THE ISLAND

THE ISLAND

We have been having problems with finishing games in the allotted 2.5-3 hours. We have to bring them to a conclusion by the game master extrapolating the situation to determine the victor.
Part of the problem is the time it takes for the gamers to make a plan and determine how they will proceed. Another is that games tend to be long if one wants to have scenarios with interesting situations.
I decided to try running duplicate small games where the attack plan and the defense plan were already planned out before the game. The two most experienced players were asked to develop both an attack and a defense plan. They were told that they could play either side, but not against their own plan. Further they were told that they had to write an operational order for their subordinates (troops under their command, start position, and objective). Our first try worked quite well.
Jack Breen controlled the Marines against the North Koreans with Dick White’s plan of defense, Rich Bryant controlled the NK forces with the help of Dick Messier. Dick White played against Jack Breen’s Defense run by Rick Bryant.
My arrival at the game was delayed and I found that the two sets of terrain were skewed from the original layout. I believe that this made the game harder for the attacker and so it proved to be. At the end of the report I will show the original map , so the reader may judge. The report is based on the map as laid out on the table.

THE GAME

The Sides

American Marines (VETERAN)

The Germans are developing a new secret weapon on a small island off the coast of Denmark. You r force will invade the island, capture the plans and destroy the labs (Bldg. X on the map).

You set on second behind the beach ridges as shown by the blue dotted line and have the initiative. The first 4 American initiatives are at night. To win you must destroy the lab (Any stand near the lab, un-suppressed for 2 enemy initiatives destroys the lab and is a minor victory, getting that stand back to the beach after the destruction is a major victory).

NOTE: The ridges to either side of the beach are impassible and block LOS. The “Night Fighting Rulesof “Hit The Dirt” are in effect.
                                                                                                          POINTS
CC(+1)                                                                                                 4                                     
1 60mm Mortar w/12 rounds (attach to a unit)                                       4
1 HMG                                                                                                 6                  
      
Assault Platoon (labeled Rangers)

1 PC (+1)                                                                                             2
3 Assault rifle Sqds(+2)                                                                      16.5
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
2nd platoon**
1 PC(+1)                                                                                              2
3 Rifle Sqds (1 w/bazooka)                                                                15.5

3rd platoon**
1 PC(+1)                                                                                            2
Rifle Sqds (1 w/ bazooka)                                                                 15.5

NAVAL SUPPORT
Heavy Arty 5FM with FO                                                                 10

TOTAL                                                                                            72.5
* Assault sqds. are +2 in melee. ** PCs fight as Squads like CCs with PC bonuses.

Germans (REGULAR)


Your mission is to guard the secret lab (Bldg. X). in the small town of Shiessehauer. You place troops first behind the red line. The only hidden troops are those in buildings and in the bunker. Each Bldg and the bunker hold 2 stands(not including observers and leaders). The Stug can only come on during daylight. The first 4 American initiatives constitute night. You must protect the lab at all costs, driving any enemy attempt at it into the sea. Any US stand near the lab, un-suppressed for 2 enemy initiatives destroys the lab and is a US minor victory, getting that stand back to the beach after the destruction is a US major victory.

NOTE: The ridges to either side of the beach are impassible and block LOS.

Panzergrenadiers Co. 59
1 CC (+2)
81 mm Mortar w/FO 12FM
75 mm IG w/FO 12FM
1 HMG

3 Inf platoons ea. with:
1 PC(+1)
2 Rifle Sqds
1 SMG Sqd.

1 Stug (starts off table)
1 Bunker and 1 barbed wire

TOTAL 72 points



The 2nd game was identical except that, since I had only one company of Germans, North Koreans were used and had a KV-76 rather than the Stug IV. The maps and conditions were identical. My battle report is based on the German/marine game but the actions and results were essentially the same.

The Marines moved up to the contour line with the intent of moving into the tree line under cover of darkness. The Germans could have caught them at a disadvantage if they held fire, but opened up as soon as they saw movement and gave the marines targets to shoot at. The marines were able to use their off board support (naval guns off shore) to stomp the tree line and were soon moving into it against suppressed units who had no chance in hand-to-hand combat.

