Bolt Action - AAR: Envelopment: Germans vs French (15mm)

Here's our 2nd game! We screwed up far fewer rules this time, and tried some new mechanics like forward artillery observers. We also tried a multiple platoon approach. The French used the British army list. The SOMUA was pointed as an M5 Stuart. The Panhard as an M8 Greyhound. The Panzer II was a Luchs. We let it keep recon to represent some sort of tactical initiative? I dunno, it just worked out, okay? So the mission is ENVELOPMENT.  In Envelopment, the attacker (after a preliminary bombardment) must move on his "first wave" from his board edge.  The first wave has to be at least half of your units.  In our battle Joe elected to have his First Wave be his entire army. The defenders can deploy up to half of their units in reserve, though they don't have to.  Units on the board can be placed in "Hidden Deployment" which basically makes them nearly impossible to hit so long as they are in cover and the enemy don't get close enough to reveal them. The mission lasts 6 turns, with a 50% chance of lasting 7 (you roll at the end of 6 to see if 7 happens).  The attacker scores Victory points for: Getting units off the defender's board edge (3), having units in the defender's deployment zone at the end of the game (2), and killing enemy units (1 pt). The defender only gets victory points for destroying attacking units (2).

Joe's Germans VET 1st Lt + 2 SMGs VET Squad 1: 6 Rifles, 1 LMG, 1 SMG VET Squad 2: 6 Rifles, 1 LMG, 1 SMG REG 2nd Lt + 2 SMGs REG Squad 3: 6 Rifles, 1 LMG, 1 SMG REG Squad 4: 6 Rifles, 1 LMG, 1 SMG REG medium mortar REG Light Mortar REG Panzer II REG 8-rad REG sd kfz 251/1C Halftrack

Steven's French REG 2nd Lt + 2 Rifles REG Forward Observer (Free) REG Squad 1: 7 Rifles, 1 LMG REG Squad 2: 7 Rifles, 1 LMG INX 2nd Lt + 2 Rifles INX Squad 3: 7 Rifles, 1 LMG INX Squad 4: 7 Rifles, 1 LMG VET 7 Rifles, 1 LMG, 1 SMG (British Guards) REG Medium Mortar REG Panhard AMD-35 REG SOMUA S-35 REG HMG

SETUP AND DEPLOYMENT

The Board. The French are defending the Southern side.

Inexperienced Troops dig in on a ridge.

Another shot of the ridge

British Guards and an artillery observer Hold the other flank.

UNITS IN RESERVE
Joe's Germans	Steven's French SOMUA Panhard REG 2nd LT REG Squad 1 REG Squad 2

DEPLOYMENT SUMMARY

Joe's Germans: Joe Begins with nothing on the board, but puts everything in his first wave. Steven's French: Steven puts his SOMUA in reserve. He puts his Panhard in Reserve with orders for a right flank march. He puts his REG 2nd LT and both REG squads in reserve with orders for a left flank march.

TURN 1

The preliminary bombardment is launched! The Inexperienced troops are taken by surprise!

The Germans begin advancing.

Veteran German infantry advances up the French right flank.

A Panzer II rolls forward.

The French HMG fires at long range, scoring first blood!

The inexperienced troops wait... and watch. They also fail a TON of orders!

The SOMUA rolls on from reserve!

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Joe's Germans Squad 3: 1 rifle	Steven's French Squad 3: 1 rifle

TURN 1 SUMMARY

Joe's Germans: Everything comes on the board! General advance! Steven's French: Almost every unit fails to do activate, except the HMG which successfully knocks out a German at range!

TURN 2

The Panzer II rolls out and nails the SOMUA! Ouch!

Vet Infantry disembarks from the halftrack.

The Regular German infantry approaches the hill.

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Joe's Germans Squad 3: 1 rifle	Steven's French Squad 3: 1 rifle SOMUA: DESTROYED

TURN 2 SUMMARY

Joe's Germans: The Germans continue to move forward. The Panzer II scores a superbly lucky shot on the SOMUA taking it out! Steven's French: The French again largely fail to do much of anything.

TURN 3

The French Mortar strikes a German squad!

The battle as it nears the halfway point.

The artillery spotter calls in fire on the right flank. A Ranging round is fired but the artillery does not materialize at the end of the turn.

The 8 rad and halftrack advance down the road.

The Hill.

The Panhard arrives from reserve! It shoots at the Hanomag but misses.

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Joe's Germans Squad 3: 3 rifles	Steven's French Squad 3: 1 rifle SOMUA: DESTROYED

TURN 3 SUMMARY

Joe's Germans: Joe continues his forward advance. His infantry hugs the walls on the French left flank, while his Veteran infantry advances on the French right in the Hannomag and through the wheat. Steven's French: The French keep holding as a Panhard AMD-35 arrives from reserve on the advancing Germans' flank!

