'O' Group, a test game

Today we played a test game of the new 'O' Group rules from Reisswitz Press as a rules learning experience. The game was set in Normandy and had a British battalion of three companies attacking a German battalion also of three companies.

The Germans were in the North with the British attacking from the South. The British 1st phase objectives were the crossroads for B Company on the right and the built up area on the left for A company. B company's 2nd phase objective was the built up area on the German left. A company's 2nd phase objective was the bridge on the German right.

The British started off with three infantry platoons deployed, but the Germans had no on table assets. The British won the initiative and advanced infantry and combat patrols and managed to remove one of the German combat patrols, leaving a bit of a gap in their line. However, the Germans deployed an infantry platoon into the built up area to their left and immediately opened fire on the British platoon that was advancing on them. The platoon was very quickly suppressed and eventually lost a section. The Germans also brought on their MkIV tanks to help hold this sector.

In response the British brought on a couple of Cromwells but the defenders of the built up area were proving difficult to dislodge. 

As B company's advance was grinding to a halt it was decided that the main attack should shift to A company. However, the Germans were defending tenaciously and the British platoon in the centre woods was pushed back. The British advanced a platoon into the woods on the left, removing a German combat patrol. At the same time they deployed two Churchills which advanced down the road to try and support the troops in the woods. As one Churchill rounded the corner it ran headlong into a 75mm PaK round, which damaged the tank. The tank fired back causing some shock on the PaK crew.

Final image shows where we had gotten to as we finished, with the Germans holding off the infantry/tank attack on their left, but with the British infantry starting to outflank them on their other side of the table.

I am sure we got a few things wrong or forgot about but as this was a test game to learn the rules everyone involved was happy with the experience although one person might have enjoyed it more if they had bought the rules.

As regards future Zoom 'O' Group games, the 'to do' list includes,

Create some infantry platoon tags (one per platoon to highlight the platoon position)
Create force lists, with a deployed location record column (which can also be used for ambush locations).
Look at a way to make the battalion HQ order totals clearer (bigger dice)?