AAR - Early War - Japanese Hohei Chutai V Soviet Light Tankovy Batalon - Dust Up

Winner Dave had just finished his Japanese Infantry list for the Welsh Open so we thought a rematch of our first EW AAR was a good idea. Dave had changed his list since then and had a few more artillery pieces, I had also planned to change my list but my new unit hadn't turned up yet, so I used the same list I had last time. We decided to play Dust Up so Dave could have a chance to attack my tanks, something he hadn't been able to do so far as my list also auto attacks. I arrived at Dave's and we set about playing.

3rd Japanise Division HQ with Regimental Banner Full Infantry Platoon Full Infantry Platoon 3 Type-89 Tanks 3 Type-89 Tanks 2 Type-38 75mm Guns 2 Type-41 75mm Guns

Soviet Light Tanks HQ T-26 8 T-26 + Rear MG 8 T-26 8 T-26 10 KhT-26 6 BT-7a 5 DshK AA Guns Sporadic I-153

Generated by WWPD's BatRepper Software.

Deployment

The Soviets won the dice off and decided to defend the wheat field so
to stop the Japanese from attacking through the woods.

The Soviets put a company of T-26's, Kht-26's and BT-7a's in reserve.

The 2 companies of T-26's get ready to move out, leaving the AA to hold
the objective.

 Dave put both his tank platoons and his Type-41 guns in his reserve

One platoon of infantry and the Type-38 guns defend the forward objective.

The other infantry platoon blocks the way of the Soviet Tanks.

Turn 1

The soviets won the dice off to go first.

The T-26's move out hiding behind the hills so they can't be shot at

The Japanese try to dig in, the left hand infantry platoon fails to.

Turn 2

The T-26's rush over the hill machine gunning the infantry that failed to dig
in but cause no casualities.

The Infantry fail to dig in again and the Type-38's open up on the T26's... 

...knocking two out and bailing two more.

Turn 3

Back at the Soviet objective the AA finally dig in after 3 turns of failing to.

The T-26's keep on their advance and target the Japanese guns

Taking one out.

The back platoon machine guns the still not dug in infantry killing
two bases.

The Japanese guns retaliate...

But this time only bail one tank.

Turn 4

The Kth-26's turn up from reserve.

The forward T-26's move up to attack the still not dug in infantry

The rear T-26's focus fire on the remaining gun..

Taking it out too, but the command team passes his morale test

The T-26's charge into the infantry.

The Human Bullets counter charge killing 4 tanks but 2 of them roll ones and blow up!

The last two T-26's run away... that didn't go to plan!

Dave keeps his distance from the Kht-26's by giving ground.

Turn 5

The BT-7a's arrive from reserve.

As do the remaining T-26's.

The center T-26's move up to get revenge on the Japanese infantry...

...knocking out a base of infantry.

The flame tanks BBQ up some infantry.

The Japanese finally get a reserve! The tanks move up to shoot the AA
but cause no damage.

Dave's infantry keep on falling back.

Turn 6

The Soviet reserves keep on moving towards the objective.

The AA target the newly arrived tanks knocking one out and bailing
another!

Again the Kht-26 find themselves having to advance to put pressure on the
retreating Japanese infantry

The second Japanese tank platoon turns up.

The Japanese infantry complete their retreat back to the woods.

The AA pay a heavy price for the two tank platoons.

Dave assaults the AA killing one gun.

But the platoon holds.

Turn 7

Feeling like the Soviets had to win the game now the BT-7a's rush the hill

As do the Kht-26's

Followed by the T-26's

The AA fail to unpin, but still contest the objective.

Some of the Kht-26's open up on the infantry that failed to make the far
wood, removing both bases.

The rest of the flame tanks charge the infantry platoon.

The first round goes well...

...but the last Nikuhaku kills two tanks and bails a third! Oh and blows
himself up! The Flame tanks break off

Then the BT-7a's have a go,,,

...and wipe out the infantry taking the objective. In Dave's turn he uses the
commander of the Type-38's to contest the objective, but I forgot to photo
that...

The Japanese AT Guns turn up in reserve but are out of range.

The Tanks then charge the AA and wipes them out... not looking good for
the Soviets!

Turn 8

The only chance the Soviets is to break the Japanese and cause the tanks
to run off, so here goes the 100 to 1 shot starting with the Soviet Airforce
making its only appearance of the game.

The AT guns get shot up by the T-26's but cause no damage...

The BT-7a's move up to shot the infantry in the woods and kill the Type-38
platoon commander. Because of placement the dead team in the woods is
the 1IC.

The reserve T-26's move up to shot and assault the infantry in the woods.

The Plane bails one tank and destroys the other but they hold, Soviets can't
win now.

But the T-26's go in anyway on a revenge mission

In the first round they kill one team.

In the return round the Nikuhaku teams kill one T-26 and bail another and
only one blows themselves up.

The T-26's counter attack and kill another team.

After another uneventful round of combat the T-26's fall back, but 3 bog
down on the way out...

The BT-7a's then charge in.

Killing the 2IC and another team, but the infantry hold.

And with that Dave wins holding both objectives.

4-3 to Winner and a really good game!  I miss judged how much effort it would take to push Dave off the objectives and that cost me in the end as Dave's tanks were able to take my objective with relative ease (Although Winner was sweating when my AA killed and bailed the tanks in the first tank platoon!) If I had knew how hard it was going to be to push the Japanese off the objective I would have left a tank platoon or two back on my objective and let the flame tanks and BT-7a's to deal with the infantry. Winner thought he was in a bad way early on but his move to withdrawal from my reserves really helped him stall for time to take my objective. If I had had one more turn I think I would have won, but all is fair in love and FOW! Thanks for reading and until next time Ben