Battlegroup: Fall Of The Reich Solo Game(s)

Rather than wait for the weekend I decided to have an evening game playing another solo WWII game using Battlegroup rules. I set up a 4 x 4 foot table for a squad size game, a British platoon supported by a Cromwell would be attacking a German rear guard position held by a Volksgrenadier platoon.
The British had a Battle Rating of 16 and the Germans 13, for those unfamiliar with the rules once this rating is exceeded the force will call off the attack or retreat if defending.
For the German defenders a throw of two D6 would decide the initial number of units that could be deployed, a poor dice roll gave them just three units until turn five when a D6 roll would decide how many units would appear in this and subsequent turns. D3 of the deployed units would start pinned from a preliminary bombardment, a three was rolled eek!
The British would start with three units deployed with two D6 being rolled on turn three and subsequent moves to decide on how many more units would be available that particular turn.

The initial set up

Sheltering behind the hedge #1 section advances

The platoon HQ moves forward to direct off table 4.2" mortar fire

The Cromwell moves up in supported followed by #2 section

#1 section is broken by intense German small arms fire

#3 section moves up to continue the attack

A turn of luck for the British, the Pak40 is destroyed by HE fire from the Cromwell

Bad luck for the British, the Germans draw a chit to rally and pull a confusion chit, this can be played on any enemy unit who immediately have to take a morale test, this resulted in the Cromwell being pinned

Tit for tat the next British chit pull results in a confusion chit, queue one pinned German squad 

#2 section moves up to support the pinned Cromwell

Despite a spirited attack the British exceeded their Battle Rating in turn eleven after just under two hours of play, it should be noted that I took out the four and five numbered chits for the game, it was a close run thing with the Germans just three away from exceeding theirs.

TTFN and KBO

Painting And Ponyri Take Two

First up some completed units for the early Byzantines and the War of the Triple Alliance.

Rear rank archers and together with the rest of the unit finished earlier.

The first battalions for the Paraguayans and Brazilians.

Now on to the Ponyri scenario using Battlegroup Kursk rules, I was able to mirror the units I had used for the Rapid Fire game. However I did add a timed airstrike in for the Germans and as a counter an AA HMG for the Soviets.

It turned out to be a bad day for the Germans, Hans call in the artillery, sorry Herr Leutnant they are not responding, Kurt supress that Russki MMG, ere no. Here comes the air strike, now they are for it, squat, Hans the artillery try again, yes! No, no, no I said the trench line not the tree line! Meanwhile the Soviets could do no wrong, for instance the Zis3 could not scratch the Ferdinand frontally but could pin it with a six, yes a six duly rolled. Turn six with half of the surviving units pinned and the German Battle Rating down 60% and no unit even half way across the table, I decided the Germans would call off the attack. I can even do badly against myself it appears.

 Do we have to assault that Herr Leutnant?

 The Soviet left.

 The Soviet right.

 The Soviet artillery is not lacking.

 Send up the Ferdinand to be pinned.

 The Soviets well entrenched.

 A black (and white) day for the Germans.

TTFN