OPERATION CHROMITE - INCHON KOREA 1950

On Saturday 15^th I joined the Gothenburg Gamers and friends for a special big game – Operation Chromite - the 1950 UN landings at Inchon during the Korean War.  The game was held in Garvald Village Hall with lunch provided in the Garvald Inn.  The troops and terrain came mainly from the collections of Colin Jack, Peter Nicholson, Chris Henry and Rob Anderson.  Chris Henry who developed the scenario altered the historical events to allow Chinese Volunteer Army reinforcements to arrive several months early to support their North Korean comrades. 

Rob Anderson and I commanded the UN (entirely US) forces landing on the southern Blue beech.  Our 2 battalions of Marines (Bolt Action Platoons) faced a few Korean troops as we landed and Rob then had to fight of a human wave counter-attack by the Chinese volunteers on his end of the beach.   We then had to move thru the southern suburbs towards the centre of Inchon but were slowed down to advance moves by the rubble blocking all the minor roads.  The landings on the northern Red beach went well but struggled with the blocked roads and were held up by more Chinese volunteers supported by T34/85s and SU-76 SPGs.  The UN had massed M7 Priests on Wolmi-do Island to support the Northern attack but they all fell victim to North Korean infiltrators as the UN failed to provide any infantry security troops for the M7s.   The UN air attacks proved relatively ineffective.  Air attacks in the Korean War supplement are much less effective than in the basic WW2 Bolt Action rules.  At the end of the game the winners were declared to be the few surviving North Koreans who still held the vital temple in the centre of Inchon.

A good fun day overall and an unusual subject.    Below is a link to my photos on Flickr.
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmLry5RV

Central Inchon - the vital temple clearly shown - before the bombardment

Rob's marines approach the beach end of Blue beach

My force disembarks on the quay front at Blue Beach

UN troops and armour pour ashore on Red Beach - note all the armour is here...and Peter Nicholson

USAF in action

The unfortunate M7s burning on Wolmi-do Island - infiltrators in action

US F4U Corsairs fill the skies