Author	treadasaurusrex (Soviet Union)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Soviet Union
Participants	Grognard Gunny (AAR)
Play Date	2025-03-31
Language	English
Scenario	PotE001

This was a 2-session play through with the aggressive & cunning grognard gunny leading the elements of the surprise-attacking Japanese 19th Infantry Division in a border incursion scenario. I led defending elements of the reinforced, but poorly supplied, Soviet 118th & 119 Rifle regiments holding disputed Manchurian border segment. All fighting was at night with visibility at only 1 hex and located near the western shores of Lake Khasan

In this peculiar scenario, we used the FOW, consolidation, smoke/illum (Japanese side only), hidden units, excess initiative and strategic movement. optional rules. Only a single house rule was used: Standardized Movement for Mechanized Units — All mechanized units may move through clear hexes at a movement cost of only 1 movement point (MP) per hex, instead of 1 1/2. Add one to this cost if moving up, across, or down slopes hexes.

Our first session (game turns 1-5) featured a methodical Japanese approach in near-total darkness with decisive contact made on the upper slopes of the large hill mass on Map 16. Heavy fighting followed with multiple adjacent-hex firefights and close assaults initiated by the Emperor’s high-morale troops. Initial step losses totaled, a mere 3 for Japan and 4 to the Soviet Union this session. The Japanese reinforcements were delayed, but the first batch of Russian reserves began arriving on game turn 4.

The second session (game turns 6-10) featured many frustrations for both sides as the reinforcements finally arrived on the battle map, and the Japanese slowly flanked the Russian border stations on the large hill Mass on Map 16. Step losses this session were another pair for the embattled Russian and 4 lost by the charging Japanese, resulting in the loss of an initiative level on both sides. By mutual agreement we called this one a Soviet victory at the start of the tenth game turn.

This was a gamey and difficult-to-setup-and-play scenario, that included several rule strictures that resulted in a serious, but slow, infantry slugfest. A historically accurate, conflict simulation – perhaps - but not a joy to play. The instructions should mandate the use of the strategic movement optional rule, to allow the infiltrating Japanese to flank the hapless Soviet border stations, and also to speed the arrival of the poorly-supplied, Russian reinforcements. I give this one a generous 2, thanks to the fun resulting for shared play with a clever & entertaining opponent. A rewrite with less restrictive rules & rewritten victory conditions would help balance this scenario. IMHO, as published, this one is best played in SOLO mode.