Copyright © 2024, Philip Robinson. All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced, in whole or in part without prior permission of the creator

Monday 31 October 2016

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

20 comments:

  1. That's a very fair assessment of the game, so close in the end but not to be...

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    1. Glad you approve, always find it difficult to translate the action and not make it boring, and remembering how it went at the same time :-)

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  2. Replies
    1. Thank you, I try and make them interesting without adjusting the placement of the toys.

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  3. Great pics of what sounds like a fun game!

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    1. Thank you Gordon it was indeed a grand game, the result was in the balance for the last two turns, very close and exciting.

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  4. Great looking game, I have only played these rules at the show in the states but they seemed quite good, I am just reluctant to get another set .

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  5. Thanks Matt, know what you mean about more rules, we have way to much choice these days, not that it's a bad thing in some ways.

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    1. Thank you Rodger.
      Have never been disappointed with a Battlegroup game or a Rapid Fire game come to that.

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  7. Thank you William, pleased you think so.

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  8. An attractive looking game. I must say I have been tempted to dip my toe back in to WW2 but my main interest would have to be Montgomery's various battles with the Germans.

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    1. Thank you Matt.
      Would that be western desert or north west Europe battles?

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  9. hi Phil, something has gone wrong with your post on TMP, it appears on my post about a Scratchbuilt ACW ship under both the ACW gallery and Scratchbuilt Boards. Your pictures are great and you might want to get them onto the right Boards. Maybe we posted at the same time?

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    1. Thank you and, wondered where it had gone, seems this posting problem is not going to get resolved, so I will give posting on TMP for now. I wonder how many other folks posts I miss too.

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  10. Nice report, very Eastern Front look about it.

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  11. Great looking game, figures, tanks and scenery, seems like it played well too.
    Best Iain

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  12. Thank you Iain.
    It played really well, quite pleased as I always feel awkward picking both sides wondering if I have the balance right, the lists in the rules helps in this respect I think.

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