Chain of Command 2 - Game Report 9

Hell's Highway North of Eindhoven September 1944

Introduction

Kevin and I now had the time and opportunity, and more importantly the experience gained from eight games of Chain of Command 2 (COC2), to introduce Harry and Paul to the game system. We convened at Entoyment for a game of Big COC – what an unfortunate set of initials – to fight "The Patrol" scenario!

Ground

The ground was relatively open, with small copses and fields. There is a minor road running south-west to the north-east, which is crossed by a track running from the south-east to the north-west. The German force is approaching from the north-west, it is probable that they will be using the track as an axis of advance.

Situation

Operation Market Garden is behind schedule, the continual attacks from the flanks of the corridor by German forces are slowing the advance of XXX Corps. It is taking the combined efforts of the 101st Airborne and the 43rd (Wessex) Div to respond to the repeated incursion attempts. 

Enemy Forces

The lead elements of an infantry Kampfgruppe have been reported moving forward to secure a start line from which to launch an attack that could breach the corridor. Aerial reconnaissance has detected the forward elements of a weak infantry company heading towards the main highway.

Friendly Forces

5th Battalion Dorsets have sent a platoon forward to help a parachute platoon from 101st Airborne intercept and drive back the enemy. The track heading north-west is the boundary between the two forces, with the Dorset's to the left of the track, with the Screaming Eagles to the right.

Mission

To prevent the Germans from cutting the main highway.

Post Mission Report

The Dorsets have deployed a section into the copse. The Mortar section has deployed in support. The paras are moving up with one section through the hop field close to the track with the other through the field.

A further British section is moving to work around the right of the copse.

Through the gaps in the hedgerows the Germans could be seen advancing cautiously, bringing up their MG42.

An overflight by a Spitfire recon mission detected the close proximity of the German and US paras as they advanced to combat.

The British Section advanced down the track to try and attack the Germans at the cross roads.'

In their attempt to move down the track the NCO was wounded, stalling their progress. The reserve section tried to provide support from between the stream and the wood, but their Bren Team was destroyed by an MG42. The only positive support was provided by a sniper team from the Battalion recce platoon, on the left of the stream, which was able to neutralise the German sniper before they could come into action.

The paras were able to manoeuvre very effectively, even though they were under fire. They were able to significantly disrupt the Germans advance.

The weight of the German fire was sufficient to drive the lead British section from the copse. In order to try and make progress the Platoon Commander decided to move forward to try and direct the 2" mortar to lay smoke to protect a further advance, only to be cut down and killed by the MG42.

Fortunately, the weight of the US firepower drove the Germans back and prevented them contributing to the problems the British were facing.

Outcome

An excellent game even though Kevin and I didn't command our troops as well as we should have with our experience; instead it was really up to Harry and Paul, both of whom had some timely double turns, to show how we should be playing the game! In the end the losses taken by Kevin's Germans meant that in terms of the scenario to Allies won the action, but we kept playing for the fun of it.