Eric, Chuck and I on New Years Day tried out Bolt Action yet again. This time, it was the second installment from the Skirmish Campaigns book, ’41 Into the Ukraine.
This action took place on June 23rd, 1941 late in the day near Berestochko Ukraine featuring the 37th Tank Division vs the 11th Panzer as they continued their push into the Ukraine.
I always enjoy when we can put a historical action on the table and be faced with having to make more or less the same decisions, tho under much different circumstances than those that served back then.
This time Chuck and I were on the Russian side and Ian and Eric were the Germans. Both sides had to enter on table on turn one. The Russian directive was to again slow / stop the German advance and prevent the German armor from getting off table.
For a Russian force we had 2 BA-10 scout cars, 3 BT7s, a somewhat enlarged political section of 5 soldiers and then a squad of 11. We then had to roll for losses, a d4 for each infantry formation. Chuck rolled a 3 for each. For our optional forces check rolled up 3 T-34s and a 45mm ATG.
We had the option of starting our BA-10 scout cars entering from our left flank which Chuck decided to do. Alas with out forces we rolled as poorly as you could roll for when reinforcements would show up. Our 45mm ATG maxed out to enter on turn 4 and 3 T-34s wouldn’t be showing up until turn 6. A very long wait.
Eric started with 2 PzIIIg, 4 Pz IIc, and two squads of motorized infantry and their platoon HQ.
For an initial plan, Chuck and I decided that we’d plan on pushing into the built up area with our forces and try and keep them back from what should be the “safety” of a town fight.
The gully is muddy and so is the field so vehicles had a chance to bog. The bridge was in less than great shape which was a hint to Eric. Fate would allow him to more or less ignore my hint.
Turn one, our trucks entered on the road and the infantry dismounted. The BT7s keeping to the left flank but staying far back given they were easily out gunned by the PzIIIgs they could see at a distance.
Our two scout cards came on and one immediately got stuck in the field.
Eric had his infantry drive in and dismount on the opposite side of the gully. They seemed to have decided to cross on foot. This picture is also be fore Eric’s Pz IIc tanks arrived.
The Pz IIIg tanks easily make quick work of the two armored cars. Favorable draw of the cards will do that. The German infantry decide to duck into the woods as well as into the gully.
We push our infantry into the builds. I take the former church and Chuck takes the back right building.
The PzIIc tanks press forward and it’s a good match up against the BT7s, least in Bolt Action. Autocannon vs Lt ATG. We got the drop and the tank on the bridge is hit and immobilized. Unplanned but effective way to block the bridge.
We swung our BT7s around to the right in hopes that we can cover armor that would try to cross the gully and but most importantly hopefully get some machine gun shots on the infantry in the gully. This doesn’t go as planned as the priority target is the armor. The one Pz IIc you can see in the gully bogged.
The other Pz IIc you can’t see as it’s on the other side of the river obscured by the buildings and under the smoke right by the cards is a brewed up Pz IIc, the victim of decent BT7 shooting and about the last of the good shooting by the Russians as we were about to be rained on with pin markers.
The German infantry by the bridge would rise up and charge into the church for a close assault. Firing at Germans charging in the open, I figure I should be able to deal with, especially giving I had an LMG and the squad and Eric had done nothing to prep the position. Wrong. Even with the generous shooting of all that charged at me, only got one so we went to close combat which when across an obstacle like a building means both sides resolve their attacks at the same time.
Unsurprisingly inexperienced Russians vs Vet Germans isn’t going to end well. Least for the Russians. It didn’t. Eric rolled really well and got ever man in the Russian squad. These are the things that happen when you give Boris the gun and Ivan the ammo.
The next turn Chuck designed to get out of the town before suffering the same fate. Smart Commissar feeling the nose start to form around his neck. Also one of the BT7s was immobilized. The town at this point was pretty much in the hands of the Germans.
But here comes the cavalry to the rescue… or so we hoped with the arrival of the T34s. Surely they could puff out their chests and scare off the Germans with their impressive armor and guns.
Not so much. Chuck was able to get just enough pin markers on to the T34s that they effectively had to keep rallying in order to stay effective. Worse we just couldn’t stand up to the infantry given our own infantry had effectively melted away. Chuck’s small squad took a few hits and it was pretty obvious to the Commissar, time to continue to fall back.
Last turn before we packed it up, PzIIcs rolling up and another BT7 immobilized and the Pz IIIgs safely across the gully. Highly doubtful we’d make it to the end but we’d held 8 turns which wasn’t bad.
Over all with two play tests of Bolt Action under out belt, I put together my review of the rules in another post. I think over all as a ruleset it needs work. There are some interesting elements in the design but lumping guns and tanks into limited categories and saddled with the use of a single d6 dice for penetration check and results, it just doesn’t work for me.