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Another little glimpse of MC-W or MC-3
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A LITTLE GUN WITH A BIG BITE
By Wild Bill Wilder

As Marine troops frantically set up defenses along the Ilu River on the afternoon of August 20th in anticipation of the arrival of the Japanese Ichiki force, two Marine riflemen walked to their positions. Both were part of a machine gun team.

Grumbling as Marines always do, the machine gunners broke down their equipment and began moving it inland. As they passed the sand spit near the mouth of the Ilu, they observed an artillery team entrenching a small 37mm gun.

The thought passed through some of their minds that such a "pop gun" would do little good in the upcoming fight. Near the sandbags being put into position was a pile of canisters. One gunner asked the other what they were.

"Canister," the other Marine caustically explained. "Those canisters are made of hardened wax filled with large steel ball bearings. When one is fired, the wax melts from the heat and the large shot sprays out in a widening pattern of death. It's kinda like a giant shotgun, but with some mighty powerful buckshot."

The inquisitive Marine paused for a moment contemplating the canisters. "Good God almighty, those things could kill a feller."

Could and did would be better stated. Fired at point blank range during the all-night battle at the Ilu, the canister rounds were lethal beyond all expectation against the bunched-up charging Japanese soldiers.

It would be one of the most valuable weapons on the line during the encounter.

Source: Challenge for the Pacific, Leckie
Pacific War Encyclopedia, Dunnigan and Nofi
The USMC in WW2, Smith

Retired my ass! You still teasing us with your great scenarios! Looking forward to this one...

hehe, I had no idea that this ammo type had been resurrected in modern battles.

But I guess it would work against human wave attacks, the likes of which Marines faced in WW@ and esp. Korea.

Matt

True

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True, hard to quit what I love so much. We spent years getting Steel Panthers to this level of excellence.

It's like giving a handyman a garage full of new tool, then thinking he won't make anything new.

No way!

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This one is going to open your eyes and fill your satisfaction to the brim with Pacific goodies.

Wild Bill

I thought that Steel Panthers couldn't simulate this type of round.

Well, there was a beehive/canister round for the 152mm cannon on the Sheridan. That was really useful too.

Tomo

You are right, Dan. The game does not have that. So we had to, as they say, "improvise and overcome."

I purchased the 37mm guns. I then tested it and found it woefully inadequate for killing infantry. We then experimented with various possibilities. I finally decided upon this one.

I removed the 37mm gun (though it still has that name and characteristics) and replaced with a 105mm gun). It did prove very effective at close range against infantry, much as the canister round in the 37mm gun.

It has proven to be a very viable alternative. We just could not get that effect any other way.

Wild Bill

Originally posted by Khan7:
hehe, I had no idea that this ammo type had been resurrected in modern battles.

But I guess it would work against human wave attacks, the likes of which Marines faced in WW@ and esp. Korea.

Matt

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The Germans also had a canister round for (at least) their 75mm ATG it consisted of 9mm steel balls and was used for close in defense against infantry. Canister has always been an excelent round for close in work against infantry just ask Pickett.