AFV markers for Chain of Command

I wrote an earlier post on my new game markers for Chain of Command v2, which was focussed mainly on pieces for infantry and support units. This one covers markers specifically for vehicles. As with the infantry markers, I've tried to find things that fit with the models and blend in with the table. That said, they must always serve their primary function as markers. No point crafting a beautiful looking marker that blends in so well with the table it doesn't stand out.

Once again, I've raided the spares box for various odds and ends. These include bits from various model kits as well as markers from other rule sets like What a Tanker. 

The most obvious use for a piece of spare track is to mark a tracked vehicle that has become immobilised.

The spanner can perform a similar function.

Alternatively, the spanner could be placed on the engine deck to mark Engine Damage. 

Although, I think I prefer a small plume of smoke in that role. 

The plumes of smoke have multiple uses and could easily work to represent an immobilised vehicle.

The target/gun sight marker works to record a vehicle that has already been targeted.

Rather than have it sit on the target vehicle, I also think it can work just as well to mark the gun that has the vehicle in its sights. 

I included my idea for Overwatch markers in my earlier post, but I'll include them here to be complete. I'm still debating where best to place them, as there are a few options. My original intention is they are placed on the ground, facing the direction covered by the overwatch.

A few people have commented that it looks a bit odd with half a torso appearing to emerge from the earth (perhaps that's more suited to a zombie game). As I've painted the base to match the colour of each nationality's camouflage schemes it doesn't look too out of place on the turret.

Alternatively, if that's a bit too much, perhaps on the rear engine deck?

I suspect I just need to be flexible. Much depends on the size of the vehicle and the turret.

To mark a tank commander who has been stunned, I am using the same casualty figure I use for stunned senior leaders.

Once again, there are options for where you might place it. I try to keep in mind it's key function is as a game marker, if it blends in too well with the model it may fail to achieve its purpose as a visual aid.

I find it helpful to mark an AFV that has moved flat out. As the move often occurs in a previous phase, it's easy to forget to take that into account when working out the modifiers to hit. 

I thought a plume of dust would be a great way to do that. Polyester cushion stuffing is ideal for this job as it is rigid and makes a better shape than cotton wool. To help it stay in position I glued it down to an MDF base to give it some weight.

All it needed was an earth colour to make it look more like dust. I used my airbrush and gave each of them a misting of Tamiya Flat Earth.

Not sure if I've overdone the size of the dust plume, it's probably more suited to the desert. Although having said that I know the summer in Normandy 1944 was hot and dry, making dust a major issue. So perhaps it's not too wide of the mark.

They certainly add a sense of movement to the table. More importantly, they are a good reminder that the AFV moved flat out in their last active phase.

Previously, I've used the exact same mini-dice that I use to mark shock on infantry units. However, you only ever need to record up to three points of shock on an AFV. Once it exceeds that amount the crew bail out and the markers are no longer required. In that sense a D6 is overkill, so I gave thought to how I could record up to three points of shock and came up with the idea of jerry cans. The spares box is full of far more of these than I'll ever need and so it was easy enough to paint up ten or so. I've opted for red to make them stand out, especially as I can often have jerry cans as stowage on the tank models themselves, so these need to stand out as different. 

Again, there are options for where they can best be placed.

There is certainly no requirement in the rules to represent a tank crew when it bails out. They simply vanish from the table. So this is more an indulgence and excuse to paint figures. 

That said, I do find using a few appropriate figures when photographing our games can go a long way to help tell the story. In this case, I've used figures from the excellent AB Figures range. More about that project can be found in this post.

In a slightly similar way, I can always find a use for a wreck, particularly when we are playing a pint sized campaign and refighting a scenario where tanks were destroyed in the previous game. In that instance the wreck model becomes more than a reminder of what happened earlier, it is a new piece of terrain, with potential for cover or to block line of sight. 

Objectives, Replen Points and Line of Communication Markers for Chain of Command

Chain of Command v2 introduces a couple of new mechanics that need marking on the table - the Replen Point and Mission Objectives. So, it goes without saying, my mind immediately started ticking over, thinking about how I might want to represent these. Aside from the fact that I just enjoy making stuff, I see them bringing a strong narrative element to the table. What more excuse did I need?

