A Day in Hell

The Battle of Biville-La-Baignarde - a Chain of Command Game

This scenario was kindly provided courtesy of Andy “Wargaming Things” and “German” Will, self-identified as "Two Soft Southern Lardies", and it can be downloaded from Andy's blog here.

This scenario is ideal for John's 15mm 1940s collection, and to get us back into the swing of Chain of Command (CoC) after a bit of an absence while I focused on getting my British Airborne ready for the von Luck mini-campaign - more on that in a later post.

The scenario comes with some optional event cards[1] (also available to download) which we chose to use for the added historical flavour (and fun!).

John's interpretation of the terrain for this action is shown below, viewed from the French end of the table (the map is shown later in this post).   

The large plume of black smoke is coming from a road-block consisting of several burning lorries.

The mission, is 'Attack on an Objective', and the German attacker's objective is the road junction at the town square, and more precisely, the war memorial.

The war memorial is more visible in the view from the German end, as shown below, with most structures named to assist with the battle report.

This game has got quite a dense built-up area and promises to give quite a different game to our previous two 1940s campaigns.

Battle Preliminaries

John offered me the choice of sides, and as I'd played the French in our last campaign, I opted for the Germans for a change.

For support, I had wanted: 2x Bison sIG33 with Junior Leader (7 points each); and, a Pre-Game Barrage (2pt.s), but John only had 1x Bison sIG33.  So, instead of the second Bison I opted for: 1x Panzer IV A-C with Junior Leader (5 pt.s); and, a Red Command Die (2pt.s) to make up my total of 16 points of support.

John had 10pt.s to spend and, unknown to me until revealed on the table, selected: 1x Canon de 75mm M1897 with five crew and Junior Leader (4pt.s); 1x Panhard 178 AMD with Junior Leader (3pt.s); 1x entrenchment for one team (1pt.); 1x minefield (1pt.); and, 1x barbed wire obstacle (1pt.).

We then rolled for Force morale and both got a starting value of 9.  With both sides having the same Force Morale, the Germans as the attackers got to start the patrol phase.  This threw up the first query with the scenario as the French patrols are stated to start 20" in on the dashed blue line, but the blue dashed line on the map (see below) is at most only 10" in.

We decided that, as the 'Attack on an Objective' mission says they start 20" in and the scenario makes it quite clear the French have been in the town for a while and preparing for the fight, they should start 20" in.

I went first, and had an extra free move to start with (I could've had two but rolled low on a D6).  I didn't get far before the patrols were all 'fixed' - patrol marker final positions are shown below.

The resulting French jump-off points (JOPs) are highlighted by the re-purposed patrol markers placed next to the JOP markers (one JOP is inside the Large Barn).  Also, visible in the image below is a barbed wire obstacle across the road junction near the middle, and a minefield (green baize square) towards the top.

My, German, JOPs were much further back as shown below - the JOP in the bottom left of the image is on the German table-edge.

And, with my declaration of a pre-game barrage, all is ready for the battle to commence.

The Battle

1GE(1,2,2,3,4,6)  The scenario mandates the first action of any German phase is refugee movement; refugees appear at the start of each new turn (these have various effects, some of which will be described later).

The German military actions in the phase see the deployment of an infantry section (nr.I) in n^o1 & n^o2 Rue Corbée ...

... and the arrival of the Panzer IV into the cornfield.

2FR(1,2,2,3,5)  The French, waiting to get a better feel for the German plan, pass.

3GE(1,2,3,4,5,5)  At the start of the phase the refugees move 11", but they are dispersed[2] as the Germans deploy nr.II section near them from the JOP at the right-hand side of the table-edge.  The photo of this is so badly out of focus I shan't use it.

Then the Germans deployed their Bison, with its 155mm gun alongside the PzIV.

This was followed by the platoon's Feldwebel (platoon 2iC, senior leader[3]) and the 5cm mortar team deploying by nr.I section in n^o1 & n^o2 Rue Corbée.

It must now be clear to the French that the Germans mean business and are keen to get going before the effects of their pre-game barrage wear off.

4FR(1,2,3,5,5)  The French pass again - no doubt waiting for the Germans to get closer before revealing themselves.

5GE(2,3,3,5,5,5)  Section nr. II advances (right of image) as the PzIV and the Bison both move up in support.

6FR(2,3,3,4,5)  To my surprise the French pass again, John usually likes to deploy early; he's playing this one cool.

7GE(3,3,3,4,4,5)  Section nr.II, the PzIV and the Bison continue to advance, as the Leutnant, the platoon commander, deploys with his last section (nr.III) leapfrogging front of section nr.II.  

With everything now on the table, the perspective from the French viewpoint looks like this.

