In Progress Saving K-Pop from Best Korea [TOAW3]

[GarfunkeL]

I only touched the Korean War scenario in the original TOAW so let's see how it has been changed for TOAW3. The start is already brutal. It used to be possible to save as much as 2/3rds of ROK army by retreating it south - but the dirty Commies just wiped out 90% of it in their opening turn. Nice.

I have the Capitol Division left at Seoul, there's a regiment of Marines at Pusan and 6 understrength, untrained and poorly equipped infantry regiments in various towns.

And even the Capitol Division has already lost a regiment and its divisional artillery. Better hope that the US/UN reinforcements arrive soon or this scenario will be over before it even started.

An example of what I have to work with. A ROK regiment. Proficiency is stunning 25% and readiness is at 65%. Oh well. I keep all of them at "minimize casualties" setting in the hope that they won't get overrun and utterly eliminated. Few are moved on the eastern side of the peninsula to slow down the DPRK advance along the coast as there's nothing there currently:

Basically the ROK units are speedbumps that hopefully will buy enough time for reinforcements to arrive from Japan and CONUS.

Nothing else I can do, I'll end my turn.

There goes my army... The Capitol Division is also driven out of Seoul and destroyed.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Allright. We lost a fighter group but gained some USN air assets and more importantly, the US 24th Division which was part of the occupation forces in Japan, has transported two Regimental Combat Teams and a tank battalion to Pusan.

Historically, these units were rushed up north and used to slow down the Commies, in the progress suffering heavy casualties. I'm not going to do that. Instead, I'll use them to begin fortifying the Pusan perimeter.

Except that they are frozen in Pusan with the RK marines and I cannot move them. Fantastic. Well, might as well end the turn then.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Ah, the who-goes-first is now switched. Commies get to go first in Turn 1 and 2 but from Turn 3 onwards, the UN player gets to go first:

Rest of the 24th Div arrive at Pusan. The division is only missing its second tank battalion, which will arrive on Turn 7. Time to start creating the defensive line I was talking about earlier:

It's a crap formation but that's not the point. I'm counting on having at least 1 but hopefully 2 more turns before BEST KOREA comes knocking. Every unit that digs-in in a hex increases the total fortification % of that hex. So the 24th is spread out, including its recon and engineering elements, in order to jump-start that progress. I am planning for each division to hold 3 hexes with their RCTs, with the support elements just behind it, ready to support all 3. Korean Marines are anchoring the line as they hold the coastal town of P'ohang.

The two naval air assets are issued orders. CAG 5 will provide Combat Support with its F9F-2 Panthers, F4U Corsairs and AD/A-1 Skyraiders while while CAG Triumph, a British unit, will interdict DRPK movement with its Seafires and Fireflies. US Air units in Japan are still "reorganizing" and thus out of play. Nothing else I can do, so time to end the turn.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Commies advance. Interdiction hurt at least 3 units but probably not too badly. Unfortunately for me, the ROK regiment on west coast was utterly destroyed, as was the ROK regiment on the east coast. They also finished off the remnants of the Capitol Divisions engineer battalion. The red horde surges closer.

Nice. The US 25th Division arrives in Pusan, also missing its second tank battalion. US 1st Cavalry Division is also ready, though still in Japan so it has to be ferried to Pusan first. The 25th is also reorganizing, so it's stuck at Pusan but 1st Cav is moved to the front. RK 5th Division is the only unit remaining in the western part of South-Korea. I use its 31st Regiment to destroy the two bridges next to Taejon. 32/3 does the same at Kumi:

Meaning that next turn, 24th can get to its proper formation on the right wing, the 1st Cav will take center and 25th will start deploying on the left flank, behind the river.

In Japan, the USAF is finally operational. I got three groups of B-29 Superfortresses and a group of A-26 Invaders. I'll use the heavy bombers to take out bridges in north, hopefully causing DPRK troops supply issues in the near future while the Invaders will help with interdiction.

