Game Four : ‘Unser Ziel ist Bayeux’ Chain of Command Campaign.

It was great to replicate Joe Bilton’s lovely but, complex map for ‘Getting the Hump’, location three, in the Unser Ziel ist Bayeux  Chain of Command campaign.  I was pleased with the results, and hopefully  the bits and bobs of terrain give a flavour of the location. 

The German deployment in the Patrol Phase was successful in sneaking a patrol marker over the railway tracks, allowing them to approach the objective from two directions, in the built up to what proved to be an exciting encounter.

The initial German push was down the road with  infantry and a reconnaissance Puma to secure the bridge and  pin the DLI Section in their position while the other two Zugs push on to  the objectives in the  village on the other side of the railway line pushing up against the British centre.  

From the outset the DLI entrenched themselves in the wood covering the approach to the bridge, clearly laying down a marker that they were defending the position. In the town a reduced Section let the Germans come on hoping to catch them in the open as they advanced on the second objective. 

This was working well until the under strength Section took too much time taking up positions to defend the open ground was caught in the open desensitised by an audacious German close assault. 

However, they just held on and forced the Germans back to find cover. Interestingly neither unit involved in the close combat suffered much shock and through its management and an end of turn the Panzer Lehr Zug swung south to attempt to outflank the British positions. In response the British committed their final section who poured fire in to the German position pinning them. 

Despite this the Panzer Lehr say the opportunity on the other side of the bridge deployed a Sktz 222 in support of the Puma, the two Reconnaissance vehicles combined to drive the entrenched DLI section back into the woods. This cleared the route to drive the Puma on to the bridge and secure the objective. 

Despite this the Panzer Lehr say the opportunity on the other side of the bridge deployed a Sdkfz. 222 in support of the Puma, the two Reconnaissance vehicles combined to drive the entrenched DLI section back into the woods. This cleared the route to drive the Puma on to the bridge and secure the objective. 

The audacious move from the Germans triggered the Final Count down, and set up a cinematic “Bring up the PIAT” moment, so the PIAT was deployed from an Ambush Chain of Command Dice and fired. Typically it missed. Leaving the crew struggling to reload it before the next turn. 

The next Command dice roll contained a double six, thus ending the game and giving a narrow but hard fought victory to the Germans.