The Ford at Willow Crossing - 2nd Sino-Japanese War

Aiming to keep the painting to playing ratio going for August - An excuse to get the new Japanese on the table.

September 1937. Across northern China, the Imperial Japanese Army advances relentlessly inland following the outbreak of full-scale war after the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. Towns and villages along the frontier have fallen in rapid succession as better trained and better equipped Japanese forces push deeper into Chinese territory.

Along a secondary route running through rolling farmland and wooded valleys lies a shallow river known locally as the Willow River. Though narrow, recent rains have swollen its banks, making crossings difficult except at a handful of established fords.

One such crossing, known as Willow Ford, sits astride a grass land track leading toward the market town of Xingyuan. If the Japanese secure the ford, mechanised elements and artillery can continue their advance unimpeded. If the crossing can be denied, even briefly, precious hours may be bought for Chinese forces withdrawing further south.

A small platoon from the Chinese National Revolutionary Army has been ordered to hold the crossing at all costs.

The Situation

Lieutenant Zhang Wei, a young officer with little combat experience, commands a platoon of barely thirty men. Many are exhausted from days of retreat and skirmishing. Ammunition is limited, communications are poor, and reinforcement is unlikely.

The platoon has spent the night preparing crude defensive positions around the northern bank of the ford. Shallow trenches overlook the crossing while sandbags and felled trees provide makeshift cover. A single light machine gun covers the main approach.

At dawn, lookouts report movement on the opposite side of the valley.

The Japanese are coming.

Chinese Objectives

The defenders know they cannot win a prolonged battle. Their mission is simple:

• Prevent Japanese forces from crossing the ford.
• Delay the advance long enough for engineers several miles south to prepare demolitions on a larger bridge.
• Preserve enough of the platoon to conduct an orderly withdrawal when ordered.

For Lieutenant Zhang, success is measured not in territory held, but in time bought.

Japanese Objectives

Elements of an advancing Japanese infantry company have reached the Willow River ahead of schedule.

Their orders are:

• Seize the ford intact.
• Clear all resistance north of the river.
• Continue the advance before nightfall.

Japanese commanders believe the crossing is defended only by scattered retreating troops and expect resistance to collapse quickly.

The mist clings to the water as dawn breaks over Willow Ford.

Private Chen grips his rifle so tightly his knuckles ache. Shapes move among the shrubs. At first they seem like shadows. Then sunlight catches steel helmets. A whistle echoes across the valley and the Japanese come on in droves.

Lieutenant Zhang rises from the undergrowth - "Hold your fire."

The soldiers wait the Japanese advance guard cross the ridge line, rifles crack. The battle for Willow Ford has begun.

Using Xenos Rampant I made the Japanese subject to wild charge and it was not long before the main force rushed the Chinese positions. Morale was key to battle as the Japanese pressed on and the Chinese with poorer morale were beaten back.

If that was not enough the Japanese commander found his target and called in artillery support to pepper the Chinese lines driving the defenders back across the ford.

The Chinese force outnumbered and outgunned falls back and despite determined resistance and local knowledge is unable to hold the line. Another will for the Japanese.

Scenario borrowed from this little gem, designed for Chain of Command and the Japanese - Russo conflict of 1939 it transfers well to the Sino-Japanese Front, the maps could be clearer but great orbits for both sides including Mongolian units.

Back to the brushes and a whole load of Japanese to get through before the bank holiday is out...