We lose 3 bombers while BEST KOREA loses 4 Il-10 ground attack planes. Apparently all Yak's and Mig's are in the shop that they used those in an intercept. The first wave takes out only 3 of the three bridges targeted, so I'll try again. I lose 3 more bombers and get one more bridge. I'll try once more, this time targeting just 2 bridges. This works well - Commies are out of intercepting planes and both bridges are destroyed. Meaning that the supply routes south have been cut as supply only moves along roads/railroads.

I end the turn as there's nothing else to do.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Commies keep advancing. They wipe out the regiment just north of P'ohang and advance to contact all along my Pusan perimeter. The RK Marines stand their ground, though.

No reinforcements this turn.

I give up Taejon without a fight as 31/5 was in danger of being encircled thanks to the DPRK advancing in force along the mountainous central country. 27/5 is still defending Iri and 35/5 is defending Kwangju. 32/3 has been shattered to separate battalions, but thankfully all three managed to escape from Kumi to the American lines, meaning I can put the regiment back together later.

US 24th is pulled together just east of P'ohang though the divisional HQ is just south of the town, so its mortars can support the RK marines:

US 1st Cav is next, just north of Taegu. US 25th is holding the river just SW of Taegu, though the recon company is scouting out the highway between Taegu and Kwangju. I want to know if the DPRK will try to push through the roadless mountains and forested hills. I order one more bridge bombing for the B-29s. Not a good idea - I lose 4 B-29s as now the North had their La-7s, Yak-3s and Yak-9s ready. And the bridge isn't even destroyed. I guess that's it for this turn.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Commies advance in strength on the western coast. I'm probably going to lose all three regiments there. They also attack RK marines at P'ohang:

That's actually a decent outcome for me - losing 4% of a single regiment is way fewer than losing 5% out of 7 regiments. Yup, RK Marines are badass, stopping a 7-to-1 attack cold. DRPK loses 31 Rifle squads, 11 SMG squads, 12 MMGs, 4 45mm ATGs, 2 76mm guns, 9 60mm mortars, 5 82mm mortars, 1 120mm mortar and 8 trucks, while I lose 6 rifle squads, 1 HMG, 2 60mm mortars, 1 81mm mortar and 1 truck.

Commies also launch their first attack against Americans. Specifically 7th RCT of the 1st Cavalry. Two battalions from RK 32/3 are present as well but they flee after the first round. Commies attack with 16th Tank, 8/3 Infantry, 1/7 Infantry, 74/12 Infantry, supported by two artillery regiments and an AT-battalion, plus three companies of commandoes. I got air support from USN plus the 71st Tank Battalion and the 1st Cavalry Recon company arrive to support the defence. Outcome is quite positive:

The communists try again and this time have bit more success in that the force both the Recon company and 7th RCT to retreat. But the brave tankers of 71st Tank in their M24 Chaffees stand fast, supported by both divisional artillery and air strikes. Most stunning success is that the 39 T-34/85s of DPRK 16 Tank are all destroyed in exchange for mere 2 Chaffees.

Their third attack is on the left wing, against 25th Division, which is easily frustrated.

---

Some reinforcements. One tank battalion for the 25th, a tank battalion and a RCT for US 1st Marines, and 5th RCT which is a "free-support" unit from the US 8th Army, which I can basically attach to any division and it won't cause command delays. I also got a group of P-51D Mustangs, which I move to the airfield near Pusan and order them on air superiority and a another CAG that is put on combat support. Plus Task Group 95.1 which is a surface fire support group. They will spend the rest of the war bombarding the eastern coastal highway.

The 5th RCT is moved to P'ohang to reinforce the RK Marines there. I recombine and move 32/3 Infantry to extend the perimeter on the south. I'd like to keep the south coast highway open as long as possible. RK 5th division is kept in the western part - 35/5 still fortifying Kwangju, 31/5 in Chonju and 27/5 in Iri. I change their stance to "Ignore Losses" as they have been reinforced and resupplied. Hopefully the tired DPRK units will not break them. 24th Infantry Division keeps digging in but the 1st Cavalry now poses a problem since the 7th RCT retreated south, leaving a hole in the line. I decide to plug it with the USMC forces I just got. The 5/1st Marines is a strong regiment alone, but it will be supported by divisional tank battalion, equipped with M26 Pershing. I doubt the Commies can make them move. 1st Cavalry and 25th Infantry are ordered to dig-in, except for 7/1st Cavalry which is reorganizing after its retreat and the 1st Cavalry's engineer battalion which is moved south to help 32/3 Infantry to fortify:

