O Group - Eastern Front scenario 'Operation Blau' played

Game with Stephen using O Group as we wanted to try the Soviets in game system as they seem rather hard done by in several ways (Poor AFVs, lack of Spotters, slower HQ Impetus accrual), so we decided to give the 'Operation Blau' scenario a try from Eastern Front supplement.

I had Germans attacking against Stephens Russian defenders and after our usual deluge of waffling about other projects/rules/board games etc we had at it.

Initial barrage saw Soviets lose 1 Platoon but their one and only (?) inherent benefit is that they can replace the lost Platoon with a Green Platoon.

We only managed 6 or 7 turns but this was enough to see arrival of 2 x PzIIIJ for Huns and a T34/76 for Soviets. These had a couple of exchanges of fire with a single Shock caused on a Panzer. The T34 has a more potent gun and better armour but is hampered by being Poor AFV so needs to roll a Spotting dice on every shot beyond 10", however the PzIIIs with 50mm L42 suffer a -1 to hit due to being classed as Low Velocity weapons so fairly even.

I had 2 x PZII Recon Panzers which failed to reveal any enemy after 7 rolls and one was ko'd by an ambushing gun, the other survived but was hit by Mortar fire causing Shock.

I lost a couple of stands (3 in total including PzII) but was due to lose a good deal more when I uncovered an entrenched Ambush position with an MMG attached to an infantry Platoon (6 D6 with 3 re-rolls). 

We ran out of time but was good to see Soviets in action with O Group and felt that they may work best as defenders and in early war.

Not many pics as not much to capture with so many Combat Patrols and hidden units