Gemencheh Bridge,
Malaya, 14 January 1942: In Malaysia, intensive Japanese air attacks on Commonwealth
troops added to the pressure of the Japanese advance down the
western part of the peninsula. The British Command planned a series
of delaying actions as the men of the III Indian Corps slowly
retreated southwards into and through the lines established by
the newly arrived Australians. Bridges along the road would be
left intact to heighten the effect of disorganized flight by the
Indian troops, but were actually meant to lull the Japanese into
becoming over-confident and careless. Meanwhile an ambush was
set up by the veteran 2/30th Battalion AIF, at a small wooded
bridge over the Gemencheh River about seven miles west of Gemas.
Shortly before 1600 on January 14, Japanese soldiers on bicycles
passed through the ambush position while the Australians waited
for the motorized transport section. Just a few minutes later
another bicycle column began crossing the bridge, and the Australians
decided that the ambush would be triggered by setting off the
demolition charge under the bridge. The charge hurled timber,
bicycles and bodies skyward in a very deadly and satisfying blast.
Almost simultaneously, the three platoons of ‘B’ Company
hurled grenades among the enemy while sweeping the open area with
fire from Bren guns, Tommy Guns and rifles. While attempting to
call up artillery fire on the Japanese, the Australians realized
that their field phone wire had been cut in some manner. While
the lack of artillery was frustrating, there wasn’t much
need of it, as the Japanese had been caught completely off-guard.
The Commanding Officer now ordered the Australians to withdraw
eastwards into the battalions positions at Gemas. During the withdrawal,
some of the Australians squads ran into Japanese soldiers from
the first bicycle unit that had been let through. Small individual
skirmishes flared up and died down just as quickly, as the Australians
made their return to the battalion that evening and night.
About a dozen
years ago Total Pacific Theater Pack I crawled out of the jungle,
not realizing the war was over. It apparently had survived on
insects and lemon grass, with an occasional helping of brackish
water. The year 2012 brings with it color die-cut counters, a
new geomorphic board, new art, layout, and the usual errata/tweaks
input and the result is DIGGER PACK I. The scenarios feature an
Australian-laden bunch of actions and to bring it all together,
you receive 296 counters for use with this product and ALL of
your scenarios starring some of the best warriors this side of
modernity. You also receive new markers including the Cleared
Fire Zone (rules included) as well as a handful of other counters
used in the scenarios.
DIGGER PACK I
also includes a new PTO-themed geomorphic board that is used in
a bunch of scenarios and replaced Board 37.
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
WITH EACH COPY:
- > A set of
12 scenarios set on geomorphic boards
- > BONUS counter
sheet
- > Color cover
- > BONUS jungle-themed geomorphic
board in 8" × 22" format
