Ulster Wargames Society: Breaking through the Bocage.

Game of WW2 British vs Germans in Normandy.

Using Chain of Command 2 in 28mm.

Using terrain and models by Jeremy Dowd.

Organized and Umpired by Jeremy Dowd.

AAR by Gary, with some minor additions by the editor.

Players

British : Jeremy D, Bryn, Andy, Gary and David M.

German : Simon, Stephan and Mark.

Club Saturday and I participated in a 28mm game of COC2 set up by Jeremy D and being a big battle type game (Jeremys house rules) set in Normandy with 5 British and 3 German players.

Really nice terrain from Jeremys collection immersed us in Normandy style surroundings.

British under Jeremys overall command (and some Battalion assets) with Andy controlling our armoured contingent (2 M4, a Firefly, a Humber AC, 2 Churchills and a Recce section in Bren Carriers) and with Bryn, Dave M and my own wee self commanding an Infantry Platoon each.

Germans under Simon with Mark and Stephen controlled 2 PzGr Platoons, several support units (MGs, Flamwerfer and 2 Stugs) with some barbed wire, minefields and booby trapped/mined road verges.

Both sides had Mortar support.

British had an initial phase line to capture which would release a fresh set of Infantry Platoons to replace the initial Company and its losses before pushing on to try to capture a couple of bridges and a farm complex.

I controlled our right flank, Bryn our left with Dave and Andy in center.

After Patrol/Jump Off phase the British were slowed by an accurate Hun mortar barrage catching a section and supports in a wood in center.

On my flank I managed to capture a phase line objective in church whilst thankfully being mostly unscathed from an ambushing MG42 team which was dispatched quickly by supporting Sherman fire.

Bryn captured an objective on his flank and then boldly charged onto the central objective again luckily surviving after running the gauntlet of an ambushing MG42.

This ended initial phase and set up another Patrol Phase which allowed me to place 2 Jump Off points well along the enemy flank.

Phase 1 and British advance covered by a Smoke Barrage

Initial phase line approximately along road (my initial objective in church tower)

Daves section in wood was soon Pinned by Hun mortars as Andy brings on Recce section in Bren Carriers, with Bryn moving through the walled orchard

My chaps about to occupy church

With 2 objectives in British hands and the barrage moving off from Davids platoon, the pressure was on to get the third objective at the cross roads. The Germans deployed an MG 42 and attacked Bryns section, with little effect, allowing Bryns section to run to get last objective.

So the British win Phase A.

This second phase saw my Platoon advancing well forward on right (including moving a Jump Off point) but coming under a deluge of ambushes from MG42s, PzGrenadiers, a 75mm Infantry Gun and 2 Flamewerfer teams (their 12 dice very nasty as they cancel cover and deal double shock).

Bryn was slowed by having to move around the minefields and wire with Dave M eventually being able to push through to support my dwindling numbers (my lot felt well out on a limb for a period).

Andys Shermans gave sterling support fire collapsing 2 buildings and routing a unit of PzGr.

2 Stugs appeared but were only able to engage our infantry (lots of 2" Mortar smoke).

Andy did bring his Firefly forward to engage but soon beat a hasty retreat after surviving being engaged by an ambushing Panzer Faust team !!

Time ran out and a draw was declared as whilst German left had mostly collapsed us British were still well shy of the final objectives.

Great stuff with some lovely kit and a lot of work put in by Jeremy to set up and run the game and I seem to have failed to photograph a single British tank or Stug !! [ Fortunately I did , the Editor ]

Dave units move in center as Bryn circumvents mined areas

My blokes in house being given severe suntans by flamewerfers in opposite building (one flame team was dispatched and another immediately popped up !!)