Original Steel Panthers converted scenarios

[Oche]

Tarawa's Crimson Tides 1943*
*
Date: November 20, 1943*
*
Battle Location: Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands*
*
Battle Type: USMC (Assault) vs Japan (Defend)*
*
Description:
*
In early 1943, the Japanese had established a protective perimeter around their homeland consisting of several island constellations. A key to the United Stated success in the Pacific was a strategy of island hopping. By leapfroging Japanese held islands, Japanese garrisons where isolated from Japanese supply sources. Tarawa is on record as the first U.S. amphibious assault on a defend atoll. 1,009 Marines would die when their landing boats hung up on an undisclosed reef forcing them to wade hundreds of yards, in chest deep water, to shore. The tragic mistakes made at Tarawa directly affected the success at Normandy and throughout the Pacific Theatre. When the few Japanese prisoners were asked if there was a moment when their moral flagged, they answered, "yes - when the dying Marine just kept coming." Tarawa, in ratio between casualties and troops engaged, ranks among the costliest battles in american history.*
*
Notes: Converted/adapted by Jose Logrono from the original 1995 Steel Panthers wargame.*
*
Design by: Mel Smith (Scenario found in Hapshott's Steel Panthers scenario collection @ www.alternatewars.com/Games/SP/SPanthers.htm).**

[Oche]

Kwangtung, China, 10 Mar 1940*
*
Date: March 10, 1940*
*
Battle Location: Kwangtung, South-Central China*
*
Battle Type: Japan (Assault) vs Nationalist China (Defend)*
*
Description:
*
In an effort to secure southern China & liberate more improvished Chinese, the Imperial Japanese Army launched an amphibious assault near Kwangtung. They expected minimal resistance to this surprise move & hoped that many Chinese would welcome the change in their local government. The commander of a key Japanese formation was ordered to advance from the beach & secure the nearby hills.*
*
Notes: Converted/adapted by Jose Logrono from the original 1995 Steel Panthers wargame.*
*
Design by: Unknown (Scenario found in Hapshott's Steel Panthers scenario collection @ www.alternatewars.com/Games/SP/SPanthers.htm).**

[DRG]

All good stuff. Thanks !

[Oche]

Originally Posted by DRG

All good stuff. Thanks !

A few more "conversions" of the Pacific Theatre coming in due time..

[DRG]

I see you got the chance to use the new coconut grove sets. ...

[mkr8683]

Originally Posted by Oche

Lambeti Plantation, June 1943*
*
Date: June 28, 1943*
*
Battle Location: Lambeti Plantation near Viru Harbor, New Georgia, Solomon Islands*
*
Battle Type: USMC (Assault) vs Japan (Defend)*
*

I thoroughly enjoyed this scenario, but the deployment of the USMC forces is terrible.

You have a company of Marine Raiders supported by tanks and armored cars, plenty of room to maneuver, and thus, the initiative. What you don't have is arty or air, beyond a single light mortar team.

What the IJA have is a dug-in rifle company supported by heavy MGs, field guns, and mortars. Moreover, the defense is multi-tiered, and it's a tough nut to crack.

Instead of attacking this Japanese line at a single point with everything you have, your forces are thinly spread, attacking it along its length.

Consequently, I took a lot of casualties, one platoon being so badly mauled it was effectively out of the fight because they couldn't move with all the suppression. I eventually turned the battle when the forces in the north, supported by tanks, were able to capture the Japanese HQ area and then link up with the forces in the south. I ended the fight with 41 casualties, no vehicles lost, and 129 Japanese casualties.

I know how it is with these old scenarios.. in SP1, you could almost walk over defensive positions in some scenarios. However, in SPWW2, things are much closer to real life and it's not a cakewalk. I think I would fairly easily destroy the AI if I played this scenario as the IJA defender. If you ever redo this scenario, I'd change up the deployments for the USMC.

Isn't this the type of feedback I said I'd give months ago I have some AARs written up for the first set of Pacific scenarios you posted.. I just never got around to getting them to you. I'll rectify that failing of mine soon.

Great work, Jose, I love these walks down memory lane.

Matt

[Oche]

Originally Posted by mkr8683

I thoroughly enjoyed this scenario, but the deployment of the USMC forces is terrible.

You have a company of Marine Raiders supported by tanks and armored cars, plenty of room to maneuver, and thus, the initiative. What you don't have is arty or air, beyond a single light mortar team.

What the IJA have is a dug-in rifle company supported by heavy MGs, field guns, and mortars. Moreover, the defense is multi-tiered, and it's a tough nut to crack.

