Battlegroup Northag a try out

Game trying out Battle Group Northag (modern....well 1983.....update to WW2 set) with Stephens lovely 10/12mm kit. 

Stephen selected a couple of points based forces for the single encounter type scenario included in the rules with USSR facing of against USA (he has Centag supplement which covers these).

Several changes from WW2 system with infantry now in teams of 2-4 men rather than individuals that can only be fired at with Suppressive Fire (small chance of KIA) to Pin (still a big part of system). 

Thankfully tracking ammo is gone for AFVs (ATGW have limited 2-5 rounds depending on type) with only 1 shot allowed per firing opportunity. Weapons are now rated as having High, Medium of Low rates of fire. This also effects mortars/artillery which fire single rounds per tube/barrel (gone is the Open Fire order) but at cost of only 1 order per battery, which is required with new infantry targeting type. Artillery can be on-table (usually only Nato) or of-table Timed strikes.

The deployment phase of game was rather interesting with lots of options for unique units like Spetnaz to capture objectives in 'no mans land' and Scouts to determine who deploys first and various other quirks. Forces are divided into a Force Screen (starts on table) of those with Scouting or similar abilities, then a single unit Vanguard (arrives turn 1) followed by the Main Forces (arrives half on turn 5 and half on turn 6) with possible Reinforcements (on Turn 7)

On first turn this meant US had taken 5 BR chits to Soviet 1.

As per WW2 set nothing is hidden (you get to put all your nicely painted units on table) but you have to spot before every aimed shot (not suppressive fire) which sometimes works but other times jars greatly (at least for me). 

No hidden ambushes/surprises or phantom stands here or conversely a need for maps/counters or subterfuge certainly an easy/simple option.

Things like inactive dug-in infantry or FOOs being spotable across the entire table and thereby targets is just odd (we both targeted our Mortar OPs on first turn thankfully to no avail), I suspect their being dug-in is a sort of 'camouflage' as it makes them hard to hit but there is always the chance (6 is always a hit, 1 always a miss). 

There are no target proximity or priority target rules so you can select any target you can draw LOS to, of course those closer should be easier to see/effect. In game I could have ignored a line of T80s directly in front of my Abrams and could have instead targeted a couple of much weaker BRDMs with ATGW much further away (but auto spotted due to firing) but declined to do so. Undecided if I like or dislike this very free and easy method.

Our game was at Company level which allows you to throw 3D6 + officers (there are less of these) to generate your Order pool however sides now have option to use set amount with Nato at this game level having 14 and Warsaw Pact 12 (neither of us ever considered the dicing option as desirable). Platoons orders allow limited group options for 2 orders and Warsaw Pact have Company orders again offering limited options but for entire Companies at 4 order cost.

These can be key as a 10 tank Soviet Company can operate under a Coy Order at 4 cost instead of 6 for 3 Platoon orders or indeed 10 orders if each vehicle operates individually.

Of course being BG there is a large menu of special rules/options/unit types/abilities (but they are inherent part of system and would be tad bland without) available with Timed Artillery Strikes, Counterbattery, Airstrikes/Bombing, Helicopters, various special units (like Spetnaz/SAS) and abilities/weapons all the way from Snipers and Scouts to Chemical or even Nuclear options !! 

I get the premise behind this in that you spend points for your 'supports' but can seem odd sometimes to have Corps/Army or Strategic level support available to a single Company. Of course the more specialist stuff one buys the less troops can be 'boots on the ground'.Some of these options would sit better for me with a bigger Battalion scale game (or at level of Modern Spearhead)

There are some seemingly odd stats regarding vehicle armour with a M60 or a Leopard 1 having 6 frontal armour compared to T62 having a mere 4 but no idea what data or methodology these are arrived at via (other than a fudging process ?) and as per WW2 there is no ground scale with ranges really being geared/manipulated to suit average table sizes. There is differentiation between Kinetic or Chemical round hits or associated armour defence types as the game just does not go there.

The Battle Rating/chit pull system remains as does the combat and movement systems and are all similar to WW2 set and as ever it seems that Pinning via suppressive fire is often the best option (ie usually easier to dice for success with no need to spot). 

I find the Pinning system very good in concept but too easy to achieve especially against AFVs and very potent (a unit cannot move or fire until rallied) and high value targets can spend game Pinning and Unpinning and doing little else. This is sort of like the Spear Head system but seems to effect game much more here.

We played 6 turns (lots of discussion ref the deployment options) and whilst several units on both sides had been Pinned only a couple of infantry stands had been KIA not a single AFV had been destroyed despite there being 19 tanks between us and similar numbers of other AFVs. This seemed bit odd but maybe down to over caution by us both and poor To Hit rolls ?

But overall a playable game system that generally emphasizes game over any attempt at 'simulation' additionally the army lists are nice (especially if you want 'balanced' games) and if you accept that then a enjoyable time can be had. 

Personally I prefer a bit more depth to proceedings but at least game was playable compared to our outing with Cold War Commander. I think they would appeal to those that like Flames of War or Bolt Action type games.

US left wing with infantry dug-in at deployment. Note (on roof) a Spetnaz team has occupied a built up area objective (causing 2 BR draws for US) as they have 'Behind The Lines' ability and additionally they cannot be targeted for 2 turns (not sure why ?). BUAs can be tough as you must Pin all occupants before you can try to launch an assault. I did eventually (after a lot of firing and order usage) Pin these sods but failed to pass assault which of course additionally leaves unit.......you guessed it...........Pinned.

Soviet mortar observer visible dug-in in far distance (on rise beside cup) is able to be targeted from get go if a LOS exists as are the dug-in Soviet infantry in front of the rise. This takes some getting used to. Also just about visible are newly arrived Soviet T80s in both wooded areas.

US right flank with Scout unit (an MG team and a Dragon team) having dismounted from their M113 but then are Pinned at wood edge. They stayed Pinned for couple of turns then Rallied got immediately Pinned again and then died without ever firing. More T80s (Soviets had full company of 10) visible to their front

US mortar OP on rise dug-in and also visible from everywhere. My 4 Abrams and 5 M60A1 are still to appear but never advanced beyond the infantry. It did seem odd that we never ko'd a single AFV in game. I had an Abrams survive a Hind gunship (it failed to hit on 3+)