Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => The Second World War => Topic started by: TacticalPainter on February 28, 2023, 12:16:03 AM
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The Ruckzug campaign for Chain of Command was written by David Hiscocks and appeared in the 2021 Lard Magazine. It follows the desperate rearguard actions of a hastily organised German kampfgruppe as it attempts a fighting withdrawal across Northern France to find refuge in Holland and Germany. Somehow they must find a way to stall the British pursuit and allow as many German units as possible to escape. It's a nice twist on the normal campaign structure and offers challenges for both sides.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/924/T8OGNL.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/poT8OGNLj)
I've summarised the campaign and some of the mechanics in this overview post which will help you understand the general situation if you are not familiar with the campaign:
http://thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2023/02/ruckzug-campaign-overview.html
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The German kampfgruppe has managed to pull in a few support units before the first game, but will it be enough? This first game is a delaying action at a small village in Northern France. The full report is here https://thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2023/02/ruckzug-campaign-scenario-1-delaying.html
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Enjoyable AAR. Thanks for posting.
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Very interesting start to that campaign. Looking forward to see if the Germans' luck can continue to hold out, or whether the British can push them harder...
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Interesting looking campaign…..will be good to see how it plays out.
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Fantastic looking game! Bravo!
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The special campaign rules for support sound really interesting, but there's some risk the whole thing swings I feel. The British get a lot of options.
Glad to see these fantastic AARs back, you put such an attention to detail and presentation in your pictures, its always a pleasure to read these! :-*
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Fantastic: another engrossing report with plenty of twists and turns.
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Thanks everyone, really appreciate all the positive feedback, it’s always good to know that these are enjoyed (even read for that matter!).
The special campaign rules for support sound really interesting, but there's some risk the whole thing swings I feel. The British get a lot of options.
Glad to see these fantastic AARs back, you put such an attention to detail and presentation in your pictures, its always a pleasure to read these! :-*
Yes, you have a good point. German defeats followed by bad ‘escape’ rolls could see the German force degrade rapidly. Add to that a defeat means less chance of more powerful support becoming available and the German player could be severely handicapped and on a slippery slope to disaster. Ultimately that’s the challenge for the Germans and I guess that’s the appeal for me, I’m a sucker for playing a backs-to-the-wall defence.
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A really exciting game,
where at different points one side or the other looked to have the edge.
Great photos, and very well written.
All ways lots of enjoyment when I read one of your AARs.
Thanks for posting and look forward to the next report.
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The Germans fall back to an area of farmland and try to make a stand near a small farm. No time to dig in or prepare defences, will they be able to hold back the British once again, or will they face a more chaotic retreat? The full AAR is here: http://thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2023/03/ruckzug-campaign-scenario-2-attack-at.html
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Great AAR.
It looks nice, it was nail biting & you explained the thinking behind what was going on.
Very well done. I look forward to the next thrilling instalment.
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Very nice write-up and it is interesting to see the actual tactics play out on the table. I am chomping at the bit to start a CoC campaign so your write-up and thought process is very helpful.
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Another good report, and the Germans' run of luck (skill?) continues...
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Another good report, and the Germans' run of luck (skill?) continues...
Skill, surely? 😉
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Very nice write-up and it is interesting to see the actual tactics play out on the table. I am chomping at the bit to start a CoC campaign so your write-up and thought process is very helpful.
The campaigns are certainly where the system shines. Each scenario needs to be fought in the broader context of the campaign and casualties really matter. I like how you are constantly balancing aggression with preservation of force while keeping an eye on the longer term objectives. Most involve 6-8 separate games, so they are not unmanageable and resolve themselves long before any boredom or other distractions set in.
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A very good AAR.
Great looking terrain.
The Brits do every thing right and still get their butts handed to them.
It looks to me that their die rolls for hits was probably poor to just very bad.
The Germans probably had much better die rolling.
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It looks to me that their die rolls for hits was probably poor to just very bad.
The Germans probably had much better die rolling.
'Do not give me a good General...Give me a lucky one' (Napoleon) lol lol lol
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You know, it's very interesting, I've had several comments about the apparent poor luck of the British and yet that's not a memory either Dave or I have of the game as we played it. Sure there were moments for both sides (for the Germans the panzerschreck crew failing to deploy and then missing the Staghound with their first shot when they did, comes to mind). When we discussed it afterwards the one thing that never come up was swings of luck.
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This was fantastic once again, I love reading these, it's nail-bitingly tense with often some real surprises. The attention to detail when it comes to presentation and explaining the choices that are made during the game is just perfect, big thanks for all the work you put into this!
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Very nice looking tables :) The row of trees lining the road really shouts France, and the little town square is brilliant. Really well observed and put together.
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Another great report: the suspense of the first half of the game, then the explosion of action and violence in the second half.