The naval bombardment causes minor damage to the Reds. As there's nothing more to be done, I end the turn.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Commies start their turn by striking against TG 95.1 through air. Bad idea. They lose 7 La-7, 25 Yak-3 and 13 Yak-9 while I suffer no losses to the ships and neither is any P-51s shot down.

Then they attack Iri but RK 27/5 stands firm. P'ohang is next but the defence holds. So they try again at Iri but with same results - though the defenders are running out of supplies. Another attack against P'ohang forces the RK marines to retreat. Good thing I moved 5th RCT there to help as they hold the line. Then Commies attack hex 23,53, which is between Kumi and Taegu. The Marines stand firm and are supported by the Army tank battalion - the line holds and Commies suffer pretty heavy casualties. Worryingly, they are pushing troops south in the middle, which leads to a serious attack against RK 32/3 and the 1st Cavalry engineer battalion - but 155mm howitzers supporting infantry and engineers in heavy woods? The line holds. Still, the stubborn bastards launch a third attack against Iri and this time there's no air support. RK 27/5th Infantry is overrun and the town is lost.

No news but reinforcements are even better! 70th Tank Battalion belongs to 24th Infantry and is moved just south of P'ohang for tactical support. 73rd Tank Battalion belongs to the 7th Infantry and while rest of the division will not arrive for three more turns, this battalion is rushed to Kwangju where it will help 35/5th Infantry to hold the town. Rest of the reinforcements belong to US 2nd Infantry Division, though it's missing one of it's regiments and its divisional artillery. Still, the division will take up the line north of Chinju. 6th Tank Battalion belongs to 1st Cavalry Division and is thus moved to Taegu to act as local reserve. 7/1st Cavalry is moved back to where it belongs now that it has recovered, though I keepd the marines in the same hex, since it seems that the Commies are desperate to push through right there. The outcome:

Naval bombardment causes 3% casualties. Commies have managed to fix one of the bridges so I order all B-29s to bomb it and a nearby other bridge. I lose a single Superfortress and four Mustangs, against six Red planes of different types. One of the bridges is destroyed, the other one stands. The important thing is that, once more, supply is cut:

I don't want to risk any further bombing runs, so I end the turn.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Commies start Turn 7 by attacking US 34/24th Infantry. The battle is bloody but the line holds. Basically 72 squads of infantry are killed for the loss of 8 - plus a bunch of supporting weapons on both sides. Then they attack hex 23,53. This is a major assault: 3 artillery regiments, 1 AA, 3 engineer and 1 AT battalion support the attack of 1 tank battalion and 11 infantry regiments augmented by 3 companies of commandoes. On the defending side: 7/1st Cavalry and 5/1st Marines, supported by CAG 5 and 1 heavy artillery battalion. It's sufficiently bloody that the DPRK loses an entire infantry regiment but the 5/1st Marines is wiped out as well. The timely arrival of 71st Tank Battalion saves the day. Casualties are heavy:

As if that wasn't bad enough, Communists attack Chonju and overrun the 31/5th Infantry. At least their assault against P'ohang fails spectacularly, as does their second attempt against 7/1st Cavalry. The infantry are sent packing but not only does 71st Tank stand fast, it is reinforced by 6th and 1st Tank Battalions. The arrival of the M26 Pershings and M46 Pattons causes the Reds to break-off the attack.

Yay for reinforcements. It's basically the rest of the US 2nd Infantry Division. I sort the defensive line - pulling reserve units back from the frontline. The supply situation for artillery battalions is somewhat worrying but we'll deal. The one problem is hex 23,53, where 5/1st Marines were killed. 7/1st Cavalry was pushed back and needs a turn to reorganize, so I order the three tank battalions in the hex to dig-in. RK Marines are marched back to P'ohang. TG 95.1 is moved to the western side of Korea, so that it can support 73rd Tank Battalion counter-attack. Since I was also reinforced with more P-51s and F-80 Shooting Stars (both groups were put on Air Superiority mission), I order all three B-29 groups to attack Pyongyang airfields. With any luck, the Northern air force could be wiped out entirely!

