Soviet and Imperial Japanese Border Conflict Battle '43

For the background to this game check here; World Historyprof: Soviet and Imperial Japanese Border Conflict '43

Somewhere on the Japanese/China border with the Soviet Union-1943

Initial IJA positions:

                                                        Gunso Seiji's 3rd squad.

Next to 3rd squad are the light mortar team in the building, the MMG team behind the barrels, Kaigun-Chu Tomoni Oho, Gunso Takumi's 1st squad and the sniper team on the roof.

Gunso Yoshio's 2nd squad occupies the right flank.

SNLF

The Inexperienced Squad of Miadshy Sezrhant Alexi, and Fyodor's Regular Squad form the Soviet left flank in the heavy forest.

The MMG Team,  Miadshy Serzhants Yuri, Vadim squads, Kapitan Igor Vilymvich and the halftrack make up the Soviet center and right flank. Missing is Leytenant "Glupy" Pianyi-durak and Commissar Gegory Tveordaya-Golova  who seem to have "accidently" shot each other while toasting Stalin with shots of Pepper Vodka. This is probably for the best thinks the Kapitan as both men are basically worthless twits.

Soviets

While surveying the situation, Kapitan Igor Vilymvich's men come under accurate mortar and MMG fire. Several men fall and Yuri's squad is pinned.

Kaigun-Chu Tomoni Oho decides to pound the Soviets with all his men except for Gunso Yoshio's 2nd squad which is ordered to advance on the right flank.

Seiji's men advance and fire.

Kapitan Igor Vilymvich orders the halftrack, Vladim, Alexi & Fyodor to advance and open fire on any targets available. His men need target practice as only one hit is scored while the SNLF continues to draw blood and drop pins on Vilymvich's men.

Both of the commanders believe in the power of cold steel and order their forces on the SNLF's right flank to advance and engage the enemy. The combat between Soviet numbers vs SNFL veterans leads to a bloody extended hand-to-hand battle. (Luckily for all concerned, the ice on the frozen pond remained firm and no one sank.) 

With the cries of the wounded mingled with the crash of steel vs flesh as the melee continues.

(The casualties were tied three times before the reduced SNFL force finally defeated and destroyed the Soviet Inexperienced Squad.)

Impressed with the valiant stand of his most inexperienced men, Kapitan Vilymvich orders Yuri, Fyodor and Vadim to close with enemy and crush them with their superior numbers while the MMG and HMG on the halftrack give suppressing fire. 

Unfortunately, the accurate fire from the SNFL mortar (Especially the mortar team who simply can't miss Yuri's squad.) and MMG has so pinned down the Kapitans forces that only Fyodor's men advance and charge into the weakened squad of Gunso Yoshio.

The fight was another seesaw affair...even with the advantage of defensive terrain, Yoshio's men are having a hard time.

Yet, after losing half the squad, SNFL training finally won and Fyodor's command disintegrated.

With his left flank gone, Kapitan Igor Vilymvich is ..."undecieded"... on what to do. Yuri's squad is pinned by the accurate SNLF mortar, rifle and MMG fire.  In return his men are pinning Gunso Takumi's 1st squad. The Kapitan decides to hold his ground and trust in his firepower.

Gunso Seiji, on the other hand, receives permission to charge Vadim's squad to duplicated Yoshio's success on the right flank. 

                                                                         BANZAI!

It's another bloodbath that goes on for multiple rounds.

But here numbers do count as Vadmi's soldiers swamp/outlast the men of Seiji's squad. In disbelief of his defeat, the seriously wounded Seiji falls on his bayonet in a final act of Seppuku.

                                                    

Have the tables turned for the Soviets, as their HMG and MMG smash into Gunso Takumi's 1st squad pinning them in place. Now it's Kaigun-Chu Tomoni Oho's time to take in the strategic situation. He has two very reduced squads, effective MMG and Mortar teams and a Sniper team that, aside from being a threat, has done nothing so far. 

Kaigun-Chu Tomoni Oho'a orders are simple and to the point: sniper team-get off your butts and move to a better position, Takumi-rally your men and everyone FIRE!

The first to feel the revenge of the SNFL are the victorious survivors of Vadmi's squad. 

His squads victory was short lived as Vadmi and his men are mowed down by massive combined SNFL fire.

Kapitan Igor Vilymvich's position now becomes untenable as the crew of the M3 panic (FUBAR), throw the vehicle into reverse, smash into trees, become stuck and abandon the vehicle. With only Yuri's decimated squad and the MMG team left, Kapitan Vilymvich orders a general withdrawal. His mission a failure, will he survive the wrath of  Podpolkovnik  Marko Petrov? Or perhaps the resourceful Kapitan can stretch the truth by telling of the successful destruction of the SNFL squad and how he prevented the Japanese from advancing further into Soviet Territory.

Having lost more than half his men and destroyed the majority of the Soviet forces, Kaigun-Chu Tomoni Oho feels that he has fulfilled the letter of his orders. He can definitely hold this village but without further reinforcement's he can't advance any further...at this time that is.

This was a Bolt Action game with some slight rules changes. It was a close-run fight until the last turn where the Soviet forces suddenly collapsed with the loss of Vadim's squad and the FUBAR roll of the M3. The best unit of the game was the light "Knee Mortar" team who never missed and successfully kept Yuri's squad under a mass of pins throughout the game.