Makin Taken

[SamB]

Just finished playing this one. I was the Americans. I had some good dice, and won easily...

I repeatedly used my tanks to move into hexes occupied by Japanese squads or crews and then ran infantry up beside the hex and either killed them in the Advancing Fire Phase, or in CC. There were three CC and I won them all in the first round of CC (so no melees).

I -should- have lost some of my guys in those CC's but my opponent rolled too high.

My question is this: How does the Japanese deal with the tanks? The Japanese can generate two Tank Hunter Heros in this scenario (20% of the squads - FRU) and he did. He just never got a kill or immobilization on my tanks...

The tank goes into bypass of the hex and stays in motion. He does a CC reaction fire attack and gets automatic ambush - but still needs a 4 to immobilze and a 2 or 3 to kill the tank. And yes, he also remembered to roll for ATMM - he just couldn't find any.

How do the Japanese win two thirds of the games played in this scenario?

Sam

 

[Brian W]

I repeated used my tanks to move into hexes occupied by Japanese squads or crews and then ran infantry up beside the hex and either killed them in the Advancing Fire Phase, or in CC. There were three CC and I won them all in the first round of CC (so no melees).

Ok, you were able to advance into CC with the Japanese while one of your tanks was in bypass and did not get ambushed? That is a +3 to your ambush dr and a -1 to the Japanese ambush dr. Were you using loaded dice?

 

[SamB]

In two of the cases, I killed the Japanese unit with Advancing Fire before it ever got to CC. In the third case the squad was in a palm tree hex and my AFV wasn't in bypass.... no ambush.

Even with ambush if you tank is in motion and there are say, two squads in there to protect it the Japanese has little chance to hurt your tank.

 

[Brian W]

Even with ambush if you tank is in motion and there are say, two squads in there to protect it the Japanese has little chance to hurt your tank.

Uhh, yes, but who cares about a motion tank when you can go hand-2-hand against two squads with a -2 modifier and the first DR!

Also, you originally wrote:

There were three CC and I won them all in the first round of CC (so no melees).

So, there was only one CC then? And what was your opponent doing in an orchard hex? And where were all his supporting units at to cover his exposed position? And why didn't he put down residual fire when your tank approached to prevent that crap from happening?

 

[Robin Reeve]

Just a question from an ignorant like me : what are these "Bobai pits" the SSR speaks of ? Tiger traps ? :shock:

 

[Pitman]

It's silly that the historical description doesn't even explain what they are.

 

[Anonymous]

Flames of unrest/ makin taken

Hi-

My favorate is "Elements of the German army" from Flames of unrest.

As for Makin Takin, I think an up front defense with Japs with the knee mortors up fron should hurt any American attack.
One thing I have noticed about of AAR's on makin takin, it seems alot of people dont use WP, I would think this important since the Americans are attacking with a ML of six.
Fun scenario, but I think it favors the Japs.


Scott holst

 

[Robin Reeve]

I still don't know what "bobai pits" are...
One must read "booby pit (traps)", perhaps?
Or "baby pets"? Or "bye bye Pete"? Or "barber pants"?
My japanese is uneasy, I bet. :lol:

 

[SamB]

I am completely unclear about who is favored...

But I think my opponent spread out too much. I was able to destroy his defense by killing a squad a turn with bypass freeze and firepower. The US has to cause some casualites - even if he takes ALL the buildings and huts its not enough points. So the Japanese defender can pick which buildings he wants to make his stand in and concentrate most of his troops there. And of course, the Japanese does need to be firing at the US player when he tries to cross open ground with those 6 ML troops...

I'll have to play it again, ROAR's initial entries look like its tough on the American - but not enough games have been played to know.

Sam

 

[Anonymous]

makin takin

I played Jack Murphy in Makin Takin in the finals of Winter War. I had hot dice and he didn't so I can't be entirely sure, but I think it favors the Japs. I set up strong in the center and right (along path) and only a squad or so in the hut village since he couldn't enter on that board. I didn't really play an up front defense, although I think it would work. I played a more tradional defense, waiting for him to hit the bobai pits, then covered him up with smoke/WP, then started shootin when he moved out of the pits as prep firing wasn't an option with CX and in the smoke. The Japs have a lot of good ROF weapons, once the infantry is cleared away from the tanks, more smoke comes in and the THH comes out and kills a tank, which, with some infantry casualties puts the American at the CVP cap. The American really needs to take his time I believe.

 

[Doug Kirk]

makin takin

Sorry I am the guest, I really wonder about the login feature here, it seems to only work occasionally.

Doug Kirk

 

[sgtono]

Re: makin takin

Sorry I am the guest, I really wonder about the login feature here, it seems to only work occasionally.

Doug Kirk

My experience has been that this is very true.

Keith

 

[sgtono]

Bobai pits

For food the natives raise bobai plants, which they grow in pits.
Bobai pits were known to be more numerous near the villages. With soft banks and mucky bottoms from which the vegetation rose several feet to a level approximating that of the growth around them, these pits were recognized as substantial obstacles to foot soldiers and tanks. Their exact locations were unknown. Elsewhere, especially along the lagoon shore and at the edges of the ponds, mangroves and salt brush are found. The terrain seemed likely to limit vehicles more than it would the foot soldiers, who could move forward under the ceiling of coconut palm branches or through the clearings and marshes, even if with difficulty. Inland from the western shore the firmest route for vehicles was the island highway and the lagoon beach. At low tide the reef itself is bared and could be used for the passage of wheeled vehicles.

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-A-Makin/USA-A-Makin-2.html

 

[Robin Reeve]

Thanks! I will die less ignorant, now.

 

[Matt Romey]

Chuck Hammond and I played Makin Taken yesterday. My Americans beat him fairly handily. I think it's about 70% pro-American.

I agree with Sam that the Japs can't really do much about the tanks. If the American takes his time, always keeps a MMC with each tank (w/ another MMC in support in an adjacent hex), and scouts the hexes ahead for bobai pits, the tanks should be fine.

I think the American simply has too many squads and too much time for the Japs to hold out till game end. And unless he kills both tanks (very unlikely, IMO), it's going to be hard to get to 15 CVPs. The American needs to avoid CC if at all possible. He can't afford the bloodshed of HtH CC.

Those Jap conscripts are dogmeat. I had forgotten this rule up to now, but it comes into play in this scenario: "G1.125: If Conscript (regardless of whether Full- or Reduced=Strength) and it exceedes its ELR, it is Replaced by one of its broken HS."

Brutal. If those three conscript squads were 2nd liners, the scenario would be quite a bit more even, IMO.

Still, if you are going to give it a shot, I think the Jap needs to make the entry area a kill zone. Private Ryan his ass by making him enter the board and wish he hadn't. Anything you can do to rattle him will increase the odds of him making a mistake that you can pounce on. Multiple firelanes in the kunai field is very nice. I also like the HIP on the jungle path trick, waiting for the bulk of the troops to pass by. Then un-HIP and play dasterdly Japanese deeds, e.g. shooting the last units who complacently moved as a stack, or cutting route paths, etc.

Against a determined, methodical American player, though, it's an uphill battle for the Japs.

Still fun though.