11Bravo
Posts: 2082
Joined: 4/5/2001
Status: offline
|
I've been gone for a while, but I have the next couple of AAR's done. Here is the big battle that Mogami made.
For you newcomers, I highly recommend buying the MegaCampaigns. This WatchTower MC seems to be the least buggy of the 3, but all of them are fun to play.
Here is the after action review:
Mission 6.
First Matinakau -- Matinakau River
1300 hours August 18, 1942. Hazy, Visibility 16.
Advance, Area of Operations 99X159, 20 turns.
Briefing:
Colonel, your force is to accompany the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, who are to attack enemy positions near the Matanikau and Kokumbuna Villages.
Intelligence reports from our scouts indicate the enemy is protecting a small ridge called the "Snake Back." You are to take those objectives.
You will be crossing the Matanikau River. You are also take and hold Kokumbuna. Part of the attack force will be flanking the enemy positions with amphibious landings.
This is the only way we are going to be able to hold on to what we have. We must take the war to the enemy before he hits us.
Henderson Field is nearly complete and ready to receive aircraft. That is going to be a big help to enable us to complet our task. Move out as soon as possible. Good hunting, Marines!
Collins Pep-talk:
This is the big one folks. Delta company has established a base west of here at Kokumbona with plenty of AAA, AT, and artillary. But its weak, defended only by a picket line of listening posts and some MG bunkers. Cpt. Dobbs, proceed west and screen Kokumbona from attack.
Alpha and Charlie companies will advance south of here into the interior to take the Snake's Back, a hill we believe holds the bulk of the Jap force threatening Kokumbona. They will leave the supporting Stuarts, GMC's, and scout cars in reserve. You have a long way to go and the terrain is jungle, streams, and swamps, so don't wear your good shoes.
We have a long string of listening posts stretching down east to Point Cruz, which Bravo company has occupied. They are supported by some Stuarts and GMC's and will advance inland south along the Matanikau River, taking the bridges and fords. They also have a long way to go to take all of their objectives.
On the far side of the Matinakau, we have some Raider platoons who will take and hold Kukum Village and the Camelback hill.
We are supported by the 75mm howitzers we have here, and some 105mm back on Henderson. We might get some air support as well. You have your orders, good hunting.
Turn 1.
Radio report from Kokumbona indicates company size Jap force advancing supported by Type 2 Ka-Mi amphib tanks. Collins orders Cpt. Dobbs to counterattack with his company and all artillary/air to respond to this threat. Companies A, C, B, and Raiders move toward their objectives.
Turn 5.
Collins crawls back to the scout car and grabs the radio. He bailed out as a Jap plane roared overhead and dropped its bombs on the hill where his men were digging in. "Cpt. Dobbs, what is the situation with your company?"
"Sir, Avery and Wilder are sweeping their platoons through this jungle in front of the listening posts. They are using the GMC's you released to roll up the Jap flank. They are starting to engage the enemy now. Hodgeman and Mizerak moved their platoons up the hill and took over the listening posts in this sector. They got bombed and I lost contact with Hodgman. Mizerak is carrying on."
"You need anything?"
"Stretchers, lots of stretchers."
"Jenkins, what's the artillary situation?"
"Sir, we shot everything we have here. Brigade might have some 105 left, but I can't get through. Our air said they knocked out a row of guns, lined up like it was time for inspection."
"Lt. Franco, what is the situation at Kokumbona with your Delta company?" "Sir, we are in deep crap. The Japs are attacking in battalion strength supported by tanks, artillary, and air! All we have out their on the listening posts are 4 man teams. That won't stop them! They got tanks, we stopped 2 of them! I am shifting my men west as Dobbs men come on line and getting everything that moves up front to slow their advance. I need more artillary, more air, more men, and tanks, lots of tanks!"
"OK, son. Help is on the way, hang on. Dobbs company is rolling across your front now and I got some GMC's, scout cars, and tanks on the way. Looks like our air took out their artillary. I'll check back with you in few minutes."
"Cpt. Marino, how is your progress?"
"Sir, my Alpha company is advancing up a spur towards the Snake's Back. We got Charlie company on a spur to our east, and we are drawing some fire from the west. Nothing we can't handle. Over."
"Cpt. Merideth, what is the situation with Charlie company?"
"Collins, we found some good terrain to approach the Snake's Back. Got scouts and snipers up front, no enemy, and making good progress. Only got two platoons with me, haven't seen the third one since we moved out. They back there with you?"
"Some poor marines are still back at the start line getting bombed to hell by some rogue Jap named Mogami. Maybe that's your boys."
