Bolt Action Scenario - Hell's Highway

I'm planning to make this my next convention game, which I'll be first running at the PacifiCon Game Expo over the labour day weekend this year.  I have most of the stuff I need for this done already, but it does involve completion several additional 4Ground kits that I have as well as getting some additional vehicles completed, but nothing that isn't very doable between now and then.

Hell's Highway - September, 1944

This scenario is based on XXX corps run down "hell's highway" - the route that ultimately would lead to the British airborne division engaged at Arnhem.

Overview & Map

The scenario provides players the opportunity to fight through several different types of terrain.  The bridge involved represents one of the many smaller bridges that needed to be secured along the road.  There is a section of build up area that represents the cities and towns that in many cases held up the column do to the need for infantry support for armoured units operating in built up areas.  Finally, the chateau mansion and farm areas provide the players with a more rural setting that was encountered throughout the drive towards Arnhem.  The map of the setup can be seen below.  For this scenario a 4' wide and 20' long table is used.

For the bridge I'll be using my Pegasus Bridge model.  My two 4Ground city blocks will be used along with my 4Ground hotel complex.  I will be using both of the "corner shops" that are available from 4Ground along with their newer style left hand, right hand and terrace "2" buildings.  Chateau mansion will be the 4Ground detached house 2 and the 4Ground La Haye Sainte collection for the farm complex.

British Order Of Battle

XXX corp's column is made up of an armoured force and an infantry force combined together.

British Armoured Force (Regulars)

• Headquarters Troop
• 1 x Cromwell Command Tank
• 1 x Sherman Firefly VC Command Tank
• 1 x Cromwell ARV
• Reconnaissance Troop
• 1 x Humber Scout Car
• 2 x Daimler Mk I Armoured Car
• 1st Tank Troop
• 3 x Cromwell Tanks
• 1 x Sherman Firefly VC Tank
• 2nd Tank Troop
• 3 x Cromwell Tanks
• 1 x Sherman Firefly VC Tank
• 3rd Tank Troop
• 3 x Sherman V Tanks
• 1 x Sherman Firefly VC Tank

British Armoured Infantry Force (Regulars)

• Headquarters Section
• 1 x Officer + 1 x Rifleman
• 1 x Daimler Dingo Mk II Scout Car
• 1 x Veteran Medic + 1 x Rifleman
• 1 x Ambulance Truck
• 1 x PIAT Team
• 1 x Light Mortar Team
• 1 x Universal Carrier
• Forward Artillery Observer
• 1 x Universal Carrier
• Reconnaissance Troop
• 2 x Humber Mk IV Armoured Car
• 1st Infantry Section
• 10 x Infantry (1 x SMG, 1 x LMG, 8 x Rifles)
• 1 x M5 Half-Track
• 2nd Infantry Section
• 10 x Infantry (1 x SMG, 1 x LMG, 8 x Rifles)
• 1 x M5 Half-Track
• 3rd Infantry Section
• 10 x Infantry (1 x SMG, 1 x LMG, 8 x Rifles)
• 1 x M5 Half-Track
• Anti-Tank Section
• 1 x 6pdr Anti-Tank Gun Team
• 1 x Universal Carrier
• Support Section
• 1 x 3" Mortar Team
• 1 x 3" Mortar Carrier
• 1 x MMG Team
• MMG Carrier

A US airborne force is surrounded at the farm complex waiting for relief.

US 101st Airborne (Veterans)

• 1 x Officer + 1 x Rifleman
• 1 x Medic + 1 x Rifleman
• 2 x Bazooka Teams
• 2 x Infantry Sections (each: 1 x SMG, 1 x LMG, 8 x Rifle)

German Order Of Battle

German forces in the area consist of elements from the regular army (Heer), Fallschirmjager and SS.

First Defensive Line - Bridge (Regulars - Heer)

• Headquarters
• 1 x Officer + 1 x Rifleman
• 1 x Veteran Medic + 1 Rifleman
• 1st Infantry Section
• 10 x Infantry (2 x SMG, 1 x LMG, 2 x Panzerfaust, 5 x Riflemen)
• 2nd Infantry Section
• 10 x Infantry (2 x SMG, 1 x LMG, 2 x Panzerfaust, 5 x Riflemen)
• Anti-Tank Section
• 1 x Pak40 Anti-Tank Gun Team
• Panzer Troop
• 2 x Panzer III Ausf. M with Schürzen

Second Defensive Line - Town (Veterans - Fallschirmjager)

