Frozen Chosin (Full Version)

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John B. -> Frozen Chosin (6/15/2020 9:13:43 PM)

RB and I are making our way through the shorter scenarios and this time it's Chosin 50. I"m the Chinese trying to cut off the UN forces and wreak as much havoc as I can. Here at the start you can see one downside and that's wretched supply for me. But, my basic strategy is going to be to run to the middle and try to cut everyone off.

[image]local://upfiles/39741/28AE3EEF844E4A4FA171E9566BBF5C6A.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/15/2020 9:16:11 PM)

In the middle of my turn I've made quite a bit of progress on some fronts helped notably by the lack of units in my way. :) It seems on the lower right (as you face the screen is an ROK division that is giving way pretty easily). Up north the US army TF on the right is already cut off and retreating. The Marines gave up some ground on their part. I've already come to dread the sound of jets because when he gets air support my losses go way up!

[image]local://upfiles/39741/012AE8405A7D4BB3BE0FC82D685FCB29.jpg[/image]



StuccoFresco -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/16/2020 2:10:48 PM)

Pushing that marines out of Hudong-ni could be hard, couldn't you swing north with both pincers and concentrate on crushing the northern pockets first?



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/16/2020 5:07:16 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: StuccoFresco

Pushing that marines out of Hudong-ni could be hard, couldn't you swing north with both pincers and concentrate on crushing the northern pockets first?

My goal is to cut him off, dig in, and make him take me out. I'm not sure what reinforcements he gets at Hungnam that he can use to push from the coast.



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/16/2020 5:08:37 PM)

The second turn is here. At the start, it's clear that the Marines and TF 10 (right flank) have pulled back. Also, it appears that the ROK division on the south right flank is going to try to hold me as long as possible.

[image]local://upfiles/39741/B0F8E289AECF4A9785ADB658BDE49E7C.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/16/2020 5:09:48 PM)

down further south towards Hungnam I'm about to cut him off and, in fact, I did. This leaves his supply point at Koto-ri as his only source of supply.

[image]local://upfiles/39741/845FDE76570E4B2E9AE3A24877400B08.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/16/2020 5:12:14 PM)

By mid-turn I had pushed back the ROK HQ and made progress against the 10th TF in the upper right as well as pushing the marines back a bit on the upper left. But, there will be many medals of pixel honor handed out (if any escapes) from the battle of Sasu-ri (front line upper right) were some disorganized companies held off two assaults and caused me heavy casualties. The intervention of the US airforce helped a great deal. Did I mention I hate the US airforce. :)

[image]local://upfiles/39741/B4459D1FBF064BE4AAE3325177848BEA.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/19/2020 12:52:41 PM)

Turn 3. In the south I consolidated and moved on to capture the 10 VP hex at Majon Dong. That division's job is to not accumulate supplies and dig in as I suspect at some point the UN forces will come north from Wonsan.

[image]local://upfiles/39741/23B10710C83046C99D913E7CA6E23F6D.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/19/2020 12:53:52 PM)

In the north many of my forces forgot their socialist obligations and decided to reorganize. But, the Marines appear to be heavily engaged up and down the line and they are still cut off from their supply point at Koto Ri.

[image]local://upfiles/39741/140DDC5C2A174769AC229AC0593D0EEC.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/19/2020 12:58:03 PM)

Here is the view in the north near the middle of the turn. The US forces in the right pocket are collapsing. But, I had one espeically frisky regiment that kept advancing and opening up holes in the pocket. [8|] Over by the Marines I launched one attack where I took 2-1 casualties and left it at that. One problem I'm having is my boys are not giving me much intel on the state of the units I'm facing so a lot of my attacks go in blind. Also, the Marines have tanks and I don't have AT guns so getting rid of tank units is more a matter of wearing down their cohesion than killing the tanks outright.

I moved two units up from the south to make a play for Koto Ri but the UN held onto it. If I take it then they are in huge trouble but I don't think I can get much force against it. over on the right in the middle, I seem to be too strung out and not in a good position to attack so I left it alone.