That's what the Pusan perimeter looks like. The air attack goes smoothly - I lose five B-29s, five Mustangs and five F-80 Shooting stars whereas Commies lose 14 Il-10, 7 La-7, 5 Yak-3 and 5 Yak-9. Simultaneously, 73rd Tank pushes the BEST KOREAn regiment aside, suffering no losses while destroying a fifth of the regiment. As I still have 70% of my turn remaining, I decide to renew both attacks. This time I lose a single Superfortress and eight Shooting Stars but we destroy sixteen IL-10s, three La-7s and two Yak-3s. Similarly, 73rd Tank advances north, still suffering zero casualties. I guess the 45mm AT-guns that Soviet Union donated to BEST KOREA aren't quite capable of knocking out Pershings. I don't renew the air attacks as they are getting costly. Instead, I order 73rd Tank to hit the DPRK divisional headquarters and support units that it came into contact with:

The attack is a success, though Commie AAA shoots down five American planes. However, that's a worthy price for the destruction of enemy divisional HQ. I order 73rd to perform a tactical retreat afterwards, so it's not flanked by enemy regiments. If the battalion survives the attacks that the Commies will undoubtedly launch against it, I have to withdraw it back to Kwangju for rest and refit. That's the weakness of pure tank units - they do not have the staying power of infantry/combined arms units.

The situation at the end of the turn:

 

[GarfunkeL]

BEST KOREA launches a heavy attack against the centre of the northern perimeter. 34/24th Infantry defends against four infantry regiments, a single marine regiment, three commando companies and a motorcycle battalion. 78th Tank rushes to help the defenders and one of the commando companies is wiped out. Communists lose 10% while American casualties are 12% - meaning that actual NKPA losses are four-times as high. North-Koreans aren't going to give up - the second attack succeeds in driving 34/24th Infantry away but 78th Tank remains, frustrating the attack. Annoyed, the Communists try for a third time - but the delay has given 79th Tank enough time to join the party. Thanks air support, Americans suffer no losses while thirty Korean squads of infantry, twenty mortars and nine trucks are destroyed.

On the western side, disaster looms. 73rd Tank has been almost completely encircled by Red units and subjected to a massive counter-attack, that includes 38 T-34/85s and five regiments of infantry. 18 M26 Pershings are destroyed. To round out the week, Commies attack hex 23,53 once more after bombarding it for days with artillery. The attack is repulsed and a NKPA tank battalion wiped out for the meagre cost of three American tanks: a Chaffee, a Pershing and a Patton.

Okay, situation is pretty good, aside from the west side:

Getting 73rd Tank out of that trap is going to be difficult. I order them to attack SW as that's the best route to get out of the trap. TG 95.1 is ordered up to provide fire support. 2nd Divisions lends their recon company as well. US 3rd Infantry Divisional artillery - 9th FAB(H) meaning 9th Field Artillery Battalion (Heavy) - has arrived is hurried near Kwangju. With a little luck, 73rd Tank can fight its way to safety. Well, relative safety.

In the east, I move 7/1st Cavalry back to hex 23,53 and pull the two tank battalions of 1st Cavalry out of the line, leaving the Marine Pershings in there. 6th Tank will act as tactical reserve while 71st Tank moved back to Taegu and will act as local reserve. Over at 24th Infantry, 79th Tank remains with 34/24 Infantry to prevent further breakthroughs but I had to pull 78th Tank out of the line for rest and refit - the battalion has only half of its tanks left and less than third of supplies. On the left wing, 25th and 2nd Infantry continue to dig-in in peace.

The attack in west is a success. Both Commie regiments retreat to NW and 73rd Tank touches base with the recon company, that lost 3 jeeps in the attack while USAF lost 3 Corsairs, one Tigercat and two Panthers. Reds suffered somewhat more - 14% of two regiments.

