Friday Night Games: Formosa Campaign - Battle of Heng Chun

Friday 17th May saw the fighting of another battle in Mat's Formosan Campaign. The game was hosted at Rupert's and 6mn figures and rules supplied by Mat. Mike W & Phil played the Japanese whilst Steve, Rupert, Mike N & Dave commanded the Formosan

Elements of the Japanesr Imperial Guard lended some 10km north of  Heng Chung and marched south to conduct a raid in strength to take out the defensive batteries some 3km north of the City.

An initial strong bombardment of the fortifications knocked out one of the two defensive batteries and the second battery wss neutralised relatively quickly there after.

Port facilities near Heng Chung,
were quickly apprpriated by the Japanese forces

Nearby Temple at Heng Chung

Coastal Battery at Heng Chung,
with elements of the Japanaese Navy offshore

A view of the battlefield,
with the walled city of Heng Chung uin the disatnce

As assaults on the now defined battery were being prepared, a Formosan relief column arrive from the north, presumeably originating from eth ecntral city of Tai-Pai, consisting of fanatical 'Black Flag' units.

As they marched on to the table, much to the surprise of the Japanese, the were in turn quickly surprised by one of the assault columns taking cover on the woods to the Formosan's immediate right.

In the ensuing firefight, the lead Firmosan unit broke and ran, but a second fuselage from ghe Japanese failed to score any hits and allowed the Formosans to slowly turn and engage their enemy on the flank

The resulting struggle carried on throughout the rest of the game, despite domd Japanese successes, weight of numbers told and gge Japanese where gradually pushed back go the beaches north of the fort and fge safety of the Jaosbese fleet that controlled the area.

Close up of the city of Heng Chung,
with rice fields in the foreground

Japanese Imperial Guards deployed at start of the game

and from another angle

Japanese command and field artillery deployed on a hill
overlooking the Heng Chung coastal batteries

Close-up of the Japanes forces

Meanwhile the second Japanese assault column executed their orders effectively, reaching the fort and assaulting the wall.

After a bit of a struggle the Japanese took the fort, after ghe hilarious sacrifice of the assault columns commander who fell on reaching the top of the walls.

The defending Formosan battalion was captured and upon leaving the fort the Japanese forces blew the forts magazine.

Action unfolds - Formosan Back Flag units advance south (right to left)  down either side of the road.
Japanese forces deployed in the treeline, at top of photo have fired on the Formosan flank, breaking one unit, other units start to deploy against them.
At bottom of photo can be seen Formosan units advancing through rocks and trees towards the Temple complex.

Formosan units finally burst out of the city to advance along the road to attack Japanese troops

Other Imperisl Guards units had a struggle to escape the table as a Formosan column burst forth from the city at unexpected speed, nor displayed by any other unit earlier in the game.

Despite Phil's command shooting out the head of this column the wangled a dice roll to save their morale, enabling them to press further forwards.

As the umpire called a day on the fighting  a number of Japanese units were in danger of capture.

A strategic success for the Formosans it was a costly tactical success for the Japanese yo eliminate the fort.

The bigger picture of the Formosan counter attack emerging from Heng Chung

Formosans push the Japanese artillery and ciommand units off their hill

Japanes forces pinned by Formosan units emerging from Heng Chung and Mike N's
Black Flag units arriving form the north.

The 'meat-grinder' of the battle raged most of the eveneing with the Japanese gradually giving ground as they slipped west to the landing beaches

Japanese Assault Column No.2, successfully takes the Heng Chung Battery,
capturing the entire garrison

Japanese Imperial Guard command, successfully leads the break out units heading for the Heng Chung beach head.

Even at this 6mm scale we can see the embarrassment on the commander's face!