Bandenbekampfung - Battlegroup Bagration AAR

Introduction

Belarus early June 1944.  As the Red Army prepares to launch Operation Bagration, partisan activity increases.  In retaliation the Germans launch a series of anti-partisan operations.  As part of a much wider action, a German Police unit moves into some woodland to check on an old logging camp which is suspected of being used to store partisan supplies.  At the same time a reinforced partisan force are there to secure their supplies for future operations.  Who will be the victors in this no-quarter given battle?

This game of Battlegroup uses forces chosen from the Partisan Battlegroup and German Security Battlegroup from the Bagration supplement.  

German Security Division Battlegroup:  One Police platoon of: Command team ( 5 men); three  squads each consisting of one rifle team (each 5 men) and one LMG team (each 3 men, upgraded to MG34s); one Alarm squad (SS) of 1 rifle team (5men) and I MG34 LMG team (3 men); one Feldgendarmerie motorcycle team (2 men).  Battle Rating:13.  Points:115.

Soviet Partisan Brigade Battlegroup:  One Partisan platoon of: Command team (3 men); three squads each of one rifle team (each 8 men); one Parachute squad of 1 SMG team (6 men) and 1 LMG team (2 men); one NKVD team (3 men); Special rule "Death to Fascist Vipers".  Battle Rating:11.  Points:111.

It's a Squad level game, with 1D6 plus number of Orders per turn.

Turns 1 & 2

Neither side has any Scout units so we move straight onto Turn 2 and main deployment begins.  Both sides roll 4 so they get to deploy 4 units each.  

The Germans deploy their Platoon Command, the attached SS rifle squad with their MG team, and the Feldgendarmerie motorcycle team.  The Germans roll 5 for Orders, so with their 2 officers get 7 total, and all their deployed units move up cautiously keeping to the tree line, conscious of a potential ambush and also not wanting to be too far ahead of the rest of their force as it deploys in subsequent turns.  

The SS squad deploys.

The Soviets deploy the NKVD team, the Parachute squad and the Partisan Command with a full rifle squad, putting more troops on the table than the Germans,

Soviets roll 2 so adding 2 for their 2 officers, that's 4 orders.  They're anxious to recover their supplies so they all complete a Top Speed order.  This brings the NKVD and the Parachute Squad into close proximity of an objective.

The Partisans seek their supplies.

Turn 3

The Germans deploy 3 more units, a rifle squad and their LMG team and another rifle squad.  They get 6 orders this turn and the SS squad and LMG team Top Speed to close on one of the buildings.  The Feldgendarmerie move up to support them.  The newly arrived rifle squad and their LMG team also Top Speed towards the central building and claim the Objective.  The Soviets are forced to take a Battle Counter and it's a 4.  That's quite a hit.  

The Germans take the first objective.

The final unit to move is the other rifle squad which also makes a double move to support the Feldgendarmerie.

The Germans move up on the right flank.

It's now the Soviets turn.  They roll a 4 for deployment and as they only have two more squads to deploy, all their force is now on the table.  They roll a 6 for Orders so their 8 orders allows all the Soviet force to act.  The two newly arrived Partisan squads take a Top Speed order to move double and join their comrades already advancing.  The NKVD and Parachute squad consolidate around a building.  As this is an Objective the Germans must now take a Battle Counter.  A 4 is drawn again, which is a hefty price in such a low Battle Rating game. 

Objective 2 to the Soviets!

The Partisan squad on the left flank Manoeuvre & Fire at the SS by the building.  Their Area Fire manages to Pin down the SS rifle team.  

Taste Soviet lead SS scum!

That's the end of the action for Turn 3.

Turn 4

The Germans roll a 6 for deployment which sees their last 3 units (1 rifle team and 2 LMG teams) deploy.  Unfortunately for them, their Order dice roll is a paltry 1 meaning they only have 3 orders to use this turn.  The SS LMG team are ordered to Open Fire on the nearest Partisans.  The dice just aren't with the Germans as they roll a 1 on the Observation Table meaning they can't complete their fire.  That's a precious order wasted.  A Police LMG team tries the same and they pass the Observation test.  Their first burst hits four times and four Partisans are scythed down as they fail their Cover Save.  This is 50% of the unit's starting strength and the remainder Rout and are removed from the table.  That's another Battle Counter for the Soviets and they draw a 4 again.  Nasty!

