Bolt Action - Roo's first try out of the rules

So Roo was keen to play more miniature games, as well as more hex and counter games, in fact, just keen to play MORE games and that's fine by me.

Bolt Action, as most of you probably know, is a set of rules for recreating WW2 battles. Written by Alessio Cavatore who has many rule sets and board games to his credit and published by Warlord Games and Osprey Publishing, it is now in it's second edition, which was released in 2016. The rules have also spawned a number of army list books and campaign supplements -

Currently it is the WW2 rule set of choice for the THAGGers (although some of us in the past have played Rapid Fire when we were still going up to the Kirriemuir Wargames Club) and, if you read the previous blog post we have played What A Tanker, but that is just for playing with tanks. We also started playing BA in 20mm but, as is usually the case, Kev persuaded us to all paint up 28mm forces in order to take part in a tournament that was being run by the Dunfermline Wargames and Roleplaying Fellowship (or D.W.A.R.F for short) back in November 2016, and so we have stuck with that scale since. 

The rules are based on a unit order system involving pulling dice out of a bag and the player whose dice has been selected then allocating one of 6 different orders (advance, move, fire, ambush, rally and Down) to a unit of their choice. Combat is based on a d6 with various modifiers being applied and, if a hit is scored, the quality of troop will determine what score on a d6 is required to score a casualty (veterans take a casualty on a "5" or "6" - inexperienced units take a casualty on a "3", "4", "5" or "6". Units that have taken fire suffer pins and each pin that a unit has will deduct 1 from any morale roll that the unit has to make, with again the quality of troop type determining how likely the unit will pass on a 2d6 roll (veteran units require a "10" or under, inexperienced units need an "8" or under). It's a "bucket of dice" type of game and there is nothing wrong with that in my opinion. Combat can be fast and brutal if you are rolling well and you can have the frustration of not being able to do anything whilst your opponent's order dice all get pulled out of the bag before yours. 

BA, being a points system type of game, does lend itself to a tournament style type of game, where non-historical match ups can be played out on the table - there is nothing new in that. Tournament Gamers are well used to facing all sorts of non-traditional opponents from the early days of WRG rules when the Early Libyan Army could face off against a 100 Years War English Army and certainly in the aforementioned tournament in Dunfermline, my Late War British Army fought a Japanese Force, a Russian force and a Russian Black Sea Naval Marine force. My preference, however, is to try and play games with historical opponents and so it was for my first couple of games with Roo we stuck to that approach with our first game being a clash somewhere in Normandy between the British and Germans.

Also, being a point based system, there can be a tendency for players to try and pick the "killer" list with units being selected, not so much because they fought together in a typical force of the time, but because it will generate the maximum number of order dice and firepower. My force picks are very much determined by what available figures I have, and, where I think there is a reasonable explanation for a unit being in the list so, for example, my Late War British List includes a couple of British Paratroop sections with my justification being that in Normandy there where occasions that the Paras fought together with the normal infantry units.

So the table was set for our first game (actually it was the same table that we used for our What A Tanker game - we hadn't bothered re-setting it). A quick roll on the scenario selector table confirmed we were going to play the "Key Positions" scenario - each player would place a number of objective points on the table and the player holding the most number of objectives at the end of the game would be declared the winner. The resulting rolls determined that there would be 6 objective points and once placed we rolled off to see which table edge we would each start on.

We each could decide to keep up to half of our units in reserve. I, however, decided to bring all my units on to the table, Roo elected to keep his MMG team, mortar team, half track and a squad of infantry in reserve.

British Paras taking fire from the dreaded Panzer IV-F2

One of the rules that caused a lot of debate and discussion when the 2nd Edition was released is the "Tiger Fear" rule. If a German Tank with this special rule is on the battlefield then any time an enemy unit wishes to take an order that is not a fire order directed at that particular tank then they have to take a morale test to carry out that order and suffer a -1 penalty in addition to any other modifiers that unit currently has. The Panzer IV-F2 benefits from such a rule and as soon as it appeared on the table it became priority target No.1 for the Brits. My Cromwell tank rushed on to the battlefield -

Fired and missed!

