Bolt Action - The Forest Incident

Back to Bolt Action, when we continued our slow paced Fall Rot campaign with a club mate. Lat time we had fight over German plans in a bombed out city. Now French troops arranged true surprise for advancing germans in quite dense forest area. Maybe they made use of the plans captured last time. Before the game we agreed that we will have a game in wooded area where no tanks or other vehicles could operate. Only portable weapons were allowed with artillery and mortars, off course. The scenario was straightforward attrition from the rulebook with no frills.

The encounter started by both forces entering the table squad by squad trying to find as good position as possible in terms of cover and good advance paths through the thick vegetation. Main force of Germans went their right and only one squad was sent to find flanking position on left flank. The wily French mirrored German moves as they knew where their grey clad enemies would advance. After initial moves both troops advanced cautiously through the forest trying to find possible enemy ahead. The German flanking force got contact first and they started exchange on shots with French squad. And then the first disaster hit poor Germans. French mortar team spotted the enemy and hit it with fist shot, like sniper. Some Germans MMG team was practically annihilated. Then the same faith met the covering infantry who fell murdering fire from French guns. The same scene was repeated on right flank too when first advancing German squad was hit by the another French mortar. The unlucky squad got pinned in choke point which blocked the safe route from other German squads. Then rest of the fight saw accurate mortar fire and equally accurate small arms fire from French troops. Germans weren't able to bring same firepower on French since their artillery was delayed all the fight and squads had to join the fight piecemeal. Result of this incident was almost annihilated German platoon and humiliating defeat as a price.

The battlefield before the fight.

French sniper ready in position.

Germans advance and all is looking still good.

Right flank meets and firing starts.

Mortar is just hit the point squad and FO is calling for supporting fire for the Germans.

French officer set a firing line in forest line.

German MMG takes aim, just before it's hit by the mortar.

German left flank gets shots badly.

French keep firing accurate fire on disorganized Germans.

The heroes of this fight French footsloggers.

Germans prepare to withdraw from intense fire.

German FO is still trying to call fire while watching infantry withdrawing. 

Last surviving squad of Germans disengage quickly to fight another day.

Nice fight in interesting scenery. And nice continuation for our campaign. This time Germans were badly beaten, the plans stolen by the French resistance were truly put in use this time.

Bolt Action - Secret plans (Fall Rot)

Bolt Action at the Club once again. This time we went back to early war fights French against motorized Germans. I picked Top Secret scenario from the BA rulebook and brought in dramatic element of espionage. German staff car carrying German advance plans and orders of operation "Fall Rot"  had been ambushed by french (or british) agents in the centre of small town. Now the agents were laying low waiting for French military to pick the secret documents. Germans however had been notified this and were rushing to intercept. So there would be interesting meeting in the centre of small French village.

At the start of the fight motorized German column was speeding ahead led by recon unit of motorcycles and armored car. They were closely followed by infantry in trucks. French weren't that much motorized and most of the French were marching at the double along roadside. So Germans reached more quickly the edge of the village. And when recon team riding on motorcycles spotted the objective they immediately dismounted and prepared to fight. All other Germans reached the village also and German armored car drove to the point to have a look on the road where French were to be expected. So situation was looking good for the Germans.

But the Germans were surprised by few simultaneous incidents. First French agents opened fire to
advancing German truck from their hiding place. The very same place where they had ambushed German staff car. And almost at the same time French AT rifle got nice hit on German armored car setting aflame. Right after that French ended their very rapid move by closing in and opening murderous fire on German advance squads. When this was supported by Senegalese troops germans lost their initiative for a while. By the cover of this confusion French managed to snatch the plans from the staff car. Only to be attacked German troopers, which in turn were attacked by blood thirsty Senegalese. Then French agents took hold on the plans and total mayhem broke around the staff car in the centre of the village. There was very intense close range firing and close combat. Finally French squad was running away from the scene holding the plans. Germans tried by all means to stop withdrawing French, they even chased them by tank, but this was use. The plans left the table and are now in French hands. One could say, these plans cost many lives Lets hope they will be well used.

Some AAR pictures from the intense fight.

The village from German side.

And from French side.

French footsloggers march on.

The staff car containing the plans.

German advance troop speeds on.

At the same time French approach.

French are covered by Renault tank.

Germans in the centre of the village.

Then armored car gets hit.

And French infantry attacks.

And French agents attack.

Germans in temporary confusion.

Senegalese prepare to let blood.

Germans in end chase but French are too far away.

French infantry covering their comrades withdrawal. 

Tanks passing by, both have other targets.

Germans officer tries to motivate badly mauled troopers.

French and the plans are leaving the table.

Germans boldly ignoring Renault.

Hard fight where the situation stayed very unsettled until few last turns so both had chance for victory quite near the end. This time French were luckier and better. The day was French. 

Nice and intense fight and good game.

