=FC=Gorgon
Minister of Propaganda
Dear ASL Penthouse,
I never thought this would happen to me, but I just HAD to write about it.....
Hey folks! I haven't written an AAR in a long time. Barely got time to play these days and no extra time to write. Still, just finished this great, quick scenario which had an awesome ending so I had to share.
Jim Povey and I wanted to play something from the latest Action Pack and we agreed on this. He wanted the IJA and I the Marines so it worked out. The Marines have a "trapped" platoon that sets up first in a restricted area. Then the IJA setup; basically on a ridge with known pillboxes that point a specific direction (SE or SW) and they have no HIP; not even for a 75* INF gun (but it can be Emplaced). The rest of a 1943 Marine Coy (668s) enters on turn 1. The Marines need to capture 3 hut hexes and 2 of 3 path hexes in 5 turns in order to win. Despite being on the defense, the IJA go first.
I didn't have a lot of time to prep. A glance at the map and the VC said to me that I should come in from the more open west and try to get some 60mm mortars into a position to blast the ridge. Most of the entering Marines would come in from the due west, reach the ridge and then assault the path VC hexes. The on board force would try to work its way to the hut hexes and hopefully grab them with some help from the entering force. Here is the game as we start American 1.
I manage to take out the western picket squad (a 447) without any loss and work may way up the hill a bit. The onboard platoon tries to move into the stream but gets shot up.
Turn 2 the IJA MTR finds WP to break a 668/MMG and only a 348 is unbroken from the onboard platoon. Jim got some good shots and good rolls. He got bold in the south and sent in a 347 but I was able to stripe him. In J2 a 668 and 447 mutually destruct in CC. Gusts show up in A2 for no major effect and I don't make a lot of progress. Pic is start of American 2.
Turn 3 sees a lot Marines rally and eagerly jump back into the fight (though a 668 boxcars to CR). I am forced to move in ways I do not like as I'm running out of time. Several squads try for infantry smoke but no one is packing. I lose at least a SE this turn. Pic is start of American 3:
For the last 2 turns, I was pretty desperate. I haven't captured a single VC hex yet and I had to really plan out these turns so I could be in CC to hopefully win the day. I didn't mention earlier but I had lost a bunch of units as Jim rolled well when it mattered on some low odds shots. Still, these are Marines so there is a good chance here. Pic is start of IJA 4
In American 5, I am able to maneuver my remaining forces to be able to Advance into 2-3 of the path VC hexes. I already had 1 hut hex occupied by a 668 who (if he survives DF) will Advance to another for good odds to win a CC fight. The last hut hex is the key. I need to take at least 1 shot as FFMO/FFNAM in order to reach it with at 9-1 and 668/MMG. The 668 in the hut actually finds a smoke grenade and chucks it into the next hut hex to help a lot! The 9-1 and 668/MMG are able to approach the last hut hex unharmed. But now has to face the 6FP -2 shot. Jim rolls and gets a 1MC. 9-1 rolls snakes and then goes berserk and takes the 668/MMG with him! This helps a lot as I now enter that hut hex and am able to survive the remaining first fire shots.
By the end of DF, I got enough units to jump 2 of the 3 path VC hexes. I was hoping to be able to jump a 3rd as an insurance policy but 2 leaders and a squad got pinned so the odds said to go all in on 2 path VC hexes and the 2 remaining hut hexes. For CC we decide to resolve the hut hexes first since if I don't get those, that's game anyway. We resolve the hut with the berserkers in it and the Marines win to capture the hex. The last hex a Marine 668 and 348/MMG vs a 347. Ambush is in play so we roll. I roll a 6 and he rolls a 1. The 347 moves to the next, now unoccupied hut hex to capture it back and win the game!
For poop and giggles we resolve the other CCs in the path VC hexes. The Marines win both.
Two amazing things happened in American 5 to make this a memorable game. First, the 9-1 and 668/MMG going berserk and then the 347 winning the Ambush to Withdraw into the VC hex. Frigging awesome!
The end picture:
This was an awesome game and should be in any of the upcoming tournaments IMHO. I had a fairly sloppy plan but with the resilience of the US Marines I was able to make a game of it. Despite all of the CCs at the end, I think it was 60/40 in my favor to win them but that Ambush decided the game. As it should be in a jungle fight. I definitely recommend this scenario. Thanks Andrew!
PS. My 60mm MTRs did nothing and I broke the MMGs at least once each.
