Mutanchiang was a key communication hub, and therefore a main objective of the Soviets. The 1st Red Banned Army was assigned this objective. Fighting was intense on the hills outside of town. The battle raged for two days as the 22nd and 30th Rifle Divisions, supported by the 77th and 257th Tank Brigades of the 1st Red Banner Army attacked from the north and east. The Japanese 126th and 135th Infantry Divisions, seeing their defense crumbling, ordered a withdrawal west. Unfortunately, the 278th Regiment of the 126th Division and the Takikawa Battalion of the 135th Division did not get the order.
Attacker: Russian (1st Red Banner Army)
Defender: Japanese (278th Infantry Regiment with the Takikawa Battalion)
4.5 turns
Players: 2 OBA: None Night: No
Unit Counts:
Squads: A:21.0 D:13.0
AFVs: A:3
T-34/85 T-34 M43 x 2
AFVs: D:0
Guns: A:0 D:1
Year-41 Type Mountain Gun Type 89 Heavy Grenade-Launcher x 2
I felt the key to defending this was to not allow the Russians a coordinated human wave at the start. At 5 turns the Russians do not have a lot of time, and this single turn of delay could well mean the difference between victory and defeat. Being that the Russians set up fairly close, this will have to be helped along by some judicious HIP placement. Turn 1 saw the Russians take it a bit on the chin, losing 2 squads, but they easily captured the northernmost building. The other key for the Japs is leader placement, as self-breaking and quickly rallying would be a necessity. My INF gun, which was supposed to help protect the north, rather disappointingly fell into enemy hands on Turn 2 and was quick to be destroyed. A precious HIP THH was rousted out, and the Russians lost another HS. Turn 3 saw the Russians try and cut off my men in the eastern building by driving a tank to guard the road behind them. Luckily for me it parked right in front of my last THH, who flamed it up. Some vicious CC ensued, and by the end of the turn the Russians lost 2 squads to the Jap 2.5 while securing the eastern building. But with only two turns left, the Japs having an alamo around the three central buildings, and the western building seemingly unreachable, it would be tough for the Russians. Thus they decided to throw everything they had into a full-scale assault on Turn 4. By the end they captured one of the three central buildings, but the body count was high (2 Russian squad vs the Jap 1.5). With the Japs literally able to ring the western building with bodies the Russians called it a day. A rather pedestrian scenario. The Japs are very limited with their THH, but if the Russians lose even one tank, I think they'll have a tough go of it.
2024-02-20
(A) Eric Partizan Eric
vs
Georges Tournemire
Japanese win
2023-05-19
(D) O Ramaille
vs
Japanese win
An original scenario where an overwhelming Russian force with tanks have to rid multilocations building off good order Japanese MMCs. Looks easy for the Russian but ...
It began quite well for the Russian when the Japanese gun malfed and the TH/DC heroes did no damage at all. However, the Japanese infantry was tenacious and stood ground. AFV freeze was uneffective and costs one tank and only CC could eliminate the Japanese but not without killing some Russians too. Last turn, the Japanese still hold 3 multihex buildings. Two of them were taken but the last one with the best leader and a squad resisted multiple attacks from various direction, stunning an AFV just before the freeze, pinning three squads, routing another and only a lone Russian leader could make to the CC without success. A Japanese victory on the last turn. Quite fun. SK version.
