Virtual Wargamer Discussion Board / Magazine Publishers Forum /
Command (magazine w/game)

Benoit Larose - 10:41pm Oct 23, 1996 EST (#79 of 80)

All,

*** Long post***

Mukden (Command #37) Game Report

Richard Fluck and I started this pbem at the start of July 96 using ADC. I
took the Japanese, so he had the Russians. We concluded the game on October
18th 96, having completed 7 turns out of 8 with the Japanese conceeding a
Russian victory.

Game description:

Turns 1-2: The Russians opened their offensive with a broad front effort,
as if trying to locate holes and weaknesses in the Russian line. Some
cavalry tried to outflank the Russians by the Northwest toward Itan and a
similar effort was made on the East with infantry in the area of Wen Dau Ho
Tse. Heavy fighting occurred in the center with the trenchline south of
Mukden and the town of Lin Tay area being the targets of Japanese attacks.

All these early efforts failed with 15 casualty points inflicted on the
assailants. The Russian were conducting a textbook-like delaying action on
the wings which proved to be more difficult to outflank than expected.

Turns 3-4: The Japanese started to concentrate on the Russian 2nd Army
(Yellows) while trying harder to outflank it from the Northwest. Heavy
losses were taken by the Japanese on both sides of the Hun River there but
the Russians also started to feel the mounting losses. General Reserve
units were committed in the area. A bridge was laid by the Japanese near
Tehan Tan to ease troop movement between the river banks.

In the East, the Japanese started to shift back to the center.

In the Northwest, however, the Russians managed to counterattack small
Japanese units which became seperated from the main body of troops. More
casualties for the Japanese.

33 casualty points were taken out from the Japanese during that period.
This made them quite nervous about their ability to conduct an offensive on
a too much broad front and a decision to concentrate even more on the 2nd
Army was made.

Turns 5-7: The Japanese shifted ALL the troops they could in a sector
delimited by the town of Sha Ha Tai in the Northwest to Fun Kai Pu in the
center. The objective was now to win by casualty points. Several attacks
were mounted but were called off because the Russians were able to pull
back in time.

The actions in the Northwest were over already and in the East, a couple of
units managed to keep the pressure up but were being kept far enough from
the Withdrawal line to pose a serious threat for the Russians.

32 more casualty point were inflicted on the Japanese over this period, for
a cumulative total of 80 on 115 max. allowed.

With the Turn 7 attacks again either called off or becoming low-odds
attacks with 4/0 automatic results, the Japanese lost heart and decided to
cancel the offensive with a bloody nose.

Analysis:

I realized too late that there is not much to do elsewhere than in the "2nd
Army Gap" area. I probably wasted 2 turns trying to outflank the whole
Russian Army instead of mounting a coordinated assault on 2nd Army.

I should have read and followed the Player's notes which says "don't attack
through the trenches"!

We found that the Russian sequential movement was not only a problem for
them but for the Japanese as well. That's because it means that the Russian
always has a 1/3rd chance of moving the Army under attack last, thus
escaping the upcoming Combat phase. A really lucky Russian could even get
to move this Army last and then first on the following turn to retake the
positions he abandoned in the first place! Richard was able to move his 2nd
Army last in 3 turns out of 7, which basically kept it out of harm's way.

Richard played an excellent game of delaying action, trading ground for
time in a very efficient way. I feel I have played a decent game overall
although my early game hesitations have most likely cost me victory.

In my opinion, the Japanese objectives should be prioritized the following
way: enemy losses, withdrawal line, Mukden. A serious attempt at
outflanking the Russian from the North could work.

All things considered, I think the Japanese are favored slightly for a win.
I'll do better next time!

In terms of playability, this played relatively smoothly with 10-20 minutes
moves. The number of emailings needed to complete a single turn was perhaps
a little too much, though, given the modest scope of that game.

Benoit Larose blarose@total.net