Last stand on Nokandu ridge

After a fortnight of hard slog retreating along the Korona track, Captain Bruce set A Company up in a highly defensible position on a ridge in Zone 3. Point 504, also known as the Nokandu Ridge was steep and the best place he had seen to make a stand. His orders had been that he should not give one more inch of ground - apparently it was making MacArthur look bad or something. But Bruce wasn't worried about Dug-out Doug's reputation. he knew that if Port Murray fell, invasion of Australia would be next. The stakes were high, and he was prepared to hold out as long as he could.

Week Two - the Australian retreat continues

Week Three - the Aussies are ordered to make a stand. C Coy is sent forward to help B Coy, only to run into the Japanese coming from the east (bottom of map).

From their perspective, the 1st Company of the Japanese battalion were confident of victory. They had been pursuing these Australians across the island, and although the terrain was tough, enough rice and ammunition was getting through to keep them in fighting fitness. As Captain Kubota eyed the bottom of Ikandu ridge he knew that the Australians were not far away. fresh footprints from their scouts were still visible in the mud. He knew that the typical encirclement tactics of the Japanese army were difficult for the Australians to counter, and so despite steep rough terrain on one side and thick mud on the other, he moved his forces so that they could carry out a pincer.

From behind the Australian lines.

Looking up the ridge from the Japanese perspective

The Japanese 1st platoon heads for the Australian left flank, making use of the cover as they struggle up the steep ridge.

2nd platoon head straight up the track - preparing to be the pinning force.

The battle is well underway now, and the Australian left flank is in trouble. The Japanese second company moves off the track to lend weight to the attack.

Captain Bruce s onto these tactics. He moves his centre to the left to support his flank, getting his MG to cover the track.

Too late though. Ferocious hand to hand fighting sees the left hand Australian platoon destroyed before it can be reinforced.

Bruce orders a counterattack

But the victorious Japanese are in a fighting frenzy!

On the right flank the Japanese 3rd platoon finally engages. The ineffective Australian defensive fire is the death knell for this platoon

The Japanese charge and wipe the section out.

Captain Bruce rallies his men on the left. Bayonet charges!

And another!

Personally getting involved, Bruce sees off one section, while the brave battlers of 2nd platoon take out the Captain Kubota!

The last section of the Aussie 3 platoon is destroyed in hand to hand.

Another victory for Colonel Bruce, but he has run out of time.

About to be cut off by the Japanese 3rd platoon, Bruce and his survivors withdraw. 

The casualties from the game. The Aussies have taken another hiding, but a the end were able to inflict a bit of damage themselves.

The game was played to a 2/3s casualty end, marking the orders to fight to the last man. To be fair, the Aussies had some pretty abysmal dice rolls. The HMG managed to pin one stand all game.

I also realised that I've been playing my own rules wrong. A kill is only inflicted if a single stand rolls 3 hits, or the same stand is suppressed twice. I've been adding up the hits of all stands firing in a turn - no wonder the dice have been having such an impact! I should really pay more attention to rules as I'm writing them... the firing system was borrowed from Crossfire, and I was reading the original rules as I rewrote them. Next game I'll play them as intended.

Two more games are due to be played in Week 3 of the campaign - Poor old B Company led by Lt Duggan, and C Coy who has been deployed to Erida and is about to face the Japanese 3 Coy.

Nate

Old Yellers

Painting the WW2 forces only set me back one evening in the painting schedule, and today I completed the latest Spanish regiment for the Spanish Succession armies. This is the last of the 'coloured regiments', as I am doing the army for 1708 and the next 2 line regiments will be in the newly distributed white 'Bourbon' coats. My choice was the Burgos Regiment, formerly the Tercio known as the Amarillos Viejos (Old Yellows). This way I have a yellow coated regiment in each army - these things are important!

 The Regimental flag was a right pain to paint! So many triangles! The other colour, like my other Spanish Royal colours, is totally made up. A flag based on the colours of the province was authorised by Felipe V, but it is unlikely that it would have arrived while the old flag was still in use. Also, I think that the provincial colour for Burgos might be green. Oh well, I like having two flags per regiment, so this works.

Almost forgot - the Old Yellows have a beer named after them, which makes them one of the coolest regiments in history!

Next in line is a British regiment, and then I will be 50% of the way through the Spanish Succession armies. Then it will be time for a game I feel.

Nate

Battle of Korona

The Australians had no idea that the Japanese had already arrived at Korona, and had encamped near the trail exits. They were in for a nasty shock...
The first battle took place on the Western track, as Captain Bruce's A Company encountered Captain Kubota's 1st Company.

The Aussies move along the track. Finally, open ground ahead!

Sniper!

Totally unprepared, the first section are taken down in a hail of fire!

The gunfire rouses the Japanese camp.

Stunned, the Australians lose the initiative

Sniper fire takes out the rest of the 1st platoon! The 2nd platoon arrives and moves off the track.

The Japanese move off, looking to infiltrate the flanks.

The sniper is dealt with - but the damage is already done.

