Green Hell: Burma

Transcription

1 locations will also constitute a Japanese Victory. The 144 th and the 213 th Infantry Regiments are poised along side the Kalapanzin River. These units advance into contact with the 7 th Indian Division. The 114 th Brigade is deployed along the track in the Kalapanzin Valley while the 33 rd Brigade is along the riverbanks. The 89 th Brigade is a bit farther south. Meanwhile, the Japanese 112 th Infantry Regiment is coming in from the rear against the 5 th Indian Division. The 144 th Infantry Regiment conducts the first attack. This is against the 114 th Indian Brigade in the Kalapanzin Valley. The Japanese commander employs two support markers and the Commonwealth counters with two as well. This attack results in an exchange. The 2/144 Battalion is reduced along with the Somerset Light Battalion. A second attack is launched. This time the Japanese 143 rd Regiment strikes the 89 th Indian Brigade along the river. The Japanese player uses one support marker, which is countered by two Commonwealth support chits. This too results in an exchange. The 2/143 becomes depleted. Then the King s Own Scottish Borders is also reduced. by E.R. Bickford Production: Chris Dickson 2013 Decision Games Bakersfield, CA. AAR of World at War 28 Green Hell Battle of the Admin Box 5 February to 23 February 1944 Turn 1 The Japanese player moves first in this scenario. He is charged with the capture of the village Sinzweya, which is the current deployment of the 7 th Division s headquarters. Additionally, the capture of four village Another attack strikes the 33 rd Indian Brigade. This unit is stationed along the riverbanks. The Japanese cavalry lead the way. Both sides employ fire support. Another exchange leaves the 1 st Gurkha depleted. The 55 th Cavalry Battalion is reduced. A final attack is launched on the opposite side of the map. The Japanese 112 th Regiment assaults the 5 th Indian Division. Both sides have limited support. The 2/112 becomes depleted. The 4/2 Punjab Battalion is reduced. Both the 114 th and 89 th Brigades fall back toward the village of Sinzweya. To do this they break contact with the Japanese forces. Meanwhile, the 33 rd Brigade screens this retreat. Next, the 123 rd Brigade re-deploys to defend the Admin Box area, which is in the town Sinzweya. The 9 th Indian Brigade moves toward the Ngakyadauk Pass. The 4/14 enters the tunnel, while the rest of the brigade marches toward them. The 161 st Brigade occupies the WW 28 AFTER ACTION REPORT FEB MAR 2013 A1

2 During the combat phase the Japanese infantry formations resume their attacks. In the western part of the map, the 112 th Infantry Regiment assaults the 161 st Indian Brigade. The Commonwealth units are defending in rough terrain. Both sides utilize two support markers. The combat results in an exchange. The Indian 4 th Battalion and the Japanese 1/112 th are both reduced. track along the Naf River. This leads to the western entrance of the Sinzweya Pass, as well as to the village of Maunghnama. Turn 2 Both sides add their fire support markers. The Japanese Army has a variable number of fire support markers. These are six plus a bonus for terrain. Each village adds an additional support marker to the Japanese Army. Neither side is affected by jungle diseases this turn. The Japanese 143 rd Infantry Regiment moves around the south flank of the 89 th Indian Brigade. The 2 nd Battalion manages to reach the track to the west. Part of the 55 th Cavalry reconnoiters to the village Taung Bazar. The 144 th Infantry Regiment marches through the Kalapanzin Valley toward the Commonwealth position east of Sinzweya. Next, the 143 rd Regiment attacks the Indian 89 th Brigade. Both sides use fire support and this time the Commonwealth side fails to hold its position. The 7/2 Punjab Battalion retreats toward Sinzweya as a result. In nearby fighting, the 1/213 th Battalion attacks the 33 rd Brigade. The 1 st Battalion of the Queen s Royal Regiment holds its position forcing the Japanese unit to fall back. Another attack aims at the 4/5 th Gurkha Battalion. The Commonwealth has air support which is really going to stall the Japanese attack. The 144 th Regiment is turned back by the strafing air units. The Commonwealth player maneuvers his forces. In doing this, he decides to pull the 33 rd Brigade back toward headquarters. The 7 th Division sets up a defensive position to the west of the Kalapanzin Valley. These units occupy the north-south path way. Meanwhile, the 9 th Indian Brigade secures the eastern tunnel entrance of the Ngakyadauk Pass. The 1/17 th Dogra Battalion guards the eastern entrance eof the Sinzweya Pass. And the 161 st Brigade is covering the rear flank against the Japanese 112 th Infantry Regiment. Turn 3 With the bonus support, the Japanese will have 8 support markers (Commonwealth 7) this turn. The Japanese player hopes to take full advantage of this. The 143 rd Regiment prepares to attack the 89 th Indian Brigade s center position. The 89 th Indian is holding the southern flank. Next, the 144 th Regiment advances on the 33 rd Indian Brigade s position, which is in the center. The 143 rd attacks the 4/8 Gurkha Battalion. The Commonwealth conserves support while the Japanese player spends. This results in a defensive retreat. The Gurkhas fall back toward HQ. Next, the A2 WW 28 AFTER ACTION REPORT FEB MAR 2013

