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.   

Attacking Fort Nibeiwa

So, following last Wednesday’s Desert fight, Terry and I returned to refight the Fort Nibeiwa scenario. Seeing, how successful Terry’s Matilda was last week, I elected to take two platoons, so I could take two Matilda’s. I also had a unit of engineers to break through the walls, a few team weapons, and hopefully, we can get through. 

The game began with the British barrage going up and shelling the Fort. Terry’s troops took a heavy pin count. I got excited when I hit Terry’s Mortar team, causing damage. Precisely what Terry had done last week. I hit all three men, and then promptly rolled 3 ones. No one died. That was really annoying.

Turn 1 and 2

These two turns, saw my British rushing forwarding, under the cover of darkness. I elected to send two squads up either flank in the cover of Matilda. The plan was to get the Matilda through the wall and cause as much havoc as possible, whilst the squads slipped through unnoticed. 

What I hadn’t planned on, and this is a lesson to learn for the future, that had elected to take some veteran rated paratroopers and defend the wall with them. Though we did very little damage in combat, I had a nasty suspicion, they were going to be hard to shift from their fortified point. 

Turns 3 to 6. 

And I was right, I tried to get through the holes that the Matilda’s had made, which was a difficult task, as they kept getting pinned. But, Terry was able to rush a tiny Tankette down the middle, which used it’s twin machine guns to keep several squads at bay. More, frustratingly, despite having a clear shot at the side of the Tankette with a 2 pounder anti-tank gun, it took three turns to destroy. 

I was finally able to get a squad through and to contest the building on the la flank, but it was the last turn and though the dice didn’t give us another turn, they would have been destroyed if we had. The right flank didn’t go so well, with the squads being either obliterated by artillery fire, or engaged in a close-range firefight with a veteran paratrooper squad that refused to die.

In the end, Terry was able to get a decisive win and fended of my attack.

In hindsight, what I think I should have done was taken less artillery and team weapons and more squads in trucks. The key is to get the squads moving fast into the compound and let them go roaming and destroying to their heart's content. 

Oh, well on to the next scenario

Back into the Desert

So following up from the previous week’s victory, it was time to switch sides and play the British in the first scenario, Frontier Battle. To play this I took 3 Humber CS9 and 2 Rolls. Three ten man squads with LMGs in Trucks. All backed up by a MMG in a Bren Carrier. 

I think this, will do me well.

Turn 1:

As the flare went up, and the enemy spotted, we raced forward. The majority of this turn was taken up with getting troops on the board. I pulled up my CS9’s in the centre. I had a squad on the left taking cover in middle. On the right, another squad took the flank. In the middle, a third squad moved forward, ready to charge forward and take a postion in the centre. 

Paint is coming

Opposite me were a number of Tankette’s. Some had double machine gun, a couple with anti tank rifles and scarily. Two had flamethrowers. Terry, got the best of the shooting, and three of my units. The squad on the left and the right, took two pin markers, as well as one of the CS9’s in the middle. Finally, pouring out of Terry’s trucks were two squads, an Elefantino and a MMG, which all took postion.

The flare gave out, and everything went dark as we went into the second turn.  

Turn 2: 

As the darkness descended, this boded well for me as Terry got the majority of his dice early on, and manouvered his vehicles forward. Not being able to get decent rolls on his visision rolls. I was able to move forward my truck on the left, to protect the squad from the impending Flamethrowe armed tankette.

Terry then moved the aforementioned flamethrower and flamed the truck to death. However, an advantage for me, it quickly ran out of fuel and began to limp it’s way homewards. More annoyingly, I wouldn’t be claiming any victory points for it. 

Finally, in the centre, Terry moved one of his Tankettes forward, and in response, I moved forward my CS9 forward and opened fire. However, I missed. In response, Terry moved another anti tank rifle and opened fire. Imobilising my CS9, gaining him victory points. 

In the lastfew dice roll, I ran forward my truck in the centre and pulled up in front of the Bagsarili, and then remembered, if I ran my truck, the squad in the centre wouldn’t be able to charge in. 

Oppps. 

The turn ended with the flares going up again. 

Turn 3:

I got the first dice of the turn, and my squad charged in against the Bagsilarie and died. They managed to kill two of the seven men out. Terry, killed five, winning the combat. On the left flank, two twin machine guns armed Tankettes, charged forward and opened fire on the squad. I went down, and lost a man. Meanwhile, on the other flank, the flamethrower came in and wiped out my squad. I had gone from three squads, to one heavily pinned and damaged squad. Whoops

In the centre of the table, the Tankettes began to change angle and move towards the CS9 and Rolls on the right of the centre. However, worse for me, the Bagelssaire moved forward, and charged the CS9, and wiped it out in a round of combat. 

