Category Archives: After action reports

After action reports, Chain of Command, TooFatLardies

Chain of Command Berlin Scenario Finale

February 21, 2019 jeffmc77 3 Comments

The JS-2 targets and obliterates the halftrack that had bottled up the Russian Squad in the apartment building on the south edge. With the half track destroyed the Russian squad can now make their way across the street unopposed.

The Russian tanks can now move forward

The Germans gird for this final assault

The FJ Schreck draws a bead on the JS2 below.

After much maneuvering the Russians are finally able to get their armor up to the intersection where they can take on the Tiger. Unfortunately for the Russkies the JS2 with the white recognition stripe on the turret takes a Schreck hit from the paratroopers on the second floor of the government building, knocking out the main gun before it can get into final position. The Russian tank crew confers behind the tank to discuss their options. The second JS2 and the T-34/85 move up to hammer the Tiger tank.

The Tiger swings the mighty 88 into position.

Medium machine gun crew races to join their comrades on the south side of the government building.

The 88 barks and the second JS2 goes up in flames!

Meanwhile on the north edge of the board the second Russian squad attempts to race across the street near the Tiger and hopefully destroy the beast with a captured Panzerfaust.

The bow MG on the Tiger makes short work of the panzerfaust carrying Bolshevik.

The survivors of second squad seek safety behind the stone wall.

After another exchange, the Tiger destroys the T-34/85.

With two squads decimated and support armor smoldering in the street, the Russians call a halt to the attack to wait for reinforcements. The communists came tantalizingly close to capturing the German position, but despite being hit three times, the Tiger is able to stuff the Russian armor at the intersection. The Government stronghold remains firmly in German hands.

The battle hardened Fallschirmjaegers have written their names into the history books enough for one day. They pull back into the recesses of the building to bed down and see what tomorrow brings. They are in a world of shit, yes. But they are alive, and unafraid.

Thoughts on the game-

This was our second full game of the TooFatLardies ruleset, fought over 4 nights. By the end of this most recent phase we felt like we had a pretty good handle on the rules, though I’m sure there’s still a couple of things to learn. We all really liked these rules, especially after trying another set that just ended up not working for us last year.

What I really like about these rules is every phase and turn presents you with choices, challenges and conundrums. We also discovered that planning ahead is essential, as making the wrong move at the wrong time could very well cost you the game. This will be our ruleset for WW2 skirmish gaming going forward.

After action reports, Chain of Command, Terrain, TooFatLardies

Chain of Command Berlin ’45 Smackdown part 2

February 9, 2019 jeffmc77 6 Comments

Friday night sees a resumption of the Russian attack towards the fortified government building on the western edge of the board.

The Germans have lost two jump off points and due to loss of morale are down to three command dice. Things are looking dire for the Hitlerites.

Will the Tiger be able to stem the Soviet advance?

Steve decides to attempt a close assault on Dan’s Russian squad on the north edge of the board as it’s vital the Germans protect their last jump off point. If the Germans can’t halt the attack here their entire position in the sector may become untenable.

The Volksgrenadier squad launches grenades and then moves in to close assault the Russians.

Vicious close assault melee ensues. This is going to be bloody.

The Germans kill 5 Russians, but lose 7 dead in the attack. With three points of shock and most of their squad gone, the surviving Germans stumble back to seek cover in the rubble. The German position in the north is in serious trouble.

Steve is a bit perturbed by these developments.

The German team hastily confers to see how the situation can be saved.

It is decided Gunnar will move the Panther up to engage the Soviet armor. Destroying a Russian tank would help to stabilize the situation for the Germans.

Gunnar zeroes in on his quarry, the T-34/85 in the distance.

Not a comforting sight for any Allied soldier.

The Panther shell crashes into the T-34!

The 75mm shell knocks out the bow MG and inflicts two points of shock. The Russian tank is not out of action, but the crew is shaky.

