Bolt Action: US Marines vs The Imperial Japanese Army

Another day, another Bolt Action game! My son Nick, myself and John sat down for a short sharp action that saw a group of US Marines attempt to clear a village and some nearby entrenchments of some determined  Japanese defenders. John and I were the Marines and Nick was the Imperial Japanese Army troops.
Nick focused most of his troops on his right behind the entrenchments- so John and I headed for the other  side of the table - our objective!
This was going to be a tough task for the marines but some initial deployment mistakes by the Japanese made it a little easier. Nick had deployed his heavy machine guns and two light tanks in and around the entrenchments but the long grass, hill and trees cut line of sight to the village and so most of the Marines' advance was unimpeded.

The Terrain- the village in the distance...the Japanese entrenchment in the foreground. The Marines entered from the right.

When he realised his mistake, Nick sent his infantry reserves across the back of the table only to arrive in time to get into a vicious firefight with two of John's squads. Nick had no support weapons, but John had the backing of two of my mortars and two 0.30 cals.  One of John's squads found itself quickly pinned but the other cleared the advancing Japanese out of the center of the village and secured this important objective.



High grass fields


Nick then decided to send his two light tanks racing across the table  in front of his entrenchment. The Marines' bazooka teams had taken up position at the edge of the high grass fields in anticipation of just such a move......and Alpha team with Bazookas scored a direct hit against the first tank immobilising it for the duration of the game. But Alpha's luck didn't survive the blast from two emplaced Japanese machine guns which cut the crew down. Bazooka team Bravo then took out the second tank- and the Japanese position was not looking good!
With two squads left, his heavy weapons on the wrong side of the table and no tanks Nick decided to engage in a forward move to the rear......the Imperial Japanese army officially doesn't 'retreat'!!!!!

The Japanese Defenders







The Marines

The Marines disembark from their DUKW and advance. The Japanese tanks are on the extreme left. The trench is bristling with fanatical Japanese defenders. (The Marines avoided this bit!)



The Defenders in their Bunkers and trenches

Advancing Marines

John's Marines advancing on the village

Hiding in the long grass

Firefight at the village edge.

First Japanese tank bites the dust- strike one for the bazooka teams.

The Japanese cleared out of the village.

Japanese reinforcements race to the village,

Close range firefight. The Japanese came a close second!.

The last throw of the dice for the Japanese- an advance with the last remaining tank and supporting infantry brought to a halt by bazooka team Bravo!

12 comments:

  1. Nice report. Figures and terrain looked really and the pictures captured the highlights well.

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    1. Thanks Sean! Glad you enjoyed it.

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    2. The replica of the toy soldiers vehicles and equipment mostly of US Marines & Japanese soldiers during World War II as souvenirs and display scenarios only .Thanks for the information. From:Wayne

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    3. I was a kid I like action figures I collect including toy soldiers planes tanks & vehicles as collectors item depicting the historic war scenarios. Thanks for the information. From:Wayne

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  2. Wow! Looks fantastic. Were did you get the huts from?

    Spyros.

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    1. Thanks Spyros, the buildings have been sitting in the back of the top shelf of my terrain cupboard for 20 years!!

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  3. Toy soldiers they are action figures depicting military men in combat in the Army Marines and Army Rangers in the battlefields of war and military campaign.Thanks! From:Wayne

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  4. I like your trenches, and foliage, trees, figures and tanks look good. I always like the Japanese tank camo patterns. Yellow stripes although authentic always makes it eye catching and a little different on the table. Nice table.

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    1. Thanks GW- The Japanese tanks will never beat the T-34s or Tigers....but they make a nice addition to a pacific island stoush!

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