Tactics II - German Counter Attack - Chain of Command 2

Another game of Chain of Command weaved into the Tactics II campaign, a roll on the scenario table and Allies are having to conduct a delaying action against the might of the German Army.

Located at the T junction to win the game players need to hold this point at the end of game.

The prize is the port city in the Tactic II campaign, where the allies has recently conducted a punchy move racing down the coast road to seize elements of the town. A win tonight would see the British Commonwealth force hold off an Axis counter attack.

Both forces started with a core platoon the allies concentrated in three sections, with the Germans in 4 but only 8 men to a section (yes I tweaked my sections so not the same as in the CoC book). Both players spent their support points having considered the table and mission.

Turn one and the Germans secured a position in a drainage ditch that flanked the outskirts of the town, they were unsure of the allies position but these gave a good jump off point for the push into town.

The Brits has spent their points on a 2 Pdr covering the approaches into town, positioned behind a stone wall they felt pretty good about this position.

The sneaky German player pushes a sniper team up the wadi and can see a number of allied defensive positions. Instead of firing they call in artillery fire on the static gun team.

As HE lands around the 2Pdr the Germans call forward their support option a Pz III they were serious about wanting this dusty outpost back. A 2 Pdr shell bounces off it's frontal armour as it rubbles into cover.

Committing a section of Infantry the allies rushed the last known position of the sniper to clear it away, but caught in the open the MG34's of the German's on overwatched killed and pinned a number of assault team. They sheltered behind the dune to get themselves back into some short of order.

Having stripped the centre of some of the defenders the Germans pushed forward, infantry grabbed the courtyard as the armour and supporting APC pushed up the road machine guns supressing the remaining crew members of the AT gun.

Indian defenders hung on to the low stone wall exchanging fire with the attackers. But they could not stop the German Pz III and 251 from rushing on to the T junction.

A hard fought encounter, with both sides edging forward to try and get to a perfect position, before the armoured punch in the final turns with what some might say a lucky double turns :-)

The Allies are forced back on the map.

Rough losses converted to Bolt Action for the Tactics II campaign. 

Axis forces.

German Sniper Team - 50 Points

Half a section KIA - 50 Points

Allied Forces.

AT gun - 50 Points

Boyes AT - 30 Points

Infantry Sections 1&half 5 - 180 Points

Tactics II - Campaign Allied Battle 3 - "Dust up in the Wadi"

Continuation of the Tactics II campaign and a useful way of joining up the odd games. Several months ago the British launched their assault which resulted in 3 games, finally the last game of the set.

On the battle map the allied forces had the choice of Allied Armour as their selection with supports from a veteran Mountain Unit, Up against a German Axis Armoured unit selection.

Using Platoon Forward the scenario was a Point Recon Battle - Not quite the clash of armour I was expecting. 

The random force roll gave the Allies 2 Vickers Light Tanks, an MMG plus a Mortar Barrage not a bad haul but it did give the Axis forces plenty of blinds to position across the front.

The table presented an interesting predicament for the allies on the far left was a string of minefields and wire, with a wadi running through the remainder of the table, plenty of places to hide multiple German units. The main objective was the wadi crossing.

None of the options looked great for the Commonwealth forces so with limited options they decided to go straight down the middle. Under the cover of a Mortar Barrage which pinned a German section.

This allowed the allies to push on to the through the limited greenery still unsure on what they were facing.

They found their way blocked by a fixed MMG which ripped through the Infantry who dived for cover, it took the arrival of a Vickers Light tank to supress the MMG.

The Indians itching to get into the action fixed bayonets and rushed the gun position over running the crew and getting into the wadi.

The Germans had one last roll of the dice a 'C' Class blind in the hope it will be the long awaiting German armour - bad news it was a flaming lorry :-(

Game over.

A short but fun game, easing my opponent into Chain of Command.

The loss of a section and an MMG team for the German's who were forced to fall back on the map, with limited losses for the Allies.

Let's see what the Axis initiative will bring.

Tactics 2 Campaign - The probe at El Habira

After the last short encounter, I did not want to waste the table, so linking it back to the Tactics 2 campaign an opportunity to knock over one of the outstanding games and the battle around El Habira the British had pushed into the town and the Germans saw the opportunity to counter attack.

