Korean War 1950 - Sabresquadron in Pendraken 10mm.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Finally got my 10mm 1950 Korean War troops on table!
Painted the ROK troops in 2021 as a Lockdown project https://madlemmey.blogspot.com/2021/02/south-korean-infantry-company-1950.html
The North Koreans were finished in 2019. https://madlemmey.blogspot.com/2019/11/pendraken-10mm-korean-war.html
But they had never been used in anger!
So, Nick and William came over to Leighton Buzzard, and I set up a Sabresquadron game set in the early phase of the Korean War.

• The North Koreans had to break through, while trying to take four on table objectives and three exit points. These were worth 100 points.
• The South Koreans with much worse morle and trainig, had to withdraw (they scored five victory points for each platoon that got off table, up to 40 points) and had less victory points to spread across five of the objectives lf their choice (a further 60 points).

North Korean come on from the left. Pink dots are the objectives. South Koreans infantry platoons have to be between the half-way line and the first third of the table (basically in line with the village and the rocky hill), support platoons may be deployed deeper.


I did order some lovely T-34-85s from Leon, but they only arried this afternoon, and I know I am a quick painter, but I was at work all day, so Junior General came up trumps.


Top view, it was like assembling cereal box dioramas from the 1970s!


South Korean initial deployment.


Propriotry bombardment by the North! Platoons with one blue crystal had to make one save per base, two crystals = 2 saves, no crystals = lucky miss.


After the bombardment, on the far hill an infantry platooon is at half strength, plus two detachments from the weapons company were hit hard in the backfield (one lost 3 out of 4 bases)!


Norts deploy

Norts https://britishcomics.fandom.com/wiki/Norts

And quickly seize their first objective


The shattered ROK 1st platoon is targetted by North Korean armour. It decides to leave the objective and try and retire. At this stage of the war, the South had neither tanks, nor any decent amounts of anti-tank assests. None were as good as the T-34 unit American and Commonwealth allies arrived, and apart from three bazookas the other side of the table, none were here!


The whole South Korean front line decided that staying around was not a great plan...
The North was planning to envelop the village, and puzzled "where are the ROK going?"


From Jaleukoui Hwang-geum Sonjab-i Hill, the remains of the Southern weapon platoon takes a single shot (the MMG at the front was neutralised, so only the commander could shoot).


The North Koreans advance well, out numbering and out classing their opponent, and the far South Korean platoon routs under the combined firepower of the Northern tanks and supporting infantry platoon.


Both sides realising time was of the essence, break out into runs rather than firefighting. The South reopening a safe gap. The only thing advancing was the bazooka teams across table through the tall crops.


Hit by a single shot, which fells the platoon leader, causing a moral test, the North's third platoon must withdraw to safe cover.


The North's second platoon also fail their morale, and halt. Just when they were needed to advance and secure the village!


Again, a desultry shots ring out from Jaleukoui Hwang-geum Sonjab-i Hill.


And rifle shots from the weapon's company's command teams reach out and touch someone, one hit out of three finds a target.


A REALLY bad day to be a bazooka team! Two other teams were mowed down, and the third was neutralised. These guys won't be doing much, despite passing their morale with flying colours.


But the South Koreans get another lucky single shot, and with it nflict a single casulty. The morale of the North's Second platoon fails completely, aand they rout! The Northen Koreans had much better morale too.


The South withdraws and regroups nearest to us, the tanks removed the bazooka threat a doseof with extreme violence, and now they could advance unhindered.


On objective three, North Korean AOP finaly remembers how to use his radio, and ranging shots fall perfectly on target.


Killing and surpressing the two stands under the template.


As the game ends, no one has reached the back of the board, so the South could not claim any Victory Points for their safe evacuation. Two Southern platoons were broken, but the loss of the central Northern platoon curtailed the Communist advance somewhat.


As the two sides totted up their victory points, despite the stalling of their advance, the North had won by a tiny six victory points!
A great game and both Nick and Will really enjoyed it. So glad to get the forces on table. Interesting how the game plays with infantry heavy armies, older kit and not so good troops.
Now, time to start painting proper T-34s!

[Techno 3]

Great stuff, Will !

[Steve J]

Fine game there Will and it shows how many hills one might need for some Korean War scenarios!

[Chris Pringle]

Like it! I second Steve about the hills, very convincing Korean terrain. Nice to see this neglected war on the table.

I do want to try Sabre Squadron some time.

[fred.]

That is a very hilly table!

3 bazooka teams vs 4 T-34s feels a little one sided! Do the rules include spotting, as I'd expect 2 man teams in a tall crop field to be pretty invisible to tanks? 

One of the problems with lots of WWII onwards rules is that the IATW teams just get picked on as priority targets, when they would have been incredibly hard to spot, especially by enemy tanks. The Battlegroup rules do handle this pretty well. 

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

They were on their own, closest target, so we're priority fire anyway.
The rest of the South Koreans were bugging out.
Cover makes them more difficult to hit, and increases their save.
Plus one had broken cover.

Tanks rolling 9&10s over two turns to hit, and saves of 1s by the infantry don't help!

The South Koreans basically had NO anti tank assets, and were rather over run historically.
There are accounts of South Koreans being sent out with satchel charges to attack tanks, and not knowing how to arm them!

[fred.]

If the dice aren't with you then not much you can do!

[sultanbev]

"The South Koreans basically had NO anti tank assets"

Not quite correct, each division had a single battery of 6x 57mm M1 towed anti-tank guns held at divisional level, but not really effective against the front of a T-34/85 above 100m. No doubt used to protect the DHQ command post rather than doled out to the infantry battalions, so there impact would have been minimal.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:57mm-AT-gun-Korea-1950.JPG

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Basically no is fairly accurate then! 

Thanks Sultanbev

[sunjester]

Nice to see a Korean game and a change from the usual endless waves of Chinese infantry! The early part of the war makes for some "interesting" encounters!

[sultanbev]

That is a very hilly table!

I once had a look at Google Earth map of Korea, the average distace between ridges is 900m. So yes, lots of hills is appropriate. Most should be steep too, inaccessible to all AFVs other than Churchill tanks.

[Raider4]

From Wikipedia (yeah, I know. Sorry):

In a tribute to the 8th Hussars, General John O'Daniel, commanding the US 1st Corps, stated: "In their Centurions, the 8th Hussars have evolved a new type of tank warfare. They taught us that anywhere a tank can go, is tank country: even the tops of mountains."

[bigjackmac]

Good stuff, Will!  Certainly something you don't see everyday; those ROKs need some air support!  But as you mentioned, they didn't have much support in general and were pretty quickly run through by the Norks.

The good news is, you get down to the Busan Perimeter and allied forces get plenty of air support and, as usual, US Marines (of the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade) come and save the day

V/R,
Jack