The Battle for Kaesong
Sunday,
June 25, 1950
Turns 1-40
The commander of the reinforced NKPA 2nd Regiment divided his forces into four fairly similarly structured battalion groups that advanced line abreast with the three infantry battalions each given a sector of the KAESONG urban area while the 202nd Assault Battalion with a little stronger AFV support was to skirt the right flank in the more open terrain.
The I Bn/2nd Regiment supported by a recon platoon, a tank company and an engineer company made good progress against minimal opposition and quickly captured the Juvenile Detention Centre and made it to the Masonry School. They would later be challenged by ROK counterattacks but managed to hold this sector.
The II Bn/2nd Regiment supported by a recon platoon, a tank and engineer company assaulted the sector around the Kaesong Main Hospital and got embroiled in a bitter urban battle with determined ROK defenders. The Bn took considerable losses and was unable to advance beyond the hospital.
The III Bn/2nd Regiment supported by the SPG Company (Su-76) and a recon platoon had the task of clearing two smaller settlements and a number of agricultural areas as well as a low hill on the flank of II Bn attacking the area around the Main Hospital. This Battalion ran into very stubborn defences which also saw several bitter counterattacks which forced the Bn to use 45mm AT-guns and AAMG sections in an anti personnel role. The battalion attack was stopped before reaching the given objectives. It took considerable losses.
The 202nd Assault Battalion, a light infantry battalion, was supported by some extra motorised transport the HQ of the I Bn/205th Tank Regiment and one tank company giving it a little extra tank punch. It was meant to exploit the expected more open areas on the NKPA right flank but quickly ran into heavy defences which included strong mortar (81mm) and AT-gun (57mm) positions. An effort to dismount and clear a route ran into even further ROK defences and had to be abandoned.
The Battalion took heavy casualties and became immobile, unable to advance. Several tanks were hit, some by artillery fire – knocking off tracks.
Turns 41-60
Elements of the I Bn and supporting forces managed to breach the enemy lines and strike objectives in the enemy hinterland. While they sized several bridges and road intersections the enemy counterattacks forced small NKPA forces to fight hard and in some cases had to bounce between objectives to clear them again when retaken by the ROK. On occasion objectives were defended by single units, a HMG or Recon team for example.
Turn 61
ROK units are reported to have begun falling back south in an orderly fashion, bringing wounded and equipment like artillery with them.
NKPA losses:
Casualties 360 – including one full Engineer company and much of the 202nd Bn. Commanders of 202d Bn and I Bn/205th Tank Regt KIA.
One (1) 45mm AT-gun
One (1) Su-76 SPG
Seven (7) T-34/85 destroyed
Three (3) T-34/85 in short term repair
Two (2) Heavy Trucks
One (1) Truck
Captured enemy (ROK) equipment in working order:
Small arms and the odd HMG.
Overall outcome:
KAESONG captured but the advance of the 2nd Regiment blunted. Heavy losses to NKPA units give the 2nd Regiment and the I/205th Tank Regiment reduced combat value for further operations. ROK units retreat in good order.
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I used timed objectives for this setup too. Had them set to max again but this time the terrain and map layout was such that the NKPA could capture many before the points started ticking even if being a mostly leg infantry force – I didn’t change any setting for this but IIRC it started to count at about turn 30 (number of turns set to 90).
The points are not totally loopsided, but the ROK side still manages to get a decent score, while holding only about 4 or less VHs at one one time after the timed objectives started to kick in. I think I like this function. It makes it harder for the human player, adds a little time pressure and then there’s a trade off where you either take the VHs (which usually triggers a counterattack) or wait while try to move significant forces forward to fend off the counterattack – waiting with taking VHs off course means points will be ticking in on the AI side, more the longer you wait.
The AI units here were human purchased but AI deployed.
I overestimated the fighting power of the NKPA light infantry which, unsupported, have limited firepower and are very fragile if attacking full strength infantry companies with considerable indirect fire support (in this case several ROK mortar platoons).
Score:
[Draw]
NKPA 8317
vs
ROK 5193