Ambush South of Tamu

20/3/44

In March 1944 the Japanese launched their final major offensive in Burma: I-Go. This lead to a series of small, vicious, battles between battalions of either side, one of which took place south of Tamu on the 20th March

A Squadron 3rd Carabiniers was tasked to move up the Tamu road to the north to relieve a force of British infantry, including many wounded, who were surrounded by the Japanese. However the Japanese were waiting in ambush positions for the relief force. Thus started the biggest tank battle of the I-Go campaign

Despite being the biggest tank battle of the campaign this is a tiny game, so its suitable as an introductory scenario. It is designed to be played twice with the players swapping sides

Map and Order of Battle

Deployment

The British deploy as indicated on the map. The lead Lee will be in the open the rest of the convoy will be along the road in the Jungle. The only discretion that the British have is one of the infantry stands may be tank riding on a Lee rather than in the truck. All personnel start mounted.

The Japanese tanks are deployed as indicated, they should have LOS to the lead Lee. One Japanese infantry company must be deployed on the west side of the clearing within 12" of the lead Lee. The other may be deployed anywhere in (or on the edge of) the clearing over 6" from the lead Lee. The second Japanese company can be deployed as

Terrain

The map is a 4ft x 4ft if playing 1"=50m. North is to the top of the page

Most of the board is thick Jungle (dense wood). 6" around the periphery of the clearing is open woods.

The red lines are roads: little more than cart tracks they only allow movement at cross country speeds. In the jungle visibility down the road is 4". They are still considered as Jungle for cover purposed (+1 cover)

The blue line is a river, it is impassable to vehicles. Personnel may cross but it takes a full hasty advance to do so.

The clearing is fields and scrub. Some of the scrub is tall and dense enough to provide +1 cover and break LOS. A few clumps of tall scrub should be scattered around the clearing.

Special Rules

The game starts after the movement phase on turn 1. the Brits are assumed to have made a full advance the Japanese are assumed to be halted. The play starts with the opportunity fire phase

The game is 5 turns long

Victory Conditions

The game is played twice with the players swapping sides the second time. Only the British player is scored, the LOWEST score wins.

If one player gets a Lee off the north table edge at point X and the other does not then the player so doing wins the game.

In games where neither player exits a Lee off the north table edge, or both players do so then the position of the remaining Japanese stands determines the winner. Each Japanese infantry stand in good morale in LOS and within 12" of the road XY scores a point. Each tank with good morale within LOS of the road scores 2 points. If the Japanese park a tank in good morale on the XY road (on, next to isn't good enough) this is worth 10 points (you don't get an extra 2 points for it being in LOS of the road too)

Good morale for the purposes of victory is good morale or pinned.