3 while the Commonwealth calls in one +8 support units. The CRT yields a retreat, but the 7/2 makes a Stiff Defense and becomes depleted instead so as to hold its position. Next, the 2/89 Indian Battalion is attacked on the southern flank. The Commonwealth brings two air units in for support. The Japanese are no match this time and the 143 rd Regiment suffers a depletion. In the west, the 112 th Infantry Regiment attacks the 161 st Indian Brigade. The Commonwealth calls in air support. This time the Japanese forces are repulsed and fall back toward the south along the Naf River. 144 th Regiment drives the 33 rd Brigade back toward 7 th Division s Headquarters too. Both sides are using their available support. On the western map, the 112 th Regiment assaults the 161 st Indian Brigade. The Commonwealth calls in both air support markers and the Japanese infantry regiment is repulsed, falling back along the track to the south. The Commonwealth player realizes that the 7/2 Punjab Battalion is trapped in enemy ZOC. He decides a limited counterattack to relieve the force. Neither player has any support left, after expending it all during the Japanese player s turn. The 33 rd and 89 th Indian Brigades join in an attack on the 1/143 rd Battalion. This is only partially effective. Both sides are depleted by the exchange result. Then the 2/144 th is also driven back from the Commonwealth forces left flank. While this unfolds, the 9 th Brigade secures both ends of the tunnel at Ngakyadauk Pass. This will prevent the Japanese capture although it doesn t seem that they are interested in that objective. The 4/161 is replenished on the western map edge. Turn 4 reaches his high water mark for support, receiving all eight fire support chits. The Japanese get their 6 plus three bonus support markers for villages that are held. The Japanese player decides to resume the attacks. The 112 th advances again on the western map into position against the Allies. The 4/7 Rajput is on the point again. The 143 rd, 144 th and 213 th Regiments launch a three-pronged attack against the 7/2 Battalion which is currently surrounded. The Japanese employ two support units The Japanese attacks have been regarded as a failure, although the army is closing in on the Admin Box. Both sides have unused support from the Japanese player turn. The Commonwealth player wants to launch a counterattack to weaken the Japanese position in the east and to check the Japanese attack. The 33 rd and 89 th Infantry Brigades aim at the 1/143 rd Battalion, which is already depleted. Both sides employ support, which gives a +6 to each sides combat strength. This effectively cancels out. The result is an exchange. The Commonwealth suffers the depletion of a unit, but the Japanese 1/143 rd Battalion is wiped out as far as this battle goes. The Commonwealth player has no other moves. The is no damage from disease on either side this turn. The Commonwealth WW 28 AFTER ACTION REPORT FEB MAR 2013 A3

