Author	treadasaurusrex (Soviet Union)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Japan
Participants	Grognard Gunny (AAR)
Play Date	2025-04-28
Language	English
Scenario	PotE002

This was a 4-session play through with the doughty & hard-fighting Grognard Gunny leading dug-in & concealed, defending elements of the Japanese 19th Infantry Division. I led the poorly-coordinated & trained, attacking elements of the Soviet 118th, 119th & 120th Rifle regiments. All fighting was just west of Lake Khasan. Both sides drew middling sets of leaders, with the Japanese being slightly better in quality.

In this unusual scenario, we used the FOW, consolidation, hidden units (Japanese only), excess initiative and strategic movement. optional rules. I also suggest that we use only a single house rule: 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 1-4) featured a slow and severely constricted Soviet approach march in two columns, both north & south of the margins of Lake Khasan. Surprisingly, no casualties were sustained, and only a few dug-in Japanese positions became visible at the beginning of the 4th game turn.

In the second session (game turns 5-6) the slow & bottle-necked, Soviet advance continued to stumble forward and into contact with dug-in Japanese units. A series of ambushes ensued as the Emperor’s hidden soldiers began ambushing the hapless Russian probes. The Japanese drew first blood and eliminated 3 Soviet steps on the lower slopes of the large hill mass on Map 16. The Soviets began the 3-game turns of air support to combine with their very limited OBA on at the start of game turn 6.

Our third session (game turns 7-8) the slow & clumsy Soviet advance continued with both flank columns, changing course and pushing toward the border hexes in the center, and away from the punishing fire of the dug-in, Japanese defenders atop the northernmost & the southernmost hills. So far, the Emperor’s troops have not lost a single step! The Soviets are down by 6 probing steps – mostly due to deadly Japanese opfire – and will likely lose many more, now that they have run out of supporting OBA and air support. The last contingent of Russian reinforcements is now 5 game turns late!

During the fourth session (game turns 9-12) the deliberate Soviet attack in the north was brought to a crawl by heavy Japanese opfire, and the Russian attempt to flank that hill was driven back with heavy casualties. In the south, the Emperor’s men were also successful in holding of the Soviet human wave. By mutual agreement, the Soviets conceded the game at the end of the 12th game turn, when it was clear that the Japanese were going to win a major victory. There were 6 FOW-shortened game turns of the 12 played.

Here’s yet another gamey, hard-to-setup, unbalanced, but interesting to play, scenario. This was a difficult-to-manage, 18-turn, shoot ‘em up, featuring Japanese morale superiority and terrain advantages that virtually guarantees that it quickly turns into a hard-fought victory for the Sons of Nippon. It includes several rule strictures that result in a slow, very bloody, infantry slugfest. Perhaps it is a historically accurate, conflict simulation, but it was one to endure, rather than enjoy. I give this one a generous 3, thanks to the fun resulting from shared play with a resolute & gracious opponent. This one is another example of a scenario with an “all or nothing” set of victory conditions, this time for the nearly-hapless Bolsheviks. It is a very challenging pull for the low-morale, attacking Soviet infantry, so the more experienced player should lead the Russian attackers. A scenario rewrite with less restrictive & conflicting rules and better victory conditions would help to balance this scenario. IMHO, as published, this one may be played in SHARED mode as an instructional scenario, but it is best suited for use in SOLO mode.