Panzergrenadier Assault

 Recently played a solo game of Chain of Command, wanting to use the newly finished carriers: the Sd. Kfz. 251 and the Universal Carrier. This game was Scenario 2: The Probe, the objective being the attacking force getting one unit of troops off of the defenders board edge (pushing through their outer defenses). The map is pulled from the Kampfgruppe Von Luck campaign, and sees a small hamlet in the northeastern corner, with a road pushing from diagonal to diagonal, a small woods, and plenty of hedges. 

The empty battlefield

The attackers would be a German Panzergrenadier platoon, pushing against a British Infantry Platoon. In terms of the picture above, the Germans would have to push from the near to the far long edge of the board. The Germans had 5 points of support which were spent on an Sd. Kfz. 251 and an additional senior leader. The Brits had 3, all spent on a Universal Carrier. Good tactical decision? I can’t say, but I just finished the carriers so they had to be played after all!

The Patrol Phase played out seeing the Germans push up from their road and into the nearby house and woods. The Brits pushed into the village and all along the hedge line that guarded their table edge. The Jump Off Points (JOPs) were placed accordingly:

British JOPs in Blue, German in Red

And another view

The British had three JOPs: one in the village on one flank, one in the trees at their center, and one along the hedge guarding their opposite flank. The Germans likewise had three JOPs: one in the two storied house along the road, one on the hedge running along the road, and one on the edge of the woods nearest the village. The Germans planned to use the small village home as a position for their base of fire and one senior leader, while pushing a squad in the 251 hard across the open ground against the British hedge line. The British plan was to bring out the Bren Carrier early to react to the German movements, while keeping their infantry in reserve to hammer the enemy once they revealed themselves. The Germans started with a Force Morale of 10, while the British started with 9. 

The opening of the battle sees the 251 come in along the road with a squad of Panzergrenadiers under the overwatch of another squad, each armed with multiple rifles and two MG-42s. 

The German base of fire: two MG-42s!

The Hanomag veers off of the road and presses into the open field, attempting to use its speed to rush the troops off the field. As they approach the suspected British positions, the squad and the platoon sergeant dismount, leaving a machine gun team, rifleman, and squad leader aboard to drive and man the armored carrier.

The Sd. Kfz. 251 presses off of the road

Fritz dismounts to assault enemy positions

Seeing where the Germans are pointing their attack, the Bren Carrier enters the battlefield along a country lane, slowly pressing towards the oncoming Germans. 

The Universal Carrier leisurely driving the country lane

Simultaneously, seeing the German infantry unloading, the British prepare to fire on them from the hedge line. However, the attacker’s base of fire on overwatch lets loose a machine gun salvo adding shock (Chain of Command’a suppression mechanic) to the newly revealed Tommies. The British press on and open fire on the assaulting Germans, who keep their heads down behind the carrier. 

The British watching the Germans approach

After the exchange of small arms fire, the platoon sergeant orders the PIAT time to follow him to the hedge and fire off a round at the carrier. Against all odds, the antitank round glances off the armor and harmlessly away. 

The PIAT deploys to the hedge line

Being fully aware of the British threat, the Germans press forward with full force of the machine guns. Between the base of fire in the house, the advancing infantry, and the Hanomag, the combined fire kills multiple British riflemen, the PIAT assistant, and wounds the corporal in charge of the squad. 

The British return fire in the assaulting squad, piling on more shock, forcing the grenadiers to keep their heads down. Meanwhile, the Bren Carrier pushes around the flank of the advancing troops, moving into a position to fire. 

In an attempt to secure the flank, a Panzerschreck team deploys onto the road to fire at the Carrier - they miss.  Seeing the advancing Bren Carrier unhindered, the German platoon sergeant rallies his men and leads his infantry in a dead sprint from behind the 251 and make for the hedge line further to the British left.

The Panzerschreck team deploys from the woods

The 251 continues to press forward, firing, to cover the advancing infantry, but as they get closer to the hedge, the PIAT rings out once more. This time the shot rams home, knocking out to the 251. Those manning the vehicle stumble out of the back, heavily suppressed and in the open.

The British valiantly defend the hedge

With the passengers in the open, the Bren Carrier opens fire, killing two of the four. The remaining two break for home in an attempt to put as much distance between the British and them as possible. 

The survivors of the Bren Carrier attack

The rest of the German infantry continue to take rifle and Bren fire from the British squad,  it manage to cross the hedge. In a last minute run, as British reinforcements arrive at the hedge, the Panzergrenadiers  press forward and through the lines, securing the victory for the Germans. 

Panzergrenadiers break through the British lines

In the end, the German command rolls (along with the fast build up of a CoC dice, and timely double phases) were more flexible and consistent than the British. The Brits struggled to make the most of what they had on the table and were therefore on their heels most of the game, losing the game with two whole sections still in reserve. I’m sure I made some tactical errors on their side, plus the Bren Carrier took up too much command attention that would’ve been better suited to an additional infantry section along the hedge. That squad could’ve lined further down the hedge, forcing the attackers to break through manned defensive positions.

All that said, it was still a really enjoyable game, and great to get the carriers out on the game table. Chain of Command is a fantastic rule set that encourages players to use historical tactics. 

Caleb