Chain of Command, Caesar's Camp, Scenario 5 - End of Campaign

Lt. Davies eyed up the Chateau with some suspicion. The platoon had been here before and had taken heavy losses in trying to take the Chateau before. The platoon had arrived, down to two reduced strength sections. However, HQ had allocated almost another platoon of infantry for this second attempt, along with a FO & Mortar Battery and a Vickers MMG.

Just as in the last attempt, the Platoon deployed yellow section into the Northern woods, just West of the road, along with the FO. Blue section deployed onto the road, to provide covering fire on the Chateau, once Jerry stuck his head up.

But, just like last time, Jerry deployed a section behind the hedgerow overlooking the Northern woods. Yellow section probed carefully Westward, coming under fire from the German section. Yellow section went to ground and called for support. Red section deployed behind yellow section, in the Northern woods. A short range fire fight resulted in casualties to both sides, but being outnumbered, the Germans withdrew to the woods to the North of the Chateau.

Jerry then stuck his head out of the Chateau and started harassing fire on the Northern wood. The FO responded to this, by calling up for a 3” mortar barrage on the Chateau, with the spotting round dropping right down the chimney!

Deciding this was the moment to push forward, Lt Davies called for Sgt Mallom to start to flank the Chateau from the North-East, reinforcing the push with green section. Meeting some stubborn resistance from the Germans in the woods North of the Chateau, the FO walked the mortar barrage Northward, onto the woods, where the Germans were hiding. Recognising the risk of his pinned down troops in the North being overrun, Lt. Aldtrik revealed the LMG team, dug-in, just North of the wood, but decided to send out Sgt Steinfen to take charge, while he himself stayed in the Chateau!

Encountering this extra fire, the British advance drifted left, toward the Chateau, but just as red section reached the hedge overlooking the Chateau, the Germans revealed an IG.18 infantry gun, concealed behind the hedge, immediately in front of the Chateau. Once again, the British advance went to ground.

Lt. Davies called for the FO to walk the barrage Southward, to try to suppress the IG.18, while he himself deployed with the Vickers MMG and purple infantry section, on the far side of the road, at the end of the track leading to the Chateau. The Vickers MMG soon began chattering, bullets pinging off the gun shield on the IG.18.

Realising that the now exposed IG.18 crew could be quickly wiped out, the German yellow section, hiding in trenches just to the South of the track, opened fire on the Vickers MMG.

Sadly for the Germans, the long range firefight between the Vickers MMG and it’s supporting infantry section and the German yellow section, in it’s protective trenches, did not go well. Before long, yellow section was reduced to only the NCO and the IG.18 gun team was wiped out. British casualties were one crewman from the MMG team one rifleman from the supporting purple infantry section! (so much for good German dice rolling!)

Now, all the British fire turned on the Chateau itself. With it’s LMG team deployed in the slit trenches, to the North of the Chateau, the garrisoning infantry section could only really deploy 4 riflemen in the upper story windows. Despite the cover from the thick chateau walls and obscuration from the British barrage smoke, the volume of British fire was causing too much attrition. Down to 2 riflemen, Lt. Aldtrik chanced a look out of the windows, only to receive a glancing blow, from a ricocheting bullet, knocking him unconscious (and driving the German Force Morale to zero!).