AAR: American Devil (S71)

SITREP

The Japanese 2^nd Armored Division was ordered to help defend the Philippines, a daunting task due to its large area, multiple islands, and lack of adequate intelligence on American intent. General MacArthur chose to land on Luzon very near the spot the Japanese had invaded in 1941. The 7^th Tank Regiment was ordered to move to support the Japanese troops already in the area and to contest the American advance toward the island’s interior. The combat manual of the 2^nd Armored stated that the Philippine battle “…will end either in the complete annihilation of the American devil or the complete destruction of our forces”.

The Players

Neal – Americans – Defenders:
3^rd Battalion, 103^rd Infantry Regiment, 43^rd Infantry Division
Company C, 716^th Tank Battalion

Scott – Japanese – Attackers:
1^st Battalion, 2^nd Mobile Infantry Regiment
4^th Company, 7^th Tank Regiment

After Action Report

Location:
Potpot Luzon, The Philippines

Date:
17 January 1945

ROAR Balance	Archive Balance
Americans 1	Americans 2
Japanese 5	Japanese 5

Neal (Americans)

Advantages:

• Superior armor (well, one Sherman tank).
• Good defensive terrain with jungle and hilltop positions.
• Quality leadership and substantial infantry firepower.

Disadvantages:

• Spread thin over a large battlefield.
• Vulnerable to hidden enemy anti-tank positions.
• Critical dependence on that single Sherman.

From the get-go, I knew I had a big job ahead: halt Scott’s Japanese force from flooding across the Philippines and seizing a bunch of strategically valuable huts. My trusty armored car bravely sat up front, a sacrificial lamb hoping to bag an early tin-can kill. Unfortunately, Scott’s aggressive opening move turned my armored car into instant scrap metal. Lesson learned: never underestimate Japanese tin cans (see also: Tropic Lightning)!

As Scott rushed infantry forward, I fortified myself in the central hilltop and jungle positions, setting up a mortar and anti-tank gun with overlapping fields of fire. Initially, things looked good. My infantry fire was crisp, striping a few squads, and forcing Scott into some tough morale checks. But then came trouble: Scott’s swarm of tanks boldly plunged forward, trying to encircle my isolated infantry. I panicked slightly, watching four of his tanks converge around my central positions. Luckily, my hidden 37mm ATG (in the kunai in mZ8) popped up at the right time and turned the south side of the hill into a graveyard of Japanese armor. Still, Scott managed to break through and eliminate a key infantry stack in the center, which stung badly..

To slow Scott’s IJA advance, I improvised a bit: I started demolishing huts, in the lower right of the map, using my armored car, denying him easy victory points and cover…earning myself the dubious title of “Hut-Crusher.” Sleezy to deny him cover while trying to capture those huts for VP? Sure, but war is hell!

Things started looking grim as Scott’s armor snuck behind me, targeting my Sherman tank, my precious steel guardian. His bold flank maneuver nearly succeeded in surrounding it. I was sweating bullets at this point, frantically spinning the turret to avoid disaster. If I lost my Sherman, the field would be lost early this day.

In desperation, I resorted to smoke and white phosphorus rounds to block Scott’s LOS, praying my Sherman would survive. But, of course, my ammo malfunction curse struck again, running out of WP. With Scott pressing hard, I made one fatal mistake: driving my Sherman boldly forward out of a protective smoke screen, straight into his firing line, thinking my up-armored tank would fare fine against the inferior Japanese armor. Nope, that’s what I get for “thinking.”

With a gut-punching roll of “snake-eyes,” Scott’s final Japanese tank landed a lucky shot, blowing my Sherman sky-high and handing him 6 more VP, and the win.

Pain.

Scott (Japanese)

Advantages:

• Numerical superiority and multiple armored vehicles.
• Ability to deploy hidden anti-tank positions.
• Tank Hunter Heroes (THH).

Disadvantages:

• Fragile AFVs…essentially boxes with rice paper armor.
• Difficult victory conditions (25 VP target, through various means).
• Exposed infantry due to aggressive assault posture.

This scenario was right up my alley: aggressive tactics, risky maneuvers, and more tanks than I could reasonably handle…classic Scott territory! From turn one, my infantry surged ahead, taking casualties but overwhelming Neal’s initial outposts. His armored car proved more of a speed bump than a threat, though I lost a tank early to Neal’s ambush position.

With infantry squads scrambling everywhere, my tanks charged bravely (or foolishly?) into the fray. My proud tin cans faced a punishing reception from Neal’s hidden 37LL ATG and and its ROF tear, turning the center of the map into a miniature Kursk. Even though it was only 37mm, it was a 37LL, incredibly effective against my tanks. Four smoking hulks later, I was halfway toward losing all my tanks and giving Neal an easy win. But the survivors pressed on, splitting Neal’s attention and allowing my infantry to slip into good positions.

Neal’s Sherman terrified me from the start, its heavy armor easily shrugging off hits from my smaller guns. My only hope was maneuvering and positioning. Realizing I couldn’t slug it out, I went sneaky, flanking his Sherman from behind, and soon had it boxed in. The chase was intense, like sharks circling a whale. All the while, I watched Neal crush huts in an oddly sleezy tactic (yes, I said it), removing cover I desperately needed to advance safely to capture them for VP.

Late-game desperation kicked in, with my infantry charging Neal’s Sherman, demo charges flying, smoke filling the air. My heart sank as attack after attack fizzled. The game seesawed brutally…one moment victory felt close; the next, Neal wiped another tank off the map. My remaining pew-pew AFV drivers must have realized their fate, yet valiantly charged onward.

Then, in a wild final act of courage, my last tank, basically held together with spit and week-old gum, got a miracle rear shot on Neal’s fleeing Sherman. Dice gods smiled upon me with perfect back-to-back 3 rolls on TH and TK rolls, instant kill, glorious victory, and eternal bragging rights.

Debriefing

This scenario had everything: tactical gambits, dramatic reversals, and dice rolls from heaven (and hell). Neal played smart, maintaining solid defensive positions and cleverly using terrain (and hut-crushing shenanigans) to slow Scott’s advance. Yet his reliance on a single Sherman tank proved his Achilles’ heel, a wild final maneuver deciding the game.

Both agreed this was among the most thrilling, engaging, and tactically satisfying ASL games they’ve played. A true nail-biter, reminding us why we love this crazy, chaotic hobby. Next up: Decision at Elst…and a chance at revenge for Neal, hopefully with fewer exploding Shermans! Oh, the irony…

Academy Out!

GET TO THE CHOPPA…!!!

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