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

Friday 10 April 2020

Locked(down) And Loaded III

Battlegroup rules for the third game, in Battlegroup each force has a Battle Rating when this is exceeded you have lost, the game can also be won by controlling all of the objectives or if all of your units are pinned.
When you lose a unit you take a chit, this could have a number or a special event there are also other occasions for drawing a chit.
You can play the game at different levels, squad, platoon etc.
For this scenario in keeping with the other games I chose a squad level game. The Germans had a Battle Rating of 14 and the British 15, again to keep it similar to the other games there was only one objective, the British had to exit the German table edge with an infantry unit when the game would end, unless of course either side had exceeded their BR beforehand, the Germans would then take a chit and the BR remaining for each side compared.
The section have split off  their Bren team to provide covering fire as they cross the field

Over on the right the British sniper takes up position to fire on the house

The German MG42 MMG are hit with smoke and can only give suppressing fire. It should be noted that smoke isn't a feature of the rules this is factored in by the need to spot before you can do aimed fire. At this level of game I thought it important to reflect the British tactical doctrine so used a house rule suggested by Piers

An arriving German squad  take up position in the house garden

British infantry advance behind the Cromwell

The German Panzerschrek team deploys and takes a shot at the Cromwell missing it

The Germans fire on the British infantry who have crossed the hedge to engage them

The Cromwell veers to the right to protect the advancing infantry completely forgetting about the lurking Panzerschreck team, this time they did not miss, KABOOM!

Meanwhile with the German platoon HQ pinned the British make a dash for the table edge

The LMG team behind the HQ fire on them but miss! that monument to the WWI fallen obviously helping them in this conflict

The Platoon HQ look on helplessly

German view from the barn

The British HQ receiving orders
The British exited the German table edge on turn 10, when the Germans drew their chit both sides had 6BR remaining a honourable draw was agreed.

I have enjoyed all three games and each has their own approach, if I had choose only one to play it would be Battlegroup, I like being the Battlegroup commander rather than the platoon commander you are in Bolt Action and Chain of Command, out of those I prefer Chain of Command although it really comes in to its own when used in a campaign setting. Bolt Action is easier to play in a pick up game I find, Battlegroup gives me a happy medium for my WWII gaming fix. This was the first time I had played it at squad level and happy to see it works just as well as the Platoon level games we usually play.

My wife kindly "volunteered" to be chit monitor so I was not aware of how each side was doing as is the case when playing a physical opponent, you are allowed to know how many chits but not their value.

Keep safe, and distanced.

TTFN and KBO

18 comments:

  1. Very nice looking game! The one time I solo-ed a game of Battlegroup (my only game thus far sadly) my wife also did the chit drawing.

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  2. All this solo wargaming going on is actually very nostalgic.

    10 months to retirement - I have a few ideas in progress!

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    1. Thank you Matt, a plan is a good idea, you will be surprised where the time goes.

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  3. Wonderful looking game Phil. The Solo aspect is certainly a popular part of wargaming blogs at the moment that's for sure.

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    1. Thank the you Carlo. Well you can't let all those toys just sit around doing nothing looking pretty.

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  4. As expected a fine looking game. Shame about the rules though, especially the absurd spotting rules...

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    1. Spotting rule is one of the best things, apart from when you draw that 5🙂, it negates your Gods eye view of everything and as I keep reminding you it's not just about spotting🙂

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  5. Looks great, love the splendid photos, well done!

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    1. Thank you Phil. Pleased you like the photos, I took them all with my phone for this game.

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  6. A great looking game Phil...

    All the best. Aly

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  7. Lovely game Phil and interesting comparison of rulesets. I have noted those artistic shots sneaking in bravo ! As to getting my wife to engage in my gaming fixes i am afraid she might deliberately cheat just to annoy me ?

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    1. Thank you Matt, it's interesting that all three played just as well as each other, horses for courses I think.

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  8. Lovely game, nice black and white shot! I've enjoyed your comparisons of the three rule sets, I do quite fancy Chain of Command but we already as a group play bolt action, so I guess we will stick with it!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thank you Iain. If BA gives you the experience you want then stick with, it is a fine set of rules especially if you ignore the gimmicky rules like the Tiger Fear put in as a sop for competion players who felt the Germans were hard done by other nations gimmicky rules.

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  9. Great stuff Phil, a nice look at the big three.

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    1. Thank you George, it was interesting to play the same scenario with the same force but different rules and see how each tackles friction.

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