Platoon Mega Playtest: Part 1 - Chain of Command

And so the Platoon Rules mega-playtest gets underway - see the previous post for details. I'll keep to the same headings as I used for the Skirmish tests.

Presentation

Good quality ~64pp softback, full colour book. Can be a bit hard to find what you want. I also used Mike Whittaker's downloadable QRS - although at 6 pages it's bigger than some of the rules I test!

Set-Up

The first "Probe into Fontenay" scenario from the Operation Martlet pint-sized campaign. Normal patrol phase after that (although couldn't work out why as defenders the Germans had to start behind their defensive line and move into it - perhaps I missed something). Platoon-plus each, drawn from normal support lists (so extra a/t gun and tank on each side roughly). I made the Germans ordinary Wehrmacht with inf+mg group sections rather than Panzer Grenadier with 2xMG42!

Interestingly as I was playing in 10mm but on a full size table (and on ~3" square grid) my figure scale was actually SMALLER than my ground scale given CoC's "suggested" mapping. I assumed 60yds to the inch not 40yds to get to about 1:1 without too much impact on ranges as all so close in. Could have done with more cover though. May play later scenarios on a smaller table!

How It Played

Brits made slow progress of getting onto the board. No. 2 section went right flanking down the tree line, passed the farmhouse but then caught MG42 and rifle fire from the industrial buildings, and then as they got close to the road from the German reserve section which moved to also cover the space to the side of the buildings. The 2" brought down smoke, but this drifted out behind the Germans, and the Brits lost the Bren team. On the other flank No 1 Section moved to the hedge line but then a single MG42 burst from the farmhouse devastated the section and they lost their Bren team and had to withdraw from Shock. With 2 sections effectively out it was time to call it a day, the rest of the Platoon was massed by the central wood, but the armour was still only coming up. I played an extra few phases to try the armour and a/t guns out and was surprised at how ineffective the anti-tank was.

No.2 Section legging it down the hedge line.

Rules Impression

I can't say I've got on with Chain of Command before, and this was no exception. Maybe I'm playing it wrong, but I have played with others so it's not me massively misreading it. I like the patrol phase, and Shock, but I find the activation model too artificial, and likewise the Chain of Command dice bit. There are probably too few DMs for me too. When I was learning platoon attacks you did your O Group and then everyone headed off to do their bit, no waiting for an activation mix in order to get one section firing, 2 more running and then assaulting and the 51mm also firing - it was all simultaneous. With CoC I find things are just too disjointed, particular since 1/5/6 on the dice are pretty useless, so only 50% are useful activations.

ENDEX

Overall

Obviously suits loads of people but just not my thing - in trying to get a focus on the command and control I think they've just made it too artificial. Overall (for me) 7/10.