CoC SID - Sicily 43

I decided this week to re-acquaint myself with Chain of Command using the SID solo play rules created by Geoff Bond and published in the Lard Mag 2020. 

This uses a card driven activation and reaction system to simulate a defender that the players forces can attack. 

For this game I wanted to put on the table the new pre-painted mdf Farm set my daughter brought me with the 15mm US Army I've been building. Additionally I wanted see what sort of Mediterranean table I could build from my existing stock of terrain.

So the scenario is Sicily 1943 and US troops are pushing inland, a US infantry Platoon with a Sherman tank in support is to probe the road ahead and engage and clear any resistance they meet.

Through the center of the table we have the main road along which the american forces are advancing. to the right fields of wheat lead to  a dry river bed before an upwards slopes up  into woodlands. On the left 
 the road branches off by a walled orchard and goes up the hill past a farm and small thicket of trees on top of the hill.

The two Geman Major and one Minor JOP atop the hill

The last minor JOP is hidden at the end of the road.

  

US forces have two JOP's. One behind the orchard wall and the other behind the barn on the other side of the road.

 

I didn't take notes during the game so the following pictures are a selection from play.

First US section deploys with the Platoon Sgt. and begins a cautious adavance through the orchard.

As they clear the orchard the Minor & Major JOP's in the Farm Yard both draw from the active deck resulting in two German Squads deploying . The first Squad in the farmyard hold fire. However a second squad revealed from the bushes on the slope open up causing pins and kills to the first US section.

The firefight continues for a number of phases with the German MG's inflicting severe losses and pins. The section JL is injured and then killed knocking back the US Force Morale. The platoon Sgt. is working overtime just to keep the survivors in the line till reinforcements arrive. 

Eventually the Lt. Shows up with third section, Two having been dispatched along the dry river, and the Sherman tank arrives. It's arrival doesn't elicit a response from the Germans.

The Sherman advances again and this time a German PAK gun in the Farmyard opens fire but misses. The Sherman responds with it's main gun killing two of the gun team and adding pins.

The Sherman continues to target the PAK gun keeping it suppressed. Third Squads arrival at the orchard wall produces a further German response as a third section appear and open fire. This is too much for first squad whose rifle team is wiped out while the BAR team rout back into the orchard. With a section gone and another already suffering damage the US commander orders a withdrawal. 

So SID was the winner of this game. I don't think I've ever thrown so many fives and sixes in the command dice rolls ever! So in spite of a number of double phases the US forces were bogged down and unable to build any momentum. With the German forces in cover on the hill in strength the US commander was left with little option. I'd also been playing for about 3 hours and need to pack down :(

I've played a few games the last couple of years using the SID system and it's never failed to deliver a good game. In the 2023 edition of the Lard Mag Andreas Feigl evolved ASID or Attacking SID to allow a player to play a defensive game against the ASID controlled attacking force which I've yet to try but look very interesting for a future game or two.