I've been badgering Mark Freeth about CoC for about a year now, first of all to do it in 20mm, then of course its turned into 28mm. Meanwhile, The group of lads from Huntingdon who do an annual game to remember their sadly missed old friend Carlo were coming to Basingstoke.
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 scenario was to be the action at Gavrus on 29/30th June 1944, when the 2nd battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders came under ferocious attack by the 10th SS 'Frundsberg' division.
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
Main road at Gavrus
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
Recce half-tracks move up( die-cast vehicles, AB crew)
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
Cautious grenadiers (Elhiem and Adler figures)
