The Second World War, Battlegroup Panzergrenadier, 15mm

This was one of these games where I didn’t supply the figures – I actually don’t own any 15mm lead, as I claim the figures are too small for me to paint. Well, Dougie Trail has no such qualms, and his figures and vehicles are proof that you can do a really good job with this teeny scale. I played on the Allied side, and our objectives were simple – to clear the wood, then use it as a springboard for an attack on the little hamlet.Of course this simple plan pre-supposed that there wouldn’t be much in the way of German opposition. Naturally enough, the Germans were defending the area in strength, supported by minefields and zeroed-in mortars. It soon became clear that this wasn’t going to be a walk in the woods! That’s actually one of the great strengths of Battlegroup Panzergrenadier – you never really know where the defender is, as most of his units are hidden, camouflaged or both. You have to search the woods and hedges as you go, and react accordingly when you stumble on the enemy.Well, we soon discovered the minefields – by walking into them. Fortunately we had a flail tank available, and while it was ordered to clear a path the infantry worked their way out of trouble the hard way – by prodding their way out of the danger zone using their bayonets. On the left my attack on the hill slowed down in the face of German resistance, and the job of winkling them out of the woods was both time-consuming and costly. On the right my co-commander had a bit more luck, and worked his way between the Germans on the hill and the village.He was helped by some bad shooting on the German part, but his advance stalled when an enemy Panther appeared. By the end of the evening it was clear that we would be hard-pressed to capture the wood, let alone the hamlet as well. I suppose that made the game a victory for the Germans, who put up a stalwart resistance. Next time we’ll want more dedicated artillery missions – and air cover – before we try that sort of set-piece attack again.As for rules, we used the new version of Battlegroup Panzergrenadier (2nd Edition). After a few games we’ve started to figure out most of the changes, and games are becoming quicker, slicker and more fun as a result. All I have to do now is to wean my buddies away from 15mm…

Tags: Battlegroup Panzergrenadier