Chain of Command 2 - Game Report 6

Operation Martlet – 1200 to 1600 25 June 1944

Introduction

This was to be the third game of the Operation Martlet campaign scenario. Fortunately Kevin, as a war room where he can leave the table set up!

Situation

The 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division were now 8 hours into Operation MARTLET and the mist and stiff enemy resistance has prevented them achieving even their initial objectives. The previous report from the CO of 11 RSF explains the challenges they faced. However, by midday the mist was clearing and the 11 RSF had regrouped its rifle companies that had become widely separated in the initial advance. Importantly for 11 RSF, B Squadron of the Sherwood Foresters Yeomanry (SRY) had now also reorganised and regrouped and were ready to support the advance.

Enemy Forces

The previous 8 hours of battle had shown that the Germans were well organised and unwilling to give ground. They were well equipped with MGs and had excellent fire discipline.

Friendly Forces

OC B Coy 11RSF took his lead platoon commander, 2Lt Archie Sutherland, to one side and explained how he needed to firstly get a grip and lead his platoon. He gave some direction on how he needed to reorganise his platoon and take full advantage of the support he was now being given. Consequently 5 Platoon was reorganised around two infantry sections. The remaining three men were insufficient to field as a section and Cpl Johnstone was therefore given an LMG and a jeep to act as an exploitation or recon force depending on circumstances.

5 Platoon would continue to be supported by the Battalion mortars and a Vickers team from the Battalion MG Platoon. Importantly he would be advancing behind a Sherman from B Sqn SRY.

Mission

11 RSF is to secure FONTENAY within boundaries.

Post Mission Report – 11th Bn Royal Scots Fusiliers

Under the cover of the continuing artillery fire the two sections led by Sgt Wilson advanced. No 1 Section advanced in column behind the Sherman while No 2 Section advanced tactically across the field.

Within minutes the Vickers MG was brought up in direct support on the right flank of No 1 Section.

In spite of the continuing bombardment German Panzer Grenadiers were seen deploying around FONTENAY.

A German mortar bombardment prevented No 1 Section continuing their advance. However, the Sherman was able to move out of the beaten zone of the mortar barrage. No 2 Section continued to advance by crawling tactically through the fields. All the time they were under MG fore from their front and right flank. 2Lt Archie Sutherland brought forward his 2" mortar team to provide fire support and to provide motivation and leadership for his advancing sections.

The 11 RSF's Mortar platoon brought in a barrage, supplemented by 2" mortar fire, which started to obscure the troops from fire and allowed the advance to continue, led by the SRY. With great skill the barrage was walked across the entire German position.

Once the German Mortar barrage lifted the troops continued their advance. The Vickers MMG was particularly important in providing direct fire support, but it failed to fully suppress an MG42 team that had opened up on the right flank.

Instead, the SRY Sherman provided excellent fire support that eventually forced the MG42 team to displace. However, Sgt Wilson by this stage thought it was prudent to withdraw No 1 Section from their exposed position on the road. No 2 Section however, kept advancing tactically through the field.

No 2 Section closed in on the first building on the outskirts of Fontenay ready to assault it.

The German resistance was weakening and it appeared that more of their troops were withdrawing. The SRY Sherman continued its advance brassing up the hedges and buildings as it did so.

The SRY bring about the breakthrough that gives the battlefield to the 11 RSF and 2Lt Archie Sutherland's No 5 Platoon.

Outcome

The Battalion had finally broken into the German defences. Everyone was convinced, however, that it was not going to be an easy stroll to RAURAY. This experience had taught them that the Germans were tenacious and would not give ground easily. Archie Sutherland reflected on his experiences through the day and was becoming despondent about the losses his platoon had suffered. The CO of 11 RSF made it clear to him that he needed to do better and was looking for an improvement as the battle progressed.

ADLG - Game Report 243

Ptolemaic (43) vs Early Imperial Roman (85)

For a Thursday's veteran's wargaming opportunity at Entoyment, Kevin leapt at the chance to shout "Roma, Roma, Roma" and bring his Romans out again to battle my Ptolemaics on their revised. There is something deeply engaging about 28mm ADLG, especially when the Army is arrayed and deployed for battle. With my Army of Ptolemy.

Set against the might of Rome.

Back to the battle, after all one can only spend so much time admiring one's army, in which Rome won the initiative and decided to defend in the mountains. The threat presented by the Roman Equites advancing on our flank dictated that the Xystophoroi were redeployed to confront them. Meanwhile the Phalanx advanced to contact.

The Roman Equites decided that discretion was the better part of valour and withdrew to the centre. The Thracians advanced to engage the Auxilia, only for one of the two units to be destroyed on contact (the first of what we think were seven six-one results in combat during the game). 

However, the Numidian's advanced in support to even the odds. The Roman artillery was extremely effective causing a great deal of attrition on the pikes before they could even come into contact. They found their range early in the battle and made a significant difference.

From this point on the battle became one of the most fragmented engagements we had seen for classical armies. No longer did we have nice lines of infantry pushing against each other. Rather each of us punching holes in the opponent's line, which would then try and exploit. In the middle of this mayhem what one does not need is poor command and control, which was about to befall the Ptolemaic Cavalry Commander!

The Roman's have destroyed the Elite Pikes with its included General. However, the Pikes continue to fight on, even to the extent of seizing the opportunity to try and seize the Roman camp. And the Ptolemaic Cavalry stubbornly refuse to move.

However, despite their best efforts the Pikes heading for the enemy camp were destroyed by being charged in the rear; we will draw a veil over the plus eleven they accrued in the combat. By this point the results were swinging in the direction of the Romans. It might have been different if the Ptolemaic Cavalry had been able to be committed to battle. (Three consecutive command rolls of one for a competent general isn't going to go very far.)

