Desperate Times Call for Suicidal Measures-Philippines 1941

Orders

With the fast and so far, victorious march on Manilla by the Imperial Japanese Army, United States Army Forces Far East (USAFFE) Command has decided that drastic action is needed. The following orders were drafted and given to Brevet Captain Randel Sternbakk Jr. USAA:

"The Japanese forces are quickly advancing on Manilla in your area of command. It is vital that their lead elements be slowed down to allow as much equipment, men, supplies and government material (i.e., treasury gold and silver) be evacuated. You are ordered to launch a spoiling attack at the village of Ultima Oportuidad. Hold back the invaders as long as possible. An ad hoc group of what troops that could be both spared and quickly gathered at this moment are now under your command.  Hold the line or drive them back at all costs. Signed- Brigadier General H.E. B'Dissperet USAFFE" 

The IJA (Imperial Japanese Army) had different ideas. 

"Orders of the day for Rikugun-Chui (Lieutenant) Totoama Hiro, 47 Hohei Rental (Infantry Regiment). As one of the led elements of His Imperial Majesties Army of the Philippines the honor of smashing the weak Hakujin (Caucasian) forces falls to you. The enemy is in disorder, weak and demoralized. Your orders are to crush any opposition and advance, advance, advance.

The battlefield. the American forces start on the left in the ruined village with a roadblock and the tall grass. The IJA start in the light jungle behind the stream and fields to the right.

Rules and forces for the Scenario

The battle is a scenario for Bolt Action WWII Rules. Due to the special situation of the battle, Fall of the Philippines early 1942, the following US Army rules do not apply-Fire and Maneuver & Air Superiority and Japanese Army Banzai.

  Brevet Captain Randel Sternbakk Jr.'s forces included the following: Inexperienced Captain Sternbakk and his aide, 2nd Lt Abner Little and his aide, Inexperienced 1st Squad Sgt. Larry SMG, BAR, 7 men, 2nd Squad Sgt. Currly SMG, BAR, 7 men, 3rd Squad Sgt. Jomoe SMG, BAR, 7 men, 4th Marine Squad- Sgt Rocky, 2 SMG's, 2 BAR's, 6 men and 37 mm ATG team (3 men); a Regular Squad of Philippine Scouts, Sgt Aquilla, SMG, BAR and 11 men, Regular Medic, "Doc" and an inexperienced M-3 "Stuart" light tank with 37mm ATG & 3 MMG's. The USAFFE has a roadblock and, if they can reach them in time, some abandoned trench works in the tall grass. Ten command dice

The forces of Rikugun-Chui Totoama Hiro were: Rikugun-Chui Totoama and aide, 1st squad, Gunso (Sgt.) Seigi, SMG, LMG, 9 men with standard, 2nd Squad Nito-Gunso (2nd Sgt.) Isoa, SMG, LMG, 7 men, 3rd Squad Nito-Gunso Minori, SMG, LMG, 7 men, Grenadier Squad, Gunso Hiro, SMG & 3 light mortars 6 men, 37mm ATG team (3 men) and a Type 97 Chi Ha light tank with light howitzer & 2 MMG's. Seven Command Dice.

All are veterans except the Chi Ha which is Regular.

The Game

 Captain Sternbakk decides that he will hold the line on the American left with the Stuart, 4th Marines, Scouts, 2nd Lt. Abner Little, Doc and the 37mm ATG.  He will lead the 3 US Army squads through the tall grass.  The plan will be to flank the IJA with the US troops and then smash the IJA in the flank with the Stuart with MMG's blazing. 

With confidence in his men's superior training and elan, Rikugun-Chui Totoama Hiro decides to take the fight to the Americans and orders all his forces, except the Grenadier Squad and ATG team who will give cover fire, to advance on the run. 1st Squad with the Chi Ha in support will advance down the road, 2nd and 3rd squads will take to the tall grass to flank the Americans. With this positioning, the Chi Ha will be in position to support the 2nd and 3rd squads if the need arises.