Positions at the end of Turn 1

The Brits have claimed 1 objective, another is located in the wooden building.

Only infantry units can claim objectives so the Cromwell can't claim that objective on the road

However, a stroke of good luck for the British when the Panzer, having taken 1 pin, tested to see if it would carry out it's next order -

FUBAR!!!

Fortunately for Roo, the Panzer did not shoot up it's nearest friendly unit, but instead went in to reverse. However, it was still on the battlefield and still able to cause Tiger Fear with the result that a unit of Paras and an Infantry Section both failed their morale check (along with the Second Lieutenant) -

However, the Cromwell tank commander was not going to be denied his kill and with the Panzer in his sights he opened fire -

No more Tiger Fear!!

On the right flank, one British Infantry section moved in to the wooden building and claimed the objective there, while the other units advanced across the road -

The British Forward Artillery Observer picks his spot for the artillery barrage, meanwhile a German Infantry Section has entered the building and claimed the objective there.

The German Mortar Team moves in to the vine groves to claim the objective there.

Whilst on the German Right flank, the MMG team ignores the distressing sight of the wrecked Panzer to take up position and rain a hail of bullets on any Brits trying to claim that objective.

The German Mortar Team having being disabled by accurate British Sniper fire is quickly replaced by the half track and accompanying Infantry Section

The Infantry manage to debus from the half track just in time as a well aimed shot from the British 6lb anti tank gun resulted in this -

However, the German Infantry extract their revenge on the British Infantry sheltering (unsuccessfully) behind the wall.

A sight to cause fear in any foe - advancing British Paratroopers

In the meantime, the Cromwell, instead of opening fire on the MMG team decides to try and overrun them -

The MMG team evade the overrun and the Cromwell is left staring at the burning wreck of the Panzer IV. The MMG team continue to score casualties on the Paratroopers advancing a cross the field -

Keeping their heads down to avoid the German MMG fire

The British now hold 4 of the objectives as the battle enters it's end game

The Germans in the building continue to hold the objective despite the continual fire of the British Vickers team and some HE from the 6lb gun

Paras getting ready to assault one of the German held objectives

Although the game went in to a 7th turn the Germans were unable to capture a 3rd objective so the Brits held on to win the game 4 objectives to 2.

So Roo proclaimed that despite losing, he enjoyed the game and the rules. He had already started to build figures for a Finnish Army (which is all very well but I don't have any Soviets!) so will be hoping at some point to bring them to the table

So next up will a battle report on an 8th Army v D.A.K match up but that'll have to wait for another day as it's late here and I'm zzzzzzzzzzzzz..........

Some Painted Plastic Soldier Company Ltd Germans (and 1 Brit!)

Well, the paintbrush has been out to see what a coat of paint adds to these figures. I had already undercoated some of the German Infantry when the box of Brits arrived, so I churned these out quickly so Reader Health Warning!! These are no Golden Demon entries!

The MG42 team.

The Oberleutenant

MP40 man

Advancing cautiously

Open Fire!

It will take me ages (as usual) to finish the whole box of Germans so I thought I would do a sample Brit as well

And repeating the pose from my earlier post Plastic Soldier Company Limited 1/72nd Scale Late War British Infantry 1944-1945

My painting style is pretty basic and relies on block colours, dip and then a dry brush before applying a matt varnish spray. My mate GordonY from gordonsgaming. is a great believer in the philosophy that you are looking at figures on a gaming table from say 3ft away and you should paint them accordingly and I'm trying to wean myself off the notion that I have to paint on every last button/ belt buckle etc otherwise my lead/ plastic mountain will never diminish. Some people are gifted and can produce beautifully painted figures quickly - I can only look on their work in awe!