After the last game taking a core platoon a side, I rolled for additional support for each side. The British had been busy and anticipating a further German attack had thrown up some wire on the exposed left flank and a mine field on the right.

The patrol phase feel worked out well for the Germans with jump off points on both flanks of the village, Infantry massed on the lift, while mortar team peppered the village from the left.

The commonwealth infantry were pinned at the rear of the village scrambling to get to fighting positions.

The Afrika Korps set under the cover of the barrage and rushed towards the outskirts of the settlement.

The Germans were not to have it their own way a section of Indian troops had made it into the lead building and poured fire into the advancing Axis forces. The Germans dived for cover from the Indian fire.

The Germans were caught in a cross fire from an emerging section near the oasis.

With the first section under pressure and pinned down, the second German section assaulted the Indian position, driven back on the first assault, they called down mortar fire and went again finally forcing the Indians back. 

With the main building vacant, the Germans set about moving through the other buildings slowing driving the British forces from the village.

A hard fought victory for the Germans, the village was in Axis hands but at the cost of a couple of valuable sections. 

A fun game lasting quite a bit longer than game one. Nor the paperwork challenge of converting two damaged Chain of Command sections to Bolt Action points. 

Chain of Command 2 - Back to the Desert

The past week or so has almost been as hot at the Western Desert.

Another opportunity to give CoC2 a run out, an encounter between a platoon of Afrika Korp and Commonwealth infantry, I borrowed the infantry stats from the unofficial campaign the Battle of Gazala 1942.

A simple patrol game with a cluster of adobe buildings near an oasis with a platoon each.

The patrol phase pinned the allies back on the outside of the village with the jump off points behind the large dune and the oasis.

The Germans held the cards and using the wadi were able to gain a strong position to the front of the village. The AK advanced forward being caught in the open by HE rounds and Indian Infantry who crested the dune firing into the first squad, the junior leader was killed instantly.

The Germans returned fire driving back the Commonwealth troops behind the crest in the distance.

A double turn for the allies and got back into some kind of order with their senior leader getting the troops back into shape and a concentration of fire into the German position, another junior leader killed.

Despite the Germans having entered the village two leaders down the patrol decided they did not need the village that badly....

One of those games where casualties are light but the unlikely loss of leaders and a couple of CoC Dice change the outcome of the game.

I suspect the Germans will be back.

Wyre Forest Club Day: A First Look at Chain of Command 2

Sunday was club day and an opportunity to dive into Chain of Command 2 after a few years away from the rules having been playing larger games using Bolt Action with elements of the original Chain of Command I was keen to see what had changed and what has remained.

We played through one of the pint sized campaign games - Scenario 2 from Operation Martlett the 49th Infantry division's push against the 12th SS.

While the foundation of Chain of Command remains solid, several refinements most certainly elevate the experience on the table, the revamped rulebook is an improvement over the original looking through the rule book, rules for similar mechanics are now grouped together, making it easier to find specific information. The comprehensive index is a welcome addition, significantly cutting down time spent flipping through pages.

It's good to see elements of the previous expansions like Blitzkrieg 1940 and Far East make the rules. Light Mortars feel more situational rather than a default option to poor fire on the enemy, the limited rounds make you think hard about when to deploy them.

The Armour damage is a lot cleaner, eliminating reliance on multiple tables while preserving varied outcomes even if I was on the wrong end of a Pak 40.

Herr Fingerbob was not happy about losing their prized IV as soon as it come on the table.

The expanded National Characteristics give more tactical depth, allowing Chain of Command points to be used for special abilities rather than just dice management. 

Fire bonuses now influence tactics more dynamically, the Storm of Steel rules and exploding dice can make certain fire more impactful, the German double MG42 still throw a lot at dice at the advancing allies.

Germans are still mighty tough with Junior and Senior leaders in toe - put out loads of flying lead.

Whilst not used in our game on this occasion a couple of areas in the rules leap out.

• Anti-tank weapons such as mines, grenades, and rifle grenades are more viable, making tanks think twice before rolling ahead without infantry support.

