{"id":9000,"date":"2019-07-16T23:19:18","date_gmt":"2019-07-16T23:19:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bucksurdu.com\/blog\/?p=9000"},"modified":"2019-07-16T23:19:18","modified_gmt":"2019-07-16T23:19:18","slug":"americans-in-the-philippines-at-historicon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/bucksurdu.com\/blog\/?p=9000","title":{"rendered":"Americans in the Philippines at Historicon"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Overview of the table.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I ran a Combat Patrol(tm) game set in the Philippines in 1941 Thursday evening at Historicon 2019. \u00a0The game involved and advancing Japanese infantry platoon supported by light tanks and defending American infantry with an anti-tank gun.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Japanese advance through a defile.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Japanese were very cautions with their tanks, moving them through the difficult terrain instead of up the road. \u00a0They guessed that the Americans would have the road covered, and they were correct. \u00a0The Japanese weighted their right flank. \u00a0Initially it was slow going (at half speed through the jungle) but when they hit the thick grass they picked up the pace a bit.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The American defenses along the creek, which was impassible to vehicles.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Americans chose a very linear defense. \u00a0When they detected the Japanese movement through the jungle, they quickly repositioned their machine-guns. \u00a0A lot of hidden movement can really slow down a convention game, so I had the Americans deploy their infantry on the table, but I let them do hidden placement for their two machine-guns and the anti-tank gun.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The Americans advanced from their line along the creek to attack the light Japanese left flank.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The American player on their right flank recognized that the Japanese had weighted their right and that their left was weak. \u00a0To make the game interesting, he chose to advance to try to disrupt the Japanese attack. \u00a0Unfortunately, luck was not with him, and the Japanese spotted them first and opened fire. \u00a0by the end of the game, this American squad was all but wiped out.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Eventually, the Japanese decide to advance over the bridge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Toward the end of the Japanese finally mustered the courage to advance across the bridge with their tanks. \u00a0The anti-tank gun took a reaction fire, which brewed up the light tank. \u00a0Though the Americans lost the battle, this provided a moment of victory.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The Japanese and Americans engage in a firefight across the creek.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Americans were defending the creek on their left. \u00a0The Japanese advanced to the creek. \u00a0The Americans reacted first, mauling the first Japanese squad that showed itself. \u00a0After a couple of turns, however, the Japanese recovered somewhat and began to gain the upper hand in the protracted firefight. \u00a0When the smoke cleared, the Americans were withdrawing, and the Japanese easily advanced across the creek to the hut along the road.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Another view of the table.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I think all the players had a good time. \u00a0They were all engaged throughout the battle.<\/p>\n

I used the rules from the South Pacific supplement, including the Banzai! charge rules. \u00a0For some of the players, this was their first exposure to Combat Patrol, but they grasped the rules quickly and were soon playing the game with only minimal involvement by me.<\/p>\n