20mm O group

[Colbourne66]

Time for another new project...

I'd been looking for an excuse to buy some AB figures 20mm WW2. I figured I'd give O group a shot and it seemed the effect excuse to get some ABS.

So I'll use this thread to show progress on this project. I have enough figures for 3 german companies, battalion HQ, oberservation post and a couple of support elements. I also plan to model a couple of figures on to a base for each combat patrol

[Phil Robinson]

I shall follow with interest as I don’t think the rules will suit my 20mm on a 6 x 4 table. Would like to be proved wrong though🤔

[TacticalPainter]

I shall follow with interest as I don’t think the rules will suit my 20mm on a 6 x 4 table. Would like to be proved wrong though🤔

Yes, likewise. I’ve opted for 12mm initially but I have a much larger 20mm collection I could draw on if this proves workable.

[Norm]

Thanks for starting this thread, I have had O’ Group on the table with 10 / 12mm and just run a few exercises with 20mm to test anti tank routines, plus a company sized infantry only game, reducing the command dice from 9 to 4.

For the 12mm I have each infantry ‘section’ on a 40mm base with 4 - 6 figures. For the 20mm I thought of having 2 figures on a 50mm pill base per section as this would keep a similar footprint and allows the figures to be used with Rapid Fire Reloaded.

I am also considering 20mm sections on 60mm x 40mmm with 4 figures and will try that with blank bases before making a decision.

Tanks are where the problem is as a 20mm footprint is significantly larger than a 12mm one, however, in the game vehicle play a lesser part and you might typically only have 2 on one side and 4 on the other, as each vehicle represents 2 - 3 vehicles.

I think the rules are fairly helpful re 20mm. Firstly they have the conversion measurement in the text, by always using dual measurement for 15’s and belo and for 20mm and above.

The rules also allow 2” spacing between sections, but suggest that 20mm might want to keep bases adjacent and you could get this even tighter by havibg two sections up front and one behind.

Finally many of the photographs in the ruleset show 15mm, as do the demo videos, so this mid transition scale between 12’s and 20’s means that there is not such a jump to those scales.

For buildings, I found I was using 3 12mm buildings to show an area, but just 1 building for 20mm. In practice there was no difference as both ways took up the same footprint. It is just the visual difference that gives effect.

Inevitably the 20mm will put a 6 x 4 under more pressure, but I don’t think it is as much as might be initially envisaged. It becomes a visual thing rather than a practical thing, but visually 20mm has its own loveliness and charm anyway.

Anyway, just some early thoughts, I really look forward to your exploration of this.

[Colbourne66]

Interesting to see why you don't think it would work at 20mm.

I use My 18mm ABs on a 6x4 table for naps and that seems to work out OK. Plus author Dave Brown seems to use 20mm

We shall see.

[SteveBurt]

My 20mm stuff is based for Battlefront:WW2 which is at exactly the same scale as O group. Sections are 3 figures on a 30mm square base, weapons teams 2 or 3 figures on a 30x40mm base. I never changed the scale and just use 15mm ranges, and it all works fine. I imagine O group would also work with unchanged scales

[Colbourne66]

Interesting. I am trying to figure out basing sizes at the moment. I was thinking 40mmx40mm per section with 3 figures per base and 40mm round for combat patrols with 2 figures per base.  Company command 2 figures on a 30x30 base.  Bttn Hq 50x50 or even 60x60

Ma

[SteveBurt]

I went for the smallest bases I could to avoid distorting groundscale too much

[Colbourne66]

Yes that makes sense. I might try 35mm Square for the sections instead of 40mm.

[z1pp132002]

CC 30x30 mm 2 figures
section 40x40mm 3 figures
BHQ 50x50 4 figures

This is what I'm going with.

Greg

[Melnibonean]

I've played plenty of games with 20mm armies on a 6'x4' table and they work well. I have 6 or 7 battalions now based with 3 figures on a 50x30mm bases and LMG stands with 2 figures on a 40x40mm base. So a platoon has two 50x30mm bases and one 40x40mm base.

I've posted pics of my battalions and you can see how the formations look when laid out on my WWII blog. There are also a few AARs for some of my games too.
Click here: https://this20mmworldatwar.blogspot.com/

This blog is a bit out of date because, living in the outdoor prison colony that is Australia, we've been locked down for most of the year.

[Harry Faversham]

This blog is a bit out of date because, living in the outdoor prison colony that is Australia, we've been locked down for most of the year.

Mel, enjoyed the game AAR on your blog, sumptuous looking layout. But feel compelled to say, how immature and childish to have Doctor Who's TARDIS appearing on the Russian Front... very immature, spoils the look of the whole thing, you Colonials need to get a grip, man!

    

[Melnibonean]

Mel, enjoyed the game AAR on your blog, sumptuous looking layout. But feel compelled to say, how immature and childish to have Doctor Who's TARDIS appearing on the Russian Front... very immature, spoils the look of the whole thing, you Colonials need to get a grip, man!
[/center]

That meddling Gallifreyan stick his nose in everywhere.