Can you recommend me a WWII ruleset with....?

[blacksmith]

Hello,
I've tried a fair number of WWII rulesets but now I'm looking for something simple, fast and yet tactical enough. I want to play with 2 or 3 companies of infantry and tanks per side; with 1 tank representing 1 tank and 1 base of infantry a squad.
Simple, fast and with infantry and tanks?
TIA 

[Moriarty]

WRG WW2 are always worth a look. I’ve seen some interesting videos of Crossfire in play, but the rules are not cheap. Have you Googled ‘free wargames rules ww2’?

[SJWi]

I would recommend PSC's Battlegroup except they don't meet your infantry criteria. What about Great Escape Games' "Iron Cross". I haven't played them myself but have tried what I assume are their Cold War equivalents. Quite a few reviews online.

[Harry Faversham]

Have a pop at Fistfu :)ll of Lead.

[fred]

Blitzkrieg Commander would work - it can be played at the scale you suggest - and will happily handle the number of units you are suggesting.

Iron Cross is a fun set of rules, has an interesting activation / reaction mechanism. But it’s more a platoon a side.

Battlegroup is a very good set of rules, it blends together higher level elements very nicely with what is effectively a reinforced platoon scale game. It does give a good feel of WWII.

[blacksmith]

Thank you very much for your responses and help. I've played several times Battlegroup and I like it but it is a bit slow if you ask me; I'm looking for something faster. I also played Crossfire but it can't handle tanks very well and besides I'm not quite fond of its system though it is brilliant. I'd say Blitzkrieg Commander is for bigger battles than I have in mind. I've also tried long ago fistful of lead but I never liked SOBH mechanics. I didn't like Iron Cross neither.
But please, keep telling rulesets I may like for what I'm looking for.
I haven't tried FUBAR and it looks interesting; have you play it? is it any good?

Thanks again for the help 

[fred]

Fistful of Lead, isn’t part of the Ganesha Games SoBH range. It’s a completely separate game, with a card driven activation mechanism. The Bigger Battles version possibly could be used for what you are suggesting, but it’s very cinematic in its take.

Can you expand out what scale of game you are thinking of playing - as your 3 coys of 3 platoons of 3 squads - gives about 30 stands of infantry a side, which sounds a pretty good size for a BKC game.

At this stage I’m thinking Flames of War?

[Dubar]

I've been testing out Fistful Of Lead with my 28mm WW2 figures the past 3-4 days and so far I like it.  I downloaded the CORE rule book for this test.

I've been using some homemade rules (dice and action markers) I beat together a year or so ago using bits from established rules already out there and while they work good, I thought I'd try something more mainstream.

Playing solo, I find that more than 5 figures per side is a bit too much for this old brain to track.  Maybe once I really get accustomed to the rules I'll go for full size squads.

I've tried to stay away from rules using cards and dice (I prefer dice only) but I'm getting the hang of FfOL.

[Captain Darling]

Iron Cross is a good choice fitting your criteria. Funny we just played it last night drafting up an AAR at the moment.

It is a bit undercooked, I hope GEG revisit it and bring into line with their other era versions 1914 and 7 days to the Rhine, I have enhancements if you go down the Iron Cross path that I can share.

[SJWi]

By the way PSC are working on a new set called I think "Battlegroup Commander". My assumption is that it will adopt the infantry rules from their NORTHAG system which uses 1 base = a fireteam rather than individually based infantry. This will certainly speed up the game. However no idea of a release date. I also predict it will be aimed at 10mm or smaller scales.

[jon_1066]

O group fits you criteria.  Technically 1 tank represents 2 but to be honest it plays like 1 : 1

[Moriarty]

Just remembered 'One Hour War-games' by Neil Thomas. Plays at one base = one squad as you require.

[SJWi]

I would agree that O Group meets most of your criteria but maybe not "simple". One of my mates thinks they are brilliant, others pretty unintelligible. Caveat Emptor.

[fred]

O group is a good game, I’d agree its fairly complex, but very playable. But it’s pretty small compared to OPs criteria, a couple of platoons of infantry and a handful of tanks is a typical game. And due to the nature of the command system, you can’t get much more deployed on the table and be able to activate enough stuff.

[Harry Faversham]

Just 'cos it's 'old skool', don't laugh at Gavin Lyles' 'Operation Warboard'. They've stood the test of time in my 'umble opinion. Great time to be had pushing yer toys about to them rools!