O Group has an area of operations for each Company in the game so after outlining this on a map/notebook you then place your initial on table Company Command stands accordingly and/or place units in Reserve.
Attackers plan can include Phase Lines and Consolidation objectives (allowing Infantry reserves to deploy forward)
Then you roll your Command Dice, which is the standard 9 for each side in this scenario.
These rolls generate various certain outcomes (depending on being attacker or defender) which you then use to place troops, ambushes or Combat Patrols on table and as attacker possibly cause casualties or delays on defender by virtue of an opening bombardment effect.
The Deployment rolls (Germans in black)
The German rolls saw them gain 4 Ambushes (5/6) and could place 5 Combat Patrols (2-4), they also get extra ambushes for FOO and their Pak 40 (classed as a heavy gun).
The British could place 4 units on table (5/6), place 3 Combat Patrols (2-4) and cause casualties on defender by an opening bombardment (1).
Most units for both sides are in Reserve and so the importance of Combat Patrol placement (and any subsequent movement) is evident. Any resemblance to Patrol markers in Chain of Command is I am sure purely coincidental.
The double 1 for British saw the Germans have to remove a full Infantry Platoon (3 stands) from their OOB and lose 1 initial HQ order, had the Germans rolled any 1's their Reserves are possibly delayed. I removed a Platoon from 2nd Company, these however do not count towards overall losses for victory purposes.
Germans deployed first placing their ambushes and Combat Patrols followed by British.
Attackers deploy up to 12" from their starting edge and defenders have a Forward Defence Line starting 24" from attackers edge.
Deployment is fairly easy to perform and some nice decisions already in the game.
Use of defined Company areas of operations (no deliberate overlapping) is bit different from most rule sets but feels rather historical and does make you have an actual battle plan rather than just winging it as one would usually do !
Obviously playing solo the use of ambushes is rather undermined but will suffice for testing purposes.
In O Group you have a Battalion Command stand as your overall HQ.
This can be placed on or off table and denotes your HQ Orders total and presence of Battalion Mortars and Artillery Missions.
British BHQ with initial 3 HQ orders, Bttn 3" Mortars and 2 off-board Artillery Missions (chits) allowed in this scenario.
The command & control system looks typical of Dave Brown & therefore right up my Strasse. Lots of decisions to be made & having a plan is important, something FOW never really catered for although I really enjoyed the 1st & 2nd editions.
ReplyDeletePlease report on your progress.
Very best wishes,
Jeremy
I have enjoyed all of DBs rules for all periods and love his Panzer Grenadier Deluxe. O Group certainly makes you concentrate on your plan and objectives as never enough Orders to do all you want each turn.
DeleteForgot to add I never took to FOW, liked the stats but not the system at all.
Delete