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Great stuff; the two battles so far were a compelling read and I really enjoyed them.
This must be the same CoC campaign that Battle Brush Sigur played back in '22. I believe he called that '29 Let's go' or something?
It also detailed a German retreat across France over a number of games. And there too, the Germans were able to put up stiff resistance and basically repell any allied attack thrown at them. It was Americans opposing them there though.
Please keep it up; these campaigns are fun to follow! 8)
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Great stuff; the two battles so far were a compelling read and I really enjoyed them.
This must be the same CoC campaign that Battle Brush Sigur played back in '22. I believe he called that '29 Let's go' or something?
It also detailed a German retreat across France over a number of games. And there too, the Germans were able to put up stiff resistance and basically repell any allied attack thrown at them. It was Americans opposing them there though.
Please keep it up; these campaigns are fun to follow! 8)
Thanks. The 29 Let’s Go campaign is a different one and operates differently. That one represents elements of the US 29th Div trying to break out from Utah and link up with Omaha beach. The Americans have to re fight any maps the Germans hold, unlike this one which is one of perpetual retreat, and the Germans are able to select their support rather than have it arrive ad hoc. It’s a good campaign, I played the Germans in that one as well. We played it in 2020, the AARs start here https://thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2020/03/29-lets-go-scenario-1-probe-at-la-cambe.html
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I have completely missed this! Going back to the beginning and reading all the AAR's in order now....
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I must echo Vodkafan in missing this. Great stuff and an interesting pint size campaign that I also own but hadn’t read. Thank you for posting this, those two books look really interesting and this campaign is now definitely one in the to-do list.
BeneathALeadMountain
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Good to have you all following along, things have gone okay for the Germans so far but I fear things could turn very bad very quickly if they suffer a defeat. It’ll be interesting to see how this all pans out.
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Good to have you all following along, things have gone okay for the Germans so far but I fear things could turn very bad very quickly if they suffer a defeat. It’ll be interesting to see how this all pans out.
I am reminded of the story of the man who fell off the top of the Empire State Building.
Every floor he passed they heard him say, 'OK so far'
lol lol lol
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The Germans turn and stop once again to try and hold back the pursuing British. So far they've managed to conduct a very orderly withdrawal and prevent a rout, but can they continue to keep the British at bay or will the retreat dissolve into chaos? Another game in the continuing saga of the Ruckzug campaign. The full AAR is here https://thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2023/04/ruckzug-campaign-scenario-3-attack-in.html
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q70/924/dTF7Oc.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/podTF7Ocj)
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A lovely AAR. & yet another nail-biter. :o
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I really love that bus - that sort of minutiae/world building detail really makes an amazing table beautiful for me. What an exciting campaign (even when just reading about it), I think your decision not to wrestle the croc was the right one although it’s a shame you lost the kubel and opel for the withdrawal. Let’s hope all those remaining 34’s/42’s really are the true power in the German squads and can do enough to slow the Brits in the next game.
Thank you for posting,
Balm
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Another great report. A frustrating game for the British!
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Great to see the bus.
Very cool.
Too bad the tank could not get into the battle.
It had a long way to go.
May I ask, what was the average speed per turn?
I would really like to see the game with the figures starting across the table on the long side.
I think the tank would have come into action.
Maybe a different outcome.
Thank you for the post.
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Great to see the bus.
Very cool.
Too bad the tank could not get into the battle.
It had a long way to go.
May I ask, what was the average speed per turn?
I would really like to see the game with the figures starting across the table on the long side.
I think the tank would have come into action.
Maybe a different outcome.
Thank you for the post.
Thanks. It wasn't so much that the tank moved slowly, it was that the British infantry moved quickly. Dave had six free moves at the start of the patrol phase and played very aggressively. That put his jump-off-points quite far forward. He started with a double phase and having laid down a pre-game barrage I suspect he wanted to rush the German jump-off-points while he had the chance. That put his infantry quite far forward early on and as the tank had to enter from the road edge it was always going to take some time to catch up with the infantry. The only other option would have been for the infantry to proceed more slowly but that would have risked wasting the advantages of the pre-game barrage.
A second double phase a little later in the game was also something he wanted to exploit and that saw him push forward one of his jump-off-points and once again deploy his infantry well ahead of the tank. So it wasn't so much a case of the tank moving slowly as the infantry moving fast and outstripping the tank. I suspect given the closed nature of the terrain with all the woods he also wanted to try and flush out any German AT weapons before the tank got too close. In short his tactic to rush the German defence with his infantry always meant the tank would be lagging behind.
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Another Nail-baiter! The mechanics of Chain of Command are really interesting, its a mix of luck put really also making the right decisions at the right time.
Once again a stunning table, the mix between "aerial" shots and low on the ground just work so well to sell the atmosphere. These are amongst my favourite things to read wargames-wise!
