SPWaW's Long Pacific Campaign

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KG Erwin
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SPWaW's Long Pacific Campaign

Post by KG Erwin »

I embarked upon a USMC long campaign, beginning in August 1942 at Guadalcanal. Two factors greatly influence this: the first is in using the Enhanced OOBs available on the Enhanced SPWaW site. The second is in using the Low Carnage settings, which increases infantry effectiveness to 150%, while reducing spotting to 80% amongst other changes. This makes the tough Japanese infantry that much harder to kill, while making the USMC use maximum firepower.

As the war progresses, and the Japanese switch their tactics from futile banzai charges to defending, it is obvious why the USMC undergoes several organizational updates. These yearly updates also prevents my Combat Group from gaining overwhelming experience levels.

I start the campaign with a reinforced USMC rifle battalion. Given that the Japanese seldom use armor, I have a tank section and a M3 GMC attached to each company. I also attach an engineer section and a recon platoon to each of my rifle companies. Thus, each of my three Combat Teams can operate independently. The tanks I use are M2A4s from Co A 1st Tank Bn. These are lightly armored, so they ALWAYS have infantry support. I won't have M4A1 Shermans available until May 1943. To protect my HQ unit I also purchase a couple of 50 cal AAMGs and a sniper.

One thing I also do is make sure that my first mission is either a defend or delay. Even at that, the Japanese outnumber me at least 2-1 or 3-1. From the second mission on I take on whatever I'm assigned. In using the Enhanced USMC OOB, which I slightly modified, my force totals around 1800 cost points. This usually guarantees a small 40-hex wide battlefield, at least at the start. This allows me to cover my entire front, but the downside is that the Japanese can also concentrate their attacking force.

The first two missions are called Tenaru (August 1942) and Bloody Ridge (September). I know I won't have any air support, so my offboard support usually consists of three 105mm arty battalions. I never have enough ammo units, which closely approximates the actual situation. In August, after the USN's defeat at Savo Island, our carriers and transports turned tail and left us calling ourselves the 1st Marooned Division. We are living on two meals of captured rice per day.

In my previous campaign, which was a couple of years ago, I have a total of 24 battles to be fought over the four years. Wish the 1/5 Bn (the Old Breed) luck in getting through the war.
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Orm
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RE: SPWaW's Long Pacific Campaign

Post by Orm »

bump
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rickier65
Posts: 14241
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2000 8:00 am

RE: SPWaW's Long Pacific Campaign

Post by rickier65 »


I hope you keep us posted KG. I have to admit, I haven't played SP in several years, but it still tempts me from time to time.

Thanks
Rick
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KG Erwin
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RE: SPWaW's Long Pacific Campaign

Post by KG Erwin »

Another thing: way back when, around the time 8.3 or 8.4 was released, I asked the OOB designers of the time to increase the number of pillboxes, bunkers and caves that the Japanese employed in the later island battles. I did this simply to improve the defenses the USMC had to face. It was done, so I admit that I had an ulterior motive at the time.

Now, with the Enhanced version, my number one killers so far are my 60mm mortars. In my first mission, with 14 turns of 30 done, one of these already has 7 unit kills. Of course, it helps that the USMC has fast-response artillery, which is a US national characteristic. On the downside, the Japanese tend to target my machine-gunners and my ammo trucks if they happen to be seen.

I earlier talked about making modifications to the USMC OOB. One thing I did was give the 8-man BAR squads BAR x 2. In real-life, the BAR squads were never employed as front-line squads. Their personnel were usually split up to reinforce depleted rifle squads. Unfortunately the game setup does not allow this. In 1943 these squads were disbanded when the rifle squad was increased from 9 to 12 men. For the purposes of upgrading, I change the 4th (BAR squad) to a 7-man assault squad, armed with M1 carbines, grenades, a bazooka and explosives. These were ad hoc units, made official in the 1945 TOE organization, which added a 55-man assault platoon to each regiment.

This is the coolest thing about playing as the Marines, because by 1945 each 13-man rifle squad is essentially a wrecking team, equipped with an assortment of demolitions and flamethrowers. By this time (Iwo Jima and Okinawa), they were using a technique called "corkscrew and blowtorch" to reduce the Japanese fortifications. I haven't even mentioned the Satan and Sherman flame tanks.

Yes, I'm skipping ahead a few years, but this how the campaign was eventually fought. I know, I'm starting to sound bloody-minded, but I spent a lot of time with the USMC OOB in trying to make it as realistic as I could for versions 8.3-8.4.

All you have to do is read Eugene Sledge's "With the Old Breed" to understand the horrific nature of that war. Believe me, I am not overstating the case. There is plenty of existing video footage, too.
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VPaulus
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RE: SPWaW's Long Pacific Campaign

Post by VPaulus »

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KG Erwin
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RE: SPWaW's Long Pacific Campaign

Post by KG Erwin »

My first mission has gone through 21 of 30 turns, and my left flank company has started encountering Japanese 50mm mortar units and destroying them by direct fire. I haven't found the enemy's HQ unit yet (is this the Ichiki unit?). One of my 60mm mortars has 10 kills. I think the battle will end soon (at least I hope it will). There are enemy MG units and snipers attacking my front, so the enemy is apparently nearing the end of his rope. Remnants of his infantry squads are still making suicidal banzai assaults.
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KG Erwin
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RE: SPWaW's Long Pacific Campaign

Post by KG Erwin »

After 25 turns, I win a decisive victory. The 1/5 Bn suffers 268 casualties, with 2 soft vehicles and a tank destroyed. The Japanese lose 892 men, with 4 artillery pieces destroyed. We are pulled out of the line to draw replacements.
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KG Erwin
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RE: SPWaW's Long Pacific Campaign

Post by KG Erwin »

For our second mission (Sept 1942), we are defending a 2000-yd front against a renewed Japanese attack. The battalion has drawn replacements and a new supply of rifle grenades from the reappearing navy transports, which helps equip the 1st squad of each platoon. We have the support of two 105mm artillery battalions and four 75mm pack howitzers. We still haven't seen any air support yet, as the weather keeps the planes grounded.

Last month we defended in a thunderstorm. This time it is raining. If this keeps up we may end up fighting in canoes.
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