Author	treadasaurusrex (Japan)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Japan
Participants	Reconquista
Play Date	2023-04-08
Language	English
Scenario	ChOp002

This was a 5-session, very bloody, play-through with the implacable and sly, Reconquista leading the defending Chinese. I led the overeager & excessively aggressive Japanese side. We used the consolidation, excess initiative and FOW optional rules in this flawed and hopelessly unbalanced scenario. We refrained from using house rules in what ended up as a major Japanese victory. The victory conditions include the Japanese capturing two bridges over a major river and exiting at least 20 steps onto Maps 114 or MAP 93. The Chinese force is inadequate to prevent these two conditions. Between us, we threw 18 combat 7-die rolls and there were 6 FOW-shortened turns that, surprisingly, did relatively little to help the defending Chinese garrison.

As others have reported, the Sons of Nippon made dilatory progress on Map 95 and very slowly ground down the defenders in the vicinity of the bridge. A Japanese movement to contain the left flank took the easternmost bridge after suffering many casualties, multiple morale failures & leader losses. Oddly, the defenders in the adjacent town, were not made of the same stout stuff, as the courageous, Chinese bridge guards on either flank.

This problematic scenario is suitable for SOLO play only, as it is virtually impossible for the defending Chinese side to prevail, I give it a generous; 2, and recommend against trying it in SHARED play.

Short summary of a quick victory for the Japanese: 2 battalions, reinforced, cross in multi-company groups at night. One group attacking each bridge, one crossing with a company of engineers. The Chinese have a little more than a battalion, spread wide in company sized groups, to defend the river crossings.

The Japanese approach the river, their engineer group well out of sight of any Chinese defenders. Chinese defending the bridges come under fire and start taking losses. Japanese company assault groups cross the bridges and enter close combat with the Chinese.

The engineers slowly move infantry across the river, and the assaults over the bridges gain ground. Three hours in the Chinese defenders are crumbling and routing into the night. Nothing stands in the way of the Japanese achieving their objectives. Major Japanese victory.

Japanese are tasked with capturing two bridges over a major river and expanding their bridgehead by advancing 20 or more steps onto maps 114 &/ or 93 by game end, a small Chinese blocking force is going to try and prevent that from happening but they are spread thin.

The Japanese right flank had a tough time clearing the Chinese defenders due to the terrain on map 95 around the bridge which limited Japanese movement and their ability to concentrate their forces. The Japanese on this flank made slow but steady progress while routing the Chinese defenders.

On the Japanese left this force had an easier approach march to the eastern bridge, sure they took some light casualties due to Chinese OP Fire but enough good, ordered platoons were able to get adjacent to Chinese units that on the next turn the real attack began with multiple Japanese assaults to clear out the town hexes covering the bridge.

Almost gave this scenario a 2 but did not think it was that bad that I would not want to play it again to see if a different strategy could give the Chinese a victory, even if a minor one.

The hardest part of this scenario was breaching the river. This was accomplished in three areas, the middle, across from the large rice paddy, and at both bridges. The whole thing fell apart at around turn 10. After that it was a quick run for all three objectives. Note: This was a good scenario for practicing river crossings.