Despite being flanked the Ptolemaic Cavalry General destroys his opponent in combat, but it is the last gasp for his army as the losses mount.

Outcome

A Roman victory by 17 to 24, and one in which we had over seven six-one combat results, and that doesn't include those that came up in the shooting!

Lessons Learnt

A poor Ptolemaic deployment meant that 29% of the army, imitation legionaries and cavalry, was unable to engage in support of the main attack.

I remain committed to using the Numidians as shock troops, however, perhaps Kevin's alternative orbat using mediocre elephants instead has merit.

ADLG - Game Report 242

Early Imperial Romans (85) vs Late Imperial Romans (87)

I remained undecided at this stage about what army to take to Warfare. I had tried Ptolemaic, and I would try them again. However, I thought it would be interesting to bring out the Early Imperial Roman's to see how they would fare. Candidly the collective wisdom is that they are a reasonable defensive army but their win:loss ratio is not very favourable. In part it might be due to the fact that to get all the nice troops in the army the points are not on one's side and hence army size can be a little on the small size. For my part I put together an Army of 25 units, by going large on the Auxilia and light on the legionaries.

This would be interesting Army to field, and this would be a stiff fight against Robin's Late Imperial Romans. He opted to defend in the mountains. Consequently, there was a lot of difficult terrain to negotiate, but equally sufficient to provide some flank protection on my left flank and ground suitable for Auxilia. In the centre the Legionaries stood proud of their tradition; throwing scorn at those in front of them that lost the western empire. While on the right there was a further Auxilia command to negotiate the difficult and rough terrain.

I decided to leave the hill on the left flank under the protection of the Marines and light troops, while the Auxilia moved forward to support the Legionaries. On the right we moved the Auxilia forward to move through the terrain and try to flank the enemy left.

A small point of clarification on Robin's Romans the gentlemen with the purple stick in front of them are actually Auxilia, and not late Legionaries. We have moved forward wheeling from the right to the left, well as fast as moving through the terrain would allow the right to move.

The enemy left has withdrawn away from the marsh, but unfortunately we cannot move fast enough to exploit this. The gap we have exposed on the left is being protected by the single cavalry unit which includes the General.

The enemy on our right has now turned to face us and in doing so they are refusing that flank. While on my left flank the CinC has moved his Equites to support the general and to protect the gap. The General has cunningly positioned himself such that it is less likely that the enemy can bring more than one unit into contact with him.

Contact! Success and calamity in equal measure. The Auxilia have outperformed the opposition. The included Equites General has prospered against the enemy cavalry, while on the right the Auxilia are now in a position to strike after destroying the bows. However, and this is a big however, in the centre the elite armoured Legionary with their included General suffered a hit and the general was destroyed by the enemy Cataphracts!

The Auxilia and the Equites are soundly winning their battles. Even to the extent of killing the enemy Cavalry General as he entered the combat. Fortunately, pressures of command and control have prevented the Cataphracts from seizing their opportunity to try and flank my Legionaries. On the right I think it safe to say that the Auxilia are marauding.

Outcome

The Early Romans overcame the Late Romans by 9 to 23.

Lessons Learnt

Definitely a candidate army list for Warfare.

And yes, the armour can save you!

ADLG - Game Report 241

Communal Italian (189) vs Norman (179)

After a degree of minor tinkering with the order of battle (or "orbat" for those what know about this type of things) the Communal Italians were ready for their final outing before the Old Codgers event at Kegworth. And once again Kevin came forward with a challenging opposition in the form of his Normans. I was attacking in the plains and the Normans decided they needed flank protection. We deployed with our Italian foot firm against the coastline with our knights arrayed out to the left of them.

Clearly the Normans thought better of sending their Knights forward against the spears and sent their own spears forward to confront us. However, their own Knights were slow to move. For the Italians part they kept it simple and advanced in line.

The Normans came forward, and their line started to look a wee bit vulnerable, albeit that they were trying their best to protect the infantry flanks as best as they could. The Italian crossbows were causing more damage than the fire from the Normans at this stage.

The opposing infantry made contact and the honours in the combats at this stage were relatively even. However, we have managed to expose the flanks of the infantry line but ay this stage not able to exploit it. We were both waiting for the clash of Knights on Knights. The Italians hoping that the results would be far more in their favour than the last battle where their knights were ridden down by the Normans.

The Norman infantry line has been flanked and broken. The initial contact between the Knights in the centre was even. On the left the Norman Knights are unwilling to move forward and engage. The threat of the mixed unit of spears and crossbows has rather dampened their ardour.

The Norman infantry is now in peril of being destroyed. However, their Knights in the centre are winning their fight.

The Italian infantry has almost defeated their Norman opposite numbers, albeit for a minor success where an Italian heavy spear unit was flanked and destroyed. In the centre an impetuous French mercenary Knight has moved forward and destroyed a Norman crossbow unit only to be flanked themselves in return. In the centre the Italian Knights stubbornly refuse to cave into the threats arrayed against them. Meanwhile on the Italian left the Norman have finally decided to try and even the odds; but is it all too late?

On the left the Italian's have wheeled to reduce the threat to their flank. In the centre the Norman Knights have failed to overcome the Italian Knights, but the real issue for the Norman's is the loss of their Infantry.

Outcome

An Italian victory by 20 to 24.

Lessons Learnt

Another lesson in the staying power of mediocre heavy foot.

Keep the flank secure on the coastline or other difficult terrain.