Notes from the front

A long and wordy post, mostly for me as a record of the reading I have been doing around the Korean War.

For a war that is so often labelled as forgotten, there is a surprising number of books. Many of which seem to be called The Korean War. Wedged as it is between the second world war and Vietnam it is understandable that it often appears lower in understanding and awareness of people in the US, UK and Australia. Among gamers this strapline is misplaced. However, it is a complex conflict, occurring in a time of enormous change in politics, culture, and technology, so a certain amount of confusion and misunderstanding is not surprising.

Perspectives and memories of the Korean war vary widely (in this it is not unique).  The war is not forgotten in Korea (North or South). Indeed, in the North in particular, it is not even over. Japan, officially at least, has the usual myopia over its role and actions in the early to mid-twentieth century. I think China, who in some ways should know better given the interaction with their neighbour over many years, has its usual understanding of the facts subsumed to the perceived needs of the ruling party.

A useful antidote to perception bias is to read widely, although my reading has still been skewed to the Australian experience. Nearly all of my books have been borrowed from the wonderful Goldfields Library. How ace are libraries?

TLDR; Where to start and don’t want to read 15 books? For gamers, the Osprey Men-At-Arms is probably the quickest overview if you want a little more than Bolt Action supplement. For a comprehensive military overview, either Hastings (more military) or Cummins (more politics) are the place to start. Both are good, but you probably only need to read one. From there, it will really depend on your interests. Probably the best book I read, the one that fired my imagination the most, was Scorched Earth, Black Snow. Although it focuses on Commonwealth units in 1950, I think even US readers will find this engaging and evocative.

Korean War Histories

The Korean War, Max Hastings (1987). By weight, Hastings wins. Lots of other authors refer to Hastings, and with some reason as it is a comprehensive overview of the war. Its main limitation (if the size doesn’t daunt you) is it is a very western view, with mostly US and UK voices. This is in part because of the material available at the time (it was first published in 1987). With this caveat, Hastings is a successful military history.

The Korean War: a history, Bruce Cummins (2010). I don’t know if Cummins and Hastings get along, but Cummins doesn’t like Hastings’ book. This alone makes this history worth reading. The disputes between the two are modest, residing in interpretation or emphasis rather than the narrative of events. Cummins has the advantage of access to additional scholarship and source material since Hastings published. He also frames the hot war of 50 to 53 in the longer history of the Korean Peninsula, which helps understand how it this war did not really erupt from nowhere, even if Korea was not well known in the West.

Brothers at War: the unending conflict in Korea, Shelia Miyoshi Jager (2013). A comprehensive history of the Korean struggle, written using the widest range of voices of any of the books I have read on this topic, including Chinese sources. Those looking for details on particular battles will need to look elsewhere (but plenty of material is available, e.g. Hastings or works on specific battles or units). However, those looking to understand the origins and ongoing repercussions of the Korean War should read Miyoshi Jager.

The Korean War 1950-53: Osprey Men-at-Arms, Nigel Thomas and Peter Abbott (1986). The usual, useful overview of the conflict, along with photos and references for painting.

Australian Experience in Korea

Scorched earth, black Snow: Britain and Australia in the Korean War, Andrew Salmon (2011). Scorched earth, black snow zooms in on not just the first year of the war, but the experiences of the British and Australian battalions during that year. This tighter focus compared with the grander histories leaves plenty of room to bring lots of colour and detail on the battles, individuals and locations involved.

The Korean War: Australia in the giant’s playground (2010), Cameron Forbes. This book focuses on Australia’s involvement in Korea, with insight into Australia at the time as well as placing the role of Australian forces in the wider struggle. Forbes quotes many documents from the time, letters, newspapers and reports that helps bring the history to life. It includes material on the air force and navy contributions.

A Different Sort of War: Australians in Korea 1950-53, Richard Trembath (2005). Dry but extensive survey of the Australian experience in Korea, includes many quotes from the time.

The Battle of Maryang San: Australian Army Campaign Series; these are great a series, researched and produced by the Army History Unit. It is well worth checking if the campaign or theater you’re interested in is covered by this series. This Korean contribution is no different.

Memoires

The Last Call of the Bugle, Jack Gallaway (1994). Gallaway is one of the books frequently quoted in the sources of more recent books on Australians in Korea. It is worth reading for an insight into those who fought. Some of the language is dated but it is a classic of the genre.

