Bolt Action Action - British/US vs. Germans

I was able to take advantage of a day off from work to play another game of Bolt Action. Matt Hilzendrager, Roy Scaife, Tibor Ipvavic, and myself played.  It was Matt and Tibor's first game of Bolt Action so we introduced them to the rules with a basic point defense scenario (similar to the last one we played). 

Matt brought along some very excellently painted SS troops so we used those and reinforced them with my regular German Heer.  Below are the forces we used.

German Army Order Of Battle

Officer, Veteran, 2nd Lieutenant (SS)

SS Squad, Veteran, NCO + 7 men, 1xSMG, 1xAR, 1xPanzerfaust, AT Grenades

SS Squad, Veteran, NCO + 7 men, 1xSMG, 1xAR, 1xPanzerfaust, AT Grenades

Heer Squad, Regular, NCO + 9 men, 1xSMG, 1xLMG, 1xPanzerfaust, AT Grenades

Heer MMG Team, Regular

Heer Medium Mortar Team, Regular, Spotter

Sdkfz 222 Armoured Car

Sdkfz 234 Puma Armoured Car
Panther G
StuG III G

US Army Order Of Battle
Officer, Regular, 1st Lieutenant
Infantry Section, NCO + 11 men, 1xSMG, 1xLMG, AT Grenades
Infantry Section, NCO + 11 men, 1xSMG, 1xLMG, AT Grenades
Infantry Section, NCO + 11 men, 1xSMG, 1xLMG, AT Grenades
Bazooka Team, Regular
HMG Team, Regular
Light Mortar Team, Regular
Sherman M4A3 75mm
M5A1 Stuart Light Tank
M8 Greyhound Armoured Car

British Army Order Of Battle
Officer, Regular, 2nd Lieutenant, +2 regular men
Infantry Section, NCO + 9 men, 1xSMG, 1xLMG, AT Grenades
Infantry Section, NCO + 9 men, 1xSMG, 1xLMG, AT Grenades
MMG Team, Regular
Medium Mortar Team, Regular
PIAT Team, Regular
Sherman Firefly VC
2 x Cromwell Tanks

I have just one building left to build to complete the "hotel complex" that is sold by 4Ground - but I decided we could use it anyways for today's battle as it would provide a nice primary objective for the allies.  Matt brought a couple of swamp mats he has and so we employed those as well on the table (light cover, marsh, no run orders).  The SS would hold the hotel area along with the Panther and Heer MMG team.  The recce section (the 222 and 234) would go to whichever side they became needed most (this would be the hotel side), and the remaining Heer units (mortar, infantry squad) and the StuG would hold the church on the right flank.  The allies entered from the table edge on the first turn with the British entering around the dirt road ahead of the church and the US entering the main cobblestone road ahead of the hotel.

Both Roy and I had to attend to family in the evening so we called the game a little early - but it was clear that the Germans couldn't prevent the allies from taking 1-2 objectives at a minimum.  The Germans would have fared better, but superficial damage and failed penetrations would haunt too many shots.

Here are some pictures form the game.

Starting off the game.

An SS squad with the officer advances across around
the corner of the hotel while the Puma waits to pounce.

The Panther starts near the hotel side road - needing to
move up to engage allied armour.

Matt takes some shots with his iPhone while Roy
ponders the allied strategy.

The Sdkfz 222 supports the SS squads and
forces the M8 Greyhound to recce back from
whence it came.

A great shot of the StuG III G laying in wait.  It ended
up moving forward to engage the advancing Cromwells
but failed to knock either out (superficial damage only).

The Puma waits to see where it is needed - it would move
up the left road to engage the US recce (M8 Greyhound).
I used the 222 to burn the recce reaction move on the
M8, moved up the Puma, and on *two* occasions failed
to penetrate after hitting (rolled 1's).  Argh!

The SS squad waits to the Panther to move forward
before crossing the road to guard it's flank from
advancing US infantry.

The British arrive on board - choosing to use cover wisely
given all the nasty German armour that is running around.
The Brits bring the Firefly VC on the table near the US,
it can be seen in the background in the dirt field - they
wanted it to knock out the Panther.

The StuG III G makes a move against the Firefly VC
which is in the open - watch out for the range on those
German tank guns!  It hits, but does superficial damage.

The Panther gets into position to do some damage and
opens the road to the waiting SS squad.

Here Sherman Sherman ... just a little further ...

Unfortunately the fate of the
Panther was about to change ...

Recce road ... the M8 Greyhound gets backed up by
a Sherman 75mm and M5A1 Stuart light tank.  The
green tide is unleashed towards the hotel ...

The 2nd SS squad runs to get into cover - attempting
to occupy the area the 1st SS squad vacated
to move across the road against the
main US infantry thrust.

On recce road there are no winners ... only German
armoured cars firing paint rounds ... ahhh .. the
M8 Greyhound mocks me!

The first of 5 smoke rounds land ... they would prove to
be very annoying or the Germans.

Another smoke lands, preventing the Panther from
MG'ing the bazooka team that has moved up.

The StuG III G moves to a new position to fire on the
advancing Cromwell tanks ... but it would be forced back
when the British infantry and PIAT team moved within
assault range in the forest.

The Panther breaks through the hedgerow to get a shot
around the smoke at the Sherman 75mm coming up the
road - but a miss!

A bad day to be a panther - already having taken a pin
from the M8 Greyhound (good roll), the M5A1 Stuart
moves up to see if it can put a hole
in the side of the Panther ...

Wham!! D6 = 6 ... and another ... Kaboom!

The poor Panther will not be returning to action anytime
soon - this signaled a serious shift in booth the
US progress towards the objectives, and ironically
in the dice rolling results of the Germans! lol!

The SS squads start taking serious MG fire and the
balance is swinging fully in favor of the allies.

The US infantry and HMG lay steady advance and fire
into the SS squads near the hotel.  The US infantry does
not take a shooting penalty for moving a shooting,
which makes them excellent troops on the attack.

The Heer MMG re-positions in the house to support
the SS squads against the US infantry advance.

The US infantry are to the left ... and right of the hotel ...

The StuG III G is forced back to the near side of the
church and fails to penetrate the visible Cromwell!

It was at this time that both Roy and I had to attend to our fatherly duties and pickup kids and feed them and the sorts ... with it being a school day tomorrow.  For a large game with two new guys playing, and lots of side discussion, we got to the point where we could call it ... the tide was swinging full bore towards an allied victory.  The best part, Matt and Tibor loved the rules and are now hooked on Bolt Action!

Onward to more Bolt Action!