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. 

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

The third game of the ‘Unser Ziel ist Bayeux’ campaign saw Panzer Lehr on push towards Durham Light Infantry positions defending a choke point culvert on the outskirts Conde-Sur-Seulles.  

This was a great opportunity to preregister fields of fire and stop the German advance or at least make them pay a high price to cross the open ground on the approaches.

The plan stared well and on the left the combination of a fresh infantry section, the 2”mortar and a MMG all pinned  the advancing Germans in the cover of a hedgerow.  On the left however the odds favoured the Panzer Lehr, as they brought their Puna reconnaissance car to bear, supported the Second and then the third sections. On the right the defenders found themselves pinned and once Junior Leaders started to get hit their Force Morale began to suffer. 

In an effort to blunt the attack the 3rd section deployed with the Senior Leader to defend the culvert, while there 1st Section redeployed to assist in the defence.  Before they could make the difference. Fire from the Germans, killed the Platoon Sergeant and seeing this result in the collapse of the  remaining Force Morale. 

Following the stiff defence, the Panzer Lehr drove the DLI defenders back and broke through but not before they also received  a number of casualties including wounded Senior and Junior leaders, justifying the expense of bringing a medic.

Game Two : Moulin de Flaye in the 'Unser Ziel ist Bayeux' Campaign,

This weekend after a bit of a hiatus saw the second engagement at Moulin de Flaye in the Unser Ziel ist Bayeux campaign of Chain of Command on the table. 

This game was more of a continuation of the first than a new game. As such both sides  deployed  with eroded platoons following on from the first game. As if the Germans reorganised and went again later that day. 

Because of these casualties two DLI sections were under strength, basically consisting of Bren Teams. adding to their woes Panzer Lehr started with a double phase which allowed them to race to their objective race. This illustrated the usefulness of a successful Patrol Phase  permitting aggressive  Lehr  patrols to keep the DLI Jump off Points back from the Railway embankment buying them time to rush over the bridge before the defenders could get into position. 

As a result and through a good use of overwatch the Panzer Lehr grenadiers raced to their objective and were hardly troubled by the parting shots from the DLI as they rushed to get in position. 

Rather than considering this an anti-climactic game it is more of a amusé-bouche, for the tasty engagements at the next locations. 

Panzer Lehr : 

Leutnant Norbert Drexler

Obergrefreiter Kurt Fischer   

 

Zug One : Gefreter Heinrich Koch 

Zug Two: Gefreter Bobbi Klein 

Zug Three: Gefreter Ernest Schafer  

Fresh Platoon Next game.

Durham Light Infantry :

 Lieutenant Norman Collier.

The Platoon Sergeant Ernest Lincoln 

Junior Leaders: 

Section One:  Corporal Alfred Ford. (Promoted)

Section Two: Corporal Fredrick Williams.

Section Three: Corporal George Taylor.

Fresh Platoon Next Game .

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

The table for ‘Unser ziel ist Bayeux’ game of Chain of Command. Had a viaduct running across it which made it an interesting table set up working on two levels. The Germans made a strong start with a double phase and pushed up toward the viaduct. Enabling them to put instant pressure on a British JoP which I deployed to far forward resulting on a British Section having deploy early to defend it.

This ment the British had to squander their first Chain of Command Dice to withdraw the JoP to a less exposed position. Despite having good cover behind the railway embankment, the Section One took casualties and were forced to withdraw, only to be wiped out with Corporal Vickers being killed in action as he tried to withdraw his shattered section. The German reserve Zug followed up taking the right flank of the viaduct. 

The Germans continued to pressure the British line in the centre, but they where pushed back in the centre despite their success on the left. In an effort to force a passage through the centre the Germans brought up a Puma without suitable infantry support and it was promptly destroyed by a British 6 Pounder. 

In the following exchanges, both German Senior Leaders got wounded, reducing their effectiveness and the attack bogged down. Despite some heavy losses the Durham Light Infantry claimed a Pyrrhic victory, forcing the Panzer Lehr to attack once again.

Panzer Lehr : 

Leutnant  Norbert Drexler wounded. -1 

Obergrefreiter Kurt Fischer wounded. -1 

 

 Zug One : Gefreter Heinrich Koch 

 3 casualties.

Zug Two: Gefreter Bobbi Klein 

 2 causuaties. 

Zug Three: Gefreter Ernest Schafer  

Five Casualties:  Two Never Return , two miss the next game,  one returns to duty 

Durham Light Infantry :

 Lieutenant Norman Collier.

The Platoon Sergeant Ernest Lincoln 

Junior Leaders: 

Section One:  Corporal David Vickers . KIA. 

10 causalities. 

Section Two: Corporal Fredrick Williams.

2 causalities. 

Section Three: Corporal George Taylor.

Tweleve Casualities:  Six Never Return, six miss the next game.

Unser Ziel ist Bayeux - Chain of Command Campaign.

With the release of the schooner sized campaign, "Unser Ziel ist Bayeux", from the Too Fat Lardies, I now have the opportunity to get my Panzer Lehr and as small collection Late war British on the table. Having not played much in the late war period I am excited to get more familiar with the second edition of Chain of Command and reinforce the new rule developments in my mind. 

In preparation I have generated some leaders for both sides using the original At the Sharp End supplement. 

So here's a quick note to introduce you to the leaders in the campaign. 

Here are the “Dramatis personae”  I rolled up:

Lehr Abteilung 130:

Senior Leaders: 

Lehr Abteilung 130 will be lead by Leutnant Norbert Drexer a 29 year old form a rural farm boy from Bavaria. He has been commissioned from the ranks following showing his worth on the battlefield. He is a model National Socialist, a true believer.

The Obergrefreiter for the platoon is Kurt Fischer a charming and well spoken but on nonsense former waiter from high quality restaurant near the Berlin Opera House. He is 30 years of age and has the presence of a lumbering giant. 

Junior Leaders: 

Zug One and commanded by the strapping six-foot Gefreter Heinrich Koch, a 25 year old from Frankfurt who rebelled against his communist father by joining a Sturmbteilung  he is a true believer in the  ideological clash with international communism & capitalism. 

Zug Two is lead by a former factory work form Spandau, (and possibility a former trade unionist) the 42 year old Bobbi Klein who is only slightly shorter than the lumbering giant Fischer. 

Zug Three is led by rural farm boy and model citizen from Pomerania, the 24 year old Ernest Schafer  whose unremarkable average stature is only exaggerated by the size of his fellow NCOs. 

6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry :

Senior Leaders: 

The Senior Leaders of the 6th Platoon are Lieutenant Norman Collier a native of Durham and ex-Grammar School Student and then Master (Classics & Latin), Aged 27, he is an average sort,  unremarkable.

The Platoon Sergeant, 31 year old Ernest Lincoln appears an average sort. However his background as a circus entertainer proves him to be useful in a tight spot. But don’t get drawn into a game of find the lady with him. 

Junior Leaders: 

Section One is lead by the whilly 42 year old farm hand David Vickers from Stoke-on-Trent. He is tall and thin.

Section Two is commanded by the former Harland and Woolf engineer at 31, Fredrick Williams is an average sort of NCO expected.

A factory worker from. Bristol has recently been ported to corporal and given responsibility for Section Three. George Taylor is under nourished pale and thin.

While the campaign ladder notes suggest the German’s can deploy a fresh platoon for every location and the British can on Location One, Two & Four I will keep the same officers to proved a little bit of a narrative in the  proceedings  and attempt to ensure  do not make  rash and wasteful decisions while commanding both sides. 

All being well I’ll play the first games over the next couple of weeks.