It is now time to start reporting on the actual playing of the scenario.
I mentioned earlier that I had two false starts. In the first one I retreated from Angeles on the second turn and as the third turn started I thought to myself "Wait, Sergeant McNeil cleared the bridge on the first turn and I night be able to get Eng/B to also blow that one". Second false start and I tried that only to lose Eng/B in a most dismaying way.
What follows is thus my third start and my very first play of this mission at this difficulty level.
Turn 01
The Japanese start their turn by sending two fighters towards the Floridablanca airfield. The A6M2 Zero arrives first, stops right above 5th "Hickam" Bty and strafes it. The Ki-43 Hayabusa follows suit. Defensive fire punishes their aggression to the tune of three strength points. When my turn starts 5th "Hickam" targets the Ki-43 and damages it further (Figure 1).
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| Figure 1 - 5th "Hickam" Bty |
Over at Angeles two JP Infantry approach on the road. The forward one attacks Sgt McNeil and takes three points of damage. Sgt McNeil attacks the Infantry on the bridge inflicting an additional four points of damage losing one point of strength and efficiency in return (Figure 2).
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| Figure 2 - Sgt McNeil |
Cav/C Sqdn advances toward Angeles to investigate the near bank of the river (it is reported as enemy owned) and guard the flank of Eng/B Coy, spots a Type 92 Osaka reconnaissance car on the river and proceeds to inflict four points of damage and induce a retreat (Figure 3).
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| Figure 3 - Cav/C Sqdn |
The Japanese attack Bunker A2 near Magalong inflicting substantial losses while taking minor damage. A counterattack by 1/B Coy is pointless, the U.S. forces can afford one-for-one losses and the position is untenable so 1/B and XPH/C Coys retreat beyond the river, the Philippino unit will continue towards Minalin (VP). After their retreat Eng/C Coy blows up the bridge and so does No. 1 IC. XPH/B Coy leaves its position by Bunker A3 and starts moving towards Calumpit (VP). Bunker A2 takes the opportunity to fire on the JP Infantry for no visible damage but still earns XP which means that damage was inflicted (Figure 4).
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| Figure 4 - Magalong and San Fernando |
Turn 02
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| Figure 5 - JP Artillery |
Cav/C Sqdn finds itself in range of a JP artillery, this position can't be held for long (Figure 5) but C Sqdn will take the opportunity to damage the JP Engineers that traded places with the armored car on the river. Close by at the Angeles bridge the damaged JP Infantry was replaced by a fresh one. Sgt McNeil attacks it suffering minor casualties in return (Figure 6).
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| Figure 6 - Angeles |
Turn 03
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| Figure 7 - JP Artillery, round 2 |
Cav/C Sqdn is again hit by JP artillery (Figure 7). The JP Infantry on the Angeles bridge moves on to the river trying to bypass Sgt McNeil's position and the one damaged earlier takes its place while receiving reinforcements (Figure 8).
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| Figure 8 - JP repairs |
I don't remember a previous occasion where the OPFOR during Boot Camp had the resources to conduct repairs so this may well be the first time the player is introduced to the possibility. A JP strategic bomber (G3M Rikko) attacks Cav/C Sqdn and there's now no less than three JP Infantry units on or across the river near Angeles. It is time to abandon this position and blow the bridge on the road to Porac (Figure 9).
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| Figure 9 - Angeles-Porac road |
There's a minor mistake in Figure 9: Cav/C's position at turn's end is depicted in grey, it should be the other way around.
Sgt McNeil was able to retreat along the Porac road because no JP unit entered the river between Bunker A1 and Angeles to attack Eng/B Coy. If that had happened ZoC would have forced him to retreat towards San Fernando (and further to Guagua) leaving the Porac/Floridablanca defensive line undermanned. That's the reason why 1/A Coy remained in reserve during deployment, it will now be deployed at San Fernando together with 1/B and Eng/C Coys (Figure 10).
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| Figure 10 - 1/A Coy deploys |
Figure 11 is from a pop-up window at the start of the turn. It informs the player that two new units have become available. It also gives me the opportunity to point out that turns can represent the passage of time. The only Boot Camp mission that did not take place on the same calendar day was "Fleet Command" that spanned over three days (20 turns per day). "War Plan Orange Three" started on December 30th, 1941 and by turn 03 we have reached New Year's Day (January 1st) 1942 i.e. one calendar day per turn.
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| Figure 11 - New unit types available |
Turn 04
Nothing truly relevant happens during this turn. The units that were defending Angeles retreat along the Porac road, Bunkers A1 and A3 were attacked by the Japanese and at San Fernando 14th "Punaluu" Bty and Eng/C are retreating towards Guagua. Figure 12 mostly illustrates the unsuitability of open terrain for defensive operations, neither of the U.S. Infantry can achieve better than parity of losses even with flanking support from Bunker A3.
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| Figure 12 - Not a good idea |
As there's already close to 1 MB of pictures in this post I'll adjourn here.
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