For my support options I chose the Matilda and the Vickers MMG section. Gary used his points for an anti-tank rifle as he suspected, quite rightly, I'd have the Matilda. We rolled for scenario and ended up with 'Probe' with the British attacking and having to get one team off the opposite table edge.
The patrol phase gave us both jump off points in cover.
Initially I brought on an infantry section and the 2" mortar and crew behind the imposing building on my left.
No Germans appeared so the Matilda arrived on the road.
The appearance of the Matilda drew a response from the Germans who brought on their own mortar team and started shelling the DLI section on the left in a desultory manner.
To try to draw the Germans out another DLI section deployed on the right in the woods.
The appearance of this section did cause a reaction from the Germans who deployed a squad in the fields opposite and opened fire causing some losses on the DLI in the woods. but taking fire from the Matilda in return.
Meanwhile on the left the DLI pushed forwards directed by Sergeant Baker cautiously but met no opposition.
The 2" mortar started laying down smoke in to try to cover a potential advance by the DLI and the Vickers was deployed on the wooded hill to cover the buildings in the centre.
Continuing to push forward the final DLI section was deployed in the middle of the line and began to advance on the crossroads.
The Matilda went ahead and continued to engage the Germans on the right flank forcing them to go to ground,
On the left the DLI crept forward and flushed out another German squad which put them under heavy fire stalling the advance immediately.
Realising that it was unlikely that the infantry would cross the battlefield under fire from the Germans the Matilda continued advancing along the road. Needing to try to stop it the Germans deployed their anti tank rifle on it's flank behind the hedge and took a shot at the tank.
Despite the weakness of the anti tank rifle and the heavy armour of the Matilda the shot hit home and forced the Matilda to withdraw slightly and wait for infantry support.
While the Matilda had been advancing the central DLI section had moved up in support towards the crossroads. Seeing the Matilda withdraw they rushed forward and engaged the anti tank rifle crew in close combat quickly finishing them off. The Germans responded by deploying another squad behind the wall close to where the anti tank rifle had been but before they could open fire the DLI section ran back into the building.
The Matilda now had a free run to the end of the road and started to advance again.
With no chance of stopping the tank the Germans withdraw from the field having inflicted significant losses on the DLI and taken some themselves.
Another fun game which perhaps showed some of the challenges of CoC. With only 3 smaller DLI sections compared to the 4 German squads and the better German LMG it is very hard for the British to advance their infantry when the Germans can choose when to deploy a squad and immediately open fire on the advancing Brits. The 2" mortar was very useful with it's smoke but even so two of the three sections I deployed were immediately stopped by the volume of German fire and forced to go to ground leaving them unable to reply and gradually whittled away. On reflection I should perhaps have used the Matilda to over-run the German deployment point on my right which might have given my infantry more chance of advancing.
On the other hand the Matilda was virtually immune from German fire even when they had the anti tank rifle and totally immune once the rifle was destroyed and, with unlimited time, could have mopped up all the Germans by itself.
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