Friday, May 31, 2024

Chain of Command AAR: Operation Husky - Action at San Leo, Game 1: Bersaglieri attack US Armoured

Our CoC group decided it was time to try to connect our games in an easy way without to much book keeping, so we are trying some of the rules for a simple ladder campaign from "At the Sharp End".

First game should been a fight between two platoons using Scenario 3 "Attack & Defend".
The winner will then consolidate his position and start as the Defender in the next game (a Big CoC game) using Scenario 6 "Attack on an Objective", additionally he can chose static defences for 3 Support Points - but has to fight with just 2 platoons of infantry and as such both their players gets a full CoC Dice each.
The loser will start as the attacker in the follow-up game and he will get an additional platoon of tanks.

Both platoons will get adjusted the casualities according to the rules from "At the Sharp End"

So Max and me played game 1 Yesterday putting his Bersaglieri as attacker versus my US Armoured who had to defend.

He got 5 Supports (Bersaglieri Force Rating -4 vs. US Armoured +1) and rolled TWO 1s for the scenario support - this left me with 1(!) support 😅
The Bersaglieri were highly motivated it looked because they started with a Force Moral off 11 vs. my Force Moral of 9.

The battlefield - a small hamlet at the end of a valley surrounded by orchards, wheat fields and a small wood.

The first squad of Bersaglieri desployed on the hill behind a hedge, going directly on Overwatch.

The US Armoured responded with their 60mm mortar, their salvos ...

... directed by the Platoon Sergeant himself.

While the Bersaglieri installed a fire base that dominated the hights and the fields in front of the hamlet - a MMG behind an entrenchment.

The first error of the Italian command - their squads advanced without supporting each other and not simultaneously, so my LMG-Squad could concentrate his fire on this hapless squad.

Meantime in the orchards - 3 squads of Armoured Rifles suppress a lonely squad of Bersaglieri with their concentrated fire and advance on their strong position behind a stonewall.

My LMG is squad under Covering Fire from the LMG on the hill from the front ...

... while another squad of Bersaglieri throw smoke grenades to hamper the LMGs from this flank.

My small HQ squad storms the stonewall and a bitter fight of close combat results ...

... defeating the defenders and routing the few survivors. The brave Sergeant will be awarded a Medal of Honour after the battle.

With mounting casualities and the Force Moral going down more and more (dropping to 3) the Italians decided to withdraw from the battlefield to preserve the remaining troops for the upcoming attack.

The Italian Bersaglieri suffered 16 casualities and additionally lost 2 of their Junior Leader - according to "At the Sharp End" 8 of them are permanently lost, another 4 miss the next battle and 4 return to the ranks; to replace the lost NCO´s 2 men of the rank and file will be promoted.

Thanks to the unbroken Force Morale (difference of +6), all the losses of the US Armoured can fight in the upcoming battle.

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