Banzai Bollocks!

I thought I had better make clear the banzai charge rule for the Japanese ahead of Sunday's game.  Only fighting units (tank or infantry) can make a banzai charge.  When fired upon they become a +1 target but in close combat they get a +1 melee benefit.  There are only two situations in which a charge is declared;

1.  When a Japanese unit fails its morale it will charge the nearest enemy unit and initiate close combat.  If successful, the unit will revert to hold orders.
2.  A Japanese fighting unit once it has suffered a casualty may initiate a banzai charge instead of a break off move.  We use the same rule as a break off move but in reverse i.e the Japanese make two moves towards the nearest enemy and then revert hold orders.

The Russians will use the break off move as standard in the rules.  In addition, they must move at full speed when on attack and can only react to enemy spotted by individual platoons.  Morale will be random.  Russian units that fail morale will retreat two moves and are only removed if they are subsequently contacted by a Japanese unit or move into impassable terrain (i.e. the river).  These are covered by the advanced rules.

The Japanese might seem better but they can get into all kinds of trouble if they lose units in impetuous charges.  The Russians suit playing in depth allowing units that fail morale or use break off moves to fall through supporting units that will protect them from rampaging Japanese.

Neither side gets any pluses for initiative or can change orders under fire (no Germans here!).  Order changes will be difficult for both sides (remember to deploy regt HQs to give a +1 for order) and pre-planned artillery might be very useful.  Over-runs will be mostly in the open (not much terrain in this game) and initial deployments and orders will be crucial.

There will be tanks, armoured cars and aircraft, so I expect a lot of combat.  Check out the Khalkin Gol scenario at Rapid Fire (Mark Pipers site) to view map and OOB and let me know whether you have any preference for which side you want to play.