Hunkering Down – Burma, 1944

I swear I play other things sometimes, but it seems like lately my Burma games are the only ones where I take photos...

I had actually planned to have a go at a three-player game of Traitor's Toll this week, but my dad had to bow out last minute, so instead of teaching both him and Gareth the rules in two separate sessions I decided to do another Burma game, but using the jungle terrain rules and having Gareth go on the defensive.

We played Mission 5: Flank Attack, with my British platoon bringing 16 points of support and his Japanese having 11. I brought an Adjutant (1), a pre-game barrage (2), a replenishment point (1), an engineer team (2), a Red Die (2), and a Sherman (4), while Gareth brought a squad prepared position (4), a Ruse (2), an extra submachine gun (1), a rifle grenade launcher (1), and a section of conscripts (3). I rolled rather poorly for morale, and had just 9 against Gareth's 11.

What would make things even more of an uphill climb was the aftermath of the patrol phase, where the angles played more to Gareth's favour than mine. Rather than being cornered in his part of the table, Gareth's Japanese would lie along more or less a straight line set back from the road, while I would really only have two useful jump-off points, one on my left directly opposite one of Gareth's, and one on my right with a bit of a vantage point across the open but partly obstructed by the house. My plan would be to try and force the Japanese onto a narrower front quickly by hitting Gareth's right flank immediately, banking on the barrage to block his deployment.

The Game

Unfortunately, Gareth rolled three 2s on his first Phase after my riflemen and sergeant came out, and he passed his first deployment roll anyway, although fortunately his fire did little damage.

Mine, on the other hand, amazingly caused four casualties including wounding Gareth's corporal, to which he responded by deciding to attempt a withdrawal into the jungle and force me to fight more on his terms. Unfortunately he rolled a 1, meaning his men turned around... and made no progress, exposing their backs.

Not about to give up a golden opportunity, I charged in and won decisively, and with the corporal having been stunned in the action, the remaining men were rounded up as prisoners.

With Gareth's right flank now overrun, it was safe for me to bring out the Sherman (though unbeknownst to me, he never had any anti-tank weapons with which to threaten it anyway, and was mainly banking on me getting bogged down on that flank.)

With my second section out on my right to provide supporting fire, I began moving the first section towards the rice paddies.

I also decided to present a more serious threat to the Japanese left by bringing out my lieutenant with the third section, which would mean I had no reserves left save for my mortar.

Unfortunately for me, this was where Gareth decided to bring out his heavy hitters, as his bunker revealed itself along with six riflemen in spider holes.

This was then compounded by the deployment of Gareth's third rifle section along the bank of the creek, which did at least take a few casualties thanks to both HE from the tank and retaliatory fire from my steady but dwindling rifle section.

Needing to somehow regain the initiative, I sent my second section out in a dash towards Gareth's left... and rolled dismally.

Out sprang the Japanese conscripts, who took down three of my men in one volley despite hitting the dirt for safety.

Short of good options, I pushed my leftmost section into the paddy field for cover and tried to hold firm while I figured out a way to consolidate.

Fortunately, some better rolling by my riflemen in subsequent phases brought a Bren gun to the window of the hut, where it proceeded to roll very badly but at least had a bit of moral effect, while the lieutenant led his troops up into the wood. I reckoned that with six command dice I could probably keep all of my troops under command and put some real pressure on Gareth's remaining unfortified men.

Nevertheless, my recklessness on the left had begun to cost me, as my section was down to just its automatic weapons and both NCOs were now wounded. Still, Gareth had lost more than a few morale points by now, through the loss of his first rifle section, then the jump-off point, and then the NCO of his section in the creek, where he had now assigned his officer to take over command. His initial +2 morale advantage had all but evaporated, and he now sat at 5 against what I believe was 7 for the Allies. Moreover, having lost a Jump-Off Point he no longer benefited from the -1 bonus to Bad Things Happen rolls that the Japanese would otherwise get.

As luck would have it, my next round of fire killed Gareth's officer, and he rolled the worst possible result for morale, a -3. While Japanese morale hadn't collapsed outright, one or two more phases of fire would probably have annihilated the last of the central section and finished the job, so we called it a night.

Reflections

Ironically given what I remarked upon last time, I really should have done more to consolidate my position and figure out my next moves before rushing unprepared into a general attack. Really, once I'd secured my left flank it should have become the base of fire supporting an attack by my right, rather than relying on a reduced infantry section and a tank to launch an attack at what I should have been certain were two infantry sections, one of which would almost certainly be fortified.