4 Turn 7 At the start of the turn the player check for disease related losses. There are none. Then they restore their fire support for the turn. The Japanese player realizes that he is getting nowhere with the frontal attack west of the Kalapanzin Valley. He decides to outflank the position using the 2/144 th Battalion and the 55 th Cavalry. Simultaneously, the 143 rd Infantry Regiment attacks frontally. First the 112 th Regiment attacks the 161 st Indian along the Naf River. The Japanese have outnumbered the Commonwealth forces on the ground, but the defensive fire support is quite strong. The CRT result is an exchange. The Japanese 1/112 th Battalion is eliminated along with the Commonwealth player s 4/2 Punjab Battalion. Turn 5 Both players replenish their support markers. There are no jungle disease effects. The 112 th Infantry Regiment resumes its assault on the 161 st Indian Brigade. Both sides use fire support and the attack is repulsed. The 112 th Infantry retreats toward the south again. Back on the eastern part of the map, the 7/2 Indian Battalion is nearly surrounded. The Japanese player launches a major push with four battalions against the Indian unit. Both sides employ support. The Commonwealth player calls for stiff resistance. The CRT result is a defender retreat, which is consequently converted to a depletion. The Commonwealth commander repositions his eastern defenses. The Admin Box is still well protected. The 33 rd and 89 th Brigades conduct a counterattack against the 143 rd Regiment, which holds the Japanese left flank on the east map. The Commonwealth has plenty of support strength so this is likely to be quite effective. This time the CRT result is an exchange. The Commonwealth battalion is depleted but the Japanese 3/143 rd Battalion is eliminated. Turn 6 After the players select their support chits, the next round begins. The Japanese 143 rd and 144 th Infantry Regiments make another attempt to break things open on the eastern side of the map. Both sides use support, but the Commonwealth effectively neutralizes the Japanese in this. Regardless, the ground factors still provide an excellent assault for the Japanese forces. The result is defender retreat. The 7/2 Battalion elects to make a stiff resistance again. It is depleted as a result. No ground is gained. On the other side of the mountain, the Japanese 112 th Infantry regiment attacks the 161 st Indian Brigade. Both sides employ full support. This time the CRT yields an exchange. This leaves a unit depleted on both sides. The Commonwealth player remains in his current positions. A couple of depleted units are moved to the rear and are replaced by fresh troops. Then the Commonwealth commander orders the 33 rd and 89 th Brigades to launch a counterattack against the Japanese 143 rd Regiment. This formation is holding the left flank of the attack from the Kalapanzin Valley. Both sides employ fire support, but the Commonwealth comes out ahead. This attack is a success and it causes the 3/143 rd Battalion to retreat into the jungle. Next, the 3/144 th Battalion and the 1/213 th attack the 89 th Indian Brigade near the Kalapanzin Valley. The Commonwealth draws on two air units for support. As a result, the Japanese forces are repulsed and retreat. The flank attack also is a complete failure. Both of the Japanese units, the infantry and cavalry retreat. The 161 st Indian Brigade falls back to cover the western entrance of the Sinzweya Pass. This is good defensive terrain. The A4 WW 28 AFTER ACTION REPORT FEB MAR 2013

5 4/7 Rajput Battalion is replenished with troops. The Commonwealth player wants to launch one counterattack, as he has a slight advantage in fire support strength, although the Japanese player has more support markers available. The result is an exchange. The 1/144 th Battalion is depleted while the 4/1 Gurkha Rifles is reduced. The Commonwealth waits. Turn 8 The 2/123 rd Battalion is struck by jungle diseases and is flipped to its depleted side. The Japanese are immune this turn. Both sides add their respective fire support markers. The Japanese still have more than the Commonwealth. The 1/114 th (Somerset Light) battalion has the path on the northern flank, which screens that side of the Sinzweya Pass. Both sides use up their fire support and the Japanese gain a +3 attack in shrub terrain. The result is exchange. The Commonwealth unit is eliminated and the Japanese cavalry company is depleted. This is one of the effective uses of the weak cavalry units, that is, to absorb losses. The Japanese player does not receive replacements in this scenario. In the center, the Japanese 144 th Infantry Regiment makes a frontal assault against the depleted 4/1 Gurkha Battalion. Both sides maximize their fire support. The die roll goes against the Japanese attackers and the two battalions retreat toward the Kalapanzin Valley. On the western side of the pass, the Japanese 112 th Regiment is poised to launch an attack against the Indian 161 st Brigade. Colonel Tanahashi contemplates the potential for success. He has already lost one battalion in fighting in this area. His efforts to outflank the position have stalled. He decides to attack. Both sides employ fire support, and the assault is on the +2 column. This results in an exchange. The 3/112 th Battalion is destroyed. The 4/7 Rajput suffers a depletion, but the Indian troops continue to hold the path, blocking any Japanese advance. At this point, Colonel Tanahashi has only one depleted battalion left. It is unlikely that he will push the unit any further. At this point, the 7 th Indian Division has an adequate defensive position to the east of the Admin Box. The 89 th Indian Brigade is holding the right flank, with the 33 rd Indian Brigade in the center. On the left is the 114 th Indian Brigade. In the southwest, the 2/9 Battalion recaptures the village of Maungdaw. The Commonwealth player decides to take his replacement. The 2/123 rd Battalion adds a step. There are no attacks planned. WW 28 AFTER ACTION REPORT FEB MAR 2013 A5