Replen Points, once placed, remain in that location. They can supply the first unit that calls for them immediately, plus they can also supply another two types of ammunition to other units. In the meantime they run the risk of capture if contacted by the enemy. As a result, their position needs to be recorded. It just calls out for suitably themed markers. Once again, it was a chance to sift through the spares box and give unused figures a new lease of life.

I had in mind something not dissimilar to the way many people theme their jump-off-points. To differentiate them, I used a small square shape rather than the 40mm rounds I use for my jump-off-points. The figures and ammo boxes all came from the spares box. In the case of the Germans this is a figure from the Plastic Soldier Company heavy weapons set, for the British it is an AB Figure carrying 2" mortar rounds.  

The American figures below are both from Wartime Miniatures (now Simon's Soldiers) and are part of a set of supply figures. I had used them for a jump-off-point originally, but decided they're better suited to this sort of marker.

The US 60mm mortar has a Replen Point automatically assigned to it, in effect giving it an initial six rounds of ammunition (assuming it doesn't move away from the Replen Point before needing to replenish). I had a spare figure from an M1 81mm mortar set and, although he's equipped with ammo for that mortar, I felt he would come close enough to what I needed. Given this sees the 60mm mortar with more ammo than most similar support weapons I thought it might be easier to keep track of ammo use by including a small mini-dice on the base. 

I gave the die a repaint to match the colours on the mortar rounds. Hopefully that make it a little more discrete, while keeping it easy to see.

For the Japanese I've used more of the Airfix figures that came with their Jungle Outpost set. They were sitting in the spares box until I thought a few of them would work well together to make a Line of Communication marker (see more below). It wasn’t much more of a stretch to see how a single figure with pack horse would work equally well for a Replen Point.

When it comes to Misson Objective markers there's a lot of scope and much depends on the situation you are gaming. The objective is usually on a key piece of terrain, like a crossroads or a bridge. You could easily use a wrecked vehicle or something similar.

Another option could be a supply dump of some sort.

The only issue that needed a bit of thought was how best to deal with confined spaces, particularly inside buildings. Chances are the defender will want to garrison this key terrain, so I needed a marker that wouldn't demand a lot of space. The idea that sprang to mind was a map, the sort of map the attacking commander may well have consulted when setting objectives for the platoon. 

There are several web sites with 1:50000 period maps, particularly of Normandy.  I found these below showing the area around Caen and thought they would be perfect. I reduced them in size, before printing and then mounting them on squares of MDF.

I went with two different sizes to give me flexibility with placement. I think these might be a good solution when space is at a premium. They achieve one of my key aims of not taking up too much space, there's no reason why figures cannot be placed directly on top of them, if need be.

While not a specific feature of the Chain of Command v2 rules, the CoC Far East Handbook includes Line of Communication markers, which serve as potential objectives for attackers in that theatre. I covered these in an earlier post, but thought it worth including them here again given their link to the new objective marker rules in CoC v2. 

While playing the Driving Charge campaign set in Malaya, we represented the British Line of Communication marker with a model of a truck. 

That worked well enough, but I thought it could benefit from a few figures to add more life and so I repurposed a few AB Figures desert tank crews.

Given that normally the LoC marker is placed on a road, it made sense to base the figures to match.

Generally, the Line of Communications markers are more a feature of the early part of the war, to reflect the way the heavily mechanised allied forces were so dependent on roads. However, that changes as the war progresses and the allies shift to the offensive. That’s when the need for Japanese LoC markers arise. 

The first one I created featured a team of pack horses. These are a blast from the past for me, as they are figures from the old Airfix Jungle Outpost set. I thought they might also come in handy as a target for Chindit raids on Japanese communications. While the poses of both horses and soldiers is repetitive, I think they make for quite an atmospheric group.

I built a Hasegawa model of an Isuzu TX40 fuel truck for use as scatter terrain, or another objective for Chindit raids, but it will also work well as a LoC marker. The addition of a figure adds more to the narrative and brings the setting to life. This figure comes from the Orion Japanese tank crew set.

Together with my recent attempts to created new game markers I've enjoyed putting these together. No doubt a few will make an appearance in our ongoing Scottish Corridor campaign.