Instead of attacking this Japanese line at a single point with everything you have, your forces are thinly spread, attacking it along its length.

Consequently, I took a lot of casualties, one platoon being so badly mauled it was effectively out of the fight because they couldn't move with all the suppression. I eventually turned the battle when the forces in the north, supported by tanks, were able to capture the Japanese HQ area and then link up with the forces in the south. I ended the fight with 41 casualties, no vehicles lost, and 129 Japanese casualties.

I know how it is with these old scenarios.. in SP1, you could almost walk over defensive positions in some scenarios. However, in SPWW2, things are much closer to real life and it's not a cakewalk. I think I would fairly easily destroy the AI if I played this scenario as the IJA defender. If you ever redo this scenario, I'd change up the deployments for the USMC.

Isn't this the type of feedback I said I'd give months ago I have some AARs written up for the first set of Pacific scenarios you posted.. I just never got around to getting them to you. I'll rectify that failing of mine soon.

Great work, Jose, I love these walks down memory lane.

Matt

Thanks Matt, no problem with those AARs, i just wanted to get the ball rolling with the scenario conversions, it was something i couldn't postpone any further and had to start doing as a tribute for Steel Panthers.

[Mobhack]

We do charge more than the original game for vehicle movement through woods, and for all through fields for instance. Therefore scenarios with dense wood (or jungles) probably need a time boost, as do those with lots of fields.

[DRG]

Originally Posted by mkr8683

I thoroughly enjoyed this scenario, but the deployment of the USMC forces is terrible.

You have a company of Marine Raiders supported by tanks and armored cars, plenty of room to maneuver, and thus, the initiative. What you don't have is arty or air, beyond a single light mortar team.

What the IJA have is a dug-in rifle company supported by heavy MGs, field guns, and mortars. Moreover, the defense is multi-tiered, and it's a tough nut to crack.

Instead of attacking this Japanese line at a single point with everything you have, your forces are thinly spread, attacking it along its length.

Consequently, I took a lot of casualties, one platoon being so badly mauled it was effectively out of the fight because they couldn't move with all the suppression. I eventually turned the battle when the forces in the north, supported by tanks, were able to capture the Japanese HQ area and then link up with the forces in the south. I ended the fight with 41 casualties, no vehicles lost, and 129 Japanese casualties.

I know how it is with these old scenarios.. in SP1, you could almost walk over defensive positions in some scenarios. However, in SPWW2, things are much closer to real life and it's not a cakewalk. I think I would fairly easily destroy the AI if I played this scenario as the IJA defender. If you ever redo this scenario, I'd change up the deployments for the USMC.

Isn't this the type of feedback I said I'd give months ago I have some AARs written up for the first set of Pacific scenarios you posted.. I just never got around to getting them to you. I'll rectify that failing of mine soon.

Great work, Jose, I love these walks down memory lane.

Matt

IMHO it's "a good thing"(tm) that scenarios aren't delivered gift-wrapped and predictable. I ASSUME the deployment matches the original closely and yes MUCH has change to the code since SP1 but 41 friendly casualties, no vehicles lost, and 129 enemy casualties in an attack is hardly a "bad" outcome even IF the initial Raiders deployment is "terrible"..it may have been that way in RL...we don't know but field commanders are rarely if ever given ideal conditions to tactical problems so if this scenario is an exercise in creative tactical thinking all I can say is "good"........and " don't change a thing.......


as for

I think I would fairly easily destroy the AI if I played this scenario as the IJA defender.

it's an EXTREMELY RARE scenario that can be played out equally from both sides. It's hard enough getting it to work in one direction let alone two and if it would be easy to play as the Japanese then you have a good newbie beginners scenario and from the USMC a moderately difficult one for experienced players


Don

[Oche]

Lingayen, Philippines, 22 Dec 41*
*
Date: December 22, 1941*
*
Battle Location: Lingayen Bay, Philippines*
*
Battle Type: Japan (Assault) vs USA (Defend)*
*
Description:
*
The War in the Pacific had been a great success for Japan. The US Clark Air Field Was in flames & their navy had been dispersed. As part of the Japanese 48th Infantry Division, a key battle group assigned to invade the Philippines by assaulting Lingayen Bay. They were ordered to capture several hills & a crossroads. Latest intelligence reports available to the Japanese indicated that the beaches were lightly defended & that the defenders had no armour present.*
*
Notes: Converted/adapted by Jose Logrono from the original 1995 Steel Panthers wargame.*
*
Design by: Unknown (Scenario found in Hapshott's Steel Panthers scenario collection @ www.alternatewars.com/Games/SP/SPanthers.htm).**