The Approach to Mutanchiang - Pictures
The game was played at Chris Pringle's house 26/5/08. Chris and I played the Japanese, George, Mike and Jim the Ruskies. I provided most of the kit with a handful of extra bits from Jim. This was played with version one of the scenario, in the light of the result I modified the scenario, to give the Japanese a better chance
Type-41 75mm Regimental gun of the 297th Infantry Regiment. (Fujimi model)
2nd Company, 2nd Battalion 297th Infantry Regiment, guards the railway line north of Ssutaoling. Under the Bed Enterprises Type 94 37mm AT gun
3rd company to the south of Ssutaoling
70mm Infantry Gun (SHQ)
The Russians are coming! 226th Rifle Regiment advances
Camouflaged on the edge of the swamp the Type 94 sensibly declines to fire at the ISU-122, even its side armour is invulnerable to the puny 37mm, and waits for a better target
The BT-7's (Ostmodels) of the 210th Tank Brigade follow after the ISU's
Panorama of the Soviet advance. The 210th advances down the main road whist the 226th to the south encounters the first Japanese in the outskirts of the forest.
The ISU's encounter the Type-41. The Type-41 bounced a few shells ineffectually off the ISU's thick hide which then ran over the gun while its crew fled. ISU's are Italeri quick builds
If you look carefully you can see a Japanese lunge mine stand heroically emerge from Ssutaoling to take on the the BT's. Unfortunately his bravery was un-rewarded, there was no effect on the BT.
Once the ISU has passed the Type 94 takes careful aim at a thin skinned BT
Japanese Zero plunges earthward on a Kamikaze attack. Chris chose to target the ISU's, which remained entirely unscathed; they also passed their morale test. In the background a BT burns victim of the Type 97
Zero is an old Airfix model
Whilst the BT-7 shot by the 37mm burns another "smertnik" charges the tank's comrade, successfully destroying the BT
The 1st company of the Raiding Battalion arrives and dives for cover to avoid the onrushing Soviet armour. The trucks are SMA Praga substituting for Isuzu. The Kurogane pick up is from Vac-U-Cast. SHQ Ha Go and Fujimi Shinhoto Chi Ha.
Lucky shot. The 70mm Infantry gun puts a shot in to the side of an ISU. Must have found a weak spot as the ISU burns
2nd Company of the Raiding Battalion tries to infiltrate along the river
The Russians push onwards outflanking Ssutaoling to the south. The small cluster of Japanese were soon to retreat to the village in the face of superior numbers.
BT-7 and T-37 (Milicast) of the 210th Tank Brigade outside Ssutaoling fired upon the Japanese 2nd Company, causing it to run away. The Japanese CinC would then spend the rest of the game trying to rally the company whist dodging a hail of MG and mortar fire.
Last stand of the Japanese first company in the forest. They valiantly delayed the Russians for hours but in the end superior numbers overcame the tenacious defence. In the foreground is the Russian flamethrower stand: utterly useless, despite many attempts never managed to kill a single thing!
Kamikaze stand of the raiding battalion tries to eliminate the remaining ISU. Unfortunately the ISU-122 was forced back by the Chi Ha before the stand could reach it..
The ISU extracts its revenge on the Chi Ha.
After surrounding Ssutauling the Russians launch their final assault. This was not a good time for the Japanese to go pinned.
Finally the Russian air support arrives. The game was effectively over by this point and the Russian players sort to eliminate the Japanese CinC who had avoided death for about three hours, despite being subject to very heavy fire. The Il-2's rockets failed to get him also. Eduard IL-2m
"Where's the war comrades?" The criteria for bringing on the last Soviet FO were never met. However Jim's model was so nice it definitely warranted a picture. Fort Gaz-67
An emphatic Soviet victory. The Japanese never stood a chance though they did kill more of the Soviet armour than I anticipated. I've since revised the scenario to give than a fighting chance.