Dutch East Indies #8

All,

It's 1500 on 21 February 1942, and Captain Moon's platoon is beat to hell and has been on the run for six days, harried by aggressive Japanese patrolling, following the collapse of ABDA resistance in and around Palembang.  The last week has seen the platoon of Marine cooks, bakers, and candlestick makers pushing in a constant southerly direction, with little food, water, arms, ammunition, and medical supplies, carrying and dragging their wounded as they go, looking to escape to the southern or western coast of Sumatra, where they intend on finding a boat and getting the hell outta dodge!

But the Japanese, constantly in pursuit from the north, have bottled the Marines up.  With patrols spotted to the north and west, the platoon rounds a bend on the jungle trail they're following, spotting a shallow river with a foot bridge, but it's what's on the other side of the foot bridge that's worrying.  Captain Moon, the platoon commander, and Sergeant Carlson, the platoon sergeant, curse together as they spy an enemy machine gun emplacement, dug in on a knoll overlooking the crossing.  "Shall I scout further south, Sir, try and find a way around?"  "Negative, Cody, there's no time, we're going to have to push through.

Captain Moon and Sgt Carlson fall back to the main body of the platoon, and gives them a quick briefing on the general situation, what's up ahead, and what they're going to do about it.  "It's simple, really, and you old hands from the Philippines have been in tighter spots than this!  Sgt Carlson is going to hold down the fort here, with the wounded and the porters.  Cpl White is going to take the BARs and a couple other Marines and go lay down a base of fire, while Cpl Dishman and I loop around to the right, cross the river, and flank that Jap machine gun, piece o'cake!  Now Cpl White, you boys don't start firing until we're in position, ready to jump across that river.  I'll fire two quick shots from my sidearm to let you know.  Any questions?"

And with that, the Marines weary Marines moved out quickly.  The next four fights were played out in 15mm using Eureka Minis (plus a Peter Pig Japanese MG team) and Ivan's "Five Men at Kursk" rules.  The games were all solo fights, and the action all happens within a 20 minute timespan as the Marines fight for their lives against superior numbers of enemy forces.

Overview of the entire battlefield, north is up.  This is a 4' x 4' table, but each of the four fights will be fought out separately on a little piece of the above table.  Here's the lowdown: at left center is Sgt Carlson, the porters, and the wounded, sitting tight, while Cpl White and the base of fire team is at center top, looking to lay down fire on the Japanese MG position (just right of the river and above the trail, at top right), while Captain Moon and the assault element (center bottom) has moved up and is ready to cross the river.  But the first fight happens as they cross; they didn't have time for a proper reconnaissance, so they moved up to the river unaware a Japanese squad was patrolling on the other side of the nearby knoll (far right), and Cpl White's base of fire element didn't know the Japanese MG position contains more than just the MG team, there's another five Japanese riflemen behind them, just waiting to make life more difficult.  And once the fighting breaks out, the noise draws Japanese from the north out of the woodwork, and they begin moving up the trail (top left), closing in on Sgt Carlson, the porters, and the wounded.

The Marine position, with Capt Moon's assault element at far right, Cpl White's base of fire element at far left, and Sgt Carlson's malingerers just visible at bottom left (the Japanese machine gun position is just off camera to top center).

The first fight is focused on Captain Moon and the assault element.  They've crept up, unnoticed, to the river (bottom left), and they're preparing to cross.  They'll move to the knoll (top center), then wheel left to knock out the Japanese MG position (top left), which is soon to be engaged by Cpl White's base of fire team (off camera to left).

The second fight, which runs concurrently with the first, is Cpl White's base of fire team (bottom left) working to suppress the Japanese MG team (top right), to make Capt Moon and the assault element's (off camera to bottom center) easier in flanking the enemy, but the Japanese riflemen (above the MG position), themselves unaware of the entire situation, decide to try to flank the Marine base of fire team to the north (top).

The third fight is Captain Moon's team actually assaulting the MG position, followed by...

Sgt Carlson (left, with Cpl White's base of fire team at top right) fighting a delaying action so the wounded can be evacuated across the river (off camera to right), under very heavy pressure.

This shows Sgt Carlson's group (bottom right, with Cpl White's men at top right) as the Japanese break out of the jungle in the northwest (top left).

Anyway, back to the assault team.  The Marines are, from left to right: Pvt Gibson, PFC Jamison, Cpl Dishman, Capt Moon, PFC McNeil, and Pvt McNair, and they are unaware of the Japanese squad behind the knoll at top center.  They've been crawling about 50 yards through the jungle, so Captain Moon gives them a minute to collect themselves.  "Alright boys, on my mark, everybody into the river."  The Marine Captain pulls his .45 automatic and fires two shots into the air, signaling Cpl White's base of fire element to open fire on the Japanese MG position, while Capt Moon leads his men into the river.

But the warning shots have drawn the attention of a squad of Japanese soldiers on the other side of the nearby hill (river is at top right), and they move forward to investigate.

Captain Moon, leading the way, is the first Marine out of the water, and he pushes up to the base of the hill (center left, from bottom left), just as PFC McNiel (bottom center) screams out "Japs!!!"  McNeil levels his Thompson SMG and opens fire...

One Japanese soldier goes down and his partner is suppressed!

