Korean War: Pusan Perimeter, scenario #1: Ongjin Peninsula

I returned to playing a scenario from Pusan and it was nice to finally use the new die-cut counters. On the surface the Ongjin Peninsula looks like an easy North Korean victory but it is far from that. The South Koreans have both the terrain and time on their side. The NKPA must eliminate 8 ROK steps and exit 30 steps off the south edge of the map in 15 turns. The first 6 turns are night which helps NKPA approaches and they have almost twice the Infantry units, higher morale and more off board artillery support. But the ROKs dig-in, have three entrenchments and block the most important terrain areas.

As the North Koreans I had to first concentrate enough forces to eliminate 8 South Korean steps or exiting 30 units wouldn’t mean anything. Then I had to make a hole through the ROK lines with enough time to exit those units. The night turns really helped the NKPA at first, then daylight hit. With a hole opened up and 9 ROK steps eliminated it was a tense rush to exit 30 or more NKPA off the south edge with ROK units trying to fill the void and cut-off the openings. The NKPA step losses don’t matter as long as you have enough to exit in 15 turns. But I actually only lost 5 NKPA steps, as they pulled out of action as soon as the ROK losses reached 8 steps and headed south. Not until the last turn were the NKPA able to exit a total of 32 steps for a North Korean victory.

A very surprisingly tense scenario right to the end. The NKPA exited 32 steps and eliminated 9 ROK steps but it was touch and go and a few dice rolls either way and it would have been a ROK victory. I enjoyed playing this one.