Meanwhile on the southern edge of the board, the third squad has deployed to reinforce the SS troops in the apartment building that had been battered by the JS-2. The MG -42 covers the street outside. Don’t fall into the sewer boys!

It may have been better to direct these troops to the north edge, will this be a fatal mistake for the Germans?

Russian squad still awaiting activation to storm the apartment building.

Russian flamethrower team moves up on the north edge to help press the attack on the surviving Volksgrenadiers.

This is really going to hurt nearby property valuations.

The Russians launch a grenade attack to try to eliminate the remaining Germans from the Volksgrenadier squad and capture the last jump off point.

The last survivor from the squad, the junior leader, is cut down before he can get over the fence. The German defenses on the southern edge have melted away.

Killing fascists is hard work, time to get some shuteye

And maybe a bathroom break. Reminds me of the nearby gas station bathroom

The loss of morale and command dice are the death knell for the Germans. The two remaining squads withdraw back to the west before they can be outflanked and cut off. The Panther and Tiger prudently decide to pull back until additional infantry arrive to provide support.

Next Friday we’ll begin a new game, with the Russians starting their patrol phase from their current positions, and a fresh German platoon arriving to attempt to hold the government building. We’re still learning the rules and have definitely made a few mistakes, but the game is tremendous fun. Prepare for battle!

After action reports

Chain of Command Berlin ’45 Smackdown Part 1

February 4, 2019 jeffmc77 Leave a comment

Russian Staging area

One of the Russian Jump off spots

Patrol phase markers warily drawing closer

We recently began playing the Chain of Command WW2 Skirmish rules by TooFatLardies, a fantastic rule set!

I’ve been working on 28mm urban terrain for several years now, the table shown is 12 feet by 5 and 1/2 feet, and everything but the model tanks and infantry is scratch built by me.

We played a game last Friday night, Steve and his son Gunnar were the Germans, and I, my brother Quinn and our friend Dan played the Russians. Germans have an ad hoc platoon of two understrength SS squads and one Volksgrenadier squad. They also have a Panther and Tiger, in a last ditch effort to stop the Russians from taking the Government building stronghold at the end of the table opposite the Hotel Steinplatz.

Tiger tank rumbles past the government building

Russkies check in but they don’t check out

I was unsure about the Patrol Phase when I read about it in the rulebook initially, but as we began playing it it turns out to be a very fun mini strategy game before the main game than can have huge implications later. (as both sides found out!) Definitely an art to this, will have to put more thought into it later.

SS MG 42 team waiting for the Russians to appear

JS-2 enters the board at the eastern edge

Panther next to the Government building in a defensive position

Due to some lucky dice rolls by the Russians, we have accumulated enough command dice to have several consecutive phases and have pushed the Germans back from their initial positions. Two of the German jump off points are in peril.

The Russians cross the street into the wall breach to push the Germans out of one of the apartment buildings on the South edge of the board. Disabled SU-152 from the previous day’s failed attack sits in the intersection beyond.

Dan’s two Russian squads on the Northern edge of the board attempt to capture the apartment building and push on west towards the Hotel.

Looking west from the Russian positions, Panther in the distance.

Panther covering the street.

The hotel across the street from the government building stronghold, looking east towards the Russian lines.

The JS-2 fires on the apartment building held by Gunnar’s SS troops. Partial building collapse inflicts shock and forces them to withdraw to a different section of the building. The 122mm cannon is a sledgehammer!

Gunnar’s SS steeling themselves to repulse the Russian assault on the apartment building after evacuating the adjacent section.

Squad has accumulated some shock, but they’re still ready to fight. Barrels on the upper left are a German jump off point.

German view from the roof of the Government building. The washer in the background is available if anyone has some dirty laundry.

The eventual objective for the Russians, though the Germans may have something to say about that.

After the first day of fighting, the front lines denoted by the German and Soviet flags. The battle resumes Friday night!!

The Tabletop Warrior