FIrst Game of Combat Commander Pacific

Played my first game of Combat Commander Pacific last night.  Operation Cherry Blossom - USMC landing on Bougainville Island on the 1st of November, 1943.  My opponent was Jason, an experience Combat Commander Europe player but his first go at the Pacific.

Basically, after an initial naval bombardment, the USMC arrive in two waves and have to get off the beach and take the scenario objectives or wipe out the Japanese defenders.  The Japs are in bunkers and trenches and have no surrender and will fight to the end.  The Marines will surrender if they loose 16 squads.  The game feels a lot like the original Squad Leader.  However all movement and firing are controlled by cards.  Each player has a huge deck of cards.  You each have a card hand that you replenish each turn.  The cards have orders such as fire, move, charge etc.  You might really want to assault a trench but unless you have an advance card in your hand you can't.  Random events pop up that put your plans in array.  Your card hand management is very important.

The USMC won the game (me).  The game played very well once I worked out the eb and flow of the card system.  The game took 2.5 hours.  The scenario was really well designed giving both players equal chance of winning.  All in all, a very positive experience for me.  Many thanks to Jason for teaching me how to play.