The UN air pirates continued their anti-proletarian ways and my units suffered a number of interdiction attacks this turn. And, the weather is supposed to be clearing.

[image]local://upfiles/39741/346AD5C272514B85A2DE90838C5BF305.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/21/2020 8:59:40 PM)

Turn 4 starts out with the Chinese digging in to the south.

[image]local://upfiles/39741/486276E9752E4EE7BAE5A4A6A3515CFD.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/21/2020 9:01:11 PM)

In the north, however, the marines appear to have been able to reopen a tenuous supply line to their supply point while the 10th army TF is hunkered down by the reservoir and sending forlorn last messages home. As you can see, there really is not a front line as more of a mishmash of intertwined units.

[image]local://upfiles/39741/16A65BBB814146E99C03CD3EEA91278C.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/21/2020 9:03:13 PM)

By the middle of the turn, the Marines are reduced to several nearly isolated pockets and the Chinese took the airfield at Kono-ri (not sure that that's good for, but it looks good in the papers). I appear to have received a couple of fresh formations on the flanks of the UN forces and the 10th army TF is now down to a couple of stragglers. I have to assume that there will be some large relief TF sent from the coast, otherwise, this is a very one-sided scenario.

[image]local://upfiles/39741/D33C2667947B427CA1D808D39116D2CD.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/24/2020 8:22:08 PM)

It's turn four and a relief column is heading north. My boys down there still have some supply but they lost their entrenchments. However, they held their ground this turn. It is a 10 VP point hex but I have to imagine the UN forces can push their way in there with those forces plus any other reinforcements they get. My main goal is delay and exhaust!

One question, I have several units in full supply and in good shape who turn after turn only get one MP. Am I missing something with these?

[image]local://upfiles/39741/3562091B4B4949069C097DC612ECFE0A.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/24/2020 8:23:50 PM)

In the north the turn started out with several Marine units engaged and the remnants of the TF to the right clinging to the shores of the Chosin. I think this is TF McLean that historically was basically wiped out but helped to keep the Chinese off of the Marine flank. They are tying down my units. Otherwise, a series of pockets all heading south.

[image]local://upfiles/39741/39F49F1B1D304118B2DBD8116F882BAD.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/24/2020 8:33:42 PM)

Here is the scene from the middle of my turn. The Marines are getting chopped up into smaller pockets but the fact that my units on the right flank decided to reorganize prevent an attack on the supply head which is the critical hex right now. By the end of my turn I did manage to eliminate the Marine armor company near the top of the screen but TF Mclean held out and caused me some pretty serious damage!

[image]local://upfiles/39741/5F8E368293F34E0C917FD595645AB8E0.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/24/2020 8:34:14 PM)

Here are my losses through this turn.

[image]local://upfiles/39741/F8DB281295D0419699B1B19959363B70.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/26/2020 11:57:04 PM)

Another turn and bad news from the South. My unit that was sent to delay decided to collapse instead and so the American relief TF must be well on its way. That really does make things tougher for my lads up north.

[image]local://upfiles/39741/A8407BAD6CC444CA97385074BAAC26A6.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/27/2020 12:02:07 AM)

Ooops, well it seems that I forgot to take a picture of the southern front. In any event, in the north, the remnants of the right wing TF held off one attack so I opted to not go in for a second helping. A Marine HQ did significant damage in the other attack so my only really notable success was to push back the engineer company. The marines remain isolated but, in a feature of the game that I do not like, I can't get any intel on what shape is troops are in. All I can see is that they are cut off. I'm not sure of the logic behind that but there you go. Maybe the prisoners I capture are too hungry to talk. :)

Trying to keep the marines cut off and hoping that my units come of reorganizing so I can attack the supply point before the relief column shows up. If I hug him close he may have units that are engaged when he tries to back up.



