A couple months ago my buddy Dex moved up to Alaska for work. While he loved the State, his job only lasted a few months and now he's off to his next job. We only got to game a few times, but always had a blast. We got together for one last epic game of Bolt Action before he left.
The objective of the game was to capture three objectives equally spaced down the center line of the table.
One of the objectives. A German officer peacefully contemplating battle plans in the orchard.
A German sniper deploys in the article of a shelled out building.
A squad of Soviets advance toward the town.
Two more squads of Soviets also advance while the Soviet 120mm mortar sets up.
The Soviet spotter takes cover in his hide.
Soviet FAO moves into position.
German troops advance down the road.
Another squad moves to the right.
The German sniper misses his first two shots.
The Soviet Maxim, (which Dex thought was called a Buffalo) sets up to cover the advancing infantry.
The mortar spotter starts dropping rounds.
German artillery is called down, so the Soviets scatter.
All the German observers take up position on the right.
The German 1st Lieutenant and his dog handler direct the attack.
German troops find themselves being ranged in on from the Russian artillery.
German mortar gets set up
German artillery ranges in.
So does the Soviet artillery.
This is followed up by a direct hit from the 120mm mortar.
More mortar fire hits the Soviets.
The German officers moves up to rally the men.
Germans troops take up position to thwart the Soviet advance.
A fresh squad of Soviets arrive from outflank.
A red wall sets up.
11 Soviets with one SMG assault 7 Germans with no SMGs. The Soviets kill 5, the Germans kills 6. Oh this is not good Comrade Stalin.
The Buffalo (Maxim) opens up on the German reserves which are flee from the T-34/85.
The T-34 guns down the Germans.
More mortar fire kills more Soviets.
The Germans set up in the rubble and begin firing on the Soviets.
The T-34 takes out half the SS.
They unsuccessfully assault the T-34.
Mortar fire forces the Germans to exit the rubble.
Intense fighting ranges on near the orchard
The German MG-42 sets up and opens up
The German Panzer IV arrives from reserves and moves into position to take out the T-34.
Covered in pins the Soviet assault stalls out. Germany wins hold two of the three objectives at the end of six. The first two turns of this game looked bad for the Germans, my artillery was extremely effective. It threw three pins on three units and two pins on another, that was followed up with a big mortar hit. On turn three the game momentum flipped when my assault failed. I was expecting to lose 3 or 4 guys taking the building, but not the whole unit. this would have left 7 or 8 dudes hold the building and contesting an objective. After I lost the squad Dex focused all his forces on my left flank and my advance ground to a halt.
We had a great time and got talk a bunch of shop before and after. Dex was a great guy to game with. He is headed to Iowa, so if you are from Des Moines or from around that area let me know so I can pass that on to Dex.
