This was my second game with the new rules of Bolt Action and this time we had the Fallschirmjager, against the Russians Ivans. Like the play lists proposes we started with a list of 1000 points for each side.
Fallschirmjager: 1 + 2 Men First Lieutenant (Vet) – 116 pts
1st squad – 1 +9 NCO men (vet) 2Lmg 2 Smg 2 Assault Rifles Pzfaust 1 – 191pts
2nd squad – 1 +9 NCO men (vet) 2Lmg 2 Smg 2 Assault Rifles Pzfaust 1 – 191pts
1 HMG Team (vet) – 65pts; 1 Sniper (vet) – 65pts 1Flamethrower (vet) – 65pts
1 Medium Mortar (vet) c / watcher – 75 Pts 1 StugIV (Reg) 230 pts
Soviet – 1 + 2 Men First Lieutenant (Reg) – 95, Medic 56 pts + 2 man, Forward Observer 100pts
1st Squad – 1Nco men +10 (reg) 1 LMG – 130 Pts
2nd Squad – 1Nco men +10 (reg) 11 Smg – 143 Pts
3rd Squad (free) 1Nco + 10 men, 1Smg, 1 LMG (Inexp) – 23 Pts
1Hmg – 75Pts, 1 Sniper (Vet) – 65 Pts, 1 Heavy Mortar – 75 Pts
1 T34/85 (Reg) – 235 Pts
For now the Russians take advantage of their extra free Squad appears and only pay for the equipment of the 3rd 11 men squad. So we begin with the 8 German activations and 10 for the Russians.
We have chosen to play the scenario 2 (Maximum Attrition) and both Generals chose outflank units, in the case of Germans a squad and the Flamethrower and the Russians chose the sniper and a Smg squad, the experienced and wise Russian general also opted to have the Forward Observer enter into reserve (2nd round).
Like the rules of this scenario say first we chose the side and them the units will be deploy into the 1st round as you go taking the activation markers.
The Germans led by the great general “Small” Hans von Freiburg chose to cede the left flank and put only the sniper there, concentrated their forces in the centre and at the right, the Russian general Pombalichenco curiously responded with the same tactic .
If these rules can be defined in one word it should be “fast”. Greater mobility and speed of play and the system activations allows a player to never get stuck having to wait for his turn. So the 1st turn is quick with only the units to go on the table and no exchange of fire.
At the second turn and with the Russian general trying to earn the nickname “Bat” of Vladivostock a squad of infantry on the right flank move and decides to stay in the line of fire of the German HMG causing the first casualties in Ivans. And the artillery observer enters the table where he c´ant observing nothing at all, born the myth of the Bat? The two tanks that are on the table will trying to play cat and mouse and they have a big successes in that kind of game.
With the start of the 3rd turn the outflank units arrived and after the tests required to enter all are able to go into battle. The Russians activate first and put the Smg squad on the right flank, try to shoot the German unit defending the right side, but again failed to see that the range of its Smg was short for such job, the commissioner of the NKVD begins thinking of going into action. The Germans decide to respond and the flamer come into action and contrary to what we expect, and with a move only able to the great generals ignore the arriving Russian unit and dump its load on the weak Russian unit that had suffered from the HMG fire, resulted in several deaths and 3 Pin markers, but behold, someone forgot to bring enough fuel and after a “glorious” 2 the flamer just finish is game here. Without hesitation after this “debacle” the General Little Hans advances the flank unit and at short range fire everything on the poor Smg Russians unit, only one Ivan stands up to ask what kind of storm fell upon him. On the left flank with the arrival of the Russian sniper is approaching an epic duel of snipers, “the enemy at gates” revised?
With the arrival of the 4th turn things looked good to Germans. Stug turns and shooting on the team of Russian HMG leaving only a bastard to tell friends what are the German Pz armor, and 2 squads of Russian infantry on the right side are swept the table. The Russian observer continues his glorious race to try to observe something and in the centre both armies try to occupy the best positions. But behold, after some executions NKVD men decide to put some sense in general Pombalichenco, and in an act of bravery the Russian sniper carries his opponent and kills a German sniper with knife blows and rifle butts, someone reports that the scope of his weapon became inoperable when used in a German observer eye. The T34/85 came into action and take advantage on the excitement of German Stug fires a shot that leave him with a principle of fire. Fortunately his experienced crew can put out the fire, but is inoperative to shoot this turn. Is the tide turning? Overconfidence German? Cried victory too soon?
