Gunny Phil came down for a Thurs Bolt Action game. Zach supplied the troops, his 82d AB troops vs his Italians.
The scenario was found on the BA forum and was titled "Rearguard Action"
The Itl's were the defenders and set up their forces (12" from center line) and choose 3 Objectives (also 12" from center line) The first turn was the preparatory bombardment. The Itl's faired pretty well and rec'd a minimum of hit markers but did lose their MMG (Zach just finished painting it the night before)
82d AB Infantry moves out
The "All Americans" attack started off slow so we thought due to the ITL Tank and Armor car move out of the village. The bazooka fired and hit the tan 2 out of 3 shots but only made the tank "hunker down"and rec'd a pin maker. (CPL Phil was a bad Bz Gunner? He was later killed my the tanks MMG)
CPL Phil fires his BZ and misses!
During turn two the Itl's off board artillery came in and killed the american AT gun leaving only one surveyor who jumped into hi sheep and drove to safety. Once the Americans came within assault range of the enemy AFV's the fell back to safety too…allowing the paratroopers to rush towards the village and start capturing OBJ's.
ITL FWD OBS scans the horizon for a target
ITL artillery does its damage!L
The Italians could have earned victory points if he would had followed the scenario rules and started to withdraw units. But he chose to stand and fight instead! With 2 of the three OBJ in American hands the ITL armor car advanced only to be hit in the side by the Pack 75 howitzer! This killed all hopes for the Italian counterattack and victory.
Pack 75 howitzer and crew
"OUCH!"
The game ended with the Americans gaining 14 VP to the ITL 10. If the Itla would have withdrawn two 2 more units (in which he could easily have done) it would have been a 14-14 tie. The GM kept reminding his that t was a "rearguard action!" The Italians could easily have won this fight?
Next Tues night in Mechanicsville we will re-fight this scenario, using EW French vs Germans in a 1940 game with the Germans defending a small bridgehead on the Ah canal. This is a play test for Historicon.
Enjoy
SFC Retired
goes to sea with the Terrain Mat.
