Back to Basics with PBI, PF and the Marines on Guadalcanal

 I really enjoyed my last several missions with the Headhunters.  The rules worked smoothly but it really was the story that sucked me in.  Enjoying that and talking with Jack made me realize that in my quest for an ideal ruleset I have strayed from what this blog was originally about; stories.  The quote from Eisenhower in the banner sums up why I play games.  

 

First  a good book alert which is how I got inspired into this theater.

I knew a fair amount about Guadalcanal but this book really goes into the politics just enough [ did you know the reason the marines didn't have M1s at the beginning of the war?  I thought it was because the army took them all.  Nope, Admiral King didn't want to spend the money when he had tons of perfectly good Springfields already in stock.] and really covers the Japanese thinking.  It also covers New Guinea, Aussies and the environment.  

So I rolled up a marine company using Platoon Forward.

 At this point I am not keeping track of every squad leader; just those very good or bad.  As the company progresses most of those will be filled in.  

So PBI will be the tactical game engine.  I have modified activation for good/bad leaders and modified morale checks.  For the morale checks instead of units leaving [ which makes sense if you want a quick  game] units will retreat and drop a morale grade.  I can't have my marines just up and leave!  I need my officers to have a chance to heroically rally them!    Jungle counts a very good cover. 

So Capt Stein's company lands on the 'canal and they are placed in the expanding perimeter. To get some experience on operations Stein is told to send a raid to a hill that intel this is occupied by enemy. 

 [ I put the marines on defensive and rolled for a mission.  I got Raid.  I rolled the mission up as per PF.  After experimenting what I have found is that even at this level keep the "A" blinds as squads.]  

As Stein if fickle I rolled randomly to see which platoon would go and 3rd platoon with  Lt Stevens, his best PL and Sgt Adkins a sharp SL.  Gunny Walters is itching to go so he will tag along. 

Our main character, L to R Sgt Adkins, Gunny and 2Lt Stevens.

 

Though marine platoons have 4 squads with a BAR squad as the 4th; Steven's only takes 3 squads.  As Stein doesn't want this patrol to fail and men need experience he adds a LMG and mtr.  Steven's attaches both of these to Sgt Adkin's squad as he plans to use 2nd squad as his base of fire. [ Note: as marine (and Japanese) squads are large I normally have the first squad of each platoon have 4 bases not 3.]

The map.  Jungle, mixed terrain and orchard.  Jungle is good cover.  Mixed terrain is fair and can see two squares through mixed.  Each "square" is a 4 hex grouping.  Enemy blinds are green/red markers per PF.  Blinds are rolled up per PF table with the exception of # 5  on the "A" table result is now read as the # 6 result thereby eliminating half squads showing up.  # 6 now is part of the #7-8 result which means a squad is placed there.  Target hill is in the middle of the board.

Steven's plan is to go up through the jungle on the left and hook towards the hill.  Adkins will set up in the tall grass and provide suppressive fire as needed.  If no resistance is met he can advance. The one potential fly in the ointment is if the Japanese have something on the hill at the top of the picture.  Lt Stevens suggests that Gunny stay with Adkins.  Gunny politely declines. 

 the marines enter the jungle and contact is made almost immediately.  Sgt Adkins set up in the grass and can see the target hill is empty of troops.  

The fighting is close and Steven's can't tell who is winning the firefight.  He asks Gunny to go back and bring up the Bar squad through the grass to flank the jungle...

Gunny brings the men up ready to make a text book flank attack when suddenly the jungle erupts in front of them.   The firefight is brief...

 

the bar squad is cut down in the heavy grass.  Gunny Walters braves the fire to drag wounded back to safety again and again.  [ In PBI if the platoon takes 4 casualties you have to take a morale check.  This can be mitigated by spending action points to tend to the wounded; very cool.] 

As if things couldn't get worse...

 those annoying knee mortars start dropping on Sgt Adkins.  A lucky shot takes out the LMG! 

There is a fair amount of time to go but Steven's has lost a squad and his LMG.  Time to Gung Ho!

 

Lt Steven's leads a charge on the first Japanese position.  It is successful but 3 marines go down. [ 1 base].   

He has ordered Adkins to move up and engage the Japanese in the Jungle but Adkins takes casualties doing so.  With morale faltering, Steven's must admit he will not be dislodging the Japanese today.

Great game that I didn't think the marines would lose.  I guess I should have given them all 4 squads.  

