Rising Sun, Tumbling Bear #2 - The Second Battle for Usan

Back on Japanese soil and a draw of the second round of cards, gives the Japanese an extra fleet, perhaps the direct approach was not the best idea.

The fleets swung left the first under Admiral Urga making an unopposed landing at Pusan, whilst Admiral Nashiba sailed up the Western coast of the peninsula.

Another successful landing at Cinampo, things are looking up for the Japanese.

Having established a bridgehead at Pusan the Japanese tried again to seize Usan this time across the landward side but were once again confronted by a delaying force of Russians, Korea was meant to contain only a token Russian presence.

Wyvern club night and a roll of the dice using Platoon forward and the Japanese are ordered to take to the table and seize the Russian stores to win the encounter and capture the town of Usan on the map.

Russian Points 110 vs Japanese Points 120* 

*With the addition of Two Machine Guns drawn from the Japanese reinforcement pool.

The Japanese would be attacking left to right with the Russians deployed across the centre of the table, the Russian stores were held in the white walled compound,  but the Russian player was unaware of the importance of this location and only had orders to hold the line.

The Russian commander had thrown up earth works in the centre of the table a string of barb wire to slow the Japanese advance, many of the troops were conscripts but they only had to hold the line.

On the right flank and anchoring the position was a unit of militia taking up positions in the garden of a merchants house.

Whilst the field defences were a surprise to the Japanese commander, equally unnerving was the Japanese opening bombardment with off table artillery falling amongst the defenders.

The Japanese advance using combined tactics of firing and moving, constantly keeping the Russians on the back foot

With few good quality commanders to marshal their line the Russian formations began to fracture and fall back and whilst they were slowing the Japanese advance the conscripts were being driven from their defence positions. Meanwhile Japanese elements had bypassed the wire and were making there way through the crop fields on the left.

The Russian force morale was steadily falling as troops and officers were forced back, breaking point came when the isolated militia were set upon by Korean irregulars who in a bloody encounter drove the inexperienced Russians from the garden.

No Russian Offensive Actions this turn the Japanese command is made up of the following point values.

General Oku 180 Points @ Usan

General Kuroki 240 Points @ Cinampo

Admrial Uryu 22 Fleet Points 

Admiral Nabu 24 Fleet Points

On to Turn 3......