Combat Commander: Pacific Scenario G "Bitter Creek".

 I have still been avidly playing the CC:P scenarios, the latest one is scenario G "Bitter Creek". 

The game is set on New Guinea at Eora Creek and features the Australians attempting to pin and bypass Japanese strongpoints. 

Exit points are set at +1 VPs so the Aussies need to cross the gorge with its torrential creek and get off the map while preventing the enemy from doing likewise.

I blunder badly right at the start of the game as I move Lt. Payne and his platoon toward the bridge just as the smoke on the Japanese leader disperses and the Australians are shot to pieces. 

The rule in "Pacific" in which the fire attack doubling the defence roll results in a quick kill came into effect here.

Lt. Payne and his platoon are now on the casualty track. A very bad start for the Aussies!.

Sergeant Philips and his platoon manage to cross the hazardous creek.

They then run into hidden Punji traps, mines and wire.

Japanese infiltrators arrive amidst the Australian foxholes by the bridge.

They kill off the Aussies and dash off down the road for eight exit points. The Japanese are now a long way ahead on VPs.

Sergeant Philips' platoon eventually take the Japanese position.

The bridge end comes under withering fire from the Australians and Lt. Atsuda and his squad are killed, the bridge is now open!.

The big Japanese Victory Point advantage has now dropped massively as Sergeant Philips gets his platoon off the map.

The Japanese on the island cross the torrent and take up a defensive position at the bridge end.

The Australians use their mortars to fire smoke onto the Japanese and quickly move forward.

The Japanese are pinned down and wreathed in smoke.

Despite the Japanese rallying Sergeant Foley uses two Advance cards to get enough men into melee to defeat the Japanese.

Time for an overview.

 A brace of Japanese squads cross the creek, dodge the Spitfire and then plunge into the jungle, while another squad is blocking the road exit point.

Sergeant Foley is trying to exit via the road and Sergeant Philips is moving to block the other road exit to the right of the photograph.

As time is running out the Japanese rush into close combat in a desperate attempt to gain VPs.

After killing off the small blocking force Sergeant Foley is close to scoring many exit points when Time is called. An exchange of the Initiative Card fails to extend the game and it is time. 

Time to tot up the Victory Points and the winner is...

The Aussies by eleven points!.

A very enjoyable and enthralling scenario.

Smashing!.

Combat Commander: Pacific Scenario C "Ichiki Attacks".

 Scenario C sees the Americans trying to hold off a "Banzai" attack by the Japanese at the Ilu River a.k.a Alligator Creek on Guadalcanal.

Look at that map, that's why I fancied CC: Pacific so much!.

The Americans are deployed dug-in along the treeline.

They have a Pack Howitzer guarding the left flank and the beach.

The Japanese get going quickly with their Banzai Charge cards and make most progress on their left flank.

The American machine gun jams early in the battle never to fire again.

Lt. Dainichi and his platoon crossing the Ilu river.

Getting along the beach is very difficult, the howitzer combined with small arms fire keeps pinning the Japanese down.

To simulate the human wave attacks the Japanese casualties are recycled as reinforcements.

American reinforcements arrive under Sgt. Savage.

The reinforcements open fire on the threatening Japanese squads.

Who are badly shot up.

Artillery support is now available and the Japanese crossing the river are hit hard.

But a Banzai Charge is ordered and they pick themselves up and surge forward yet again!.

The American right flank is endangered as they attempt to fight off three Japanese squads.

The human wave keeps coming as another time trigger occurs.

Then the Japanese take a trench!.

The Japanese attack again.

And Sgt. Savage and his men are cut down by another fierce attack.

Sgt. Scott reinforces his position.

The Americans are almost surrounded as they fight off more and more Banzai Charges.

Things are getting very tense.

The Japanese are just about to take another position when a blaze breaks out and the combatants are separated. 

I haven't seen this happen in a game before!, someone must have kicked over a fuel can onto the fire or something.

The blaze spreads and Sgt. Scott and his men pour lead into the oncoming Japanese keeping them from getting into melee.

Time is called on turn ten and the US Marines win by 22 victory points.

What a battle!, the Japanese pushed and pushed and nearly got there. If it hadn't been for the blaze breaking out as they rolled up the American positions they might have won.

Who knows?.

Combat Commander: Pacific hits the table!.

 I managed to get my recently acquired Combat Commander: Pacific onto the table today. I played Scenario A  a couple of times which features US Army and Filipino guerrillas fighting the Japanese on Mindanao. 

Now this edition of Combat Commander is a different beast from the original with many different rules and procedures. I stumbled through both games today in what was mainly a learning process.

I took a few photos at the end of my second session for posterity.

There are complications like aircraft to get to grips with. I have only recently got the subtleties and nuances of the original game and now I am diving into this but that is me all over.

The bunker I have fought over all day was taken by the Allies but the game had technically ended just before it fell. I was too intent on the struggle and only realised when the dust settled.

Oh well, I still give the Allies the moral victory in this battle. Onwards to the next game!.

CC: Med. Scenario 24 "Six Hills".

 Combat Commander scenario 24 features Italians and Indians fighting in Somaliland in 1940, this game certainly gets about!.

In the game I set up the Punjabis mainly on the reverse slope of the contested hill in an attempt to minimise the effects of the Italian artillery.

The Italians are deployed near the base of the hill.

And deploy in two main assault groups under Lt. Visconti.

And Cpl. Radovic.

With some heavy weapons support.

And some satchel charge armed engineer squads arriving on the next turn.

In a sudden daring move Lt. Visconti dashes up the hill and takes an unoccupied British position!.

But Cpl. Singh and his men take the position straight back.

And the other Punjabi soldiers occupy their foxholes to prevent further incursions.

Cpl. Radovic and his platoon move to the British flank.

From where he can bring artillery fire down on the enemy.

The guns wreak havoc on the hill.

Radovic moves up while some of the Punjabis have their heads down from the barrage but his platoon still ends up suppressed and broken from defensive fire.

Time moves on and Sgt. Marcello and his engineers arrive with both satchel charges and a "can-do" attitude!.

They must have forgotten their smoke grenades and they come under heavy fire.

 The bold sergeant is broken and routs from the field.

His squad are made of sterner stuff though, they rally then endure rifle fire to gain the hill and lob satchel charges into Cpl. Singh's position.

Seeing their chance Cpl. Radovic and his squad charge in and finish off Singh and his men.

The Italian engineers then attack Lt. Lyndhurst's position and take it after a fierce fight.

Both of the Punjabi leaders have been lost and the position is looking bleak for the British.

"Cometh the hour, cometh the man" and the Hero Smythe enters the fray. In a desperate move he rallies the troops and assaults the nearest Italians to eject them from the hilltop position.

Drawing a dice score of three does not win battles however and Smythe dies a heroes death. His comrades are beaten and the Italians hold their position.

The British have passed their surrender point now and the Italians are victorious.

Another grand game that could have gone either way.

Next up will be Combat Commander: Pacific.

I can't wait!.