BUNA, NEW GUINEA

This game was LOOSLY based on the actions around BUNA in New Guinea. The historical battle lasted weeks, we tried to capture the last day of the battle.
NOTE: The huts in the game were made using the techniques of Matakishi's Tea House  http://www.matakishi.com/  . Great Stuff!

Japanese Forces

REGULARS

ALL UNITS START DUG IN AND HIDDEN

ALL UNITS START NORTH OF RED DOTTED LINE

1 Machine gun Company with 3 x HMG*
(A CC(+1) is available IF you want to keep them as a Company)
1 81 mm mortar 12 FM - 4 smoke W/FO
1 x 75 mm Howitzer 12 FM -4 smoke W/FO
1 37mm AT Gun w/truck
3 snipers

2 Infantry Companies ea. with
Company Commander (+1)
1 Weapons Platoon
1 PC(+1)
1 HMG*
2 20 mm AT**
3 Rifle Platoons with

1 Platoon Commander
4 Rifle squads
1 60mm Mortar***

5 Bunkers and 2 trenches set to connect up to 4 bunkers allows troops to move from Bunker to Bunker without being seen unless enemy on edge – just like CF depressions. Cannot fire out of trenches. Bunkers hold 2 combat stands.

2 Tunnels between two ADJACENT terrain pieces. ONE squad can pass from one to another feature through the tunnel, appearing behind US forces or in their midst (Handle like a suprise encounter).

* 2D6 , can initiate Close Combat, not counting as crew served weapons.

**Also have 2D6 fire capability as riflemen in addition i.e can do both in an initiative. But only at +/-45 Deg . and can initiate Close Combat, not counting as crew served weapons.

*** 3 D6/0 Kill potential; 2 hits is still only a suppress; 1 stand of smoke.. Can fire as riflemen, but max of 2D6. But only at +/-45 Deg . and can initiate Close Combat, not counting as crew served weapons. PC cannot spot – all fire must be direct.

United States Forces

REGULARS

ALL UNITS EXCEPT TANKS MAY START HIDDEN – TANKS CAN START OFF BOARD AND BE BROUGHT ON WHEN DESIRED

ALL UNITS START SOUTH OF RED DOTTED LINE

126th Infantry Btn
1 BC(+1)
1 81 mm Mortar 12 FM -4 smoke W/FO
1 4.2” Mortar 10FM 3 smoke w/FO
2 HMG
1 57mm AT Gun w/Truck
2 M3 Light Tanks

A Company
1 CC(+1)
1 60mm Mortar
1 HMG
3 Rifle Platoons ea. w/
1 PC(+1)
3 Rifle Squads

B Company
1 CC(+1)
1 60mm Mortar
1 HMG
3 Rifle Platoons
1 PC(+1)
3 Rifle Squads

D Company
1 CC(+1)
1 60mm Mortar
1 HMG
3 Rifle Platoons ea. w/
1 PC(+1)
3 Rifle Squads

Engineers
1 PC(+2)
2 Rifle/Eng Sqds.

TERRAIN INFORMATION

Grass Huts hold 1 combat stand and don’t have the -1D6 protection from mortars. The Mission is a standard building and holds 2 combat units.

All terrain has bog down potential. Bog Down on 1,2,3,4. Un Bog on a 6. A 1 on un-bogging means permanent bog down.
Water areas are impassible.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

Game starts at 0600 and ends at 2200 hours. Clock advances ½ hour when initiative changes IF it changed by a Suppress or a Kill. NOTE: This is Dick White's idea and worked very well.


VP                                         US                                            JAPANESE
+1                             ea. jap kill/Sup game end
+1.5                                                                                ea. US kill/Sup game end      
+2                             ea. “small “ Bldg occupied
+7                             Occupies Mission complex

THE BATTLE

The Americans spread their 3 companies across the entire front of their set-on. and started advancing from their right. Cory Conner, command ing the US Right ran into a stiff defense by Rich Bryant and lost several initiatives for the US before he could force them back to cover. B company started an advance against light oposition but then Rick Bryant attacked the US left with one his Japanese platoons in his, now patented, attack from the defense. This attack, however, met a spirited defense by Jack Breen's D Company and bogged down, much reduced, just in front of the US lines.

American Right pushes the Japanese back, using close assault through smoke.

The M3 (Chafee) Tank platoon advanced up the road toward Pong, but found that their 37mm gun was ineffective against troops in cover. Eventually, one of the Japanese 20mm AT Rifles took one of them out.

Chafee brews up!

The US kept advancing but with high casualties and managed to capture one of the buildings in Pong. The Japanese never took advantage of their tunnels, their 3 snipers missed their shots and their last line of defense (the bunker complex) was just glimpsed by the US at the end of the game.  The US lost 21 stands to the Japanese 7 but took one objective point. Japanese VP=31Pts; US VP = 8Pts, an essential rout of the US force!

Over all view showing end game with the position of the maximum US advance