I have decided to play a solo campaign of Chain of Command using Joseph Legan’s wonderful book Platoon Forward available at Too Fat Lardies. 

For anyone not aware, this useful supplement generates random scenarios, provides support for them and makes it all a bit more interesting by adding a narrative campaign element.

Platoon Forward us designed for World War two but is easily altered for other periods.  I originally used it for a Very British Civil War campaign!  It is meant to easily be used with any tactical level World War Two game.  Some things are not perfectly fitted to Chain of Command, but a little flexibility and creativity will solve these little issues.

Since I have the figures and support for it, I have decided to set my campaign in the Vacaville area of Normandy in June of 1944. My Platoon is a part of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion.

My platoon 5th Platoon of C Company is commanded by Lt Jimmy Ryers. He is a cautious and yet cocky 23 year old hoping for recognition and promotion.   His platoon Sargeant, Archie Giles is a very sensible and even-tempered former clerk.   Greg Fulton a jovial 30 year old, more comfortable with art than warfare has the first section.  The second is led by 28 year old Trent Carpenter.  Patriotic and naively reckless.  Before the war, he was a mechanic.  The support section is commanded by the Hedonistic and cultured Quebecois, Harris LeBlanc.

5th Platoon’s first assignment after landing in France was to take a German observation post in a country church. The position was believed to be lightly defended so apt. Keefe ordered Lt Ryeres forward with his 5th Platoon.

The German position was in an old stone church surrounded by a churchyard and its low wall.   Ryers ordered his first two sections to advance forward along the hedgerows.  The Headquarters sniper took a position within the hedge and waited for a shot.

He didn’t have to wait long.  The distinctive sound of a German MG42 soon destroyed the solitude of the quiet June night.

Lt Ryers quickly deployed his 2″ mortar team who ably provided smoke to aid the advance.

Under the cover of the smoke, Sgt Fulton’s section started to receive fire from a German squad holding the church.  They dived for the cover of the hedge by the Sargeant was wounded.

Ryers ordered Fulton’s Bren team to quiet the fire from the church,  Soon with the help of the sniper they had reduced the German fire.  Ryers order the two sections to move forward and the assaulted the church rather handily.

All in all a successful first mission.  Rolled pretty badly for the German blinds, which did make for a easy fight than it might have been.  Some challenges I am facing as I do this, the table I am using is smaller than the usual 6×4 which makes for a less effective patrol phase, I might just use the entrances Legan suggests on the scenario cards and there are no spotting rules in Chain of Command which is how the blind system in Platoon Forward usually works.  I simply rolled for my blinds as I was hoping to activate them.  The blinds are rated as probably infantry, probably support, and probably vehicle.  I would roll the command dice for the Germans and this if I would roll for the blind I hoped to activate, if it came up empty I just rolled the next one of that type.  Not sure that was the best answer.

Until next time,

Cheers!