8FR(1,1,2,4,5)  The French decide they now need to act as any deployment is 'hesitant' while the pre-game barrage effects are still in force.  They try deploying No.1 section into the walled graveyard, but they fail their hesitant deployment roll.  They then turn to No.2 section to deploy in the same place, but they also fail to show up.  The French are a bit rattled by that and spend their only CoC die to end the turn and terminate the effects of the pre-game barrage.

9GE(3,3,4,4,5,6)  As it's now a new turn another group of refugees arrive, this time on the other road, but looking suspiciously like the first group.

The advance of nr.II section and the armour continues while nr.III, with the Leutnant, moves up to the Long Barn.

10FR(2,3,4,4,5)  With the barrage now just a bad memory, the French No.1 section deploys without demur into the walled graveyard; all under the supervision of the platoon sergeant (inferior senior leader) who deploys in the churchyard behind them. 

Then a Panhard 178 armoured car (a/c) appears on the road from the French end heading for the square.

11GE(2,2,3,4,4,5)  And the phase kicks off with the refugees moving 7" (they move 2D6 on the roads, as far as possible, and towards a French JOP).

The Bison advances to where it can shell the walled graveyard, and nr.II section climbs over the wall into the 'narrow lane' (at the left of the image).

12FR(3,3,4,6,6)  Curses!  The French get a double-phase, and just after we had been remarking on how few 6's had been thrown (only two thrown in the last 11 phases; just one if you discount the Red Die for whose 6's are ignored).  

And disaster is staring me in the face, as the French deploy an entrenched 75mm gun to take on the weakly armoured Bison, and they have two phases to do it in.

It fires; it misses!  But there will be another attempt before I can do anything about it.  And, in this phase, as can be seen above, the platoon sergeant has moved across to maximise the chance it will be able to fire again next phase.   

Next the Panhard a/c advances into the square.

13FR(1,1,2,4,4)  And the 75mm fires again, and misses a second time by just one point!  

I think I would be chewing the carpet at this point if it were me, but John just calmly accepts it all as 'one of those things'.  

With the rest of the phase, the platoon sergeant orders No.1 section to double out of the walled graveyard and line the hedge in front of it.  He also removes one of the resulting points of shock, but how is unclear as he was left behind by the move. 

14GE(1,1,3,3,5,6)  After moving the refugees it's the Bison's turn to fire back.  In an incredible stoke of luck, I had forgotten that self-propelled guns like the Bison have to point directly at the target, albeit I'd remembered it can't move and fire in the same phase.  The lucky bit isn't that it wasn't aligned directly at the walled graveyard but did just clip the French 75mm gun position.

It's fires a massive h.e. shell so rolls 13 firing dice, with storm of steel.  I throw four 6's among the a multitude of hits which automatically destroys the 75mm gun itself and sees the crew removed from the table[4].

The resulting Bad Things happen (BTH) test sees French Force Morale plummet from 9 to 7.

With the rest of the phase the PzIV advances flat out to support the Bison, and nr.I section with the Leutnant moves into the derelict house (roof removed to show their presence) that faces the French No.1 section behind the hedge.

I reckon their No.1 section is not a threat, as if they stay to fire on my nr.I section they will face massive retaliation from my armoured support.

15FR(1,4,4,5,5)  And now, because the section's junior leader can't be activated, the French Lieutenant deploys into the walled graveyard by the gate to remove a point of shock from No.1 section and order them to double behind the Workshop out of sight of the German armour.

Also visible above is the platoon sergeant who has run across the churchyard to be near the Panhard a/c.  

16GE(1,2,4,4,5,6)  The refugees stagger on another 6".  Then a nr.I section LMG team fires at the isolated French Lieutenant at the gate of the walled graveyard - he's hit twice and killed.

French Force Morale crashes from 7 down to 4, and they lose a command die!

According to my notes nothing much else happens in this phase - I suspect I was a little too cock-a-hoop to record keep, especially as I have a photo for this phase showing my Feldwebel moving out into the road behind the buildings housing nr. II section.

17FR(1,2,2,5)  And the French now deploy No.2 section into the square, can it retrieve the awful start they've had?

Also in the square the Panhard a/c moves up, by the Maison du Verger and platoon sergeant, to where it will have a line of sight down the narrow lane.

18GE(1,3,3,4,4,6)  Hmmm, no record of moving the refugees - did I forget?  The Bison now turns to align its sights on the Workshop and the PzIV advances towards the road while the turret coax ...

... puts suppressive fire on the same building (the Workshop).  This was a pointles action as if the French entered building they wouldn't be able to fire in the same phase.

Wanting to keep up the momentum now the French are on the back foot, the Leutnant dashes around the corner into the narrow lane and up to the derelict house containing nr.I section.

