Battlegroup WW2 AAR 15th January 2025

Myself and Christoph played our first game of Battlegroup and wanted a game with a minimal number of models rather than jumping in at the deep end. I think you’d agree that too much to do the first-time results in data overload and no fun.

So, I suggested Orlick’s Cockroach from BlitzKrieg, 

German Forces 
2 Panzer 35(t)s
1 Panzer IV Ausf B. 
BR Total: 7

Polish Forces 
1 20mm armed TKS Tankette commanded by Lieutenant Roman Orlik (Officer, Scout)
2 MG armed TKS Tankettes
BR total:6 (Officer)

Scenario Special rules 
TKS Ace Lt. Orlik +1 to hit on aimed fire. 
Cockroach as the TKSs are so small an additional penalty of -1 was applied to all spotting rolls if the TKS was in cover. This low profile meant they were rarely spotted.
Difficult Terrain, the Panzer had an off-road penalty of -1d6 movement.

Deployed as per first pictures with a Polish start. The Pz IV is on table, behind the Pz 35(t)s. I’d not assembled the Pz IV so with the use of a temporal warp a newer skirted version was deployed, the upgrades were ignored as we wished to avoid temporal distortion.

Setup 

Polish TKS lined up in the woods

German forces entering the woods.

Turn 1

The first move saw the Poles advance to the forest edge near the crossroads, one TKS (MG) crossing the road to the other quarter of the woods the Germans advanced up the road in column to the crossroads. 

The off-road penalty heavily influenced the German player who stayed in column on the road. The penalty didn’t apply to the TKSs as they were so small. The 20mm armed TKS was in the middle flanked by the others.

Turn 2

In the second turn Lt. Orlick fired on the lead Pz 35(t), it was a glancing blow, and the morale test was passed. The TKS (MG) on the left moved forwards and fired suppressing fire at the flank of the same Pz 35(t) on reading we realised the TKS (MG) needed to stay still and fire twice and roll a 6 if it was to stand a chance of suppressing a tank.  

The German player Moved the Pz 35(t)s to each side of the road one failed to spot the TKS (MG) on the left of the picture. The other moved to its right, spotted and fired at Lt Orlik’s TKS 20mm. Luckily for Lt Orlick it was a glancing blow, the morale test result was a 6, and as his ‘Beyond the Call of Duty’ act Lt Orlick fired back destroying the Pz 35(t) a BR token was taken, (2pts). The Pz IV moved forwards and failed to spot Lt Orlick. In all the failed spots, it was the Cockroach rule that made the difference.

Turn 3

The TKS (MG) on the right fired at the Pz IV, attracting its attention, Lt Orlick spotted and fired twice at the Pz IV managing to get it pinned, whilst the TKS (MG) on the left failed to suppress the PZ 35(t). In its turn it once again failed to spot. German player then took a BR token (2pts) to unpin the Pz IV. 

End of Turn 3

Turn 4

The TKS (MG) on the right tried to suppress the Pz IV and failed. Lt Orlick spotted the Pz IV and failed to hit moving to a new location where it could aim at the remaining Pz 35(t) and I was now down to 5 shells and only taken out 1 opponent, I was worried. On the left the TKS (MG) failed to suppress the Pz 35(t). 

The Pz IV spotted, fired at, and destroyed the TKS (MG) on the right, BR token taken (4pts). The Pz 35(t) once again failed to see the TKS (MG) in front of it.

It takes a crazy Pole to stay still and constantly fire, however the cloaking device was still working.

End of Turn 4

Turn 5

Lt Orlick fired at and missed the flank of the remaining Pz 35(t), whilst the TKS (MG) failed to supress the Pz IV. In the German turn the revered behind a tree to get a shot off at Lt Orlick but failed to spot him, whilst the Pz IV failed to spot the other TKS.

Turn 6

Lt Orlick spotted and killed the remaining Pz 35(t) BR token taken (3pts), and the TKS (MG) pinned the Pz IV. 

In order to continue Christoph would have had to take a BR token and as he already had 2,2 & 3 it was game over.

Final photo end of game after Polish turn 6

Counting the number of shells left to fire did add a layer of caution I finished the game with only 3 of 10 left. We learnt how effective suppression fire could be and got the basics of firing under our belt.

We got a few things wrong but had a great game and will be back again, maybe a scenario with a few men added to the mix .