Wild Knights in No-Man’s Land: The Korean War recalled by an Australian Infantry Officer, Bruce Matthews (2004). The memoire of a New Zealand reservist who volunteered in the Australian Army to head to Korea. I’m not convinced that Matthews is always accurate on events he is not directly involved in, but this is fascinating for focusing on the late stage of the war just before the armistice. By this time the battlefield was more static, though still deadly, occurring in a series of trenches and dugouts, with fierce night-time encounters in no-man’s land.

Mates, Mortars and Minefields: Korea, Ernie R. Holden (2006). Another late war memoire, where Holden deployed with 2RAR in 1953. This work is a wonderfully quirky, self-published affair. Worth the read if you can track down a copy from your library.

Royal Australian Air Force in Korea

Across the Parallel: Australian 77^th Squadron with the USA Air Force in Korea, George Odgers (1952). This book is remarkable for when it was published, 1952, while the war was still on. Odgers was writing the official RAAF history of the second world war when he asked to go to Korea and report on 77 Squadron there. As well as a fascinating story from a part of the war sometimes overlooked, written as it was at the time, it is a bit of peek into values at the time around race, gender and politics.

A unique flight: the historic aircraft collection of the Australian War Memorial, Michael V Nelmes (2008). Includes a chapter on the Mustangs and Meteors used by 77^th Squadron RAAF in Korea.

Indigenous Australian Involvement

Two books not directly related to the Korean War but a fascinating reminder that there is no single soldiers experience. Both have sections on the Korean War, including brief biographies of Captain Reg Saunders who was deployed with 3RAR (and with 2/7^th Battalion in WW2).

Serving our Country: Indigenous Australians, War, Defence and Citizenship, ed. Beaumont & Cadzow.

Defending Country, Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Military Service Since 1945, Riseman and Trembath.

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See you in the stacks!

Put it in the truck

Apparently the Chinese lacked transport, with most of their offensive action taking place on foot. The made for a logistical nightmare and shortages of supplies of all types at the front. One significant plus, was the Chinese were not limited to the frail and often inadequate road network. Chinese forces would bypass UN positions (often at night) in a sort of slow moving pedestrian blitzkrieg.

To reflect this in my Bolt Action Korea force I thought I would not take any transports. Bang on theme, and a couple less models to purchase and paint. However, the Bolt Action rules require tows for nearly all artillery, even light howitzers. Not unreasonable, I guess, guns are heavy and are only useful if they come with ammunition (and all the other stuff they must need). So, I ordered a Morris 15cwt 4×4 from Perry Bros. Apparently the communists had a bunch of lend lease left over from the second world war (including ex-KMT).

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The kit is resin, which I don’t work with enough to really know all the tricks. Giving it a good wash seems to be the most important trick The model itself had very little flash and went together easily with a minimum of filing. The driver was british, complete with soup-bowl helmet so I did a head swap. I hid the cut with a green-stuff scarf, painted red, of course.

This is the third time I thought this army was finished. I don’t remember buying anything else recently but post being what it is at the moment, I guess we’ll find out.

See you in the trenches.

The Chinese Arrive

Beware imperial running dogs; the brave Chinese volunteers are here to help liberate the South and unify Korea. I’m pretty happy with how this Chinese Communist Volunteer force came together, so I thought I’d do a few action shots. The models are from Warlord Games, for their Korea extension to the rather fun Bolt Action game.

Medium machine gun

Gaz Jeep

Flamethrower team

Light mortar

Bazooka team

There are three core sets in the range so far: an infantry squad, conscript squad and a HQ/support weapon box. There are a small number of additional figures available, mostly in specialist weapon roles including flamer and bazooka teams. It is a little limited if you want to field unique models for some of the specialist units like grenadiers and scouts, however there is a reasonable range of poses for all metal figures. Plenty of choice to get things going.

Next valley over are the support weapons: SU-76 and anti-tank gun. This force will likely struggle against heavy armour (bazookas in Bolt Action are a bit of a lottery) but will otherwise be competitive.

I tried a few black and white shots for a bit of fun.

Commander keeps an eye on the advance in the valley below

Supporting fire from the heights

The Chinese push forward

No games yet, but I guess that gives me time to paint up the free world opposition, most likely US Army, because I have a bunch of plastics in the cupboard so I won’t have to buy any additional models. Of course, a Marine unit would be quite iconic, or a representation of the Commonwealth Brigade would both be ace modelling opportunities. So many choices.

