A Bridge Too Far

One of the things I like about Chain of Command is that because the rules are oriented around dice roles it will always throw up different games.  For our latest  game I was the aggressor controlling a platoon of Germans, a Panzer II and a Panzer 38(t). The object of my desires was the bridge  at the far end of the board. Dave was defending the bridge with his reinforced platoon from the British Expeditionary Force. 

The story of my game was compounding poor decision making on bad tactics. The first of which was to advance a infantry squad too soon without appropriate support in an effort to sneak an early victory. A section of entrenched British infantry and a well positioned Vickers MG put pay to them in short order.  At that point I don't want to say I panicked, but I panicked.  I stopped thinking about what I needed to do. My focus was concerned with achieving the objective. Hence I rushed down the road with my tanks. In essence, this is what Dave wanted me to do and there by made it easy for him to defend against. 

 It was not long before there was a burning hunk blocking the road.  During this forlorn charge for the bridge I worked a squad of infantry up on to the the third floor of the building in the centre. Sadly they had too much to do to make an impact. Before long  they found themselves being suppressed by the Vickers deployed in the house on the other side of the river. 

The final option open to me was to push down the right flank with my infantry and remaining tank. However, when breaking cover even with the support of their machine gun team they were clipped by the British squad on the other side of the river. This meant they would be at a disadvantage assaulting the defending  infantry. 

With my reserve and commander relaxing in the rear and time was slipping away it was becoming clear that  I would be unable to take the objective in the available time.  All credit to Dave who played a splendid defensive game. Wherever I popped my head up I had at least two units  hammer me making difficult to get any momentum into the attack. Mind you I was guilty of coming on in a piecemeal fashion which helped him countering my probes. 

Can't wait for the next game now.