Marines advancing from the beach

Once the sun had risen, Germans in the houses started to cause problems, pinning one platoon of marines and essentially suppressing another. The Marines laid down a base of fire and moved the Assault Platoon into the wood near the enemy lab, where it was promptly suppressed. The judicious use of smoke from off shore enabled Dick White to rally the suppressed Marines while a bazooka took out the Stug. The Marines assaulted the lab through a smoke screen, but were thrown out in hand-to-hand combat and started retreating to the beach. Dick didn’t feel he had enough forces left to continue the assault much to Rick’s relief as he was down to one platoon and no mortar ammo!

Stug get fried by Marine Bazooka in small house at top of photo

The North Korean version of the game was essentially the same with the NK forces giving away their night time advantage, the marines moving to the wood line and destroying at least one platoon of North Koreans. Once again the troops in the buildings held up the marine advance and the KV-76 was used to better advantage, killing some Marine Sqds. before they could prepare for the assault on the lab. Jack had lost too much strength to continue and also pulled back to the beach.

Since the defender won in both instances, one might think that the scenario was unbalanced, it was, because of the skewing of the map as described above. The map as played had several open lanes of fire right to the beach and some of the buildings and woods were moved to where the assault could not lay down an effective suppressing fire, if they could have moved into position.

The map as drawn by the Gamemaster



The map as laid out and played





COUNTER ATTACK AT QUAK POT

COUNTER ATTACK AT QUAK POT

(Based on Sadzot, a scenario in Hit The Dirt©)

I only have one company of Germans based for CF but a lot of North Koreans and Chinese, so, as usual, when I am not designing an actual Korean War Scenario See: http://www.mgluteus.blogspot.com/ , I recast a Hit The Dirt scenario as a Korean War game.

NORTH KOREANS

The North Korean have taken the town of Quak Pot and it must be held at any cost.

1 Btn ALL VETERAN
1-BC (+1)
1-Commissar (+1)

Machinegun Company
3-HMGs

Anti-Tank Platoon
2-57mm ATG with Truck

301st-Infantry Company, (55/37/44pts) with:
     1CC(+1)
     1-SMG Sqd.
   Company Heavy Weapons
       1 HMG
   3-Rifle Platoons; each with:
       1-PC(+1)
       2-Rifle Squads
       1-SMG Squad

451st-Infantry Company, (55/37/44pts) with:
     1CC(+1)
     1-SMG Sqd.
   Company Heavy Weapons
     1 HMG

3-Rifle Platoons; each with:
      1-PC(+1)
      2-Rifle Squads
      1-SMG Squad

216th-Infantry Company, (55/37/44pts) with:
      1CC(+1)
      1 SMG Sqd (N/A)
  Company Heavy Weapons
      1 HMG
  3-Rifle Platoons; each with:
      1-PC(+1)
      2-Rifle Squads
      1-SMG Squad
Deploy first. Two squads must be placed in ea. building within Quak Pot or in the vehicle park, hidden. The balance of the NKPA force deploys hidden south of the line A-A.
Objective: Hold Quak Pot

Special Rules:

a. The vehicle park and the tank park block LOS and provides cover to their occupants from all fire.
b. Special Rules, Crests, from Hit The Dirt© is in use.
c. Fields and Orchards are out of season and do not block LOS. Fields provide cover against direct fire only and the orchards count as rough terrain.
d. The mortar pits function as entrenchments.

NOTE: due to the rapid advance and the lousy terrain, the NKPA had no indirect fire capability and communication problems hindered their even asking for reinforcements.

Victory Conditions: The American player must occupy at least 4 buildings in Quak Pot at the end of an American initiative and suffer less than 20 casualty points. Otherwise the NKPA player wins. Sqds, HMG, CC, BC is one casualty point, AFV are 2 casualty points.

