"Chain of Command first game and impression" Topic

I got to play Chain of Command with Magnus down at the club yesterday, we ran two Early War platoons, Poles vs Germans. The rules were really good and had imo many strong features which stood out to me.
The command and control is really good, vehicles are really fun and dynamic to use with the junior commanders distributing initiative points on their crew – and the damage chart for the vehicles is also a welcome comeback of detailed results and damages that I've been missing in many new platoon scale games.

Smokescreens and machineguns are extremely valuable, and I think light mortars will become a popular support option because they are a great counter to firepower heavy enemy units and also because of the really interesting turn sequence which uses multiple phases (meaning many effects such as smoke linger on the table for a long time and actually feel meaningful). Another really good feature was the shock/pinned down mechanic, this is the first game I've played where troops are actually pinned down and can't shrug off that effect with a single roll. You can recover from being pinned down and reduce the negative effect of shock over time but meantime the troops will have reduced movement and fire capabilities and act very sluggish.

This really is a game for those who aren't satisfied with Bolt Action, and who want a more detailed and realistic experience – without necessarily adding a lot more complexity as the Chain of Command rules flow really well.

You can read a longer and more detailed account of my first game and initial impressions over at my blog. A full review of Chain of Command will probably be up later this week.

link

Nice report and good to see that you both got the hang of the rules quickly and liked them. I feel the same way you do, but I have been a Lardy fan boy for ten years, it is great to see how someone with little previous Lard sees the rules.

Sounds like fun.

Being a contrarian by nature, the New Hotness is usually anathema to me. But your post pushed a few specific buttons for me (initiative points distributed to vehicle *crew* you say?) and may have sold me on this.

As usual, a superb table!

Glad you guys liked the rules. You and I have been talking about the same kinds of concerns about BA for awhile now and glad to see CoC is addressing those.

I'm still reading through the rules myself, but I hope to have a game in a couple weeks when we have our local miniatures convention.

Thanks – enjoyed.

@Greywing,

Yes, the Junior commander in a vehicle is activated by your command dice, he then has initiative points (2 for junior commander) which he can use to tell the driver to drive, gunner to fire, or help the gunner to direct the fire. If the commander of the vehicle is wounded his ability to lead the crew is reduced and with it the vehicle actions become more limited.

All commanders have these initiative points and when activated by command dice the commanders can decide how to distribute their points and what they want their subordinates to do. Activating units through commanders allows for more control than activating units through use of "team" and "section" command dice.

Chain of Command synthesizes a number of features into the game in a very elegant and effortless manner.

The mix of command dice and "big men" system forces you to make choices. Leaders are critical to success as only they allow you to use a unit to the fullest of its abilities. Units can act on their own if required, but in a more basic manner.

The patrol and deployment system very effectively takes care of hidden troops and ambushes without having to resort to diagrams, written orders or any other contrivances. Yes units can teleport on the table, but takes out the arbitrary factor out of it. You have a general idea of where the enemy might be and it's up to you to draw the right conclusions.

The more you play the rules the more you realize that you need to use real world tactics rather than work out how the game gives you the best possible advantage.

Thanks, again, for all you do.

We tried Chain of Command for the first time this week – and really enjoyed the game. I think I agree with all on Anatoli's points so won't bother with a detailed write up.

But we also used multi-based figures – in my case 10mm figures that I have had for ages. I did base up a few singles to be leaders.

A German section on the loosing end of a fire fight with a British section in a house. White dice are the number of men left, red are shock.

Germans advance after shooting up a British section who rather rashly deployed into the open, in LoS of a German jump of point, and were promptly ambushed.

Anatoli – that little armoured car thing by the smoke in the 3rd pic. I've got that, but can't remember what it is! Help…

(I do remember that the real one pics I saw had a single long wheel arch not 2 half length ones – But its definately that model).

Well done-thanks!

@Last Hussar

Do you mean the Polish wz.34 armored car or the tan colored German 8-rad (Sdkfz 232)? The later has similarities with the armored car Puma, which indeed had different wheel arcs.

Very informative review, thanks.

Rick

Nice review. After seeing the UTube vids and reading this, I would certainly get these rules if I played FTF, but I only play online, where our games are simo-move, double-blind. But I still might get them and tailor them to fit. Where can I get them in the US?

"Where can I get them in the US?'

They are only available from the Lardies themselves, I think?
toofatlardies.co.uk

No worries: I'm happy to support those who support good games that capture the spirit of the genre…and a pint (or two… or three?).

On Military Matters has 20 copies on order according to Rich(*) so you can get them from there very soon.

(*) As always I could be totally incorrect…

Great review & game. It looks like some of your buildings are paper? Or at least paper glued down to thin board? Where are they from &/or how did you make them?

Thanks

@Black Cavalier,
Thanks, a more detailed review will be up during the week and will cover vehicle rules in greater detail.

About the buildings, they are home made by a friend of a friend and donated to the club. Can't tell much more about tham other than that they are made out of both thick cardboard and some wood with the paper "building" texture glued onto the walls and roof parts.

Panacea of WW2 rules. About time!!!