Sweep & Clear - Modern Bolt Action AAR

I manged to sneak in another wargame this week ... which is great.  I have been eager to continue playing the modern Bolt Action modification and this proved another great game with a few minor tweaks coming into play (will be updating to version 1.3 soon).  I played the part of the Iraqi and insurgent forces while Roy played the coalition forces.

A hard fought game - this SAS member decides to
take a break near a smoking HUMVEE and have a Coca Cola.

In this fictional scenario the USMC and British Army worked together.  The objective of the coalition forces was to clear the Intisar Quarter, located north of Basra.  The Intisar Quarter is located just a few miles down the road from the Al Hartha Power Station.  Before being able to secure the power station at Al Hartha, the coalition forces must first clear the Intisar Quarter of Iraqi Army and Insurgent forces.

A SAS team that was evaluating insurgent activity in the area has been ambushed.  Their HUMVEE has been destroyed and they've taken cover near a park.  The coalition forces must reinforce the SAS team and eliminate all insurgent activity in the area.  You can see the starting positions outlined in the map below.  Yellow indicates the starting position for the Iraqi and insurgent forces while red indicates the starting coalition positions.

Table overview.

The coalition forces start rolling on turn 2 for the arrival of a M1A1 Abrams.  On a 4+ the tank arrives.  If not, the USMC player tests at the start of each turn (+1 each turn past turn 2, so 3+ on turn 3, 2+ and turn 4 and so on).  Roy rolled the tank in on turn 3.

The Iraqi and insurgent forces start rolling on turn 2 for the arrival of a BTR 70 carrying an Iraqi Army infantry team and squad leader.  I rolled them on in turn 2.  The arrival of the Iraqi Army reinforcements is randomized (roll 1D6 and enter the numbered edge as shown on the map above).  I rolled a 6 so the BTR 70 entered on the road near the mosque.

USMC OOB (Regulars)

1 x Squad Leader (Leader, First Aid, Body Armour, Urban Operations)
3 x Fireteams each with 2 x assault rifles, 1 x assault rifle w UGL and 1 x SAW (First Aid, Body Armour, Urban Operations)
1 x SMAW team (Team, First Aid, Body Armour, Urban Operations)
1 x M1A1 Abrams (delayed arrival) (Advanced Ammunition, Advanced Armour, Fire Control System, Advanced Optics, Crewed, 11+ super-heavy tank, super-heavy AT gun, coaxial MMG, pintle-mounted HMG and pintle-mounted MMG)

British Army OOB (Regulars)

1 x Squad Leader (Leader, First Aid, Body Armour, Urban Operations)
1 x Fireteam with 2 x assault rifle, 1 x assault rifle w UGL and 1 x SAW (First Aid, Body Armour, Urban Operations)
1 x Fireteam with 3 x assault rifle and 1 x SAW (First Aid, Body Armour, Urban Operations)

(Veteran) 1 x SAS Team with 2 x assault rifles, 1 x assault rifle with UGL and 1 x SAW (Elite, First Aid, Body Armour, Urban Operations)

Iraqi Army OOB (Inexperienced)

1 x Squad Leader (Leader)
1 x Infantry Team with 4 x assault rifles, 1 x LMG and 1 x RPG
1 x BTR 70 (turret mounted HMG, 7+ damage, armoured wheeled vehicle)

Saddam Fedayeen OOB (Inexperienced)

1 x Jihadist Leader (Leader, Martyr, Close Quarters)
1 x Insurgent Cell with 2 x assault rifles and 2 x LMG (Recycle, Martyrs, Close Quarters)
1 x Insurgent Cell with 3 x assault rifles and 1 x LMG (Recycle, Martyrs, Close Quarters)
1 x Insurgent Recoilless Rifle Team (Team, Amateur Hour)

1 x Jihadist Leader (Leader, Close Quarters)
1 x Insurgent Cell with 3 x assault rifles, 1 x LMG and 1 x RPG (Close Quarters, Amateur Hour)
1 x Insurgent Cell with 4 x assault rifles, 1 x LMG and 1 x RPG (Close Quarters, Amateur Hour)
1 x Insurgent Cell with 4 x assault rifles, 1 x LMG and 1 x RPG (Close Quarters, Amateur Hour)

The Game

It was a great game.  I made a minor adjustment to how victory points are awarded:

• Coalition
• +1/2 VP for each eliminated insurgent group that recycles each time they are eliminated.
• +1 VP for each eliminated insurgent group that does not recycle.
• +3 VPs for clearing the market area.
• +3 VPs for clearing the mosque area.
• Iraqi Army & Insurgents
• +1 VP for each coalition casualty.
• +3 VPs for each destroyed coalition armoured vehicle.
• +2 VPs for each destroyed coalition soft skinned vehicle.
• +3 VPs for holding the market area.
• +3 VPs for holding the mosque area.

We ended the game with all Iraqi Army and Insurgent forces removed by the end of turn 5 (six turn game, so ended a turn early).  The final victory points:  Coalition 16 - Iraqi Army & Insurgents 14.  A minor victory for the coalition.

My recoilless rifle team failed their Amateur Hour test and exploded right when they were about to fire on the M1A1 Abrams ... lol.  Not long after, one of Roy's British infantry fireteams FUBAR'd and there was a friendly fire incident that killed the British squad leader (perhaps on purpose?).  I had one of my RPGs late in the game explode as well ... lots of fun and the randomness of asymmetrical warfare.  The experience of play is very different from regular old Bolt Action.

Lots of eye candy below ... I added a little more scatter terrain ... garbage pile ... coke machine ... wooden pallets ... more to build/paint.

Amateur Hour - my recoilless rifle fails the test
and explodes (YouTube "fail" video coming soon).

Friendly fire isn't friendly.  The British section FUBARs
and mistakenly fires on the British squad leader located
in the building just behind the insurgent group - killing him
(or perhaps fragging him on purpose for not helping them).

I hope you've enjoyed this ... I'm really digging this rule set!