• Headquarters
• 1 x Officer + 1 x Rifleman
• 1 x Medic + 1 x Rifleman
• 1 x Sniper Team
• 1st Infantry Section
• 10 x Infantry (1 x SMG, 1 x LMG, 2 x AR, 1 x Panzerfaust, 5 x Riflemen)
• 2nd Infantry Section
• 10 x Infantry (1 x SMG, 1 x LMG, 2 x AR, 1 x Panzerfaust, 5 x Riflemen)
• Support Section
• 1 x MMG Team
• 2 x Panzerschreck Teams
• Panzer Troop
• 2 x Panzer IV Ausf. G with Schürzen
• Anti-Tank Troop
• 1 x Marder III M

Third Defensive Line - Chateau (Veterans - SS)

• Headquarters
• 1 x Officer + 1 x Rifleman
• 1 x Medic + 1 x Rifleman
• 1 x Sd. Kfz. 251/10
• 1st Infantry Section
• 10 x Infantry (1 x SMG, 1 x LMG, 8 x Riflemen)
• 1 x Sd. Kfz. 251/1
• 2nd Infantry Section
• 10 x Infantry (1 x SMG, 1 x LMG, 8 x Riflemen)
• 1 x Sd. Kfz. 251/1
• Heavy Panzer Troop
• 2 x Tiger 1 Tanks
• Reconnaissance Troop
• 1 x Sd. Kfz. 234/3 Stummel
• 1 x Sd. Kfz. 234/2 Puma
• Heavy Mortar Support (Heer)
• 120mm Heavy Mortar Team

Special Rules

Preparatory bombardment:  The British forces get a preparatory bombardment against all German Heer positions located at the first defensive line.  Resolve prior to pulling the first activation dice.

Mass Activation:  To account for the large number of units on each side and the number of players involved, the normal activation process is replaced by this "mass activation" process.  Create your activation dice pools as normal (one for each unit, team and so on).  Put those dice off to the side - they are now your army dice pool.  Determine the activation dice that will be used for determining the activation sequence.  For each side divide the number of dice in your army dice pool by the number of players on that side - rounding up.  These dice are now your activation dice (I recommend using different coloured dice for these so you don't mix them up with your army dice pool).  Put these dice in your activation bag, cup or whatever you normally use to "pull" dice.  Each time you pull a dice from your side, each player takes a dice from their army dice pool and activates a unit normally.  It is possible the final activation dice pulled results in not every player receiving a dice from the army dice pool, in this case dice are distributed to those players who have units remaining that have not activated yet this turn.

Allied Air Support:  The British may call for air support up to two times during the game.  Calling air support does not follow the normal rules.  Instead, to call air support, any British vehicle with a main gun can fire a "purple smoke" round at a designated point on the table (a building cannot be targeted).  Roll "to-hit" with no modifiers, hitting on a 3+.  If you miss, scatter the round D6" in a random direction.  Mark the location using a purple smoke marker (you can make your own, see my recent blog post on making them here).  Resolving the air strike is determined based on if the location of the purple smoke marker is within the first 10 feet of the British side of the table or the last 10 feet of the table.  If it is in the first 10 feet, resolve the air strike at the start of the next British activation.  If it is in the last 10 feet, add a different coloured dice to the activation pool for the next turn.  When that dice is pulled resolve the air strike before pulling another activation dice.  This is meant to represent that the further the allies moved the longer it took for air support to show up (if it showed up) - whereas sir support was readily on hand during the initial advance.

Deployment

British:  Units deploy up to 30" in on the road (as marked on the map) and up to 4" either side of the road itself.  At least one tank troop must be in the lead, otherwise units can be placed on the road in any order, with unit unable to fit moving on the table as they are activated (and can fit).  British vehicles cannot move be farther than 4" from the road until they are past the first 30" of road (passing the deployment zone) - this does not apply to infantry/dismounted teams.  This remains in effect throughout the game and represents the constricted space the British had to work with.

US Airborne:  Units deploy within the farm complex.

German Heer Force: Units deploy in defensive positions 42" from the left edge (see map) of the table and on the left side of the bridge.

German Fallschirmjager Force:  Units deploy anywhere in the area of the central town.

German SS Force:  Units must deploy within 48" of the right side (exit point) of the table and no closer than 18" to the farm complex.

Victory Points

Victory points are awarded as follows:

• Each infantry section or vehicle destroyed = 2 points.
• Each team (includes weapon teams, officers, medics and so on) destroyed = 1 point.
• Each British tank that moves off the table via the "exit point" (far end of the table)  =1 point.
• Each controlled objective = 10 points.

There are four VP objectives marked on the map: the farm complex, hotel complex, chateau and bridge.

To control an objective there must be no enemy units present within the physical feature of the terrain/building the last unit to occupy the position was friendly (if no friendly unit is present, mark control of the objective using an appropriate marker).

The allies start in control of the farm complex while the Germans are in control of the bridge, chateau and hotel objectives.