Chain of Command - Fighting Withdrawal Campaign Game Two

And so to game two.

A version of the Probe scenario with the Germans trying to get off the table edge and the British trying to stop them. The British start with six support, the Germans have twelve. 

I have only three platoons to use during the campaign and one was badly mauled in the first game. Whereas the Germans get a brand new fresh platoon for each game.

There's a big old straight road down the middle of the table and I agonised for ages about the correct support choice. One obvious way for the Germans to win is to just speed a vehicle straight down the road and off. So I was tempted to take the 2pdr - but eventually i decided that was only going to stop Martin winning one way. If I actually wanted to win I needed to kill Germans and drive down morale so I decided on a Vickers - ideally to occupy the bunker.

Having set up the terrain as closely as we could to match the map we played out the patrol phase.

I did this very badly - my brain can't calculate the various angles - so I ended up with quite a few JoPs with only limited space to be placed.

I then foolishly placed the resulting JoPs. One right on my extreme left flank, one behind the bunker (because I was obsessed with getting the Vickers in there) and one between the house and outbuilding.

This left rather a big gap on my right flank where there was no wire. And cheerfully ignored the fact that Martin had placed a JoP quite far forward on that flank.

Inevitably the Germans deployed a squad from that flank and, taking advantage of a double phase, ran them toward the tank ditch.

Frantically I struggled to respond. A squad deployed in the house and opened fire, but despite the Germans being in the open the only result was some shock.

The Germans raced forward - having set off on this charge they were now fully committed.

Soon they were across the ditch.

And the German FOO had called in a ranging shot.

Along with bringing on an Infantry gun who took out the Junior Leader with the squad in the house. Fortunately no effect on my morale.

I managed to squeeze a squad on just outside the mortar field.

And their Bren opened up on the racing Germans - but despite some casualties and mounting shock they kept going.

The Infantry Gun prepared to unleash more rounds...

....however with another double phase and a nice high running roll the German infantry squad raced from the board and the game was up!

Well that was over fast.

To be honest I lost the game in the Patrol Phase and set up. Poorly positioned JoPs and paying no attention to what Martin was doing meant I left my right flank wide open and Martin took full advantage.

The only good news for me was that I only took a couple of casualties - so this platoon will remain at full strength for future games.

The game was over very quickly - probably took us longer to set up than play - but with a campaign that doesn't matter- it just adds to the narrative.

So now we move on to the next game - another Probe for the Germans - but British defences are a little more formidable. I need to think hard about the Patrol Phase and placing JoPs - another easy win for the Germans like this and it'll be next to impossible to win the campaign.