There may be some line of sight queries (Chain of Command in the jungle battle)

Rumble in the jungle

It has been over a year since I have had a chance to play Chain of Command (CoC). At last years Crisis I picked up a Deserts rats platoon with ambition of doing a CoC campaign.  The models were assembled and primed but that was as far as it got. Recently Bolt Action has kicked off again in the area and after a few games I was interested in revisiting CoC. I do not think one game is not better than the other they press different buttons in the gamer gene.

Trail to a jungle hut

David volunteered to run as opposition the setting was US paras versus Japanese infantry a jungle rumble.  The Paras opted for a mid-war platoon configuration Lieutenant, platoon sergeant, two infantry squads and backed up by a 60mm mortar, total strength thirty one men.  The Japanese went for a type B late war platoon basically a reduced strength rifle platoon Lieutenant, platoon sergeant, three infantry LMG squads and a grenadier squad with four knee mortars, total strength thirty eight men.  The scenario was a standard patrol ie mission one.

nice dense jungle

Both sides rolled maximum for their morale meaning they were very keen to get to grips with the enemy.  During the patrol phase the paras came on from their right flank and tried to patrol along their table edge.  The Japanese came on from their centre and tried to shut down the paras patrol. In the end the battle was roughly diagonal along the battlefield with the Japanese controlling about 60% of the battlefield.

Japanese section on patrol

The Paras moved first  Their initial deployment saw a single rifle squad break cover and advance. There was no response from the Japanese, so the section sent out a scout team to try to local the Japanese patrol.  They advance 4-5 meters before the Japanese were revealed and the grenadiers squad obliterated the scout team.  Annoyingly the paras morale was not affected and with the Japanese found the section moved forward to engage.  The section’s LMG team raced into a tower and started laying down fire. The rest of the section engage an enemy LMG section killing the trooper who had spotted for the mortars.

Paras section on patrol

The second para section appeared on the other flank and moved to put pressure on the nearby Japanese jump of points.  The Japanese grenadiers targeted the LMG team in the tower reducing it to one man. The Para’s platoon sergeant showed up and order two men from a nearby rifle team to to get into the tower and re-crew the LMG.  The paras got their second section into a building for hard cover. Forcing the Japanese to deploy a third section to protect the jump of point.

Japanese spot the scout team

With both para’s LMG in good positions the paras began to show why nearly every army had an LMGs in their infantry section as the LMGs began to systematically shoot up the deployed Japanese units. Starting the the grenadiers section who was reduced to just the corporal who was forced to withdraw to avoid being destroyed.  Another section was then targeted and destroyed before they get out of the way.  

Japanese greanadiers start laying down mortar fire

The Japanese counter attack saw a LMG section charge the Paras platoon sergeant. Who took out two of the attackers before being overrun and destroyed.  The Japanese used a chain of command dice to move one their jump of points forward and then deploy their platoon sergeant and the last LMG section to threaten the Para’s jump of point. Their remaining troops destroyed a Paras rifle section and badly maul the other. But the Para’s LMGs just kept on firing increasing the Japanese casualties count as they tired to cling to cover on the jungle's edge

Para's LMG occupies a tower

At the end of the engagement both side had lost over half their morale and suffered over 60% casualties but neither side surrendered or quit the battlefield.  Neither side covered themselves in glory it was suppose to be a just routine patrol instead it turned into a bit of a bloodbath with both platoons effectively destroying each other with little or no gain.  Both platoon commanders survived but they would probably get removed from command by their superiors for losses sustained.

Para LMG team's view of the battle

Overall an interesting if somewhat apocalyptic battle we played for about three hours in total and for the first two hours I think there was only three casualties but once the force got stuck in the losses mounted fast. I would like to play again but I think we need the campaign system in effect to temper the players somewhat bloodthirsty nature. Now I feel the need to top up the japanese to a full strength platoon total strength sixty two men :)

Paras in huts Versus Japanese in jungle 

Parting shot from Japanese platoon commander on the paras 

That is all for now. Thanks for stopping by.