Basing and Multiple Rules

I have had great fun with Blitzkrieg Commander II (BKC) and it will probably stay my go-to rules for stand=platoon combat -- although I intend to take a hard look at Fist Full of Tows (FFT).  But I also want to try some alternative scales.

Panzer Korps (PK)  is a set of rules for stand=company action.  Stands are organized in Battalion sized units which fight as one unit, an approach familiar to gamers from pretty much any period except WWII.

The old Wargames Research Group (WRG) Armour and Infantry rules had a lot of traction here 35-40 years ago and if I want to get some old friends over for a comfortable game why re-invent the wheel?

BKC is very base size agnostic; but my existing infantry and support weapon bases are 40x30 mm

• PK is documented as preferring 1" square or so bases, and looks like it will be simpler if support attachments are on smaller bases than "core" companies.
• WRG really will not look right with my big meaty infantry bases, and as a tactical set will need a way to distinguish small support weapons like LMGs that are "baked in" to BKC stands.
• FFT calls for fairly small bases; you can see the 1:300 origin of the ground scale expectations.
• In BKC I am not happy with the frontage of support AT guns which I have on 40mm squares and which should have a less obtrusive frontage.
• Each system has its own expectations about on-board command stands.

So the general plan is:

• Rebase infantry, crew served weapons, and guns around a scheme (yet to be decided) that is compatible with all three systems.
• Existing BKC-mounted specialist stands such as command and forward observer might remain unchanged,  On the other hand, I do think the command stands are a bit clunky although I like the distinct hex shapes.
• Create redundant command stands sets, one for each rule set, for units appropriate to each rule set as required by the rule set.  Good chance to include labels and indicator such as minibits dice frames where useful.
• For each game attach appropriate "line" stands as needed to the specific command figures to form units.

I need to think through this; expect to see a more detailed construction plan to come.  There are lots of undeployed figures in the pipeline so this is also a good time to get more units going at least for some systems.

A Game!

The lads were on the table this weekend.  The 410th, commanded by Ross, successfully defeated a German counterattack.  The German I. Battalion, 252 GR was supported by Panzergrenadiers, Panzerjaeger IVs and StuGs from their own division and 116. Panzer; the 410. by SU-100s and SU-76 from a supporting mechanized corps.


The scenario was Reinforcement in Defense: Off Table from Grant's "Scenarios for Wargames."  The Scenario features a starting force in a decent defensive position, with follow-on elements appearing at random times by random roads.  The scenarios is designed for Horse and Musket and so calls for infantry and cavalry both light and heavy.  We took a unit as 3 stands of infantry or infantry support or two vehicles.

The rules were Blitzkrieg Commander II; this was a big game for those rules with over 3500 points of Germans and a potential 2600 points of Soviets.  Potential because each reinforcing units stood a 1:3 chance of taking the wrong turn and never showing up at all.

The Reds deployed dug in on the ridge

While the Germans planned to dash out from the woods on their right








 with the main armor through the central gap, and the panzergrenadiers in their SPWs ready both to exploit and threaten the soviet right.





as the Stuka slipped past the Soviet fighters and swept in with every  promise of smashing both SUs, suddently it all came apart.  Soviet AA fire drove off the Stuka while the battalion commander on the left bungled or had no action for three consecutive turns.

As Soviet infantry began the march to the front, desperation set in.  Ross graciously suggested that, in the absence of a blunder, a commander is always allowed one action for one formation.

 At the midpoint of the game, finally moving from the wood and with everything concentrated on the Soviet left, the German attack started to move.  The Nashorn delivered our first AFV kill.





But the grenadiers reached the ridge only to face the "Hurrahs" of the SMG-armed  Soviet re-enforcements and the concentrated fire of the 410th's mortars.

As German infantry began to fall, a Sturmovic arrived to add well-timed insult to injury.

 And swept off, ignorant of the confusion left on the ground.

The last straw was the arrival of two more SU100s on the German left, distracting the assault guns from their support mission while the German infantry perished under Soviet mortars and machine guns.

The shattered remnants of the grenadier regiment - less than half the force that had crossed the start line -- spoke of a decisive Soviet victory.