CANCON 2018

The Chain of Command Event at Cancon this year was held over 3 days with 6 gaming tables and 12 players participating. (unfortunately Richard was a late scratching and Bart filled in for him) 

 The theme this year was 'Operation Overlord" from landing on Juno  beach to breaking out of the Bocage.

Big thanks to Bart for organizing the event, Bart supplied the Juno beach table, Steve supplied the table, after the break out from the  Bocage. I supplied 4 tables: The gun assault at Brecourt Manor, Sainte-Mere-Eglise, the Bocage and attack on the radar station at Douvers.

What did I learn:

The one thing I took away from the event was the need to adopt real life strategy to the game, when I did this, my games went well but once I started being a bit more "gung ho" or not thinking thru carefully my actions, my troops usually paid the price.

I personally enjoyed the gaming and the 3 days of gaming helped increase  my knowledge of the rules.

Bart's Juno Beach table;

Custom set scenario was set by Bart for this table.

Some action shots of Juno Beach, Dare storming the beaches with his troops.

German's on top of a building await to unleash a panzerfaust on the Tommy's Panzer 

                                       My first table: Assault on the guns at Brecourt Manor

Players before the start of the game setting up their troops

German MMG team in the hedge row overlooking the guns

The 3 man MMG team covering the opening within the hedges.

5 man crew and a Junior Leader man the gun.

US airborne troops making their way thru the trench to claim their first gun.

US airborne troops ready to Close Combat  after throwing a hail of grenades only 1 crew member is left standing ... not good odds for the Germans.

 German Junior Leader takes refuse in a ammo bunker after all his gun crew members are killed..... those US Airborne troops are aggressive!!!!.

My second table: the Bocage

scenario 7 was used for this table.

The Bocage as it was originally set up on the first day, it was very dense and needed a bit of tweaking , it  was not that playable. I made some adjustment before the second game but it was still too dense.

Lucky Mark Bretherton (The Tactical Painter) came down from Sydney for the day  to visit Cancon and I gave him free reign to modify this table so that it was more playable..... thanks Mark.

(the first imagine of the Bocage is the modified version of Mark's handy work)

Matthew rolling well.

German Grenadiers rushing thru the ploughed field within the Bocage 

Canadians lie in wait  on the other side of the hedges for the Germans Grenadiers  

 US troopers setting up a fire base with their LMGs

My third table: Radar station at Douvers.

modified scenario 5 was used for this table.

Bart and Dare choosing their Support before the game begins.

US troopers take up firing positions behind the hedge but receiving quite a lot of fire from the Germans.

Germans rushing thru the trenches into position to fend off the US airborne troops attempting to blow the barbed wire.

In this game Dare's Polish paratroopers attempting to rush the defenses of the Radar station.

Supported by 3 Sherman tanks.

This table is Steve's table : after breaking out of the Bocage.

the game was based on scenario 7.

"Decisions..... decisions"

Bart and Martin in action 

My last table I put together was :Sainte-Mere-Eglise

US paratrooper  John Steele can be seen hanging on the church steeple.

 German Grenadiers in action

German Heer in action

Chris's US paras trying to storm the church

Closer view of his troops

Sean's US troopers taking orders from their Leader

Germans Grenadiers in the Land of the Giants

Sean's Recon mission before his game the following day.

Image showing the large number of tables behind us.

Another images of the crowds in the other hall

Chain of Command Cancon  Players for 2018.
(Sean and Matthew are missing from the photo)

I'm in the black t shirt leaning on the gaming table.

God willing, I should have a Japanese Platoon  and Jungle terrain ready for Cancon 2019

cheers John