Tonight saw part two of what has now become our fall of Singapore game.
In this battle, a full strength British company was tasked of taking two strategic hills while the Japanese (briefly) rested. The Japanese commander, played by Simon Godly-Kelly, was tasked with holding the hills but with the option of taking a junction for a major victory.
After some slow moving as the British tried to advance and spot through some heavy jungle, the company HQ and FO started getting to work with the 2” mortar laying some smoke.
1st platoon, after failing to spot anything on the first hill, managed to capture it.
However, the Japanese had some light cavalry that managed to outflank platoon 3 on the western side of the board and charged both into their flank and that of the Company HQ. Within moments the HQ had been wiped out but a fierce hand to to hand combat resulted in a stalemate for platoon 3 and elements of the Japanese horsemen.
The Japanese then used some of their cavalry to secure the junction, but only lightly.
Platoon 2 rushed back to secure the British line of retreat but a much delayed Japanese blind resulted in Simon being able to open up with his 37mm anti tank guns that threw in some rather nasty HE, putting the wind up the British. Simon had also successfully rolled for some of his light tanks to enter and they started to roll down the main road.
At this point, we called time. The British controlled one hill and the Japanese were due to loose the junction. They had also suffered significant losses to their horses. However the British has lost half of platoon 3 and taken loses to each of the other platoons with one section of platoon 1 being suppressed. In addition the company HQ had been utterly destroyed.
Simon generously called a Pyrrhic victory for the Japanese.
This game was designed to test artillery which neither of us got to use! The pregame stonk for the British was ineffective as it missed.
However it was a thoroughly enjoyable game and we continue to learn more.
Chris Lane