Hum, things had turned against me. I was rolling poorly, and Terry was taking a commanding lead in the victory points. The only thing that was positive for me, was that the flamethrower tried to flame one of the Rolls Royce, and not only did it not hit, but it ran out of fuel, and began it’s way home. 

Turn 4:
On the right flank, my squad went down under a hail of Machine gun fire but despite the hail of fire, the squad survived. They may be pinned, but there fighting to stay in the game. 

IN the middle of the board, my commander, in a CS9, finally was able to pass a command test and moved forward and aimed a shot at the Anti Tank Rifle Tankette, and I missed. In response, Terry aimed his Tankette at my Rolls and immobilised it. 

Following on from this success, he turned the Bagisellir towards the Bren Carrier and charged in. However, they were not so successful and bounced off the Bren carrier. 

The flares came down and night descended again.

Turn 5:

With reducded visibility, I decided to through it all in, and attempted to charge the last squad at tankette to see if I can take it out in combat. However, I failed my dice roll. In response, Terry killed another two of the squad and added a pin. Taking their total to 6. 

In the middle, Terry tried to take out the Bren carrier, but despite another set of shots and around of combat, all he was able do was to drive it back. Which was great for me, as my machine gun could now see them, and it opened fire, killing two. 

On the right, my intact Rolls opened fire at Terry’s squad and killed another two. But they stuck around. 

Turn 6

The first dice was mine, and knowing that the game was not going to end well for me, I tried to charge the tankette with the last members of my squad. With six pins, I needed to pass a morale test on a 3. One roll of a 3 left and they attempted to charge in. I need to pass my tank fear test, and I rolled three and I was in. 

Until I failed to inflict any damage on the test (it was quite hard with three dice). The squad retreated and was then cut down into a hail of fire. It was worth a try. I then got another dice, and Terry’s Bagsellari squad was wiped out in the gunfire from the Machine Gun. 

The rest of the turn we traded fire, and Terry was able to wipe out the Bren Carrier, which had taken three turns to be destroyed and the game came to an end at this point. 

Terry had clearly won. 

Terry 18 victory points

David 4 victory points

  

Ouch, that’s all I can say. I don’t think I did anything wrong, but the dice were against me. I don’t the getting a number of pins, on squads on turn 1 helped me either. However, I gave a good go at it and was really happy that the squad that spent 5 turns pinned, were able to charge the tankettes, even if they did get wiped out.

We're all going on a desert holiday.

The table mid game.

So, after an extensive year of playing through Operation Sealion, Terry and I have moved to the Desert, and we are going to be working through the Bolt Action Western Desert campaign book. This has seen my investment in two new forces, Desert British and Italians, with plans for a third. Desert Germans. It’s also seen my knowledge in different tanks increases and I build and paint, lots, and I mean lots. 

We’ve also got plans for a big game later in the year, which will see us have a big table and a lot of tanks. But that’s another blog.

So, the other night, we got our toys out and played through the first scenario. I started out with the Italians, and I brought a force of seven CV 33’s Tankettes. One with an Anti-tank rifle and another with a flamethrower. This was backed up with three squads, in trucks, to take on any infantry or a glorious charge against vehicles.

This game would be using several of the Desert Rules, such as tanks getting double pin markers as sand get’s everywhere, which are found in the Western Desert book and night fighting. Using these rules were a first for both of us. 

Turn 1:

As the flare went up, and the enemy spotted, we raced forward. Terry got the majority of his troops on to the board first. I was soon facing a number of Humber CS9’s and Rolls Royce’s, with squads hiding in the back of trucks, with a lone Tankette. 

However, it managed to survive a number of incoming shots. In fact, it wasn’t until the middle of the turn was Terry able to kill something, blowing up a recently arrived truck on my left flank. Worse, as the squad bailed, a number died as they exited. 

I took my return and wiped out one his light mortar. The game came to an end and the next turn, would be in darkness.

Turn 2: 

With reduced visibility from the darkness, this was a turn of manoeuvring, and very little shooting. My anti-tank gun armed Tankette was able to take out one of Terry’s Humbers which had strayed a little to close. 

However, his advancing Rolls armed with a gatling machine gun was able to take out another of the trucks causing damage on the squad as they bailed out. 

