Korean War: Counter-Attack, scenario #55: Pursuit

The North Korean 6th Division is delaying the American’s 25th Division, led by Task Force Dolvin as they try and breakthrough the weak NKPA lines. The Americans enter on the south edge of a two map, length wise configuration and must exit 12 or more steps off the north edge of the maps without losing more than 3 steps. The NKPA setup blocking forces in the middle with mines and units covering the minefields but also stagger units on the flanks and defend in depth with the little dug-in forces they have.

The American veer away from the center map minefields and decide on the two rougher flanks, losing one step of M4/76 tanks to opportunity fire from a NKPA 76.2mm gun. The North Korean swing back and adjust many of their forces and are able to separate the Tank riding American infantry from their tanks. They can’t stop the tanks from exiting but prevented most of the Infantry from exiting accept the Engineers who skated by on one of the flanks riding in trucks. The American were only able to exit 10 steps by the end of the scenario: 7 tank steps which only count as one point per step, 2 engineer steps and the 1 Jeep .50cal. They lost one tank step, one LT Leader and the rest the infantry and Leaders were scattered, disrupted, demoralized or leaderless and not able to progress. The North Koreans had both on and off board artillery and mortar units while the Americans had none and like historically would have to wait for the air-support to wipeout the enemy.

With the American tank steps only counting as one point each, both side have more options then I thought and the Americans can’t lose too many steps fighting, they have to decide when to run for the exit and when to engage the enemy with only 19 turns. The North Koreans have to swing forces around and have a lot of movement and adjustments to do to hold some of the American from exiting, so this is not a stationary defense. The NKPA win this one but it was so close!