On Saturday, I met Steve Zundel of ASL-GAP fame, for the first time as we played Orange At Walambum. He is a class guy and a very good opponent. He manages his time and progress well. His attack was different from what I expected, but it was a tough nut to stop. I had the determined Combat Team Orange against his nasty, imperialist hordes.
After surveying the boards (not to mention the 95 Annual's article), I placed the 81* MTR and a squad in 37X7 with the 9-2, squad and HMG in 37X6 and 4.5 squads in the jungle next to the stream (W4, W6 (HS & 60mm), V4, V5 (squad and MMG) and W9 (squad and MMG)). Reserves were typically out of LOS, on the level three hill (615) and behind the X-row. I only had two HSs on board 36 along with the dummy counters.
The IJH (Imperialist Japanese Horde) split into two forces. On his right flank were his HMG and MMG toting crews, a mortar squad, a couple of other squads and his 75* INF gun in 36P8. The mortar on this flank was located there too. His other forces were on his left flank where they could push through the jungle on his left.
Immediately the lead started flying as the he tried to hammer the 37X6 and X7 hexes and gain their aquistion. Counterbattery fire forced his mortar team to move and eventually reduced the INF crew to a 1-2-6 but could not break him. Hill 526 was swept clean by turn 3 or 4, but the forces on his right flank had very few good spots to engage the critical hex (37X7) or the MMG defending it on the southern side (IJH's right flank). My MMGs both had good shots when the other two IJH mortars moved into 27S7. These squads were quickly broken but not before laying WP into some key hexes. One of these had a 9-1 (Lt. Swann) who heat of battled into a 9-2 heroic leader, who wounded shortly afterwards. The MMG squad broke of course. As the panjis were revealed later than they should have been (my error unless they are always HIP), the IJH was grouped to overwhelm my right flank. As I furiously tried to move forces to that side to slow the Japs as they tried to emerge from the stream, I found that I was locked into H2H. The Japs blasted their own guys breaking my squad of course, but reducing themselves too. I entered a HS to cover the withdrawing squad, who somehow made it out and the HS eliminated a step reduced squad. On the next turn as I was pulled back to make the IJH come to me, they tried to turn my flank and reinforced the H2H. So my HS eliminated the remaining leader on this flank and his escorting squad.
By now (turn 4 or so) I was getting my firepower into good positions with concealed squads AMing in, firing in AFPh and pulling back or staying concealed and trying to ambush the Japs if they were CX or on panjis. Eventually, I eliminated the forces on this flank, except for a HS, and shifted them just in time to stop the IJH as they moved through the stream and swamp on my left flank. By turn #5 the Japs had smoked X7 again and had units in W9. Luckily, I had put a single panji covering one of the two approach hexes (X7-W8 hexside), which made them think twice about rushing it. At least twice I pin key Jap squads. Once as he tries to place a DC to unhinge my shorts. Eat lead, sucker.
During my turn 5, I rolled gusts, which at least would remove the smoke from X7 so I could defend it. By this time my 81* was malfunctioned and had been for a couple of turns. My original 9-2 had was wounded too. He, a HS with MMG and the crew had been holding the hex but outside the foxhole and the crew is eliminated. The 75* INF scores a KIA on my reserve squad and break the 8-0 leader. I move the HMG squad into the X7 foxhole (I forgot I could not lug the dang thing out of a FH, into jungle and into a FH without exhausting my guys, so I did it in a couple of stages, but I got there safely.
By turn 5, the pressure is on the Japs. My right flank is reinforcing behind X7. The IJH send a Dc hero to occupy the X7 firegroup. He survives wounded but unable to enter X7. The other guys in W9 come drawing fire and withering away. A 1-2-6 (?) and the DC hero enter CC where they are wasted, but the DC is exploded for a K/4 result. The wounded 9-2 now battle hardens and goes heroic. The HS dies but the squad hangs tough. A 10-1 leader (?), and two Jap HMG/MMG toting crews emerge from the swamp during the APh into X8 during turn #6. A CXed 4-4-8 joins them too.
