CanCon 2014 Demo Games - Chain of Command

The final demo game I played at CanCon (with Comrade James as it happens) was Chain of Command.  This participation campaign was set in fictitious modern African country of Zumbanda and had been a series of linked games played on different table throughout the convention.  There had been some great home made mechanics for different sides to appeal to the UN and/or major powers for foreign aid, and to bribe one another to changing allegiances etc.  We joined them on the last day to play the final assault by a warlord (and aspiring El Presidente) on his opponent's capital city to seize power.  Each side had 4-5 players with a seperate Umpire controlling turn synchronisation.

Recon mission over Capital City approaches, prior to the battle

The Palace with the Chalice (with the brew that is true...)

Naturally, James and I sided with the attacking warlord and commanded his infantry, which would assault behind his not inconsiderable armoured force.

The Warlord's forces waiting to enter the table

The Warlord's Iron First is unleashed (That's him standing on the back of his T-72)

...and immediately comes under effective fire (Game Note: the big die are Force Morale and Chain of Command counters)

Comrade James and I waiting for the infantry to come onto the table. Pic courtesy of Land of the Lead

After taking losses from defensive fire and loosing quite a few tanks to modern US supplied anti-amour weapons along the way, the infantry finally reached the outskirts of town.  Now it would get truly messy...

Game note: The dice are shock markers

But wait - treachery on the right flank!  The double dealing subservient commanding that force had been bribed to switch sides! (turns out these guys really like the old War of the Roses game Kingmaker, and its betrayal mechanics...)  The battle crush this small rebellion was swift and bloody on both sides.

And in the meantime the Loyalists forces take advantage of the confusion to launch their armour on a flanking counterattack...

Which is where both James and I had to depart.  We didn't get too far into the nitty gritty of the infantry mechanics but did get a good overall feel for how the game's C2 and armour rules worked.  Coupled with what I have read in my shiny new CoC rulebook, I can't wait to have another crack at these rules.

Thanks to all the chaps from the Berwick Wargames Association for a fun game.  You can see and read more about the struggle for Zumbanda here:

http://www.berwickwargamesassociation.org/our-club-1/