Unfortunately there's nothing more I can do in this turn.

 

[GarfunkeL]

North-Korea begins Turn 9 in the usual way - attack against 24th Division centre. 34/24th Infantry is pushed away again but 3/24th Engineers and 79/25th Tank hold the field. Commies also keep attacking hex 23,53. This time with 9 infantry regiments and 3 commando companies, supported by seven artillery, AA, AT and engineer battalions. 7/1st Cavalry retreats again, just like 34/24th Infantry did - but 6/1st Tank enters the fray. Together, the two tank battalions save the day.

Angrily the Reds attack against 24th Division again - the tired 79/25th Tank is routed, leaving 8/24th Engineer alone on the battlefield. The battalion loses half of its men but the line holds. But for a moment only - NKPA attacks for the third time and the engineers are pushed aside.

In the west, two Communist regiments, supported by two AT battalions, assault 73rd Tank but the attack is a miserably failure, causing no casualties for Americans. Crazily enough, they repeat the attack in an identical fashion with identical results.

Nice to have some reinforcements. Most of it is the US 7th Infantry Division in Japan. I'll use it on the western side, to create a proper defence line around Kwangju.

Over at 24th Infantry Division, 78th Tank and 70th Tank will counter-attack the North-Korean regiment that took over our old positions, supported by TG 95.2.

Other divisions have fairly quiet fronts for the moment, so to alleviate the pressure against 1st Cavalry Division at hex 23,53, I order all three B-29 groups to bomb the strong NKPA forces near it.

Eight Superfortresses are shot down and the losses inflicted upon the Reds are not spectacular either:

At least the counter-attack is a great success. For the price of two fighter-bombers, the Communist 89th Regiment is routed with 70% casualties. Unfortunately the attack automatically ends my turn so no screenshot of the situation.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Commies repeat their actions in Turn 10. There's an attempt to cut off 73rd Tank in the west, while hex 23,53 is attacked once more. 1 M46 Patton is lost, while the Communist losses are staggering, thanks to massive American tactical air power and the 147 tanks they try rush, all Zerg-like. Seriously, 15 Skyraiders, 168 Mustangs, 59 Corsairs, 12 Tigercats, 30 Panthers and 71 Shootings Stars perform air missions in the battle.

Desperate to get their offensive in the east back on track, NKPA attacks the two American tank battalions in hex 26,52 in the right wing. Fruitlessly, though Red casualties are nowhere near as bad as on the left wing.

Then they try the middle but with equal results, though losing 11 T-34/85s in this one. Finally, they turn to P'ohang but the Korean marines together with American G.I's hold the ruined town.

Finally the enemy loss penalty is starting to get close to friendly loss penalty.

The 27th Commonwealth Brigade takes up the front in hex 23,53 with the Marine tankers, as (once more) does 7/1st Cavalry. Same thing is done on the right wing with 24th Infantry Division, though as I have no additional regiment put in the hole with 34th RCT, 70th Tank stays with them while 78th Tank is pulled back. In the lower left right, the 38th RCT is moved up since the NKPA has shown no inclination to try to outflank 2nd Division. It would have been pretty difficult over the mountains. So now 38th RCT will attack the Red 80th Infantry Regiment. In the west, 77th Tank and 31st RCT are attacking NK 16th Infantry Regiment to relieve pressure on the 73rd Tank, which is almost out of supplies.

The first attack is the small one in the south. 38th RCT easily brushes the enemy aside. In the west, the battle rages bloody and ends up consuming multiple units: North-Korean 16th Infantry Regiment is utterly wiped out but so is US 77th Tank and 25th Recon. WTF?!?

Oh well, such is war. 2nd Division continues its success, aiming to liberate the Taegu-Kwangju highway through the mountains. The attack is a success, wiping out fully third of the Commies.

And that's the situation at the end of my Turn 11.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Flashpoints: 26,52 - line holds. 24,52 - line holds but 5th RCT of 1st Cavalry is wiped out. 23,53 - line holds though CW brigade is routed. 28,52 (P'ohang) - line holds. 26,52 - line holds but 70th Tank is routed. 24,52 - line holds.

