The Second World War, Battlegroup Panzergrenadier, 20mm

This was a scenario from the “Battles for the West” scenario book for Battlegroup Panzergrenadier, but I suppose it would just as well for any other similar rules. It involved a rare French attack (launched by General de Gaulle) against the flank of the advancing German columns. In fact, this game involved the French launching a combined arms assault against a village occupied by German infantry – with German tanks coming on as reinforcements.The French players came on with spirit, advancing quickly towards the village, their infantry spread out across the table. the poilus were supported by two groups of tanks – one attacking the village along the road from the west, the other moving cross country form the south-west. However, this was one of these games where the odds were stacked from the start. Both sides rolled for artillery support. The French got one mission (105’s), while the German player rolled high, and got six missions, all with 155’s! As if that wasn’t enough, the Germans also rolled successfully under air power, and got two dedicated air attacks with Stukas.Despite all this the Germans were badly outnumbered, and at first everything went well for the French. While the German artillery failed to register, French mortars pounded the outskirts of the village – an area occupied by a platoon of Germans, causing fairly heavy casualties. A Stuka attack against one tank column was also pretty ineffectual, destroying one Renault light tank, and suppressing a Char B. However, this was where the French were at a real disadvantage. Their tank crews were rated as “militia”, and their infantry wasn’t much better. This meant that once a stand was suppressed, it was really difficult to get them moving again.As soon as the French reached the outskirts of the village all hell broke loose. First, two German artillery missions caught the French infantry in the open, causing horrific casualties, and pinning the survivors. The second Stuka attack achieved nothing, and a French assault gained a foothold in the western edge of the village, but by then it was clear that the French weren’t going anywhere. Their infantry had been severely mauled, leaving their armour out in the open. At that point the German reinforcements arrived – a small column of tanks. Common sense dictated that the French survivors would withdraw, leaving the Germans battered but unbowed, and still firmly in control of Lislet. The game was a clear German victory, but with different artillery and air support rolls the outcome could have been very different.I don’t really like playing the Germans, and you can’t really gloat about your victory afterwards, especially if all the casualties were caused by artillery and aircraft. However, as ever the real victor was the rules. Once again, Battlegroup Panzer Grenadier provide itself to be an excellent, realistic and playable set of wargame rules, and the game ran smoothly and quickly. For an enjoyable game, a combination of 20mm figures and these rules are very hard to beat.

Tags: Battlegroup Panzergrenadier