Lanfeng, Henan Province, China
1938-05-26 (0 others)
Designer: Gary Fortenberry
Starter kit scenario?: Deluxe scenario?:
Balance:
ChineseJapanese
Overview:
The Japanese 14th Infantry Division was ordered south from Manchuria to force a crossing of the Yellow River near Lanfeng and then advance towards Wuhan, to flank and cut off the retreating Chinese. The 14th Division’s move encountered unexpected resistance, however, and it quickly began to run low on supplies. Lt-Gen. Doihara, its commander, decided to withdraw to his former bridgehead, but near Lanfeng he found himself surrounded on three sides by the Chinese.
Attacker: Chinese (1st Column, 200th Division and the 36th Division)
Defender: Japanese (14th Infantry Division and 2nd Tank Battalion)
6.5 turns
Players: 2 OBA: None Night: No
Unit Counts:
Squads: A:17.0 D:10.0
AFVs: A:11
Henschel 33(g) x 3 Vickers 6-Ton Mk E(b) x 2 T-26TU M33(r ) x 5 L3/35(i) x 2 BA-6(r) x 2
AFVs: D:4
Type 89A CHI-RO x 2 Type 89B CHI-RO x 2
Guns: A:3
3.7cm PaK 35/36 Oerlikon 20mm x 2
D:2
Type 89 Heavy Grenade-Launcher x 2 Type 92 70mm INF Gun x 2 Type 97 20mm Automatic Gun
The Chinese were able to gain a foothold early as the nearest buildings were almost entirely occupied by dummies. Tanks were able to advance forward and cause significant issues with units east of the gully, and the Japanese vehicles were unable to survive for more than 3 turns. Close Combats generally went the way of the Chinese, by some pure miracle of dice rolling - though at the same time a 9-1 leader and crewed MMG and an adjacent Inf Gun were simply impossible to stripe OR break. One of my AA guns was able to shoot at and destroy a fighter bomber before it managed to shoot, which felt pretty good, and was a deciding factor in determining the final CVP score. We called it early, but it was sort of a done-deal with how many Chinese squads were lingering about, and the free reign the tanks had.
2023-03-19
(A) Rich Weiley
vs
Dave Wallace
Japanese win
Great game. Lost all my AFV bar one, giving my opponent too much of a lead in CVP. Took about 28 VP of buildings but still fell 15vp short.
2022-08-26
(A) Shane Pask
vs
Draw
Like many games against the Japs, early progress seemed painfully slow (which was not helped by all of my malfunctioned Chinese equipment) but on the last turn, used sleaze freeze to get troops into the necessary buildings. However, Japs only needed to kill one of the three vulnerable tanks to keep the lead. Thrown DC missed, first CC failed, second CC burns tank with snake eyes. Japs up by 2 VP but forgot to count 2 Jap HS prisoners (I think) = tie 57 VP each.
One aircraft was highly successful on its first run (killed two tanks and wounded my hero), second one = mistaken attack (no effect). The same plane would have made a second mistaken attack on the next turn but checked the rules and he was recalled after the first one.
2021-11-17
(D) Ian Morris
vs
Joe Arthur
Japanese win
Managed to fend off Joe’s determined Chinese attacks, assisted by two turns of planes. VP score was close until turn six, when a Japanese counterattack recovered a two-hex building for a 16 VP swing.
2021-05-11
(D) Michael Rodgers
vs
Rich Domovic
Chinese win
The first Chinese force is very strong.
2020-12-03
(D) Richard Jenulis
vs
Ramon Weston
Japanese win
2020 Street Fighting Tournament (round 4). Chinese highlight was shooting down a Japanese FB and forcing the second to break off an attack.
2020-12-03
(D) Michael Rodgers
vs
Dennis Dowd
Japanese win
Excessive casualties caused a Chinese concession after three turns.
2020-09-29
(D) wayne baumber
vs
Joel
Japanese win
Chinese tank losses made the difference in this wild game with many strange occurrences, lots of fun with this one
2019-11-16
(D) Andy Beaton
vs
Richard Hooks
Japanese win
Killed too much Chinese armour and too many leaders too early for the Chinese to have a chance.
2018-08-30
(D) Ian Morris
vs
Gerard Burton
Chinese win
2017-09-27
(A) Simon Staniforth
vs
Draw
2017-09-10
(D) Ian Morris
vs
Simon Staniforth
Draw
2017-05-16
(D) Jeff B
vs
Pierce Mason
Japanese win
The Japanese kept concealment and just shrugged off MCs one after another for the first couple turns. The Chinese finally decided to use their AFVs to sleaze freeze these thorns in their side, causing the southern buildings to fold like a bad poker hand, but not before the defenders exacted some bloody CC revenge. This, and receiving their reinforcements, breathed new life into the Chinese. But a berserk leader and squad in the south, and massive aerial destruction in the north, left the Chinese no choice but to concede.
2017-03-18
(A) Tom Abromaitis
vs
Japanese win
2016-07-31
(D) Ron Garcia
vs
Darryl M.
Japanese win
2015-12-14
(A) Kermit Mullins
vs
Scott Holst
Draw
Two turns down and 2 Japanese 4-4-7's eliminated along with one Chinese Tanks KIA'd by Japanese Tank Killer. So far, very fun scenario!Game was not completed.
2015-09-11
(D) Russell Dewhurst
vs
Daniel S
Japanese win
2015-08-25
(D) Bill Brodie
vs
Steven Bond
Chinese win
This is a great scenario. Tin cans and crazy squads. The tanks are an interesting mix, the Chinese tanks have good guns but weak armour, the Japanese tanks are large, slow and have a crappy gun.
The tide swung in favour of the Chinese, then my fighter bombers arrived, killed one tank and immobilised another, a banzai attack stalled the northern attack, but in the south my last tank went down.
Another banzai attack to retake one of the buildings failed when my HtH attack against a pinned squad failed with a boxcars roll. At the end of the games I had one leader, one (stripped) squad, one crew and one half squad!
2015-01-10
(A) Paolo Cariolato
vs
Enrico Catanzaro
Chinese win
2014-12-14
(A) Aaron Sibley
vs
Randy Strader
Chinese win
Interesting scenario with some really rubbish kit. Would play again as either side.
2014-12-14
(D) Randy Strader
vs
Aaron Sibley
Chinese win
Comedy of malfs.
2013-12-09
(D) Andy Beaton
vs
Eoin Corrigan
Chinese win
I like PTO tin cans a lot, but I couldn't manage to do a thing with them. And the IJ air force may as well have stayed home.
2013-04-11
(A) Lee Bray
vs
Japanese win
From the description this appears to be a division-sized action reduced to company sized for ASL which I found slightly annoying. That said, it was enjoyable with interesting terrain and forces on both sides. As the Chinese I managed to KO all the Japanese armour eventually and almost shoot down one of the air support - a new experience for me! Still, I took a few took many casualties in the end, some due to silly mistakes, others to my opponents judicious use of single squad Banzai charges and a pesky DC Hero. In the end the Japanese won by a margin of 8 VP.
2012-06-03
(A) Jeff Coleman
vs
Pooch
Japanese win
2011-08-13
(D) Steffen Knippel
vs
Dave Hall
Japanese win
2011-02-15
(D) Eric Partizan Eric
vs
Michel Bongiovanni
Japanese win
2010-09-10
(A) David Ramsey
vs
Martin Barker
Chinese win
Nice scenario, but the Japanese didn't have the best start with tank placement.