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Dakka,

My buddy and I have just recently made the jump to the Battlegroup rule set by iron fist publishing and haven't looked back. The following thread will detail a small "persistency" campaign using supplemental rules to Battlegroup Overlord that are being provided to us by one of the game's developers (Big P).

Before we get started:

If you want an inexpensive hobby, try 15 or 20mm. There are loads of people who make figures for that scale, and you will be pleasantly surprised at how much more battlefield you get out of a 6x4 when you shrink down your soldiers a bit.

Does it get cheaper than this?



Plastic Soldier Company Panzer IV. Around $26 for five.



Battlegroup Overlord Campaign: Heer Panzertruppen vs. American Paratroopers.

Game 1 of 5 Games. Not much in the way of back story or historical accuracy. Just a generic setting in France.

Somewhere in France
Recce Screen
375 points


The Battlefield:



This is the first map. Sorry for the poor lighting. Will get some better shots in natural light tomorrow.



German Panzergrenadier Kampfgruppe Von Strom:



Leutnant and Panzer Grenadier Platoon (4 Mg 42's on bipods)

Hauptmann and staff in sdkfz 251/3 command variant (forward HQ)

Aufklarungs detachment: 2 sdkfz 250/1 scout halftracks

An sdkfz 222 armoured car

Off table 80mm mortar battery

And of course Major Gunther von Strom and his Tiger 1E "Gretel" (Panzer Ace)

2 Officers, 21 Battle Rating


The Battlefield












Since the mission is "Recce Screen", an escalating clash of reconnaissance forces, I decided to take a solid attachment of units with the scout special rule. With the exception of a foot patrol or maybe a sniper, I doubt that the paratroopers will have much in the way of forward operating units and will certainly not be able to deal with any armor. My Aufklarungs grenadiers should dominate the scout phase, capturing 2 out of 3 objectives and out scouting the Americans causing them to start the game with 3 chits before they even arrive!



Though the scouts will give me a jump on the Paras, the bread and butter of my Battlegroup will be my trusty Grenadier ground pounders, who will no doubt bear the largest load in defending the ground their mechanized comrades take.



2nd Platoon E Co. 'Easy' 506th PIR
-DJ0311-




Captains Winters and Nixon (Forward HQ)

Lt. Compton & 2nd Platoon

Attached 57mm AT Gun.

Attached M4 platoon

Timed 75mmL16 Barrage.

3 Officers, 27 Battle Rating.


Some Highlights

Aufklarungs units capture 2 objectives before setting up a perimeter in the town to the east



German Forward HQ sets up on a hill overlooking the battlefield from the north west. Within their sdkfz 251/3 Radio halftrack, they monitor platoon coms chatter and prepare to contact the mortar battery dug in to the rear.



Having no scout units, the paratroopers advance from the south east onto a battlefield of waiting Panzertruppen.



An sdkfz 250/1 scout halftrack learns a hard lesson in cover and concealment. It is knocked out by a Sherman's 75mm cannon.





Unfortunately the pictures stop here...because...well because beer really. Here is a summary of the rest of the battle.

First we see Easy Co. come in from the south and set up the AT gun up behind the rocks on the west side of the US held hill covering the woods and dirt track. The M4s cover the infantry advance through the hilltop fields.

The Germans are slow bringing in reinforcements and their Aufklarungs forces are separated from the main force. However the recon troops quickly begin calling on 80mm mortars and dropping shells dead in the middle of the Paras. Some infantry and supporting weapons become pinned and the 60mm is wiped. The worried tank platoon CO quickly silences the scouts with a few HE shells into the buildings they are spotting from.

German reinforcements are still coming on slowly at about 1 per 2 US. Major Von Strom knows the fatherland demands bold action and brings Gretal south east along the tree line and begins banging out 88 shells from the field near the center objective. Terrified the M4 platoon scatter to the nine winds and seek cover from almost certain death. The 57mm bounces shell after shell off the Tiger and German MG 42s move up to the rocks overlooking the town in support of the beleaguered Aufklarungs sections. A grenadier squad moves through the woods onto the dirt track in an attempt to secure the majors exposed right and keep US infantry penned in on the hill.

An M4 hiding behind the rocks on the US hill unloads some HE toward the grenadiers in the woods, another M4 that is hiding tanks a shot at Gretal's side from the farm but it seems to make the Tiger look even more formidable as it consistently bounces everything the Americans throw at her.

Major Von Strom goes beyond the call of duty and brings the turret around to open fire on the M4 at the farm. Luckily for the Sherman it hasn't been seen and is safe for the moment.

