The Sands of New Stanhall revisted

Nearly twenty one years ago(!) – at COW1997 – Ian Drury ran a wargame about an amphibious operation in the South Pacific. The game saw a US Marine Division assault the Japanese-defended island of New Stanhall, and it was one of the first times I took part in a figure game that was fought out on a tabletop that was divided up into areas. All movement and combat was area-to-area, and the combat system was very simple but also very effective.

This game came to mind after a recent exchange of emails with David Crook, and after I re-read the rules it struck me that they were capable of use – after a few small changes – for a quick divisional-level wargames set during the Second World War.

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Some extracts from the original rules:

Turn sequence
Each day is divided into 3 turns

• Forenoon
• Afternoon
• Night

1. US player moves
2. Japanese player moves
3. Both sides reveal artillery/mortar/machine gun units that will provide support fire for combat
4. Resolve combat between hostile ground forces in the same area

Example unit: US Marine Division

• 1 x HQ (1 figure)
• 3 x Marine regiments, each comprising three battalions, with each battalion having three companies (1 figure = 1 company)
• 3 x Marine assault engineer platoons (1 figure with a flamethrower = 1 platoon)
• 1 x Marine tank battalion comprising companies of M4 Sherman tanks (1 model tank = 1 company)
• 1 x Pioneer battalion comprising three companies (1 figure = 1 company)
• 1 x Marine weapons battalion comprising one machine gun and one mortar company (1 weapon and 1 figure = 1 company)
• 1 x Marine artillery regiment comprising one battery of 155 mm howitzers and three batteries of 75 mm howitzers (1 weapon and 1 figure = 1 battery)

Total = 40 figures with 3 flamethrowers, 1 machine gun, 1 mortar, 4 howitzers, and 2 tanks

Example unit: Japanese mobile defenders

• 1 x HQ (1 figure)
• 24 x Rifle companies (1 figure = 1 company)
• 12 x Machine gun companies (1 weapon and 1 figure = 1 company)
• 3 x Anti-tank gun companies (1 weapon and 1 figure = 1 company)
• 3 x Battalion gun companies (1 weapon and 1 figure = 1 company)
• 2 x Pack artillery batteries (1 weapon and 1 figure = 1 battery)

Total = 45 figures with 12 machine guns, 3 anti-tank guns, 3 battalion guns, and 2 pack guns

Movement
US units move 2 areas per daytime move, but 1 area per night time move whereas Japanese units move 1 are per daytime move and 2 areas per night time move. (US units moving at night could be ambushed or get lost.) Units stop as soon as they enter an area already occupied by an enemy unit.

Weapon ranges

• Infantry weapons: Same area
• Flamethrowers: Same area
• Machine guns: Same or adjacent areas
• Mortars: Up to two areas
• Anti-tank guns: Same or adjacent areas
• Battalion guns: Up to two areas
• Pack guns: Up to two areas
• US Howitzers: Unlimited range

Combat
Combat occurs between US and Japanese ground forces in the same area. Both sides can receive support from air strikes, naval gunfire or nearby artillery/machine-gun units.

• Supporting fires roll a D6 per air strike, shore bombardment or artillery unit supporting the ground forces. Each score of 6 removes one enemy ground unit. Japanese support fire (artillery) fires first;
• First round of ground combat roll a D6 for each ground unit in action, removing one enemy unit for each 6 scored. If one side was in sole occupancy of the area at the beginning of the turn, it rolls first and the other side's losses are removed before firing.
• Second and third round of ground combat. As for 2 but both sides fire simultaneously.
• If the US forces lose more units than the Japanese they must retreat one area.
• If the Japanese lost more than the US and advanced into the area this turn they must retreat one area. Otherwise the survivors fight on.

The above is not a complete set of rules, but they do give a flavour of how they work.