Cristot, a Squad Leader scenario played with 5core Company Commander.

It is been a while since my latest AAR and even longer since one with Nordic Weasel's Five Core Company Command; a ruleset that I love for my WWII casual solo gaming. This is a first scenario taken from Squad Leader of more to come, although it is hard to find scenarios of German vs British or Canadians with just a few units and buildings. I am also playing with a new scale, 1/100 or 15mm which I have been painting since last Summer.

Special rules for this scenario: at the beginning of their turn, British must choose whether to activate the tanks of the infantry.

The PIAT and the 3 LMGs are not teams but attached specialists to other squads. Same with the sniper.

Map 55. Hill 102 is at the bottom right.

An approximation to the map 55 above with the forces already deployed except for the two Panthers that enter at the end of turn 1. All the hedges in the map are bocage and that supposes a serious delay for the British infantry during the game according to the rules as it takes three move phases to cross one bocage.

British activate first and choose to move the infantry with a very handy Scurry action. Germans where hiding (blue markers) and could not react.

Germans had a MG team and a heavy squad with officer in the ruined house with excellent fire lines but on their first shot they missed and the Brits answered them scoring 1s and 6s, sending in panic all the troops inside the building to the woods (on turn 3 I remembered that all SS troops were elite and could re-roll firing).

Deployed LMG specialists rushed forward up to 6" from their parent squads and that supposed a great advantage for the British. The rules do not say a word about how to destroy a deployed specialist who is firing 1S dice so I took them as any other squad but that made them very powerful. Next time they will be all attached to their parent squads.

Next turn British moved their tanks with four activation as they were 13 units in total. The German 50mm AT that was hiding fired and the tank but missed (unlikely shot).

Actually, Germans missed their three fire actions and panicked in return (yellow counters).

Panthers entering on East border scared the Shermans who tried to hide behind the buildings.

As the Panther in the road had fired before and could not fire in reaction, the Firefly turned around and tried to knock it out but it could not penetrate the armour. The crew got damaged (red marker) though. 

Then I remembered Germans were all elite and could re-roll rally as well so the the Panther immediately recovered and fired at the Firefly, vaporizing it (overkill). The other Panther on the hill also killed another Sherman. The rest of the Shermans did not know where to hide away.

The Sherman did not dare to face the Panthers and shoot at the German infantry instead, killing one squad and suppressing others but the Panther kept closing.

The MG team recovered the building and was in good position again to help the last one resisting German squad on the road trapped between the British infantry and the Shermans.

After failing for three times, the AT crew finally hit and destroyed the Sherman that was threatening that flank.

The game ended at turn six and the British lost as they could not reach the hill or clear the area. I should have deployed all the British infantry on the two parallel roads and flood the German in close combat assault whereas the Sherman should be looking East towards the Panthers and closer to the hill. I had fun but next time I hope the game will be smoother.

There is a second chance for the British in a following up scenario called Cristot, 2 but there are also a Jagdpanther and a Marder III in it that I need to paint first and now I am very busy painting other stuff so I probably leave that scenario for later and play a different one next time.