The Soviet, Chinese and Japanese governments had a long running disagreement over the Korean/Soviet/Chinese border. The dispute was pushed to the brink when the Soviets occupied the heights of Changkufeng Hill which overlooked the Korean port of Rajin and the strategic railway link to Manchuria. After weeks of posturing from both sides, the Japanese had pulled back south of the Tumen River. But with Japanese high command anxious to show the might of the empire, minor incidents with Soviet border patrols were eventually used as an excuse to attack – clearing the heights of Changkufeng was the first priority.
Attacker: Japanese (75th Regiment, 19th Infantry Division)
Russians set-up on ridge-line with trenches across the center. On turn 2, the first moving Japanese unit strayed into the LOS of one of the Russian pickets, who fired a starshell, followed by an IR from one of the mortars. This illuminated almost the entire Japanese force, who were forced to assault move to maintain cloaking. IR round hit in every turn, allowing the Russian artillery to KIA a couple of Japanese leaders with platoons. In the end, after a couple of lucky WP shots on machine gun nests, the Japanese made it to the center of the hill, but could only make more progress on the west summit.
2023-09-20
(A) Jobbo Fett
vs
JobboFett
Japanese win
The Japanese were able to make fantastic early game progress thanks to the low NVR and ambushes claiming half-squads on the picket line. Few of the initial Starshell attempts were successful, leaving the remaining defenders in the dark. By the time this corrected itself, Japanese forces were already mixing it up with troops on Lvl 1 hill hexes, and every CC turned out to be bloody affairs for both sides. A large cloaked group was decimated by fire from HIP units, only for a 7+2 wounded leader successfully throw his DC and nearly wipe out two squads (broken only!) for little to no repercussion. By the end of Japanese Turn 5, and with still numerous out-of-view Russians unable to move, the game was called. There simply wasn't enough manpower with the capacity to move to impede the Japanese advance, much less reclaim lost ground...
2023-08-09
(A) Shane Pask
vs
Draw
This was my first night game for a while and I messed up the Russian setup and use of starshells. Russians conceded turn 5 after losing both 82 mortars, the radio, one tank, one MMG and an 8-1 leader all in one CC round but the start had disadvantaged the Russians to the point where I thought it unfair to claim a Japanese win. You really need to fire as many starshells and IR as possible as the Russians otherwise the low NVR will get you killed.
2021-09-02
(D) Tom Abromaitis
vs
Draw
Japanese win. Solo. Wild scenario with huge casualties. Very thematic as the Russians struggle to get enough illumination to slow Japanese HtH CC advance.
2017-07-25
(A) Jeff B
vs
Pierce Mason
Japanese win
8.75 hrs
The Russian dice were extremely cold in the early game, though their big mortars managed to throw up enough IRs to make the Japanese somewhat slow their approach to try and maintain cloaking as much as possible with all the scrub they had to slog through. The blood started flowing as the Japanese cleaned up the outlying forces and made the hill in the mid-stages of the game. The MMGs were rulers of the roost. The Russian dice got hot at the end and they managed to bring back to good order every broken unit they had. The last couple turns were mostly a Mexican standoff, with neither side wanting to walk into the massive firepower awaiting the mover. In the end the Japanese just had to regain one hex and hold another, and they were in position to do so with relative ease so we called it. A surprisingly few number of CCs in this game.
