Korean War: Counter-Attack, scenario #4: Joint Operations

The veteran North Korean 6th Division had infiltrated in great force into the American lines and the American responded with Task Force Kean, using both Army and Marine units to try and drive them back out. The Victory conditions are about knocking the NKPA off all the east-west road and adjacent hexes on map 113, where the North Koreans have dug-in with good defensive terrain to their advantage. Step losses do not matter! The American enter the east edge of map 114, with the stronger Marines attacking up the center and the Army units split into two groups, flanking the Marines on the right and left. Both sides have a good amount of off-board artillery and the American get air-cover for three turns.

With such a larger American attacking force it takes almost five turns just to get into attacking positions. The Sherman tanks flanks to the far left, to get around the gorge hexes but the North Korean have managed to cover their flanks with small units, to slow the American down and assault the Sherman tanks losing a step of SMG Infantry but taking out a Sherman tank step in return and both sides check for morale of their remaining units in the assault. The Marines push forward up the center but get hit with 22 points of off-board artillery that roll a 12 on dice causing a 2X, losing two steps of Marine Infantry and the Leader in the casualty check as well. Not the start I had planned. But on the next turn I get a little payback and hit the NKPA with a B29 which hits one hex knocking out a NKPA Infantry step but misses the second hex. The NKPA mortar are giving the American problems as well, until some of their artillery suppresses them for a while.

The fighting lasted all 25 turns, in the bloodiest combat I have experienced in Counter-Attack so far. Towards the end, the North Koreans start to get encircled and bunched up in the middle of map 113 but still dug-n around the east-west road and the Americans attack in really bunched up and disorganized at this point. A Marine Colonel tries to open a hole with a brave charge but two Marine steps are lost to adjacent enemy NKPA units, which are too happy to shoot at Americans. Some American Army and Marine units are now mixed in some hexes in this squeezed in area.

In the end I could not remove all the North Koreans from the road and adjacent hexes in the 25 turns, as three or four more hexes were still not cleared, resulting in the North Korean victory. In was one of the bloodiest PG scenario I have played. I think the North Koreans lost 46 steps, 5 leaders and one Kommissar. The Americans lost 11 Marine steps, 2 Leaders and the Army also lost 11 steps and 1 Leader, for a total of 22 American steps and 3 Leaders. Granted tanks count double and the Americans lost two tank steps, one to assault and one to a hidden Su-76 that was later knockout by a Marine M26 Pershing tank.

Historically it took the Americans three days to knock the NKPA back from these positions and with the casualties rates I had, I can see why. But if I had 3-4 more turns I think I could have done it but maybe not with acceptable casualty rates. Historically the 6th Division withdrew in good order but I doubt they would have in my game. And I thought the Americans were going to win this scenario, no problem. Maybe next time!