Our illustrious Chairman takes us through a recent game of Chain of Command.
Picture the scene, Linton Village Hall on a sunny Saturday morning, a gathering of War Gamers at one of the oldest clubs in the UK and a game of big CoC. Me, Mark J (club chairman), Alan K (long time fan of Lard), Pete S (best damn terrain builder south of Leeds), Eric G (bravest of them all) and last but never least Dave P (another keen lardman). All of us ready to do battle across an eight by five table.
I decided I had to run a game of Chain of Command at the club based around the aftermath of the encounter at Hill 226 on Sunday 30th July 1944, right at the start of operation Bluecoat in Normandy. What happened on that day was a crushing encounter for the Scots Guards, who were I believe one of the first British units to encounter the mighty Jagdpanther, three of them in fact. The encounter left 11 Churchills destroyed and sadly quite a few Scots casualties. If you go to Hill 226 now you will see a memorial to them.
The game took place Monday 31st July with a bit of a ‘what if’ twist to it. What if instead of simply zooming off after giving the Guards a very bloody nose, the Germans consolidated against the Guards right flank just beyond Hill 226 taking advantage of their tactical victory.
British forces
Two platoons of British infantry, The Argylls. Supported by a Vickers machine gun team, one 17 pound AT gun, an engineer team and a medic. Both platoons were armed with Gammon Bombs. The British also benefited from a pre battle bombardment and a company HQ and replen point.
One troop of Scotts Gaurds, 2 Churchill mk VIIs supported by 1 Churchill Crocodile from the 79th Division.
German forces
1 platoon of German infantry, 326th Division. Supported by MG42 team, 20mm flack cannon, 88mm flack gun and a Stug IIIG.
One Jagdpanther, 311 Leutnant Scheiber
The Battle
We played a broad front big CoC with two British objectives. British orders were to take both objectives (a road junction and farm just beyond Hill 226) and hold until reinforcements arrive. The British had good intel having carried out night patrols and were aware that while the Germans had pulled in some heavy fire power, they were short on manpower. Actual intel at the time stated that the 326th were depleted and in need of rest.
The Germans having hastily consolidated their position had relatively poor intel, I told the German player to expect heavy armour and a flame thrower. I took the decision to add a Crocodile as they were in the area at the time. The addition of intel worked well, with the German player selecting two mine fields and placing one across a road, the only place where the Crocodile could pass without using its flame thrower or another Churchill smashing through the bocage hedges to clear a path. I had given the Crocodile three shots with the flamethrower.
The battle started with Pete’s platoon probing the middle section of the battlefield hoping to sweep right around the woods to reach the farm. Eric to the left fank heading for the road junction, a dangerous mission given substantial open ground to cover towards the objective. Dave’s troop supported Pete’s sweep by pushing against the German’s weaker right flank (or so he thought).
Alan played things pretty cool, not deploying for the first four phases as he tried to sus out the British plan. He knew given the terrain (bocage into farmland) that the Brits would have to pepper pot with one Platoon taking the attack to him, exposing his position with the other following up and of course the heavy armour and support. Despite a lack of Germans, the British attack was quite sluggish, and they failed to deploy their platoon mortar teams. The open ground between hedges was clearly worrying them and over occupying their thoughts.
Pete was the first to take the bit between his teeth ordering Eric to push on (Pete had company HQ) he moved forward with two sections leaving one behind cover. Time for the first German ambush. As the Argyles began to cross a field toward another hedge and potential German territory, they heard the Blam! Blam! Blam! of a 20mm flack cannon. The section hit the dirt taking one causality and two shock, could have been a lot worse.
As this was taking place the Crocodile rumbled into view just to the right of Pete’s platoon, further right a Mk VII took on a bocage hedge hoping to flatten it and create another route to the Farm for the Crocodile. Unfortunately, the Mk VII didn’t make it across the hedge and was ambushed by a couple of German infantrymen with a Panzerfaust, Boom! one Churchill down. Not looking too good for the Brits. To make things worse Alan had thrown a double phase and once again blasted the poor Argylls with his 20mm, a section corporal was hit and stunned leaving the lead section stuck in the open.
