackers (from memory):

1x Imperial Sergeant
6x Arisaka Riflemen
3x SNLF Paratroopers
2x SNLF Fanatics
2x AT Rifles
1x Type 92 MG
3x Type 89 Mortar
1x Type 95 Ha-Go
1x Type 89A Chi-Ro
1x A6M Zero

(same as previous battle, minus one Paratrooper)

The heroic USA defense force (me!):

1x Red Devil Captain
1x Hunting Sniper
3x Thompson Gunner (now that's what I call defensive fire!)
6x Garand Riflemen
2x Vickers MG
2x M3 Stuart

The USA Central Command decided to intercept the fast moving Japanese landing force in an open valley, to prevent them from infiltrating passed the defensive strongpoints ... so the map was to be "Tiger Heaven". The enemy had obviously chosen this part of the Island because they knew we had a shortage of Mortars and other artillery (sneaky bastards!).

I chose the side without the objective, but with some very useful cover for my troops. Two infantry sections each occupied the forest on the right flank and the large hill-section back in the centre, while a smaller holding force headed for the smaller hill-section on the left flank. Both Stuarts waited in the central hills. Everything out of sight of course (and out of range from enemy Mortars hiding in cover on their side of the field!).

Once again enemy air-support moved in to intercept my units moving into position. A Garand Riflemen unit got disrupted ... and returned the favour by gunning down the Zero! :D

The japanese infantry advanced en-masse and uncontested towards the objective while my infantry waited in cover. Both Stuarts advanced carefully and opened fire on the enemy AT-support ... destroying both AT Rifles! Next was the Ha-Go hiding in the forest on the objective.

After that they made a slow circle around the enemy units, going down the left flank and moving behind them eventually ... meanwhile gunning down everything that might threaten them. The Sniper assisted with several total failures and the first MG also moved into sight to add to the barrage of well (and not so well) aimed fire.

... the Japanese occupied the objective, but had nothing left to counter the threat of the Stuarts.

Both infantry sections waited until all enemy heavy fire-support had been silenced before moving into view to open fire and advance towards the objective. Some men died due to incoming rifle-fire, but all in all casualties where very low.

Exactly on turn 7 the ring closed around the few Japanese survivors around the objective and every last desperate attempt to charge my advancing forces died in a hail of gunfire.

... none survived.

... a single thompson Gunner and a Garand Riflemen gave their lives for the good cause.


:cool:

(GO STUARTS!)

[Colonel_Coo]

I find it distressing that the Japanese KEEP bringing Zero's to the fight. A Ho-Ni would be much better for them.

[Latro]

I find it distressing that the Japanese KEEP bringing Zero's to the fight. A Ho-Ni would be much better for them.

This has probably something to do with the well-known fact that the time-warp regulator in the Ho-Ni often malfunctioned in bad weather, preventing the machine from warping back in time to 1941.


;)

[boersma8]

I find it distressing that the Japanese KEEP bringing Zero's to the fight. A Ho-Ni would be much better for them.

I find it distressing that at the moment it's still so incredibly easy to gun aircraft down ( By a dedicated AA unit ok, but by a (disrupted!) garand!). I'm afraid the airrules as written are just plain bad! The should be a way to abort an attack and some more survivability for aircraft at tyhe same time ( like in D-day or WAS e.g.). This way it is indeed often much too risky to take a plane in your army.

[Latro]

I just realised that the poor Zero being shot down by a Garand was a result of me playing our house-rule (in testing) wrong ... :(

- AA-units get defensive fire up to medium range (we might change the results to "aborted" instead of "disrupted" to make it less powerful ... the aircraft aborts it attack-run and turns away, removing it from the map)

- Non AA-units can only score "disrupted" results against aircraft (so the Garand could only have disrupted it instead of shooting it down)

So against an opponent without any AA cover, aircraft can operate without the fear of being shot down. They can end up being hindered quite a lot (losing up to 50% of their possible attack-runs) though if they move to close to the action.

In an area with AA cover, aircraft have to be more careful. They can operate around the edges of the AA cover, because it will probably not cover the entire enemy force. Or they can go for that very important target and hope the AA doesn't get them. AA units have to choose between protecting the target, but giving up the chance for a carefully aimed killing-shot ... or allowing the aircraft to get close for an attack on it's target and trying to shoot it down while it tries to get away.


:cool:

[boersma8]

I just realised that the poor Zero being shot down by a Garand was a result of me playing our house-rule (in testing) wrong ... :(

- AA-units get defensive fire up to medium range (we might change the results to "aborted" instead of "disrupted" to make it less powerful ... the aircraft aborts it attack-run and turns away, removing it from the map)

- Non AA-units can only score "disrupted" results against aircraft (so the Garand could only have disrupted it instead of shooting it down)

So against an opponent without any AA cover, aircraft can operate without the fear of being shot down. They can end up being hindered quite a lot (losing up to 50% of their possible attack-runs) though if they move to close to the action.

In an area with AA cover, aircraft have to be more careful. They can operate around the edges of the AA cover, because it will probably not cover the entire enemy force. Or they can go for that very important target and hope the AA doesn't get them. AA units have to choose between protecting the target, but giving up the chance for a carefully aimed killing-shot ... or allowing the aircraft to get close for an attack on it's target and trying to shoot it down while it tries to get away.


:cool:

I like the "abort" ideas and non AA units never scoring anything beyond disruption ( and/or abortion) very much! Would be nice if sth like that made it into the expert rules!