AMERICANS

The North Koreans have taken the town of Quak Pot and it must be regained at any cost.
1 Battalion, U. S. Marines VETERANS
  1 BC(+1)
  1 SMG Sqd

   A Company with:
    1 CC(+1)
    1 SMG Sqd
    60mm OT w/ FO 12 FM
    1 HMG
    1 Rifle Platoon, ea. with:
      1 PC(+1)
      2 Rifle Sqds
   2 Rifle Platoons, ea. with:
      1 PC(+1)
      3 Rifle Sqds

  B Company with:
   1 CC(+1)
   1 SMG Sqd
   60mm OT w/ FO 12 FM
   1 HMG
   2 Rifle Platoon, ea. with:
     1 PC(+1)
     2 Rifle Sqds
   1 Rifle Platoons, ea. with:
     1 PC(+1)
     3 Rifle Sqds

1 attached Tank destroyer platoons(regular) ea. with:
  3 M-10 Tank destroyers

1 Squad of Pershing tanks
  1 Pershing Tank

Deploy second north of the line B-B



Victory Conditions: The American player must occupy at least 4 buildings in Quak Pot at the end of an American initiative and suffer less than 20 casualty points. Otherwise the NKPA player wins. Sqds, HMG, CC, BC is one casualty point, AFV are 2 casualty points.


Special Rules:

a. The vehicle park and the tank park block LOS and provides cover to their occupants from all fire.
b. Special Rules, Crests, from Hit The Dirt© is in use.
c. Fields and Orchards are out of season and do not block LOS. Fields provide cover against direct fire    only and the orchards count as rough terrain.
d. The mortar pits function as entrenchments.

The M-10s and the Pershing were only armed with armor piercing rounds Their main guns suffer a -1 die conducting direct fire against buildings and a -2 die fire penalty against other targets to a minimum of 2 dice.

THE GAME

The Americans did not take advantage of the ability to put on all their troops in the terrain between the road (dotted line B-B) and the North end of the board (see underlined phrase just before the American victory Conditions above), electing to come on the table edge piecemeal and paid the price.



The map does not show all the defensive positions of the NKPA (commanded by Dick White)as they were never tested during the game. The Americans (commanded by Jack Breen) started with initiative and moved A Company to the Western Ridge almost to a line of hedges along its edge. A platoon of B Company moved on just to the west of the river. Then an M10 was moved down the road with an observer on foot, on the road, behind the M10. A NKPA platoon on the Eastern side of the river was able to get some fire on the B company platoon, pinning and suppressing some of its stands. An anti-tank gun lurking in a wood near the road junction picked off the M10, and the U.S. made no attempt at getting the observer into cover.

Maximum advance of A Company. Note observer stand on road behind tree at top left. M10 on road is about to "bite it".

The NKPA pltoon under the command of Rick Bryant made an end around sweep of the U.S. left and took out the remainder of the B Company platoon under the command of Cory Oconnor.

Rick's NKPA reinforced platoon about to make its end run

Rick’s next move was a classic – he moved into the building in the rear of the American positions with a couple of squads and a HMG. Where he lost the initiative. However, the Americans were so enthralled by this small nuisance in their rear that they spent several initiatives in trying to eliminate the force- to no avail. Their FO was picked off in the open and, though they exchanged fire with the NKPA in the town and pinned a few, they were never able to maintain initiative long enough to mount an attack. Cory did manage to flank the enemy held town on the right but it was too little, too late. The Americans had too many losses, and were unable to get all their forces on the table before time was up – a DECISIVE NKPA victory.

INCIDENT AT WEE WANG

INCIDENT AT WEE WANG

This scenario is based on “The Raid” a scenario from the website of Nicholas Lloyd

(http://www.lloydianaspects.co.uk/wargames/crossfire/cfraid.html)

As most of the troops I have at present are Koreans, Chinese and U.S. Marines (for the Korean War), we had to move the scene to Korea. The club is building German and U.S. Army forces at the moment so Non-Korean War scenarios can be kept as Non Korean War scenarios, eventually. But back to Wee Wang;

The NKPA has over-run a U.S. command post and captured a safe containing top-secret plans. U.S. Forces have identified the location of the safe. The NKPA is awaiting a special team of experts who will attempt to open it without destroying any documents inside. The U.S. has to destroy the safe before the NKPA can get to the documents.