The Australians deploy off the track as the Japanese advance to the jungle.

After pinning the enemy, a Japanese charge from the bushes!

Even pinned, the Aussies are able to fight off the attack.

On the right the Japanese remove another Aussie section

And the same on the left. Captain Bruce makes the decision to retreat.

Japanese casualties

Australian casualties

 The battle on the Western track was over almost before it began. I made one mistake, in that the sniper rolled 2 sixes and I allowed that to kill 2 sections, but snipers can't do this, only mortars and artillery. If you wonder how a single sniper can take out a whole section, the figure is representative of a section deployed in ambush. That is why the Japanese casualties show a section, and not a sniper.

With things going pear shaped on the Western track, were things going to go any better in the east? Here Captain O'Reilly's B Company faced Captain Kurosawa's 2nd Company.

The battlefield was similar. The Japanese camped where the track exited the jungle. 

Once again, the Aussies encounter a sniper on guard.

The lead section reacts quickly and assaults the sniper, who will automatically be destroyed 

As the Japanese advance from their camp, they come under fire from the edge of the jungle.

But the Japanese enter the jungle on their left.

The Japanese are able to rally, while on the left the flanking unit does huge damage to the Australians.

Further shooting and another casualty.

The final Japanese charge takes care of the rest.

Banzai!

 In the final turn the Ausralians one move first, which meant that they lost the game (2/3 casualties) in the firing phase, and then lost another platoon in hand to hand.

The uneven casualty list.

Captain O'Reilly himself became a casualty, leaving Lt Duggan to lead the survivors back up the track.

The Battle of Korona has turned into an Australian disaster. In headlong retreat up the track, what will the outcome of the next battle be?

Australians in retreat

Nate

Korona update

I cheated. I painted figures for the project last night instead of War of Spanish Succession figures. What can I say - I'm enthused!
So by tomorrow the troops will all be ready to fight.

Drying in the sun.

Al the basic colours have been laid down, including a drybrush of the main uniform colour. Then I have glooped them with Army Painter soft tone dip. Why soft tone? Because that is what I have here at home, the leftovers of my strong tone being all dried up. Remember, this the 'make do' project! With soft plastics I like to use the dip, not just for a little shading, but because I look at it as a very thick and flexible varnish. It doesn't half whiff though.

The last two days have also allowed me to refine my gaming and campaign rules, so without much further ado, here they are, totally unformatted for this blog!

WWII in the Pacific Rules

Phases:

1)      Move                    2) Fire                   3) Assault            4)Rally

Side A moves and assaults, Side B fires, Side B moves and assaults, Side A fires, Rally all sides

Movement:

	Good going	Rough Going	Bad going
Commanders/FOs/Snipers	6”	4”	3”
Infantry	6”	4”	3”
Man packed weapons	4”	2”	1”
Wheeled vehicles	12”	-	-
Tracked vehicles	8”	2”	-

Unlimbering/Limbering  takes one move.

Squads within 6” of their commander may move freely. Otherwise they must roll for initiative. Initiative roll is 3+ Veteran, 4+ Trained. 5+ Raw

Rough Going – rocky/muddy terrain, buildings, light woods

Bad going – steep hills, heavy woods, swamp

Firing:

Unit firing	Number of dice	Range
Rifle squad	3	15”
Commander	2	6”
Sniper	3 kills enemy on a ‘6’	18”
HMG	4	24”
Small mortar	3	6-18”
Medium/Heavy mortar	4	6-24”
AT guns	1	32”
Heavy artillery	5	36” direct no limit indirect
Air support strafing	3	No limit
Air support bombing	5	No limit

Target is obscured, use one less dice

Hit on 5-6

1 hit = pinned – may not move until rallied

2 hits = suppressed – may not move or fire until rallied

3 hits = killed. Suppressed units that are suppressed again are killed.

4 hits = any stands within 2” of the killed squad are suppressed.

Forward Observers cannot call in fire missions if they moved or if they are suppressed.

A FO must have Line of sight to the target to call in a Fire Mission.

Heavy and man-packed weapons may fire only in turns where they did not move.

Shooting at armour:

AT guns and artillery roll with one dice hitting on  4+

Roll 2d6 and add the attack value for the weapon. If it equals or exceeds the defence value of the vehicle, the vehicle is destroyed.

Attack values:

Light gun (up to 50mm) - 3

Medium gun (51mm-75mm) - 4

Heavy gun (76mm up) – 5

Defence Values:

Light tank – 8

Medium Tank – 9

Heavy tank – 10

Visibility

Units must have line of sight to shoot.

Units within 3” of the edge of cover are visible but obscured.

Units within the same cover are visible to each other within 6”, but obscured

Assault

·         Assaults occur when bases to base contact is made, or base contact is made with an occupied building. Crew served weapons may not initiate assaults.

·         A commander, sniper or FO is immediately destroyed if caught in base to base contact with an enemy outside of 2” of a supporting stand.

·         Assaults take into account only bases in contact with the enemy and may be supported by a commander within 2”.

