WW2 - Amphibious Assault

I have always found Tarawa interesting so when the nice people over at Grenzer games were talking about their new rule set "Muzzle Flash", I was intrigued to how it would handle a specialist engagement.

 So I invited them over and threw a challenge down.  Beach Assault.  Played on a 5' x 4' table with the USMC attacking from the long table edge.  The rules are played at 1:1 which was interesting as I am in the process of rebasing all my infantry as single figures and hadn't made any progress with the USMC or Japanese so we played this using my old 3 figure and 2 figure bases with me snipping figures and sticking them onto new 20mm MDF bases as the game went.

A view of the Defenders which comprised five figure sections each with a LMG. Four 14mm HMG bunkers and two 40mm Anti-Boat guns.

The USMC would be straight infantry organised as an E Series comapny.  NCO, 9 Riflemen, 2 BAR Gunners.  In hindsight I would have been better off actually thinking about what the game system needs so I was missing Corpsmen and aid station the 60mm Sections and the 1919 LMGs which would have been expected at the early stages of establishing the USMC amphibious warfare doctrine and also hadn't included the company commander.  We also threw all the LVT1 & 2's onto the table as the first wave rather than the 3 sequential waves that were used at Tarawa.

The USMC laid out in their entry positions, they are actually off table at this point.  The rules cater for friction in terms of arrival which related well to the actual events on Betion in that some of the Amtracs never arrived and the Infantry had to entry wading and had already suffered some casualties and other Amtracs arriving on later game turns at random.

This section is wading to the beach from their destroyed AMTRAC and have already lost 2 men including a BAR.

One gap in the sea wall in covered by a 14mm HMG

There are two Japanese sections dug into the sea wall in prepared positions

These two AMTRACS will be delayed and wont enter until I roll the required number indicated on the dice.  One more AMTRAC to the left is also delayed so I was already down to just two assualting platoons.

First turn.  This isnt IGOUGO, each figure can reserve dice to use in the opponents turn so as I entered in the 14mm and Anti-Boat guns opened up. I had to start disembarking the marines short of the obstacle.  Elements of one section have reached the wall and I have reserved some actions for use in the enemy turn.  The AMTRAC at the bottom has been hit but is still mobile, 2 rifle disembarked.

 Wading under fire is as deadly in the game as in reality. I have dead and wounded in the surf just above the jetty but I have managed to pin the Japanese section directly opposing the section.

The AMTRAC to the right has been riddled with 14mm fire I have one killed as he leapt over the side and the rest of squad are pinned in the vehicle.  If they don't collect their wits they are in trouble.

 In turn two the Japanese defenders are forced to retire but the AMTRAC is now hit with 40mm fire and I have five wounded in the vehicle.

In the center I have also pushed the defenders back but I am still in the fire arc of another section on the left and the bunker on the right.

The AMTRAC is still mobile and uses the gap in the sea wall while the section near the bunker attempt to destroy it with grenades and satchel charges.  I ended up causing two killed and one injured from a mistimed grenade attack.  In the bunker itself one of the Japanese defenders sacrificed himself by smothering the posted grenade.  Two other marines worked their way to the entrance and have breached the door.  In the ensuing firefight another marine goes down and the Japanese defenders are down to one man.

On the left flank the US have made some progress have pushed an AMTRAC through a gap in the sea wall while the AMTRAC on the extreme flank has unloaded a complete combat effective squad.

General situation at the end of the US Turn 2.  The US have cleared the initial 30 metres or so of the beach.

Two marines have worked their way to the rear of the bunker and are priming grenades and satchel charges.

 Turn 3 and the US now have two sections on the left flank poised to try and take the bunker and then attempt to clear out the Japanese rifle pits, however there is still a Japanese 14mm HMG bunker which will have to be dealt with.

 As this was a play test we had stopped at this point.  Very involved and both sides are engaged throughout the turn.  You need lots of game markers for stress status and you do need to actually have the non combat units in your force as non evacuated casualties continue to affect your units performance.

Nightfighter - AAR - Scenario 4j Black Widow

This is probably a good introductory scenario on how to use Search Radar and AI in harmony.  The Strength is that it is easy to win and plays very quickly.  The downside is that with only one G4M there is little the umpire can do against the SCR-720A radar on the P-61.  I would play this with 3 G4M in the future and have the Victory set at shooting down all 3 aircraft which bumps up the difficulty somewhat.  But the P-61 is awesome in this scenario Speed of 5 and an 8 Hex range search radar with a 180 degree search arc.

I suppose the other way of playing this one would be to take the later MEW scenario and replace the MEW with the SCR-720.  Still needs to be lots of targets to make the P-61 work hard to get as many kills as possible.  The other alternative would be to set a turn limit.

Game markers needed.  I didn't need the track markers which I tend to use to remind me where I found or think things are.

The SCR-720 Radar Search indicates the target is off to the left

In front or slightly to the left

Contact on Turn 3

The Range 8 AI confirms the presence of "something" which as I know there is only one bomber and it is a G4M that will be it then.

Speed 5 is unbeatable and the P-61 is brought round 180 degrees to maintain the AI Fix.  The SCR-720 just keeps the contact confirmed.  Not really much use for it as I am not going to lose the G4M with the AI

The game being set in the Pacific resulted in Good visibility.  So closed to one hex to visual ID the target and set up the firing solution

5D6 rolled and the Betty appears on a 4.

Maintain the Tally and move in to engage.  No response from the Betty and a 2D6 roll of 11 with +5 for Firepower gives me enough for 4 hits which is enough to splash the Betty.

Post Kill, Pilot was a bit rash and nearly collided with the debris.  A roll of 3 however enabled a split S and away to resume the patrol.