Once again an Australian Matilda tank finds itself alone in a Japanese village in 1946 (see previous post: link )
The Japanese (me, playing solo) planned a coordinated three sided attack by “lunge-mine” soldiers while the Japanese sniper would force the tank commander to button up making acquisition of his compatriots more difficult. “Ieko” one of the Japanese attackers would be stationed in the temple and ring the bell within to indicate the tank has gone beyond the building commencing the attacks.
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| "Village of Machikoro, 1946" |
The Australian tank commander now realizing his infantry support was, well, not in support, had no intention to blithely move thru the village [ and I rolled no Move Dice! ] While looking about above the hatch, he ordered his gunner to shoot into the nearest building. [ I did roll the appropriate dice so he could do that!]
“THAT should bring out any skulkers!”
Ieko, observing through a slit in the window covering, noted the turret gun turn in his direction. He rang the bell and took cover!
Teppo, the sniper, took a position around the corner of the building and fired. But to no effect. the Tank commander did not become aware he was being shot at. Kenso, seeing the tank stop well outside a distance he could be expected to run (and that in front of the tank! ) decided to make his way thru the paddies to a position to the flank or rear of the tank.
Editor note: For these games, I take the situation the miniature has at hand and try to make a logical and prudent decision of action before rolling its Command Dice. This decision is often negated as the dice do not allow such, so I go with what the dice can allow. In this case I rolled three Move Dice and having no need of a Wild Die, also turned that into his run. As the distance to the tank was considerable so he went the other direction. But of course the rolls I made for the distance would have had him safely to the tanks glacis and into the attack! But that is 20/20 hindsight!
Ieko in the damaged building was immobile with shock (I rolled no Move dice for him)
Meanwhile, the hull gunner was alert and spotted Teppo the sniper and opened up with his hull MG. Poor Teppo was shredded with bullets as the main gun was reloaded.
Ichiro, crouching around the building’s corner having seen Teppo become chopped suey decided to move the OTHER way to in behind the now ruined temple. However with the dust of the explosion he too had no idea of the tank’s position [ no acquisition dice were rolled]
The commander still ‘unbuttoned’ with his head above the hatch, demanded “Gunner, fire at the next building where the body is”. “Ah, the damned *** again!” was the reply. No shot could be taken. “Move ahead” the CO allowed. “There’s a bugger. Turn right and take him” as the tank had acquired Ichiro. But perhaps slowed by some building debris (?) but the tank could only go a very short three inches. [ I had rolled a paltry 3 on two dice!!]
Meanwhile…. in his fast pace, Kenso had gone beyond a 90 degree visual range of the tank and so failed to see it move off away from him. However, Ieko recovered and had a chance for an attack. My roll for the Japanese soldier was 1,1,2,3,4,4 meaning he could Move 1D, Move another 1D, Acquire the tank, Aim ("ready himself") and Fire (press the lunge mine detonator against the tank). It is lucky he had two Move dice as I rolled two 1s but as the tank was literally at his door step….For his life , he caused one permanent and one temporary damage to the hard shell of the Matilda.
Immediately after Ichiro plunged his weapon against the frontal glacis of the tank. The explosion blew the commander out through the open hatch and destroyed his tank….the extra strike dice from being ‘unbuttoned’ proved fatal.
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| Ichiro would turn to deliver his attack on the tank while the temple continues to smoulder |