Action At The Byklov Collective, Somewhere In Russia 1943

A game using Battlegroup Rules, around 500 points a piece, the Germans had a BR of 28 and the Russians a BR of 25. The scenario is a meeting engagement from the Battlegroup Kursk book.
Things started off a little slowly with the Russians not getting many orders and the Germans unable to get their reinforcements on, so a slow build up to the action, the Germans came through a Katyushka stonk pretty lightly and got first blood knocking out a T34 but were unable to get in contact with their off table artillery until well into the action, but it was this this that helped save them causing several pins and forcing the crew of the KV1 to abandon it. Meanwhile the Russians were steadily advancing, with the Maxim MG and the T34's pinning the Germans and then assaulting them with the infantry, the German BR rating was slowly getting to breaking point. A bit of a reprieve by pulling an aircraft chit, one didn't turn up though, this might have sealed the game, the Russians balanced this up by pulling a mine strike chit, KABOOM! the Germans were minus a Stug. Things were getting pretty tight now the Germans were nearing their break threshold and from the look on Dave's face the Russians were likewise, I really needed to inflict some serious damage, so I took the chance of pulling and chit and rallying, another aircraft chit, again this might come in handy next turn should I survive, this was also the turn when the belated off table artillery came in inflicting more pins and forcing Dave to rally so that he could press his advantage in his turn and push the Germans over the edge, alas it was not to be the chit took him one over his BR, goodnight Moscow.
A very tight game with the Germans also needing only a one to push them over.

All Quiet At The Byklov Collective

The German Reinforcements Advance At Last

The Russian Steamroller

First Blood

Stug Platoon Commander

The Engagement Intensifies

The Russians Push The German Infantry Back

Minen!

The Abandoned KV

The Russian CO Decides To Withdraw

    The Russians really had the advantage when they called off the attack, but this is were the brilliance of the Battlegroup chit and BR rating comes into its own, negating the war gamers all seeing eye.

The core rulebook is about to be reprinted if you fancy giving BG a try.

TTFN