Our first try of the new Gung-Ho book promised to be a good one. John Desch played the 1500 point USMC force with two platoons of Marines upgraded "BAR teams" with LVT-4 attached, LMGs two sections, mortar platoon, war dog recon platoon, and two M5 Stuarts. The Japanese had 3 platoons of infantry, a 70mm Gun section, HMGs, and 3 type 89 tanks. The Japanese and the Marines are all Fearless Veterans so this was going to be bloody. We randomly selected the dust up mission and the Japanese rolled attacker so night attack here we come. Since this was a Thursday night game I decided to either win big or go home early with a all out night attack on the Marines. I choose all my Japanese infantry platoons to be on table, John selected his mortars, one Infantry platoon and the Stuarts.
I was encouraged by John's deployment - the near objective was lightly held with really only two stands contesting.
John had upgraded his platoons to "BAR Teams" 65 point upgrade
The BAR teams are RoF 2 but may move and fire full rate at a +1. Its like stabilizers for infantry.
Also attached were two HMGs and two LVTs.
Far objective.
The M5 Stuarts are 420 points for two under the Pacific War points.
Japanese ready to sneak through the jungle at night.
Japanese deployment
I left one section and a attached HMG to defend the objectives.
Regimental Banner back up.
All three platoons double time.
Japanese stay hidden first turn.
Marines stay quiet
The Japanese move out to attack!
The Marines open up firing into the darkness they only see the lead edge of the attack.
The Japanese leading teams get pounded pretty good going down in hail of gunfire.
Stuarts fire some canister with its 8" range.
Two Japanese platoons get pinned.
Japanese Turn 3 - we do get reserves and the slow Japanese tanks arrive.
Good thing the Regimental banner was with us the Japanese rolled a 1 to unpin and had to attach the CO for a reroll. The Regimental banner makes the second platoon automatic.
Banzai!!
We go for broke.
This platoon has two tank assault teams left.
Our covering fire is complete weaksauce even with a HMG all the Japanese fire fails to pin the USMC.
Marines are not pinned this going to be bad but the Japanese are committed.
Japanese in the back still hold "Objective Guinness"
The Marine fire is brutal all three platoons fail to charge. Doing a Banzai roll only made it worse.
The only bright spot the "Niki-HA HA we got"you team did mange to blow himself up on a LVT.
He scored two hits on top armor 0 but one rolled a 5.
"The Japs will be probing our position all night!"
Still darkness USMC turn and the Infantry goes to ground waiting for the next attack.
The Japanese unpin
We go for it again!
This time we have help the slow as hell Japanese tanks show up.
Their fire is terrible even with a reroll and the gun does no damage to the Stuarts.
With the Marines gone to ground, the Japanese fail to pin the infantry again.
Stuarts have moved to good position - this is going to be rough.
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All three get bailed! Ouch.
The Marine fire is once again too brutal.
Looks bad for the Japanese.
The Stuarts concentrate fire and get three hits with of course no saves.
BANG all dead!
Marines get two reserves.
Objective Guinness is in trouble.
The Japanese CO double times back to help with the remains of the platoon.
LVTs pound the Japanese.
The Marines come in for the assault the HMG goes down first and the Japanese counter attack.
The Marines use "Semper Fi and reroll tests to counter attack so nobody is leaving this fight alive!
Marines kill three more stands and the CO must make a warrior save.
The Japanese roll to counter attack and pass nobody is leaving alive Bushido demands it!!
The Japanese Sword teams lead the way and kill two more Marine stands.
Marines never leave a man behind and counter attack again!
The Japanese are all bayoneted and the game is over objective taken.
The Marines are a solid infantry force with a ton of firepower the Japanese with their weak firepower are going to have a real challenge with them. The Japanese player will need to strive to get the pin way better than I did you just can not assault a unpinned USMC platoon. The only Marine weakness is anti-tank assets which in reality were not needed since Japanese tanks on the Islands are rare. I can see in the future this will not be the case, gamers will resort to Japanese tank hordes to counter the firepower problem. I hope that dynamic does not spiral out of control.
