Chain of Command 1940 - more Blitzkrieg against British

Martin came over again, this time with James as well for another game. We were considering Midgard but circumstances dictated differently and so we decided on a game of Chain of Command.

A game from the 1940 book this time. Jerry's objective is to capture the British JOPs or reduce morale to zero - the British need to reduce Jerry to 0.

We set up a network of fields with a road running across from the German deployment zone to the opposite edge.

I pushed up quite fast, hoping to catch the Germans close to their table edge as I knew I'd be able to pull my JOPs right back toward my edge.

I managed to catch two of Martin's patrol markers together and only just out of his deployment zone which pinned the Germans well back.

One of my JOPs went in a walled field about midway along my half of the table, with another right back on my table edge.

I pushed the third JOP forward, intending to use it to try and blunt the German spear.

And duly deployed a squad against the fence and with Bren in the field.

The Germans began to come on.

With a senior leader joining the group on their left. This would likely be their main attack I felt.

One of the scenario rules was that none of my support would appear until the second turn. So I was hoping for lots of fives to give me a CoC dice. 

Even better than that was the roll of three sixes I rolled second phase!

James kept pushing forward with the senior leader. Fortunately the recently ploughed field stuck mud to their boot and slowed them down.

Another German squad was pushing up in the centre.

My squad near the forward JOP attracted the attention of a German infantry gun! Wounding the Junior Leader. They pulled back out of line of sight into the field. But the position was looking shaky.

Germans were pushing up in force.

The FO and a squad of infantry appeared in the walled field.

And the FO called in a ranging shot.

 But still the Germans raced forward.

In the field the infantry waited.

The mortar rained fire down on the advancing infantry. Causing few casualties but stalling the advance.

More Germans were now by the orchard and in range of the walled field.

The British began to take fire.

I used a Chain of Command dice to pull back the forward JOP - just in time as the Germans headed towards the fence.

With the other squad also opening up the British in the field began to take casualties and shock.

The Junior Leader was hit for a second time and killed outright.

The remains of the squad pulled back.

The turn ended but the FO again made contact.

And called in another mortar barrage - forcing the German left further back.

At this point time beat us and we called a halt.

The game was still quite finely balanced - the Germans well advanced but the British still quite strong in defence and neither side's morale too badly affected.

Martin and I definitely making plans for the Fighting Withdrawal campaign - really looking forward to seeing how it plays out.