We had a smashing game of Chain of Command on Tuesday night as The Traitor McKipper ran another game of his Metz 1944 campaign. So far my yanks have crossed the Moselle and cleared out the Luzerailles farm but failed to turf the Goetz von Berlichingen defenders out of the village Jouy aux Arches where, in truth, we got a bloody nose.
My problem is that until a bridge can be thrown over the Moselle, I cannot get armoured support (other than some long distance fire from the heights opposite, which is fine for a bombardment but no good for close support) and I am very susceptible to a German counter attack moving down the East bank of the Moselle.
With my numbers reduced, I have left an armoured infantry platoon defending the bridgehead and pushed up the hill with my infantry platoon to try to capture Fort St Blaise, an old German fort built after 1871 and maintained by the French from 1918 onwards. Now back in German hands, the Fort controls the river and our Engineers cannot build a bridge until the fort is neutralised.
Last week I attacked the fort and came within an Ace of blowing the back door and storming in, but the shifty Germans managed to rob me of victory. So, this week I went back and tried again, feeling pretty confident that with some additional engineering resources I could take the fort.
You can read all about our game here:
toofatlardies.co.uk/blog/?p=7020
What we all enjoyed was how games like this can give a real understanding of historical events whilst also being challenging and fun to play, especially in a campaign setting where you as a platoon commander are constantly trying to compensate for losses by fielding the most efficient force possible with the men you have left in action.
Anyway, here's a couple of snaps as a warm up act.
Hope you enjoy it.
Rich
