Chain of Command Blitzkrieg!

A new game of Chain of Command, this time with a new opponent, Diego. The scenario was Blitzkrieg, from the 1940 supplement. In this scenario, the attacker must take two units off the opposing table edge before the defender can get two full chain of command dice. The map is mostly identical to the last map in the "30 Days to Dunkirk" Campaign.

This time I was attacking with the Germans. With 14 support points I went for a Panzer III, an Infantry Section and a Stuka attack. Diego, on the other hand decided on two barbed wires, a Vickers HMG and a "2 pounder", represented in this case with a German AT because my model is still on the workbench.

The Stuka attack was pretty effective, with the following outcomes on buildings.
1 - UXO
2 - Collapsed
3 - On fire unstable
4 - Unstable

The pink lines are the barbed wire positions.

Even if the Stukas where quite effective, we made several mistakes that diminished it's effectivnes. For example, we didn't test each team to see if it could deploy, and for some reason we only rolled one dice per section for shock, instead of one dice per team.

My initial plan was to advance on my right flank, using the hedges as cover. With this in mind, I deployed en force with a section on the right JOP and a section on the middle, this one went into tactical mode, I also deployed the Panzer III on the road.

Diego's response was quick, the "2 Pounder" poked it's nose from behind the large building, risking suffering the effects of the collapse. if it ever happened. He also deployed a section on the building closer to my lines, the one with the green shutters.

In the following phases, Diego reinforced his position in the center with another Infantry section. Next came a third Infantry section and the Platoon's second in command. By now, this was an impressive strongpoint.

With this in mind, I had to change my plans on the go. My rightmost squad started redeploying towards the center, to offer some support to my other squad. Nevertheless, they ended up in the line of sight of the Bren positioned in the top floor of the green shutters house and lost two riflemen.

Meanwhile, the central squad was facing one on one with the British section in the backyard of the same house. Even if the Germans had the advantage of being in light cover, thanks to the tactical stance, the British bested them with the hard cover of the wall.

Any advantage the Germans might have had, banished with the arrival in the hedge of the British section that had deployed earlier behind the house. My response was to deploy a third section, quite far back, behind the first line of hedges, that could support the central squad in the open. But Diego deployed his 2" mortar and, with a great shot, blinded the newly arrivals with smoke. At the same time, the Vickers HMG deployed in the now crowded backyard. (You can only spot the smoke blinding my squad that is to the right, out of picture).

With the Vickers in position, the right flank was looking impossible to assault, so I decided to try my luck on the left, deploying my last squad, that was later reinforced by the Platoon 2IC. On this flank, the duel between the Panzer III and the "2 Pounder" went on for the whole game with not many casualties on either side.

By now, the two British sections and the Vickers were bullying my central squad that was reduced to only three riflemen.

Finally they broke and the lonely rifleman was wiped out in the next phase.

I then decided to end the turn with a CofC dice, hoping that it would have some effect on the buildings that might give me an advantage. The only event was that the green shutters building collapsed, killing the whole section that was inside and killing just a couple of the riflemen outside, this was not enough to change the British morale by much. At this point we decided to call it a game, awarding a well deserved victory to the British for an excellent but risky defense.

I'm still learning the rules, and this was Diego's first game. I'm slowly getting the hang of it, and have to reference the tables less and less. We have already set a date for out rematch!