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The British are certainly not messing about in this campaign! Although you probably did the right thing, your withdrawal cost you a lot of men which I think will have a weakening effect pretty soon.
However, it's probably quite faithful to what does happen in these situations. I am itching for you to get a tank, maybe a Panzer III or even an old French one!
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Almost a month since the last game due to Easter and work commitments but we're back with the fourth game in the campaign. Can the Germans continue to see keep the British at bay? The full AAR of game four is here: http://thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2023/05/ruckzug-campaign-scenario-4-another-day.html
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q70/922/QkR5DK.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmQkR5DKj)
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Another thrilling game, nip & tuck right up to the end. Well done you two.
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That was a tough day at the office for sure, with an interesting result.
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I like how this campaign concluded. It seems a lot more realistic than some others. That Croc and flamethrower team seem a bit out of place for a rapidly advancing force, but overall I really like the feel of this mini campaign and hope to give it a try soon. Thanks for another excellent AAR.
Mar'
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Another thrilling game, nip & tuck right up to the end. Well done you two.
Thanks, it was quite a cagey game and I really thought my Germans were in for a beating.
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I like how this campaign concluded. It seems a lot more realistic than some others. That Croc and flamethrower team seem a bit out of place for a rapidly advancing force, but overall I really like the feel of this mini campaign and hope to give it a try soon. Thanks for another excellent AAR.
Mar'
Thanks Mark. I tend to agree about the flamethrowers. If I was to play again I'd consider a few changes.
The British motor platoon is small and quite brittle. Given it's intended as part of an armoured brigade I would compensate by making armour more readily available, although I'd restrict what's available to only armour from armoured brigades which would mean excluding things like Churchills. Cromwells and Shermans on the other hand would be plentiful. Perhaps give the core platoon one of these for 'free' and allow a number of replacements at no cost; alternatively, if that seems too powerful. make the first one a cheaper support (3/4 points?) and the others at normal cost, or, make them all cheaper (5 points?). I'd give similar thought to the way you might cost armoured cars, carriers, recce sections and/or half tracks. After all this is the mobile tip of the spear of the British advance.
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Given that the Crocodiles were a very specialist unit and not part of "normal" Divisions, either Infantry or Armoured, they were quite appropriate to be allocated to either style of formation. Foot FTs were integral as part of the Infantry orgs and there are histories of Crocs being brought in to support assaults on heavily fortified areas which BUA became as the Germans withdrew. Did you use Truscott Trotter's amendments for FTs?
Thanks Mark. I tend to agree about the flamethrowers. If I was to play again I'd consider a few changes.
The British motor platoon is small and quite brittle. Given it's intended as part of an armoured brigade I would compensate by making armour more readily available, although I'd restrict what's available to only armour from armoured brigades which would mean excluding things like Churchills. Cromwells and Shermans on the other hand would be plentiful. Perhaps give the core platoon one of these for 'free' and allow a number of replacements at no cost; alternatively, if that seems too powerful. make the first one a cheaper support (3/4 points?) and the others at normal cost, or, make them all cheaper (5 points?). I'd give similar thought to the way you might cost armoured cars, carriers, recce sections and/or half tracks. After all this is the mobile tip of the spear of the British advance.
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Given that the Crocodiles were a very specialist unit and not part of "normal" Divisions, either Infantry or Armoured, they were quite appropriate to be allocated to either style of formation. Foot FTs were integral as part of the Infantry orgs and there are histories of Crocs being brought in to support assaults on heavily fortified areas which BUA became as the Germans withdrew. Did you use Truscott Trotter's amendments for FTs?
While that's true I think the intention of the campaign is to reflect the headlong dash by British armoured units in pursuit of the retreating Germans. Given there is even a penalty for pausing to bring in a fresh infantry platoon I suspect the units represented are at the very forefront of any advance. In that sense I get the argument that the Crocodile probably wouldn't be there. It would more likely be called up once resistance stiffened and the front line became a little more static. However the campaign is more like a tool kit and so players are free to adapt it how they wish. As for the flamethrowers, we just played them as per the rule book.
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:) :) :)
While that's true I think the intention of the campaign is to reflect the headlong dash by British armoured units in pursuit of the retreating Germans. Given there is even a penalty for pausing to bring in a fresh infantry platoon I suspect the units represented are at the very forefront of any advance. In that sense I get the argument that the Crocodile probably wouldn't be there. It would more likely be called up once resistance stiffened and the front line became a little more static. However the campaign is more like a tool kit and so players are free to adapt it how they wish. As for the flamethrowers, we just played them as per the rule book.
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Another nailbiter and a well deserved German 'win'. The Crocodile was terrifying, and I was fully expecting just charred remains on the German side at the game's conclusion. Especially with another flamethrower on the table as well and the failed attempts at taking out the tank.
A great read throughout the campaign; thanks for posting all the instalments 8)