The deadly MG34 in action!

For their last order the Feldgendarmerie team move and claim the third building Objective, forcing the Soviets to draw another Battle Counter.  It's a 2 which means they're now only one off losing the game.  They really need to buck up in their turn.  The final German action is to Rally the SS rifle team.  A value 3 Battle Counter is drawn and the SS are back in the game.

The Soviets only manage a 2 for their Orders Roll, giving them a total of 4 to work with.  The Parachute LMG team intend to fire on the German Police rifle team at building 2 but they fail their Observation roll.  Darn it!  A Partisan squad Manoeuvre & Fire at the SS LMG team.  They hit 4 times and although the SS manage 2 Cover Saves that's 2 downed.  That leaves only 1 left in that team, but his Morale holds.  Another Partisan rifle team makes a Top Speed order to move to close with the hated fascists.  The final move is for the Partisan Command to move up with their two rifle squads.

Forwards for the Motherland!

Turn 5

The Germans get 6 orders this turn.  The SS rifle team manoeuvre into better positions and then Fire at a Partisan squad.  They fail their Observation roll so that's their move over.  They really are useless!  A Police LMG team Open Fire on the same Partisan squad.  They hit 4 times with the two bursts, the Partisans fail their Cover Save and are cut down, being reduced to 50% of their number, but a roll of 5 sees their Morale hold.  The rifle team from the same Police squad now Open Fire on another Partisan unit.  Their shooting is good with 4 out of 5 hits, but 2 Partisans manage to grab some cover and survive.  The unit also passes it's Morale test.  

The Partisans take casualties.

For their final 3 orders the remaining 2 Police rifle teams and 1 LMG team are moved up on the double using the Top Speed order. 

The field grey line.

The Soviets get another poor Orders roll of 2.  The Soviet command will have to think very carefully of how to spend their 4 total.  Their best troops, the Parachute squad, Manoeuvre & Fire.  With their PPShs blazing they hit 5 times, but the Germans save 3.  The two casualties is enough to force a Morale test, which they pass.  

SMGs blazing, the paras surge forwards.

A Partisan squad decide to Open Fire on the same Police rifle team.  They observe and open up, scoring 7 hits in total.  Even though the Germans manage 2 saves, the 5 hits total wipes out that Police rifle team and a 2 value Battle Counter is added to the Germans total.  

A German Police squad are wiped out. 

The other Partisan squad moves into better cover and fires on the SS inflicting one casualty.  The resulting Morale check Pins the SS again.  Low quality dregs, they're very flaky.  Not wanting to move the NKVD or Command the Soviets are done with an order to spare.

Turn 6

The Germans get 7 orders this turn.  From the cover of the tree line, a Police squad's rifle and LMG team open up on the remnants of one of the Partisan squads.  The LMG manage to pass the Observation test, the rifle team don't.  Using Open Fire they get two bursts, hitting 7 times.  The Partisans save once, but it's not enough and the squad is wiped out.  

The Germans lay down a wall of fire.

A 3 value Battle Counter is drawn and the rest of the Soviets have seen enough.  Having exceeded their Battle Rating, they withdraw, leaving victory to the Germans.

With casualties mounting the Soviets withdraw.

Conclusion 

The firepower of the police MG34s was ultimately what won the game for the Germans.  The Soviets just couldn’t match this, only having one LMG in their entire force.  

I’ve played a few of these partisan type games in recent years using the rule sets Ambush Alley/ Force on Force and Bolt Action.  I felt the former handled the games well, the latter not so well.  This was the first using Battlegroup, which I only turned to last year, and I've only played a handful of games.  It worked very well.   There was a few specific Partisan rules I could have made use of and I think I'm still getting a few things wrong, but it was an  enjoyable game which I think captured the flavour of these types of actions. 

I played using 28mm size figures.  I didn't make any changes to the rules to allow for the larger figure size.  As the distances are quite similar to Bolt Action anyway it really doesn't make much difference.  The fleece blanket which I used for the ground caused more issues as figures kept sinking into it!  I also noticed it looks much lighter in the photos than it actually is.  I want to do some work on it but there's always something else to do that appeals more!  Maybe with the nicer weather I'll get out in the garden and start to improve it.