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On behalf of BruceAZ I bring you the Yangtze River Patrol:
Here is the mini-campaign. It should play in 2-3 hours and is very fast paced. Enjoy!
Here are the opening notes:
YANGTZE RIVER PATROL
Designed by Bruce Hodgman
SPWAW Version: 7.1
May 2002
Campaign Test Team:
Darwin "Rook" Barnes
Ray Montgomery
Jeff Ewing
Icon Design Work:
Mike "Warhorse" Amos
June 1, 1930 - 18:45 hours, Shanghai U.S. Military District, Shanghai, China.
Headquarters: 4th Marine Regiment-Soochow Creek Military Settlement.
Briefing held by Gen. Smedley D. Butler, CO 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Philippines) with Major R.V. Avery, Intelligence Officer, Captain W.B. Wilder (USNA '21), CO Baker Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, and Captain R. B. Johnson, CO U.S.S. Monadnock U.S. Asiatic Fleet-Yangtze River Patrol."*
"Ah, there you are Bill! Thank you for being on time. Let us get started; do you know Major Avery and Captain Johnson? Yes Sir, I met the Major yesterday and Captain Johnson this morning at the docks. Major Avery is the Intelligence Officer assigned to the Shanghai Military District."
"Let's begin. Major Avery, please present your mission brief."
"Captain Wilder, you were selected for this mission because your company is the most seasoned Marines in the Regiment. Most of your men have seen combat fighting with the Legation Guard or Guardia Nacional de Nicaragua in Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, or Haiti. Before he retired, Gen. Lejeune personally decorated you and Chesty Puller in 1929 at the White House for your guerrilla tactics at Guantanamo Bay and Culebra. You come highly recommended."
"Your mission is quite simple. You are the ground commander and will support Captain Johnson in the Monadnock. Chinese bandits have closed the Yangtze by blocking all large vessel river traffic at Dongjian Island. Additionally, they destroyed the US Mission at Ssu-wei-kang. Over 50 Americans were massacred including 8 French engineers building a new dock under contract to the Navy."
"Your command has been reinforced by a mounted ceremonial troop of US Marines from the embassy in Peking, Marine engineers from 3rd Engineer Battalion, two horse drawn 75mm howitzers, and platoon of horse-drawn heavy 30 caliber machine gun's. You will advance up the Old Imperial Highway with part of your command while the rest will ride in fast river barges escorted by the Monadnock. That's all we can spare."
"You will advance from our forward base in Nantong to Ssu-wei-kang. You must keep the road open for a supply column to depart in two weeks. We have another resupply point under construction south of Tangzha. The Monadnock's powerful 12 inch main battery will destroy the block at Dongjian Island allowing you to pass through to attack Ssu-wei-kang from the riverside. The Monadnock has just arrived from Cavite Naval Base in the Philippines. She was being overhauled and received new gun fire controls. She may be old but her shallow draft and powerful armament is ideal for patrolling the Yangtze."
"If you can quickly reach the bridge over the Yangtze with your ground element, the French have agreed to support your efforts with a motorized column from Changzhou. They are skittish and we have reassured them that we can get there by the 3rd of June. They will launch their attack over the Great Bridge at Huangtian to coordinate your attack from the south. Their attack will be lead by a new French armored car called White TBC AM. I really don't believe in these new fangled contraptions called tanks but we are told it is very effective."
"Your rules of engagement have not changed. You are to restore the peace and protect American citizens who were endangered by the on-going revolution or Chinese Warlords. If attacked, make them pay. Recapture the mission and hold until relieved. Conflict with the Chinese, when not absolutely necessary for fulfilling your mission, is to be avoided."
"There are a few words of caution. First, avoid the dangerous mud flats on the Yangtze. Your river barges can easily get stuck. If this happens, you must unload your men and shuttle them one unit at a time to a hard bank. This will delay the plan and your time table can not afford this."
"Second, and we have no hard intelligence to confirm this, the bandits may be in the employ of the Chinese Warlord Sun Yat-sen. We think he has broke ranks with the communists over the payment of this year's opium crop. We have estimated the bandits at 300 but Gen. Sun Yat-sen has about 2,000 men in the area including 800 south of Nanking in his old fortress. His main army is near Peking keeping the Nationalists in check. Many at Nanking are new recruits in training but others are seasoned veterans of many years of civil war. They know how to fight. This warlord likes to ride around in an armored train he purchased from the Russians a few years ago. Local spies indicate he might have purchased some river gunboats from the Russians and uses them as pirates on the Yangtze. The Monadnock will protect you from these vessels."