TURN 4

Regular French reserves arrive!

Carnage on the left flank! Joe's Stubborn REG 2nd Lt rolls out with SMGs blazing and eats up the French 1st squad! Mesanwhile the French HMG tears into Joe's Squad 4!

The Panhard lights up the 8-Rad!

The artillery strikes! It doesn't do much. On the other hand, it was free.

The British Guards open up on the squad in the wheat, further pinning them and stifling the German advance.

The Panzer II opens up on the French HMG, but scores no hits.

The battle so far.

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Joe's Germans Squad 3: 4 rifles Squad 4: 4 Rifles, NCO	Steven's French Squad 3: 1 rifle SOMUA: DESTROYED Squad 1: 5 rifles. (Mortar Observer)

TURN 4 SUMMARY

Joe's Germans: The Hanomag loaded with infantry races off the French board edge scoring the Germans 6 points! Joe takes a huge lead! That plus the destroyed SOMUA put Joe at 7 to 0! Something kills the French mortar observer, but I forget what. Steven's French: The French left becomes a killing ground! 2 regular french squads outflank the regular German squads. Them combined with fire from the HMG on the hill put a hurting on the Germans!

TURN 5

The French 2nd Squad assaults and wipes out the Germans' 3rd squad.

While sustained fire from the HMG, an advancing inexperienced squad, and some lucky shots from the French 1st squad, 2 more units are run off!

An inexperienced squad earns their keep.

The German medium mortar starts ranging in on the HMG.

The veteran infantry squad in the field keeps taking fire from the French mortar and the British Guards

British Guards

End of 5.

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Joe's Germans Squad 3: DESTROYED Squad 4: DESTROYED REG 2nd LT: DESTROYED Squad 1: 1 rifle. 8-Rad: DESTROYED	Steven's French Squad 3: 1 rifle SOMUA: DESTROYED Squad 1: 5 rifles. (Mortar Observer)

TURN 5 SUMMARY

Joe's Germans: Joe's right flank crumbles! The french flanking maneuver was brutal. Now Joe struggles to maintain his lead. Steven's French: The score tightens up! joe loses 4 units all in one turn, and the gap is closed. It's now 7-8! The Panhard knocks out the 8-rad, as the French infantry crashes into the left flank.

TURN 6

The veteran squad is unable to keep advancing despite light casualties.

Brit Guards

The German mortar ranges on the French HMG

And totally wipes it out in one strike! Joe is back in the game! 8-10.

The Panhard engages the Panzer II, immobilizing the vehicle!

One of the Panhard Brothers, no doubt.

The REG 2nd Lt tries to convince the inexperienced troops to assault the Panzer II... But they are le tired.

The battle so far. The battered French 1st squad hunts down and actually destroys the German light mortar! Miraculously, that ties up the game. 8-8.

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Joe's Germans Squad 3: DESTROYED Squad 4: DESTROYED REG 2nd LT: DESTROYED Light Mortar: DESTROYED 8-Rad: DESTROYED	Steven's French Squad 3: 1 rifle SOMUA: DESTROYED Squad 1: 5 rifles. (Mortar Observer) HMG: Destroyed

TURN 6 SUMMARY

Joe's Germans: It's looking rough for the Germans, but the scoreboard is still close. 8 to 10 Steven's French: The French firmly have the upper hand, but are overjoyed when the dice allows a turn 7!

TURN 7

And then came the shot that would do it. The Panhard knocks out the Panzer II.

That puts Steven ahead at 12-8. With that, Joe calls it as his troops have almost no way of even hoping to tie it up again.

6 Scoring points for the Germans. A Hannomag and infantry squad escape the French board edge.

A further 2 points for the Germans: 2 destroyed units.

The units the french knocked out. Panzer II, 8-rad, light mortar, 2nd LT, 2 regular infantry squads.

COMBAT CASUALTY SUMMARY
Joe's Germans Squad 3: DESTROYED Squad 4: DESTROYED REG 2nd LT: DESTROYED Light Mortar: DESTROYED 8-Rad: DESTROYED	Steven's French Squad 3: 1 rifle SOMUA: DESTROYED Squad 1: 5 rifles. (Mortar Observer) HMG: Destroyed

TURN 7 SUMMARY

Joe's Germans: The Germans are just hobbled at this point. Very few dice in the cup, and their chances of a swift victory gone. Steven's French: The French are able to roll up the survivors and solidify their lead as the Panhard knocks out the Panzer II.

This was a fun one, and went far more smoothly than our first. The game works in 15mm for sure, but I can't wait to play at 28!

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