J11 – IN THE OLD TRADITION
JP defending as the Japanese
Legion attacking as the Sikhs
ROAR (5:20 – S:J) – 3rd August, 2007
Live VASL: 1 Session, 1 Hour
INITIAL THOUGHTS
Wow, I got 5 squads and 2 MMG’s with crew in trenches and foxholes on a hill defending against a full company of British troops commanded by a 10-2 leader. Normally I would think this would be a British whitewash but the SSR states that they must all enter on Turn 1 as a human wave. That makes things complex, basically I feel that it is a “craps shoot” if I roll low on Turn 1 while they are charging I can win the game. If I do not, then I will be slightly concerned but as the Japanese don’t break they are the ideal troops to have on a “stand and fight” scenario like this one, I can literally not give him a yard. I gain a tank on turn 3 so can have some armoured fun with him when they get on to the hill. Overall I think this will be a IJA victory but I will feel safer when I have KIA’ed a few squads and more importantly, killed his 10-2 leader (knowing Legion he will set the human wave up such that the leader does not cross open ground).
SET UP
My trenches are on the level 2 hill hexes (M3, L3, K4) with 3 squads a MTR (which will acquire the jungle hex G3 as it is a good approach lane) and an LMG in K4 to control the approach from the eastern side of the hill which is the closest route. A MMG, crew and Ldr are in M3 to put fire on anyone approaching from the south. I have a HIP squad and Foxhole in K3 to protect the trench line and also the level 1 hexes on the eastern slope. My 2nd MMG, crew and Ldr are in a foxhole in K2 adjacent to my last squad and LMG in J2, these guys can stop any attack from the south (the MMG has great firelane possibilities – going out to hE4 or hK2) while the squad and LMG can cover the Kunai at I2,I 3, H3 which is a well-covered approach to the hill for the Brits. As can be seen, both MMG’s are stacked with leaders for their Morale boost and to ensure no loss of ROF is achieved. All of his units MUST enter as one giant human wave on turn 1 so I will be aiming at Leaders, squads with LMG’s and trying to ensure that squads do not amass in any one area for some decent firegrouping.
TURN 1
He entered the human wave (as per SSR) along the hE3-E5 and eE1-E3 hexes. On the 1st impulse my MMG in eK2 setup a fire lane down to e4 for no effect. The second impulse saw a K/ result for the firelane and he rolled 3,3,3, so the 7-0 leader wounded and both squads CR’ed. The third impulse was where I started to get some fire to bear as he was only 4 hexes away from my guys (range 4) and they started to break like crazy with one squad taking a CR result too. The fourth and final impulse saw some wholesale slaughter along the entire line with 2 more CR results and his 8-1 leader dying. His advancing fire was ineffective and he routed the 6 broken squads (five of them were HS’s due to CR results) and advanced his remaining 6 squads into fire positions, he could have advanced onto the hill but he was aware that PBF from 3 squads is certain death.
In my prep I fired at his 10-2 and 2 squads (plus 2 LMG’s) and rolled a snake eyes; RS killed the 10-2 and both squads broke. My MTR fired at the squad in the trees in eG5 and rolled a snake eyes on the IFT roll which killed the squad. My MMG’s also broke and ELR’ed another of his squads. During all this he scored a SAN which striped one of my men (my only loss).
At this point he surrendered, he only had one leader left alive (a wounded 7-0) and 2 squads were good order; quite honestly, I was thinking of doing Banzai charges next turn to clean him out totally. In all he lost 3.5 squads KIA, 2 leader KIA one leader wounded and 6.5 squads broken in one turn.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Yep, it’s a craps shoot!! The play balance would still not tip it in the Brits favour and the balance should be something like: Only 6 Brit squads and 1 leader need enter as HW on turn 1. At least that would give him some chance of getting the other 6 squads into some kind of position where they might be able to take the ridge. Turn 1 decides the winner and he who gets diced will lose. This was a slaughter and I loved it – but it certainly wasn’t an interesting or tense game. If you are going to try this I would suggest you use the play balance I recommended.