Taking Bardia

Another week, and another game in the Desert Campaign. This time, I would be the brits, trying to take the fort from Terry's Italians. Having seen how Terry had attempted to retake the fort. I took four squads. My plan was to use them to try and capture the various objectives, and two matilda's and a Vickers, to run rampant and destroy as much as they could. I also took an Artillery observer and a mortar. The Artillery Observer was risky, considering how poorly Terry did in the previous game wiping out two of his own units, but we'd see how they did.

Well, the game proved the old adage "a plan only lasts until it makes contact with the enemy" true. Instead of going for the two objectives nearing me and the big one in the middle, I sent a squad up to the objective in the top of the table. The game came to an end, at the end of turn 6, which meant that the objective was still being contested by a single man from one of Terry's squad that I had failed to wipe out. 

However, on the flip side, the tanks did a great job. I lost the Vickers, having moved across the whole of the board, to a well place mortar shell, but the Matilda's did their job, as long as the Vickers, were able to do plenty of damage, the Vickers even took our Terry's very large, truck-mounted artillery piece. Being able to take two of the tanks was really quite fun, though they were unable to destroy the Autobalinda, that had snuck down the side of the board, and putting fire onto one of my objectives hogging squads. 

 

In the end, as I was unable to gain control of the main obejctive, in the middle of the table, the game was a draw.

The next game, is back to tanks which I can't wait for.

Defending Bardia

It’s a bit late writing this one up, but Terry and I have played the next instalment of our Desert Campaign, with Terry trying to capture the water plant within Bardia. Defending the fort was going to be hard, as I could only take inexperience troops, which were easy for Terry to kill, and difficult for me to get to do things with once, they’ve got a pin or two on them.

As it’s been a while, my memory has got a little shaky on the specifics, but I was able to get a win. Somehow, I was able to keep hold of the three objectives and halt Terry’s troops. It was helpful that Terry was unlucky with his Air and artillery support. The Air support wiped out his Matilda, before it was able to do anything and the artillery took out his Vickers. Very unlucky.

As I had so many units because of Inexperienced rated troops being dirt cheap, I was able to keep throwing squads on to the objectives and keep pouring fire on to Terry.

Now, it’s my time to get the water plant.

Wednesday night fun.

So, the Wednesday before my trip away, we had another game of Bolt Action. This week, John was away so Terry and I had a quick 750 point Bolt Action game. Terry was bringing his Long Range Desert Group force, who was raiding an Italian outpost. Terry brought a number of Chevrolet, jeeps and a Bently. I had three squads, a machine gun, mortar, a howitzer and to round of the force, the M13/40. It’s the first time for the force. 

The game was played at night, and so it was hard to see each other. We were also using the sand rules, which will see vehicles taking double pins. 

The game was fun, I managed to achieve something that I have never achieved before, which was taking out one of Terry’s vehicles by pouring Pin’s onto it. That was fun and a real highlight. The game as a whole was a close run thing, which I won by killing four of Terry’s unit to two of mine. If we had another turn it would have been a different story, as several units were wavering and getting close to being wiped out.

I also really liked Terry’s LRDG and now I really want another force. If I am not careful I’m going to end up getting lots and lots of Bolt Action forces.