Over on the western side, Communist attack drives 73rd Tank and 35th Korean Infantry further south.

Okay, no disasters but god dammit, that was the third American regiment-equivalent that I lost! First the marines, then the tankers and now cavalry.

USMC 1st Division appears in Japan. Well, without 5th RCT (eliminated), 7th RCT (turn 13) and 1st Tank Battalion (fortified in hex 23,53). So I move them to Kwangju to help out the 3rd Division, which will attack Commie units along the western coast. 2nd Division will keep attacking the NKPA units along the mountain highway. As for 24th Infantry and 1st Cavalry, I shuffle their units slightly but for the moment, they must withstand the attacks and stand firm.

The highway attacks are successful and Red units are pushed back. So is the coastal one, causing grievous losses to the Communists. Both are ordered to continue. The second coastal attack gains no further ground, though it does push some NKPA units back. In the mountain highway, 71st Tank pushes DPRK infantry to the hills as does 23rd RCT.

But then disaster hits - Task Group 95.2 is bombarding a Red artillery regiment but the counter-battery fire sinks the battleship USS Missouri (BB-63)! Truman is going to have a fit.

 

[Grimgravy]

:kwafuckyeah:

 

[oscar]

More

 

[GarfunkeL]

Turn 13:

And we got some reinforcements. The RR engineers will be useful when my counter-attack gets underway, as RRs are the best way of transporting supply and they are all broken now thanks to the war. We also get a Marine Air Group (30x F4U Corsairs) and another Carrier Air Group - this one made up of 60x Corsairs and 15x Skyraiders. Then we got 7th RCT for US 1st Marines, meaning that the division is as strong as it will ever get, since 5th RCT was wiped out. I'm tempted to launch the Inchon invasion right away but it's probably better to wait until the line holds more firmly and I have some reserves to back the Marines up. So 7th RCT joins the other Marines and they drive some NK stragglers away from the SE edge of the highway. 3rd Division will be complete in few more turns and can take 1st Marines place. ROK army will be bringing up fresh units as well and I'll use those to free up another American division that can follow the Marines.

From east to west, the plan is as follows:
US 7th Division will attack north alongside 1st Marines, in order to push NKPA units back so that a 3-hex line can be formed between sea and the mountain at 16,55:

With any luck, some Commies will be pushed into that tiny cape/peninsula and thus forced to surrender.

US 2nd Division, with support from 25th Division, will push the weak Red units back to the mountains/hills, away from the Taegu-Kwangju highway. This sector will later be manned by ROK units as the forests and hills just north of it mean that it's extremely unlikely for NKPA to attack here in force. The ROK 11th Division is almost reconstituted.

In the western sector, 1st Cavalry and 24th Division keep digging in, though 21st RCT will attack straight north, as the Commie forces against the regiment seem fairly weak. This will also prevent them from supporting future attacks against 6th Tank.

As TOAW3 resolves battles from smallest to largest, the 21st RCT attack is solved first. For the loss of 10 infantry squads and 10 planes, the Reds are pushed back and we kill 30 infantry squads, 12 machineguns, 6 mortars and a truck and a 76mm infantry gun.

The central and eastern attacks are success as well. Communist units are beaten back with severe losses:

As 20% of my turn remains, I set up two follow-up attacks. In the east, 17th RCT, supported by 31st RCT, will attack numerous (but hopefully exhausted) Communists forces along the coast, with the goal of taking hex 12,55. In the west, 19th RCT and 79th Tank, supported by 5th RCT, will attack hex 27,52. If that hex is taken, Reds cannot attack P'ohang from two directions, meaning I could take the RK marines out of the town and send them to support 1st Marines when the time for OPERATION: CUT THEIR BALLS OFF comes.

Both attacks go through flawlessly and the hexes are taken. Commies suffer ~30% casualties in both battles. Unfortunately, my turn automatically ends after the battles so no screenshot.