Up until now the Tiger has been having a hard time getting a bead on the Sherman's and hasn't hit once in 6 shots. Luckily the M4 platoon command rushed too close to the town leaving the infantry support far behind. Now alone by the burning 250/1 and hoping to kill the 222 that has run northeast down the road the tank platoon CO learns the hard way that you don't need an 88 to kill a Sherman. An Aufklarungs team steels themselves and jumps out of a building to brew up the M4 with a Faust to the side.

The Germans luck turns from bad to worse as we learn an MG team forgot to bring any ammo (low ammo). The 222 will get a shot off on some exposed infantry but it fails to be productive and the Germans quit the field when the timed barrage wipes both MG teams from the rocks outside the town that now forms the center of the German line.

The battle was mostly centered on getting the Paras off the hill and into the town held by the scouts. Indirect fire had a rather nasty effect on both sides, and a Sherman got popped by a panzerfaust.( I will be taking more of these in the future). At the end of the day American arty and tank HE shells broke the will of my infantry, who withdrew from the battle at 21.

Start BR: US 27 Ger: 21
End BR: US 8 Ger: 0
Victory Points: 8 US
Campaign VP: 8 US - 0 Ger

The only units to gain experience were both of my HQ units who upgraded from regular to vet! The entire platoon was refitted to TO, but the aufklarungs squads were written off. Guess I will have some explaining to do to the Reconnaissance Battalion Commander. In other good news, Panzer Ace Gunther Von Strom is alive and well.

As for American experience, no units were upgraded, and when company command radioed higher with news of victory apparently all they got was an earful. Like they say, S**T rolls down hill.


Game 2 to come soon. More pictures and detail (Well depending on how much beer is in the fridge)

You may want to try my beta campaign system on The Guild...

Looks a great set up.

Big P wrote:
You may want to try my beta campaign system on The Guild...

Looks a great set up.

Yep that's the one were using. 375 point lists, nothing higher than mortars, and no aircraft. Were shooting for 5 games to give you some feedback on it. We'll post some up on guildwar gamers as well.

Nice one dude... look forward to seeing your thoughts, its still very much a WIP.

Oh dear lord Strombones... Don't do this to me... Don't talk me into another set of rules

Warsmith262 wrote:
Oh dear lord Strombones... Don't do this to me... Don't talk me into another set of rules

Indeed Warsmith. It is time yet again to upgrade your gaming experience. Follow me into the light my friend.....

On the bright side you don't have to buy any new models!

Good point!! I'll have to give it a look!

FLGS is having a decent sale on FOW this weekend. Between that and this I might just have to pick up Open Fire.
Battle pics look good. My eyes thank you and my wallet will hate you Strombones.

 wana10 wrote:
FLGS is having a decent sale on FOW this weekend. Between that and this I might just have to pick up Open Fire.
Battle pics look good. My eyes thank you and my wallet will hate you Strombones.

First of thanks for the kind words. Open Fire box is a good place to start. Not only can you build two forces from it (and damn those BF plastics look nice don't they?) but you will have a large surplus of models as well. The game we played was a 375 point game of Battlegroup which is still considered "smallish" so an open firebox could get you to that and beyond.

If you do get into the ruleset I would suggest looking at plastic soldier company for vehicles. Beautiful models. Very inexpensive.

Also if you are used to playing 28mm (and a particular 28mm sci if game at that) your wallet is actually going to love me!

its kind of small, i used to have some guys that size and they easily break, hard to paint and basically crap

Some people dont half talk rot...



Yer... you cant paint small stuff well.

Haha nice one big p I love playing battlegroup in 15mm scale it plays really well

This was a good game, round two on Saturday.

Da Stormlord wrote:
its kind of small, i used to have some guys that size and they easily break, hard to paint and basically crap

Easier to paint and not as easy to break if metal,Only if you do not store them proper,but this is with any model.
I was intimiadated at first but now i find it easier and faster to paint.One of the good things is that you dont have to sweat the fine details to get them tabletop ready.

Battlegroup Overlord Campaign: Heer Panzertruppen vs. American Paratroopers.

Game 2 of 5

Somewhere in France
Recce Screen
375 points +25 to US for last Victory



The Battlefield:













My Favorite Abbey Quad. Top reason why Battlegroup plays slower than Piers and Warwick intend it to.




