Korean War: Counter-Attack, scenario #20: Evacuation by Sea

First let me make a couple clarifications for this scenario. It is true the 3 LSTs in this scenario can load up 11 steps each plus an unlimited number of leaders but should only be able to load one unit or two steps a turn plus leaders, this not only works and makes sense but gives the NKPA a chance to win. Also, I gave the LSTs a 6 armor protection values. Lastly I highly recommend using the Optional Rule: Strategic Movement to allow the North Koreans a chance to close with the ROK units.

This was I believe, the first time an Evacuation by Sea scenario was attempted but if you use the above mention clarifications, the NKPA has at least a chance to win the scenarios, without the above, the ROKs have it too easy.

Ok, whatever your results are, it is still a fun play! I setup the ROK with a large bunch of units by the expected landing/evacuation beaches, waiting on the American LSTs and another group of block forces protecting the comrades with units on the city edges and bridges to slow any advancing North Korean units down. The North Koreans come on mostly from the north with just a couple units from the west but all using the Strategic Movement rules to close much faster and make a game out of this scenario. On turn two the American Naval LSTs arrive and beach and the H5 Helicopter dropping off a Marine Lieutenant with some forward blocking ROK units to spot for the naval off-board artillery, as only the Naval Helicopter and the Marine LT can spot for the off-board naval guns and to have them in two locations I thought I could cover the map better. After a couple of turns the North Korean units slammed into the blocking South Korean units as other ROK units slowly loaded on to the LSTs. The American spotting units setup both illumination and normal off-board navel bombardments slowing and damaging some NKPA units but not all. Assault combat started in the next couple of turns as well but the NKPA could not break through the initial lines in time but the LSTs had to pull away before they were assaulted with most of the ROK units but not all, as the ones who sacrificed themselves in assault combat could not disengage in time to get away, including the Marine LT, which the H5 had to abandon with the ROKs who didn’t make it out!

With that said, the ROK lost 2 steps to combat and 6 steps left behind but the LSTs left with 24 steps counting the truck and a bunch of not counted leaders, while the NKPA lost 4 steps in fighting, giving the ROKs a 19 point victory, winning by 11 points or more for a Major Victory.

Maybe to balance this scenario a bit more, have a random draw on when the LSTs show up from turns 2-8, with a mandatory arrival of turn 8. With that said, this was pretty fun to play. NKPA, ROK, Marines, Naval and helicopter, make this great to play at least once, if not more.

Errata: • Scenario #20: Special Rule #2 should refer to LST units not LSV units. First let me make a couple clarifications for this scenario. It is true the 3 LSTs in this scenario can load up 11 steps each plus an unlimited number of leaders but should only be able to load one unit or two steps a turn plus leaders, this not only works and makes sense but gives the NKPA a chance to win. Also, I gave the LSTs a 6 armor protection values. Lastly I highly recommend using the Optional Rule: Strategic Movement to allow the North Koreans a chance to close with the ROK units.