Go For Broke (Third Edition):
Scenario Preview, Part Two
By Mike Bennighof, Ph.D.
June 2022

As we race toward the centennial of World War II's outbreak (shocking, no?) some stories still need telling. As far as I know, our Panzer Grenadier: Go For Broke remains the only wargame treatment of the United States Army’s most decorated combat unit. What could possibly set the 442nd Regimental Combat Team apart from other formations?

They were Japanese-American, fighting for a country that actively hated them. Their exploits – and these battles remain amazing feats of arms – are sometimes highlighted as though that wipes away the shame of white America (that thing that we’re not supposed to discuss, lest it make anyone uncomfortable).

If you encounter history that makes you feel good, you’ve probably actually run across a fairy tale. The full story of the 442nd includes some pretty ugly truths, and in Go For Broke, we don’t shy away from telling them, just as we did with the no-holds-barred searing truth told in Panzer Grenadier: Black Panthers. Part of that truth is the Nisei combat record, told through the game scenarios. Let’s have a look at the rest of Chapter One, focused on the 100th Infantry Battalion, a Japanese-American unit from Hawaii that later merged into the 442nd.

Scenario Five
Hill 529
23 October 1943
As part of the 133rd Infantry Regiment’s effort to encircle Sant’Angelo d’Alife, the Nisei Battalion was to occupy Hill 529 while the 3rd Battalion occupied Hill 630. This would either force the enemy out or pin them for the 1st Battalion to deal with later. A and C companies led the way, pushing forward aggressively despite signs of heavy German resistance.

Conclusion   
Once their advance had been stopped the Nisei were counterattacked by enemy armor. In heavy fighting the Americans drove off their tormentors, with Pvt. Masao Awakuni claiming one with a bazooka. Awakuni prepared to fire, but his glasses had fogged over in the humidity. With the tank idling 25 yards away, he put down the bazooka, wiped his glasses clean, then picked it up and fired the rocket into its side. Despite Awakuni’s heroism the Nisei could not resume their advance. The other tanks inflicted heavy casualties on the battalion. During the night the Germans would retreat allowing the Americans to enter the village unopposed the next day.

Notes
The Germans are attacking, but this time it’s the Nisei who hold the high ground. Their morale is excellent, which is a good thing, because they’re probably going to have to take care of the German armor (one platoon’s worth) with their bare hands.

Scenario Six
Ciorland
31 October 1943
The cold and rain of the last month had finally turned the battlefield into a quagmire. Wheeled vehicles could barely traverse the roads while tracked vehicles had become road bound. Even so the greatest hardships were endured by the foot soldiers of both sides who climbed unimaginably steep hills, fought a relentless foe, and then slept fireless in the cold mud. The Nisei battalion’s original commander, Lt. Col. Farrant L. Turner, was relieved of duty. His replacement, Maj. James L. Gillespie, had the same orders: continue the advance.

Conclusion 
With grit and determination, and in spite of the awful conditions, the Americans managed to overcome the defenses of Ciorland. The Germans fled further north, but only far enough to regroup. Hopefully the muck-covered and exhausted GIs were able to sleep in a warm shelter that night for their effort. Regardless, within days they would be back on the offensive.

Notes
Everyone’s had their numbers worn down, but they’re still ready to fight on both sides. The Nisei are of course on the attack, because that’s what they do, and it’s a tough assignment between the Germans and the mud. It’s not a very large scenario, but the ground conditions make it pretty tense.

Scenario Seven
Deja Vu All Over Again
4 November 1943
The Volturno River followed a serpentine course across the path of the 34th Infantry Division, forcing repeated crossings on the attacking Americans. And so for the third time the men of the 133rd Infantry Regiment were ordered to fight their way over the Volturno. The Nisei and 1st Battalions were to take three small hills on the left flank while the 3rd Battalion secured Santa Maria Oliverto. When the men went forward, they encountered the newly-arrived German 305th Infantry Division.

Conclusion
The Nisei and the 3rd Battalion began the slog up the slopes shortly after sunup and quickly secured their objective. A little later, the Iowa National Guardsmen of the 133rd’s 1st Battalion occupied Hill 550. However, due to the tardy support by other elements of the 34th “Red Bull” Infantry Division and increasing German resistance, the Iowans and Nisei were unable to reach their assigned hills farther north.

Notes
And now we have a big scenario – the Nisei have a lot of help from the Iowa National Guard, but they’re facing off with a fresh German division that has the numbers, weapons and especially morale to help it hold its ground. It’s still an infantry fight, so a lot depends on how the Allied player deploys the Nisei shock battalion.

Scenario Eight
Hill 610                                               
5 November 1943
While the Germans were counterattacking the rest of the regiment, the Nisei captured Hill 610 with a daring daylight assault in the face of heavy German artillery fire. Once there they dug in and awaited further developments. As they suspected, late in the afternoon the Germans decided to reoccupy their hilltop real estate.

Conclusion
Repeatedly the Germans formed up for assaults, and just as often amazingly accurate mortar fire broke up their efforts before they could get very far. Lt. Neill M. Ray with two Nisei corporals, Katsushi Tanouye and Bert K. Higashi, had established a carefully hidden observation post well ahead of the American lines to bring the fire down on the Germans. Realizing what the Americans had done but unable to pinpoint the Nisei post, all of the German artillery in the sector began a steady rolling barrage across the ground in front of the American positions until the three were killed by a direct hit. Even without this aid, by nightfall it was over and the Americans still occupied the heights of Hill 610. This marked the final attempt by the Germans to reoccupy the area around Santa Maria Oliverto.    

Notes
This one’s just a little scenario, with little more than a strong company of Nisei trying to fend off a German assault. Most of the advantages go to the Germans, but the Americans have the high ground and they are Nisei.

Scenario Nine
Struggling North 
8 November 1943
After being rebuffed in their final efforts around Santa Maria Oliverto on 5 November, it appeared to the tired 5th Army troops that the Germans were falling back to their next defensive line. These hopes proved illusory as the wily men in gray took up positions on the reverse slope of the next range of hills and prepared a surprise for their pursuers.

Conclusion
As the Nisei struggled forward through the rugged terrain the Germans gave way and then infiltrated back through the lines - no area was totally secured. Battalion command experimented with increased patrols to deal with the security problem but found they had greatly weakened their main thrust. This back-and-forth continued until the 12th when the Nisei were pulled out of the line for a well-earned rest.

Notes
The Americans are attacking, but the Germans are ready to use the terrain to sneak past them once they advance. It’s an odd scenario on a long, narrow battlefield, made difficult by the small numbers on each side (a bigger problem for the Americans, who have to keep moving forward while securing their own rear areas).

And that’s Chapter One of Go For Broke. Next time, we’ll look at Chapter Two, when the Nisei bring a whole regiment to the party instead of just a battalion.

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Mike Bennighof is president of Avalanche Press and holds a doctorate in history from Emory University. A Fulbright Scholar and NASA Journalist in Space finalist, he has published a great many books, games and articles on historical subjects; people are saying that some of them are actually good. He lives in Birmingham, Alabama with his wife, three children, and his Iron Dog, Leopold. Leopold is hanging on.

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