By Steve MacLauchlan
After my
first solo game of
Chain of Command to get my head around it, I talked my usual wargaming opponent, Sean, into giving the rules a try. We again elected not to use any support, and despite the Germans having a slight points disadvantage to the US, Sean wanted to command them in the field.
We decided to play the standard Patrol mission to give Sean his first taste of the game. The Patrol phase went smoothly, and Sean liked the mechanic.
The Germans wound up getting 3 phases in a row since Sean has a penchant for rolling 6s.
In fact, Sean was able to get the majority of his platoon on the board before the US ever even had a phase!
When the US did show up, however, the fire was intense!
Rifle Squads took up position around the Church and a nearby farmhouse, and focused fire on one German squad, which suffered severe casualties.
US troops moving along the wall, led by their NCO.
A German squad rushes across the road.
A German squad takes immense casualties and Shock, but is 1 shy of being pinned and so falls back to recover!
A second German squad moves into the farmhouse, but starts taking fire from the US automatic rifles. The German NCO is hit twice, and the German force morale wavers.
The main focus of the firefight occurs between the two dwellings.
A German LMG sets up peeking around the corner of a large barn.
And then chews into a US rifle squad!
With the German defenders pinned and under constant fire, a second US section moves up along the stone wall.
With the defenders' heads down, the US platoon charges in!
Inflicting heavy casualties on the defenders! But the US NCO is wounded as well, and US force morale takes a hefty hit.
Suddenly, with their backs to the entrance, a fresh German squad races across the narrow lane under a hail of grenades and assaults!
The US Squad is unprepared and suffers heavy casualties! The Germans have paid bitterly for the minor victory, though their force morale is only one lower than the US'
The US continues to pour fire into the remaining Germans, and does have the slight edge on firepower.
US Reserves move around the church.
The battle rages back and forth, with casualties mounting on both sides. The US Platoon Sergeant takes a wound, and US morale flags even further.
But finally, the US break a German section, and the ragtag group of German survivors decide to quit the field!