PPS AP170 Never on Time next.
I never thought this would happen to me, but I just HAD to write about it.....
Hey folks! I haven't written an AAR in a long time. Barely got time to play these days and no extra time to write. Still, just finished this great, quick scenario which had an awesome ending so I had to share.
Jim Povey and I wanted to play something from the latest Action Pack and we agreed on this. He wanted the IJA and I the Marines so it worked out. The Marines have a "trapped" platoon that sets up first in a restricted area. Then the IJA setup; basically on a ridge with known pillboxes that point a specific direction (SE or SW) and they have no HIP; not even for a 75* INF gun (but it can be Emplaced). The rest of a 1943 Marine Coy (668s) enters on turn 1. The Marines need to capture 3 hut hexes and 2 of 3 path hexes in 5 turns in order to win. Despite being on the defense, the IJA go first.
I didn't have a lot of time to prep. A glance at the map and the VC said to me that I should come in from the more open west and try to get some 60mm mortars into a position to blast the ridge. Most of the entering Marines would come in from the due west, reach the ridge and then assault the path VC hexes. The on board force would try to work its way to the hut hexes and hopefully grab them with some help from the entering force. Here is the game as we start American 1.
I manage to take out the western picket squad (a 447) without any loss and work may way up the hill a bit. The onboard platoon tries to move into the stream but gets shot up.
Turn 2 the IJA MTR finds WP to break a 668/MMG and only a 348 is unbroken from the onboard platoon. Jim got some good shots and good rolls. He got bold in the south and sent in a 347 but I was able to stripe him. In J2 a 668 and 447 mutually destruct in CC. Gusts show up in A2 for no major effect and I don't make a lot of progress. Pic is start of American 2.
Turn 3 sees a lot Marines rally and eagerly jump back into the fight (though a 668 boxcars to CR). I am forced to move in ways I do not like as I'm running out of time. Several squads try for infantry smoke but no one is packing. I lose at least a SE this turn. Pic is start of American 3:
For the last 2 turns, I was pretty desperate. I haven't captured a single VC hex yet and I had to really plan out these turns so I could be in CC to hopefully win the day. I didn't mention earlier but I had lost a bunch of units as Jim rolled well when it mattered on some low odds shots. Still, these are Marines so there is a good chance here. Pic is start of IJA 4
In American 5, I am able to maneuver my remaining forces to be able to Advance into 2-3 of the path VC hexes. I already had 1 hut hex occupied by a 668 who (if he survives DF) will Advance to another for good odds to win a CC fight. The last hut hex is the key. I need to take at least 1 shot as FFMO/FFNAM in order to reach it with at 9-1 and 668/MMG. The 668 in the hut actually finds a smoke grenade and chucks it into the next hut hex to help a lot! The 9-1 and 668/MMG are able to approach the last hut hex unharmed. But now has to face the 6FP -2 shot. Jim rolls and gets a 1MC. 9-1 rolls snakes and then goes berserk and takes the 668/MMG with him! This helps a lot as I now enter that hut hex and am able to survive the remaining first fire shots.
By the end of DF, I got enough units to jump 2 of the 3 path VC hexes. I was hoping to be able to jump a 3rd as an insurance policy but 2 leaders and a squad got pinned so the odds said to go all in on 2 path VC hexes and the 2 remaining hut hexes. For CC we decide to resolve the hut hexes first since if I don't get those, that's game anyway. We resolve the hut with the berserkers in it and the Marines win to capture the hex. The last hex a Marine 668 and 348/MMG vs a 347. Ambush is in play so we roll. I roll a 6 and he rolls a 1. The 347 moves to the next, now unoccupied hut hex to capture it back and win the game!
For poop and giggles we resolve the other CCs in the path VC hexes. The Marines win both.
Two amazing things happened in American 5 to make this a memorable game. First, the 9-1 and 668/MMG going berserk and then the 347 winning the Ambush to Withdraw into the VC hex. Frigging awesome!
The end picture:
This was an awesome game and should be in any of the upcoming tournaments IMHO. I had a fairly sloppy plan but with the resilience of the US Marines I was able to make a game of it. Despite all of the CCs at the end, I think it was 60/40 in my favor to win them but that Ambush decided the game. As it should be in a jungle fight. I definitely recommend this scenario. Thanks Andrew!
PS. My 60mm MTRs did nothing and I broke the MMGs at least once each.
PPS AP170 Never on Time next.