Thunderchief
Elder Member
My NZ mate Darryl and I started the Blood Reef Tarawa CG III Utmost Savagery last night (19-9-2021).
I am the USMC and he is the IJA. We've played about 210 scenarios and 6 CGs (Edsons Ridge, OVHS, Gavutu/Tanambogo, KGP 2, KGP 4, Pegasus Bridge II) since meeting at ASLOK in 2003. Much of that has been on VASL, but we have visited each other a few times for FTF games, plus we've had a few games at ASLOK when we've both been there. We've also played some Pegasus Bridge scenarios while visiting Normandy. That's pretty good for two guys who live in different countries if you ask me. We've also toured the battlefields of Normandy and the Ardennes together, seen the Dambuster Dams in Germany, visited the Solomons for a battlefield tour (and stood on Gavutu Tanambogo with the map - see Journal 11 for a photo).
He's a good guy and I'm lucky to have him as a friend. It's only natural that I would walk face-first into a wall of AT and machine guns to take him on in this bucket list ASL event.
I am not going to go into great detail about the CG as we progress but will give a bit of a description of events and some decisions, plus some screenshots.
We played for three hours in our first session and resolved the initial US barrages and played the first turn. We play reasonably quickly so others may need more time.
The US barrages were placed as follows: 3 hex on R11 (final U13), 2 hex on N14 (accurate), 2 hex on Q32 (final R32), 3 hex on R35 (final U34).
For all my efforts, I caused a measly 5 CVP, breached the seawall twice, rubbled a few hexes and cleared some wire. Anything else? Oh yes, rubbled most of the pier!
By the end of US T1 the US had lost 16 CVP and the IJA had lost 5, by the end of IJA T1 it stood at 24 and 5.
Most of my guys bailing out of the LVTs survived, but a lucky shot from long range at my Scout Snipers killed most of them on the first hex of the pier. The US sniper has been busy, reducing the IJA sniper from 5 to 4 (Darryl spent points to increase it), and striping squads and crews from time to time.
Our next session will be game turn 2, all that lovely smoke will disappear, and that CVP is going to jump. A bit of a waste rolling well for US leaders in the first waves perhaps?
Pics are the beach zones at the end of US T1 movement.
I am the USMC and he is the IJA. We've played about 210 scenarios and 6 CGs (Edsons Ridge, OVHS, Gavutu/Tanambogo, KGP 2, KGP 4, Pegasus Bridge II) since meeting at ASLOK in 2003. Much of that has been on VASL, but we have visited each other a few times for FTF games, plus we've had a few games at ASLOK when we've both been there. We've also played some Pegasus Bridge scenarios while visiting Normandy. That's pretty good for two guys who live in different countries if you ask me. We've also toured the battlefields of Normandy and the Ardennes together, seen the Dambuster Dams in Germany, visited the Solomons for a battlefield tour (and stood on Gavutu Tanambogo with the map - see Journal 11 for a photo).
He's a good guy and I'm lucky to have him as a friend. It's only natural that I would walk face-first into a wall of AT and machine guns to take him on in this bucket list ASL event.
I am not going to go into great detail about the CG as we progress but will give a bit of a description of events and some decisions, plus some screenshots.
We played for three hours in our first session and resolved the initial US barrages and played the first turn. We play reasonably quickly so others may need more time.
The US barrages were placed as follows: 3 hex on R11 (final U13), 2 hex on N14 (accurate), 2 hex on Q32 (final R32), 3 hex on R35 (final U34).
For all my efforts, I caused a measly 5 CVP, breached the seawall twice, rubbled a few hexes and cleared some wire. Anything else? Oh yes, rubbled most of the pier!
By the end of US T1 the US had lost 16 CVP and the IJA had lost 5, by the end of IJA T1 it stood at 24 and 5.
Most of my guys bailing out of the LVTs survived, but a lucky shot from long range at my Scout Snipers killed most of them on the first hex of the pier. The US sniper has been busy, reducing the IJA sniper from 5 to 4 (Darryl spent points to increase it), and striping squads and crews from time to time.
Our next session will be game turn 2, all that lovely smoke will disappear, and that CVP is going to jump. A bit of a waste rolling well for US leaders in the first waves perhaps?
Pics are the beach zones at the end of US T1 movement.