The safe was hidden in a small town (Wee Wang) and guarded by a company of Green NKPA troops. A couple of companies of Regular NKPA infantry and some armor is bivouacked a few miles down the road to the NE of Wee Wang.

NKPA FORCES

301st-Infantry Company, (GREEN)with:

            1CC(+1)

            1-SMG Sqd.

                        Company Heavy Weapons

                        1 HMG

                                    3-Rifle Platoons; each with:

                                    1-PC(+1)

                                    2-Rifle Squads

                                    1-SMG Squad

Attached troops

            1 HMG

            2 60mm Mortars (12FM) ea.ON TABLE

NKPA places its forces ANYWHERE on the table and places first. They are HIDDEN if in buildings or terrain features except for the ROCKY GROUND that does not break LOS. The lakes are impassable but do not give cover nor break LOS.

The U.S. wins by having a squad of specialist troops (engineers) continuously next to building X for 5 of his phasing initiatives– the NKPA wins by denying him this.

NKPA REINFORCEMENTS

After 8 NKPA initiatives, a die roll of a 5 or 6 indicates a reinforcement arrives at the road exit on the next NKPA initiative – another roll of the die will decide how many points of reinforcement that will be – it could be none! Roll on every initiative thereafter until the reinforcements are all on table.

POSSIBLE REINFORCEMENTS

(All Regulars)

1D6 - (1D6+1)

COST                                     

1 pt.                                         1 platoon of REGULAR infantry (4 available)

1 pt                                          1 HMG in truck (1 available)

2 pt.                                         1 T34/85 TANK (2 Available)

2 pt                                          1 off board 81mm Mortar with FO (he has to move on the table from the road exit. 12FM (1 Available)

U.S.FORCES

2 Coy US Marines(VETERAN)

                        1BC                                                                

                        1 ENG Platoon

                        2 81 mm Mortars OFF BOARD ea. with FO and 12FM

                        1 HMG

                        1 75mm Recoiless Rifle on Jeep

                        A Co. With

                                    1 CC

                                    3 inf platoons ea. with                                                                                                               1 PC (+1 rally only)

                                    2 rifle sqds

                                    1 Bazooka Sqd

                        B Co. With      

                                    1 CC

                                    3 inf platoons ea. with                                                                                                               1 PC (+1 rally only)

                                    2 rifle sqds

                                    1 Bazooka Sqd

The U.S. places on board 2^nd and has the initiative. You may begin on any two table edges as photo recon has pinpointed the building holding the safe (Marke “X”). Split your forces as you will.

The engineers are the specialist troops needed to blow the safe up. At least one stand must stay next to Bldg X continuously for 5 of your phasing initiatives to win.

ROADBLOCK AT LOT PUK

ROADBLOCK AT LOT PUK

(With apologies to Bill Rutherford & John Lewis)

Needing a last minute scenario for 4 people, Jack Breen chose to do a version of "Roadblock on Highway 120" from “Hit The Dirt”©. At the moment we have mostly Korean War troops so the action was moved to Korea, 1950 and some changes made because of limitations in vehicles and terrain.

The Americans received 2 Sherman tanks and the N. Koreans received a T34-85 and an extra 81mm mortar rather than the 65mm IG Gun and the 2 Semoventi L40s of the original scenario.

The map does not show the last foot north of the river as no action took place there. There were some changes in terrain with the orchards being replaced by woods and some other woods of the original being left out or moved somewhat. In general, I believe that for all practical purposes the scenario we played was near as can be to the original.

CLICK ON MAP FOR LARGER VERSION

Dick Bryant (yours truly) commanded the NKPA defense as Major Lo Funk and decided to defend forward with the roadblock well in advance of the bridge with the T-34 “hull down” behind it.. Two platoons defended either flank of the road block with barbed wire set so that the enemy could only attack around the extreme flanks. The time it would take to come that far would give us time to withdraw across the bridge if necessary. The NKPA 2 HMGs protected the approaches to the bridge as well as the extreme flanks described above. Our left had less terrain to hide an advance by the enemy on that side so we stationed the reserve near the bridge on the right where they could counter  the stronger US attack  expected from that side. Cpt. Nomo Luk (Dick Messier) was in command of the right and the reserves.