"Lt. Nettles, what are the Raiders doing?, ****, can't get through."
"Cpt. Necaise, what is Bravo's situation down there on the Matanikau River?.
"Can't complain, sir. I sent one platoon at each of the crossing points on the river. I am with 3rd platoon and we are closing on the Matanikau Village. Over."
Turn 9.
Collins is back in his scout car looking for the rest of the vehicles which went down the trail ahead of him. He grabs his radio while the driver heads back toward the trail.
"Dobbs, what's happening with the boys?"
"Collins, looks like we got them where we want them. We took over half of Delta's positions just before the Jap tide came in. Mizerak's engineers stopped them. But Hodgman's platoon was nearly wiped out. They made first contact and were bombed just as they were starting their attack. Looks like 60% casualties or worse. They are staying in the line, but their sector is quiet. Wilder's platoon swept through its flank, but I can't reach him now. There is a lot of firing up there. Avery is closer to the trail and killed a company of Jap slowpokes. He said your convoy just drove by and helped."
"Lt. Franco, what's going on in Kokumbona?"
"Collins my center caved in! They're coming in! Where are those tanks?! I'm moving up with my HQ and gun crews now! Out!"
"Cpt. Marino, how is Alpha advancing?"
"Collins, we're at the base of the Snake Back. We got enemy everywhere but behind us. I need to get up there, out!"
"Cpt. Merideth, come in. Sheeez, no contact."
"Cpt. Necaise, what is the situation on the Matinikau River?"
"Collins...2 platoons....still advancing...3rd platoon...attacking the village....got Japs ...in the river!"
"Necaise, are those Japs coming or going?"
"Don't know...lot's of fire...in the middle of it!"
Turn 11.
"Collins, this is Dobbs. Jap attack at Kokumbona has been repulsed. Mizerak's engineers have linked up with Delta's men and erased that Jap bulge in the middle. Killed a battalion of what appears to be second line Jap troops. I'm putting the platoons in the old line of listening posts and sent Avery's platoon to patrol out front. We suffered 25 casualties but we didn't lose any squads. That was the toughest fight we saw yet though. Thanks for the GMC's, they did a good job in the Jap rear. I only saw one of our tanks, where's the other?"
"Dobbs, Collins here. Good job, and pass that on to Lt. Franco and his men of Delta company. We lost a tank somewhere back in the start line. Broke down then got bombed by Mogami. Found the missing platoon from Charlie too. Same story. Tell Avery to link up with us near the burning Jap artillary. I'm forming Task Force Collins from them and the vehicles and heading to the Snake's Back to support Alpha and Charlie in their attack. Bagged me tank crew today. They ambushed my scout car! Must have been 6 other vehicles down that trail before me and I'm the bozo who gets whacked! Touch and go there for a moment. Out. "
Turn 12.
"Collins, this is Cpt. Necaise with Bravo. Our 3rd platoon has secured Matanikau Village, destroyed a Jap company, and is at 60% strength. The fighting was vicious, we still scattered to the four winds but no reports of any Japs, live ones at least. My other 2 platoons are at the Log Bridge with the tanks. The see a Jap platoon on the bridge. We still have artillary and our support vehicles. So far so good. Over."
"Collins, this is Lt. Nettles with the Raiders. We easily took Kukum from a small Jap garrison and have the Camel Back under observation. Actually, we're the ones under observation. No good approaches in the time allocated. This one could be bloody. I could use some smoke on the north side of that hill."
Turn 14.
"Good shooting son, you're one of Avery's boys aren't you. About time you found me." Sgt. Puller had just finished off the artillary FDC center that Collins had left uncleared in his wake. While Task Force Collins was drawing Japs off the Snake-Back hill into a kill zone with GMC's, Avery's platoon was clearing the roads and Jap artillary area of any stragglers. The FDC seemed impervious to fire, and when everyone thought it was suppressed, it unleashed HMG fire on their MG squad. Puller finished off the last of the Jap with the butt of his M1903 rifle. The radio man throws Collins the mike.
"Collins its Marino with Alpha. We fought off the Jap delaying action from 3 directions, and are finally free to assault the objective on the Snake-Back. I called in 105mm and smoke from our 75mm. We will attack east on the hill while Charlie attacks south from a ravine. Between us we must have killed half the Jap army just to get here. Both companies at about 75%, with Charlie still short one platoon. I can see the objective. Its crawling with Japs! We could use those AFV's! Out."
OK, boys. Let's see what we can do about getting those vehicles up that hill. Move out.
Turn 17.
