USMC vs IJA CoC Delaying action Guadalcanal

USMC vs IJA CoC Delaying action Guadalcanal

Kati(my wife) and I decided to give WW1 a break (mostly because we need to build some buildings) and get in an early WW 2 pacific game.  We used the Too Fat Lardies Chain of Command rules which are quickly becoming the house favorite.  We planned a standard game and rolled for scenario and got delaying action.  I went with the IJA (Imperial Japanese Army) and was the attacker and Kati got out her marines which we haven't seen in over a year  and disclaimer we forgot they weren't based!

Pre-Game

The standard IJA platoon of 1942 was the Type B.  The rules for which can be found on the TFL website.  Here is the Breakdown

HQ

Lt. senior leader

Sergeant senior leader

Knee mortar squad consisting of:

NCO 

3 four man knee mortar teams

3 LMG squads consisting of:

NCO

3 man LMG

9 rifles

For support I took a Chi-Ha medium tank and a pre-game barrage.

force moral 8

The Standard Platoon for the USMC in 1942 was the type D.  You will not it is not as refined as the later platoons will be.

HQ

LT. senior leader

Sarge Senior leader 

3 rifle squads consisting of:

NCO

BAR team BAR and 1 rifle

6 rifles

1 BAR squad consisting of:

2 BAR teams 1 BAR and 1 rifle

3 Rifles

for support Kati took a Sniper team and a Bazooka team

Force moral 11

As we put this game in Guadalcanal the Marines still haven't been equipped with M1 grands yet and you will have to ignore the M1s and sweet helmet camo on the models.

Map layout was a pretty simple jungle layout with some large rocks and a stream. Our 2 year old Jim watches intently dreaming of the day he can beat mommy at minis.

The patrol phase saw my jump-off  points not as far up as I would have liked but hoping that the pre-game barrage will buy me some time.

Kati was in a pretty good position with her points since she needed to defend the back one.

Turn 1

Kati got first phase and rolled 5,5,5,3,1 which really isn't the best first phase.  Her BAR squad failed to arrive but she did get her sniper on the table.

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My first phase treated me much better.  I was able to deploy mortars on the right and LMG squad 1 and 2 (left and center) go tactical with all of them and deploy my sarge as well.

Katis roll looks promising 5,4,3,3,1 until again all of her squads fail to arrive.  I guess those Marines were took a little freaked out their first time under a bombardment.  The sniper takes a shot at LMG squad one with no effect.

My phase sees as 3 deployed squads move up with the Mortars getting into position in a nice wood overlooking the Marine deployment area.

Phase 3 finally sees some Marines enter the table, rifle squad 2 arrives just in time to lay down fire on my LMG squad 1

No kills but 5 shock! this stops my squad in its tracks!  Two other Marine squads fail to enter and Kati is praying for the end of a turn.

The next phase sees my Chi-ha enter and well as another LMG squad. Kati is embarrassed to be in command of her marines.

I continue my relentless advance.

 Kati scores double 6s and gets two phase in a row and enough 5s to end the turn.  She deploys her BAR squad and they start a game long fire fight with my mortars. Her sniper scores a kill on the mortars as well.

Turn 2

My first phase of the turn doesn't see a lot of movement but my mortars and LMGs start laying down fire of their own.

Kati deploys all of her remaining squads and they prepare to draw out the fight.

The next couple phases sees me concentrate on her lead unit, which I pin down while she beats on my mortars.

Here is the last shot before things start to fall apart fast...for one of us.

Thanks to fire from 2 LMG squads and my Chi-ha, her front unit breaks and runs straight through her next unit which throws some shock on them as well.  

My advance continues with the Marines throwing as much fire as  they can on my troops.

Kati manages to break my mortar squad. This hurts my moral a ton because she wounds the NCO they breaks the squad putting me to a 4 moral

My men move up to the spot that her front line use to occupy. ... Kati and her maries knows whats coming but, can they stop it?

I finally roll double 6s and decide it is time to need the stand off and start to move in for the expected melee.

The ensuing melee is a one sided affair the Marines kill only guy and wound my NCO.  There is still one guy in my way...her LT.

So we finish him off and end the turn with a Chain of Command dice.  This ends the game with a IJA victory!

The final layout of the table.

Overall another fun game, the barrage really gave me the time I needed to advance and Kati may have worried about my mortars a little too much.  Next time we play this theater we plan on doing 1944 which will put the Marines in a much better position. 

Battle of Ragogna Part 2

Battle of Ragogna Part 2

German Attack on the Main line

The forces

The easy victory over the outer defenses  gave the German Lt. a boost of confidence(+1 force moral) as he prepared for the attack on the main line. The Italians had withdrew in good order, the Commanding officer of the regiment was content with events so far and the LT and men were confident in the defenses of the main line.

The Germans were down 3 men from last time all being taken from the Mg sections.

They were supported by:

an off table mortar

a sniper team

a Maxium 08 mmg

Pre game Gas

one assault bomber section had two trench brooms

an extra lewis gun was added to a MG section

and a Flamethrower 

The Italians, 5 men down had to remove and man from each squad with the 3rd rifle squad losing 2 men.  

They were supported by:

the SOS barrage 

an MMG

off table mortar

and 4 sections of barbed wire

The Game

Again we are using Two Fat lardies WW1 chain of Command rules. The table was set up for scenario 3 out of the WW1 CoC article.  Attack and defend with a main trench line running across the table and I placed my barbed wire to try and funnel the German attack. The force moral for the Germans is 11 and Italians is 8.  The men weren't as confident as I thought.

After the Patrol phase the Germans look like they are falling into my trap.  I also placed my SOS barrage markers (the small black circles on the table).  The SOS barrage is a barrage that can be called in on a preplanned spot.  The game mechanic is pretty fun you place upside down makers on the table 2 of which are the actual spots and a number of "fake" markers. I did 4 extras to try to throw her off.

The Germans start the game and immediatly roll 6,6,3,2,1,1. knowing that she will havc the next phase as well Kati quickly deploys her Mg sections, her sniper team and MMG to prepare the way for the bombers.

Luckily for me her next role wasn't so hot.  6,5,5,2,1,1.  She combines the two 1s and simply moves her MGs into better positions.

On my first phase of the game I roll 5,4,3,1(only 4 dice because of gas) I deploy my MMG and my Villar Perosa squad.  the squad opens with its Grenades and rifles(VP isn't in range) up on her over-confident MG section in the crater in front of them.  Thanks mostly to the grenades, the take out 4 guys. My Lt. arrives and has my MMG fire and they have no effect.

The Germans don't hold back and in the next phase thanks to a great roll of 5,4,4,3,2,1, she deploys both bomber section, a flamethrower and her LT and Sergeant.  Her Sergeant tries to have the MMG open up but it misses and jams on them.

My phase is pretty lame as I roll 6,5,4,4 all I can do is use my Lt. the radio the back lines...preparing the SOS barrage.

Rolling two 6s again Kati prepares for a good set of phases.  To her disappointment both bomber squads barely move leaving them more exposed than she wants as her off table mortar fires with little effect.  

Her second phase sees her men moving and throwing grenades into my line beating up both my VP squad and my MMG.  Her sniper also picks off a crew member of the MMG.

Luckily for me, I roll a 1 in my phase and spring my SOS barrage and it works perfectly, pinning down most of her force. I use the time to bring up more troops.

Kati has an extremely uneventful phase with only one thing worth noting she rolls a 5, giving her 5 chain of command points so she only needs one more 5 to end the turn on me...

I call in the barrage again and bring more men into the trench. My rifles whittle away her lone MG section....things are looking up for my men.

The next phase sees Kati roll the 5 she needs.  Her MG section fires and does score a kill and she ends the turn.

But as good as this was for the Germans, I immediately roll three 6s  and use the two phases in a row to wipe out the MG section that was caught in the open during the barrage (already missing in above pic) thanks to a wounding of the NCO then the Killing of him followed by the wiping of the section The germans moral stinks to a 9 from its starting 11!

My excitement is short lived though.. Kati follows up m phase with a pair of 6s and her bombers get to work. They wipe out my VP squad wounding my Lt. in the process..my moral drops to a 5.

the next phase sees two more 6s rolled and my rifle squad and MMG are looking for a reason to run....

The phase leaves them pinned and ready to break after the grenades do their work.

The phase spells doom for my platoon, I lose the MMG, then my rifle platoon and finally wounded and alone the Lt. falls.

That runs my moral down to a 0 ending a game just a few turns before I thought was going my way...curse the elite storm troopers and their 6 command dice.  

Aftermath

The Germans took 11 casualties taking the trench and the Italians lost 22 men including 2 NCOs and their Lt.  

My Lt., may he rest in peace, would probably have been looking for a new command after that disaster.

I moved a sergeant from another platoon into his new role as Lt. I will be calling up reinforcements (which you can only do once during the campaign).

With the taking of the main line the fighting is about to enter the poor village of San Petro.