Now was the time for the Crocodile to have a go, having got into range Woosh! Great streaks of flame burst out toward the 20mm flack gun destroying it and the crew plus the hedge it was using for cover. There was now a gap in front of the Argylls in open ground. What would they do next.
Alan clearly feeling it was time for some serious heavy metal deployed Jagdpanther 311 at the farm with a line of site along the road through the woods into British territory. The British responded by deploying their 17 pounder in line of sight of the Jagdpanther, a gutsy move given they would not be able to move away in time if things didn’t go well. The Germans struck ambushing the 17 pounder as it deployed and got ready to fire. An 88mm HE shell hitting the gun but doing no significant damage, unbelievable luck. The crew wasted no time firing an AT round at the beast and taking it out in one shot to a roar of cheers from the Brits. The last few minutes may have turned the battle in their favour.
On the British right flank Eric had followed orders and had pushed hard, finally deploying his platoon mortar and laying smoke he quickly moved toward the objective using sound tactics of cover and move and deploying a reconnaissance team. However just as he reached the objective, he was ambushed by a German infantry section losing two men and gaining shock. Eric continued to lay smoke well, blocking line of sight but his attack had stalled. He fought on to hold the road junction but lost a section corporal, his lead section was now severely depleted and pinned. Eric pushed on with his two remaining sections towards the German infantry section.
Pete deployed his Lieutenant and rallied the lead section; on they went with a fresh section in support towards the broken ground. No smoke was used, and his men again hit the dirt after hearing the awful BRRRRRRP! of an MG 42. The lead section had been ambushed by a tripod mounted MG42, once again luck was on their side and while this stalled their advance they took no casualties. Pete finally started to lay smoke across the German line buying his men some time to recover and move.
The Germans sensing a pivotal moment in the battle deployed another infantry section in front of Pete’s platoon. However, Eric poured fire onto their right flank forcing them back into a cornfield and in line of site of the Crocodile. Woosh! another blast of flame and Five of the section were gone, their leader remained unscathed amazingly and they fell back to some vines to the left of the Farm. The Germans now pulled back their other section giving up the road junction to consolidate their position at the farm, the Stug III was also deployed.
Once again, the Brits stalled staying behind their line of smoke and not taking the ground. The second Mk VII pushed on to right of Pete’s flank where his third section had deployed in the woods in front of the farm. The Crocodile moved across the minefield which had now been made safe by the engineer team. The British re-supplied obtaining more smoke and got ready for a final attack but time had run out.
A great game followed by a de-brief at the pub next door. What did we learn from this game. As always having fun is the main objective which we did. The Brits had opportunities to push on which would have resulted in causalities, but we all agreed would likely have won the day. Easy to say hard to do, no one wants to lose their troops.
It saw a rag-tag French outfit as the defender facing a determined German company supported by a platoon of tanks. The French were made up of a platoon of Foreign Legion and a platoon of Tirailleurs Sénégalais on one side of the river, needing to withdraw across the bridges and a Motorcycle platoon holding those bridges. The French also had some support in the form of an anti-tank gun and some engineers in a truck – the latter to demolish the bridges before the Germans could capture them intact. Along with two Bouteilles Incendiaires, two roadblocks and a couple of full Chain of Command dice for the withdrawing troops, this was the defending force. The Germans, in addition to their infantry company and tank platoon, had an Adjutant, a Pioneer team in a Kubelwagen, a SdKfz 222 armoured car, an infantry gun and a truck with four rubber boats. It wouldn’t have been an early war game without a Shabby Nazi Trick – the German players selected a fifth column sniper (Jean-Claude). We played through the patrol phase which saw some interesting jockeying for positions around the buildings on the German side of the board. With jump off points then positioned we were ready for the meat of the game.
Repeated exchanges of fire were telling on the French forces as they tried to hold the Germans long enough for their engineers to deploy and mine the bridges.
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