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Sunday 23 July 2017

Games Night!

Last night saw a bolt action game planned using all my British and my friends German bolt action forces. Came to roughly 1800pts a piece. You can find the list in a blog here
What we learnt from last nights game was that amount of troops needs a bigger table but we still had an awesome time and thats all that matters ☺.
The table was all set up


View of the target village
The bridge that needs capturing
The whole table. The bridge and village need taking

We had half our forces on the table and the other half in reserve to be called upon when needed. We rolled to see who got the choice of attacking or defending. I won the roll (A spectacular 2 beating my opponents 1. Hopefully not an omen!!)
The game started with my airbourne unit a first into the field. A squad either flank and my team weapons in the middle. The Germans occipuied the houses either side of the bridge and most of the units in the village went into ambush awaiting my forces.


Left flank a para section and a Cromwell tank
Right flank para section supported by an MMG
The snipers sneak off into the fields and the mortar and PIAT head forward

The first 2 turns were mostly my troops advancing. My opponents armoured vehicles came forward the StuH parked on the bridge, the infantry were preparing their defence.


Few shots were exchanged, the Germans were safely waiting in their houses. The StuH and my QF 6 pounder traded shots but then the Germans medium mortar started dropping rounds onto my QF 6 pounder eventually taking out the unit.  My light mortar moves up and first round hits the target house (my 4 year old rolled a six for me! No more sixes after that so he was sent to bed mwha ha ha) unfortunately the round went through the top floor (where the Germans were ) and exploded on the bottom floor harmlessly.


Paras light mortar starts dropping rounds on the house to the left of the bridge
My forces get closer. (Please ignore white miniature my 4 year old has to have a model while we play and he left it there) the Germans are tucked up away in ambush awaiting my attempt on the bridge. The StuH sits tall on the bridge.

The StuH on the bridge survives several shots from my Cromwell and is christened "Lucky Helgar". As my forces get closer the Germans unleash an artillery barrage!


The artillery drops on my right flank thankfully no casualties but plenty of pins handed out to various units

The pins put on my HQ really hampered that unit and inwas forces to rally them as they would not budge.
The StuH feeling bold advanced off the bridge giving the oncoming infantry another headache. My Cromwell proved a terrible shot missing from a ridiculously close range. My plucky PIAT team moved out into the open to take on the StuH but missed!!


PIAT team attempt to knock out the StuH but miss

The PIAT team then take a battering from the StuHs howitzer and taking one casualty but not put off at all.
My right flank para section takes a chance and charges the StuH as it goes past.


The Paras attempt to knock out the StuH as it goes past

Unfortunately they are unsuccesful in hitting the armoured vehicle so re group.


The German artillery observer moves up to have a crack at the PIAT team

The German artillery observer moves up and shoots at the PIAT team but to no avail!!  The left flank para section heads along the river bank exchanging fire with the house opposite. The PIAT team (well the one guy) hits the StuH and stuns the crew. The snipers move up into a field and also add their fire against the Germans. The German panzerschrek moves into the bridge to deal with the British tank threat.  The loader  falls to a sniper bullet as they scamper across the bridge.


The panzerschrek team shelters by the StuH

That Germans do an excellent job of bogging the British forces down just before the bridge plus there are a hoard of infantry and machine guns awaiting inside the village.


The Puma moves onto the bridge to hold up the British even more

The Puma moves up into the bridge and exchanges shots with my Cromwell both missing.
The para section on the right again charge the now stunned StuH and knock it out!! The remaining panzerschrek gunner and artillery observer are also took out.


The Paras swarm the stunned StuH and knock it out

The Cromwell strikes a shot home on the Puma and knocks it out also!


The Cromwell knocks out the Puma!

With the German armour took out the left flank para section make a dash for the bridge! !


A section of Paras make a dash for the bridge through a barrage of fire

The Paras that made a run on the bridge lose half their number in the attempt but being 'stubborn' chaps they carry on regardless. The first British reinforcements arrive on scene. A Sherman tank, M3 half track and Veteren army unit.  I've got close to bridge but the Germans have really battered my force and have a scary number of machine guns, assault rifles and smgs pointing at the bridge and not sure if I have the infantry to get over the bridge in siginificant numbers.


Sherman tank fires HE shells into a building

The new on scene Sherman pours fire into the building containing the German squad that wiped out half a para section. The pins and casualties were rising in that house.
As time was getting on we brought all the reinforcements we had on the battlefield.  That ment the Germans got an influx of SS troops and a Panzer with a howitzer to boot.  I got another squad of regular troops, an artillery observer, a universal carrier, PIAT team, light mortar team and regular HQ.


