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Wednesday 31 January 2018

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 



35 comments:

  1. Excellent Con thanks for sharing.

    P.S. your buildings look spectacular!

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  2. Amazing!!! Inspiring!!! Just wonderful. I can only hope to have games like these. How are the streets made?

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    1. Thanks Ade Sanya for your comments, follow this link for how I made the roads:
      http://iagsmgm.blogspot.com.au/2017/10/cobblestone-roads.html

      cheers John

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    2. Would you happen to have a link to how you made your buildings?

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    3. http://iagsmgm.blogspot.com.au/2017/12/mdf-buildings.html
      http://iagsmgm.blogspot.com.au/2016/09/diy-mdf-buildings-part-1-28mm.html
      http://iagsmgm.blogspot.com.au/2016/11/mdf-buildings-part-2-just-completed.html

      Ade sanya if you look on the right side of my blog just under the sigh that says chain of command, there is a heading Blog Archive you can search by looking thru the dates or easier is to keep going on that side until you come to "whats on my blog" there you will find under the heading "MDF WW 2 buildings french " .......hope this helps
      cheers John

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  3. Looks like a great few days out! I really LOVE your tables. So much attention to detail. May I ask if those wonderfully painted German Grenadiers are yours as well?

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    1. Yes it was a great 3 days of gaming and thanks Moiterei for your comments. Yes those are my Grenadiers.
      cheers John

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  4. Thank for the excellent write up, and thanks for the amazing tables as ever!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Bart for organizing the event
      cheers John

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  5. Wow - that looks simply spectacular, and what a great write-up too!

    Great tables; great models; smashing work. Thank you!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks you Admiral Darx for your kind comments
      cheers John

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  6. What a cracking read and visual treat to see so many wonderful figures, models and terrain that would be an absolute joy to play on. Very well done indeed. Makes me sorry I missed CANCON this year.

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    1. Thanks Carlo for your comments
      hope to see you next year, God willing
      cheers John

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  7. Very impressive tables John!

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  8. Gorgeous tables! Is the rubble permanent or you just scatter the streets with it before the game?

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Unknown,no its not permanent,I collect it up when we pack up the terrain.
      cheers John

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  9. Great photos- the tables look awesome!

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  10. John, your terrain always looks the biz!

    Looks like a great day of gaming with some typically (For you) lovely looking minis. Thanks for sharing!

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    Replies
    1. No worries Dai, my pleasure and thanks for your comments
      cheers John

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  11. John, it was great to finally meet you and admire your handiwork up close. As everyone has said, the tables looked fantastic and everyone seemed to be enjoying the tournament. Good work!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Mark, and thanks for your handy work.
      cheers John

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  12. Fantastic work, thanks so much for your time and effort that goes into an event like this, and for all your valuable 'tips, tricks and advice' over the event, hope to be emulating the master with some scenery projects of my own this year ;)

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    1. Thanks Sean for your comments, looking forward to your future scenery projects. Thanks for the enjoyable gaming as well, learnt a lot.
      cheers John

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  13. Amazing stuff. I was planning on coming up to Cancon(Im in Melbourne) this year but didn't quite make it. Would love to try Chain of Command, but the three days of play is a bit daunting for me.
    The tables look spectacular. In the photo "supported by 3 sherman tanks' can I ask what it is you used to make the long grass? In another photo it looks like some kind of mat. I think it is very effective and would like to give it a try!
    Aaron

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    1. Thanks Aaron for your comments,maybe next year will see you at CaCon.
      The long grass is made from teddy bear fur purchased at Lintcraft store and spray painted with a light green the other with a yellowish paint. The mat I think you are referring to is a fleecy cotton fabric purchased at Lintcraft store.
      cheers John

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  14. John, each of your tables are a masterpiece and they are a great advert for both CoC and the hobby as a whole.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Pat for your comments
      cheers John

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  15. Excellent work. I see that Big Rich is working n Jungle terrain. I expect you to have been well ahead of him on this one. Personally, just trying to tart up my (bought) MDF buildings and get my Early War French on the table.

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  16. Hey,
    I know it is a quite old post, but I hope this reaches you. Could you share with me your scenario for the first map "Assault on the guns at Brecourt Manor"? I would love to try it out, as I like scenarios with such a concept. Thanks Belián.

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