Looks like it, on the 5th turn the Russian Artillery finally arrives and a violent bombardment fell on the German right flank destroying the flamer team and put some pin markers at the infantry unit which requires it to do Rally and losing a precious time. Meanwhile the heavy mortar with its crew accompanied by a political commissar firing a salvo and hit the infantry unit that occupied the centre and was pushing the Russian command, the result? 7 casualties and many pin markers, let the squad completely inoperable. But the commissioners did not reach everywhere and T34 failed resoundingly the opportunity to destroy the Stug, this duel is sure win by who take the first activation on the next turn, with a great chance to spread little Stug everywhere on the table.
After a turn so destructive German General order the Stug that shoot as fast as possible, and it responds ready, but the crew must have blinked they eyes because they can not go near the T34, every advantage vanished … and behold, the answer of T34 is? Another hit and another pin marker, but nothing happened… for now. However the German right flank predicting the worst desperately try to run closer to the T34 to make use of Pzfaust but new setback … The Russian sniper very pleased with its last charge fire on the mortar observer and kill him, the mortar is completely blind without an observer to spot the target. and at last Russian occupies the building of the German command in the village, little Hans cry in anger.
In the final round the Stug tries to activate and it make a morale test, Ok he need a 7 or less on 2D6 rolls and behold… a glorious 12 forcing him to roll at FUBAR table, in result they flee in panicked from the battlefront … Beautiful. Meanwhile the third Russian squad can eliminate the last German squad and despite being eliminated after clears the centre of the table. The T34 free of opposition shrapnel the another squad which leaves paras without infantry to continue the game. At the end the German commander flees the battlefield leaving the survivors abandoned to their bad luck … A fantastic Russian turnaround in a fantastic game. The counting points would be something like 6 for Ivans and 3 for the Germans.
Great game with very good rules and fortunately no weaknesses were noted. With only two tanks on the table was not very evident that the discrepancy in the army lists noted in the classification of tanks. Just a note to the mortars, when the shot misses the target should have an alternative to not hit the target, after all the shells do not disappear in a vacuum. (Urgent House rules). But in general the rules work very well and will let us continue to play more and in biggest scale. I have to try to take revenge on the Russians of General Farinhotievish.
Thanks to Paulo Pombal for being an excellent opponent, to Luís Pinto to be in service picking the activation markers and Master Pires to point the mortars problem, finally thanks to Manuel Pombeiro by being the war reporter’s with excellent photos only comparable to AP.
The table 1
The table 2
The table 3
The table 4
The table 5
The Table 6
First turn, sorry but the Russian General dont have mutch time to paint his army, he prefer kill same german guys
Stug – a walk in the main street
The 1st Lt and his boys take a cover position
A side car and a communication point not part of the army, only to the picture
Come on inside boys
Hell, here is the Ivan?
Russian HMG strong point
The kids play around the little pine
Turn 2 – The Stug walk on the wild side
Hello!! Any body there?
First we take this house, them we take Berlin? Nazis like Leonard Cohen music?
Hurry up mens!
“Little” Hans with a big head hurt
Fire to the bastards
OK boys give me the little blanket and I stop the fire!
Hurrraaaaa!!!!!
Job done, eleven reds take the way to the hammer and stars
It´s Ok we can stop the fire!
What have I done to be here alone, ups! the sniper to my left is overkill, I think I need a little more cover
Turn 3 The Ivan take our little house, fire! Fire!
Run boys, Run!
Good try to take the T34/85, but to short!
I think a Stuka is comming? No only a 120mm shell! Take cover…
Turn 5 – Take note… The grey house with red flags is the German HQ… so? but without germans in, chek
Another Hit and the Stug run for his live…
And from the sky… arrive the dead!!!!
Stº António… help us
Turn 6 – Little Hans live the building… and the game with no glory in is job
The Stug is abandoned by is crew
A very fair and funny game! Excellent!!!!!!
1bigos 