Finally, to stop the French No.1 section feeling safe behind the Workshop, the Feldwebel and section leader of nr.III section combine to send out a team to lob all three of their grenades at them.  This kills 3 and inflicts 2 points of shock.

The French No.1 section is now stuck between a rock and a hard place.  It can't go back as their own barbed wire blocks the lane; they can't go forward into the Workshop as the Bison is ranged on it and waiting; to their right are high walls and the German nr.III section in the Long Barn; and, to their left the Panzer IV is coming their way.

19FR(4,4,6,6)  Another double-phase, and with only four command dice!  But, with only one senior leader left, all John can do is get his platoon sergeant to cross the wall and join the Panhard a/c.

20FR(2,3,3,5)  With some better command dice, the French No.1 section can now return the compliment and lob a couple of grenades back at the German nr.III section.  As the Germans are behind a high wall it's trickier throw but both land on target killing 2 riflemen and inflicting 1 point of shock.  

If you're wondering where the dead German riflemen are, you'll have to imagine them as John had left them at home.

Help is on its way for the beleaguered No.1 section as No.2 section advances up the road, where they are about to meet the refugees.

21GE(2,2,3,3,4,5)  This phase started with an unsavoury episode, as the refugees approached the French No.2 section, the German nr.III section, the only ones with line of sight to refugees, fire at them and disperse them[5].  This means the MG34 team remains exposed to the French No.1 section's last grenade.

No doubt to try and distract attention away from the above, the Bison fires at the Workshop to try and collapse it on the French No.1 section, but fails to get the six 6's required. 

Also visible in the above is the PzIV (pointlessly) suppressing the Workshop again and the Leutnant and nr.1 section leaving the Derelict House to advance towards the Workshop.

22FR(1,2,3,6)  No.1 section's junior leader removes a point of shock and directs the last grenade over the wall at the nr.III section MG34 team that had lingered there to fire at the refugees, but it falls short of the mark.  

No.2 section sought to make up for this by moving to a position on the road where they could add their grenades.  It was a longer throw, but without any intervening wall the one grenade thrown landed on the spot killing one of the MG34 team. 

23GE(1,2,3,5,5,5)  A couple more CoC points, but if I could just get a double-phase I reckon I could finish off the French.  Anyway, the nr.III section MG34 team at last managed to duck back into the safety of the Long Barn leaving their imaginary dead comrades behind.

But now the Panzer IV has managed to cross the road near the walled graveyard from where it can target the trapped No.1 section.  Having moved this phase, only the coax machine gun can be fired, and does so, inflicting 2 kills.

24FR(1,2,3,6)  The platoon sergeant realises that in the lieutenant's absence he needs to take control and heads off at the double towards No.2 section.  

In his absence the No.2 section's junior leader orders a smoke grenade thrown so they can approach the Long Barn without being fired on by nr.III section inside.  Unfortunately it overshoots.

25GE(1,2,4,5,5,5)  What's with all these 5's?  I'm now awash with CoC points, why couldn't they be 6's?  The Feldwebel in the Long Barn directs the only MG34 that can shoot to use maschinengewehr against No.2 Section whose smoke grenade failed to cover them.  They only inflict 1 kill and 1 point of shock thanks the French hitting the dirt behind the light cover provided by the fence.

The action around here is getting a little confused with all three German sections in the immediate vicinity as shown below: nr.III section is in the Long Barn, nr.I is still poised, in the foreground, to advance and occupy the Workshop behind which the French No.1 section is hiding; and, nr.II section, to the left, now leaves the houses on Rue Corbée to close on what looks like the decisive point.

By contrast the armour action is pretty simple: the Bison remains ready to destroy the Workshop if the French enter it; and, the PzIV gunner again shoots at No.1 section, this time with h.e. inflicting 4 points of shock which leaves them PINNED.

26FR(1,2,4,4)  The platoon sergeant now manages to attach himself to No.2 section and remove a point of shock; the section leader then gets his men to lob their last two grenades through the barn door of the Long Barn - both fall short, even though only needing a score of 8+ on 2D6.

27GE(2,2,2,3,4,6)  The Feldwebel continues to direct maschinengewehr with an MG34 against No.2 section, who having thrown grenades are no longer hitting the dirt.  Despite this they only inflict 2 points of shock.

The above photo also shows nr.II section who have now crossed the hedge, and are threatening the French No.2 section on the road.

Then just as nr.I section enters the Workshop, the Panzer IV fires at the now pinned No.1 section, killing 2 and inflicting 1 point of shock - they ROUT!  The BTH test sees French Force Morale collapse from 4 to 2, and lose another command die (they now only have 3).

