Chain of Command - German Advance vs French Reconnaissance.

We played a smaller game last night with the German looking to push back the French reconnaissance patrol.

This was difficult for the Germans as they only had one anti tank weapon. The mortar they had only had HE so was not fired once.

The French armored cars had to wait to withdraw until a third car caught up with them.

The Germans tried to maneuver froward and knock out a car via either machine guns (mostly ineffective but do stop them firing/moving) and use of the antitank weapon.

On the last turn before the French withdraw intact a HMG forced the last remaining armored car to panic, withdrawing by 2". This then put it square in the sites of the antitank weapon. The result the car was immobilized resulting in a German win.

All figures and terrain supplied by Chris, building are nice cardboard and foam card creations.

A lone armored car realizes there are Germans ahead

The full table the German advancing up the left while a platoon is based in the house bottom right

A close up of the Germans vs 2 armored car, just about to wipe out the French MG (In the building) section pinning them down.

Chain of Command - "Hell & Heroism at Hannut".

Another game of Chain of Command, this time played at Wayland Games. This was the second (my first) of our new planned 'once a month on the last Friday of the month' games we have decided to give the very original title of "Friday Night Firefight".

This game was taken from the scenario "Den Ganzen Lieben Langen Tag!" in the Too Fat Lardies Christmas 2013 Special.

Somewhere in France 1940.

French Forces

1st Battalion, 1er Regiment des Dragons Portés
Motorised Dragoon Platoon
Command Dice: 5

Platoon HQ (7 men)
Lieutenant, senior leader, with pistol
Sergent, Senior Leader, with rifle
VB Launcher Team ‐ one VB grenade launcher with two crew, and three riflemen

Sections One –Three (Each 10 men)
Sergent, junior leader, with rifle
LMG Team – FM24/49 Châtellerault LMG with two crew and two riflemen
LMG Team – FM24/29 Châtellerault LMG with two crew and one rifleman
1 x VB Launcher team – VB grenade launcher with two crew

1 x Hotchkiss H39 with junior leader (long SA38 37mm gun, as France 1940 briefing but gun is AP 5)
1 x Hotchkiss H39 with junior leader (short SA18 37mm gun, AP is 4 as in rules)

2 x Roadblocks
1 x Minefield

German Forces

Schützen‐Regiment 4 and Panzer‐Regiment 35
Panzergrenadier Platoon
Command Dice: 6

Platoon HQ
Leutnant, senior leader, with pistol
Feldwebel, Senior Leader, with SMG
Le.GrW36 5cm mortar with three crew
7.9mm Panzerbüchse 38/39 anti‐tank rifle with two crew

Sections One –Three (Each 10 men)
Gefreiter, junior leader, with SMG
LMG Team – MG34 with three crew and two riflemen
LMG Team – MG34 with three crew and one rifleman

2 x Panzer II ausf C with junior leader
1 x Panzer III ausf E with junior leader

1 x Pre‐Game Barrage
1 x Engineer Mine Clearance Team

The Battleground

The German forces advance to the outskirts of the village.

It wasn't long before they had two squads and the HQ on the table.

The French were another matter entirely. For several phases they only managed to activate their two senior leaders and one squad!

The Germans took no time to advance through the village, taking up a defensive point in the large building.

Finally the French brought on another unit, this time one of their tanks. It promptly fired a few shots over the German heads!

The third German squad entered the village to the French right flank. The defenders were looking like they may be very quickly overwhelmed after only a few phases...

...indeed the German squad to the left flank had soon overrun one of the French jump off points!

A view of the battlefield - at this stage the Germans had three squads on the table, one in the large white building (the figures a short distance to the right of the picture are 'in' the building) another one just on the edge of the town square (to the left of the picture) and the last by the fencing. The French had one squad, two senior leaders and a tank.

The French then cam under fire from the Jerry across the town square...

...and just when it looked like it couldn't get any worse for them a German panzer rumbled up the road!

What followed was a bizarre series of die rolling (by me) that resulted in 6 double 6's being rolled (!!!!), thus carrying the turn over to the French for a long period of play.

First up, another French squad took up residence in the old medieval tower just off the town square - a perfect position to shoot at the Jerry below!

The third French squad then entered the field just behind them.

A massive fire-fight then erupted across the town. The French concentrated most of their firepower on the more exposed Germans by the town square - caught in the open and with the turn constantly carried over to the French they didn't stand a chance - after a few turns all that remained was the shocked MG crew and their unconscious Gefreiter. Not surprisingly they fled the field!

Meanwhile the first French squad turned its firepower on the Germans by the hedges but this was pretty much stalemate.

Deciding they were too exposed they retreated to the relative safety of a stone wall - unfortunately not all of them made it and those caught behind ended up taking some hits.

The French and German tanks exchanged shots across the town eventually forcing the French tank to retreat.

Finally I stopped rolling double 6's and the Germans got to play another phase...

...and that was about as far as we got.

The French Secret Weapon!

"Bonjour!"

