Korean War: Pusan Perimeter, scenario #31: Yongdok: The Second Battle & scenario #39: Yongdok Battle Continued

I decided to combine these two scenarios into one AAR as they are the same battle and I just setup one after the other as they use the same maps and counters. It was a tale of two different stories or outcomes however.

In scenario 31 the South Koreans decide to attack in three groups, the middle and north and south flanks. The North Koreans setup some advance units that can spot for their artillery and put their artillery in the far northeastern hill entrenched and out of harm’s way until the ROKs could close in and spot them. The rest of the NKPA pretty much defended the town in strength.

I thought with all the off South Korean, American naval and air-support it might be an easy scenario but the ROKs poor morale of 7/5 and the heavy beating they took from the NKPA artillery and mortar fire gave them little opportunity to take any town hexes but only to lick their wounds. A clear North Korean victory in this scenario.

In scenario 39 the outcome was much different and the weaken NKPA force were pushed out of town just barley in the end, as the American heavy naval fire devastated the NKPA forces this time because the ROKs had a better 8/6 morale and were able to close in, unlike the first scenario giving South Koreans a victory this time around. The NKPA had a chance to keep one town hex but the ROKs rolled well on the dice and had a few more turns in this scenario. It was clearly a tale of two stories. I could see why a large city/urban/Stalingrad game might be difficult to fight/play.