Post by jenburdoo on Feb 27, 2011 19:49:10 GMT -5
I'm currently reading a book on the Australian Army in New Guinea - specifically the battles of Lae, Finschhafen, Sattelberg and Sio in late 1943. The reason is that the Diggers are one of my main influences for my 28th. The book has given me some ideas for scenarios (or even a campaign), and I'd like your thoughts as to how you would arrange a table, what sorts of forces should be on each side, and what special rules you might use. Also, how it might work with various opponents on each side - as it is, I'm thinking infantry hordes as both defenders and attackers.
- Contested river crossing, as at Lae. The 28th Australian Battalion crossed the lower stretches of a swollen, island-strewn river. Afterwards, they linked up with the American 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment which dropped (without incident) over Nadzab. I'm thinking some sort of swamp conditions on the whole table with some hills (counting as dry islands) scattered about. A Planetstrike scenario could maybe be linked to this.
- Beach landing, as at Finschhafen. Half or a third of the table would be water. I reckon the attackers could be mounted in amphibious Chimeras which could only use their turrets (as the rest is submerged); and if destroyed all the passengers and crew would be lost unless the vehicle had its roof hatches open (thus making it open-topped and easier to destroy). Space Marines could ride Rhinos instead, with the same restrictions. In a counter-attack, Japanese barges attacked the beaches by night and were seen off by American engineers - a combat patrol-type game might work for this.
- Jungle/mountain assault, as at Sattelberg. The Australian 48th Battalion basically climbed a 3200-foot mountain, with the support of tanks, and grenaded the Japanese off it. You'd need an awful lot of hill-terrain to do this, though - enough to make a 12"+ hump in the middle of the table.
- Contested river crossing, as at Lae. The 28th Australian Battalion crossed the lower stretches of a swollen, island-strewn river. Afterwards, they linked up with the American 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment which dropped (without incident) over Nadzab. I'm thinking some sort of swamp conditions on the whole table with some hills (counting as dry islands) scattered about. A Planetstrike scenario could maybe be linked to this.
- Beach landing, as at Finschhafen. Half or a third of the table would be water. I reckon the attackers could be mounted in amphibious Chimeras which could only use their turrets (as the rest is submerged); and if destroyed all the passengers and crew would be lost unless the vehicle had its roof hatches open (thus making it open-topped and easier to destroy). Space Marines could ride Rhinos instead, with the same restrictions. In a counter-attack, Japanese barges attacked the beaches by night and were seen off by American engineers - a combat patrol-type game might work for this.
- Jungle/mountain assault, as at Sattelberg. The Australian 48th Battalion basically climbed a 3200-foot mountain, with the support of tanks, and grenaded the Japanese off it. You'd need an awful lot of hill-terrain to do this, though - enough to make a 12"+ hump in the middle of the table.