Flames of War Pacific - Gung Ho and Banzai!

Hi Folks,

I picked up the new issue of Wargames Illustrated today and thought I would post a little bit of a review of one of the articles. This issue has a couple of articles about the upcoming Flames of War Pacific Theatre releases. I know there are a couple of great blogs out there that have been covering these releases 'officially' so for those of you paying attention none of this will be particularly new (as far as I am aware!)

Wayne Turner has written an article which covers the contents of the two books. I'll try and summarise what is covered in the article.

Gung-Ho, US Marines Corps in the Pacific

This book covers the Marine Corps in the Pacific, their tactics and methods and looks at two of their campaigns - Saipan and Okinawa.

It includes two missions - Island Landings and Atoll Landings. Both use different terrain (with or without a coral reef or lagoon). This allows for different types of landings (using landing craft or using amphibs).

Points wise, the lists are dual pointed. Points are provided specifically for Late War and specifically for the Pacific War - which also appears to be pointed the same as early war (only with units not present in early war unavailable).

US Special Rules: The US Marines use the US special rules from the rule book, in addition, they use 'Gung-Ho' (German Mission Tactics rules), 'Semper Fi' (re-roll motivation to counter attack), BAR Automatic Rifles (BAR Teams retain full ROF when moving with a +1 to hit and re-roll failed to hit defensive shots) and 'War Dogs' (ambush range extended to 10" if ambushing from concealment).

Army Lists: Most are Fearless Vet.

Marine Rifle Company - Rifle teams or for later forces BAR teams. Can be mounted in LVT(4)s. Up to three Marine Rifle Platoons, Machine Gun Platoon with LMGs and a Mortar Platoon with 60mm Mortars - these can Combat attach to the infantry platoons. Support includes Weapons Platoons with HMGs or 81mm Mortars. Assault Sections with Bazooka, Pioneer Rifle and Flamethrowers, Anti Tank Guns, Scouts and Self Propelled guns (75mm M3's or 105mm M7's).

Image from Wargames Illustrated/Battlefront Advert - used without permission

Marine Tank Company and Marine Amphib Tank Company - These use the same company diagram. One with M4A3 (Late) and M4A2 Shermans. The other with LVT(A)4 (75mm armed) or LVT(A)1's (37mm armed).

Image from Wargames Illustrated/Battlefront Advert - used without permission

 Corps Support includes: Light tanks, anti-air, artillery, Recon, engineers, rockets, AOPs, Flame Tanks (Satans and Zippos), War Dog Platoons, Marine Engineer Assault Platoons, Marine Rocket Launcher Battery, F4U Corsairs and Various options for Naval Gunfire Support. Interestingly there are different levels of this, and the article mentions that both sides can take in an an attempt to 'disrupt your opponents Air or Naval Gunfire support'. The options include Carrier Group, Aircraft Carrier or Destroyer Squadron.

Banzai, Imperial Japanese Forces in the Pacific

This book covers the Japanese forces in the Pacific. The book includes the history and background of Japan's Pacific War, Japanese tactics, Full Japanese National special rules and four intelligence breifings.

Detailed accounts for Guadacanal and Iwo Jima - apparently with Scenarios and background for both.

Special Rules: Banzai Charge, Kendo: No Surrender, Seishien, Human Bullets, Banners, Regimental Standards, Hell by Day - Paradise by night and Envelopment.

Army Lists: Options for Fearless Vets OR Confident trained versions of each list.

Hohei Chutai (Infantry Company) - rifle and light mortar teams. Banners which make them harder to pin and can use Human Bullet teams (basically anti tank assault troops - improvised tank assault 5). Machine Guns, Battalion guns, anti-tank guns and regimental guns - so a lot of firepower.

Image from Wargames Illustrated/Battlefront Advert - used without permission

Sensha Rentai (Tank Company): Variety of Japanese or captured tanks (M3 Stuarts?). Fearless Vet or Fearless Trained. The best anti tank option appears to be AT 8.

Yosai Hohei Chutai (Fortified Infantry Company): Defensive infantry company with trenches, MG bunkers that can be upgraded to other weapons and pillboxes, Barbed wire, anti tank defenses, etc.

And SNLF (Naval Landing Tank Company): Amphib tanks!

Image from Wargames Illustrated/Battlefront Advert - used without permission

Divisional Support: Self propelled guns (AT 10 and AT 13) that can fire bombardments, Tankettes, Scout Platoons, Field Artillery, Medium Mortars, Anti-aircraft, Naval Gunfire Support and Zeros.

It all sounds very interesting. and note that these books 'mark the first step' into the Pacific Theater of Ops.