Now I knew they had played CoC, and I also recall Carlo being partial to the game, so I thought it ideal to use them as guinea pigs for trying out Big CoC! They were more than happy to go along with it, so a format was put together. As the 28mm stuff is still being painted (nearly done though!) this weekend would have to be in 20mm
I thought that for 8 players, a Big CoC campaign of 4 games over the weekend from Friday night through to Sunday afternoon would work fine. I allowed for an extra scenario just in case things went a bit quick.
What to do?
An obvious choice was Normandy, I had all the kit required, and of course, Mark has his amazing collection of Mick Sewell buildings which were aching for a run out.
I only needed a reinforced company for both British and Germans, plus various AFV options, all of which we had.
The battle is reasonably well documented, particularly in Iain Dalglish's book "Operation Epsom: Over the Battlefield" which includes some fantastic aerial photographs of the area taken just days after the battle, these would substitute perfectly for maps.
I came up with 4/5 scenarios with games running into each other to replicate the fighting:
The first was a bit of a "what if" with infantry companies from each side recce-ing the village of Bougy about a mile South of Gavrus, the Germans supported by an armoured infantry platoon in half-tracks and the jocks by their carrier platoon. Both sides did recce Bougy, but I doubt they did it in such strength or necessarily at the same time, but I thought it would give a good introduction for the players, and set the tone for the weekend.
This was to be a fairly standard Patrol scenario as per the CoC rules, with each side receiving an additional 8 points of support to be drawn from a fairly limited selection
The British briefing:
Scenario 1: BOUGY- BRITISH
This depicts the action between The 2nd Argylls and the 10th SS Frundsberg Division early in the morning of 29thJune 1944, around the village of Bougy. This is a patrol action as per the main CoC rules. National characteristics as per the main rules.
7 Patrol Markers will be placed along the respective baselines, resulting in 6 Jump off Points. Vehicles will enter via the Gavrus road.
The adjutant may either: Act as an off table senior leader for 1 platoon. OR for the entire company, in which case he will just add +1 to their deployment rolls
Casualties from scenario 1 will carry over to scenario 2.
British Infantry: 3 platoons, C Company 2nd Argylls, Regular, 5 command dice
Each as follows:
HQ:
Lieutenant: Senior Leader armed with a pistol.
Platoon Sargent: Senior Leader armed with SMG
PIAT Team: 2 men
2" Mortar Team: 2 men.
Sections 1 to 3:
Corporal: Junior Leader armed with SMG
Bren Team: Bren LMG 3 crew
Rifle Team: 6 riflemen
SUPPORT OPTIONS:
List 1: Medic, Adjutant(max 1),,
List 2: PIAT Team: 2 men, 2" Mortar Team: 2 men.
List 3: Sniper Team, Universal carrier Bren Team with Junior Leader.
List 4: 6 pdr Anti-tank gun with 5 crew and Junior Leader (max 1)
ELEMENTS, CARRIER PLATOON, 2ND ARGYLLS: , Regular, 5 command dice.
1 x Universal Carrier with driver, 2 man Bren team, and Senior Leader with pistol
Section 1:
1 x Universal Carrier with driver, 2 man Bren team, and Junior Leader with SMG
1 x Universal Carrier with driver, 2 man 2" mortar team, and 1 rifleman
Section 2:
1 x Universal Carrier with driver, 2 man Bren team, and Junior Leader with SMG
1 x Universal Carrier with driver, 2 man PIAT team, and 1 rifleman
Section 3:
1 x Universal Carrier with driver, 2 man Bren team, and Junior Leader with SMG
1 x Universal Carrier with driver, 2 man 2" mortar team, and 1 rifleman, OR 2 man PIAT team, and 1 rifleman
No Support may be allocated to the Carrier Platoon
Total support points.8
Each asset picked must be allocated to a specific platoon for the duration of scenario 1
The German briefing:
Scenario 1: BOUGY -GERMAN
This depicts the action between The 2nd Argylls and The 10th SS Frundsberg Division early in the morning of 29thJune 1944, around the village of Bougy. This is a patrol action as per the main CoC rules. National characteristics as per the main rules.
7 Patrol Markers will be placed along the respective baselines, resulting in 6 Jump off Points.
Vehicles will enter via the western road
The adjutant may either: Act as an off table senior leader for 1 platoon. OR for the entire company, in which case he will just add +1 to their deployment rolls.
Senior Leaders must be allocated to a specific platoon
Casualties from scenario 1 will carry over to scenario 2,
German Infantry: 3 platoons of the 1st Company 22nd Pzrgrenadier Regt, Regular, 5 command dice
Each as follows:
HQ:
Obersharfurher: Senior Leader armed with a SMG.
3 Panzerfaust 30.
Sections 1 to 3:
Scarfurher: Junior Leader armed with SMG
M42 Team: MG42 LMG 3 crew, 1 Rifleman
M42 Team: MG42 LMG 3 crew, 1 Rifleman
SUPPORT OPTIONS:
List 1: Medic, Adjutant (max 1), Panzerfaust 30
List 2: Senior Leader armed with a SMG. Panzerschreck team with 2 crew
List 3: Sniper Team, Panzergrenadier team: Junior Leader armed with SMG, 5 riflemen.
List 4: Mg 42 MMG team and 5 crew
List 5: Sdkfz 250/8 with junior leader, 250/9 with junior leader
3rd Kompanie, 10thSS Panzer Aufklarungs-Abteilung: Superior Regular *, 5 command dice
1 x Sdkfz 251/10 + Obersharfurher: Senior Leader armed with a SMG.
Panzerschreck team with 2 crew
3 x Infantry sectionseach:
1 x Sdkfz 251/1 Scarfurher: Junior Leader armed with SMG
M42 Team: MG42 LMG 3 crew, 1 Rifleman
M42 Team: MG42 LMG 3 crew, 1 Rifleman
*Superior regulars treat a single 6 on their command dice as a 5. Other rolls are unchanged.
No Support may be allocated to the Recce platoon
Total support points.8
Each asset picked must be allocated to a specific platoon for the duration of scenario 1
