Pacific Armor, scenario #14: Lupao Again

This scenario I really enjoyed as the American player, as they finally have enough forces to try and achieve their victory conditions, unlike the previous scenario #13. In this scenario, they have more off map artillery, more airstrikes, more Infantry and a lot more armor, with M4 Sherman tanks, M5 Stuart Tanks and self-propelled M7 SP armor. The Japanese have a pretty good defense with a nice mix of armor, infantry and support weapons and four entrenchment counters as well.

The Americans rolled forward and encircling the Japanese defenses, the Japanese make an unwise counterattack at one point and lose four step of the Shinhoto tanks. Those Sherman tanks are a beast but the Stuart tanks are almost as vulnerable as the Japanese armor. The two M7 units sit back grouped together and help pound the Japanese defenses with their air-support, off map artillery & on map mortar units. The Americans this time are not so desperate and make good assaults and try to get ENG or FLM units into the mix whenever possible.

It was painful for the Japanese side to watch their defenses crumble but so satisfying doing this on the American side, finally having the right forces to do it with, and it kind of felt like a European battle, without the Tiger tanks of course. The Americans achieved all three of their victory objectives for a Major Victory but not without losses. I thinks the Japanese had 67 steps of casualties and 9 leaders lost, while the American lost 24 steps and 3 leaders. The Air-support and off map artillery really helped in this one. Fun stuff!

Side notes:

Shermans and Stuarts and accompanying M7 Priests were tasked with finding and destroying the enemy armor with their superior guns and armor. The Japanese made this tank battle last for over three weeks instead of a single one-day battle by hiding their tanks behind and under camouflaged and protected fortifications, either digging the tanks into the ground or creating a series of semi-enclosed fortifications for them to move around and reposition during the battles. Some of these tanks were used to patrol and engage the enemy especially at night. From San Manuel to Muñoz the tanks dueled with each other leading to the deaths of hundreds of American soldiers and thousands of Japanese soldiers as well as the loss of dozens of American tanks and around 200 Japanese tanks.

Conclusion: The battle was savage with GIs playing cat and mouse with Japanese defenders of Lupao. Bazooka and grenades took their toll on the dug-in tanks but snipers and machine guns took a toll on the GIs. The Japanese also lunched ferocious counter-attacks and in the rubble scores of Infantryman became casualties.