Chain of Command - Malaya 1942 Mini Campaign - Game 1 AAR

We started the Malaya 1942 CoC Campaign featured in the Lardies 2015 Christmas magazine Monday night. I'm going to be the 'neutral' Umpire for these games. So far Dave is locked for the Japanese side and George for the Australians, Al and Maurice haven't selected a side yet. Having two players sharing command per nationality means we can most probably still play on even without a full house! The forces are my 1/72 Airfix plastic men with support figures and vehicles from various makers!

During the game Gunso Shitmee urged his support men on as the Infantry advanced into the 'huts of death'...

Game 1 'Winning the Encounter Battle' Patrol Scenario

Aussie Forces

Core Platoon

Extra Infantry Section

Medic

Jap Forces

Core platoon

Ha Go Type 95 Tank

The AAR

The Japanese plan was to hold on their left and deploy strong forces to their right and sweep the Australian Dogs they suspected were in the village aside. Initially they deployed a section to each side of the road occupying a hut with one and lining the edge of the village clearing with the other, the platoon 2IC leading the latter. In reply the Aussies set up a section along the bund of the rice paddy on their right flank supported by a mortar team and a firefight started straight away which lasted the entire game! The Aussies won this shootout in the long run when the Japs after taking four casualties retired into the Jungle! A single Aussie was hit.

On the other side of the 'road' the Jap right was strong, two infantry sections and the platoon support faced off against two Aussie sections! The Japs of the lead section advanced swiftly through the village occupying all the huts. These men then became a target of some very effective Aussie fire directed by their platoon Sergeant, Barry Griswald a hardened career soldier. Griswald eventually brought the fire of all three of his platoon's sections on the Japanese advancing through the village. The Jap hit from the front and flank were decimated! In no time half of the Japs in the village became casualties! Despite the withering fire and their leader being wounded the leading Jap section showed great resilience, not only did they maintained their forward position they returned fire!

While the two flanks duked it out a battle within a battle began, Gunso Tomato drove his Type 95 Ha Go tank down the road hoping to panic the Imperialist Vermin! This bravado ended up with his vehicle becoming engaged in a duel with Diggers Bluey and Curly who were armed with a trusty Boys Anti-Tank Rifle! This confrontation resulted in a draw; a Boys round hitting the tank causing the crew to panic whilst Bluely was knocked unconscious by a ricochet, a spent Jap bullet hitting him in the head, Curly said later it was the safest place for Bluey to take a blow!

At this point with his plan fulfilled the Australian CO Second Lieutenant Witherspoon  decided to withdraw keeping his force intact to fight another day, he had inflicted 14 casualties whilst only taking a three, unfortunately for him a flurry of Jap mortar rounds hit his men as they retired doubling the Aussies losses!

Some pictures of the Action

The lead Jap section deployed into the village, a roar rang out from the men as they appeared to be on the verge of capturing the village!

Witherspoon's 'extra' section deployed along the bund of a paddy field of the Aussie's right, here they stayed for the game successfully pushing back the Japs they faced!

Overview of the battlefield after a couple of rounds of play, the Aussies to the left and the Japs to the right...

Gunso Tomato's Ha Go tank arrived at the battlefield and barrelled down the 'deserted' road!

The Japanese right advances!

The Jap right flank from above, two sections supported the lead one advancing through the village...

An overview of the battlefield just before the Aussie withdrawal, they had inflicted 14 casualties whilst taking only seven, it could have been worse for the Japs as two casualties were converted to wounds on their NCOs!

Result Stuff

A Japanese Victory and an Australian Losing draw!

A good night was had by all and even though we hadn't played CoC for quite a while we went thorough the evening only rarely referring to the rules!

Aussie after Game Stuff

Section 1: 4 Casualties

Section 2: 2 Casualties

ATR Team: 1 Casualty

3 return next Game

2 miss next Game

2 Killed

Total reduction 4 figures for the next game!

For Campaign resolution:

CO Opinion = +1

1 D6 = 5 was rolled due to Losing Draw

OR Opinion = 0

1 D6 = for fewer dead 2 was rolled no change

Jap after Game Stuff

Sekushon 1: Gucho Wounded 4 Casualties

Sekushon 2: Gucho Wounded 7 Casualties

Sekushon 3: 3 Casualties

7 return next Game

4 miss next Game

3 Killed

Replacements: 5 (rolled a 2, leader = 0, casualties = 7)

Total reduction 2 figures for next game!

For Campaign resolution:

CO Opinion = +2

1 D6 = for victory 5 was rolled Opinion +2

OR Opinion = -2

1 D6 = for  higher Casualties 4 was rolled -1

1 D6 = Very heavy casualties 1 was rolled -1

More TSOG Escapades with Escape from Colditz...

Time for our yearly game of Escape from Colditz. This year we had four players so had three Escape Teams, I played the British, Dave played the Dutch and Maurice the Poles while George reprised his role from last year taking on the Germans!

The AAR...or should I say the Escapade!

