First Look: Chain of Command by Too Fat Lardies

[Ferb]

Hi all,

While researching the best mix for my Bolt Action Brits Nosher mentioned another set of WW2 skirmish rules that are coming out later this year, 'Chain of Command' from Too Fat Lardies. They seemed to be generating some buzz so I decided to check them out. I noticed they'd done a set of videos explaining the rules and a play through of a game so I've included them all on my blog with my thoughts on the rules.

Ferb

[Steve J]

But I have a number of questions, such as do the rules include scenarios; are there national differences for the various troop types; is there a campaign structure; do the rules include comprehensive army lists or are we going to have to buy supplements etc. Overall the rules seem to have some interesting ideas and offer a different tactical challenge to Bolt Action. Not sure if I'll buy a set, it depends on the price, but worth another look once they come out, which is expected to be sometime in August.

Hi Ferb,
a few answers to some of the above:
- I believe there are scenarios.
- There are different national characteristics.
- No idea on campaign, but fairly easy to sort out I would have thought.
- There are lists for Germans, Brits, Russians and Japaneses, with possibly Italians but can't remember to be sure. The Germans for example include Panzergrenadiers, the Brits Paras and Commandos. These may change when the final draft is completed.
- Price is likely to be £20-£22.

All of the above from chatting to Rich at the Wyvern Wargames TFL day.

[Fenton]

I am hoping they have a game of this on demo/participation when they come to Belfast

[Ferb]

@ Steve J - Thanks for the info.

[Steve J]

No problem Ferb. I also forgot to mention the Americans are also included.

[Wulf]

No problem Ferb. I also forgot to mention the Americans are also included.

They're even late in arriving in this thread... 

[Steve J]

 

[Luddite]

They're even late in arriving in this thread... 

No worries, they'll soon start their own thread about how they won the Battle of Britain and successfully defended Stalingrad all on their own.

[Nosher]

Are you trying  tell me that bon jovi didnt capture the enigma machine

[Steve J]

The Lardie boys are running a live day of action of the CoC rules via their Blog. Well worth a visit IMHO. It's been good so far...

http://toofatlardies.co.uk/blog/?p=1505

[Ithoriel]

Can't help thinking of:

"You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with 'til ya understand who's in ruttin' command here." - Jayne Cobb, "Firefly - The TrainJob"

[Ferb]

The more I see of these rules the more I like them.

[fred.]

I'm really liking the look of these rules.

My first intention is to pair them with the new Perry 8th Army figures - but I am wondering from seeing the battle reports, whether they will actually work quite well with multi-based 10mm (of which I have a small vast amount).

[Steve J]

Possibly Fred, as long as you have a way of recording casualties etc. 

[sunjester]

I play a lot of TFL's IABSM with 10mm figures on stands and that works fine. I know it's company level rather than platoon, but it's still designed for single figures, with individual casualty removal. I use really little dice to keep a track of casualties. I usually use two 3-4 man stands to represent a 8-man section and remove a stand after 4 kills.

[Wulf]

The main worry I have over these rules, and those like them, is the dependence on terrain, and plenty of it. The pictures are gorgeous, but there's no way I could replicate that on my table. And from the narrative, it sounds like the game make a lot of use of the terrain. It would be a very different game with sparse terrain...

[fred.]

I wonder that too, especially as we are thinking of doing North Africa...

[Steve J]

Terrain will naturally make a big difference, but then it did in reality (stating the bleedin obvious I know), so Holland '45, Western Desert '41 or Russian Steppe will present their own challenges. Much more tactical movement getting benefit from dips and bumps in the ground), smoke etc will come to the fore I would imagine. But then these challenges are faced in say BKCII or even Rules of Engagement, an almost identical Platoon level skirmish game.

[Fenton]

It sounds and looks like you need the same sort of terrain as Crossfire

[Wulf]

While I don't know Crossfire, comments on that on BoardGameGeek seem to confirm the need for dense terrain. I agree, it does sound from that report like movement is judged by terrain. There seems to be no mention of distances.