Bolt Action - Tali - Ihantala

Yesterday we had a Bolt Action gaming day at the Club. Once again there were four themed Bolt Action tables with all terrain, models and game master present. The idea of these days is to have days full of Bolt Action gaming, introduce the game to new people and to meet like minded gamers. As final part of my long Tali-Ihantala project I designed custom scenario for my theme table of Portinhoikka. The table has been featured various times on the web and so far it has been used for display purposes  only. Now I had change to use the table for real and also run very special game of summer -44 battles on Karelian Isthmus. The game was quite long haul initially having some ten plus turns. Actually they weren't needed but could have been. The scenario was based on real events on Portinhoikka crossroads where Finnish armored division counter attacked Soviet tanks and infantry and stopped Russian rush deep into South Karelia.

The fight started with Finns having hastily gathered AT platoon defending crossroads with one PAK40 and scherks and machine gun platoon. Soviets started by having armored recce team to scout ahead before actual tanks with massed infantry rolled in. Soviet recon was stopped by fire when it reached crossroads and Finnish positions were revealed. Once this recon phase was over Soviet tanks rolled in followed by full platoon of infantry. The fight was fierce and Finns put up real hard fight causing heavy losses to Russians. And still the Soviet steam roller was unstoppable. At the end phase of the fight Finnish armored division joined the fight and challenged Soviet tanks on the crossroads. After intense tank to tank fight the crossroads was full of burning tanks from both sides. After this massive tank bash the defense of Finns broke and Russians reached the road connecting Vyborg and Ihanlala and Finns withdrew towards Juustila.

Finnish troops deploying at Portinhoikka.

PAK40 waiting at ready.

Soviet recce approaching crossroads.

And gets hit by panzerchreck.

Finnish MMG firing.

Objective of the attacker, Portinhoikka crossroads.

Finns in the woods firing.

Soviet infantry attacking.

Soviet T-34's advance on the road.

Massed Russian infantry and tanks attack. 

A sniper and schreck team.

More russian rush into fight.

Armored spearhead.

3rd Finnish armored company counters.

With some effect.

Sturm platoon joins the fight.

Finnish tanks hit and on fire.

Soviet reinforcements arrive.

Late stages of the fight, crossroads full of burning wrecks.

The objective reached by the Soviets.

What a fight! Double size of the normal Bolt Action game. Seven tanks on Soviet side and two platoons of infantry. A platoon of Finns defending with four tanks on Finnish side. Ten + two turns. And still the game rolled on nicely and it was a mayhem but great fun!

Five players altogether. Thanks for the players!

Bolt Action Demo Table in Action

Maybe you have been following my Tali - Ihantala gaming table project or seen it during test drive games in AAR's. Now the table was finally used for the purpose it was made for. Last weekend was hobby convention Suuri Snadi which translates big small. There was all sorts of scale hobbies on display, doll houses, scale models, model railroads and modeling competition. Among all that our Club put up few demonstration tables and my Bolt Action table was one of them.  From late summer until now I painted bunch of Finnish troops and tanks and finally tinkered the table just before the show. Then I borrowed Russian troops and Tanks from club mates and all was set. Here's some pictures of the table on display.

Russians advance towards Portinhoikka crossroads.

Troop taking cover.

Finnish machine gun firing from forest line.

Finnish armored division point tanks.

Russian armor on the Karelian road. 

Russian point tank on fire.

Aerial view of Russian attack column.

Finns on defense.

Medium howitzer firing.

Finnish sniper in action.

Russians attacking.

Finns preparing counter assault.

Tank hunters getting ready.

One down more to go.

Famous Finnish tank in action at Portinhoikka.

Finnish rifleman in it's element.

Attack finally stopped for a while.

This was interesting project. It lead me studying history of Tali-Ihantala battle more closely which was nice. It also lead me studying history, painting and numbering of Finnish tanks used in this particular fight. And maybe most importantly it gave nice focus for vigorous painting project from summer to autumn. Great immersion!

By the way, visitors liked my table.

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.

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.