Battlegroup : First clash Fallschirmjagers vs Red Devils Normandy 1944

We were finally able to play game of Battlegroup here in Pilsen. We played around 500 points from Overlord books with mission was Recce Screen which in the end almost broken back of my  Fallschirmjagers.

It is June 1944, the Allied forces had succesfully landed in Normandy, France and open up the Western front. German Forces are fighting for every inch of ground the Allies trying to take.
The elements of 6th Airborne are pushing towards another village that will eventually take British to their prize - City of Caen. But Elements of Fallschirmjagers are close and ready.

So lets look close on forces involved. First the Fallschirmjagers Kampfgruppe or Battlegroup if you like. Core of the force is FJ infantry platoon with attached panzershreck team. 2 StuGs and 2 PZIV are forming armored core. Recce section consisting of Sniper team, Infantry patrol and two sd.kfz 222 armoured cars. Mortar of medium section is deployed off-board and ready to support.




British had understrenght infantry platoon with 6pdr, Cromwell recon platoon. 2 tetrarchs (on photo is carrier section but we switch it) the force was pretty strong for this mission. for those who dont know battlegroup in Recce Screen for d6 turns only recon units stay on board and rest of your battlegroup arrived after this turns. British have armoured force againts my lightly armed armoured cars and infantry for long 5 turns.


So What would Rommel do? dont really know but i tried to fight holding action in which i was
succesfull well sort off the plan was to lure Cromwells to forward positions so i can easily destroy them with my StuGs and PZIV. one tetrach was destroyed by mine strike, but my recon squad was decimated by mortars and tank fire and both of mine 222 was destroyed.

British understand that germans are trying to lure them into open and take up defense positions around centre of the village.

The waiting game propably saved them before onslaught as PZIV rolled in they were quickly dispatched by StuGs carrying infantry was hard nut to crack and Germans started to encircle British tanks. British paratroopers tried to advance towards the center but was met with fire from MG42 hidden in tower. British commander decided rather than risking encircling of their battlegroup he pulled out with his forces and once again Caen is day far away.

We ended the game simple because we run out of time  but since no objectives has been met we compared the Battle Rattings and Fallschirmjagers have still 22 Br left while British only 18 Br left.

Battlegroup is great game i am looking forward to play more battles, they are dynamic and relativly

freeform army building allows very interesting and challenging forces. The Games offer large narrative thanks to number of scenarios availible. It was our first game so we searched in rules a lot but when the game gets under our thumbs i think even company level would be problem.