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/29/2020 7:45:05 PM)

Hello everyone. Here is the next turn. As you can see, the UN is making progress pushing on me from the south. At least my troops did not disappear even if the troops blocking them are not reorganizing. In the meantime, you can see that the Marines are chopped into two pockets and don't seem to be able to make much progress heading south. And, here are my supply levels.

[image]local://upfiles/39741/680A4B3C1B8F4B9EB37FD6606C6F9D13.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (6/29/2020 7:47:50 PM)

Near the end of my turn I was able to squeeze the marines even more and I seem to have received an reinforcing division on the lower right flank. But, the ROK division over there is still in one piece and may be able to delay any progress I can make. I think the main fight will be in the center and the resupply hex. I'm not sure if I can take it before the it gets relieved, but I'm sure going to try! [Insert Yoda quote about how there is no try].

[image]local://upfiles/39741/42152B563F76482F92222DF2DDEBC15F.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (7/10/2020 2:45:35 PM)

This was a bad turn for the UN. It started off with the relief column finally reaching the HQs in the middle of the map (and sitting on a 10 VP hex and supply point). But, the Marines and the remainder of the army TF were solidly cut off by the Chinese forces.

Sadly, in what can only fairly be described as a war crime, the UN was able to blunt my efforts to sneak in behind the relief column in the south.

[image]local://upfiles/39741/7FA1E584C0E045199B46249874A0E289.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (7/10/2020 2:47:20 PM)

Here is the action in the middle of the turn. By the end of the turn, UN troops began collapsing and both pockets to the north were eliminated. One unit also collapses on the south eastern flank of the UN forces. In the middle, the Chinese were able to push all of the Marines out of the VP hex except for one battalion which dug in and held on.

[image]local://upfiles/39741/6E0A78F8ACCA4B9DBCDFF1BD9FCBEBF5.jpg[/image]



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (7/10/2020 2:49:22 PM)

Inerestingly, as the turn (day) progressed, the UN airpower became more active. I wonder if the weather changes during a turn and cleared up for the afternoon.



John B. -> RE: Frozen Chosin (7/13/2020 4:39:59 PM)

Game over man, game over.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_j8W-SDefU

The last turn arrived and with the destruction of the majority of the 1st Marine divison the UN forces began their withdraw from N. Korea. RB earned a draw with his dogged defense of the 10 point VP hex and resupply depot but at a heavy cost. An interesting scenario but a bit one sided in that the Chinese get to have all of the fun attacking while the UN forces basically have to cut and run asap.



rhinobones -> T1 – China/N.Korea (7/13/2020 11:40:22 PM)

Introduction

Started 6-15-2020 JohnB commanding China/N.Korea, RB commanding MarDiv/Army

Chosin 50 AAR from the UN coalition side. This AAR was written in parallel to JohnB’s AAR. As the game was played, I documented the UN coalition (MarDiv, US Army and ROK) moves and battle plans prior to opening JB’s next turn. After reading JB’s AAR you can enjoy the same battle from the opposing side’s perspective.

Player/Designer Notes:

Suggest the scenario be played with “No Borders” option on. Think that eliminating boarders and supply trains injects the scenario with an added level of “Fog of War” as it happened in the Chosin.

T1 – China/N.Korea

Enemy forces descend on the coalition from the East, West and North with the intention of enveloping and then eliminating all opposition. From the West (9 o’clock position) two columns head for the 1st MarDiv divisional HQ and supply train. To the Northwest battalions engage marines with little effect. In the Northeast Chinese cut behind army lines and isolate most of Task Force McLean. In the East, a second column is moving toward the MarDiv center, evidently intent on meeting up with the column from the West. In the Southeast, an enemy force engages ROK army units in what appears to be a skirmish. At this time uncertain as to the size of the China/N.Korea force.

Toward the Southern map edge two additional columns are forming a pincer movement. Their object appears to be joining and cutting all coalition forces from their coastal supply depot.


[image]local://upfiles/5722/C94D2CED9299465DB54CDC0C9C463E1B.jpg[/image]



rhinobones -> T1 – MarDiv/Army (7/13/2020 11:42:22 PM)

T1 – MarDiv/Army

Initial reaction to the communist attack is to consolidate strength and secure the supply line. After this is accomplished and the situation stabilized the coalition can go on the offensive and secure objectives.

