Copyright © 2011-2024, Paul Scrivens-Smith

Copyright © 2011-2024, Paul Scrivens-Smith

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Thursday 28 February 2013

Two more games of Burma Bolt Action

Adie deploys for the first game
Yesterday evening, Adie and myself had another couple of games of Bolt Action as Maunsfield Gaming.

I had picked a couple of 1000 point lists based upon the troops I have available as follows.










British



Headquarters Units



Officer


95pts
First Lieutenant
Regular
Thompson SMG

Two additional men
Regular
SMLE Rifle

Forward Observer


10pts
Artillery Forward Observer
Regular
Thompson SMG

One additional man
Regular
SMLE Rifle





Infantry Squads and Teams



Infantry Section


123pts
NCO
Regular
Thompson SMG

8 Riflemen
Regular
SMLE Rifle

1 Machine gunner
Regular
Bren LMG

Infantry Section


123pts
NCO
Regular
Thompson SMG

8 Riflemen
Regular
SMLE Rifle

1 Machine gunner
Regular
Bren LMG

Infantry Section


123pts
NCO
Regular
Sten SMG

8 Riflemen
Regular
SMLE Rifle

1 Machine gunner
Regular
Bren LMG

Veteran Infantry Section


150pts
NCO
Veteran
Sten SMG

8 Riflemen
Veteran
SMLE Rifle

1 Machine gunner
Veteran
Bren LMG

Machine Gun Team


50pts
Three men
Regular
Vickers MMG

PIAT Team


40pts
Two men
Regular
PIAT

Flamethrower Team


50pts
Two men
Regular
Flamethrower

Light Mortar Team


35pts
Two men
Regular
2” Mortar





Tanks



Sherman V
Regular
Sherman V
195pts







994pts

BOMBARDMENT
When rolling for the effects of a Preparatory Bombardment instead of rolling one die on the results chart for each enemy unit (p181) roll two dice and choose the best result
 ARTILLERY SUPPORT
British armies can include one regular Artillery Forward Observer for free.



Japanese



Headquarters Units



Officer


103pts
First Lieutenant
Veteran
Sword & Pistol (Tough Fighter)

Additional man
Veteran
Type 100 SMG

Medic


30pts
Medic
Veteran
Pistol





Infantry Squads and Teams



IJA Veteran Infantry Squad


163pts
NCO
Veteran
Ariska Rifle

9 Riflemen
Veteran
Ariska Rifle

1 Machine gunner
Veteran
Type 99 LMG

IJA Veteran Infantry Squad


163pts
NCO
Veteran
Ariska Rifle

9 Riflemen
Veteran
Ariska Rifle

1 Machine gunner
Veteran
Type 99 LMG

IJA Veteran Infantry Squad


163pts
NCO
Veteran
Ariska Rifle

9 Riflemen
Veteran
Ariska Rifle

1 Machine gunner
Veteran
Type 99 LMG

IJA Veteran Infantry Squad


124pts
NCO
Veteran
Ariska Rifle

6 Riflemen
Veteran
Ariska Rifle

1 Machine gunner
Veteran
Type 99 LMG

Machine Gun Team


50pts
Three men
Veteran
Type 92 MMG

Light Mortar Team


46pts
Two men
Veteran
Type 89 Grenade Launchers

Light Mortar Team


46pts
Two men
Veteran
Type 89 Grenade Launchers

Light Mortar Team


46pts
Two men
Veteran
Type 89 Grenade Launchers

Sniper Team


65pts
Two men
Veteran
Type 97 Sniper Rifle








999pts
DEATH BEFORE DISHONOUR
Every unit in this list has the Fanatics special rule, as described on page 70 of the Bolt Action rulebook. In addition, infantry and artillery units automatically pass morale checks for being assaulted by enemy tanks (note that artillery pieces are still destroyed as normal).
BANZAI CHARGE
If a Japanese infantry unit is ordered to Run towards (or Charge) the closest visible enemy, any Order test for that move is automatically passed, as if the unit had rolled a double one.
All models in the unit must then be moved directly towards one of the models in the target unit, and must make contact with the target unit if possible.
Note that a unit can be ordered to Run/Charge in another direction, but in that case it will follow the normal rules and the Banzai Charge rule has no effect.






Veteran infantry take the village elders house
Adie elected to use the Japanese, so that we could continue from where we left off last time.

The British list was what I had decided to use at the forthcoming event WAB GT Bolt Action event that was eventually cancelled. The Japanese was more cobbled together from all the stuff I have painted.

Japanese seize the jungle
We rolled up a mission and came up with Maximum Attrition - I must admit, not my favourite of the bunch. On the first urn, my Forward Artillery Observer called in his bombardment and at the start of the second turn I rolled a 6, the artillery was zeroed in. I then rolled a six for the diameter. Under the template was one of Adies infantry squads, two 50mm mortars and his sniper. Well my succession of sixes continued with both the infantry squad and the sniper being wiped out to a man and the two light mortars under a lot of pins. This is a complete reversal of my usual experience with my Artillery Forward Observer.

On turn three, after some excellent British shooting and a failed Banzai charge meant Adie was down to very little so we wrapped up that game and started again.

50mm mortar vs Sherman, not a fair fight
The second game we rolled up Hold Until Relieved and that went a lot better. Adie put me in defence so I put one infantry section and my light mortar in the objective, his initial bombardment missed my Forward Artillery Observer and put some pins onto the infantry section and the 2" Mortar. This time my Forward Artillery Observer was killed quite early on so I was unable to move the bombardment which did very little. Adie soon took the objective, the Rifle section and the 2" mortar being shot up far too easily (we don't give troops in the light buildings a 6+ damage roll as they are not substantial enough) .

HQ section orders a rifle section forwards
The Japs were soon swarming all over the village and the British counter attack went in, mainly consisting of a chap with a flame-thrower hiding behind the Sherman tank until he got into range. The Japanese section hit by the flame thrower suffered no casualties, but suffered four pins and rolled badly on the subsequent moral test and was removed.

At the end of the evening, both sides were contesting the objective so it was a draw with pretty much equal casualties on each side.

The second game went much better, although the Japanese do struggle against the Sherman tank. Historical of course, but not so good for game balance.

 Here are a load more images from the games.















3 comments:

  1. Excellent stuff Paul, glad to the artillery is getting better!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks chaps.
    I gave Phil his first game of Bolt Action on Thursday but forgot my camera and took some pretty shonky photos on my phone.
    If I get a chance I'll post another battle report.

    ReplyDelete