• Suppressing Fire replaces Covering Fire with an expanded role, letting tanks pin down positions more effectively.

Bolt Action continues to give a larger 'game' but Chain of Command makes you have to think more as the commander on the ground would the commitment to authenticity is stronger than ever. New support options—like Mines in Verges for Germans and White Phosphorous Grenades for urban combat—add layers of realism and period accuracy and make fighting through France quite a challenge if it was not in the first place.

Perhaps the most intriguing change is in scenario objectives. Instead of merely draining Force Morale, battles now hinge on capturing objectives. Doing so accelerates morale loss and can trigger counterattacks, leading to more dynamic engagements. This tweak ensures that players focus on positional play rather than just surviving morale checks. It certainly makes you want to pick up the pace.

Final Thoughts: An Evolution, Not a Revolution

Chain of Command 2 doesn’t reinvent the game—it refines, enhances, and polishes it. The familiar platoon-scale tactics remain, but the improved rulebook, adjusted mechanics, and strengthened historical accuracy make battles flow more intuitively and have a more gritty feel.

For veterans of the system, this edition offers a smoother, deeper experience while staying true to its roots. If you're new to Chain of Command, the clearer ruleset makes it easier than ever to jump in without feeling overwhelmed. 

Looks like I might need to reorganise my forces yet again :-)

Bolt Action Far East - (Not) Breaking the Jitra Line 1941

Wow this seems rather green and lush compared to the number of recent desert games. A great club game bringing together various players collections of Far East forces with an encounter based loosely on the breaking of the Jitra Line in 1941 and the blocking force at Nangka.

Japanese forces advance on mass looking to capture the bridge and break through the US forces defending it.

The Marines were dug in and were able to pour fire into the charging Japs.

Both sides were able to pick their own support points so we (Japanese) opted for a light tank to break the line.

However the Yanks were ready for them, rushing forward with satchel charges meant for destroying the bridge instead throwing under the tank and immobilising it. There would be no breakthrough today.

Games like this really get the creative juices flowing despite several projects on the go, some of the new Warlord releases for the Far East are very nice..... I must stay focused.

WMMS - Alumwell 2024 - The Battle For Fort Nibeiwa

It good to be back on gaming circuit, it been quite a while. Alumwell is the closest show to the Wyre Forest Club and it was good to see a whole bunch of club members and old faces on the day.

So to the game..... Sponsored by Costa...

THE BATTLE FOR FORT NIBEIWA, 9 DECEMBER 1940

A portrayal of the Battle for Fort Nibeiwa part of the opening moves of Operation Compass, an attack of British & Commonwealth forces against Italian Positions in Western Egypt.  The Western Desert Force (Consisting of the 4^th Infantry Division & 7^th Armoured Division are tasked with an attack against Group Maletti

 

Under the cover of RAF Bombardments and Artillery. At 7.30am Matilda tanks flanked by Bren Carrier Platoons of  the 7^th Rajput Regiment attacked, Italian tanks and defenders were caught off guard with many of the crew asleep, as the crew scrambled for their vehicles they were overwhelmed by the Indian Infantry and lumbering Matilda's.

 

By 10.40 the Fort was in British Hands in what one Italian described as “the nearest thing to hell he had ever seen.” Over 4000 Italians surrendered.

 

The Game.

Can the Italians slow the allied advance and destroy the Allied Armour before the Commonwealth forces capture the fort and the Italian Morale collapses?

 

A good day in the field for the Allies the Italians were routed and the Matilda's crushed all before them, the Italian armour burned where it was parked, the crew cut down as they attempted to run to their vehicles.

A rare victory for the Italians it what was a significant defeat, a Matilda crossing the trench line is hit by a HE round and the crew are forced to bailout.

Played with using the Bolt Action Core rules alongside elements of Chain of Command introducing Force Morale, variable movement and turn end.

A Gentleman's War all smiles..... after a hard day in the desert.

Now the customary picture of the loot from the day.... 

No significant purchases but some extra's for the Outremer Project, a fresh bunker for Operation Exporter and the ground works for the AWI in 10mm for the summer.

Now back to the day job.