MarDiv units in the Northwest begin to strategically back away while engaging enemy units. They intend to draw back to a rally point centered on their reinforcement center. This needs to be an active defense in order to keep the enemy from attacking in force.

Army units of TF McLean fight off encirclement and destroy an enemy battalion which has strayed too far into their rear area. This TF is heavy on artillery and light on infantry so the trick will be to extract them to the rally point without suffering significant artillery losses.
Two ROK army regiments defend the hills on the East side of the pocket. Chinese are attacking but with targeted counterattacks, the ROK are up to the task. Hopefully, they will have a battalion to spare to send South and chase down the Enveloping units.

In the center MarDiv HQs and engineers are defending the supply point. Without doubt they will soon need some infantry battalions to secure the position. Help will need to come from the MarDiv infantry just up the road.

A single infantry battalion (off map) is deployed South in the coastal supply depot. This is currently the only unit available to defend the depot and it is being dug in on the river bridge which feeds supply up North. No reinforcements are expected to arrive for another two weeks.

Naval air support is being provided by task forces located in the Sea of Japan. Right now, aircraft are providing direct air-ground support to ground assaults then switching to general combat support during the off hours. I could switch one or both to interdiction, but that is too easy for the enemy to game.

One early observation about the enemy is that unit-to-unit the Chinese battalions are no match for coalition battalions. In our counter attacks several Chinese units have been observed to splinter. Due to forced retreat and subdivision the US commander estimates there are several Chinese units which are not combat ready and have had their proficiency seriously weakened. The coalition will seek to capitalize on this weakness.


[image]local://upfiles/5722/E268AAC068CE48E196755D54E700482F.jpg[/image]



rhinobones -> T2 – China/N.Korea (7/13/2020 11:44:17 PM)

T2 – China/N.Korea

The Chinese are making little progress against the MarDiv units, but to the East of the reservoir they have succeeded in surrounding TF McLean. Attacks against the ROK appear to be light and intended more to pin the ROK down rather than destroy them.

Enemy units are attacking in the center but are not yet in great enough numbers to complete their mission. I expect that the critical battles of this engagement are going to occur in and around the MarDiv’s central supply point.

Off map to the South the enemy has succeeded in cutting the supply road to the coast.


[image]local://upfiles/5722/3964EEA30AF1494F9789D796500356F0.jpg[/image]



rhinobones -> T2 – MarDiv/Army (7/13/2020 11:46:04 PM)

T2 – MarDiv/Army

Thought about splitting MarDiv Bns into companies (2 per Bn) for the purpose of expanding the frontage, but discovered they only have proficiency in the mid 30%. So, splitting them is not a viable option.

G2 reports that the enemy really hates naval air power.

The MarDiv conducts a couple of attacks to stall the Chinese advance and are able to withdraw a bit closer to the central rally point. Meanwhile, TF McLean has become completely surrounded and no longer has a supply line. They can’t save themselves and there is no one to help; looks like their fate is to become Manchurian Candidates.

On the East flank the ROK is holding their own.

Expecting reserves next week.


[image]local://upfiles/5722/0E1053C237024045872B3F6521C04E8B.jpg[/image]



rhinobones -> T3 – China/N.Korea (7/15/2020 12:01:27 PM)

T3 – China/N.Korea

Chinese complete the encirclement of TF McLean and star the process of complete destruction. Expect the units involved in the encirclement will soon be moving South to squash the MarDiv force.

No big attacks on the MarDiv or ROK occurred. Mostly the China/N.Korea force is maneuvering to bag the entire MarDiv. There were some attacks on the MarDiv Corps HQ area, but the attackers were low on strength and easily repulsed. Center supply point is holding fast.


[image]local://upfiles/5722/C17845AAC283483FA5E4BB75A60B7C60.jpg[/image]



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