6 Turn 9 After both sides replenish their support markers, the Japanese player conducts his movement phase. The Japanese 2/112 th Infantry Battalion moves toward the north along the Naf River to Maunghnama. The village is occupied. This will remove the Commonwealth s ability to add replacements steps. It will also bonus the Japanese player an additional support marker next turn. (Good thing for the Commonwealth player that he reoccupied Maungdaw on the previous turn!) Next, the Japanese player abandons the Kalapanzin Valley in an attempt to outflank the Commonwealth position east of the Admin Box. Of course the terrain is unfriendly. There are no attacks this time. The Commonwealth player reacts to the change in the Japanese strategy. The 9 th Brigade is already on the move. This will have the effect of removing one of the Japanese player s fire support bonuses. The 4/14 th Battalion relieves the forces at the western entrance of the Sinzweya Pass tunnel. This allows the 161 st Brigade to march to Maunghnama and engage the 112 th Regiment. Meanwhile the 89 th Indian Brigade maneuvers into the jungle south of the Admin Box. The 33 rd falls back in the center and the 114 th covers the north flank. Hopefully this will be enough to stop the Japanese pincer. There is no replacement point this turn. The 161 st Indian Brigade launches an attack against Colonel Tanahashi in Maunghnama. Both sides have plenty of support, but the Commonwealth air support still out weighs the Japanese artillery factors. Despite the advantages, the attack is repulsed and the 161 st Indian retreats toward the south along the Naf River. Turn 10 Although the Japanese have lost Maungdaw, they have captured Maunghnama, so they still gain the three bonus fire support markers. The pincer maneuver is continued and the Japanese player launches an attack from the south. The 144 th Regiment hits the 1 st Queen s Royal in an effort to turn the flank. Spitfires and Hurricanes make a showing for the defense. The 144 th is fully supported with artillery fire. The CRT yields a NE result. The attack on the northern flank has a worse outcome. One of the Japanese infantry battalions is destroyed outright. The infantry troops in Maunghnama dig in and wait for the expected assault. The Commonwealth commander pulls in the 7 th Division in an effort to tighten the defensive perimeter around the Admin Box. Meanwhile, the 161 st Brigade launches another attack against the Japanese 112 th Infantry Regiment in Maunghnama. Both sides use their strongest available fire support. The Allies have a +4 against the town. This time the Japanese A6 WW 28 AFTER ACTION REPORT FEB MAR 2013

7 player is forced to retreat. Since the unit is already depleted it seems best to fall back rather than to offer stiff resistance. Turn 11 Japanese player Due to the lost of Maunghnama, the Japanese fire support bonus is down to +2. This gives both sides the same amount of support markers, although the Allies are stronger on average. The 2/143 rd Battalion maneuvers in the rough terrain north of the Admin Box, but it doesn t look like it will be too effective this turn. The 144 th in the south will attempt another attack on the 33 rd Brigade. Again the Allies have prolific air support. The battle results in another exchange. The Queens Royal is eliminated while the Japanese suffer a depletion. The 112 th Regiment launches another attack in an attempt to retake the town of Maunghnama. Both sides allocate plenty of support. The rest of the 112 th Infantry Regiment is eliminated. The Japanese strength has dwindled to so the only danger of a Japanese victory at this point is if the Admin Box falls (Sinzweya). The forces along the Naf River redeploy but there really is no threat here anymore. The 7 th Division hunkers down for the last desperate attacks by the Japanese Army. Turn 12 The Japanese player s time and materiel is running out. He launches a desperate attack with the 144 th Regiment. This strike is aimed at the aimed forces blocking Sinzweya. The attack fails and the Japanese suffer another depletion. The Japanese player has no further actions. The Commonwealth makes a few minor adjustments in his position. Additionally, he receives a replacement as the Commonwealth has control of Maunghnama again. Turn 13 The 144 th makes another desperate assault. Whether to use a Banzai attack or not has been an ongoing question. The advantage of the Banzai is that neither side can use fire support. The negative is that all of the Japanese attacking units suffer losses on a exchange result. A conventional attack is decided upon. The CRT yields an EX result. Both sides suffer losses. The Commonwealth responds by reinforcing their defense at the Admin Box. It is going to take incredible luck for the Japanese Army to penetrate to Sinzweya at this point. Turn 14 The game comes to an end. The Japanese player is unsuccessful in his attempt to capture Sinzweya. The Japanese player came close to a win back on turn 8-9 when he almost had four towns captured. The Commonwealth reoccupied Maungdaw the turn before Maunghnama fell to the Japanese 112 th Regiment. WW 28 AFTER ACTION REPORT FEB MAR 2013 A7