Finally, in a genius moment, Major Funk hid a sniper in a house well in advance of the main lines to await targets of opportunity- and what an opportunity there was!

NOVICE TRAINING GAME FOR CROSS FIRE

For various reasons there were only 3 gamers at the club on 3/17 so I decided to take advantage of that to have another training game for Cross Fire. Jack has played many games so he took the Defense and Dick Messier who has little experience took the attack.

CROSS FIRE Scenario for Novices was taken from Steve Thomas' Balagan website for Cross Fire http://www.balagan.org.uk/war/crossfire/scenarios/novice.htm. I modified it for the Korean war as that is what I had for available troops on the day of the game. 

Key features are:

  The American defenders deploy to the east of the line A-A.

  The North Korean attackers deploy west of the line A-A.

  The hill marked X is the terrain objective; it starts in American control.

  Fields and Orchards are in-season.

  Remember that any stands on the hill can see over fields, crests, walls and

  hedges.

  .

Pre-game preparation

Attacker will use North Korean Troops

Defender will be American Marines

 

American Player (Defending)

Objective

Defend the hill marked X by holding the hill itself and inflicting high

casualties on the North Koreans.

Deploys first, hidden, but NOT dug in, east of the line A-A.

Forces Available

2 x Rifle Platoons: each with PC (+1), 3 x Rifle Squads.

1 x HMG

1 x FO for off-table 81 mm mortar (12 FM – NO SMOKE)

Morale: Regular

Command and Control: U.S.

North Korean Player (Attacking)

Objective

Capture the hill marked X without suffering excessive casualties.

Deployment

Deploys second, visible, west of the line A-A. Begins scenario with initiative.

Forces Available

1 x CC (+1)

1 x FO for off-table 3"/81mm/82mm mortar (12 FM)

1 x on-table 2"/60mm/50mm mortar (12 FM )

1 x HMG

3 x Rifle Platoons: each with PC (+1), 2 x Rifle Squads, 1 SMG Squad.

Morale: Veteran

Command and Control: US

Victory Conditions

Terrain and Casualty (D) objectives

The game ends when the NKPA achieve their victory conditions or after the

NKPA lose six or more fighting stands (CC, Rifle Squad, HMG, but not PC, FO or

on-table mortar).

The NKPA player wins if they can hold the hill marked X for five consecutive

friendly initiatives. The hill must be uncontested during this entire time, i.e.

no U.S. stands on it.

Scenario Special Rules

  Crests and Orchards are from Hit the Dirt.

   As per Hit the Dirt, Fields and Orchards are in-season, hence block LOS.

  Any stands on the hill can see over fields, crests, walls and hedges.

Jack Breen designed his first CF scenario. The scenario broke some of the rules of CF scenario design, e.g. no unbroken LOS across the table, but because of the ample smoke rounds available for both sides it worked quite well.

THE ACTION AT PUNG HO

The premise was that the main house of a large plantation overlooked the Nakong River and would provide excellent observation over any attempt by the NKPR to cross into the Pusan perimeter. Both sides sent a company sized force to occupy the position and deny it to the enemy. The result was a race of death!

AMERICAN FORCES:

A Company Us Marines with:

            1 CC

            1 HMG

                        3 inf platoons ea. with

                        1 PC

                        3 rifle sqds

           

            3 60mm Mortar ea. W/ FO and 8 FMs  off table

NKPR

301 st Company, with:

            1CC(+1)

            1-SMG Sqd.

                        Company Heavy Weapons

                        1 HMG

                                    3-Rifle Platoons; each with:

                                    1-PC(+1)

                                    2-Rifle Squads

                                    1-SMG Squad

            2 81mm Mortars ea W/FO and 12 FMs off table

VICTORY CONDITIONS

Major Victory:  At 9:30PM (2.5 HRS GAME TIME) any side holding the Pung Ho estate building and upper hill with 1 PC or CC and 1 complete platoon or equivalent for consecutive 2 friendly initatives.

Minor Victory:  At 9:30PM any side holding the Pung Ho building and high ground with "any" 3 squads for 2 consecutive friendly initiatives.