And where is No.2 section now?  Way back by the JOP in the Large Barn.

Not only did they rout 17", but French Force Morale falling to 2 imposed a 'J' result - one unit must fall back to a JOP.  We couldn't find anything in rules that said a routing unit couldn't be chosen to do this, so John chose No.1 section for this honour.   This was probably a mistake as No. 1 Section had already routed to a safer location, while No.2 section was still in a very exposed position.

28FR(2,6,6)  And the French, with only three command dice get another double-phase!  However, this only leaves them a '2' to work with.  Feeling safe with a double-phase, they spent it moving No.2 section back on and up the road, but the Germans, with a superfluity of CoC points, spent three to react fire and killed 1 and imposed 4 points of shock.  No.2 section was starting to look shaky.

29FR(2,4,4)  Two '4's with only one, inferior, senior leader wasn't going to help the French get of the fix they were in.  The platoon sergeant removed 2 points of shock and the section fired back at their tormentors (who hit the dirt) with 11 firing dice, but only scored three hits, which failed to cause any harm.

30GE(2,2,2,4,4,6)  The two MG34s of nr.II section (there is no room for the riflemen to join in) fire at No.2 section on the road but their 7 hits only translate into 1 point of shock, but it all builds up.

With an isolated French section on the ropes, nr.II section leaves the Long Barn and moves towards n^o3 Rue Principale from which it can engage No2 section on the road.

Also visible in the image above, is nr.I section that pulled back out of the Workshop where it found itself a potential target for the French Panhard a/c.

31FR(3,4,5)  To try and get into some protection, the platoon sergeant removes 2 points of shock from No.2 section and the section leader orders them back to seek cover in the craters.  The Germans spend another 3 CoC points to react fire inflicting 4 points of shock.

32GE(1,1,2,4,4,6)  First nr.III section enters the house facing the French in the craters.

Then the Feldwebel and the nr.II section's leader combine to direct both MG34s to use maschinengewehr.  The hail of lead wounds No.2 section's junior leader, kills 2 others and inflicts 2 more points of shock and they're PINNED!

But in a last glimmer of good fortune, the wounding of their section leader sees French Force Morale unmoved at 2.

33FR(3,4,6)  The platoon sergeant keeps his finger in the dyke and removes 2 points of shock, while the wounded section leader uses his only order to get his men to fire back.  But, with so much shock, and the Germans again hitting the dirt, they only inflict 1 point of shock.

33GE(1,2,3,3,6,6)  At last I get a double-phase and John recognises the inevitable and concedes.  He was wise to do so as I now have 32 fire dice of MG34s pointed at his No.2 section.  Out of curiosity I rolled my command dice to see what I might've got for the next phase - I roll 3,4,5,5,6,6, which would've meant a treble-phase - that would've seen John facing a total of at least 96, close-range, firing dice without being able to respond.

Post Mortem

An unusual dice day, with very few 6's being thrown and only John getting double-phases until the very last phase - he got three but amazingly two of those were when he was throwing fewer than 5 command dice.

John was VERY unlucky that his 75mm gun didn't take out my Bison, but his throwing forward of one section at a time saw them overwhelmed by superior German numbers and firepower.  His morale failure 'J' event would've been much better used to pull back his No.2 section which was left out on a limb.

That said, John did commit his French in penny-packets that were not mutually supporting.  The result: his Panhard never fired; the rifle-grenade team and one section didn't deploy; and, his other two sections were left overmatched.  By contrast, I had tried hard to keep my Germans together for mutual support, but all those high walls didn't make it easy. 

I had felt my pre-game barrage a waste of points when John ended the turn with a CoC die.  In retrospect the loss of a CoC die really hampered him, especially as I was throwing lots of 5's.  The Red Die was also a good choice as activating armour can prove a frustrating experience, so anything that helps is "a good thing".

In short, we felt we both felt we could've done better, John in particular felt he missed the opportunity to threaten the German JOPs.  So, we've decided to play it again to see how differently it might turn out.

Watch this space.

Notes:

[1.] When the opposing player rolls 2 or more sixes, the other player may choose to take 1 random card from their deck instead of receiving a CoC point.  Cards marked for immediate play are played in the next available phase for that player.  A player may hold a maximum of 3 cards at any one time.

[2.] Refugees as automatically dispersed if Germans come within 12" of them.

[3.] John's senior leaders are distinguished by pink blooms on their bases; junior leader by yellow flowers.

[4.] Four or more 6's are required to achieve this.

[5.] If French troops contact refugees, they 'take control' of them, and then if they can get them to exit the French table-edge they gain a Force Morale point.  After all my good work I'm not going to allow anything that will boost their morale so decide to drive them off.