Bolt Action - Too Late, Too Little

A change to have a game of Bolt Action appeared  suddenly and with a fellow gamer who had been of gaming some months now. So we had a fight between old adversaries The French and Blitzkrieg Germans. The scene was once a again my new demo table, which is pretty much ready to be presented in a convention this weekend.

We devised up a scenario where Germans were defenders for a while and somewhat stronger French platoon was attacking them. There was German relief force to come to save the day from reserve. But from the start poor German combat engineer squad was to survive French onslaught. So the scenario was a variant of point defense, but for the drama there was much smaller starting force for Germans at start. And drama it turned out to be, or more likely tragedy.

German positons in the ruins.

German engineers squad was entrenched in a bombed out house with light AT gun around the corner. From there they watched the French platoon to appear in nearby woods. The French appeared from woods and approached German positions in line with almost full platoon strength. While Germans readied their guns and took careful aim Lorraine transport and Renault tank rolled in. Steel nerved Sturmpioniers put AT gun in action and knocked Lorraine off and first fire of Germans from ruins did some damage on French on the field. Furious fire fight ensued and French were pouring fire from three squads and Renault over German engineers who started taking casualties. Heavy French fire took it's toll and Germans were busy keeping their heads down and they didi not noticed French mortar which was zeroing in the ruins. It hit with devastating results. There was only few engineers standing after the dust settled. But still the nerve of seasoned fighters held. The officer who had appeared in the yard behind the house helped indeed. But nothing else was not coming yet.

After mauling Germans into small team the French advanced rapidly and actually took good positions around the house ruins and nearby surroundings. So, when the reserves finally appeared (in turn four) they only drove in very bad place where they were fired from good positions. German reserves were wasted in futile attempt to help their already lost friends. All German units that were trying to change the situation were annihilated on attempt, so it was too late, too little. The fight went for the French.

The French approaching in the woods.

AT gun loaded.

French advance in open line across the fields and Lorraine driving in.

Germans open up.

Renault covering advancing troops.

German officers drive in, the only reserves for a while.

French move closer for a kill.

Finally German reinforcements came but too late.

The objective was in French hand.

Last desperate attempt of Panzer to break French lines.

Very one sided game, me having no reserves and opposite having almost all to use. It was truly a massacre for my poor Germans. Yet very good and dramatic game after all. This kind of stuff the stories are told. And there is always a revenge.

Bolt Action - a push too far

After so break I got a change to have outing for my Blitzkrieg Germans when we had nice game of Bolt Action in the club. My club mate took his stalwart Russian in the field so the game was located somewhere in Russia. The scenario was variant of point defense where Russians were defending crossroads against motorized German recon platoon. I also had a change to try out freshly painted models of motor cycle unit and Phanomen Granit trucks.

Germans started the game with a quick push to vital crossroads along road and narrower track. Motor cycles and armored car speeded fast forward only to be followed by truck and Panzer II. German lead elements reached ruin of the house by road crossing and occupied it quickly. Then the Russians made their first moves. Russian armored car speeded along the road forward, but was eliminated by the accurate shot from Panzer II. Now the initiative seemed to be at the hands of Germans when they reached the road from both sides of the crossing. Then there was a change in game...

More Russian troops poured to battlefield with T-26 tank to joint the fight. Two units of Russians who had been dug in the field by the crossroads opened fire with success. Freshly joined troops did as well and the German started taking casualties. So the Russians were actually taking more ground around the crossroads thus dominating the field. Then with some missed command resulted Germans to stall their move. At the same time the Russians were intensifying their fire taking advantage from Germans. Then it got even worse...

To change the situation the Germans started flanking move around Russian left so both motor cycles and truck full of troops pushed around. Leading Germans unit made bold move and dismounted from a truck to open fire to dug in Russians. But they were in too good cover and fire was with no effect. The Russians retaliated and assaulted bold Germans and killed them outright. One full squad of stormtroopers was lost. Motorcycles lost their nerve and refused to move for a while. Then German squad in the ruin was shot about everything else on the field and finally annihilated. Then Panzer II was blown away by T-26 the fight was practically over. Germans lost most of it's infantry and a tank. Russians losses were acceptable. Fight went to brave Russians clearly and German push to Moscow was thwarted for a while.

The Russian infantry moving to defensive positions.

No sign of the Germans yet.

And there they come, motorcycle recon squad speeds in.

Then Panzer II and armored car.

The Russians digging in.

Russian counter move starts passing flaming armored car.

German advance element reaches the ruins by the crossroads.

Taking positions.

After a fierce fight the victorious Russian advance from all directions.

Remaining Germans taking cover and preparing to withdraw.

The Russian infantry securing the road and crossroad.

This was also a test run for my new gaming table which I have been preparing for an event mid October. The table is actually a model of one of the famous battle places in our continuation war. The place is called Portinhoikka crossroads, but more of that in a different blog post.