Reinforcements arrive! (Blue dice are proxy order dice as we ran out)

The house to the left of the bridge (containing a Heer squad) has took a pounding (as it was a right thorn in the side)


The amount of pins in the squad in the house.

The casualties and pins eventually took toll and the squad fled the battlefield.
The surviving 5 paras from the left flank pushed into the bridge sheltering by the burning Puma. 


The Paras get onto the bridge. (You can see the pins on both houses to the sides of the bridge to see how much fire they took. Need more HE lol)

The panzer rolled into view and destroyed the 5 brave paras


A panzer rolls into view taking out the paras on the bridge. Also you can see my half track containing my vet army squad speeding towards the bridge

My observer dropped an artillery barrage on the centre of the village no casualties but got some pins down on most of the German squads. My half track holding my vet squad raced to the bridge. The Germans push out of the village centre towards the bridge. A German flame thrower unit headed to the bridge to hold up the British. The flame throwers companion was shot down by the sniper. More German Infantry were also getting on the bridge behind the panzer. My half track disgorged the Veteren squad 2 LMGs at the fore.


Behind the smoke you can just see the German flame thrower. Plus the Brit veteran squad charges the bridge

The 2 veteran LMGs slew the flame thrower in a hail of bullets leaving  the panzer the only German unit on the bridge. All the British pushed towards the bridge and the Germans pushed forward to resist.


The British armour and infantry push towards the bridge.

And here is where we called an end to the game (it was late and we had  been through a good number of turns). We called the game a very costly Allied victory  (if I would have had only one tank left it would have been a draw but we felt  the 2 tanks left were a distinct advantage (as the panzer was equipped with a howitzer) in pushing across the bridge.

Great game, very bloody and quite tense at points. As I said at start that size force needs a bigger table but hell it was great fun!!!! Been a long while since I've played such a big battle (we are talking 90s 40K battles here) and was a nice change of pace from skirmish gaming.
Have a great day folks!!


Wednesday 19 July 2017

Friday's Bolt Action Force

This coming Friday I have a big bolt action game planned. Using all my models (except a medic) I have amassed a large force of Brits, 18 order dice!! My force is half airbourne troops and half regular army. First up my airbourne command

1 Second Lieutenantwith Submachine gun
2 Infantry with sub machine guns.

Then the first paratroop section

1 NCO with Submachine gun
4 Infantry with Submachine gun
1 Infantry with Light Machine gun + loader
3 Infantry with Rifle
Entire squad equipped with anti-tank grenades

Second section

1 NCO with Submachine gun
2 Infantry with Submachine gun
1 Infantry with Light Machine gun + loader
3 Infantry with Rifle
Entire squad equipped with anti-tank grenades.

That's the airbourne infantry sections. Next up are the special teams

1 Medium Machine gun team
1 Light Mortar team
1 Sniper team ( New ghillie suit models 1st outing!)
1 PIAT team
1 QF 6-pdr
1 Cruiser Tank Mk VIII Cromwell

That's the airbourne half of my army all but the tank are veteran's.


Next up is the regular army half of my force
1 Second Lieutenant
with Pistol  (Well the model has 2 cos he loves westerns)
1 Infantry with a rifle.

Now the infantry sections.

Veteran Late war section.
1 NCO with Submachine gun
2 Infantry with Submachine gun
2 Infantry with LMG + loaders
3 Infantry with Rifle

Regular Late war section
1 NCO with Submachine gun
1 Infantry with Submachine gun
6 Infantry with Rifle

That is the the main infantry sections. Now on to the teams and vehicles etc.
1 Free Artillery Forward Observerwith pistol + 1 Infantry with Rifle.
1 Light Mortar team
1 PIAT team

1 M5 Half Track
1 Bren Carrier
1 Sherman V (75mm)

That's it, all the above apart from one veteran squad are regular troops and the national characteristic I'm using is Blood Curdling Cry (A hint to my tactics lol)
I reckon i have a fairly decent force plenty of anti tank and machine guns but we shall wait and see. I have  a fair idea what type of battlefield we will be using but how I use the forces all depends on who is the attacker and who is the defender though I'm pretty sure there will be some charges into close quarter combat at some point!!
Veteran bolt action players will see from the list that it is spread over 2 platoons. My opponent is also doing the same thing so he will also have 2 of a few things. Basically the idea for the game is to use everything we have. I'll write up a battle report after Friday to let You know what happened!


Thursday 13 July 2017

I also forgot!!!!!

