WW2 GAME MALAYA 1942

On Thursday night the group played a WW2 game set in Malaya 1942. The scenario was an Australian/British battalion group acting as a rearguard to cover the retreat of other friendly troops who were somewhere off the table. The defenders were dug in with two AT guns and an armored car in support. Coming at them were two Japanese infantry battalions, nine Japanese tanks, a battery of 70mm infantry guns and two aircraft. The terrain was a mix of open country and thick jungle. All the figures used were 28mm and the model aircraft were 1.48 scale models. The rules used were 'Storming the Reich'. The game opened with the Japanese pedaling their bicycles along the only road oblivious to what awaited them. The shooting started when the armored car engaged the bicyclists on the road sending the Japanese infantry scattering to cover right and left. Having done its duty the armored car then retired to cover. This did not last as Japanese aircraft soon attacked and attempted to bomb the armored car. As fate would have it the two bombs dropped missed the armored car but landed fair and square in top of both AT guns which had been hidden in the jungle awaiting the Japanese tanks. The subsequent morale test saw both AT guns rout off the table, in one stroke removing the Allies most effective AT resource. A further bombing attack saw the Bren gun carrier that was acting as the armored cars command group hit with devastating effect (rolled a 10 on the d10) and the morale check for the armored car saw it too flee the battlefield. The Allied mortar had been doing some damage to the Japanese as it was laid on a choke point that the Japanese had to pass through. One Japanese tank was destroyed in this way as well as a few infantry casualties. Once the Japanese had passed through that choke point their infantry began to deploy to the right and left of the road and advance into the jungle to confront the Allied defenders. Six of the Japanese tanks swung out into the open country to the right to race around behind the Allied position, while another tank supported by infantry and artillery went out to the left to threaten that Allied flank. Meanwhile one Japanese tank drove straight down the road into the very center of the Allied position. The dice Gods were certainly with the Japanese the night as nothing the Allies threw at the tank hit it including two Boyes AT rifles that were at close range. With their flanks under dire threat, an enemy tank in amongst them and large numbers of enemy infantry pressing in on their front, the Allied commanders decided that it was time to call it quits and join the rest of their army heading south down the road towards Singapore.

The game was played on a 6 x 8 table.

The Japanese enter the table happily pedaling along on their bicycles.

Japanese artillery - these lads did sterling service throughout the game.

Japanese air power - a decisive element in the game.

The Japanese tanks enter the game driving up the only road towards the enemy.

Banzai! A tank drives straight into the heart of the enemy.

Surrounded by enemies the brave tank survives unscratched!