Post game Cpt Stein is disappointed but Walters backs Stevens tale of events.  The SL of the Bar squad was KIA so he is replaced by the ASL, LCpl Falsh who will start out poor.  3rd platoon has a -1 towards Lt Stevens now but everyone think Gunny Walters walks on water after the story quickly spreads of his courage under fire.  

Really enjoyed it and PBI worked well.  It certainly felt like the Pacific.

Enjoy

Joe 

 
 

 

The Headhunters go hunting again

 As a follow up to last post I ran another mission with my P-38 squadron the "headhunters".  If you read last post that will catch you up on the drama.  This is Capt Strong's first mission as the commander.  Col Birch sends him out on a fighter sweep; nice and simple.  They are down to 5 pilots and plus Smally who is injured so pickings are slim.  Strong picks:

Capt Strong         Veteran    3 kills      connected

          2Lt Bone Nixon   Scholarly      Average       Dead eye

Lt Porky Greenway   Veteran  1 kill    aggressive

          2Lt Chip Peters    Jovial      Rookie      Dead eye

 

Flying over the Bismark sea Greenway spots a large collection of planes ahead.   As the flight investigates they find Betty bombers on the way to do mischief.  [ Rolled up fighter sweep, then operational bombers.]

 The Headhunters have the initiative.    Capt Strong decides he and Nixon will go for the bombers while Porky will climb and take care of the Zeros.  Strong, looking to make a splash as a commander, tells Nixon that they each will go after a bomber then join up after the pass.

The plan works for now.  Nixon takes out a bomber while Strong lightly damages his.  

[ Note, I know these are not Bettys.  They are Nells.  They are close.]

Porky climbs and manages to damage the lead Zero. But the second Zero makes an unusual high speed pass at Porky...

and gets a lucky hit.  Porky screams as flames shoot around the cockpit but manages to bail out safely. 

The third Zero dives down to protect the bombers...

and latches on to Nixon's tail.  Fortunately his P-38 IS rugged.  

As Strong turns to go help his wingman...

 

he quickly finds a zero on his tail as his plane takes damage.  Maybe the plan to spit up wasn't so great after all!

Meanwhile up high, 2Lt Peters is still in shock by Porky's ill luck.  A one on one duel between a green P-38 and a seasoned zero ends up...

  like we expect.  Unsupported, Peter's is shot down quickly.  Fortunately a chute is sighted.  

So Strong is not having a good day.  He has lost two planes for one bomber and he and his wingman have Zero's on their tails.  While the P-38 might be a dog in the air compared to the Zero it is a greyhound flat out.  He tells Nixon to run flat out ahead of the bombers and meet up.

It works as the two outrun the Zeros and get re organized into formation as they climb.  Capt Strong sees one more chance to seize victory.  A boom and zoom attack on the Betty's.  He informs Nixon and they go into their dive...

As Strong is diving he realizes his plane is too damaged for a B&Z.  He will have to settle for just the boom part.  [ he only rolled 5 dice instead of 6 and didn't have enough left over to climb.]  His attack damages the betty but it doesn't go down.   Meanwhile the Zeros have caught up.   The veteran zero pilot with 2 kills today decides to do his own diving attack...

out of nowhere bullets start to hit Strong's plane as a Zero flashes by.  His starboard engine starts to run rough; seriously!  Who is that guy?  

As Strong is trying to control his plane as second Zero shows up.  However, this pilot is a mere mortal and despite the damaged plane, Strong and Nixon...

 manage to keep him at bay.  

With a moderately damaged plane Strong and Nixon head for home.   

Strong makes it back to base but crash lands on the strip.  Not the way he wanted his first command mission to go.  Porky and Chip are rescued from the water however and will be back after 1 mission. 

Whew!  What a nailbiter.  I can't believe the lightenings got stomped.  It did show the rules off well though in that wingmen matter and speed is important.  

Post game Col Birch is clearly disappointed and a bit worried.  Squadron cool goes down after a blip when Strong took command.  Col Birch threatens to shoot and then court-martial Lt Howard, the fickle maintenance officer for the squadron that can't seem to keep the planes running. It works as Howard has 2 damaged planes fixed pronto. Birch also secures a new plane that brings the squadron up to 6.  Nixon makes his roll for Veteran after downing a Betty and a new pilot joins this chaotic squadron; 2Lt "hot" Summer.  Unfortunately the nickname "hot" is a bit sarcastic as he is a bit inept as a pilot and barely made it through training.  But hey, a body is a body right?    

 Enjoy

 

Joe