JAPANESE EMPIRE versus DUTCH EMPIRE Wargame

                    JAPANESE NAVAL AND LAND FORCES INVADE DUTCH EAST INDIES

Decided to stage an amphibious linked wargame over several days. Chris was off work this week and took charge of a small but powerful force of Japanese. (Well he does drive a Toyota!) His orders were to seize or neutralise a colonial Dutch coastal settlement. The game was set to run for twelve moves.

The Japanese force comprised a powerful warship, and a transport vessel. The former was carrying a naval landing party (12), the latter carried a battalion of Japanese infantry (12), and two independent companies (6). 

The Dutch garrison comprised a battalion of infantry (12) stationed in the barracks, a naval gun crew with a field piece at the landing place, a river gunboat armed with a medium gun, and an anti-aircraft gun with three crew. There was also a company of local police (3) stationed at the gaol. Their early warning system comprised a spotter at the coastguard office situated at the estuary entrance.

THE INVASION BEGINS

MOVE ONE Chris made no attempt to neutralise the Coastguard position or disembark troops for a land-based assault from the rear, he chose to simply enter the estuary. MOVE TWO Chris came into range of the settlement and decided to open up with his four naval guns. This was indirect fire on the settlement, and at some distance, so the shells fell randomly. (The town was divided into six sections, and each section was divided into six more, two D6 then determined where each shell landed.) MOVE THREE Chris continued to fire his heavy guns, believing the settlement would find it difficult to retaliate. The Police gaol was hit, and they suffered a casualty. A civilian house was also hit. But half of the shells landed in the jungle (numerous parrots being killed and injured). No fires were reported in the buildings, but all four hits in the jungle caused fires to start (D5 or D6).

(During a lull in the fighting, one of the locals actually repainted the door of his house!)

MOVE FOUR The commander of the Dutch garrison sought to return fire, and some ammunition was considered suitable for the anti-aircraft gun to use..... well it's something! The gunboat and field gun decided to also give it a go with some indirect fire. (A similar system as before, but the estuary was divided into eight sections for a D8 to use, each of which was then divided into a further six parts. Note, with the exception of the AA shells any hits on the warship were unlikely to cause serious damage.)

 

The commander then instructed two of his four infantry companies to utilise the battalion truck. One company was to be dropped off at the gaol, while the other was to occupy the house further down the road, with the newly painted door.

Out of direct sight, these were the positions of the Japanese vessels. My plan and hope was to sink a fully manned rowboat, and hold on for twelve moves! When the jungle caught alight, I thought all was going well!

The Japanese now decided to act with vigour. The warship transferred its landing party to two rowboats, and then proceeded around the hook. With guns blazing, there was another indirect hit on the gaol. The last policeman alive decided to scarper, but the infantry remained.

MOVE FIVE This marked the end of Dutch opposition. The warship having passed the hook opened up with all four guns. Two were direct fire, with a hit on the Dutch gunboat, a crewman was lost. Two shells were indirect but by sheer luck still scored a hit on the AA Gun crew. MOVE SIX All four naval guns were firing directly now, two more direct hits (D5, D6) on the gunboat........ it sank! Only one crewman survived.

(The remaining photos are from move nine.)

MOVE SEVEN The naval guns silenced the Dutch gun on the landing place, gun and crew blown to smithereens! (Two direct hits out of four, one of the hits exploding the gun chamber.) 

Obliged to test their morale, the two companies manning the barracks fled for their lives (D2). At this point I lost all resolve to continue fighting and ordered the AA crew to withdraw. MOVES EIGHT and NINE The Japanese store ship and rowboats arrived in the settlement. There was still one position held by Dutch infantry, the gaol, but it was visible to the warship's guns..... I assumed they would surrender!

CONCLUSION

I honestly don't think I have ever thrown such a dismal flow of dice in any game, while Chris steadily threw D5s and D6s. I never once came close to scoring a hit with direct fire, my average dice throw was D2. And my indirect firing on the map was arguably even more distant! Not a single Japanese casualty! Dutch losses were six navy, including the gunboat captain, two infantry, two policemen. a gunboat, field gun, and a newly painted door. The AA gun was also captured intact. I know the warship looks all powerful but on passing the hook I still had three artillery pieces working, and potentially able to do something!. But we both enjoyed the game, and some photos recorded the fun occasion.

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These two card buildings were constructed for the game, based on Chinese houses. 

MGB