Panzer Grenadier Battles on April 24th:
Grossdeutschland 1944 #17 - Spoiled at Pascani Road to Berlin #72 - What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor?
Night of the Wrecked Tank
Author thomaso827
Method Solo
Victor United States
Play Date 2014-09-17
Language English
Scenario MARI028

This is another night action, with Japanese armor supported by infantry entering the board and driving the Marines back from the northern board to the southern one. I started the Marines in a central position, with the Captain and 3 steps of infantry in the village near the juncture of the two boards, while one LT and 3 steps prepared an ambush along the west side of the road and the rest occupied the small 2-level hill just to the east. This allowed the Marine mortar to fire illumination as soon as contact was made and gave some opportunity for the Marines on the hill to engage at a bit more distance an illuminated enemy, while also allowing a clear field for the Marines to step back and avoid assaults by the Japanese infantry. It took 2 turns of just movement before any chance of contact was to be made, and the Japanese tank held back to allow the infantry to cover his left flank. This somewhat messed up the Marine plans, and the LT outpost chose to move back one hex in the jungle rather than risk assault on Japanese terms. The Marines on the hill fired but to no effect. Next turn, instead of staying in place and firing another illumination round, the mortars were disassembled and prepared to move back to avoid encirclement, so no additional fire could take place on either side and the Japanese attempted to move around the Marine's right flank with their infantry, leaving one LT and 3 steps of infantry to support the tanks. The Marines started a general withdrawal, except for the one LT on the western side of the road, who was able to assault the tanks after they entered the village, which separated the armor from the accompanying infantry for the turn. Combat in the village was very much one sided, as the Tanks did no damage while the Marines destroyed the one half-step Shin and took a step from the Type 95, and demoralized the remaining crews. The Marines got the mortar back into operation, just in time to take advantage of a lack of initiative on the Japanese part, illuminating and allowing the accompanying infantry to become demoralized by direct fire, and allowing the Marine platoons to withdraw back onto board 100 and away from possible encirclement. The Marines formed a line in the jungle hexes along the road and were able to damage the Japanese attempts to close with them, until in the last turn, the Japanese Captain and 3 steps managed to assault the Marine Captain with the mortars and 2 steps of infantry. Neither side had any success in eliminating the other side. So, with no Marine losses to a total of 9 (counting double for the 2 tank steps lost), and with all the Marines holding the central Jungle hexes, the game resulted in a Major Victory.

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