Pacific War - Samurai Dawn Battle Report

Played this game several years ago. This was pretty interesting in that the battle began hours before dawn and started with a Japanese attack on the American positions. Once again this was fought using modified POA: Blitzkreig from Piquet Inc. Each unit is a squad or individual vehicle.

USMC Objectives

In the pre-dawn hours maneuver your forces to take the town. Inflict heavy casualties on the enemy. Secure the North road to prevent Japanese reinforcements from arriving. The caves in and around the gorge must be cleared. They provide too many areas for Japanese to stash weapons and equipment. Also, if you can find it, destroy the 88mm AA gun the Japanese have hidden in the area. It has been a thorn in the side of Marine Corp Aviation for weeks. Lastly the town must be secured at all costs. You have a large force of infantry, armor, and support for this task. Use them wisely.

USMC Victory Points:

Each VP Area = 5 points
Each Japanese Infantry squad destroyed or routed = 2 points
Each MG, Mortar destroyed or routed = 1 point
Each Gun destroyed = 2 points
Each tank destroyed = 4 VPs

Special Rules

The battle starts before day light hours. There are two turns of night (visibility only 4”). US units move at half speed and vehicles may not move unless on roads. No air, off-board, or indirect artillery may be fired at this time. Japanese foot units move at full speed and vehicles may only move on roads at half speed. The 3^rd and 4^th turns are dawn and have 8” visibility. All units function as normal, including off-board assets.

Japanese Objectives

Launch devastating Banzai attack in the pre-dawn hours. You must commit 6 infantry units (2^nd and 3^rd Platoons) to this attack. You will receive an automatic 3D6 amount of impetus to launch this attack. Destroy as many US units as possible, while maintaining control of the town. Keeping the North road open may allow you to receive additional reinforcements. Do not lose the 88mm AA gun as it is critical to air superiority in the area. Losing the AA gun will allow the USMC to have unrestricted air support. You may place the 88 on the board when you fire it for the first time or it is placed the first time the US uses air support. You still place it without the US players seeing your placement. It must be placed on the gorge terrain board. You do have one last Zero to come in assist once dawn has arrived.

Japanese Victory Points:

Each VP Area = 5 VPs (3 are in the town)
Each destroyed or permanently routed USMC unit – 2 VP
Each destroyed or permanently routed mortar, MG – 1 VP
Each destroyed or permanently routed USMC tank, SPAT, or Halftrack unit - 4VPs 
 
Special Rules
The battle starts before day light hours. There are two turns of night (visibility only 4”). US units move at half speed and vehicles may not move unless on roads. No air, off-board, or indirect artillery may be fired at this time. Japanese foot units move at full speed and vehicles may only move on roads at half speed. The 3^rd and 4^th turns are dawn and have 8” visibility. All units function as normal, including off-board assets. Japanese units may “Banzai” when the Human Wave card is played. Once this card is played you may move multiple times per impetus. This card allows you to close assault without a close assault card. All Close Assaults are UP1 until the unit is wiped out. Banzai units never check morale and are not slowed down by suppression. They do fire at the normal reduction for suppressed stand. All suppressed stands still fight in close assault.

Here is the story of that fateful morning. (OOB can be provided in PDF format for anybody that wants them)

Japanese mass in the darkness for their attack! Only one in three US squads were on "guard duty" when the attack was launched.

Several squads of USMC rush to met the Japanese assault.

Hand to hand combat ensues.

On USMC squad routs unralliable! Japanese overrunning the command. The USMC throws in another platoon to halt the Japanese and they fade back into the morning gloom.

USMC tank platoon arrives and the 2nd platoon moves out with them.

Sherman destroys Japanese bunker right in the middle of the 2nd platoon advance.

Troops move through the open fields towards the objects and the rice paddies.

US mortars begin to fire smoke to cover the troops advance.

Japanese 88mm AA gun tucked into the jungle.

US airsupport (Corsair) destroys a Japanese tank.

Corsair moving off the table over the town (USMC objective)

boggy ground near the ridge line.

USMC ambushed by a Japanese pillbox (no more than 2 inches in front of them). The Marines were able to silence the bunker without too many casualties.

2nd Platoon reaches the outskirts of town. Red objective star in the distance.

Squad doesn't want to advance out into  the open so they send the tanks first to draw fire.

Japanese mortars hit the Marine infantry.

Japanese AT gun hits Shermans in the rear (there was a cave that it was located in). We just put the model on the board once it fired.

Jap bunker pins the USMC crossing the rice paddies. (I knew I didn't want to go in there!)

Jap AT gun knocks out a Sherman.

Another Sherman takes a direct hit from a Japanese tank

Japanese tank advances out of the town area to attack the Americans.

US Sherman tank takes an objective, but exposes its weaker rear armor to the enemy.

Bad move! Objective returns to Japanese control!

More US artillery hits the ridge and cave system.

USMC squad moves through the rugged terrain of the ridgeline. The Japanese caves are nearby.

US 155mm guns hammer the town while an entire USMC platoon clears the town building by building.

US artillery support raining down death and distruction on the Japanese cave system in the ridge by the river gorge.

USMC squad takes back the objective (blue star).

Japanese Zero attempts to shoot up the USMC squad near the objective on the road.

Japanese received German aid in the form of beer. It wasn't enough. The USMC, with the help of the reserve tank platoon, take the town.

this was another great battle! Look for more in the coming weeks. I have a large amphibious assault battle report to put up next.