D.

Just drive the jeep, man

In what seems a long time ago, Warlord Games had a sale where I picked some additional Bolt Action Korea miniatures to expand my Chinese force. It still hasn’t reached the table, but that is a rather dull story that we are all familiar with at the moment. I’m close to finishing the next batch of infantry (I’m up to basing), but I finished a Gaz jeep.

Most likely it will be used as a tow for a light howitzer or anti-tank gun. I guess it could be a flamethrower or bazooka taxi, which is not historical but can be useful in game terms.

I’m also claiming it as part of paint the crap you already own hobby challenge, because it was started before 1 April.

Now, back to the painting table.

D.

Company Assets

In the 1940s and 50s Australian army, MMG and medium mortars were typically company (sometimes battalion) assets, deployed in support as missions required. Given how lean the Communist Chinese were in everything except soldiers, I suspect these heavier support weapons were also managed by Co. HQ (or higher). I have completed an MMG and medium mortar, the last of my initial wave of Chinese Volunteers for Bolt Action Korea. I now have enough for a small game with what I hope is a balanced force.

I like medium machine guns despite being mostly ineffective in Bolt Action games. They are historic, commanding far more respect and consideration on actual battlefields.
A topic of much discussion among Bolt Action players, perhaps a topic for another post.

Now to get a game or two in, even as I start on some reinforcements, two more squads on the paint-table.

Turns out my local library has a good military history section, so I’m also continuing my reading. I suspect by the end of this lot I’ll have had my fill of Korean War history for the moment.,

I’ll let you know if any are worth picking up.

D.

An anti-tank asset

A wee fudge, the Chinese did have Soviet produced anti-tank guns but this one comes with some uniforms too. It is a Soviet a/t from the very useful little kit from Plastic Soldier Company (in 28mm). I will be use using it as a support choice for my CCV in Bolt Action Korea.

It went together easily, and being all plastic means no super-glued fingers which is a modest bonus. I’m very much enjoying this project, it is coming along nicely.

D.

The Chinese start to arrive

I’m up to basing the first of my Chinese Volunteer force for Bolt Action Korea. I think they look OK, certainly en masse they will do the job.

 

Not long now and I’ll be able to cross the Yalu and help my KPA comrades liberate the south.

 

Korean Reading

The Korean War often comes with a tagline The Forgotten War, but this doesn’t seem quite right to me. The Korean War is remembered, although the details are certainly hazy. ANZAC Day here in Australia acknowledges the conflict, but I don’t recall Kapyong or Maryang San called out separately in speeches unlike the major battles of the world wars. My own understanding was (is!) equally hazy. But I knew enough to think it probably had some rewarding gaming potential. So, in addition to picking up Bolt Action Korea, I have been doing some reading.

Like most Bolt Action books, BAK has a lot of history in it. I made some observations on the gaming part here (which not surprisingly is most of the content). The history chapter is a good introduction to the conflict. It is a tough gig presenting a summary of such of varied and complex war, and authors Steven Urquhart Smith and Jon Russell have written an accessible overview that goes to some effort to place the war is a larger historical context. Those with a bit more history probably skip this section anyway and head straight to the gaming content. I normally do. But those that do this chapter are rewarded with a history that starts in the mid-7th century, an amount of context not found in most overviews.

Anyone interested in more detail will quickly reach for other books. The Men-at-Arms series from Osprey is a common first (or at least early) choice among wargamers starting a new conflict. For those who have already read BAK (or other introductions), there may be little new in The Korean War 1950-53. It comes with the usual colour plates, which were the main reason I picked this one up. I also enjoyed the snippets on Ethiopia, Turkey, Thailand and some of the other smaller nations who made up the UN forces.

My copy is print on demand, which makes sense for a publisher with such a large catalogue. The Korean War was first published in 1986, and so may otherwise be hard to get hold of. However, while the text is crisp, some of the pictures are not (yet) the same quality as the full off-set print runs. Side by side here is the same illustration, on the left in Bolt Action Korea, the left the print on demand Men-at-Arms. Not awful, and better than not having access at all, but a drop in quality can be seen.

rulebook

men-at-arms

Scorched Earth, Black Snow (2011) is written by a western journalist who lived in Korea. By focusing on just the initial period of the war, and just the Commonwealth Brigade the author has the opportunity to go into detail that more general narratives cannot. One of the strengths of this book is that includes information (where available) on the Chinese, ROK, and KPA, and acknowledges the terrible civilian toll (North and South).

