Sunday, 5 February 2017

Arms race begins!

Bolt Action was back for our Friday night gaming session.

Being a little late (as usual... gotta get those gains :-) ), I would be facing Brent's Brit's.

Game size was 750pts for a slightly quicker game for the evening.

I had my Germans as usual, but decided to include some units I often don't use. Here's the force -

Regular 2nd Lt + friend
2x Regular 10 man squads (1x smg, 1x lmg, 2x panzerfaust)
Veteran 7 man squad (7x smg)
Regular Sd Kfz 222
Regular Sd Kfz 251
Regular heavy mortar
Regular sniper team

Brent had... (I think they were all Regular)

Lieutenant
FAO
2 10 man squads (1x smg, 1x lmg)
MMG
Light mortar
Carrier
Churchill (my reaction being "what the...!?!". You can imagine the rest)

Game on. We decided on Meeting Engagement as Brent is still very new to the game.

My heavy mortar arrives first and I'm expecting big things from this unit! The rest of the forces start to arrive...



The Churchill roles right up the centre of the table. Things are looking grim and it's only turn 1. I'll get one chance at victory in this game. I better make it count!


And then Brent places the marker for his free artillery barrage. Sigh, I've seen this barrage win / lose too many games. 


The Churchill maneuvers towards my vehicles, whilst my lot try to leg it out from under the potential blast radius...


Only for the barrage to be delayed allowing Brent to move it 12".... Bugger.


On the right flank, the British carrier had pinned my infantry, but a super roll resulted in my troops feeling rather courageous (I rolled double 1's allowing additional pins to be removed). Panzerfausts up front!


I roll.

I hit with both fausts!

I roll for damage.

Snake eyes....

What should be a flaming wreck is just stunned and immobilised.

But's here's the chance. The one chance to pretty much win the game. Panzerfausts!!


I fire!

Pfffft

Both miss by a mile :-(

Return fire with 10 mg dice wipe the squad out before I can even contemplate transferring them to the Russian front.

And then the artillery barrage arrives.

But Brent rolled a 1... meaning the barrage moved in a random direction. Pretty much back to where it was originally and with the inevitable result...


In the centre, my halftrack and veteran squad pile on some damage to one of the British rifle squads. I also completely forgot about the transports not being allowed to be closer to the enemy (or they are destroyed). Whoops...



And there the game ended with turn 6 coming to a close. 4 - 2 to Brent. Well to the Churchill, artillery and my dismal rolling!

Not a lot I could have done differently I think. I had my chance with my fausts. The rest of my units were making life hard for the rest of the British, but the moment I missed the Churchill meant that was pretty much it.

Oh and my heavy mortar did nothing all game!!

Still all good fun.

And I'm certainly not one to dwell on a defeat like this. Onwards and upwards. Of course the Panther I have just ordered will certainly help. I will not be outgunned again! :-)

The other guys were also playing Bolt Action. Nick's Japs faced Andrew's Aussies whilst a combined German force led by Paul & Dallas faced a mixed Brit para / French force commanded by Ian.






Thanks for stopping by.