"CoC US Airborne Vs SS Panzer Grenadiers" Topic

After our last game using US Airborne, where they appeared unstoppable we decided to see how they would handle an attack from some tougher opponents – SS Panzer Grenadiers. It took us a while to work out how to deal with panzer grenadiers, would the panzer grenadiers help us find a way to deal with the Airborne?

More pictures and a full AAR on my blog The Tactical Painter

Very nice. Thanks for sharing.

I like your roads. Unlike lots that get posted, they seem to be nice and flush with the gaming surface.

Thanks, I've always disliked those roads that are in lots of small segments that never seem to lie flat. I make my own roads out of MDF and I figured that quite often a game would feature stretches of fairly long straight road, so I thought, why not just make up a few of those? I also have small segments for curves, junctions, cross roads and shorter roads, but the straight sections get the most usage and they look best.

Excellent comment about road segments TP01 (and from Golgoloth too)!!!
I've recently commented on a flexible terrain product advertised here on TMP, wondering out loud if flexible terrain modules with multiple features embedded on them might be-come available (as a possible product suggestion at least). This also got me thinking about how someone could create on their own, from flexible terrain products already on the market, something like terrain sections/tiles assembled with "on-laid" features such as from roads and fields pieces available from various manufacturer's as "flex-terrain" (with their 3D sculpted properties). But, as you pointed out above, many flex-road sets come as short pieces (especially as curve components), which diminishes some of the positive visual effect of the road "models" themselves. Manufactures need to recognize that 3D roads (and especially as straight lengths, but also for curve sections) might consider making them in longer increments, and for this terrain tile idea/comment of my own here, of permanently affixing 3D terrain to make up modules with, where it would be helpful if curves and intersections were made to some minimum length standard (curves can always be cut up for smaller pieces btw), and say to a standard length to cover at least 12" or some such.

FlyXwire that's a good point. Matching terrain, particularly walls and hedges to corner sections of road is often problematic. I have on my 'to do' list making some sections of curved road with hedges attached which I could easily see being used regularly for Normandy games.

To be fair my SS Panzergrenadiers struggle with US Armoured Infantry! March fire can be a huge advantage when you factor in the re-rolls of 1's. The big squads are resilient when it comes to pinning or breaking ….even if you don't factor in the extra senior leader which allows my opponent to remove shock with one leader while the other stays in cover. I would imagine these issues are only magnified with Elite paratroopers?

GoodOldRebel – yes indeed, these guys have all the US advantages plus steroids. That said, I once considered the Pz Gdrs as invincible, so with time I hope to find a way to find a way to try to deal with these guys too (well sometimes, anyway).

It's one of the many pleasures I find in Chain of Command….tinkering with the support options to make them work as a whole?

Indeed. It also says something about taking a planned and patient approach. What some people see as an overly powerful force is more often a reflection of the rashness with which they tried to deal with them. If you decide to stand it out in a firefight with an opponent who can generate superior firepower, you shouldn't be too surprised when you find yourself driven from the table. It makes you really focus on tactics and how best to use what is available by way of supports and national characteristics.. Great set of rules!

Thanks for sharing a wonderful AAR. I loved the pictures, terrain, and figures. I especially liked your field with the rows. How did you make those?

That all sounds so familiar. When I started playing CoC, I only had US Airborne and German troops. I usually played with my son and he always chose the Airborne and thrashed my Germans every game. Their elite status (more survivable, better morale, …), their firepower, and their larger squads (longer before morale checks) all make them very formidable. It is always a challenge to figure out how to crack them. In the end, I found HE levels the playing field a bit and like you said, you need to use terrain and the larger number of squads you have to out maneuver them.

I especially liked your field with the rows. How did you make those?

Thanks, these are just cheap door mats from a hardware store. They came in a fairly neutral brown colour which I oversprayed in patches with various brown shades. The rows of plants were just the natural ridges in the door mat and these I dry brushed in green and then highlighted with a yellow green shade.