Squad level action

[seldon]

So, I love playing all kind of scale actions.. platoon actions big battles and also enjoy squad level actions. However squad level actions are difficult. Modern weapons are deadly and with a low figure count a game can easily go the path of stay put and shoot, less fun.

Over time I've tried great games aimed at 10-15 figures per side, Operation Squad, Disposable Heroes Point Blank and many other alternatives and variants. Many of those have provided great fun games. Recently I started using Brink of Battle for WWII squad level actions. I had used it for a long time for small skirmishes in ancient games and always loved the rules, yet I was very skeptical on how well the rules would work for moderns given that although the rules advertise they are designed to work at different periods this seems difficult.

Well, I am a convert. I have now been using this rules for these kinds of actions and it is hard to imagine ever leaving them behind..

Here is a fun game we ran on Sunday

The scenario was on a 3'x3' table, both sides entering from the edges trying to either break the opposing force or capturing/rescuing  a wondering german engineer that started at the center of the table.

Here is the basic set up... The building on fire was considered impassable terrain and each side had an element with the infiltrator special rule allowing them to deploy further in than the standard 6". For the americans, a marksman, for the germans a MG42 team.





The first fun fact about this game is that the rules really encourage to move in ambush and avoid being exposed to enemy fire. Of course if you want to fire you give yourself away to enemy fire but is it really worth doing that for taking a pot shot at that enemy guy well behind cover ? Not always.. In fact in this game for the first 4-5 five turns there were NO shots at all... Both sides carefully maneuvered all over the board from cover to cover while in ambush trying to get into a position they considered tactically advantageous.



Each model has their own skills ( and name ) and as a consequence one wants to get each model at a given spot to maximize the use of these traits ( almost like a blood bowl game if you ever played ). That is why you will notice that both sides are making full use of all the table



At this point the randomly wondering german engineer started moving close to a german FG42 trooper who was being supported by the MG42 on one of the buildings, this was a problem for the americans since at this point the germans were still not giving the position up ( they were in ambush as seen by the blue chips ).



So the americans executed a risky tactic, when on the following turn they lost the initiative they gained "the break", the player losing initiative can attempt one interruption during the activation allowing two successive activation rather than the standard alternating models activation sequence.

This allowed them to send a runner forward close enough to german FG-42 trooper to "detect" the ambush, but since he had to run there he couldn't shoot, but with the use of the break the marksman on the second floor of the building under US control took the shoot on the now revealed german and took him out !!  





Now the brutal fire fight starts, as models start firing ambushes get revealed ! The runner that detected the ambush gets lucky and only gets shocked by incoming fire and when the MG-42 opens up on him, clank !!, it is jammed !!



With a good move on the center the americans now try to capitalize by having one of their GIs conducting a flanking move on the outer left side ! He gets past the burning building and gets ready to attack



The germans were a similar flanking maneuver through the buildings on the right side but the americans, directed by their commander ( Sarge ) , manage to react on time killing the guy covering the outside of the building and then storming the building to get the second fallschirm, this will now allow them to progress towards the dreadful MG-42 through the now unprotected blind spots !



A german paratrooper pulls out from a building, takes down the runner that detected the ambush catching him from an unprotected flank but then is taken out by another GI that moves in support ! The wondering german engineer gets spooked and moves away from the action.



But now the americans seal the deal, the flanking GI completes his maneuver and does a point blank attack on the german commander in ambush behind the wall ! The germans have lost over 30% of their models and that includes their commander, they fail the bottle test and pull out..  



US victory...

Truly a fantastic and fun game, tactical at the extreme, every guys counts, every action is like a move on a chess game.

The game lasted maybe 10 -12 turrns and took about 3 hours...  (we then immediately switched sides and played it a second time )...

regards,
Francisco

[Rusty72]

I really enjoy this system, played dark ages napoleonics and WW2. Does play differently for each period.

[pocoloco]

Thanks for the AAR, sounds like a great game. I need to check the BoB rules at later point.

[seldon]

I really enjoy this system, played dark ages napoleonics and WW2. Does play differently for each period.

I totally agree, and as I said, I was skeptical about this but it is true.. I've played, dark ages, fantasy ( samurai and wargods of aegyptus ), french and indian war, napoleonics, world war II and falklands...

thanks for the comments !

Francisco

[Elbows]

I like BoB and I like squad-level skirmish games.  But at 3.5 hours...that's pushing it for such a tiny engagement.    I hope there was lots of chatting and snacks taking up some of that time.

[seldon]

Usually we play two back to back games starting at noon finishing by 4:30...  This time We started at 12:00 and finished the two games by 5. The first one took longer because it was a new mission that we were trying and we did a lot of maneuvering in ambush before starting the shooting.. So the second game lasted about hour and a half !

There was a lot of chatting plus teaching rules to a few observers but it really was a very studied game .. it was actually quite a lot of fun. Having that MG42 overlooking the center of the table was not an easy task to solve for the Americans !

[Corporal Chaos]

Thanks you for the AAR. I've been pondering skirmish level WWII and have looked at BoB. Looks like good fun.

[seldon]

I can only recommend it.. and if you go that path make sure you and your opponent make good use of the ambush action.. very critical for period 3 games..

If you end up getting it and want some of our sample forces builds to get started just drop me a PM..

cheers
Francisco

[NickNascati]

Seldon,
             What figures are being used?

                                              Nick

[seldon]

Collector's battlefield prepainted:  http://collectorsbattlefield.com/

cheers
Francisco