While on the Marine left, PFC Jamison (bottom left, with Capt Moon at far right) spots enemy riflemen also, and rattles off a long burst from his Tommy Gun (being the assault element, Captain Moon loaded it up with three Tommy Gunners).

Jamison's (center) rounds are high, while Gibson (bottom left) fires his Springfield.

He (top center) misses too, and while he trudges into the river his target (bottom right) returns fire...

The Arisaka's bullet misses and Gibson makes it to the far shore (left), as Cpl Dishman (bottom left, with Jamison above him) spots movement atop the hill and cuts loose with his Thompson...

Another Japanese soldier falls, with a second suppressed (red bead).

Cpl Dishman splashes into the river, with Pvt McNair joining him (center).

McNair (bottom center, with Capt Moon to his left) quickly raises his rifle and fires at a cowering Japanese rifleman, knocking him down.

While on the other side, two Japanese riflemen creep forward (bottom center and left).  The first sights in on Jamison (top center right) and fires...

Jamison (white bead at top left) is knocked down) as the other Japanese (bottom right) fires on Gibson (top center)…

Who falls, unconscious (left, with Jamison knocked down in the river at bottom left).  Cpl Dishman (bottom right) cuts loose with his Tommy Gun...

Knocking one assailant down (white bead) and pinning the other (yellow bead).  Meanwhile, the Japanese soldier at bottom left...

Moves left (center bottom) and rallies his suppressed comrade (red bead, with a knocked down Japanese at far left).

The rallied enemy soldier fires on McNair (top center right)…

McNair is hit in the groin (bottom center), and it looks really bad.  As the Japanese soldier moves downhill to help the knocked down guy (top right), McNeil (bottom left) spots him and fires his Tommy Gun...

The rounds miss.  The Japanese rifleman reaches his buddy and checks him, he's good to go, back in the fight.

But McNeil (top center) is pissed.  He charges up, blazing away with his submachine gun, killing the Japanese soldier that just got back in the fight (far left).  His buddy is shocked, but the rifleman on the hill (bottom center) spots the Marine and fires...

Knocking McNeil down (white bead at bottom center right)!  Captain Moon moves over, blasting away with his .45...

Dropping the enemy rifleman (bottom left), then checking McNeil and getting him back in the fight (top center).

In the Marine center, Cpl Dishman (bottom center) continues laying down fire on the Japanese right (top right), keeping them pinned down...

Before falling back to grab Jamison...

And dragging him to dry ground so he doesn't drown.

Atop the hill, the remaining Japanese rifleman there (bottom center) fires on Capt Moon and McNeil...

McNeil is pinned (yellow bead at top center), while on the Japanese right, the pinned enemy rifleman falls back to check his knocked down buddy (white bead at bottom center), and he's good to go.

McNeil (far right) returns fire with his Thompson...

Dropping the Japanese rifleman on the hill!

Captain Moon quickly rallies McNeil...

Then moves up the hill (center right, from bottom center).

And while the good Captain is charging up the hill (top right), Cpl Dishman drags Jamison forward (bottom left), using the hill as cover from the two remaining Japanese soldiers (top left).  Cpl Dishman checks Jamison over and he's good, back in the fight.

But just as Cpl Dishman (top right) gives a broad grin at Jamison being okay, a Japanese rifleman (bottom center) pops up and fires...

Dropping Cpl Dishman and pinning Jamison!

And while that is happening (far right), the other Japanese soldier (bottom left) raises his Arisaka and fires at Captain Moon (top center)!

The Captain is knocked down (white bead), and the enemy rifleman charges up the hill at him!

McNeil (bottom center, with Jamison at far left) saw the Captain go down, and spots the charging Japanese (top center).  He screams "Nooooo!!!!" and opens fire with his Thompson...

But the rounds are wild and don't touch the target, who closes with the prostrate Captain.  The Japanese raises his rifle...

And bayonets Captain Moon, putting him out of the fight!!!

The Japanese soldier's blood is up; having bayonetted the Captain, his gaze now lands on McNeil, and he again dashes forward, bayonet at the ready...

But McNeil, tears running down his cheeks for his beloved Captain, stands his ground and guns down the enemy soldier!

McNeil dashes up to check on Captain Moon, muttering "I'm sorry Sir," over and over.

While on the left, Jamison patiently waits for the last remaining Japanese rifleman to pause to reload...

Then pops up and tags him in the head, ending this portion of the fight.

Quite amazingly, the Marines have gotten off pretty light in the casualty department.  The Japanese only managed to stab Captain Moon in the bicep, which they quickly bandaged, Cpl Dishman only had a round crease the right side of his head, so they'll both sport interesting scars but are otherwise okay, and Pvt Gibson was only knocked out by a round striking his helmet.  The only serious casualty was McNair, whom they quickly patched up as best they could to stop the bleeding.  But the fight was still raging, Cpl White's team could be heard engaging the Japanese Nambu machine gun, just on the other side of the hill; Captain Moon gave quick orders" "bandage him up, then hide him in the bushes, we'll have to come back for him.  But right now we've got to get over this hill and knock out that machine gun!"

So now we roll to the next fight, which actually started at the same time this one did, and is still going.  Coming right up!

V/R,
Jack