More focused again is The Last Call of the Bugle (1999), the story of 3RAR the first Australian battalion deployed. This is one of the source books referenced in Scorched Earth, Black Snow, and brings the action closer again, down from brigade and battalion to company level.

Published by the Australian Army History Unit, the Australian Army Campaigns Series is a terrific line of studies. This is the only one in the series that covers Korea (so far), but is a concise and informative description of the engagement. If you are interested in a theater or war that includes Australian troops I recommend you check out this series.

A shout-out to the Goldfields Library in central Victoria. It turns out they have an ace collection of Korean War books, larger than the Melbourne or State libraries. It is wonderful to have resources like this publicly available, especially in regional areas.

What about you? Are there any titles on the Korean War that you have found useful or interesting?

D.

Bolt Action Korea

Warlord Games have released supplement that covers the Korea War, extending the game for the first time into the post-war period. Bolt Action Korea is an ambitious book, covering army lists for the diverse belligerents on both sides, and history and scenarios all the way from the initial, frenetic North Korean invasion to the brutal trench-warfare that lasted until the armistice three years later.

It is a terrific addition to the Bolt Action family, extending the game beyond the second world war into a complex and challenging battle space. This is clearly a labour of love by the authors, play testers and the Warlord production team. There are some good podcast interviews about where you can hear from the authors on their thinking and challenges. I recommend both the official Warlord Podcast and SNAFU for a listen, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Including lists for all the major armies is a wise choice. There is list for everyone. Korea, North and South, have dedicated lists, as do the Chinese. The UN forces are represented by British Commonwealth and US lists. Five distinct lists in one book.

The US list allows for many of the other UN nations with smaller contingents like Turkey. The addition of the Korean embedded forces is a nice touch that makes the US list feel different to their (late) WWII counterparts.

The missions help tell the history, and also showcase some of the armies such as the hoard aspect of the Chinese army. The missions in the core rule book, and I suspect many in the existing campaign books, will still work fine too. I like that not all the scenarios seem to be totally balanced. In any game that purports to a historical bent, this totally makes sense to me.

I have a few niggles with the book. It suffers from the usual frustrations around editing. Deployment descriptions can be vague, and briefing maps are not always clear. Not enough to ruin the book, but I know this puts some people off. Rather than a complete how-to, I think BAK is more of a source-book for your own inspiration. I like this, but I know this puts some people off.

What makes Bolt Action Korea different to the WWII range? Well, I don’t know for sure because I haven’t played any games yet- I’m still painting. I think missions will be the key to bringing out any distinct flavour, but even just a chance to get some late war toys on the table (for British and US players), and three new armies to try out seems like a winner to me.

Bolt Action Korea is a terrific addition to the range.

Nearly table ready

My Chinese for Bolt Action Korea are edging closer to being ready. Some highlights and basing to go. I have also started on some support options, an MMG and a medium mortar.

Looking at these photos, the putties need to be a different shade to the pants,  and I need to perform some touch-ups here and there (particularly the boots). I finally had a look at what squads I can assemble. Together with the self-propelled gun, and assuming they are regular, I have around 750 points across around 13-14 order dice.

Officer+man
Commissar/Political Officer
Medic
3 or 4 squads of rifle men (2 with LMG), depending on the squad size
Grenadiers
Guerrillas
MMG
Medium Mortar
Light anti-tank gun (or maybe medium, I need to check)
SU-76

plus the free 12 man conscript squad.

A lot of bodies, I suspect I need to increase the squad sizes and add 2 or 3 more large squads to bring the points up to 1,000. Lucky they’re pretty straight forward to paint.

The grenadier squad is funky, armed only with grenades (same as pistols in game effect), they can forward deploy. Alone they will get massacred which is why I took a squad of guerrillas too, who can also forward deploy.

I think it will be hard to win with this army. It will need to be played aggressively, getting stuck in early but keeping enough punch in reserve to followup. I fear not many will get to see their loved ones again north of the Yalu river, so it’s starting to look a bit historical.

D.