Turn 15 – On the right flank a Jap armor unit sped ahead without scouting and was ambushed. Grizzled Captain Sam Houston from Texas set up the ambush with help from veteran noncoms. The heavy infantry unit now has a chance to link up with the other forces. Moving beyond your scouting range is very dangerous and the Japs paid the price. The last river bunker is about to fall.
The withdrawal on the left flank succeeded. We have three lines of defense. Our Filipino units have retained full supply and health.
The Japs launched a 2nd amphibious attack. Our PT boats again ignore the troop transports and attack the supply ship.
Turn 17 – At 2:30am the exhausted heavy infantry crossed the river carrying their wounded. Capt. Houston led the last squad to cross. Exhausted and almost out of ammo, they are quietly greeted. Greetings are muted to avoid more Jap artillery strikes. Capt. Houston is given the last beer on Bataan. He gives the last two swallows to his master sergeants and all three fall into an exhausted sleep.
Turn 18 – Jap troop transports sail towards shore while the supply ship is sunk by US PT boats.
Turn 19 – Another blown bridge over a river, another Jap Tank squad destroyed due to coverage by an AT gun (far right flank). US forces are entrenched behind the next river line on the right and are retreating to fixed defensive positions (bunker) on the left.
Turn 20 – The 2nd Jap Amphibious landing is getting crushed. The US and Filipino forces are holding the defensive lines.
Turn 21 – On the left flank the Japs get slaughtered in a cross-fire between the bunker and the supporting infantry. Only one Jap amphibious troop ship is left. The other troops died on the beach. The AI made a dumb move and landed an almost dry bomber on an airfield in range of my coastal defense gun. Limay, the Northernmost primary victory hex is close enough to the lines that Jap mortar blasts can be heard. For the first playthrough ever, I destroy 10 health points of Jap units with coastal artillery and get a ground commander!
Turn 25 – “Victory”. The skillful advance prevents the Japs from moving ground forces to other theaters. McArthur is ordered by the President to evacuate. I use the new research points to purchase Higgins Boats. I’ll need them in the future. “War Economy” gives me one more command point for air, land and sea. This is nice, but I need the basic technology first.
Bataan Aftermath – “Realistically,” the Bataan scenario AAR is a best case defense against an AI that did not concentrate their forces nor attack weak points. AIs usually can defend better than they can conduct offensive operations. I would not do as well against a human opponent. I look at this as a “Wake Island.” The defense was handled excellently but supplies including ammunition were exhausted and the US and Filipino forces surrendered.
The Japanese were vicious, nasty and evil during WW2. If the defense had gone this well, my guess is the Bataan Death March would have been even more brutal and sadistic. The last photos are from the 1942 Bataan Death March. See Japs bayonetting helpless prisoners with their hands tied behind their backs – cowardly barbarians. The last photo is of a Death March survivor. If someone emails me his name – I’ll give it here.
One of my Dad’s friends was a POW from Wake Island. He never spoke to anyone other than his surviving comrades about the experience. One of my best High School buddies’ father had a pronounced limp from being shot up during WW2. He never spoke of his experiences (I told him I had read a lot about WW2 and the Pacific and was interested in his story. He looked me in the eye, said he did not want to talk about it, and started drinking. I asked my friend if his Dad ever talked about any of his war memories and his answer was “He never talks about it.”
The US and allied forces who sacrificed themselves to buy time in the Pacific during 1941-1942 did their duty. Most are now dead. May God forgive their sins and allow them eternal bliss in heaven.
Avery's Game Blog 