Instead of counter-attacking hex 27,52, Reds begin by attacking P'ohang directly. Pretty stupid and they suffer moderate losses. Then they fruitlessly attack 6th Tank along the mountain railroad - but attacking 53 dug-in M46 Pattons that are supported by over 200 planes with just 45mm AT guns and two regiments of infantry was a bad idea in the first place. Then the expected counter-attack at 27,52 happens. Both sides suffer roughly equal losses but Americans hold firm. Two small attacks along the highway are beaten back as well. Reds try again at 27,52 and succeed pushing 19th RCT back but 79th Tank saves the day. Unfortunately third time is the charm for Reds and 79th Tank has to retreat but only loses 2 Chaffees.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Turn 14:

UN reinforcements this turn include the Philippines BCT, and three elements of RK 11th Infantry - 20th Infantry Regiment, 11th Engineer battalion and 11th Artillery battalion. The ROK only has 105mm howitzers while the American divisions have 155mm guns - another reason for not relying on them in critical sectors. I also get 187th RCT, which is a free support unit that belongs to 8th Army, meaning that I can use it support any division. The infantry is actually paratroopers but as the RCT includes M24 Chaffees, trucks, 105mm field guns and heavy mortars, I have to use it as normal infantry.

The Filipinos are sent to 1st Cavalry while the 187th RCT goes to 24th Infantry, as both divisions have been battered pretty hard. 187th RCT, with 79th Tank, will try to capture and hold hex 27,52 again. 25th Infantry Division will attack two hexes in order to push NKPA further away from the highway - as it is, I cannot really use the highway when enemy units are next to it. For the same reason, 2nd Infantry Division will attack as well. Some stragglers are pushed back. On the eastern coast, 65th RCT (Negro regiment) will clear the cape and 7th Infantry Division will reach the 3-hex line I wrote about earlier:

The coastal attack proceeds well and the cape is cleared. 25th Division takes one hex but the stubborn fools cling to the other hex. 2th Division takes its objective, as does 7th Division. The renewed attack on hex 27,52 on the western side is a great success - with hardly any losses (2 squads and 1 Chaffee), the Communists are pushed back with heavy casualties (37 squads, 11 MMGs, 5 AT guns, 1 field gun, 20 mortars, 20 trucks).

I shuffle support elements forward in the hope that any Red counter-attacks would be more easily defeated. At the end of the turn, South-Korea looks like this:

You can see my two of my naval units in port. Fire support missions deplete their supply quickly and ships do not get resupply while at sea. But CAGs on board of carriers do, don't ask me why.

KPLA shuffles its forces around and then attacks 25th Divisions but are beaten off, though casualties are annoyingly equal. They also attack in the mountains on the western sector, tying up two of my tank battalions that were in reserve. Then comes a big attack against hex 27,52: seven attacking units supported by two artillery battalions, against 187th RCT, 79th Tank and 24th Div Recon supported by five air units and two artillery battalions. After a bloody battle, 24th Div Recon and 187th RCT retreat south but 70th Tank takes their place. Again casualties are frustratingly identical. In the centre, the Negro regiment gets a bloody nose and retreats under a heavy attack. Commies try again at 27,52 without success so they try for a third time with identical result. And a fourth attempt. Each attack saps 5-10% of their strength, though they do manage to bring up at least one new regiment.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Turn 15:

October 1st! Our reinforcements include 307th Bomb Group (B-29 Stratofortress), 2nd CMB (4.2inch mortars) which is pretty useless unless Truman authorizes chemical weapons, and 37th Infantry Regiment that is part of the RK 12th Division. Rest of that division will arrive on turns 16 and 17.

US 25th Division will attack the river hex south of Kumi. US 2nd Division will attack along a wide front between the two central rivers. RK 11th Division captures Chonju from Red stragglers. US 7th Division will attack hex 14,54 as it proceeds to Iri. This also relieves US 1st Marines. The division gathers at the port of Mokp'o. I'll have to rest it for a turn but in turn 17, it should be in a good shape for OPERATION: CUT THEIR BALLS OFF. I also move RK Marines from P'ohang to the port of Ulsan, so that they can support 1st Marines.

