Airborne all the way! Bolt Action style…
After 8 years and two deployments and three assignments my Son Zach finally is assigned close enough to mom and dad to drive home and play a Sunday war game. After attending his first HMGS in 5 yrs he decided to get back into war-gaming and bought and painted up Bolt Action 82d Airborne DIV army. I have to say he did a dang nice job painting his first figs in 9 years. I hope you will agree…
82d AB squad cross bridge
On Sunday he drove to M'ville for his first solo Bolt Action game and brought along his 800pt airborne troopers for their first battle. I made up a 17th SS PzGren Div army to meet his troops on a Normandy battlefield in what I titled "Airborne All the Way! Bolt action style, Normandy 17 June 1944"
Near Carentan, Normandy June 1944
The 82d was made up of a HQ, Medic, Sniper, 2ea Inf Sqd, 1ea MMG, 1ea Bz, 1ea Lt Mtr and 1ea Lt How (pak 75) (9tm, Veterans)
The 17th SS was made up of HQ, Lt Mtr w/spotter, 1ea MMG, 2ea Sqds, 1ea MMG , 1ea PzShrek & 1ea Mader III (7 tms, Veterans) (Had to use my HGPzD troops for the 2nd Sqd and Med Mtr)
We rolled for scenario and a 2 was rolled for a Maximum Attrition game. Zach selected to bring on his whole force the first turn and I held off 1 sqd, Mader III and Flame thrower.
Turn 1: the 82nd having 3 more chits seem to pull almost all their chits first as his airborne troops ran onto the field and took cover behind the wall and position on the road towards the bridge. The MMG ran into the BLDG and set up on the 1st floor window overlooking the vineyard.
Turn 2: the Germans win the 1st chit and drop a mortar round on the sky troopers by roll a 2 and miss. This was followed with the Mader III moving up the road and taking a position overlooking the bridge. All other troops move for position and all the German Reserves enter on turn two. Love the 10 morale of a veteran! One SS sqd was on the left flank the other PzGren sqd on the far right flank. The SS Med Mtr changes targets but fails to roll a 6.
Turn 3: the US sniper takes up an ambush in the stream about 8" from the bridge. The 2nd chit is USA and the MMG in the BLDG goes into ambush too. The SS answer and move the MMG into the woods triggering the sniper in ambush. At 30+ inch range the sniper took out the MMG gunner! That hurt. The next chit was SS and the 1st sqd moved into the vineyards also triggering ambush by the MMG. The 1st sqd takes a kill! They answer with a PzFaust into the Bldg which missed and a blast into the wheat field at the AB troopers with 12 shots and only pin the Americans. The Mader and Bazooka trade shots bit both miss! The SS fires a MTR round into the airborne 1st sqd but fails to roll a 5+! (3 misses for the Mortar so far! The US player is laughing!!! )
HGD playing 17th SS
Turn 4 the US pulls the first chit and the bazooka fires and kills the Mader III! The next two chits are American and the INF in the wheat field and MMG fire and kill 2 PzGren's in the vineyards. The SS return fire, hitting two and killing one with the medic stepping up and rescuing another. Over on the opposite flank the SS 2nd sqd is pinned in the woods by the sniper! The turn ends with the PzShrek moving up and taking a shot at the troopers behind the hedge hitting and killing the NCO.
82d Bazooka kills a Marder III
Turn 5: The US trooper drop a LT Mtr into the vineyard but roll a 3 and miss. The Pack 75 pushed into the grass field to protect the bridge. The 3rd chit goes to the SS who finally land a MTR round near the bridge and kill 2 troopers and giving them 2 pins. The 82d answers with massed fire into the vineyards and kills 3 more PzGren. The German CMD team having enough moves to the wood edge and lays down a deadly SMG (long range) shot taking out 2 more troopers behind the edge. The American 1st Squad has lost 50% of the sqd and has 5 pin markers.
82d Inf & medic in wheat field
Favorite "combat photo" SS view of fight from vineyard
Turn 6: The German Med Mtr rec'd the 1st chit and the Mtr does more damage giving 2 more pin makers an killing 2 more troopers but still the Veteran airborne Inf holds the bridge. The American answers with the next two chits and light up the PzGren in the vineyards killing 2 more SS soldiers. The SS have to roll and pass a morale check. Only two PzGren soldiers remain in the vineyards. The next chit goes to the Germans who launch an assault on the American CMD team but not before taking an ambush shot by the sniper who kill the LMG gunner! That assault was 12 nice for the Germans to 6 for the American. The Germans kill one airborne NCO to two PzGren's lost! The Germans route! (Knew I should have paid for fanatics?) The medic and his Asst fire and kill the PzShrek asst gunner. The PzShrek gunner passes a morale check. The Germans now have lost 2 teams! We roll for a 7th turn and five is rolled! Fight on!
82d Inf taking a pounding from small arms and mortar fire
Turn 7: The SS are down 2 tms to none…but the two Airborne INF sqds are shot up and brittle? The two PzGren in the vineyard try to fire but fail the roll and go down. The American answer with a 60mm Mtr round but miss the target again. The Germans fire a Med MTR into the American 1st Sqd who remained down from the last turn, but still recd 2 kills and 2 more pins. The Veteran paras again pass morale and stay put! The Bz asst gunner and 2 troops from the CMD team fires on the SS HQ and kill two NCO leaving the SS Officer by himself…but like a good Nazi he passes morale!
SS Commander vows "Ill be back!" in a heavy German accent!!!!
The game ends on turn 7…with an American Victory!
It sure is good having my son be near by home again and back into gaming! It has been way too long! Welcome home son.
Zach says…"Dang it Dad where the heck is that rule in the Bolt Action Book!"
