And some pics from one of our pacific games...
During the Pacific War a joint US Army and USMC force was tasked take the Japanese held island of Hookei-Dookei.
After easy initial landings the assault met with increasing resistance as it moved inland to capture the Japanese airfield. This game represented an attack by an US Army platoon and a USMC platoon against a Japanese force at the base of mount Hookei. The Japanese had also chosen to try and force back the American force and a bitter struggle for a small jungle hamlet ensued...
Both sides quickly advanced towards the hamlet but the US forces seemed to have the advantage and made haste towards the hamlet and nearby paddy field. Soon they would be in an excellent defensive position. The Japanese surged forward en-masse with their two tanks making a sweep on their right flank.
As the Japanese gathered for a major assault on the hamlet, their tanks tried to soften up the US forces already in the buildings. Despite a great deal of firing, one tank was easily destroyed by a bazooka team, while the second tank tried to attack the howitzer battery only to meet a similar fate at the hands of the cool-headed Marine gunners...
The fighting now kicked off accross the battlefield with the main struggle centered on the hamlet and the paddy field which proved to be an excellent defensive position. Despite overwhelming numbers, the accurate fire from the USMC units caused heavy casualties on the Japanese and the USMC force on the far left flank of the Japanese army even begun to advance over the corpses of the enemy.
As the Japanese casualties mounted many performed suicidal acts to try and move the attack forward but momentum seemed to be lost when one of the Japanese officers was shot and killed by the US Army sniper from the ridge on which he was hidden. He then began picking off key targets along the Japanese lines.
The Japanese now began a number of suicidal 'Banzai' charges as things became desperate. The first launched itself into the hamlet but was shot down before it could do any real damage to the defenders.
One Japanese attack did succeed, the command of 2nd Platoon forced its way among the defenders along the paddy field and brutal hand-to-hand fighting ensued with the Japanese wiping out one USMC rifle team to only find itself facing a HMG at point-blank range...
This was to be the last gamble by the Japanese and they began to retreat back towards Mount Hookei in order to prepare a second line of defence against the Americans. Despite winning the field of battle the USMC and the US Army platoons had suffered heavy casualties with the USMC platoon losing over a third of its men.
A great game, with planty of suicidal Japs! Much fun was had by all.
If you are all good, I will show you my WW2 British and my Taliban and Iraqi armies...
Some Wargames kit...
