Wednesday 29 September 2021

Scenario K, Combat Commander: Pacific.

 Scenario K features Australians and Japanese fighting in New Guinea.


Here are a few shots at the end of the game...


The game was an uphill struggle for the Japanese.


And the Australians laid down some pretty heavy firepower.



The game ended when all of the Japanese units were eliminated.


And here's an old picture of me in the Pacific, I didn't do any fighting though.

I wish I was still that skinny!.


Another smashing game, just one more scenario to play.

And I have barely touched the Scenario Generator in this game system yet!.

Wednesday 22 September 2021

More Combat Commander and some other stuff.

 Scenario J of Combat Commander: Pacific involves fighting for Saddle Ridge on Guadalcanal.


This game has been a struggle for the Americans right from the start.


There was only a handful of American units left when the game ended.


The Americans have reached their Surrender Point.


Having a desire to have a "big" battle on my little table I have extracted my digit and started basing up my 6mm Seven Years War toys.


I have gone for 48 man infantry units to get a big battalion look.


About half of these soldiers were given to me by Richard Couture of Kronoskraf back in 2017.


I'll get them finished in a couple of days or so and get them on the table for a game using Honours of War rules.

In other news, I have walked my first hundred miles in my Thousand Mile Challenge that I started on the 23rd of August.

I am not using an app 'cause I don't own a phone but I am measuring it with a bit of string on a map. I am an old fashioned beggar for sure.

Tony Kitchen of Tin Soldiering On blog fame inspired me to do this challenge. I find the hills quite tough with my heart being out of rhythm but I am keen to carry on. 101 miles with "boots on" is a canny start for a radgy owld gadgy!.

Just 899 miles to go.

Thursday 9 September 2021

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!.