But first, bombers will attack the bridges just south of Commie capital:

The results of the attack are superb as the NKPAF 1st Air evaporates! I don't lose any planes, while Commies lose 3 La-7, 7 Yak-3 and 5 Yak-9.

The attacks in the centre go smoothly. The highway is now pretty secure as there are no enemy units closer than three hexes. The eastern attack by 7th Division is also a success. I still have 70% of my turn left, so I order two naval TGs to steam close to Seoul and bombard the airfield as recon shows that Reds have moved planes there. Turns out there are only Il-10 ground attack planes, eight of which are destroyed. More importantly, though, Reds have placed an AT battalion at Inchon. That shouldn't stop the Marines. I send the ships back south so they can give fire support along the coast.

I end my turn, let's see what happens.

Unsurprisingly, a heavy attack lands upon hex 27,52. 70th Tank has to retreat but other defenders hold fast. Interestingly, this is the first battle where Americans have four different tanks on the battlefield: M24 Chaffee, M4/76 Sherman, M26 Pershing and M46 Patton. Unfortunately, their second attempt routs both 187th RCT and 79th Tank. Losses are also far too equal but I guess that's the price of fighting on plains when attacked from multiple directions. Rest of the week goes fairly peacefully - Reds shuffle some units around and harass multiple UN formations with artillery and mortars but that's it.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Turn 16:

Tibet is occupied! FREE TIBET!

CAG Triumph is withdrawn but I get CAG Theseus instead, which is identical, though lacks experience. Plus the HQ and one regiment for RK 12th Division.

I sort out the main line. From west to east, it now runs like this: Yellow Sea - US 7th Division - US 3rd Division - RK 11th Division - RK 12th Division - US 2nd Division - US 25th Division - US 1st Cavalry - US 24th Division - Sea of Japan. In reserve, US 1st Marine. Some of the divisions are under strength and thus responsible for only 1 hex instead of the usual 2. The eastern side is more fluid so US 24th Division holds a frontage of 4 hexes as it's also reinforced by army level units:

I'm only committing to a single attack, at hex 26,51, which, if victorious, should relieve the pressure Communists can put upon the exhausted defenders of hex 27,52. And it's a success - for minimal casualties we get the hex and cause ~10% losses to the Reds.

Recon has spotted a fresh Red division at Taejon, which is actually a good thing, considering that OPERATION: CUT THEIR BALLS OFF will launch next turn.

KPLA attacks hex 22,53 unsuccessfully, trying to push US 25th Division back. Then they try hex 23,53 but with same results - 1st Cavalry stands fast. Second attempt at 22,53 doesn't change the situation. Some artillery harassment concludes the week.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Turn 17:

Strong reinforcements! Rest of the US 3rd Division is ready at Japan. While the divisional artillery and one regiment are holding the line, the rest will follow the Marines. ROK army will relieve the line later so the division can, in strength be sent up. But now it's time for OPERATION: CUT THEIR BALLS OFF or the amphibious invasion of Inchon, as it's otherwise known.

As the vast majority of North-Korean army is tied down deep in South-Korea, the time is ripe to repeat MacArthur's gambit, land troops at Inchon, liberate Soul and cut off enemy supply lines. And since God is on our side, instead of the atheist Commies, Inchon is wide open, the AT battalion having been moved elsewhere:

Recon elements race south-east while 7th RCT and 1st Tank attack the Reds holing up in Seoul. And just to make things more difficult for the enemy, 2nd and 25th Divisions will attack near Kumi and Kimchon.

US Marines kick ass and take names - Seoul is liberated! All three attacks along the Main Line also go nicely. And so as to not leave things half-way, the Marines continue to chase the Reds to the airfields north of the capital. Unfortunately that attack automatically ends my turn, who, in turn, attack US 2nd Division for nought. Attack against US 24th is stopped cold as well. Two attacks would be strangely few, but air recon reveals that many NKPA units have begun to move north.

 

[Grimgravy]

Good stuff!

 

[Black]

I don't want to be rude but there's severe lack of k-pop idols in this LP. Or maybe the images aren't loading for me.

 

[Comte]