The calendar was about to roll over to December 1944 and during the evening of November 30 in the wintery depths of Saxony the combined Escape Committees of Colditz Castle held a meeting. The leaders announced 'Big Week', since the secret French Camp Radio was picking up news of the rapid Allied advances toward the heart of Germany now was to be the time for every escape opportunity to be taken! The meeting ended with Dutch Majoor Van der Clogs declaring "Game On!" in his eerie accent...

So it was a quiet December day in Colditz Castle dawned, the Kommandant was sleeping in after a Friday Bingo with his officers...it was going to be just another ordinary week...or was it?

December the first was a Friday and Big Week started slowly as the British, Dutch and Polish Officers involved in organising escapes spent time acquiring the basic needs of an escape, they sourced; German Alpine Hats, outrageous Lederhosen, loads of sausage and sauerkraut wrapped in snack sized packages, rudimentary compasses and documents featuring official stamps made with carved potatoes! While all this was going on the German Guards flooded the main courtyard closely watching their charges and wondering at their skills at whittling potatoes!

Saturday the Second of December saw the first escape attempt, it featured a daring dash from the Orderlies Quarters across the Outer Courtyard to the Castle's Front Gate by British Lieutenant Long-Johns! He sprinted gracefully across the open ground like an Olympic Runner, then using fake papers he duped the Gate Guard and was on the outside! He commenced a casual stroll across the moat bridge only to be undone by a Camp Guard who noticed he was humming God Save the King, he was promptly apprehended before he cleared the moat! Curses!

Undaunted by the events of Saturday the Prisoners had plans for Sunday! Attention on the day was focused on the the Chapel, two Polish Officers using only toothpicks and a coffee cup had already dug a tunnel that cleared the wire, it was time to use it! Assisted by British Escape Committee member Major Loss Polish Officers Lejtnants Dribbleinski and Hujewicz made a try at a home run! Lejtnant Dribbleinski sprinted till his lungs burst and made it away into the forest, unfortunately a pot shot from a Camp Guard ended Lejtnant Hujewicz escape in tragedy! 

Using the confusion caused by Lejtnant Hujewicz's demise Major Loss managed to slip away into the woods! Two Home Runs in the one Innings! Huzzah! Kommandant Goerg was not happy.

The Dutch had a poor start to "Big Week", acquiring a Key to the Main Gate before collecting all their Escape Kit led to a series of unfortunate events in the Inner Courtyard and a few Dutch officers ending up in the cells! Despite their setbacks Monday lunchtime saw another extraordinary escape begin! Dutch Luitenant Van der Rooty donned a German Uniform made from sewn bits of dyed toilet paper and using rope twisted from lengths of body hair exited the Orderlies Quarters and headed to the Camp Garage where he fired up Kommandant Georg's personal Mercedes! Flooring it he made a run for safety in the big black limousine! Unfortunately war shortages in Germany cut short his freedom...the Mercedes ran out of petrol just yards outside the castle's Main gate...Luitenant Van der Rooty was frog marched to the cells!

Luitenant Van der Rooty's big adventure ended in solitary confinement!

Meanwhile something was cooking in the Canteen beside Potato Soup and the Germans sniffed trouble...

...and trouble it was, the enterprising Poles had dug another tunnel using nothing more than teaspoons! During Tuesday Roll Call as Prisoners from the British, Dutch and Polish contingents prepared to use the tunnel the Germans surprised them, they crumped the tunnel and arrested the Poles! The cells of Colditz Castle were filling fast!

Wednesday and with 'Big Week' coming to and end Polish Lejtnant Rynkidynki fresh from Solitary tried to escape again! He was captured just outside the wire after launching a daring off the cuff escape attempt from the Dentistry after receiving Root Canal Surgery! He later said he prefer to be shot trying to escape rather than face the Camp Dentist again!

Thursday and Friday of "Big Week" were a doddle for the Camp Guards! Severe winter weather (read poor dice rolling) kept the Prisoners in check! Several plans were in place but none came to fruition; British Captain Tee-Cup Smythe was hiding in the Outer Courtyard Garage disguised as a 44 Gallon Drum just waiting for a chance to escape via the path near the Guards Barracks but no opportunity showed itself, Dutchman Kapitein Van der Derr was poised in the Guards Room with 120 feet of rope in his trousers but no gap in the searchlights before him appeared, he was left gutted and lastly British Captain Piles spent the full two days in the Sick Bay pretending to be suffering from haemorrhoids but he was not offered a chance to quit the Castle!

So it was after Seven Days (well actually two and a half hours) stumps were called! Three Prisoners were in position to attempt a Home Run and were were laden with all the equipment required but were lacking lucky dice while cocky Camp Guards fearful of Kommandant Georg continued to furtively patrol the castle!

This year again the Germans put up a a jolly good show while the Escape Committees tried their hardest to hit as may 'Home Runs' as possible! Importantly everyone had a great time, fun was had by all 😃! Happy New Year!

Oh and here’s the official summary...

Germans: Had 2 Prisoners escape and prevented 5 escapes attempts

Polish: scored 1 Home Run and had 3 unsuccessful escape attempts

British: scored 1 Home Run and had 1 unsuccessful escape attempts

Dutch: had 1 unsuccessful escape attempts

So as we say every year everyone was a winner!