The Forces:


German Panzer Division - Kampfgruppe Von Strom
-Strombones-

Forward HQ in a Panzer IV G command tank

Panzer Grenadier Platoon with 3 MG42's led by a crafty Leutnant (gained vet last game)

Aufklarungs detachment of an sdkfz 222 and a scout squad in a 250/1

off table 80mm mortar battery

Jagdpanther Tank destroyer

sdkfz 250/1 pressed into service as an ammunitions carrier (armoured supply carrier)

2 Officers, 21 Battle Rating



Forward HQ mounted in a Panzer IV. Since I have several other units that can spot for mortars, I decided to upgrade the normal halftrack selection to a tank. Will be useful with multiple Shermans prowling about.



Being Recce Screen, I've decided to go with some decent Aufklarungs units, hoping to nab objectives early and out scout the Amis. I did however learn a valuable lesson last game when I allowed my units to be too far ahead of friendly lines, a mistake that proved a Sherman 75mm cannon is a nasty foe to light armor.



Major von Strom was called off to another part of the line and thus anit tank duties were tasked out to a single Jagdpanther "hunting panther" tank destroyer. Sporting an enormous Pak43, I doubt that it will have little trouble with a few Sherman tanks. Since it carries little ammo, I have assigned a 250/1 half track to carry munitions in support.

Not going to lie, sure is nice having a beast like this on your side

Easy Company

American Airborne Division - 2nd Platoon E Co. 'Easy' 506th PIR
-DJ0311-

Captains Winters and Nixon (Forward HQ).

Lt. Compton & 2nd Platoon.

Attached 57mm AT Gun with jeep tow.

Attached M4 platoon.

Attached Airborne Combat Engineer Squad with bazooka.

Timed 75mmL16 Barrage.

3 Officers, 30 Battle rating.

*Deane hasn't included any BAR upgrades for the platoon infantry since they didn't jump with them in Overlord.*

Infantry

Being an Airborne force has pros and cons (lack of AT)...upside is I have plenty of infantry...also tasked a Combat Engineer Squad into the mix to carry an extra bazooka.

Tanks....kinda

Sherman M4 tank platoon. Still rusty from the salty climate.These Shermans don't stand a chance against German AT but hopefully their speed will allow them to move around to the Jagdpathers flank and rear....hopefully.

*M4 Platoon CO has a nice clean tank (Strombones), the other two have been around the block (Dj0311).*


Early Game:



Objective East. An Inn at the end of a dirt road



Objective Center. The center of the board.



Objective West. A walled field over looking the battlefield from a hillside.





Once again the Aufklarungs units go unopposed. They deploy toward the center of the battlefield to grab the objectives before the Americans even arrive. Their +2 to the game roll off again secures a German first turn.









Germans out scout the Americans and get a bonus to the roll off. They begin by moving the Panzer IV and an infantry squad toward the hedgerow to grab some center space. An Aufklarungs squad observes from inside its 250/1, relaying reconnaissance in real time to the rear, and standing by to contact company mortars while the 222 prepares to reverse back into the cover of the forest behind it.



Paratroopers arrive with a Sherman platoon and a 57mm anti-tank gun towed by a jeep. The Sherman move off to open ground, while the infantry and tank gun advance to the walled field, hoping to exploit the hard cover and the commanding fields of fire that the high ground offers.



The Panzer IV moves up to the hedgerow to engage the Shermans advancing on him while the rest of the infantry advance to link up with the recon units.





Turn 2 sees the arrival of the Jagdpanther. Motoring up a slope on the German right flank, he crests the hill and slams the vehicle to an abrupt halt. Beneath him, the Sherman platoon is advancing in the open on the Panzer IV. The Jagdpanther levels its massive Pak43....and....



BOOM. On a very luck roll of a 6, the high velocity gun connects with a Sherman, who has little hope of bouncing the AP shell. In the following turn, the massive Tank hunter strikes luck again on a roll of six, knocking out a second Sherman. Two shells. Two kills. This guy is getting a medal.



In another stroke of luck the MG42 gunner on the recon 250/1 wipes the crew of the 57mm gun off the board while the scout squad begins to bombard the hilltop with 80mm mortar shells. A .30 caliber machine gun sets up to begin laying down covering fire for an advance off the hill.


Mid Game:



As the Americans begin to advance toward the eastern farm and the hedgerow in the center, a timed barrage of 4 75mm pack howitzers lets loose on the main German line.



In another stroke of incredible bad luck, the timed barrage does practically nothing to the Germans, as well as pushing the Panzer IV tank commander beyond the call of duty, giving him the chance to open fire on the last Sherman. Seeing the fate of their two squad mates, the last Sherman crew decides enough is enough and abandons their vehicle. Using the last of his ammunition to do so, the tank commander calls the LOG team forward for a resupply.