Knowing his men are ill prepared to fight a tank (no forces on the board took anti-tank grenades, oops), Lt. Little panics when he sees the Chi Ha and orders both the Stuart and ATG to takeout the tank. the Stuart misses and the ATG shot bounces causing no more damage to the Chi Ha than to make the tank interior a lot more smelly. Things go south for the Americans quickly for when the Stuart moved forward to engage the Chi Ha the IJA ATG crew scored a devastating penetrating hit that brews up the light tank! To add insult to injury, two of the IJA light mortars plaster the ATG crew with HE. While the third drifts directly onto Lt. Little, killing his aide and stunning the lieutenant. Doc is hard pressed already and the battle has just begun! The Marines and Scouts add a little positive for the American by dropping two 1st squad IJA men and pinning the squad. The Chi Ha adds a round of HE to the American ATG problems. While in the tall grass both Captain Sternbakk's and Rikugun-Chui Totoama Hiro's squads advance upon each other. Hearing the sharp crack of Anti-tank cannon fire followed by an explosion, Capt. Sternbakk feels confident that the IJA tank has met its doom. Totoama has total confidence in his forces and ignores the sounds of battle that he can no longer direct. (Due to line of sight and distances, both offices are no longer in command range of any other members of their forces apart from the squads they are leading.)

Kaito, Daiki and Sota rejoice in their victory over the Hakujins tank. Now they turn their sights on the hapless Hakujin ATG. With only anti-tank rounds their chance of doing much damage is minimal but maybe the gods of war will guide their shots.

Praising the Emperor with each round fired the Grenadier squad keep up an accurate and deadly barrage on the Hakujins.

1st squad is taking the brunt of the Americans fire. losing men and being pinned.  Gunso Seigi feels for his men, but their sacrifice is shielding the Grenadier's and ATG team from Hakujin fire. While the American right flank is holding the left is seeing intense action. Captain Sternbakk has led his men in a 3-squad line abreast almost shoulder to shoulder, overruling Sgt. Larry's recommendation of advancing with 2 squads and keeping the 3rd in reserve.  Rikugun-Chui Totoama follows Nito-Gunso Isoa's advice and staggers 2nd and 3rd squads so that they can easily support each other.  As soon as the two enemies sight each other they open fire. Each side take a few casualties. 

Capt. Sternbakk then orders 1st and 3rd to advance and try to get on the IJA's flanks and 2nd squad to hold and shoot. Rikugun-Chui Totoama orders 2nd squad to assault and 3rd to fire at targets of opportunity. If possible, 1st squad is to form up on the old trench works. Things quickly get out of hand for the Americans when their 3rd squad panics (FUBAR) and fires a volley into the flank of 2nd squad just as the Japanese assault hits home. The results are disastrous for the Americans 2nd squad as after a brief but deadly hand-to-hand fight are wiped out. With the loss of their Captain, the 1st squad continues with their last orders, settle in the trenches and keep up a steady fire on the Japanese, while3rd squad tries to get their s..t together. Rikugun-Chui Totoama, on the other hand, sees victory tantalizingly close at hand.

Back on the American left, the ATG team has been broken by a constant rain of mortar rounds. The survivor spikes and abandons the 37mm and heads to the rear. The Marines and Scouts continue to pound the IJA's 1st squad, who regardless of their loses refuse to fall back. The dire threats from Gunso Seigi to slice off select body parts of anyone who even looks like they are failing in their duty to the Emperor might have helped to hold the squad together.

On the American right 3rd squad has redeemed themselves through an amazing feat of shooting and successfully eliminate the IJA's 2nd squad.  But their victory is short lived ad a furious Rikugun-Chui Totoama orders his 3rd squad to assault the hated Hakujins. With a flash of blades and the roar of gunpowder the brutal melee is a costly victory for Totoama and the two survivors of 3rd squad. The In a final gory fight the Americans 1st squad is blasted to bites as it is overrun by the Chi Ha.

With his right flank gone, severely wounded Lt. Little orders the Marines and Scouts to fall back to the next line of defense.  As he's carried out of the combat by Doc, Little thinks about the great cost his unit paid to hold back the Japanese advance for half a day, he hoped it would be enough.

 The following note was found in the lifeless hand of Capt. Sternback and read to the victorious survivors of  Rikugun-Chui Totoama Hiro's command:  "From the Commander of the American force of the Philippines, General MacArthur. ""Men of the American Philippine Command, these are desperate times, yet I know I can count on you to do everything in your power to defeat the invader. I expect reinforcements from the US to arrive before long. So, keep up the good fight and victory will surely be ours."" The laughter of Totoama and his men is long and loud.