Chain of Command First World War: Cambrai Solo AAR

Recently, I set up a solo game of Chain of Command using the CoCing up Mud and Blood rules that can be found in the Too Fat Lardies 2014 Christmas Special. I based the game on the first day of the Cambrai attack in November of 1917 and this was a similar scenario to the CoC WW1 game I played at Steel Lard in 2019. A British platoon with the support of two tanks was attacking against a German platoon in trenches. I also filmed the game as an AAR and that can be seen below, but I also took photos and they can be seen below the video.

The British were to advance and capture as much of the German front line trench as possible to win. It was going to be a big ask as the Germans had taken barbed wire as one of their support options...

Opening the game, the British rifle grenadier section took up positions in a shattered wood, ready to lay down some explosive firepower. 

In the centre of the field the Lewis gun took up their positions and waited on overwatch. 

And the bombing section set up to drive on the German flank.

The British Mark IV Male tank also began its slow move across the field. 

Meanwhile, the Germans wake up and begin manning the parapets to fend off the attack. 

More Germans arrived and the trenches began to fill with men.

The female tank joins the attack and the two behemoths push forward.

The British Lewis section come under heavy fire and start to take casualties including the Corporal Sid Upton.

Eventually the fire is too much, Cpl Upton is killed and the remaining men break, falling back towards the British lines. 

British support arrives in the form of a Stokes mortar barrage, which drops directly on the German trenches, but causes little damage. 

Meanwhile, the rifle grenadiers take casualties as well as the platoon Commanders with the Sergeant being wounded. 

Using the mortar barrage as cover the British rifles and bombers advance to attempt to attack the German trenches. 

Meanwhile, the rifle grenadiers take more casualties as Sergeant Albert Plaistow is killed and Lt Duncan Macbeth is wounded.  

The British morale collapses with the death of Plaistow and wounding of Macbeth, the Germans hold the line and only took two casualties. 

The British attack barely got off the ground, the rifle grenadiers and Lewis guns took up great positions initially but the Germans were able to keep them pinned with accurate and heavy fire from the start. By the time the British rifles and bombers could begin their attack their supporting units had already disintegrated. It may have been worthwhile waiting for the tanks and this is something to consider for the next game. Whatever the outcome, the game was great fun and worked well for a First World War engagement, so I will be doing more of this in the future.