*********************************************

We didn't get to play a full game but it all ran pretty smoothly, rulebook referencing was fairly minimal and all present enjoyed! The French looked like they were going to be severely battered within a few rounds of play but my ridiculous rolling streak of double 6's (yes, 6, surely some kind of record?) turned things around and the French almost looked like they could snatch it. Could have gone either way when we had to wrap up the game.

Figures and terrain are all from Chris other than the cobblestone roads kindly lent by Wayland Games.

Chain of Command - "Battle of Chateau le Bramford".

More Chain of Command, this time played over at Andrews. Chris and I took the Germans, Andrew and Robafett the plucky British.

Somwhere in France 1944.

The Germans are playing a delaying action against the British.

German Panzer Grenadiers

Regular +1
Command Dice: 5
Force Morale: 10

Hauptmann Matz
Junior Leaders (Obergefreiter Drouse, Obergefreiter Muller, Obergefreiter Berg)
3 sections (each 2 MG42 with 2 crew each, 5 Riflemen)
Panzerschreck Team (2 men)
Panzerschreck Team (2 men)

Adjutant
Medic

British Infantry Platoon

Regular +0
Command Dice: 5
Force Morale: 10

Captain Robertson
Platoon Sgt. Harris
Junior Leaders (Sgt. Mills, Sgt. Stevens, Sgt. Davis)
3 sections (each Bren Gun with 3 crew, 6 Riflemen)
PIAT Team (2 men)
2" Mortar Team (2 men)
Adjutant
Medic

M4 Sherman (Junior Leader, Sgt. Brent)

The Battleground

The Battle

The Germans moved up to take defensive positions. The first squad headed for the larger of the two ruined houses but could only get as far as the dense cover of the forest nearby. The second squad took cover in the smaller ruined farmhouse with part of the squad (with the MG) set up along the bocage.

The German Adjutant surveys the scene...

The British began their assault by moving one squad through the fields to their left flank and a second squad holed up in the farmhouse ruin to their right flank - just beating a German squad there!

The German squad in the forest moved forward to take up firing positions by a wall surrounding the farmhouse.

The German first squad prepared themselves for the attack.

The British secure the farmhouse...

While their first squad continues to move forward.

The third British squad makes its entrance over a low lying hill on their far right flank - adding to the fire-power aimed at the Germans in the forest. Shots ring out and battle rages across the hill, the farmhouse and the forest!

The Germans take several hits but manage to hold on under withering fire from the two British units.

The first British squad has meanwhile reached the edge of the bocage opposite the Germans and a minor stalemate ensues.

Back in the forest, the Germans continue to take fire and things are not looking good...

...until they are joined by a third German squad!

Now it is the British turn to endure heavy fire - the men on the low hill taking most of this.

The British / German stalemate continues on the other side of the battlefield.

Captain Robertson decides it is time to bring in the heavy guns and their Sherman rumbles onto the field!

The Germans in the forest are now under fire from a tank and two squads!

Back-up is on its way in the form of a panzershreck team.

The battle takes its toll on both sides...

Buoyed by the destruction of the Germans at the bocage and the arrival of the Sherman, the plucky British first squad launch an assault on the Germans holding the ruined house. Grenades fly in all directions but the Brits get several hits on the cowering Germans inside!

The tide is falling in the British favour on the other side of the battlefield too with the Germans struggling against the overwhelming force of the tank.

Despite this, the British squad on the hill have endured most of the German attack and when several of their comrades fall they decide they need to 'retreat and regroup'.

The attack on the house becomes a war of attrition and the Germans defenders are gradually whittled down to the lone Obergefreiter Drouse. Eventually he too is felled despite some desperate hand to hand action.

The Germans cannot bring their two panzerschreck teams to bear and both fall back.

In a dramatic moment of action the Sherman drives through the farmhouse garden wall, firing into the remaining Jerry in the forest...

...the situation looks bleak and they start to retreat.

A cry of "C'mon lads, up and at em!" rings out and the British first squad under Sgt. Mills lead a heroic charge at the last German defensive line.

The Sherman is not far behind and effectively cuts off the road, stopping the surviving Germans from the forest retreating to join their comrades.

They decide to move back and assault whoever remains at the farmhouse...which happens to be the battle hardened Captain Robertson and Platoon Sgt. Harris!

The rest of the British continue their charge against the remaining Germans at the rear - two panzershreck team...and the Adjutant. They have no chance...

Meanwhile, the attack on Captain Robertson and Platoon Sgt. Harris ends in hand to hand fighting and complete slaughter. Only the brave Captain remains alive, although unconscious!

The Germans are reduced to one shocked man holding a panzerschreck and Hauptmann Matz. Their morale is obliterated.

The medic sees to the British wounded.

*******************************************

Things almost panned out as near to a draw as you can get but ultimately the Germans moral crumbled at the end. Despite this they had held the British back and delayed them significantly. The British probably were the clear victors as they still had a tank and a reasonably healthy squad. The Jerry were reduced to pretty much a Junior Officer (Hauptmann Matz) and one rather shocked panzershreck man!

Another great game - we probably procrastinated and the battle took the whole day but with a few more games under our belts (and maybe more regular play) it should start to all come together.

Figures are a mix of Bolt Action, Black Tree, Crusader and Artizan belonging to Andrew and myself.