And I must get myself a decent camera!!!

Plastic Soldier Company Ltd 1/72nd Scale Late War German Infantry

Well having mentioned this company in a couple of my earlier posts (see "The Red Devils" & "A Question of Scale") I thought it only right that I should share my views on the Company's 1/72nd scale Late War German Infantry.

Following the release (and it has to be said much delayed release) of their initial set, the 1/72nd scale Russian Infantry in Summer Uniform, Will Townshend at PSC was determined not to jump the gun with this set of figures and accordingly they eventually hit the market in November 2010.

Having bought the Russians (and getting a 10% off  next purchase voucher from Will for having to wait so long for them - nice gesture and much appreciated Will), I decided I would buy a box of the German Infantry (even though I knew by that time that size wise they would not be compatible with the Valiant figures that I already had) and the box of figs duly arrived at Kingsleypark Manor.

In the box you get 3 of these:-

Each sprue has enough pieces to put together 19 figures, 9 of which are multipart and require assembly. There are also a few extra heads provided to add a wee bit of variety to your warriors.

As with any plastic kit some care is required when clipping the figures off the sprue. In quite a few cases the figure is attached to the sprue by the barrel of a weapon, and being usually quite small and frail they could quite easily break in quite the wrong place and probably be nigh well impossible to glue back together.

The multipart models, on the whole fit together quite well (a wee guide comes in the box showing how the multipart figs go together). There are 2 figures whose arms look similar and so if you don't do a dry run with them first (to be recommended as in my haste I didn't) you could end up with completely the wrong pose. But eventually they should look like this

I have to say, I'm not completely sold on some of the poses. The figure on the far left is pointing his rifle slightly downwards - ok perhaps if he is in the upper floor of a building. The figure behind is holding his rifle almost right out in front of him, I think he would look more natural if his right arm was slightly further back. The man throwing the grenade looks very awkward, the right arm just doesn't look right. The squatting figure at the front right of the group again looks uncomfortable and the man firing the MG42 has his left hand flat on the ground. Perhaps you could fire the MG in that pose but I would thought it would be more likely that you would steady the weapon by grabbing the stock of the weapon with your left hand while pulling the trigger with the right. But never having fired a machine gun I may be completely wrong in that! And the figure, second from the right, holding his webbing like a pair of braces does not actually possess a weapon of any description!! At least the 2 figures who are acting as a loader for the MG and ammo carrier has a pistol holder. NB: Important edit - see comments below!

Size wise the figures are about 22mm from foot to eye

And as a comparison with a Reiver Casting 20mm figure

Certainly closer in size and proportion than my Valiant figures.

Detail wise the figures are well sculpted. Most carry the typical German webbing with bedroll and/or smock, water bottle and ammo pouches in the main all cleanly sculpted and detailed. There is a wee bit of blurring of detail where arms meet the body/ pouches/ weapon, but still a lot cleaner than some plastic models I have seen in my time.

Weapons range from the atypical Kar 98k rifle, some MP40's and as already mentioned, the MG42 LMG. Although, these are "Late War" Germans, PSC have resisted the temptation to have everyone armed with StG 44's which really were quite a rare weapon and usually only available to the elite SS units and Fallschirmjager. No panzerfausts or panzershrecks but presumably they will make an appearance in the support weapons kit which is scheduled for release later this year.

Some of the figures have covers on their helmets, the spare heads on the sprue wear field caps and one sports a bandage.

PSC, continue to add to their range of 1/72nd scale figures with the recent release of their T-34 pack (3 easy to put together plastic kits), late war British and with support weapons for the Russians and Germans promised later on this year.

Conclusions? - A well detailed set of figures whose size makes them very compatible with the 20mm figure ranges that are available. As already mentioned, I'm not completely enamoured with some of the poses but at £11 for a box of 57 figures, they are a cheap option to putting together the battlegroups that fought so desperately to protect the Reich in the last days of the WW2.