In the Centre of the table my final squad advanced towards Terry’s squad in the rock pile but was unable to do further damage. The turn ended with a flare going off, ending the night. 

Turn 3:

On the right flank, Terry’s squad that was pinning my squad in the burning building. My tankette advance up behind them, and opened fire, with the machine Gun. I was able to kill a number of the squad, but they were going nowhere.

On the left flank, Terry’s squad charged into my squad, and wiped them out in one round of combat. Ouch. However, there was a surprise as my flamethrower armed Tankette rumbled up and failed to hit. It would have been so good. 

My turn got ever worse, as Terry’s squad recovered from being shot at, and charged the Tankette in return, destroying it in a hail of hits. Things had turned towards Terry.

please hit.....

Turn 4:
The flare barrage continued and once again, and I needed to do something with the squad on the left flank, I had decided to charge the Gatling mounted Humber with a squad, hoping to replicate Terry’s success of the previous turn. However, they failed the moral check, and decided to go down behind a sand dune instead. 

In the previous turn, I had reversed a truck out of the way, so that I could now manoeuvre a machine gun armed tankette into point blank range, which caused Terry to go down, despite this I did a number of hits, which saw me decide to manoeuvre the flame thrower armed tankette at another squad nearby, who were hiding in a rock pile.

I rolled a 1 again. This was why I brought a flamethrower, but no joy.

In the centre of the table, Terry and I traded pin markers, and on the right flank my command Tankette charged forward, and began to whittle down the squad that caused my tankette to be destroyed in combat. 

The flares came down and night descended again.

Turn 5:

With reducded visibility, I decided to open fire with the flamethrower, and this time it hit, and killed a two of Terry’s troops. Thankfully vehicles get a +1 when rolling to hit, but still 2 dead.

However things, swung back in my balance as I had inflicted 4 pin markers on Terry, and the squad ran off, having seen two of their number become human torches. My command tank also paid off the remaining squad with it’s machine gun, killing three of their number, and the final chap running off. 

On the left flank, after having rallied in the last turn, my squad over there moved forward, and killed one of the MMG, which had failed to spot them coming. 

Meanwhile on the right flank, through bad dice rolling, and me failing my morale check, Terry’s squad was left wounded, but still in the fight. Thankfully, the Humber couldn’t see anything. 

However, breaking from the centre of the table, one of Terry’s Humber broke through a Tankette, and could see the flamethrower mounted Tankette. The final action of my turn was to attempt to move a Tankette that had spent the last three turns retreating, after failing morale checks, this time I passed and moved on the attack, adding some pins to the 

The turn ended with the flares coming on again.

Turn 6:

The first dice went to Terry, and he took aim at the Flamethrower, damaging it, but not destroying it. It was going anywhere, but it could still shoot. Annoyingly, however, it would only shoot to the front, and there was nothing in it’s line of sight.

Choosing the better of two evils, and having already shot at it, with a machine gun, my remnants of a squad charged Terry’s squad and wiped it out.

In the Centre, Terry poured a lot of fire into my tank but was not able to destroy it, he added a lot of pins, which I then duley retunred. 

As the turn came to an end, Terry was marginally in the lead. Another turn, was rolled for and the dice showed that we had one more turn to play.

Turn 7:

Victory.

I pulled the first dice and it was mine. On my left, I shot at the Machine Gun team infront of my squad and wiped it out. We were even on victory points, I reached for another order die, and it was mine.

On the right, my squad charged forward, taking on the Humber CS9, that had immobilized the nearby flamethrower armed Tankette. As it was opened topped, I didn’t have to check for tiger fear, and wiped the vehicle out. I was now winning. 

Terry, then poured a number of anti tank shots into my Tankette at point blank range, but despite getting a dangerous number of pins, they were still moving around. The Machine gun armed Humber inflicted some more damage on my squad, but the game had come to an end and I had won.

David 14 victory points

Terry 12 victory points

So, that was a lot of fun. I like playing with tanks. Tanks are fun, and the CV33’s in this sort of scenario, where it’s mainly armored vehicles or very, very light tanks, is a lot of fun and I will be investing in a flamethrower mounted CV asap. I do think I was very lucky, we had the seventh turn, which was followed by the first two action dice, which allowed me to take out two more of Terry’s units which gave me the win. I was also fortunate, that Terry rolled poorly and didn’t take out any further vehicles or troops in the last turn. But it was a good, fun start, and I’m looking forward to taking on the Italians as the Brits.