Battle of Liaoyang 1904 - A Russo Japanese War Scenario

Sunday night saw the first outing for the Russo - Japanese Project using the Too Fat Lardies, Mud & Blood rules.

The action takes place around a newly arrived Japanese battalion and their mission to clear a hill ready for the positioning of an artillery battery to support the assault on the Yentai Coal Mines.

Japanese Orders 

To: Lt Yosi Omura, 

Take your Company and prepare that hill and pass for my artillery. You mission should be straight forward but I stress the importance of my artillery being on that hill by lunchtime. I have promised high command that the Russians will be having a hot time of it this afternoon. 

Russian Orders 
To: Lt Bogdan Tankov,

Bogdan, The fate of Liaoyang is in your hands. Our spies have informed us that the Japanese are planning a push on Manjayuma Hill. Your comrades have spoken of the manner of which the Japanese throw themselves at your lines, you are determined to prove they can be stopped. You are not only to stop the Japanese dogs from taking your hill but to capture a Japanese Standard. 

Game Briefings 
Japanese 
You must take the top of the enemy hill to enable the deployment of siege artillery.
2 Sections of 10 men

Russian

You must defend the hill and stop the Japanese from getting a foot hold on it. 

Extra praise and rewards will be forthcoming should he be able to capture the Japanese colours. 

3 Sections of 10 men 

Victory conditions 
Excellent: Throw the Japanese back down the hill. Capture the Japanese Colours.
Good: Throw the Japanese back down the hill.
Bad: Let the Japanese take the hill.

The Japanese advance on blinds across a broad frontage, facing them an unknown number of Russian defenders and barb wire defences.

The Japanese are unmasked by a Russian section defending the lower ridge, the crafty Japs have opted for smaller 5 man sections to provide themselves with greater flexibility.

On the right flank a further Russian section is unmasked to pour fire in to the advancing Japanese.

The Russians poor quality forces them to fire early, with neligable effect on the advancing Japanese, however the Japanese return fire starts to add Shock to the Russian defenders.

Japanese troops push forward up the pass shielded from enemy fire, due to the steep walls of the ravine.

View from the ridge, the Russian defenders forced to split their fire between two advancing Japanese sections, with increasing shock and a poor leader they are unable to bring themselves back from mounting shock.

On the right flank the Russian Section pulls back as fresh Japanese troops crest the ridge.

To support the retiring Russian Section the second Russian defence line is unmasked.

A Russian HMG on the left flank sweeps the old Russian first line of defence, slowing the Japanese advance.

A view from the advancing Japanese position.

The view from the Russian lines, the Russian left is falling back whilst the left section is pinned by the fast moving Japanese sections.

With the ridge line suppressed by Russian HMG fire, the Russian section mass for a sweeping attack on the Japanese now holding the pass behind the wooden barricade, hoping to seize the initiative.

The first Russian section finally breaks and with double the shock head back up the pass.

The sweeping maneuver by the Russians is a disaster, with a large distance to cover and the Japanese defending the barricade the Russian's lose 2:1 and are forced to flee, joining their colleagues as they head to the hills.  

The Japanese push forward on multiple fronts awaiting the HMG fire which is sure to come from the Russian defenders. However having to bring the HMG in to arc, 50% of the firing dice are lost, inflicting minimal casualties and shock on the advancing Japanese.

Damn and blast the Saki card, allowing the Japanese to advance again flanking the Russian Gun position and charging into the Russian position.

As the game draws to a close, two of the Russian sections are falling back with significant amounts of shock, the right flank has been turned with the loss of the HMG team.

The first outing went to plan, the static Russians were performing OK in defence, but once the shock started to pile up, the Russian's were pinned and easily out flanked by the nibble Japanese.
The HMG forced a rethink on the Japanese command until sufficent forces could be brought to bear to out manover it.

As always comments welcome.

Back to the painting table for more reinforcements.