I do not hurt them much during my PFPh, but they chew up my squad pretty well. The wounded, heroic 10-2 dies. The Japs get greedy and try to eliminate my broken squad. Snakes bite them in their imperial asses. :-) He advances into CC with them (no ambush roll since they were in open ground) and eliminates the crews at 3:2 odds and survives their return attack. We are held in melee, so the Japanese surrenders after the next RPh.
I did advance another squad an my wounded, heroic 9-2 into X7 in the bottom of the 6th to hold it and the squad recovered the HMG. In summation, Combat Team Orange was not Combat Team Pink. They hung tough and did not break at the critical times. I was lucky to tie the IJH up at key moments in melee, which led to the fatal decision to reinforce with the last Japanese leader on my right flank. That seemed to be the turning point.
While OAW was resolved early on turn 7, had my squad been eliminated during CC, then the IJH would have had another shot at capturing 37X7. Overall, OAW is a tremendously fun and balanced scenario. Anytime, either side. What more is there to ask?
Chuck
Played Orange at Walawbaum this weekend. I had read the write up in the Annual and thought that I was ready for either side. My opponent took the Amis, so I had the IJA.
The Amis set up heavy on Hill 526 with several lines of foxholes. Two squads and a leader went on the other hill. The panji's were set to guard the right of 526 at the base of the hill. The ends of his foxhole lines also covered the right. The 81 MTR was back on the hill, with a leader spotting.
The IJA sent 10 squads directly at 526. Two squads forded the pond in an attempt to slide up the Amis Left flank. Two squads and the 8+1 were to take the victory hex on board 37. The 10-1 with the HMG/MMG plus a 9-0 with two squads went up the middle. Thought being that they could provide flanking fire on 526, but be available to assist on board 37 if needed. The 75* went in 36P8 thereby able to hit most of the level 2 hexes on 526. The attack on 526 went as planned. Prep fire on turn 1 took out the forward foxhole, which by luck had the Ami HMG. No WP from the INF gun. By slowly moving up in a great creeping mass, the IJA used advancing fire and defensive fire to keep the Amis in check. The 81MTR had an incredible ROF display, taking a 448 and concealed 447 to broken HS in one DF phase.
The 10-1 and killer MG stack got shot at as they moved into position to fire. A 6 +1 cause an NMC, which the leader decided to pass with snakes and to go berserk. Try to make effective ML 10 crews fail the berserk TC. These guys proceeded to wade around in the stream charging Amis, but causing havoc and pulling squads needed on the hills down to try to stop them.
The fight on board 37 was a cat and mouse game with neither side wanting to eat FP. The berserk guys finally pulled one Ami squad away allowing the IJA to take the hill.
By Turn 4, the first Ami foxhole line on Hill 526 had been breached. The Amis tried to push the now entrenched IJA off, but too many squads had broken and the IJA walked away with the win. The one question I have is "WHERE ARE THE SMOKE BELCHING KNEE MORTARS???" The IJA have to eat a lot of FP to get up that hill with no real cover available. SMOKE would help a lot.
Overall I would play this one again. With only being allowed to lose 4 hexes on top of 526, the Amis need to put more FP on the front line to slow the IJA down. (Ya gotta love the way the IJA eats FP and keeps coming! My kind of troops)
Chris
> The 10-1 and killer MG stack got shot at as they moved into
>
position to fire. A 6 +1 cause an NMC, which the leader decided
> to
pass with snakes and to go berserk. Try to make effective ML
> 10 crews
fail the berserk TC. These guys proceeded to wade
> around in the stream
charging Amis, but causing havoc and pulling
> squads needed on the hills
down to try to stop them.
I've been caught by this too, but I'm fairly sure I've seen a Q&A
somewhere that says crews CAN'T go berserk at all. Yup, just looked and it's in
the '91 Annual and at the top of the first column on page 48 in the Winter '95
Annual.