"Col. Collins, these is Cpt. Necaise with Bravo. That Jap platoon my scouts saw at the Log Bridge grew into 2 companies. We changed our plan and decided to attack that objective with both platoons we have left. They worked down the woods on each side of the bridge and got real close. Then they offered some tanks in the open, while our GMC's went around back and took them under observation. The attack is underway and my platoon leaders say that its a thing of beauty. They sent a recon patrol and a squad over to the last objective up the river. With the size of that Jap force on the Log Bridge, they couldn't spare any more. I'm heading that way now. Over."
Collins has arrived on the Snake-Back with his vehicles. His task force infantry is still making their way up. His GMC's and tanks are nearly out of ammo after pouring fire on the bunched up Jap force crowding Alpha and Charlie companies. The Jap are being attacked on two sides by infantry, while artillary falls on them and .50cal and .30cal hoses them down from a third side. This looks under control. I wonder how the Raiders are doing?
"Lt. Nettles, what is the situation?" "Sir, we are on the Camel-Back. The approaches were guarded by snipers and recon patrols. That and the open terrain made getting here pretty tough. We're on the hill now, but a couple of HMG's are chewing us up. We're crawling up and tossing smoke. If you got any more smoke back there, plaster the **** hill! Got to keep moving. Out."
Turn 19.
"Collins, this is Lt. Nettles with the Raiders. Mission accomplished, we have Kukum Village and the Camel-Back hill. Casualties were high. Hard to estimate the size of the Jap force. Maybe a platoon or two. That smoke helped. Was able to bring the flame throwers up to get those HMG's. Over."
"Collins, this is Cpt. Marino with Alpha company. We now have the major objective area on the Snake-Back. Don't know if we or Charlie can take the last VH. You are closer. How about you grab it with those scout cars? We can suppress those last 3 Jap platoons in the valley. I'm calling in the last of the 105's. You might want to find a hole. Out."
Turn 20.
Collins belly crawls up the hill and takes the unoccupied last VH on the Snake-Back hill. Down in the valley, 105mm falls among 3 Jap platoons. Then the guns of 2 marine companies cut them down. Collins pops all his smoke, hoping to get any Jap eyes off him.
Back in the scout car, the radioman listens to the report from Bravo company. The two platoons have taken the Log Bridge, but are trying to hold on from a company size Japanese counterattack. The detached scout and infantry squad found the southern most ford unguarded and quietly took it over.
Everyone holds their objectives and the game ends. Decisive victory :) :) 3084 to 596, campaign score/total is 5/28. This was a great scenerio, the biggest map I played. Really like playing 3 scenerios at once, since there is only limited overlap possible in the different objective areas. Nice job Mogami :eek:
OOB after 5 battles:
# Leader Kills Exp
A0 Collins 5 96
B0 Dobbs 5 95
C0 Floyd 0 82
C1 Donovan 0 83
D0 Avery 1 76
D1 Nettles 3 85
D2 Puller 1 85
D3 Patton 0 83
D4 Ahrens 0 78
D5 Lazarine 5 100
E0 Wilder 1 77
E1 Phillips 5 86
E2 Russell 4 89
E3 Hunter 5 91
E4 Sprague 0 90
E5 Ishim 4 97
F0 Hodgman 1 90
F1 Silva 5 91
F2 Nicholas 3 86
F3 Usher 3 88
F4 Perez 1 86
F5 Sgt Moffett 2 93
G0 Mizerak 8 101
G1 Nelson 6 96
G2 Mayer 2 92
G3 Flemming 7 95
H0 Jenkins 0 82
Notables were Lazerine's 4 kills in this mission. Our recon patrols are improving. Also, picked up our first kill with a .30cal MMG. Ironically, it was in the bombed out 3rd Platoon. Collins picked up 3 kills, one was a tank crew. He got the other 2 on the Snake's Back, both were company HQ platoons. When you ride with the tanks and assault guns, you get some easy kills.
Next up is Ichiki Assault -- Ilu River. I choose the Reinforcing the Perimeter Option.
_____________________________
Squatting in the bush and marking it on a map.
|
Printable Version
- 
- 
![]("wink.gif")
Can't wait for that Ambush scenerio, but really behind on work and other stuff. Might have to wait until weekend now ![]("frown.gif")
[ February 18, 2002: Message edited by: 11Bravo ]
![]("cool.gif")
The more the merrier.
![]("smile.gif")
![]("biggrin.gif")
![]("eek.gif")
(had to have an eek somewhere didn't I?))
[ February 18, 2002: Message edited by: Mogami ]
- ![]("rolleyes.gif")
![]("tongue.gif")
Another AAR - 
- 
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread