Wednesday 17 April 2013

Club Night 12th April - Bolt Action: Hold Until Relieved

After painting up the new vehicles I was itching to get them into a game. Our three previous games of Bolt Action were a larger British regular force against a smaller veteran German group but because I'd mainly painted Germans the British were now seriously 'outpointed'.

So for our fourth game the situation was reversed, British vets. against German regulars (mostly old men and boys. This allowed me to squeeze in all my new toys - our biggest game yet.

Scenario: Hold Until Relieved

Germans (Keith and John)
1703 pts
British (Barry and Matt)
1703 pts
HQ HQ
Regular Veteran
Sdkfz 250/1 AFO
Regular Regular
Squad 1 Squad 1
Regular Veteran
Squad 2 Squad 2
Regular Veteran
Squad 3 Squad 3
Regular Veteran
MMG 1 MMG
Regular Veteran
MMG 2 Medium Mortar
Regular Veteran
PzSchreck Firefly
Regular Veteran
PzIVH Sherman 75mm
Regular Veteran
PzIVH Sherman 75mm
Regular Veteran
PzIVH PIAT
Regular Veteran
75mm Pak 40 Dingo A/C
Regular Veteran
Maultier
Regular
Sdkfz 222
Regular

Deployment

The Germans set up one squad in a walled graveyard near to the bunker objective and a MMG in the first floor of a building overlooking the bunker. The British then deployed their infantry on three sides of the Germans, only leaving the route to their baseline open.

Turn 1

The British opened the turn by firing their mortar at the graveyard squad; 6! Half the squad dead...
It was the Germans however making all the moves as their 1st wave came on. Taking advantage of the Brits' temporary dearth of AT capability the Sdkfz 222 cheekily rolled up to point blank range and riddle a squad on the British right, causing a couple of fatalities. The squad weighed up the chances of a successful assault and fled around the corner of a hedge instead. A Pz IV arrived on the German right.

Photos from the end of turn 1. Two whole table shots (6' x 7'); first from British left, second from the right.

 

The British left flank cowering behind a house.


German 1st wave arriving...

 
Turn 2
 
The Pz IV went into ambush and incredibly 10 of the first 11 dice pulled were German allowing a relentless advance across the whole front. They did fail a number of reserve roles however so the 'Schreck and the other Panzers were delayed. The 222 repeated it's point blank attacjk but only managed a pin, even with the help of the first floor MMG. Random chance had turned the game into IGoUGo and it was now the British turn!
 
All the British reserves arrived and one of the Shermans opened fire on the 222 but it retreated and hid (recce.). The Pz IV in ambush fired on a Sherman arriving on the opposite flank which returned fire, both missed. Lots of fire was poured into the graveyard but to no effect. This included a cheeky run by the Dingo trying to emulate the 222 but the hard cover of the walls resisted it's efforts.
 
End of turn 2. The Germans advance...
 

Unless they're hiding...


Whole table. Good luck spotting the differences...


The Sherman that saw off the Sdkfz 222 and infantry attacking the graveyard.


The cheeky Dingo.


Pak 40 moves into position.


 
Setting up took a lot of time and it was now 11 p.m. (we talk a LOT) so we called it a night. We'll finish this Friday. Watch this space.
 
 


2 comments:

  1. Should be epic to see the battle now!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Looking forward to Friday night, even though I've got to get up at 5 a.m. next day for Salute!

    ReplyDelete