"Rearguard action Bataan 1942" Topic

Our first attempt at adapting the Battlegroup! rule system for Pacific theater operations

Historical background:

The 194th Tank Battalion was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Ernest B. Miller and was comprised of M3 tanks, half-tracks, jeeps, and motorcycles. For nearly a month, the 194th Tank Battalion had fought along a series of phase, obstacle, and holding lines, executing a retrograde delay from both North and South Luzon. It had fought a number of sharp actions and contributed significantly to the success of the orderly delay of American and Filipino forces back to the Bataan Peninsula. Our scenario began with a small rearguard Force of Filipino troops being threatened with encirclement by elements of the Japanese 3d Battalion, 20th Infantry supported by several tanks, Company C of the 194th was personally ordered by General Wainwright to extricate the Filipino infantrymen.

The leading Japanese troops emerged from the jungle and took the Filipinos by surprise: devastating volleys of rifle and light machine gun fire cleared the left of the allied position, however in the next turn a withering response from the adjacent trenches set the Japanese assault squads reeling back to the cover of the tree line. A single American P.40 appeared overhead and attacked the supporting Japanese who were attacking along the road and pinned them, stabilizing the allied position. Halted on the left and center, the Japanese infantry, covered by tank fire (which proved somewhat ineffective) launched probing attacks on the right flank, but were unable to make much headway in the face of heavy defensive fire.

Three Stuart tanks of Company C led a column of scout cars and half tracks on to the table, only to trigger a an ambush from a concealed Japanese unit! They passed the skill test to close assault the leading tank, but again, the fickle dice let them down, scoring a miserable 2. The tanks swept the tree line with machine gun fire but failed to have much effect, but the following infantry decided to dismount rather than risk being blown up in their carriers. The erstwhile tank killers were now pinned so were overrun and wiped out by the vengeful Americans! The convoy reached the Filipino position without further loss, and the leading M3 knocked out a Japanese tank for good measure before the allies withdrew. The US had achieved their objective while not taking any serious losses other than one rifle squad and one machine gun, but on morale points……………a draw!

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Thanks for the AAR. Sounds like it was an intense game.

One of my favorite campaigns of WW2. I've managed to collect most of the literature that is available on the Provisional Tank Group.

There are so many small unit engagements that one could game: The tank skirmish at Damortis, the breakout of the A Company tank platoon from the Agno River Line. Miller's road block south of the Agno…. and on and on. You can even have bizarre and unusual encounters such as the attack on the 194th TB by Japanese infantry while the tanks were strung out along a jungle trail. One side is all tanks/half-tracks and the other regular infantry.

It's one of mine too, but I'm more a Philippine Division and 26th Cavalry gamer. There isn't a lot out there on the Philippine Divison, but there's a growing body out there on the 26th Cavalry- two books! Nice place to be.

Now if we could get a writer to do a book on the Philippine Division.

My favorite actions are the 57th at Mabatang and the last ride of the 26th at Moron.

Mabatang is a great slug fest with the stoic Scouts going toe-to-toe with the 65th Brigade in a vicious infantry slugging match where both sides get to attack and counter-attack.

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Moron is a more fluid meeting engagement where the Japanese 122d Infantry clashes with the Filipino 1st ID and the 26th Cavalry. The 122d is moving by boat, then on foot, to clear the west coast of Bataan and are just clearing out the PA's outposts when Wainwright orders more elements of the 1st ID and the cav in to oppose this move. The clash gets more interesting when Edwin Ramsey, who is leading combined E-F Troop, orders his Scouts into what becomes the US Army's last mounted cavalry charge. This creates a see-saw battle that only ends when the Japanese bring up superior forces and finally pushes the allies out of town. Great stuff!