I also forgot I painted my prototype Drexyl that I won in a Facebook competition in the Across the Dead Earth game group.  Here he is!!




A painting bonanza!!

Had a lovely break in dawlish now back home and thanks to my shift pattern I've had a good few evenings to assault the painting queue!!
First up was the rest of my Test of Honour warband. A samurai, a musician and spearmen (evil long spears i kept stabbing myself on! !).


Half painted spearmen
Spearmen done!
Musician and Samurai


Next up was some spectre miniatures I won way back during the Across the Dead Earth Tournament. (Blog here ). Love these modern CIA types and I'm sure they will find a home in an Across the Dead Earth gang or as dino hunters.


Painting going well
All done
My favourite miniature of the four

After that I had found some resin ammo crates on eBay that were super cheap and I wanted them for scenery in my bunker complex. They quality around the sides wasn't super great but they were cheap ☺


Not rough and ready but they'll do

Next up was the Across the Dead Earth gang the Sisters of Acquisition. I was a little daunted by these models as they are  a smaller scale (different sculptor I believe). Fantastic miniatures but my broken eyes struggle with them lol


The gang awaiting paint
Completed Sisters of Acquisition
My attempt at making the pistols look like they have red dot sights (hopefully gonna get some gloss to give the red a glint and maybe the sniper scope)

There ya go, that's a massive dent in the paint queue!! Have a great day folks


Rule of Cool

Thought I would have a ramble so I actually do more blog posts as any new models are dependent on finances so not guaranteed.
One thing I've noticed since starting bolt action is a divide between players.  Some want utter historical accuracy down to the right shade of green on a uniform and correct headlight etc etc. Now absolutely nothing wrong with that at all. I even admire the dedication!. Lots of people seem to want to make the unit or outfit there grand parents were in, an idea that I love  idea. Both my grandads served one spent most of the war as a far east  POW and had a rough time so that puts me off quite a lot. My other grandad served at Dunkirk then Africa and Italy but he never spoke much so the family are still in the process of finding what he got upto.
After the historical accurate guys there are the  people that don't really have a unit in mind and just make a list up of things they like (I'm in this camp) and fit them in a platoon (though with bolt action you still have to choose early mid or late war). This is equally as good an idea and allows a bit more freedom in what units to have. The new Konflict 47 I guess will allow more variety for bolt action and hopefully I will get a few walkers and heavy infantry which along with my normal bolt action will make a handy K47 army as my friend and regular opponent wants lots of Nazi zombies to control!
The other game systems I play (Dystopian Legions, Across the Dead Earth, X-Wing and Star Wars Armada) are all fiction based so gives a lot more freedom. Which brings me to the Rule of cool.  I live by this rule in 98% of situations (as I really really want Gurkhas for my Bolt Action Brits but I have a late war European army and that I feel would be pushing it lol😢 but in Konflict 47 I reckon I can get away with it 😃) Across the Dead Earth is a game made for rule of cool. The options are wide and unless you are using the pre done rule book gangs (even then after a few games that will twist and mould to your style) you can make what ever type of gang you want.  I have a dude who is armed with a bow and sword in the middle of one of my gangs as I thought the model was cool and wanted him in. The same with my gunslinger model I got in a kick starter. Thought the model was ace so got it and now he's a gang member! X-Wing and Star Wars Armada are a bit more resrictive due to game style but that's when tou use the Rule of cool as a guide for your tactics.


Dystopian Legions is a bit more defined as you have an army list but as long as you have an officer and infantry after that you can have what you want (a bit like 40k from what I remember).
My main regular opponent has the same view that I carry what ever happens the Rule of cool mostly prevails. We treat our games like little movies so any chance of a cinematic moment we will take regardless of more sensible options. This often leads a to disaster (PIAT team missing a point blank shot and paying the price. Corvette in Star Wars Armada charging a Star Destroyer with the inevitable happening) but hey we had a laugh doing it so to me that's what the game is all about.
So my Bolt Action British may be a mix of airborne (A Bridge to Far and my visit to Pegasus Bridge inspired) and regular Tommies. Plus a Sherman, Cromwell ( Tanks I love em), Universal Carrier, mystery vehicle soon to be added ☺ and half track  may all be a random mix with only a faint nod to history (A British Airbourne  recce unit used Cromwells...I found out after I had bought tank) but they are are what I think  cool and in my wargaming world rule of cool prevails! (Just wait till I get my Winston Churchill model painted as he had rules in Operation Sea Lion so he'll be put in a scenario soon! !)
Does not matter how you game though as long as you're having fun who the hell cares! !
Sorry If it was a bit of a ramble just trying something new.