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Made in us
Never-Miss Nightwing Pilot






Years ago, I played a now-defunct game called, "Battleground WWII," by Easy Eights Enterprises. It was closer to a simulation, than the standard, more generic rules. Many charts and modifiers. It wasn't as sim and complex as those Avalon Hill "chit" games. It wasn't mired in minutia, but it had pretty detailed rules for different phases. Also, it was primarily played with historical force composition, where the scenario determined the forces.

Well, the gamer landscape in my area has shifted to a more generic set of rules that are, for lack of a better comparison, closer to 40k-style game play. Like a Flames of War style. I'm looking for something that is basically in between the two, leaning a little more towards the serious.

---------------------

Here are some of my preferred criteria (all but the first one are desired, but not necessarily required):

- Rule scale compatible with 20mm minis. My minis are 20mm, 1/72 and I'm only using those scale minis.
- Scalable force sizes from a platoon and a tank skirmish, up to larger battles of 3-4 platoons and several tanks.
- Detailed complexity level of different fire rates for different guns in a squad, hit locations on tanks, etc.
- No intense modifiers for things like wind effects on arty fire, or communicating between players only if you have a radio, vehicle movement determined by gears, etc.
- Ease of multiple players per side.

A few more, but you should get the gist. I've been eyeballing Chain of Command, by Too Fat Lardies, as I have their What a Tanker rules and it's a great game. However, watching CoC playthroughs, It doesn't seem like it would scale up to larger battles with that patrol phase with poker chips. It also doesn't seem like it would lend itself to historical battles, either. Bastogne had clearly defined dug-in defenders, so a patrol phase wouldn't work.

So, maybe a pipe dream, but are there any suggestions for rules that can match what I'm looking for?


Ghidorah

   
Made in us
Whiteshield Conscript Trooper




CT

I would definitely give Chain of Command a go. I have been playing WW2 games for 25+ years. I have played most (if not all) the published rules at the Platoon level. And i have shelved them all for CoC.

CoC has a rules set for games with multiple players on each side called "Big Chain of command" Those rules are a free download on the TFL site.
Here's a link
https://toofatlardies.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Big-Chain-of-Command.pdf

Games where you would like to refight a battle like Bastogne can be played as C of C has scenarios lists. Most battles can fall into one of these & each scenario has a special rule of 2 capture the feel. Bastogne being the "Attack & defend" sceniro. The defender gets to start with their patrol markers 18'' from the table edge with the attacker starting out with his markers on his table edge. It works.

Try it you wont be disappointed.


Stormcrow77

 
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut





Central Valley, California

Chain of Command is fantastic. Seconded.

~ Shrap

Rolling 1's for five decades.
AoS * Konflikt '47 * Conquest Last Argument of Kings * A War Transformed  
   
Made in us
Never-Miss Nightwing Pilot






Well then, I guess I'll go with that and see how it works. Thanks!

   
Made in us
Shadowy Grot Kommittee Memba






Battlegroup? I'm enjoying that one with a buddy of mine personally. Not quite FOW/40k level stupid tournament competitive BS, but not beardy enough that resolving a single shooting action takes 10 hours.

"Got you, Yugi! Your Rubric Marines can't fall back because I have declared the tertiary kaptaris ka'tah stance two, after the secondary dacatarai ka'tah last turn!"

"So you think, Kaiba! I declared my Thousand Sons the cult of Duplicity, which means all my psykers have access to the Sorcerous Facade power! Furthermore I will spend 8 Cabal Points to invoke Cabbalistic Focus, causing the rubrics to appear behind your custodes! The Vengeance for the Wronged and Sorcerous Fullisade stratagems along with the Malefic Maelstrom infernal pact evoked earlier in the command phase allows me to double their firepower, letting me wound on 2s and 3s!"

"you think it is you who has gotten me, yugi, but it is I who have gotten you! I declare the ever-vigilant stratagem to attack your rubrics with my custodes' ranged weapons, which with the new codex are now DAMAGE 2!!"

"...which leads you straight into my trap, Kaiba, you see I now declare the stratagem Implacable Automata, reducing all damage from your attacks by 1 and triggering my All is Dust special rule!"  
   
Made in us
Battlefield Tourist




MN (Currently in WY)

I was thinking Battlegroup or Chain of Command.

However, there are literally tons of WWII games that meet your criteria. I think you best bet might be to see if anyone plays a particular one in the local area, unless you are going to go it alone.

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Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut





Myrtle Creek, OR

Big fan of I Aint Been Shot Mum also by lardies. It’s typically company level but can be played with platoons and maybe squads especially if you have individually based figures.

Here’s a video
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ugBqJOwYh8w

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/11/10 16:56:32


Thread Slayer 
   
Made in gb
Hardened Veteran Guardsman






Lost in the Warp

As Stormcrow and Shrapnel state Chain of Command is an excellent set of rules (for dug in defenders you can set up the jump off points suitably or do it as normal with the patrol phase) and Big Chain of Command will allow you to get multiple platoons onto the table.

I would also second Battlegroup, the game is straightforward and fun, promotes sensible, real world force composition and scales from a squad or two of chaps upwards. I have found the fantasy/sci-fi gamers (no historical game experience) from my club all enjoyed Battlegroup when I put on games, picked it up easily and were eager for more.

The great thing about WW2 gaming is as long as your force is built (semi) historically then you can port them into any ruleset you enjoy. If I had to pick one I’d go with Battlegroup but CoC would be a very close second (I also play Bolt Action with historical force compositions and sensible people and enjoy that as well - although it can easily be broken with effort).

lord marcus wrote:I resent that sir. Orks most certainly do have ding dongs.






 
   
Made in ca
Rampaging Carnifex





Toronto, Ontario

What level of engagement is Chain of Command? Do you get to bring armored platoons to the table, or is it more of a '1 tank and some blokes' sort of game?
   
Made in gb
Hardened Veteran Guardsman






Lost in the Warp

Succinctly described, yes Chain of Command is specifically about an infantry platoon and it’s supports. You have a platoon of chaps and then (depending on the platoon level of your opponent and a dice roll) you can add in supports like additional weapons, vehicles and guns. You don’t generally have a lot of tanks in the base game (although we’ve had platoons on the table) but you could have an armoured platoon each with infantry support in the base game once you’d got the hang of it. I play in 15mm so the added space on a 8x4 means a platoon/zug of panzers can move around and dominate from distance where possible.

The add on “Big Chain of Command” is designed for multiple platoons (especially armour) and would be what you’re looking for to get some tanks on to the table in reasonable/semi-historical numbers for the scale. I’ve seen some people play big games of this but I don’t think I’d push it too far (unless I swapped to 6mm or it was suitable - Eastern front tank swarms), I’d use Battlegroup (or your other preferred rules - although I enjoy Battlegroup because it’ll do a range of scales of conflict brilliantly) for that.

DWS

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2022/05/02 21:39:37


lord marcus wrote:I resent that sir. Orks most certainly do have ding dongs.






 
   
 
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