Chain of Command - Sicily

 Wargames Soldiers and Strategy magazine's recent issue (WSS131) has an article and scenario by Too Fat Lardies' Nick Skinner for a British platoon in Normandy.  While I don't have any figures or terrain suitable to Normandy in 1944, I realised that I could easily set up this scenario using my figures and terrain for Sicily in 1943!  Sam from Trumpeters has been interested in playing more Chain of Command, so Arthur and I set up the table, and invited Sam over to try out the scenario.

I read up on using real world fire and maneuver tactics using Chain of Command, including an article by Len Tracy in the 2023 Lard Mag.  With this research in mind, I decided to take the Canadian platoon.  Sam as a result took the German defenders.

Here is the battlefield.  The Canadians have been tasked with clearing the Germans from the orchard and farmhouse in the foreground.

Canadian platoon.  Two senior leaders (lieutenant and sergeant), three sections of infantry, engineering mine clearing squadron, mortar FOO and Cobault the Sherman tank. 

German reduced strength platoon with senior leader, two squads, tripod-mounted MMG, sniper and Panzer IV (although Sam chose to take the Stug III instead).  Germans also get a single minefield.  

Patrol phase (click on the photo to magnify):  the patrol phase ended up in the centre of the table.  With lots of cover on the table, we were able to place our jump-off points closer to the middle of the table than in many other CoC games that I've been in.  Canadian JoPs are visible by the bend in the road, tucked into the sharp wall corner and tucked against the table edge.  German JoPs are at the rear of the orchard, inside the farmyard wall and in the farmhouse itself.  There is a fourth German JoP at the far table edge.

Close up of a couple of the German JoPs in the farmyard and farmhouse representing the primary targets for the Canadian attackers.

Canadians start off by deploying two sections from their JoP (the CMP truck).

First time this has happened for me!  Four sixes for a random event.  We ended up with 'Jabos' - overhead aircraft had everyone hitting the dirt for two phases.

 

Cobault enters the table.

First Canuck section is pinned, while the sappers try to clear the minefield.

Canadian sections move out of the line of fire of the sniper, but not before the corporal and sergeant are both wounded.

Sappers finally clear the minefield, as Cobault and the unpinned section move up to push the Germans out of the orchard.

Only to have the Germans spin around and take up a position on the other side of the barn!

Canadians capture one of the German JoPs, as well as the German medic who had been left behind when the infantry withdrew!

Third Canadian section moves up to support the advance.  Beside the barn, you can see the PIAT team trying to line up a shot on the Stug.

What's this?  The German leutnant takes a depleted German squad on a wild chase for the Canadian JoPs!

Faceoff between the Stug and the Sherman!  The smoke behind the Stug marks the covering fire that the Canadians had just set on the German MMG.  

Amazing armour save by Cobault!  

While the tank vs Stug battle goes on, Canadian third section lines up to attack the farmyard.

Brave German officer occupies two Canadian JoPs but can't for the turn end to get rolls on the BTH table.

PIAT team takes out the Stug.

Canadian third section assaulted and wiped out the second German section (no photo, sorry!) then moved to capture the JoP in the farmyard.  That was enough to take the German force morale to zero and a victory for the Canucks.

This was a tough, close fought game. The dice gave some crazy results.  Sam got a crazy number of double phases, but then was cursed by bad results when rolling to hit or damage.  There were lots of shots by the two armoured vehicles that either missed, or caused either minimal or no damage.  Sam's sniper missed an unlikely number of shots.  

I was disappointed not to have my usual 2" mortar.  On the other side, Sam's Germans had no anti-armour capability other than the Stug.  I only had limited success with my attempts to use the fire and maneuver tactics, so I am eager to try again to see if I can figure them out.

Thanks Sam for a great game!