Game Report: Bolt Action 09th November 2012

It was Friday evening in a cosy suburb of Düsseldorf were five of us met to play a game of Bolt Action. For me it was the first one and I was a nervous because of the new set of rules, but they proved to be really well designed and smooth-running. At the end of the game the common actions worked well without looking each dice roll up in the rulebook.

But now for the game itself:
Our umpire prepared a nice board with some Italian terrain and a fictional mission which was set somewhere around Anzio. Some Germans were holding a small village while the Americans sent a small force to occupy it for some strategical to maintain supply route from the beach.

The Americans were heavily piqued after there successful Operation Shingle (landing near Anzio) and were keen on driving there advance forward. Therefore they sent a small task force to a small village behind Anzio to secure the bridgehead and arrange a supply route for the following forces.


It consisted of ...
... two infantry squads of twelve men each with a sergeant and one submachine guns as well as a BAR
... a medium mortar with spotter
... two command squad, one lead by a captain and one by a lieutenant
... an air liaison officer on an jeep
... a bazooka team
... a sniper team
... a medium machine gun team

The American force preparing to advance.

On the other side of the field a small German force tried to cover the retreat of their comrades from Anzio. They took position in the rear area of the table and tried to secure the river and the building directly at the important ford.

Their force consisted of...
... two infantry squads incl. an Unteroffizier (sergeant) with submachine gun and two light machine guns each
... two command squads lead by a Hauptmann (captain) and a Leutnant (lieutenant)
... a medium mortar with spotter
... a medium machine gun team
... a sniper team
... a SdKfz. 10 with 20mm Flak

A German squad and the medium MG team occipying the building near the ford.

The other German squad advancing carefully towards the large building near the habour.

While the Germans set up their defense, the Americans tried to go forward in the cover of the small cottages near the dock. They advanced rather circumspectly because the feared the German buzzsaw MGs and the Granatwerfer mortars a lot.

One of the advancing squads. Their leader seems rather familiar with Napoleonic units in file...

The other squad advances much quicker but comes under mortar fire and is downed soon.

One of the German squads rushing at the forward building...

... and reaching it to set up a strong outpost.

After the first few turn the situation was on the verge to get stuck. One of the American squads was nailed down by German mortar fire. They kept their heads down and managed to avoid losses or pinned markers but they weren't able to advance any further. Meanwhile the other American squad conquered one of the sheds and laid fire on the Germans in the forward building. They fired several times and caused some pinned markers. So this sqad got a little nervous...
The remaining German forces gathered around the rear building at the ford. They held it occupied with a squad an the machine gun team, positioned the SdKfz. nearby and let the spotter initiate mortar fire on the unlucky American squad between the cottages.

To break open this deadly embrace the Americans brought their supporting teams forward. The bazooka advanced on the far right to avoid the SdKfz. which should be their target and the sniper team and the medium MG sneaked up towards the forward building to break the German defense their.

The successful sniper team.

The American tactic worked. The sniper team laid deadly fire on the Germans and caused severe damage. One of its first victims was the leading Unteroffizier whose death shocked his men strongly. That was the chance for the American squad to charge the enemy position.

The Americans preparing to charge.

Go! Go! Go!

Finally the brave American GIs attacked and overwhelmed the German defenders with superior numbers and superior firepower. Especially the submachine guns proved to be very effectiv in close combat.

Although German leader Hauptmann Steiner lead a fiery counter-charge, the Americans were able to stabilise teir position. They awaited Steiner in the house and knocked down the bold captain and his command squad.

Hauptmann Steiner leading the brave but unsuccessful counter-charge.

The Americans didn't relax after this success but prepared their next step. While his comrades were bound in grim hand-to-hand-fighting, the air liaison officer called an airstrike on the rear building to smash the German defenders there. Two turns later the roaring sound of airscrews filled the air.

The German Flak taking aim.

Hastily the SdKfz. swayed their Flak and a moment later the staccato of 20mm rounds arose. But despite the German efforts the American aircarft came in and dropped its deadly load onto the German emplacement.

The target seen from the aircraft.

Heavy bombs hit the bulding but the Germans holed up inside their cover. So the bombing didn't cause much casualties but pinned down several the units in and some around the building.

The air liaison officer ordered another air strike to put the Germans over the edge but this time a real firebrand controlled the incoming aircraft. The inexperienced pilot lost his nerve under enemy fire and wrongly attacked his advancing comrades. Fortunately he seems to have noticed his fault at the last moment and altered the course. Therefore only one GI fell victim to the attack and only a few pinned markers were collected by the surrounding units.

But nevertheless the American victory was pioneered. The medium mortar continued to fire on the Germans near the ford and finally caused enough damage on their morale to rout the squad. Simultaneously the bazooka team sneaked into firing position on the balcony of the forward building. Calmly the shooter took aim on the SdKfz. and with a blast of fire the rocket whooshed towards its target. The shot hit the vehicle directly and caused devastating damage. The whole SdKfz. was blown up in a ball of fire and only smoking wreckage remained.

The bazooka firing from the balcony.

Now the German fate was sealed. Although the remaining Leutnant drove a last desperate charge at the American building, there was no chance left to throw back the Americans. The last survivers of the German defenders retired over the river and betook themselves to flight.

The last desperate charge...

Altogether it was an absolutely great evening. We were all in a good mood and it was great fun to play with the fellows.
Bolt Action as a ruleset is smooth-running and not too difficult. A game of about 1.000 points per side could be played during an evening when the rules are better known I think. This time we needed about five hours to finish the game. Only some very special situations like hitting buildings with indirect fire or air strikes is a bit complicated.

Next weekend I'll try to use the ruleset with some 20mm miniatures of my collection and will keep you in the loop about the result.