[PatG]

After my first aborted Japanese campaign, I always keep 3 save games as I go through a campaign. The first is the deploy phase, the second is where I save the game as I play through and the third is the end game. So to take a mulligan, I loaded up the end game save of game 7 and rebuilt my forces. Despite setting preferences to an 80x80 map, I was given a 40x80 so I selected the custom map button and loaded an 80x80 European villages map then regenerated it to get a valid 80x80 China map.

My opponents this time are Nationalist Chinese though I don't expect much difference in kit from the communists.

The terrain:
Open country with some woods and moderate hills. A road and railway run north south board centre with another road road running east west about a quarter way down from the north edge. On cluster of VHs is at the cross roads, a second on the road/railway about mid-map and the third about 1/4 up from the south edge and closer to the Chinese lines. I like this configuration as it echoes some the fighting over the South Manchurian Railway.

Forces:
As detailed earlier but given the amount of Chinese light armour this time I chose to retain the Type 11s as I have no better AT at the moment. I added 4 AAMG teams and the requisite mules to carry them. For support, I have taken and observation plane, two strike shotai and two groups of motorcycles.

The Plan:
The main body supported by the tank platoon will advance along the north flank. Artillery smoke will be pre-registered to cover an gap in concealment. Once they are past map centre, they will turn and advance south rolling up the Nationalists.

The recce group - now equipped with type 92s will advance along the south flank seeking to get into the rear area. The two motorcycle groups will rush the two rail VHs hopefully keeping the Chinese attention away from the main attack.

Chu-sa Gyuba awoke in a sweat - the endless waves of Chinese slowly cleared from his head - that was a dream this was another day. "Hatano!" he yelled to his company commander "Get the officers together, we have work to do!" Gyuba shook off the dream but couldn't quite clear the copper taste of blood in his mouth.