Bolt Action - demo game at the club

I was asked to run Bolt Action demo game at our gaming club. For the game I packed my US 2nd Armored infantry and Fallschirmjägers with some tanks. The game was "Take the Bridge" from D-day campaign book.

We had relaxed, fun and eventful Bolt Action gaming for some two and a half hours. I think the guys enjoyed the game, two of them have already had some figures to paint. So, soon there will be more Bolt Action gamers in the club soon.

I won't be reporting the game, but some highlights should be mentioned. US armored was well equipped and backed with one Sherman, but somehow were approaching a bit too carefully the objective. And the whole game was to end on turn three, when US air observer managed to hit his own men with ground attack aircraft. Some would say classical mistake. How ever Yanks got their show back on the road and almost made it to the objective. There was also nice tank duel over the river between Sherman and Stug and Stug bested poor Americans. Some AAR shots. (some are badly off focus, too many stray bullets maybe)

Familiar riverside village was the scene once again.

US troops push to the bridge.

But someone is already watching.

German assault gun is slowly moving into vantage point.

Troops pile up on the end of the bridge.

Both half tracks are on fire and infantry push on.

Close range firefight on the bridge.

This is the furthest US managed and lost the day.

Bolt Action - Continuation war Finns last of the final.

Some posts ago I announced my Continuation War Finns -project to be completed. That wasn't really true since I got some additions from mail to really complete the force.

First there were two MMG teams to bolster up fire power and some heavy stuff. Namely KV1 tank which was called "Klimi" by Finns. I painted it to be another tank for my Portinhoikka crossroads scene in Karelia table. Portinhoikka was the place where Finnis tanks stopped Russian tanks advance in summer -44. I really like the KV1 model it's very good. So here are last of the final.

Two MMG to provide needed fire power.

And the beast, which is quite beauty KV1.

Now I'm quite safe to say these are the final of my late war Finns since all troops are ready for the display. Now into other projects.

Bolt Action - Late war Soviet infantry

After getting my Finnish troops more or less ready I started working with opponent, the Russians or Soviets to be precise. You have to have enemy after all. These are from Warlord how else and really great figures altogether. Accurate, good animation and good sculpts. They are real joy to paint. The plastic box contains soldiers in summer uniform as well as in padded winter uniform, so I decided to make half os them with snow bases. These are my first snow based miniatures ever and I'm pretty happy how they turned out. The idea was to depict late autumn when the snow had just started to fall, so some parts of the ground is still uncovered. But actually these look some how more like springtime.

Summer time squad for the use in Karelian Isthmus.

Nice and characterful figures.

Winter based Russians, officer in front.

Full squad here too.

Snow bases turned out quite well.

Late War Finns - final batch

Now it's done, my final batch of Late War Finns got ready with one more tank. Now there's full platoon of Finnish jägers and two tanks, one Stug and one captured T-34 repainted and put to good service defending Karelia. With some artillery and AT guns.

I will slowly move into making the thematic gaming/display table for my Finns and Russian to fight. I have some two months time until the table will be presented to public, so there shouldn't be any hurry but you never know.






So final batch of Finns with a tank.

Light infantry "jägers" led by captain.

Gunner firing captured Russian LMG called "Emma" by Finns.

Two medics.

T-34/76 tank by that number took part in the fight of Portinhoikka crossroads.

Bolt Action Gaming Day 2 at the Club

Second Bolt Action gaming day was successfully held in our gaming club yesterday. Some ten gamers gathered together around three different tables to have Bolt Action gaming. On one table there was quite nice special Ramelle scenario designed by my club mate Jaakko. The scenario was themed by the film Saving Private Ryan depicting the last battle in the village Ramelle. More of that and very nice pictures in Jaakko's blog. Second table was Take the bridge -scenario from Warlord campaign book and on third table I was running a quite big Tali-Ihantala game where Finns were defending against huge army of Soviet's. Game size was way over the normal limits and I think Russians had some fifteen to twenty units to use. So basically attacker had "endless" resources. Finns had twelve units in the start of the game. The game went quite smoothly and brave Finns defended successfully until the end of turn seven, when Soviet mass started to turn the fight. And yet it was close call and cray clad defenders still pulled draw of the desperate fight. The scenario was resolved with last throw of the dice, I would call that a good game.

Here's some shots from the day.

Excellent Ramelle table by club mate Jaakko.

Games about to start in the morning.

Commanders thinking hard at the end of the Tali-Ihantala fight. Faith of Finland will be resolved here.

Burning wreck of one T-34 in front of the Finnish bunker line.

Another T-34 running over positions of Finns.

Unit of infantry taking cover.

Soviet tanks brake through! 

Last line of defense readying.

Bunker taken by the attacker.

Soviet infantry passing burning tank.

At the peak of the fight chaos reigns on the field.

Finnish Stug "Sturmi" took a direct hit!

This T-34 is about to get knocked out by two panzerfaust.

The idea if our Bolt Action day is to gather together club mates who play Bolt Action and those who haven't yet tried the game but want to. So it servers also as an introduction for newcomers. A great day altogether.

Bolt Action - Late War Finns more soldiers and "Sturmi"

This summer seems to be quite slow on painting front. Almost a month since last post. I really have shape up here. The reason for this has been obvious, I haven't painted up to speed I normally do. So there has been nothing to show, but now there is.

I have been tinkering my late war Finns for my themed Tali-Ihantala project, which will presented in Suuri Snadi fair on October.  So let me introduce more infantry and some AT support and especially Stug with field modifications Finns did to those tanks after they arrived  from Germany summer 1944.

Infantry squad packing some Fanzerfausts.

And yet another squad.

PAK 40 very usefull AT gun.

View from behind the gun.

Medium mortar.

Sniper and an officer.

Stug III in Finnish camo.

Finnish modifications. Toolbox, additional armor in front (made by concrete and differently located spare wheels.

Side view of the beauty.

Now the Finns are mostly painted and I'll move to painting enemy, the Russians.