"Third, be wary of Japanese patrols on the west side of the river. Three days ago, the Chinese killed two Japanese Officers from their 1st Special Naval Landing Battalion and this may lead to a shooting war. The riverboats USS Panay and USS Sacramento along with men from 2nd Battalion are patrolling farther inland. If trouble breaks out between the Chinese and the Japanese, be prepared to assist the 2nd Battalion."
"If you can decisively defeat the bandits on this side of the river, you will be allowed the opportunity to lead a multinational force to capture Gen. Sun Yat-sen in his lair if he is behind all of this. We just don't know. The British and Italians have strong evidence that General Sun Yat-sen is the culprit and have agreed to commit troops but only if you win a major victory. If you fail, or suffer severe losses, then a supporting role will be assigned your company. Your British friend John Duram, with the Green Howards, is itching to get into the fight."
"Use your supplies and ammo carefully as they, along with troop reinforcements or replacements, are very limited. Once you leave the compound, you are on your own. The other bad news is the shells for the Monadnock's main battery might be defective. Capt. Johnson estimates he has enough good rounds for 16 fire missions and the new fire controls have been giving them problems. You may not have any artillery capability other than your 75's. The Monadnock can only provide direct fire support."
I wish we could delay your departure date until after the monsoon season is over but the is not possible. Please plan accordingly.
"Thank you Major Avery. Captain Wilder, you will commence your attack in 72 hours. Return to your command and begin embarkation. Good luck and good hunting. If you succeed, I will personally allow your men to stand duty as guards with the Yangtze Rapid Steamship Company. That's choice duty! Make sure you tell them! You are dismissed."
As Capt. Wilder walked quietly back to his horse, he hoped the French column would arrive on time as they desperately needed their armored capability if the compound was held by the Warlord Sun Yat-Sen. He knew from Sun's reputation that he was bad news. Then he thought of his friend Brent in Weapons Company and wished he had his mortars to help with this mission, however, Major Avery did mention the trucks. Wait till the men hear about the guard duty. This will bring a smile to their face!
DESIGNER NOTES: Important! This short campaign is not an exact historical recreation. It has been altered for war game play to allow varying outcomes. You will play many of the same important battles or police actions fought by US Marines on the Yangtze in the late 20's and 30's. Some events or places have been altered to allow advance play or improve strategy. It is significant for each player to read all introductory notes before each battle as there are clues and tips that will help you in your fight. This is your intelligence report!
PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR "CORE UNITS" HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR YOU. When the game starts, you will not have any points to purchase units - just advance to the start screen. Reason being is the type of units in the early 30's that were adapted for game play. For example, Gen. Sun's personal bodyguard or the HMG mounted on horses or the USS Monadnock. These custom units are for this campaign only. It is recommended that C&C should be set to OFF.
This is a game of combined arms warfare where strategy and decisive action will make the difference between success and failure. Players should be familiar with the technique of loading and unloading men and equipment from landing barges, and the use of naval gunfire. Fast, light cavalry with tough infantry or engineers in support are your key elements to be successful. Make sure you land your river component carefully and at the right places, as they are the secret to success. Good luck, you will need it. This is not an easy campaign!
Bruce Hodgman
May 2002
HISTORY OF THE USS MONADNOCK:
The USS Monadnock, a 3990-ton monitor, was built at Mare Island, California, and commissioned in 1896 as a heavy armored coast defense monitor. During the next two years, she served with the Pacific Squadron in the U.S. west coast area, mostly San Francisco Bay. In 1898, she departed the west coast on a two-month voyage to the Philippines, where she was needed to provide heavy-gun support following Admiral Dewey's victory at Manila Bay.
This shallow draft gun boat displaced 3,990 tons, 262 feet in length, and carried four 10 inch naval guns in two main turrets, two 4.7 inch naval guns plus four 4/6 pound rapid fire guns, 20MM and 30 caliber AA guns. The Monadnock was considered a 'fast' ship as her new coal-fired engines gave her a 19-knot top speed and was ideal for use on the Yangtze River. The USS Monadnock was de-commissioned in 1923 after spending many years the Orient. In the late 1920's, the Monadnock was saved from the scrap yard and received a major overhaul including new engines in the Cavite Naval Base for gunfire support with the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade in Shanghai. She remained in commission on the Yangtze until 1936 when she was finally sold.
__________________
"You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor." - James Allen
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