Roll a dice and add modifiers. Highest score wins. Losing side has all squads removed.

Modifiers in assault:

Crew served weapons -2

Raw troops -1

Veteran + 1

Additional squads in contact + 1 each

Commander adding support +1

Tank +3

Other vehicles +1
Pinned -1
Suppressed -2

Rally

	Pinned	Suppressed
Raw	5+	6
Trained	4+	5+
Veteran	3+	4+

A Commander within 2” adds 1 to the dice roll.

If successful the unit is free to move as normal, losing all negative modifiers.

Ending game

The game will automatically end when one side has lost one third of the stands present, unless a special rule or objective is in place. The loser will withdraw one zone on the campaign map.

CAMPAIGN RULES           

Phases:

1.       Roll for naval events

2.       Roll for aerial events

3.       Roll for company supply

4.       Roll for initiative

5.       Move companies

6.       Fight any battles

1)      Naval events

Roll a d6. On a roll of d6 an event has occurred at sea. Roll a further d6 and consult the table:

1 = An Australian convoy has fought off a Japanese attack. No impact in game terms. If HMAS Pitcairn had previously sailed away, it has returned. Phew!

2 =  An Australian convoy has been attacked by the Japanese. As a result forward companies will not benefit from having a supply company supporting them.

3 = An Australian convoy has been attacked and HMAS Pitcairn has had to depart Port Murray. No companies are in supply this turn.

4 = A Japanese convoy has been attacked and IJN Uesugi has had to depart Kilu. No companies are in supply this turn.

5 = A Japanese convoy has been attacked by the Allies. As a result forward companies will not benefit from having a supply company supporting them.

6 = A Japanese convoy has fought off an Allied attack. No impact in game terms. If IJN Uesugi had previously sailed away, it has returned. Phew!

2)      Aerial events

Roll a d6. On a roll of d6 an aerial event has occurred. Roll a further d6 and consult the table:

1 = A raid on Port Murray airfield. One Buffalo is destroyed.

2 = An air battle over Korona. Two Buffalos have been lost.

3 = The Buffalos have been recalled to help the fight elsewhere.

4 = reinforcement. A Hurricane-bomber has been sent to help out.

5 = strafing attack on the Korona track. One Japanese company will not be in supply this turn.

6 = Attack on Kilu. HQ is down and no Japanese company will be in supply this turn.

3)      Company supply

For each Fighting company, count the number of zones it is away from its base. Then roll a d6. If it is equal to or higher than the number of zones, then the company is in supply and may move forward. If the roll is lower, then the company is out of supply and must stay stationary or withdraw.

If a company is out of supply for two consecutive turns, then it will lose a number of stands equal to half the d6 supply roll. This will continue until the company is in supply again.

When a company is in supply it will gain a number of stands equal to half the d6 supply roll to replace any stands that it has lost so far.

4)      Roll for initiative

To decide which side may move forwards first, each side rolls a d6. Subtract 1 for every company out of supply in that army. The highest roll takes the first move.

5)      Move companies

Any company in supply may move forwards one zone. Any company may withdraw one zone, unless already engaged by the enemy.

6)      Fight battles

SPECIAL RULES

Off table support

Australians with an FO can call for off table artillery in zones 1 and 2, and air support in zones 6 and 7.  Air support for strafing runs by the Buffalos rolls as many dice as there are aircraft (maximum 3).  If The Australians have gained a Hurricane-Bomber, that may be called in instead.

Japanese may call for off table artillery in zones 6 and 7.

Banzai!

Japanese troops that win a battle will be thirsty for further victory. The successful company may ignore a failed supply roll in the following turn.

Airdrop supply

Australians in zone 6 may count Korona in zone 5 as their home base on the following conditions:

i)                    At least one supply company is present;

ii)                   The RAAF still has planes (Buffalos or Hurricane) at Port Murray

A Bastard of a track

The Southern track through Erida and Kerna up to Munara is barely one person wide and often covered in fallen trees, mud and mosquitos. Troops using this route count -1 to their supply roll.

Impact fuse

Japanese knee mortars can only pin troops in jungle or woods, no matter how many hits they roll.

Snipers

Defenders may choose to replace a squad with a sniper. Snipers must deploy in cover, and are placed on the board when a target appears for them.

Terrain generator

Divide table into 3 x 1’ squares.  Roll 2d6 for each square and apply the terrain below.

2,3 = steep high ridge

4 = steep low ridge

5 = mud/rocks/swamp

6, 7 = high ridge

6,9 = low ridge

10,11 = river/creek

12 = flat ground

In areas where the map obviously shows plains, (eg. Around Korona), replace all ridges with flat ground, and steep ridges with hills.

Refer to map for level of vegetation.

As I go on I expect things will change, or be added too. But at the moment I'm happy with where they are at to start things off.

I've already rolled up the first campaign move, and so tomorrow there will be two battles fought, both on the edge of the clearing at Korona. I'm quite looking forward to it.

The first turn!

Nate