Despite the failure of the barrage, the Parra still succeed in building up troops to attack through the hedgerows...



Paratroopers are not something Deane is short on.



The Germans ready themselves for the coming American assault through the hedges.


End Game:



With all of their anti tank destroyed (if you can call a 75mm Sherman "anti-tank" anyway), the Americans aggressively move to take the hill top farm in order to employ bazookas on the German armour.



knowing that fighting bazooka armed infantry is not in his best infantry, The Jagdpanther withdraws down the hill to the protection of a German panzer grenadier squad with their weapons trained on the hill top farm.



The paras take the hil and begin a plan to assault the Inn below.





A combat engineer squad leaps out to take a shot at the heavy tank with a bazooka but misses. They are in turn gunned down by an MG42 in the upper floor window. The Jagdpanther withdraws further back.







The battle at the hedge field intensifies. Sadly the Paras are just too far outclassed against the Panzertruppen, an armoured car with a nasty auto cannon, and the resupplied Panzer IV. The brave Para mange to whittle down some of the infantry in the attack, but are ultimately overcome with superior fire power.

A .30 cal gun crew is killed, and the Americans finally begin to withdraw.





The table at the end of the game


Conclusion and Experience

Tucker (Strombones)

We are figuring out that mobility is a useful tool in this game. Foot slogging Infantry, while they have their role, are very difficult to get to the fight sometimes. The most elite infantry are not useful when the are a mile away!

My Jagdpanther was lucky. Double 6's on rolls to hit. The last thing any allied army wants an Axis player to get lucky with is a Pak43..

My Jagdpanther and the scout section leveled up from reg to vets, and the vet Platoon commander survived, meaning I now have 3 vet units that I pay for as regulars. All in all it was a very one sided game. I only lost around 6 infantry models and only took a chit for the Americans taking an objective. It was a 2! Ha! luck was very much on my side. Fun game for me, but I expect to see some very angry and vengeful Americans coming my way next week to turn the tables.

Deane (Dj0311dj)

Easy performed excellent last game and carried over a 25 point advantage. In this game the deployment zones, terrain and German armor really had a very negative effect on them. The Germans deployed into an ideally defensive position and their armor really picked me apart at range.

While neglected in the report the off table 80mm battery also played a significant role in picking off infantry and pinning down squads. I ended up using tactical coordination 3 times during the game and key units were pinned by mortar fire.

I found my position on the hill extremely difficult to move from and also too open and vulnerable to hold. All in all Easy fought hard but in the end they just didn't have the anti armor abilities of the Germans.

Not that I had many units left that could roll for XP the few that did got nothing from it and a roll on the Colonels Favorite chart just went nowhere.


Start BR: US 30 Ger: 21
End BR: US 0 Ger: 19
Victory Points: 19 Ger
Campaign VP: 8 US - 19 Ger


Like I say to Deane before every important dice roll, "You know I can roll sixes!". Works like a charm

I think this pic sums up the overall poor American luck:

I've looked all over for the rule book and have had no luck finding it in our local shops boooooooo

Yeah I wish it was more available.......one day!

Warsmith262 wrote:
I've looked all over for the rule book and have had no luck finding it in our local shops boooooooo

Order online?

Or if any of your local shops stock PSC models, get them to order you one when they restock...

I ended up getting a box of soviets and a box of germans in 15mm that I based up on pennies to use for skirmish gaming. It's daunting to have 130 of each of them to paint up, but I figured out the best way is to build and paint 10 at a time. I ended up also getting some Zvezda 1/100 tank kits for $5 each and I think doing those one at a time as well.

Great terrain though. That's what I need to work on next.

 frozenwastes wrote:
I ended up getting a box of soviets and a box of germans in 15mm that I based up on pennies to use for skirmish gaming. It's daunting to have 130 of each of them to paint up, but I figured out the best way is to build and paint 10 at a time. I ended up also getting some Zvezda 1/100 tank kits for $5 each and I think doing those one at a time as well.

Great terrain though. That's what I need to work on next.

Thanks man.

Indeed 130 figures can be a dreadfully intimidating task to begin. I have a really bad habit of sitting down to paint models and instead staring at them for an hour.

The board is made of sand, glue, some sanded insulation foam, and spray paint on plywood. The rocks are made out of tree bark with spackling paste to fill the gaps. All in all it was about 50 bucks. The thing is practically indestructible.