Hi everyone! Jersey here with part two of Pacific list ideas from Gung-Ho. Last week I covered Late War, this week we’ll cover the Pacific points forces for generic and island missions (which the book recommends be 1500 for attack and 20% less for defence due to the mission rules).
Please note these are not tournament or optimum lists, I haven’t had enough time to really find winning formulas, instead what I’ve tried to do show you what you could take and I’ll leave any meta changing discoveries to the pros!
So, here’s the first list:
Next is this island defence force for the missions in Gung-Ho has six platoons, including two Stuarts! These tanks are good value with their canister rounds and machine guns as well as adding mobile anti tank capable of killing any Japanese vehicle. Some of the platoons are short, like the mortars and anti tank guns but they’re fearless veteran so can lurk until the right time. Limited air and sea support is included to protect against NGFS or Zeros and the expensive Assault Section includes a bazooka and flame thrower to toughen up the core platoons. 12 guns worth of rockets round out the list allowing you to place a big template on the beach as the Japanese advance!
USMC Island Defence List (1200 Points)
Marine Rifle Company HQ (2 Rifle Teams): 55 points
Marine Rifle Platoon (Cmd SMG Team and 6 Rifle Teams): 170 points
Marine Rifle Platoon (Cmd SMG Team and 6 Rifle Teams): 170 points
Marine Assault Section (1 Flamethrower, 1 Pioneer Team, 1 Bazooka Team): 110 points
Marine Mortar Platoon (1 Cmd Rifle Team, 2 M1 81mm Mortars): 65 points
Anti-Tank Platoon (Cmd Rifle Team and 2 M3A1 37mm Guns): 115 points
Light Tank Platoon (2 M3A1 Stuart) 350 points
Marine Rocket Launcher Battery (Confident Trained: Cmd Rifle Team, Observer, 3 4.5 Mk7 and extra crew): 105 points
Sporadic Air and Sea Support (Destroyer): 45 points
Total: 1185 points
On the offence with 300 more points to spend I’d probably swap to NGFS to stop guns being killed on the beach, I’d also consider some Amtanks, which are covered in the next list!
When Amtanks are placed in the Sea Zone on island landing missions they count as independent teams. Destroyed platoons of infantry and man packed gun teams can also return, which means this flexible force has very little to shot at on the beach. The small guns can be brought on last to provide smoke or direct firepower after the tanks and infantry which include recce and teams to help clear defences have moved up to the hinterland. Air support and NGFS means the enemy can be weakened and blasted from its foxholes before the big infantry platoon (12 stands) gets into place and the AOP can zip around the board to get good lines of sight.
Marine Tank Company Island Assault List (Amtank) (1500 Points)
Amphibian Tank Company HQ (2 LVT(A)1 (37mm): 190 points
Amphibian Tank Platoon (2 LVT(A)4 (75mm), Hull MG): 150 points
Amphibian Tank Platoon (2 LVT(A)1 (75mm): 195 points
Marine Rifle Platoon (Cmd BAR Team and 6 BAR Teams): 210 points
Marine Assault Section (1 Flamethrower, 1 Pioneer Team, 1 Bazooka Team): 110 points
War Dog Platoon (2 War Dog Teams): 70
Marine Artillery Battery (2 M1A1 75mm pack): 95 points
Naval Gunfire Support (Destroyer): 255 points
Limited Air Support (F4U Corsair with Napalm Bombs): 180 points
Aerial Observation Post (Grasshopper): 40 points
Total: 1495 points
So, Shermans in the Pacific at a regular points level just to show you a sample list! Backing them up are destroyers out to sea to provide a decent bombardment (not that the observer would last long and an AOP is 40 points I can’t afford) and protection from air. The two “heavy tanks” are 1000 points between them meaning their backed up by a couple of 37mm armed amphibious tanks. Their 37mm guns can protect the shemans flanks and they’ll act as independent teams… good job you don’t take company moral tests in beach missions!
Marine Tank Company Island Assault List (Sherman) (1500 Points)
Marine Tank Company HQ (1 M4A2 Sherman) 500 Points
Marine Tank Platoon (1 M4A2 Sherman, Improvised Tank Assault Armour) 505 Points
Marine Amphibian Tank Platoon (2 LVT(A)1 (37mm) 195 points
Naval Gunfire Support (Destroyer) 255 points
Sporadic Air and Sea Support (Destroyer): 45 points
Total 1500 points
Just a thought but if anyone ever ran a doubles Pacific event, one box of plastic M4A3 tanks could get you both lists 1500 lists and you could make up the shortfall with NGFS and Air and Sea Support with the tank comand figures being uses with a small base and cunning basing techniques as the NGFS observer!
Well I hope that has given you can idea of what lists for the Pacific will look like. Come back next week for some more Pacific posts and don’t forget to check out Ben’s Pacific Japanese lists on Wednesday.
Jersey